expression of the Lords love How many doubting drooping Spirits are there that though others may see and though themselves have felt the sensible expression of the Lords love yet oft come to this conclusion or fear that the Lord did never yet good unto me And dispute against it and think that this an hypocrite may have Isa. 49. 14. There are two waies whereby Grace is despised 1. By making common Grace special 2. By making special Grace common The Elect are apt to do so before they are called as Paul thought his innocent Godlinesse gain they are apt to do the latter when once in Christ. All this we may have and yet to Hell Oh take heed of despising this kindnesse which the Lord Jesus hath not shewn to the greatest Potentates of the world Yea if I did but know it but I am put to such fears and doubts about it that I know not what to make on 't 1. Do not think that thou art under the power of thy sin when thou art at war with thy sin and it with thee For the Lord many times clears up his love to the soul and 't is better than life to him but then winds arise and storms come and sin and Satan assaults and now he cries out he perisheth and that he was never redeemed by Christ nor never saw Christs love Should his soul be thus ensnared thus assaulted and no strength against it and therefore being under the power of it hence he never had pardon they cannot overcome their corruptions though they strive against them hence think they are under the power of them and then say where is Christs Spirit c. Answ. When Rebekah had Twins so that she was troubled she went to the Lord who told her the elder shall serve the younger So there is Flesh and Spirit in Saints and these two are contrary so that you cannot do the things you would and somtimes cannot will yet somthing opposeth this Well know it that the elder and stronger shall serve the younger it shall be Lord. A man that is at war with another hath received power against him but victory is not gotten presently so 't is here Iudgment shall come to victory Though thou art bruised and canst not raise up thy self now there is no fear of breaking if God will not do that none shall do it and therefore thou shalt get victory Only know for the present thou hast power Thou goest to all Ordinances and when no help there raisest the power of Heaven Oh Lord awake Awake Oh Arm of the Lord Isa. 51. 9. 2. Do not think that the being of Grace is lost when 't is hid by the cessation of it for a time from act For 't is hard to know whether Grace be there when acts are not seen or felt now somtimes 't is so The heart growes carelesse and negligent ceaseth from acting quencheth the flame of the Spirit Hence come fears was there ever Grace here The Sluggards Garden grows full of Nettles and he saith was the ever good seed sown here Answ. Consider 't is in this case as 't is in sin Though the act of sin ceaseth yet there is a bent of heart still toward it and a carnal heart will return to his old Byas and bent again So though the act of Grace ceaseth yet there is an inner man a gracious bent and frame put upon the will that though for a time it ceaseth acting yet it will return to its old bent again to its own nature which is called the seed of God 1 Iohn 3. 9. From which a man can never fall For in sleep there is cessation from acts yet the frame remains still In the old Law if any unclean thing fell on a Pitcher it was accounted unclean but if in a Spring not because it would work it out again so here There is a Spring of Grace which may be muddied and stopt up yet it will work it leâ—â— clear again And this Gods people shall find there is somthing in them that springs up to everlasting life all their daies 3. Do not judge only of the truth and measure of Grace by what thou hast in thy hand of feeling but by what thou hast in thy hand of Faith in the promise God hath ever delighted to keep his people short of what they would have and to give them but little insomuch that they often question the truth of Grace feeling so little measure of it Yet they look to the riches of Gods Grace to the freenesse and riches of the Lords promise and hang there and pleaâ— that and suck that breast Answ. Oh now consider thou art empty but remember the Lord Jesus is full and the promise is free and full Oh the riches of it to give abundantly and to work Truth in thee Hence 't is there in the promise and thy Faith hâ—ngs on the promise for it Why t is thine by Faith then The nature of Faith is to carry the soul empty to a promise and the Lords Grace and Christ there so that it knows not whither else to go but for bread here Now Faith doing thus it makes the promise and all of it thine 2 Pet. 1. 1 4. Abraham had his child first in the promise when he felt a dry body and saw a barren womb And know it its insinite mercy to be kept up in the promise and thou givest the Lord infinite Glory by embracing of it now and thou maist triumph here Hast not said Lord that Solomon shall reign and sin shall not It shall not Oh rejoyce oh Heavens and Earth at this for the Lord hath visited me God took from Paul his revelations and sent distempers that Grace might be manifested in the promise 4. Do not think that the Lords heart is not towards thee while he hides his face from thee For there may be frowns in a Fathers face and yet love in his heart The Lord purposely hides himself from his people somtimes especially when they begin to grow weary of him or proud but yet his heart is towards them still Now they think not so when in utter darknesse then they think there is no love the woman of Canaan besought Christ oft yet he heard not yet his heart was towards her How did that appear Her heart and Faith was still toward him she would not leave him though she should have but crumbs Isa. 45. 15. 8. 17. And the Lord doth purposely hide his face in love that his peoples hearts may be towards him Hos. 5. 15. 6. 1. 5. Do not judge of the Lords love and heart toward you in these sad times by present feelings but by the issue of them For such is the Lords cariage towards his people somtimes that God seems wholly to crosse them and appears in all their waies with a drawn sword against them He doth not only leave them to their enemies as he did Samson but to their sins and to Satan to
Ordinances the external visible signs of his presence one would think he would never come yet the Lord will come and comfort his people Isa. 61. 2. God hath sent and anointed him and the Spirit hath filled him and he is as willing himself to comfort them that mourn nay when they have the spirit of heaviness and when it is done Christ is come then that is a coming of Christ. Fourthly There is a coming of Christ when he comes in more full measure of his Spirit to his people and that in his Ordinances for there is a state and time of Christianity wherein a man is carnal and blind and the Image of Christ darkly stampt upon the soul and is exceeding weak now the Lord is said to come when he doth this Ioh. 14. 18. I will see you again and I will not leave you comfortless Orphans alone without any one to take care for you now though it be long before the Lord do come here yet come he will when the soul thinks it impossible and the thing incredible Behold thy God thy King commeth Isa. 40. 9. with 23. He shall come like the rain upon the fleece of wool Fifthly Christ is said to come when he comes to destroy and root out the enemies of his Church whether outward enemies or inward enemies Isa. 26. 21. Now grant it be long the Lord doth suffer them to prevail and to be pricking bryars to the hearts of Gods people and to the heart of Gods Spirit in his people yet he will come and hence the Church pleads this with God as an usual thing with him Isa. 64. 1 2 3. He comes when men look not for him yea he came so here and the name of God lyes upon it to make known his name to his adversaries Isa. 66. 5. Hear the word of the Lord ye that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you and cast you out said Let the Lord be glorified He shall appear to your joy but they shall be ashamed Sixthly Christ is said to come to the soul when he comes to it at death to abolish all sin and sorrow and to possess the soul of immediate fellowship with himself and at Judgement when the great mariage day shall be and the Bride made ready and the Bridegroom in their perfect glory to the view of all the world Ioh. 14. 3. Oh many a one is troubled now the Lord is gone from it mediately to comfort it Let not your hearts be troubled you have a God in his Word to believe in cleave to that and me in it but when death comes against me and enemies come against me and heart fails and eyes fails will the Lord come Yes I will come again for I go but only to prepare a place for you and make Heaven sweet and ready for you some would have all Christs coming here but there is some hereafter SECT III. BEcause the love of Jesus Christ never fails his Churches and People love will keep men from being ever absent from the thing they love Now look as it was with Lazarus whom Christ loved Iohn 11. 3. he heard that he was sick he could have come then but he lingers and stays until he be dead behold Lazarus is dead yea till he had been four days dead and then awakens him again and Lazarus must come forth of his grave to shew forth the everlasting love of the Son of God vers 4. For there are two things in Christ's love first it is pure independant and dear Prov. 8. penult hence he will not ever be absent for 1. If it be dependant then we might say as we change he changeth he was good but we have provoked him since c. 2. If independant yet 't is apt to forget he minds me not nor my prayers nor sorrows Yes it is exceeding dear and assures us of all if he in love came to suffer what will he not come to do and that when the Church is most withered Zach. 3. 1 2 3. and hence saith the Lord why sayâ—st thou the Lord hath forsaken me and forgotten me when written upon the palms of my hand Isa. 48. 14. Lest their spirit fail Oh the Lord is very tender of that he that bids parents not to be bitter to their children lest their spirits fail and be provoked will not do it himself Isa. 57. 17. he will not always contend lest the spirit fail within him and the souls that he hath made Oh remember this now how apt is the spirit of a childe of God to fail upon this what more bitter than Gods absence Because to come late is many times the best time for he comes ever in the fulness of time if he should come sooner or latter he should not come in season to his people Of unspeakable consolation to the people of God that lie under sad and heavy perplexities in respect of the Lords absence from them as for you that can bear this that say to God depart if he will this concerns not you at all and the Lord being gone you lye under sad thoughts that he will never return again yes you have now heard he will come and return again Say unto Sion behold your God cometh Object But what when I have been secure and careless withal Answ. Yes though the Virgins sleep yet the Lord will come to them for if his love did depend upon your watchfulness he might never return onely it may be longer as to these and he will awaken you some time before he doth come and truly to mourn for his absence is to awaken with him Object But it hath been thus long before the Lord come and therefore he will never come Answ. Though long yet you see he comes at last to them first the cry says so and then he comes Ministers tell you so and it is not long after nay then is the very time when so long as you look not for him as here to these SECT IV. Object BUt I know it not Answ. God keeps his best blessings and persumes them long in his own hand from his own children as Isaac David Abraham Heman Christ but it is best you know it not Hast thou been seeking the Lord for his presence that the Lord would but see and consider thee a little until thine eyes fail thee and do you think the Lord will ever forget I tell thee if Peter were in Prison prayers would deliver him and fetch Angels from Heaven to him though the Church of God lay desolate sins great yet the prayer of Daniel shall bring down words of command to make all up again If thou be in any want be careful in nothing c. He asked thee life thou gavest him long life for ever and ever nay when thou â—easest thy prayers have their cry when thy mouth when thy heart speaks not for prayers are not dead things but living begotten out of a living Spirit from a living God presented by a
he and others were the off-scouring of the world and this was their glory vâ—rse 16. Look upon Christ himself he had as much excellency as could be yet he cast it off despised all the glory of the world was a worm and no man he professeth he sought no â—onor of men â—ut the will of him that sent him this was his glory 2. Look upon the excellency of your estate in Christ 1 Cor. 2. 21. Glory not in men for all things are yours take any Prince that hath a Kingdom will he house in a cottage or spend his time and care to thatch and repair that no all the Kingdom is mine and hence he will have Kingly thoughts and Kingly aims and ends and acts that ennoble him indeed So here 2 Cor. 5. 9. Knowing we have a house above that there is but a breath between us and glory we labor are ambitious that whether absent or present to be present to be accepted of him The very reason why the hearts minds lives of men are so debased as to seek their glory in that which is their shame is this they know no better estate no greater glory the God of glory and Kingdom of glory and promise of glory and Ark and Cherubims and Oracles of glory in Christ have been to this day hid from their eyes hence Heb. 12. 2. Christ for the joy set before him despâ—sed the shame 3. Make the Lord present with you and see him shine about you in his glory when poor men come to the Court and see no King there they bow down to his Chair whereas if he was seen he should have all the honor then so when men see creatures but see them like empty chairs the God of glory not filling of them we bow down to creatures but when God is seen now the soul gives all glory to him a man that lives without any in his house as chief all servants attend on him but when the Prince comes with his train now all his Servants with himself are too little to attend on the Prince so here when men come to pray or preach or speak Oh how doth a wicked heart seek it self but when the Lord is seen now all attend on him hence when God sends his people to honor him he first appears to them in his glory and it never is long out of their minds hence Abraham forsook his own Country Acts 7. Moses forsook Egypt he saw God invisible Heb. 11. 26 27. Psal. 22. ult All nations shall remember and turn to the Lord when the Lord is seen all our glory is shame Isa. 6. and now glory in that and make him as present as at the last day then all shall fall down before him 4. See how every service you perform unto him every act of holiness quickned by the Spirit of life is pleasing to him if a Prince be with a man and cannot be pleased nothing can content him or we hear not one word from him whether we please him or not we shall grow weary of him at last but to consider this he that serves me him will my father honor that every cup of cold water shall have a Disciples reward that every groan shall be heard that what you do to one of these little ones you do it to Christ and Christ takes it as kindly as done to himself that the Lord remembers the love of your eâ—pousals Ier. 2. when you follow him in a land not sown that the comfort of all your labors tears sufferings shall follow you to heaven and for ever lodge in that blessed brest of thine Oh Brethren saith Paul always abound and spend your time here knowing your labor is not in vain in the Lord why do men seek to please men and place their glory there because men see and approve them Oh what is this to the approbation of a God SECT VIII OH then preserve this your glory when men have any thing in the world that is their glory their Crown their Treasure Oh they will keep that especially rather lose life than lose their names and glory in the world Oh preserve the spirit of holiness especially in these places this hath been this only shall be our glory and that not in name and yet dead but in deed and in power we have had our Christian conversation and that not by contenting our selves with a little but to be exactly holy a little spot is soon seen in your coat you shall observe it 1. When the Jews shall be made the glory of all the earth their glory shall not consist then in immediate Revelations but in Sanctification there shall be holiness and sanctification there shall be holiness on pots and horse bridles 2. When the Lord will be a defence to his people and a shadow from heat and from the Sun it shall be when the Lord hath purged away the filth of men by a spirit of burning not which burns up all holiness but filthiness and self-confidence in any holiness and hypocrisie and so they shall be holy Isa. 4. 3 4. 3. How many men stumble by opinions divisions c. the fruits of a corrupt head and streams of a dunghil heart that had rather live in sorrows among enemies than divisions among friends Oh the spirit of people as soon as any new Calf is made fall down and worship it and break the antient Land-marks which the Word hath set and then make prognostications of all ill weather to arise from opposing their opinion never shall our glory be recovered till these evils are confessed and lamented and the sin of the heart which begat them 4. I have wondred why so few be converted though blessed be God some the Lord doth pick out a few Servants Children and Natives is it not because either this exemplary holiness which is our glory is not or not so shiniâ—g but our lamps are dim Ministers preach and hearers are â—troubled but they then look upon scandals and offences from others and so are beaten off again Zach. 8. 20 21 22 23. Oh therefore preserve it 5. HOw will all the world ahhor the ways we walk in if we miscarry 6. God will have holy Churches he is refining the whole world now for that end and will do so more and more and go on SECT IX Quest. How shall we preserve it Answ. 1. Take heed of harboring an ill opinion of holiness for then if your judgements dislike it your tongues and your lives shall disgrace it Take heed of imagining that First there is no grace in Saints only immediate actings of the Spirit this is no spirit of holiness no more than in Baalams Ass through which God spake to him Secondly That these graces are only common who will seek much after that or esteem that which is but common this is to despise the Spirit to contemn the blood of the Covenant whereby the Church is sanctified Thirdly That grace is so dark and obsâ—ure a thing always as no
for the elects sake they are willing to spend and to be spent 2 Cor. 1â— 15. Paul wisheth himself anathâ—â—â— amor divinâ—s est exstâ—â—cus â— carries out of self Rom. â— 1 2 3. though it is true the Ministry was not blest to all yet the election obtained it Rom. 11. 7. hence the ministry is from men not Angels that there might be the more pity and so the more help Heb. 4. 2. SECT IV. 2. BUt why by the Ministry of the Gospel Because the Law cannot give life Gal. 3. 21. Now the Lord cannot make him that hath sinned not to have sinned that would be a contradiction and he that hath sinned must dye and hence there is no possibility for the Spirit to give life here hence the Spirit takes another instrument the Gospel can perswade to believe and bring to Christ where life is feared Because there is more of Christs blood here and hence more Spirit for they are all one to be cleansed with Blood and Spirit for the Lord Jesus did not by his blood purchase the unsealing of the Law but the Gospel is a secret and not known but by this means it is the New Testament which ariseth from the death of the Testator to have the neâ—â— of the Gospel printed it is by means of Christ blood but to have men sent to open it there is more of his blood therein and hence more Spirit Because there is more of Christ's love in the Gospel and where most of his love goes there his Spirit goes most it is love to make us know the Law though it be a hand-wrâ—ing against us but now when we see death to bring the Gospel and therein to entreat and wait there is great love and hence it is called the Ministry of Râ—conciliation Oh it is infinite pity to offer to take a dead â—artion up under his wings here he loâ—gs for the salvation of a siâ—ner most if we were fallen Angels he would never send the Ministry of the Gospel to us but so it is now that he hath taken the seed of Abraham SECT V. OF Instruction 1. Hence we may see the glory of the Gospel in that it is the Ministry of the Spirit of God this the Apostle professeth it exceeds in glory glorious light it scatters that which hath been hid from the wise nay from Prophets and Abraham who desired to see this day and saw it but â—â— far off hence it is called marvellous light which brings the foul to the light of that blessed face of Jesus and his glorious love which never shal be sounded to the bottom of it which damps the glory of all other things and although many great and wise despise it yet if they did know they would not despise the Lord of glory nor crucifie him but their eyes shall never see those glorious consolations and comforts promised to the people of God I will send the 〈◊〉 saith Christ which 〈◊〉 can be taken 〈◊〉 from Beleivers which in midst of all miserie comforts it is a great mercy when a man sees his sin else he would never seek for remedy but the Law canot do any thing but arrest and imprison it cannot get sin removed yet the Gospel can set at liberty which 〈…〉 prisoners Ioh 8. 32. You shall know the truth and that shall make you free I can through Christ c. Phil. 4. 13. It is a marvellous mercy to tremble before God and see and know and be affected with Gods wrath but yet if this be all the heart will sink and flye from God now the Gospel reveals Christ and so Ioh. 10. 16. his sheep he ar and follow him and the Gospel comes to hell with the Spirit to a poor sinner when he is blind captive broken mourning never so miserable now the Gospel penetrates thus low and brings the Spirit with it it makes the soul not only to see Christ but gives it him and now it is safe Oh beloved if the Spirit be glorious then is the Gospel glorious if the Ministry of men could bring in and draw with them the Princes of this world and all their wealth to serve you Angels and their Ministry nay bring Christ himself bodily to you how glorious were this but what is this to bring the Spirit into a Sty into thy Soul Oh therefore take heed of a light esteem of the Gospel as those Matth. 22. 3. which were shut out Men must speak something take heed you that have once esteemed it of accounting it a common thing it is next to the unpardonable sin of accounting the Gospel Ministers Truths Justification by Faith c. common things but see them glorious the greatest glory that ever was in the world did once lye hid under the meanest outside viz. Jesus Christ and yet the Apostles beheld his glory so the Gospel is most glorious now as being his glass and this notwithstanding is most mean in the account of many Paul is in the eyes of the Corinthian Doctors a mean man his presence was contemptible his words mean also men despised them Secondly hence see what cause they have to sit and go home to their houses lamenting that never found the Spirit conveyed by the ministry of the Gospel in life and power Lam. 1. 16. Oh the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me if there be any hope of help it is by the Spirit and if the Spirit it is by the Ministry where the Gospel is published and the Spirit conveyed Oh thinks many a one in himself I find no such good thus long have I heard and thus oft do I hear but I come and go away as I came my heart never shaken my soul never broken my spirit never humbled nor comforted c. and therefore what care I for Ministers or Gospel it is true it is hid 2 Cor. 4. 3. but then it is from them that be lost only whom Satan hath blinded it may be the last medicine is now using as it is with many that have the last remedy applied when they be sick to death truly so it is here Heb. 6. 8. The tree or ground that brings forth bryars is nigh to cursing the condition is sad as it is there exprest it shall never see good when good comes Ier. 17. 6. Oh it was a sad complaint of Saul Oh the Lord answers me not and of the people of God Wee see no vision but you have none and lament it not if men in the old Law did not meet with the Lord in their Tent doors it was no wonder it was not usual so to do but when at the Tabernacle if they met not there with him it was sad then so here if you meet not the Lord there where he dwells it is strange not but that Saints may find the Lord absent but I speak to them that find it not and mourn not for it others shall rejoyce when they mourn for the absence of the Lord.
the Lord hath given himself to thee and saith Suck my blood take my life and more I would have given and hast thou looked after Bathsâ—eba other lâ—vers and despise the Lord Oh say I have sinnâ—d and mourn for it 2 Sam. 12. 9. There are two evils in this 1. Forsaking thy own good nay blessednâ—ss Ionah 2. 8. own mercies 2. It is despising the Lord and his fâ—llowshâ—p for other things base things that whereas you shall be for ever beholding of him hereafter yet you should proclaim him not to be worth looking on now Object But I would have fellowship with the Lord and he will not Answ. First Never did any desire thy fellowship so much as the Lord when he wants it Secondly Nor love it and glad of it when he had it Thirdly Nor mourn and lament more when he wants it as Ier. 2. 2 5. God pleads for it Fourthly he calls to the heavens 2 Ier. 10 11. Did ever nation deal thus with Idols If this will not break thine heart for strangeness I know not what will do it It is your sin that breaks off communion not the Lords unwillingness SECT XI HEnce see the exceeding great worth and excellency of Iesus Christ and learn hence to esteem a right of him there is no blessedness in the fruition of all the creatures together good there is but noâ— blessedness or if there were yet it lies in many things no oneâ—hing noâ— twenty blessings can make blessed and it is but a broken blessedness in divers pieces or if there were a kind of blessedness to be found in one yet it is not a lasting blessedness it is so but for a time and so the loss of it at last will trouble us more than the having of it for a time But as he saith Iâ— him is light and no darkness blessedness and no misery peace and no trouble fulness and no want beauty glory and no blemish life and no death pure dear infinite love and no anger and it is in him alone Psal. 148. 13. His name alone is excellent all our glory and the glory of God also is met together in him all things iâ— one thing whatever good there is in other things it is borrowed from him base beggaâ—ly things but the fulness and plenty of all is in the Lord so that we shall not need to cumber our selves about unnecessary things we need not a candle when the sun shines and our last blessedness is here when every thing else will make them wings to hasten from us this will continue and last when all our vessels we are tossed in here are sunk and where our entertainment hath been very good yet the shore sinks not it is above over-whelmings here alone we are fast However the world sees not this because their blessedness lies in preserving themselves by creatures from feeling that misery which lies upon them now as also because they shall never share in it yet the Saints have been exceedingly taken with this that David accounted them blessed that might dwell in his Courts in this world Solomon was blessed that might but wait at wisdoms gates and so be ready to be received when they be opened Abraham rejoyced to see Christ's day afar off Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ great riches what did he then esteem of the presence of Christ here but what iâ— glory â—â— Think of this you that say you cannot finde in your hearts to esteem of the Lord Jesus especially let him be precious to you you espoused of the Lord for others may say he is precious but I shall never enter into this fellowship No no but you shall but he will take you to fellowship with himself It was a great favor to Moses Exod. 24. 1 2. when others might come towards the Lord yet Moses alone might only come near and he was in the Mount alone with God so that the Lord should let others come towards him but that you alone above many thousands in the world may be suffered to draw near to him this should make the Lord precious to you at least Lev. 13. 46. The Leper was to dwell alone without the Lord might have dealt so with thee but when thou wert vile indeed and most vile nay when thou didst separate thy self from thy self then for the Lord to come near thee and as if thou couldst never be near enough to manifest himself to thee forever in glory When David found out Meâ—hibosheth saith he What am I â— dead dog that I should sit at the Kings table 2 Sam. 9. 7 8. It was a great favor to Christ himself that when rejected of men yet that he was chosen of God and precious and taken up to him it may be thou thinkest thy self unworthy of fellowship of any man and men do or men man reject thee yet for the Lord now to receive thee it is much but whereas thou wert not only rejected of men but of God also Isa. 54. 6. now for Christ to take thee to him that as he lies in the Fathers bosom because thou couldst not for sin immediately lye there he should lay thee in his bosom and say Father love this soul as thou hast loved me Besides the Father took Christ because he had worth but for Christ to take thee when thou hadst no worthiness for one to take dross and prize it when others cast it away it is much it is no wonder if pearls be so esteemed of but for dirt to be prized Oh therefore let the Lord be precious and his fellowship precious to thee seeing thou and thy fellowship is so to him Object But I cannot believe it why should the Lord do so Answ. It is hard to believe it when we look upon our own vileness but consider the reason why the Lord doth this it is not because he loves any for fleshly respects as we do but First Because of his own grace and glory the Believer is infinitely beloved of him without moving him thereunto and hence if his grace be exceeding dear and his glory dear to him thou art so to him Secondly Christ loves not first because men are holy but that he may make them so Thirdly He loves because the father loves them SECT XII HEnce learn to be content with the Lord alone Heb. 4. 9. there is a rest hence labor to enter into it so if he will have rest and blessedness hereafter that you shall be content and for ever glad in him and with him alone Oh labor to possess this blessedness now You are in your worst condition now your best is behind shall the blessedness of thy best condition not be blessedness in thy worst condâ—tion unto thee shall that which satisfies thy soul in heaven not satisfie thy soul here Mosâ—s Deut. 32. 10. reckons this as the happiness of Israel viz. That God alone did lead them when they were in a wilderness a land of drought and pits and wants and the shadow of death
love Christians will come to Christ and when they receive and feel the good they come for they will think of Christs love and that he love them no first come unto the Lord Jesus being once come know he will not cast thee away Iohn 6. 37. then think of this love stay here first feed here and you may act and then the Lord will conveigh strength and power and inable you hereunto For though when a man trusts to his love as Peter without Faith a man will fall because he trusts to an arm of flesh yet when Faith imploies love the work is very great As a Father hath a child who must keep at home with him but he hath never a Steward to lay out that estate for him that he means to give him but when an able Steward now he gives his Son richly So here Quest. How shall I comprehend it Answ. First the Apostle prayes for it Secondly see what 't is by his description and meditate on it 1. The bredth i. e. the same love wherewith the Lord comprehends all Saints as Abraham c. thou art as dear to the Lord as he or any in Heaven nay it may be did cost more not a crosse not a mercy but it 's common for substance unto all Saints 2. The length from eternity to eternity nothing can part nothing shall part all other things are but Summer Swallows that build with us for a time 3. The depth that the Lord should look upon thee when in thy Pest-house when no eye pittied thee when as low as the Grave nay as low as Hell nay lower for they in Hell would come out thou wouldst not Never think to see what infinite love is till thou seest infinite wrath 4. The height to be as happy as Angels and more to nay to be all one with Christ and in Christ and loved with the same love Christ is Iohn 17. 23 26. 5. When thou seest it thus yet it 's the love of Christ that passeth knowledg As children cannot tell how Parents love them Will you do thus 'T is with many Christians as 't is with many Trees the Tree is good and the soil is good and rain dews sun Husband-man good yet it begins to dye then now nothing is wanting but only to be set a little deeper that it may take more root of the soyl And so here there is nothing wanting in many a Christian but to be set a little deeper and to take more rooting in the Lords love Faith roots it self in Gods love and now prospers by love The eye is but little yet can comprehend a mighty world quickly mans mind is but little yet can comprehend though not the infinitenesse yet an infinite love If there be this light of glory see by it all your poor sad hearts that conceive nothing but terror and holinesse in God if you see it not know it here is your work now for the first work is to get Faith then to get love then to act from Faith by love Now the Lord hath wrought the first and thou art busie a doing the third work not remembring the second 2. Content not thy self with feeling a want of supply but labour to feel a need of supply from the Lord Jesus for many a Christian feels a want of Grace from Christ brokennesse c. sees he hath nothing and is sometime by fits troubled for the want of it but he can be well content though he have no supply having somewhat else to ease and content him he feels no need of supply so as he cannot be without it that his Spirit fails unlesse the Lord Jesus in mercy give it and therefore must have it there is a necessity of it Hence he never finds supply and wonders at it why 't is so and here 't is here is his wound and so brings up an ill report of the Lord saying he is loath to give and of the Ordinances of the Lord 't is in vain to seek and truly so it is to seek so for let thy condition be never so miserable if thou feelest a need of supply the Lord will make bare his arm and work wonders bring Heaven out of Hell joy out of sorrow and light out of the thickest darknesse and floods out of dry ground Isai. 41. 17 18. when the ground is dry and perched away no moisture left now the Lord pours out water on this soul Isai. 44. 3. Heb. 4. ult Many come to the Lord for Grace and find it not methinks I hear the Lord speaking thus to his people I love you dearly and I am content to give you any thing you need but you do not need my Grace my Spirit my presence i. e. you feel not a need of it for if you had it now you would not prize it much nor keep it long my precious Grace must not be spilt Many know their wants and distempers and know there is no help in themselves and see all fulnesse in Christ and hence come to him but find none because they can be content though the Lord deny no nor never shall unlesse you feel the woe of your wants that your Spirit fails if the Lord send not in supply Isai. 57. 16. I will not contend lest the Spirit fail Hence there God promiseth to dwell to send and create peace and comfort for what is the reason that Christians at first beginnings â—eek peace and mercy and have abundantly then why truly I was long time before I had any thing but when my spirit began to fail and I gave all for gone and could hold out no more now the Lord helped and pittied me but where are those comforts and that presence of the Lord now Truly now you think the worst is past and would be glad of the life of Christ and Grace from Christ but if not you have a little your state is safe and so can lie without putting your self to a necessity of it Is it not thus is not this your very wound if it be for the Lords sake then get it healed and do as people in Christs time those that were well and had not desperate Diseases commonly came not to him but when the Disease was desperate you know the Fame of Christ being spread abroad then they brought their sick and laid them before his merciful eyes then they looked for the laying on of his hand or a word of his mouth and all were healed so do you you have heard of the Fame of Christ and seen others humbled others parâ—oned lay thy â—ick Soul but look that it be sick before his eyes and so look for one word of his mouth as the Woman of Canaan he may deny for a time yet she must have it and the Lord will say Be it unto thee according to thy Faith not according to thy deserts thou wilt have it I must give it thou dyest without it behold I live to revive thee and therefore to give it You come
in Gods Crown and the beloved Attribute which God intends to advance all the policy of Hell is against this this is the reason why Satans enmity is so bitter against Faith as in Peter and observe however there be many Temptations his end is to crush Faith the reason is as 't is with an enemy if the Besieged hath water brought to the City by Pipes he cuts off them and stops them so Faith fetching all from Grace and returning all to Grace hence Faith is opposed most and hence the unregenerate part will take Satans part and doth strangely rob the Lord of the glory of this though I confesse the Lord will have it for all that they seek to scatter it Isai. 43. 21 22. It 's strange to see how few plot for the praise of Grace hence how many are straitned nay do cross Christ in this As 1. If the Lord give them not what Grace they would then they sleight what little he bestows and if he gives them much then they solace themselves in it and grow puft up and proud It 's the temper of Gods own people to set up such a measure of Gods Grace and Spirit which they would have and therein they do well Paul Phil. 3. 11. lookt to the Resurrection of the dead but if the Lord denies them that as he will make his people live from hand to mouth they sleight what they have either as if all were but hypocrisie or because it is but little not so much as they would have and herein they do ill for here the Lord loseth the glory of some Grace for it's Grace that you have the least desires after it nay that you do but know what it is and see the want of it and yet ever complaining and never rejoycing for every degree of Grace in Saints is vertually saving though formally common But suppose the Lord fills the bottle full and gives as much peace affections enlargements of heart as it hath almost required for there are Spring-tides and over-flowing times of Gods Spirit now they are ready to swell and be puft up above measure as Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. Lest I should be exalted above measure for there is self-love in Saints Hence they desire an excellency in themselves hence when they find none of their own they are apt to deck and set out themselves with what the Lord hath done and so to joy in this and now to think themselves better than others of Gods Saints whereas they should be more vile and advance Grace the more Eph. 3. 8. To me the least of Saints And hence the Lord after greatest deliverances and mercies sends great sorrows as to them in the Wildernesse Hence the Lord takes away affections and they dye that Grace might be the more advanced 2. If the sins of their hearts are common and cannot be removed and so seem little then they passe them by and never take notice of them God will pardon them and hence the Lord hath sad times of reckoning with a rod in his hand with his own people Ezek. 6. 9. That those loose times are heavy times this is for my neglect c. but hereby Grace loseth Glory for how can they see how deeply they are indebted to the Lord if they see not their Debt on the other side if their sins be very violent and their distempers so strong that they think none like me now their hearts sink and dye away and grow discouraged and all the use they make is this I think it will never be better with me and can there be life for me so dead deliverance redemption for me in such bondage love for one that cannot but loath my self and if others did know me they would do so too Can the Lord love me now Yes Beloved that he can and will Isai. 63. 16. Though Abraham know us not yet c. But here is your sin when you should make this use of all to feel the more need of Grace to pitty and say the more precious shall Grace be to me for ever your hearts now sink The Lord brings his people into very low condition to humble them and to shew them more of his Grace Psalm 78. 19. Can God prepare a Table they spake therein against God so 't is here for herein the Lords Grace is seen to love them when Lepers 3. Grace that hath been shewen for times past they forget it 2 Pet. 1. 9. And what is this but destroying Gods Grace for why is Grace so precious at first conversion that Heaven and Earth are too little to hold praises enough for it And afterward the Lord hath little love Oh you forget what once you were and what the Lord hath done hence 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. I was so and so c. but now have received abundant Grace You have had many meetings with God many answers from God many consolations and times of refreshing and reviving and these forgotten and buried the life of them after a year or two expired And what is this but eclipsing Gods Grace On the other side as for Grace for time to come they fear it especially when worms and no men in their own eyes Hence saith God Fear not worm Iacob Isai. 41. 14. There is a certain Divining Spirit as one once told me that untill that was pulled out no honour can the Lord get Before you come to Word or Prayer thou wilt fear thou shalt never get any good and when the Lord gives any thou wilt fear thou shalt never hold out and what Promise soever is made thou wilt fear thou shalt never find it And what doth this but eclipse Grace we should go with boldness to the Throne of Grace nay hence let the Lord send never so much Mercy for the Present a Fear will cut off all that all this will rise up in Judgement against me 4. When they are most fit to honour Gods Grace by Faith now they will not believe not then above any other time for then a man is most fit to honour Grace when he feels most need of it and when hath he most need but when he feels most emptinesse why now above any other time a man will not come in but will have somewhat in himself first and then he will when his heart is so and so sweetly setled c. Hence Luke 14. Poor and blind and lame and halt compelled to come in one would think there needed not that but now when fittest now they will not for let any man observe what would endear his heart so much to Grace as this to think if it be the Lords mind to save a poor dead damned creature then happy I This is wonderful this hath quickened dead love and dead Faith and a dead heart And on the other side if the Lord delay if it comes not at their own time then they distrust it Grace alas I feel my self never a whit better For there be two things in Faith First A coming
will receive that Because there is no satisfying of the Father without him bring Benjamin with you or never look to see my face The conscience of a man can never be pacified until God is satisfied for all wrongs Now the Lord Jesus hath satisfied nay perfected for ever them that are sanctified by once offering up of himself to God Heb. 10. 14. Now the soul never comes to have setled peace in his own conscience though peace was purchased before but by offering up of the Lord Jesus by Faith even Christ himself the Soul wants him the Father shews a Ram in the bush gives Christ and that the Soul gives him for satisfaction and offers him to God again As the Priests in the Old law when the Sacrifice was slain then it was offered God offers the Soul a crucified Son Faith takes him and offers him Lord behold thy Son Rom. 3. 25. And hence comes Propitiation and peace peace to see that God is satisfied Now if by Faith we come to have the peace of the Fathers satisfaction with us then it must needs pitch upon the person of the Son first Hence many never have peace because 't is not a Son himself they look for but somewhat from him they are blind and dead and hard and these things they would have helped but close not with Christ himself Because the Soul can neither actually receive nor expect to receive any thing from Christ unless it hath first pitcht upon the person of Christ. A man may hope he shall and presume and think he shall and it may be receive somewhat out of the common courtesie Christ shews to them that look towards him but never shall receive any saving-good thing till now Iohn 6. 53. Unlesse ye eat the flesh of the Son of God and drink his Blood ye have no life Look as 't is in our eating as if a man should seek to get nourishment out of meat or drink not by feeding on it it self so 't is here Some said this was a hard saying and so 't is to a carnal heart Rom. 8. 32. And hence observe when the Lord promiseth any great thing to his people Isai. 7. 14. he ever brings in the Lord Jesus that if he shall be given then all things also Because true Faith ever closeth with Christ by love to Christ as false Faith closeth with him out of self-love Cant. 1. 2 3. The Virgins love thee that 's love indeed which is set upon the person The Lord never puts his Pearl nor sets it in a swinish faith that contemns the Son no 't is a precious Faith that loves the Lord. Hence it carries the soul to the Beloved SECT IV. HEnce see the reason why the Lord keeps his people hungry and empty and cuts them short of many spiritual Blessings 't is that they might â—lose with and be contented with the Person of the Son There are three things some of Gods people seek for and find not if the Lord intends good to them 1. They desire the comforts and conveniencies and peace of this World Oh rest is sweet and the Lord will give them none of these or keep them at short commons with these and why that they might lay up their peace and find all in himself Gen. 15. 1 2. Abraham after the slaughter of the Kings was in fear that he might make the Lord his shield Hos. 2. 6 7. She shall seek her Lovers but shall not overtake them 2. They seek for some good to themselves in themselves from themselves I would fain believe and cannot I would fain do sayes a man but alass he grows worse and worse the commandment comes you will do there is your task do it yet they languish and dye and why so Ier. 3. 23. that they might look for help and righteousness in another In the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel not from the Mountains the strongest helps and means in the Lord 't is alone 3. They seek for Grace and strength and peace from the Lord Jesus very importunately and many times very impatiently and so sinfully too and the Lord denies them it hath been better with them than now therefore they wonder the Lord should be so full and they so empty and think sometimes to seek no more and the Lord denies a dole at this door to that they might content themselves and lay up their joyes in the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 12. 9. My Grace is sufficient It 's strange that Christ so able so ready to help yet denies I confess 't is sometimes some lust and stumbling-block the Lord Jesus sees Oh but against that they seek and truly here is the cause that having no good from him they might place all their happiness and felicity in him Look as it was with Iacob a great Famine coâ—es and all the sacks are sâ—ent and they are used roughly though not hardly nor wrongfully and all was to bring them to the sight and embraceings of Ioseph all the time of Famine was for this So the famine of Spirit is to last long and the Lord denies supply to bring the Soul to see embrace and rejoyce in the Lord Jesus the most flourishing Trees in Gods House shall have their winter season and cast their coat that they might preserve themselves in their root This is the great wound of many a believing soul for a time to rest more contented with what he receives from the Lord than to quiet himseâ—f and his heart with what is in the Lord Man would have his lost happiness in his own hand and this the Lord will not suffer his people to lye in long Gen. 26. 4. and the best and surest course that can be taken is to cut them short of all for Faith is an unconquerable Grace that whatever it loseth out of its own hand it will find it and enjoy it in another And therefore see Gods end and meet the Lord in this end of his See all in the Lord and seeing your blessedness there in all your wants lay it up there that if you will boast here you may do it all the day long for this is Gods greatest plot to pull all men down that his Son may be set up to wither all the grass and beâ—uty of all the flowers of the field that the glory of the Lord might be revealed I must here give you a taste for it doth me good to think and it will do you more good to enjoy the sweetnesse of this Truth There are four Things you desire all which are chiefly laid up in Christ to that end that you might in all wants quiet your hearts with unspeakable peace there 1. The free Grace and love of the Father this is that I hope which you prize most pray for most fear the loss of most would rejoyce in the having of most without which thy life is death and blessings curses and death the beginning of Hell Would you see this love
dead weak 2. But you will say all the world want it and yet few in the world shall ever have any share there therefore all them in the world that hunger after all that good that is in him they may now in the absence of it content themselves with it that there 't is in him for them for the Lord fills the hungry and so hungry as 't is not something or other that they pick out but all Christ and all of that is in Christ now is the season to eat if bread and hunger meet now satisfie your self 2 Cor. 12. 9. Paul prayed and the Lord denyed yet now the Lord bid him feed on his Grace so that when thy heart asks what hast thou to do with him when so vile answer Yet the Lord hath all and I want him and hunger after him Take heed of despising his Grace if thou hast no hunger the Lord be merciful to thee 3. If you have so contented your selves with him as now you place all your felicity in him to this end to receive life from him as a man satisfies himself with bread that he may have life for as I would not damp the Faâ—th of the Elect no more would I patronize the sloth of the wicked Many a man it may be may say I have nothing in my self and all is in Christ and comfort himself there and so fall asleep hands off and touch not this Ark lest the Lord slay thee a christ of clouts would serve your turn as well Run not to this Temple to make it a Denn of your thievish heart no do you so content or will you so content your selves with him as to account your selves happy here that all the world is Dung in respect of this and this you do to suck and receive more from Christ and so to be like him now hold here and live here and rejoyce here for ever Phil. 3. 9 10 11. Isai. 12. 2 3. First The Lord is my Song and Salvation therefore we will draw hence if the Lord gives nothing yet I have it in him if he gives any thing the honour shall be given to him Oh take this course 1. Lest you lose Christ and all too 2. Lest the Lord ever keep you short in a complaining condition 3. That you may be every day and moment in Heaven and win the Crown from every Hypocrite who knows not what this life in Christ means 4. That the Lord may be your glory for he is not only the glory of God but of his people Israel too 5. That you may love your selves the lesse and the Lord the more SECT V. HEnce see a necessity of seeing knowing Christ before a man can believe or if ever the soul believe for if Faith closeth with the person of the Lord Jesus the same Faith must first see that person If it takes the Bride-groom himself it must see and know him first Did you ever see any espoused together that did not first see and know each other the eye must first see my meaning is there must precede this act of the understanding to see Christ before a man can close with Christ by his will for I aim not at this whether it goes before in time but in order of nature it does precede and absolutely necessary it is hence Iohn 6. 40. He that seeth and believeth in the Son hath eternal life this is so necessary to Faith that Faith it self puts on this name Isai. 53. 11. By his knowledg Luke 19. 41. Oh that thou hadst known Isai. 46. 22. Look unto me and be saved And hence unbelief in Scripture is exprest by being blinded Rom. 11. 7 8. for though Christ be absent from us on earth yet that 's the excellency of faith it makes things absent present and sees unseen things Heb. 11. 1. Iohn 8. 56. Abraham saw my day and that 's the wonderment of Saints there is light in Gosben when all Egypt is dark when others are blind they see Isai. 60. 1 2. What is this knowledg or seeing of the Lord I make this question partly because this is the first chief Evangelical work as it appears to us nay indeed 't is in a manner all hence Mat. 11. 27. I thank thee thou hast hid these things c. If this be right Faith is right c. And if this be not a mans Faith is but a Fancy and a mans Sanctification and Reformation hopes desires are but the works of death and darknesse if this Sun be not risen And partly also because all the policy and power of Satan is to blind the eye here for then he knowes men will stumble at every step 2 Cor. 4. 4. He will help to beleeve and joy in beleeving and reformation after thaâ— joy that a man might content himself with this joy and Faith and look not after the sight of Christ. And if I was to leave the world I should leave this to be thought of as Christ told the woman of Samaria Ye worship whom ye know not so men beleeve in whom they know not and pray to one whom they know not and depend on whom they see not and hence do not wonder at an adulterous generation rising up that deny all evidencing of a mans justification from his sanctification and that 't is but a fâ—ding thing because they never felt what it meant because they never knew what the Lord Jesus meant and therefore listen to it I say therefore first what this knowledge is not for every man hath some knowledge 1. There is a knowledge of the Lord Jesus by report the fame of a man may come where himself is not seen so of Christ there may be a fame spread of him and of some excellencies in him where he is not savingly known and this is not seeing of Christ for a man may live and die a damned creature with this knowledge The Samaritans had some knowledge by report of the Messiah Iohn 4. 25. When he is come he will tell us all things so many among us hear that Christ is come and risen and glorisied and the Saviour of the world and of sinners c. But how come they to know this By way of tradition and report only I confesse this knowledge may be a means in the Elect to bring them to saving knowledge as in the Qâ—een of Sheba that heard Solomons fame and the Disciples Iohn 1. Come and see But Reprobates are not drawn by it as Herod Luke 23. 8. heard many things of Christ but never saw him till he came to judge him So here because they can live well without Christ hence rest content with the bare report Whereas they that had diseases heard of his fame and came to see Jesus 2. There is a knowledg of Christ from his works as we know what Trade and what Artificers many men be because these are external things yet know not the man so there is a knowledg of Christ by his works
of Glory so that light God puts into their mind is the beginning of the light of Glory Hence as in Heaven the soul sees Christ by the full light of Glory perfectly face to face so in this life the soul sees Christ really as he is yet as in a glasse imperfectly Hence we are said to see in part 4. In regard of that abundant goodnesse and love of Christ to his people Love cannot lock up secrets Ioseph hid himself from his Brethren for a time but his bowels melt he must tell them that he is Ioseph Christ may do so but his love even constrains him afterward to let them see whom he is Iohn 14. 21. I confesse its admirable love to reveal Christ in the Word and letter of the Gospel to hear of him is happinesse and if the Lord saves you you will think so too But this is common to wicked men there is a manifestation of himself as he is unto his people And now he is in Glory hence reveals himself in his inconceiveable Glory that now a mans eye sees the Lord and such things he never thought of before which eye never saw 1 Cor. 2. 9. How doth the soul see him as he is I in this case rather desire to learn than teach even from the meanest yet what is obvious I shall suggest in this weighty businesse This seeing of him appears in three particulars 1. True saving knowledge and sight of Christ consists in the sight of the glory of his person especially now caught up to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of God in all the Glory of the Father Look as at the Judgment-day the Lord shall break out of Heaven in such Glory as shall amaze all the world and all eyes shall see him that he shall not only be admired in himself but in all his Saints by all that are round about him just so doth the soul see him now though nor by the eye of sense yet by the eye of Faith though not come to judge the world yet now ruling of the world though not in the clouds yet in Heaven though his Humanity only in Heaven yet his God-heads beams filling Heaven and Earth though not yet coming in the Fathers Glory yet sitting clothed with the Fathers Glory for if a man looks on Creatures he sees Gods foot-steps of power if on Angels and Saints Gods Image of Holinesse if in Christ there God himself 2 Cor. 4. 4 5 6 7. 'T is true then Christs Glory shall be seen by the Wicked but that 's by sense not by Faith that is only in their minds but there is no shining into the heart to the kindling of an infinite esteem of him and this the god of this World hides from people Christ the Lord of another world in spight of Satan reveals to his people Before a man sees Christ there is nothing more base than Christ even to the Elect and then the wayes and work of Christ Iâ—r 2. 11. Have any Heathen changed their gods these change their glory for that which doth not profit now the Lord will be must be esteemed of his people hence will and doth reveal this Glory of his to his Saints whereas here others are blind 2. In the beholding of the Lord as he comeâ— and appears in the Glory of his Covenant for when the Lord reveals himself so as to cause the soul to believe and thereby to make it one of his people he never makes any a people but by entring into Covenant with them Hence he ever appears in his Covenant first Isai. 49. nlt. Look as when the Lord made him a people at Mount Sinai Moses came down from 〈…〉 with Tables in his hands c. So when Christ comes to make any his people he comes as Mediator of a beâ—ter Teâ—â—ament Heb. 7. 22. On Mount Sion Heb. 12. 22 24. Noâ— look as it was with the Israelites 2 Cor. 3. they had the Covenant of Christ and Christ revealed but as Moses face was covered â—o theirs wâ—s and Christ theâ—e was vailed over with the Law even the Moral Law written in stone Hence there was a vail on their hearts too they could not see Christ the end of the Lâ—w but only the Vail viz. the Law and hence looked for life by that and hence weâ—e hadened against Christ Rom. 9. 31 32. So 't is the misery and blindnesse of many people at this day they see the Lord Jesus but with his vail on for people being not able to see and priâ—e the glory of Christ immediatly the Lord appears with the law first requiring this and that and they endeavour to do it and hence if they cannot they comfort themselves with this the Lord accepts my endeavours not seeing the hypocrisie of them or else they are never at â—eace or very seldom and why because they see not to the end of that which is abolished never saw the end the Lord Jesus Chrâ—st Now therefore when the Lord reveals himself the Lord makes himself known without the vail so that when conscience cries you must do what ever is commanded or dye the Lord Jesus now comes and appears and saith therefore see what need thou hast of me who have fulfilled all Righteousness and done all Receive mâ— that have done it and thou shalt live Oh but may I now live as I â—ist Am I now free from the Law No 't is to be thy Rule and life in Heaven but I will write my Laws in thy heart and cause thee to walk in my wayes Hence the soul sees all done for him 1. In Christ. 2. All that he is to do for Christ he sees it not in meâ—ns nor in himself but in the Lords promise and here Faith hangs and hath peace For two things trouble First I have broke the first Covenant of the Law Christ appears not as one that exacts the Debt but as one that comes to enrich him when poor Secondly I cannot walk after it as a Rule Christ appears in this Covenant and promiseth to cause him to do it and hence after all departings from the Lord he will not depart further by unbelâ—ef but sees the end of the Law which is Christ that in him he may perform the Covenant and by him be strengthned to walk with him as after a Rule For the Covenant of Grace is not Christ will be rigthteousnesse to thee if thou wilt walk after the Law as a Rule but Christ will do both and this the soul sees in it's Glory else it 's no sight Hence 2 Cor. 3. Gospel is called The ministration of Glory which no carnal heart can see for the vail is taken away when it turns to the Lord and sees him The Saints only with open face behold this 'T is true for a tiâ—e they may make of Christ a Moses as Peter Luke 5. 8. Lord depart from me I am a sinful man And the Lord may deal roughly with them to huâ—bâ—e them as Ioseph did to
ardently was he expected Hence such flocking to Iohns Ministry Hence Simeon waited long for the consolation of Israel So the Espoused and Beloved of the Lord looks out for his coming now He hath left them as Orphans in this world he hath divers of his Elect yet to bring home and enemies to put under his feet and then they know he will come and this day they look for As Christ expects it Heb. 10. 13. By the same Spirit they look for it This is that which Christ so oft presseth on his Disciples foreseeing the slumbers of the world to be ever watching for his second coming and hence these alone are accounted blessed Luke 12. 37 38. That let Christ come at any watch Oh blessed The duration of the world from the first to the second coming is but as it were a night divided into several watches the Saints are the watchmen of the world who you know look for day-light though it be long 't is but a night it will be morning All the rest are like birds at their chaffe And hence he tells them the reason of the uncertainty of his coming makes this the end of it They are Evangelical commands with which there goes a power Look through all the Primitive Church in the Golden Age they had all this stamp 1 Cor. 1. 7. Waiting 1 Thes. 1. 10. To wait for Christ from Heaven Nay Heb. 9. 28. He professeth those only may know the fruit of his first coming that now look for him SECT II. 1 BEcause they really foresee and see such a day 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. In the last days shall come Scoffers saying where is the promise of his coming all things are as they were and hence live in their lusts die in their own dung and never look for it But these foresee it really and hence look for it Men that live on land and love the smoak of their own chimneys never look out to other coasts and countreys or to a strange Land but Sea-men that are bound for a Voyage and have a Pilot with them that hath seen the coast that 's it they look for so men that live in this world and are well here look not after Christ not his coming but they that have a Pilot a Spirit to shew them this day this coast and are bound for another world they look out for this they see it two waies 1. By the eye of Faith in the promise 2 Pet. 3. 13. And this makes the soul see it when all things seem to be against it and hence expects it for that is the difference between Faith and hope Faith closeth with Christ and all the Glory of Christ in the promises as present hope hence steps forth and laies hold upon the performance it self as absent Faith entertains the promise as a faithful messenger and sees that his message is true Hope runs out of doors and leaves it with Faith and looks for the Lord himself Heb. 11. 1. 2. By the Light of Glory in the thing it self for Saints do not only see things in Letters and Syllables and words but see things as they are in themselves The wicked see the word sin and Christ and Heaven and in seeing see not but not the things themselves Now the Glorious coming of Christ being a thing to come yet to be done how do they see it but by report Yes they have the Spirit of Glory which Spirit shews them things to come John 16. 13. Which eye hath not seen That look as their Head Christ sees this day as it shall be and his apprehensions are not false but as he conceives of this day so shall it be so the Saints by the same Spirit see it before it comes and are not mistaken about it though it be very darkly yet sometimes when the Spirit of God is not overclouded they see it more evidently For this is the great plague of the wicked they see nothing as 't is and in Hell they see how they have been deceived So this is the happinesse of Saints that though they see things darkly yet they see things truly the Spirit creating glorious impressions on the â—ind of things as they are They know things that the eye sees not as they are That look as Abraham John 8. 56. saw Christs day and was glad though afar off so the Saints by the same Spirit Now why did Noah make his Ark and look for a Flood Because he saw it really Did not others No 't is said They knew not Mat. 24. 38 39. Never knew till the Floud came The Lord made it not known Noah did the other did not Hence the Saints cannot but look for it 2. Because they see nothing else in this world worth looking after no not for the present For if a man sees the day of the Lord yet hath some prey in his eye in this world and his game before him he will follow his hunting to catch his venison though he comes too late for the blessing But the Lord makes his people to see nothing in the world worth the hawking or catching 1. They see the Glory of another day another world and this puts out the Glory of this and hence makes them look for that and hence when Christ would comfort his Disciples he promiseth nothing here but tels them In my Fathers House are many Mansions I go to prepare a place and Ilâ— come to you again Iohn 14. 1 2 3. And hence they seeing this to be enough look for this 2. They see an end of all these things of all the Glory of them and that these summer swallows will take their wings and fly away in greatest extremities Hence they look to eternal things the Lord and his coming 2 Cor. 4. 18. We look not at temporal things 3. They find the Lord crossing them of what they look for in this world somtimes of outward comforts somtimes of the performance of spiritual promises And when God thus hedgeth their way with thorns then they think of their first Husband Look as it was with Abraham Heb. 11. 13. You know strangers when their way is uncomfortable ever and anon look for their home Abraham was heir of the world yet he sojourns as a stranger in it in Tents because he looks for a City v. 10. So here Saints the heirs of all creatures yet the Lord makes them strangers here and hence they look for somthing else The things God hath promised to his people are very great but not accomplished Why Because full accomplishment is left till the last day that hope may wait and that we may live by Faith God hath promised to take away all tears Oh welcome that day This world cannot do it and the Lord here will not 1 Cor. 15. 19. If our hope were only here we were 〈◊〉 misâ—râ—ble 3. Because they see and are sensible of their deliverance from wrath to come There hath been much wrath in the world seen but yet the great
when all is dispatched then to go up to Heaven and when gone there to be for ever rejoycing triumphing in the presence of God Almighty and now what it will be to be far off from Christ weeping never to be pitied more Oh he that was so full of pity no heart then to pity no hand to help I can but only paint this fire Oh that the Lord would help you here that so you might look out for him Saylors sleep in calms and so it may be have many here in this place of rest Others of you take heed I le tell you your bar It may be most estates are brought low and sunk when you see that now you either look back or look for Lots accomodations and such an estate as is lost it may be you will spy some hope of it and then follow the game and never look out till you die The Lord keep you from it You then will not look up for Christs coming at the last day or in his Ordinances here If thou dost so had it not been better thou hadst been buried in the Sea or left in sorrow on the Shore Oh take heed therefore look for the coming and company of Christ and let this be enough and because you cannot look for him in the the clouds now Oh look and wait for him in his Ordinances and consider if espoused ones look for his coming then and for perfect knowledge of him and communion with him then think Lord what a heart have I that look not for him here But Lord who will believe our report Thus they went out by hope and expectation of his coming Now the Second thing follows they went forth with longing desires after his coming CHAP. XI That Believers do long and desire for the appearance and Second Coming of Christ. SECT I. THat all those that are espoused to Christ and beloved of Christ they ought not only to look but to long for the coming of and their everlasting communion with the Lord Christ Iesus For the consummation of their marriage with him that though he be gone our hearts may be with him before our souls be or before our souls and bodies be that though we may die and lie down in the dust our desires may live and lie in Heaven and cry come Lord. Now do not think this point true and so far good if we could reach it but this is a high pitch for you must long for it God forbid a Christian espoused to Christ should plead that work too much which Hypocrites the five foolish Virgins in their kind attained to See Presidents for this in all ages Abraham and those in his time who was Father of the Faithful Heb. 11. 15 16. A better Countrey where they might have fellowship with the Lord and hence God is not ashamed c. As if the Lord were ashamed of all them to be his people that professe themselves so but desire not this In Christ's time Simeon Luke 2. 29. with 25. Where he waited for the consolation of Israel c. to enjoy more of him In the Apostles time 't is also that which they all felt 2 Cor. 5. 2. In this we groan earnestly c. But you will say It may be this was because of miseries and want of Ordinances c. Therefore see in the last age of the Church when the new Ierusalem was built and when peace and when Christ's face was seen in his House yet then the Spirit and the Bride say come Rev. 22. 17. They are the last breathings of Iohn and the Spirit in him Lord Iesus come quickly But Cent. 8. 14. The Church there intreats her Beloved to fly away to the Mountains of Spices that she might enjoy him out of this world SECT II. 1 BEcause they are bound to love Christ and his appearing to love his looks when he shall appear to the world 2 Tim. 4. 8. The Crown of Glory comes as it were by succession not only to me but to all them that love his appearing Now can there be any love of him and his appearing and not so much as any desire after him and after it Certainly there is no love or if there be any it lies languishing For answerable to our love to any thing is our desire what we love only we desire only what we love not at all or but little we desire not at all or but little so here Now therefore to question May a Christian desire it is to question whether a Christian ought to love the Lord Jesus or no. We are bound not to love earth hence bound to love Christ and his fellowship in Heaven Let him be Anathema that doth not so 2. Because the Lord Jesus longs for them Iohn 17. 24. Throughout which Chapter he prays as if in Heaven already Hence I am no more in this world and where I am let them be also He was on earth but looks on himself as in Heaven That as it was with the High Priest he carries the Names of the twelve Tribes on his heart bese◠with precious Stones very dear to him 〈◊〉 the Holy of Holies so Christ. Not that he sees any beauty in them of their own why he should desire them but because he freely loves them and dearly loves them as being given him of the Father and as having cost him dear and hence if he loves them he longs for them Now if he longs for them ought not they much more to long for him Psal. 27. 8. Thou saidst seek my face thy face Lord will I seek 1. He longs for thee now in Glory when one would think his thoughts and heart should be swallowed up with it and shall not we long for him here in the valley of Myrtle trees in misery on the dunghill 2. He longs for thee when thou hast nothing to make him desire thee he hath all that thy heart can desire being the very bosom-delight of God himself Rev. 22. penult He did but say he would come and Iohn desires Oh come But doth he long for thee Now not to long for him If this love be not worth longing for truly 't is worth nothing 3. Because this is our last and ultimate end that we are made for chosen for bought for called for sealed for that at last we might be with the Lord and be made perfect in one 2 Cor. 5. 5. He that hath made us for this is God c. For the whole Trinity enjoying infinite sweet fellowship with himself hence desire it might be communicated in Christ 't is so and now the last end is attained Now if this be our last end ought we not to desire it Then we ought not to desire to be blessed nor to desire the Lord may be glorified Nay you know that whatever we make our last end it will swallow up all our desires after any other thing This is the Center and rest and journies end of our tired weary spirits And
The Jews before Christs coming had Christs presence then but a greater measure of it is given to the Church since his Resurrection and Glorification for it was reserved to honour Christ in his first coming But how many be there that see not the Lord Jesus so as they did under vails either get more or say Christ is not risen Iohn 14. 16. Christ promiseth to send his Disciples another comforter who was that the spirit of truth whom the world could not receive because it knew him not Why had the Disciples no spirit now yes he was in them but not that full measure with which though they were not as yet sealed yet they knew they had him and that Christ was theirs too So hast thou the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Oh begg for more of it not miraculous gifts for that is in vain but more of the special powerful presence and fulnesse of it for 't is this that the world cannot receive I have oft feared it's the great sin of this last age to comfort and settle christians in their weak beginnings as though there was no more of Gods Spirit to be poured down in times of the Gospel But consider First What came you into this wildernesse to see Reeds shaken with the wind No for more of the Lord Jesus and will you now forget the end for which you come it may be you never found lesse no but God is emptying of you that you might seek for more Herod a long time desired to see Jesus and then despised him Secondly You have here more means to have fellowship with the Lord and will you content your self with what you have had If you do what can you look for but that the Lord should take away Ordinances if they do you no more good and ease you of the burden of the Lord of Hosts or send sad and heâ—vy tryals It 's that I have oft thought of why are the wicked 〈◊〉 and Saints debâ—sed the worst are not bad enough to receive their plagues nor the best good enough to partake of blessings You have had soâ—e meâ—n do you soâ—e good here you have more that you may receive more good more liâ—e more of Christ Jesus if not then look for fire to purge you if you be Gold oâ— flames to devour you if you be but rottennesse and stubble But is this thus the Jews did long â—o Christ and when he caâ—e they cruciâ—ied him they loved the Prophets they 〈◊〉 have Prophets and their bâ—ood too to shy theâ—â— you love the Messengerâ— of Christ and you would have more of Christ c. they have them Lord but despise them they have them but condemn them they have them and though they will not cast them out of their place yet they will so weary theâ—r spirits and grieve thy Spirit in them that they will make theâ— glad to bury themselves and leave their places You shall have Propheâ—s and their Blood too and their tears and sorrows too But why do I coâ—plâ—in Let me perswade oh labour for more of Christ in his Servants in his Ordinances in his Providences in his Saints until at last thy desires break thy vessel and carry thee up to behold the Lord in Heaven If there were never saving work of Grace wrought but thou hast only rested in Duties without Christ now sell thy self out of all for him If there be any that the Lord hath setled there on his proâ—iâ—e which never can be shaken hold your stedfaâ—tness but yet still grow in Grace and in the knowledg of the Lord Jesus SECT VIII OH long to be with the Lord Jesus Before a man hâ—th Christ now his desires should be to have him when he hath Christ now his longings should be to be with him Do thus in this place especially in this Age. I have oft thought one great end of Gods bringing his own people into this place is to 〈◊〉 them to die and be with Christ. Men have heard of Christ and passed thâ—ugh the waves of death and stood many a week within six inches of Deâ—th to see Christ here well when you come here God visits you with troubles temptatâ—ons losses desertions fears for future times here it may be you see as some see an end of all perfection Church-builders Church-ordinances Church-professors c. or if they find the Lord 't is soon gone why all is that you might long to be at home The Lord when he called Abraham out of his own Country to his Friends he followed the Lord he knew not whither You live now out of your Fathers house and from all your Friends that long to see you nay are left among enemies and you know whither you are to go to God the Iudge of all and to an 〈◊〉 able compaâ—y of Angels and to the Spirits of just men made perfect Look but upon the men of this world they long for things here though but teâ—poral though they have no Christ. Oh long for this though thou 〈◊〉 no world When Christ would needs go to Ierusalem Iohn 11. 16. saith Thomas Let us go and die with him and shall not we go to live with him Did Moses forsake Egypts honours treasures and embraced the reproach of Christ as far better Oh if God should seâ— thee up in a Throne Oh depart from it to enjoy the glory of Christ himself in Glory Gâ—ant Death he dreadful yet when Soldiers see their Captain upon the walls among the enemies they will presse hard after to follow though they die in the breaâ—h To part with sin is bitter or to part with Christ but to part with the body for a â—ime and cast off the clothes this will be â—ound to be exceeding sweet Friends that send to us and provide for us in a desart place we 〈◊〉 to see them Now who bath clothed thee comforted pardoned revived found thee kepâ— thee that nothing hath hurt thee nay that thy sins have humbled thee and done thee good Oh ' â—s Christ Wilt not say who and where is he 〈◊〉 doth all this Oh consider how glad the Lord Jesus will be of thoe though the world and thâ—â— art weary of thy self Zeph. 3. 17. Luke 10. 21. I thank thee O 〈◊〉 so will the Lord say then Labour for assurance that Christ is thine else you will fear Death and 〈…〉 follows it and such an assurance as doth not only chase away 〈…〉 but fears at least in the power of them for there is many a 〈…〉 find the Proposition true in the word He that câ—mes to 〈…〉 the Spiâ—it clears Gods work and his own experience and saith 〈…〉 Christ now when he comes to make the conclusion though â—e 〈◊〉 not sin against clear light and evidence of the Spirit and conclude yet I 〈…〉 yet he dares not nor â—annot for a time conclude fully why because of some fears what if I should be mistaken and when I die all prove naughâ— and
measure Iohn 3. 34. and fountaines alway run though men seldom drink What then Is it because they bring not their hearts hold not their vessels under the Lords horn of oyl Yes that they do but their vessels are naught they are not only for him they feel their want of grace and Christ but not only or chiefly of this Special Grace shall never be poured into a common vessel a common heart that lies in common for God and lust and world too The honour peace life gain of a God are sweet and precious Lord ever give me that water to drink But you have five husbands and seek not this only Hence if the Lord deâ—ies you you can be content because you have something else to fill your vessels if the Lord gives you undervalue it and grow worse and the very rising of that common grace you have is the beginning of your apostacy and setting off from God And hence no wonder why you pray but never have Iam. 1. 6 7. you want and crave but never find your vessel is naught though the Lord is good 'T is a black mark that thou art in bondage to the creature and didst never know what the liberty even the glorious liberty of a son means And 't is a most grievous bondage to be half unloosed and yet to be in bonds And I assure you if you knew the gift of God if ever you tasted how sweet the Lord is this is the only thing your souls will cry for That when you come to ask and the Lord saith what would you have Oh the spirit of life Oh the anointing of my blessed head And what else It only this is it only my vessel is made to hold I am not made for my lust nor sins nor world I would I had a bigger vessel a larger heart to receive thy Grace only I confess a gracious heâ—rt may for a time be carried too violently after other things and yet seek the Lord too as Solomon Eccl. 2. But after it knows Christ better it 's more reserved now for him as Gen. 39. 3 4 5 6. Iosephs master for a time kept things in his own hand but when he saw the Lord was with Ioseph and that he was prosperous and blessed then he made him overseer and he knew not 't is said what he had save only the bread that he did eat So it is in our Ioseph As the poor woman that knew the Messiah she leaves her vessel her water-pot with him and now would have all the City to come and see and believe in him and depend on him only trust to him only c. Dost therefore seek and find not Hast bin long waiting and feelest not And thou wondrest at it Others comforted and I not Search if this be not the cause it may be thy heart is not set only for this but on thy back belly lots ease what shall I eat drink c. As some women because God doth not feed so liberally their sweet tooth their licorish longings build them seiled houses measure their present condition according to their sinful humour nothing can please them neither husband servants Ministers nor Gods Ordinances Is this a vessel for the Lord and his Grace only You must you will have a longer coat than you can well wear Hold here Never think to have one prayer answered If this night thy day of misery should come cry thou mayst but no God to hear thee or help thee Oh a little oyl now a little grace now a little mercy Lord now Oh no you have no vessel to hold it But oh bless the Lord you know it Others it may be are noâ— so full of these sores of impatiency but you pray for God and Grace and have it not Why so These are not the things that you are only set for Why Because you are content without them I am not you will say But you are for you doe not lament daily after the Lord for these things only that which only satisfies that thy heart is not at rest till it find I hope I may have help for all this No saith Iames think not so Oh therefore bless the Lord. You know what hurts you Saints have hurts thus but they purge themselves and hence are blessed vessels still When Moses was begging for Israel mine Angel saith God shall goe with you I will not No thou only else let us die here Exod. 33. This prayer wins the field wears the garland The evils of the Churches are many an hour of temptation is coming on scandals are like to be great the subtilties of enemies many Now we pray and yet these have come and we fear they will come Oh beloved go to the Lord and plead with him only for this and when thou canst procure nothing for thy self yet let it fare well with Sion and this only I must have Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired You shall have it then else not See the great sin of those that lose their life preserve not the Spirit when he comes to them in Ordinances you are vessels onely made for the Lord and will you lose that which He drops in There is no others can receive him Iohn 14. 17. and when He comes to you do you thus requite Him c. CHAP. XVIII That the Holy Spirit is in beleivers as the Principle of their Spiritual Life and Holinesse SECT I. THat within these Vessels is an inward Principle of Life and Grace Or The burning shining profession of all the faithful it proceedeth from an inward Principle of the Spirit of Grace by the means of which their Lamp burns and their Profession shines For this I understand by oyl in the vessel the Spirit of Jesus not out of us but received in us not coming only upon us for so he may on foolish virgins by Balaamitish ravishments and hypocritical pangs and land-flood affections but abiding in us and that not as it doth in hypocrites but as it is in Christ Jesus without measure both Spirit and Graces so it abides in us in measure in Him as the fountain in us as the vessels from whose fulness we receive the same So that by oyl is not meant the external Principle of all Life the Lord Jesus having Spirit and Grace enough but keeping our hearts empty of it but the Lord Jesus in us who is not in us but by his Spirit even the Spirit of Life from whence all our actions spring and from which oyl our lamp burns This therefore I say the Profession of the faithful springs not from outward motives or principles of motion as the actions of hypocrites sometimes sudden praise sometimes gain sometimes feâ—rs sometimes fleshly hopes sometimes sudden conceipt and fancy some times irruption and rushings of the Spirit upon them but there is a spring within there is a life within there is oyle in the Vessel to fill the lamp and so hence it burns Eph. 2. 1. You hath
a man finds no more than a Reprobate yet the Seed of God then remains and it will break out again There is life at the heart and sap at the root yet the Lord will fetch them again When the Lord of Glory was crucified and all the Disciples fled not one spake for him none durst confesse him yet the Lord returns to them and they again to him SECT II. HOW comes it to be thus immortal and of an eternal nature 1. 'T is not only in regard of the power of Grace received though it were perfect for then Adam had not fell from it 2 Nor in the freedom of a man from temptations for then the Angels had not fallen 3. Nor yet in the power of a mans own watchfulness and care to keep it For if the Lord keep not the City the watchmen wake but in vain 4. Nor yet in the power of any means as many think if under a powerful Ministry then they are out of danger 'T is not in Paul nor Apollos but in the Lord. Men may rejoyce in Iohns Ministry and be affected with it but 't is only for a season But I. In regard of the eternal Election and Purpose of God Their constancy in the State of Grace depends upon that immutability of his counsel Matth. 24. 24. They shall deceive if possible the Elect but it s not possible they being Elect. Wise men may have their Brains crazed and Nebuchadnezzar like the use of reason gone but the Principle of reason continues and the use of it in time returns again and so 't is in regard of damning delusions 2 Tim. 2. 19. Hymeneus and Philetus fell Hence do not the Elect fâ—ll No for that Foundation remains sure 1. The certainty of their continuance in Grace is built upon a Foundation 2. Not every weak one but a firm Foundation 3. Not a Foundation of mans laying but Gods 4. Not a wavering and totâ—ering but standing Foundation and that sealed with the Knowledge of God the Lord knows who are his i. e. though some men fall that one cannot tell by outward expressions and profession who are the Lords yet The Lord knows who are his and they are sealed by his love and knowledge And it seems this is the prime cause of the continuance of Angels 1 Tim. 5. 21. And Election being free for his own sake not for their sakes the Lord foresaw all their good and evil hence they are not cut off II. In regard of the Faithfulness and Promise and Covenant of Gods Grace Adam had that Covenant If he did do he should live But he had no absolute Promise he should do or continue to do but the Faithful have and hence they stand not by the strength of Grace but by the strength of the Covenant of Grace And hence that which to reason is incredible to nature impossible is brought about by Faith not by vertue of any power of Faith but by vertue of the power of a promise God hath said it and Faith believes it and hence Abrahams dead body begets and Sarahs barren womb brings forth Isaac Hence through all the Word when the Apostle perswadeâ— himself of their continuance he ever puts in Gods Faithfulness 1 Cor. 1. 8 9. 1 Thes. 5. 24. 2 Thes. 3. 3. Hence Ier. 32. 40. I will not turn away from them Answ. True if they do not from the Lord. No but they shall not turn away from me Object But we see many do fall Answ. But if he doth he shall not be broken but taken up again Psal. 37. 24. Yea for a time the Lord may do thus But will this continue having sinned against such mercy and my sin being now greater Now the Lord will depart Answ. 1 Cor. 1. 8. Yea he will confirm you to the end Yes it may be he will as he hath done while I am out of temptation But I may meet with it before I die Answ. 1 Cor. 10. 13. He will not suffer you to be tempted above measure c. Yea if I was such a one as Abraham or David that had such hearts and did the Lord so much honour Nay but Isai. 55. 3. Even the sure mercies of David This is the Faithfulness of God III. In regard of the constant abode of the Spirit of the Lord in the hearts of the Saints whereby they are kept Iohn 10. 28. None can pull his Sheep out of the Fathers hand Look as the first Adam sinning conveys the power of sin and Satan and death which reigns with unconquerable power over all the Sons of men so Christ rising conveys that Grace and constant presence of the Spirit which reigns to eternal life and carries the soul through all difficulties Deut. 33. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge Let what evils can come there is a refuge Yea so long as I can stand But what if I fall Underneath are the everlusting arms Let a Saint fall never so low yet Gods everlasting arms are still lower where ever he falls he falls at last into the Lords arms For else it was impossible for any soul to continue Isa. 46. 3 4. From the womb to the hoar hairs I will carry you Saints when they are little think they shall fall at last and when strengthened fear if they live till old age their hearts and spirits will die yet they do not But how comes this about I will carry you And hence 't is impossible they should ever die or perish no more than the Lord Jesus Iohn 14. 19. So that if Gods purpose is firm his promise sure his Spirit able the Spirit of life and grace in the hearts of the Faithful shall be kept even to eternity SECT III. LET that Opinion that the Graces of Saints are fading and mortal rot and die and be had in everlasting derestation of them that know the Lord. But we see how many fall off and fall back and I have found it by experience so The seed that is cast into the earth first dies and then lives and growes so no sooner doth the Lord fill his Saints but there is much self-confidence on it and resting in it hence it dies yet it lives and grows again And hence the Lord keeps his people poor sensible of their own weakness as long as they live but if it quite dies and withers they were never the Lords nor never had â—ne Dram of Grace 1 Iohn 2. 19. If it be taken away he did but seem to have it All fleshly excellencies in men as common gifts be do wither Isa. 40. 6 7. All Flesh is grass But Plants in Gods Orchard never lose their greenness though Plants and Floweâ—s in the field may Psal. 1. 3. Whose leaf shall not wither But this may make men secure say the Arminians 1. Nothing puts more life in the Saints It would sink them else if it were not thus as when the Lord told Ioshua where ever thâ—â— settest thy foot thou shalt
wonder if the City be taken though never so strong if it grow once secure no wonder if the world be entred and men are grown more worldly and if Satan be entred and men grow more passionate than ever before no wonder a mans work be neglected if he be asleep Ordinances more slighted than ever before Never shall you see Security fall upon a man alone but it brings its train with it when the Husbandmen sleep tares will be sown and when the Disciples sleep temptations will enter This is that which the Lord testifies of his people Ier. 2. 2 3 4. I remember what thou didst in times of streights in a land not sown every one that touched you did offend but in the seventh and eighth verses when brought to a plentiful Country they did not so much as say Where is the Lord that hath done this for us But yet the Lord questions his people for this What iniquity have you found in me which question you cannot answer without grief here or confusion another day You that are the Lords often have heard this complaint for this may be your condition as well as Noah's and Lot's but now see the cause of it how hard to awake on hour how hard to walk with God one day short awakenings you have but long sleeps this may be your condition for a time but you cannot continue so for ever if you are the Lords But if you do continue so especially without bemoaning this unto the Lord 't is a question whether ever there was that oyl in your vessel which others have when not only a mans acts grow worse but the very spirit of a man degenerates when not only the leaves of the Vine fall but the Vine it self groweth degenerate and hence continueth so this is a sore evidence of a woful state Ier. 2. 20 21. When the yoke was upon thy nick thou saidst Thou woâ—lâ—st not transgress but the Lord hath broken thy â—ands and now thou art becom a strange Vine Remember it will be an heavy indictment against thee to be good in Mesheck but base in Sion to be then worst when the Lord is best Use 3. Hence see one reason why the Lord pursueth many a Soul with inward terrors and outward sorrows Those that are fast asleep because soft speechs cannot awaken them hence we lay our hands upon them and sometimes knock them because this is the way to awaken them and then they hear so the Word and Spirit speak to a man but such soft still winds rock them asleep rather than awaken them hence the Lord layeth his iron hands upon a man and knocks by blows and now when affliction is upon you now you can hear When as the winds and water were ready to tear the ship in pieces now they enquire Why were they sent And the lot fell upon Ionah who was then sleeping it is easie to awaken out of natural sleep but very hard out of spiritual security All the terrors of God on Ionah within and without are little enough but at last he could hear and run on his errand Psal. 30. 6 7. Why did God hide his face from David he said in prosperity he should not be moved this was the reason of it the Lord sees you have need of it seldom shall one see an awakening Christian without inward temptations and terrors or outward sorrows Oh consider then if the Lord do meet with thee consider thy own security thou hast been in or art apt to fall into This is the sin you must enquire after and finde out and do not account it hard though long though bitter for never greater misery than for the Lord to say Sleep on it is one of the heaviest Judgements for the Lord to let a man go on in a secure condition without blows mark therefore unto the end of those blows to be throughly awakend by them For sometimes when the Lord sends them a man if they be not very bitter if he hath any rest lays them not to heart Isa. 42. 25. Fire burnt about him and in this Country I know not what curse befalls men peace makes men secure and sorow makes men discontented and sunk and discouraged which may be for a fit in a Saint but to continue so this is that Ahab Oh when as thou feelest the blow look now that thou dost awaken and be thankfull for it that you met with that you did never reckon upon viz. to be frighted out of security thereby SECT VI. Of Exhortation TO watch over one another by exhorting one another while it is called to day Heb. 3. 13. Let both the Watchmen and Members of Churches do this for this is one means appointed by the Lord to preserve the soul from sleeping 1 Thes. 5. 1 5 6. Exhorting one another as it is in Cities when the Watch is apt to sleep they have their companies that are passing up and down the walls the greatest part of the night and so they are kept waking and we shall finde that as it is in a Town where men are all asleep one Bell-man one waking Christian will keep life and spirit and the power of godliness in many and when he sleeps all are fast Nothing in the world brings security sooner upon men than sleepy company Officers of Churches watch not over members nor they one over another exhorting and crying one unto another to their work while it is called to day Oh then let every man get up and fall to this work of mutual exhorting go and visit one another go and speak oft to one another and if thou be a childe of the light see that thou endure not thy fellow servants to sleep in the open day in one duty or another Know if God stirs thee thou wilt awaken others 2 Cor. 5. 10. We knowing the terrors of the Lord perswade men 2. Consider thy labor cannot be in vain here the best mettalled horse needs spurs others are asleep You will say if I knew such a sin I would speak but I dare not Answ. It is the case of all the Virgins they have need of it Iude 23. Some save with fear pulling them out of the fire Matth. 3. 3. Consider this is one part of your Warfare to keep your watch whereby you may be made conquerors You complain you have many sins and temptations arising and prevailing never do they usually prevail but when you are secure first the Watch is taken and then the City is suddenly taken now look as Paul 2 Tim. 4. 6 7. he hath finished his course and fought his fight and now expects the crown how can you end your days in peace that cannot in some measure finde and feel this The Church is the City of the living God this is taken and every man in it unless you be watchful and exhort one another daily while it is called to day And that I may not speak in the clouds 4. Their sin will be yours First Labor to
Christs coming and yet men may shake off their fears despise the light Hence the Lord hath a second Cry and that is SECT III. Secondly THE Cry of the Rod for there is a loud voyce in every Rod which many times those that are most secure must and shall hear Psalm 2. 5. He shall speak to them in his wrath Micah 6. 9. Now what are these I speak not to secure persons alone we know how the Lord doth exercise them but how he speaks to secure Churches sometimes he hath lesser blows but he that is not awakened by the Word and the cry of that is seldom awakened by the cry of smaller evils he may be startled but seeing his pillow is still soft he must bear it and cannot amend it he sleeps again Now the things whereby the Lord doth and will awaken are Two First By bringing Churches into great extremities and distress that they know not what to do scattering them one from another in woods where they know not what to do for bread Iudges 6. the Midianites prevailed against them seven years untill they fled to Dens like beasts hunted up and down and at last they have no bread but begged and their cattel destroyed Verse 6. Now they cry unto the Lord because of the Midianites and he sent a Prophet to make them cry for their sin for this is the nature of a secure heart while it hath any thing to ease it it will not be awakened throughly if it be in a sleeping vain and hence the Lord distresseth them hence Mat. 24. 29 30. after Antichristian tribulation shall there be worse yes after that Sun and Moon shall be darkned i. e. there shall be a confusion of all things for it is the language of the Eastern Countries so to express it Dan. 12. 1 2. Secondly By ruinâ—ting of Churches breaking the Candlesticks quenching the lights delivering them to spoylers until the Land be almost left without inhabitant some slain some carried into captivity and now conscience cryes Word cryes and Rod cryes aloud to awaken them Isa. 6. 9. Go and make this peoples heart fat Lord how long until their house be desolate and then you hear of the sparing of a little remnant whom the Lord awakens Amos 6. you see them secure Verse 7 8 9. there 's captivitie and plagues to destroy families will the Lord deal so with Iacob the most excellent people under Heaven yea saith the Lord I abhor them and when you see them on the banks of Babylon then they remember Sion Levit. 26. 39 40. SECT IV. BEcause it is so difficult to awaken one throughly no bonds next to death so strong to keep men under as security and hence Ephes. 5. 14. sleeping and being among the dead are joyned together and hence the Lord will cry and if the Word cannot the cry of the Rod must and shall In regard of the people of God who are secure with them that are vile in secure Churches if the Lord had none among them he would come without crying but because they are there among them the Lord will awaken but if any do it is chiefly for their sakes for though the Lord do pardon and wash away his peoples sins yet they come not to the fâ—â—ition of pardon without faith and this faith is never severed from repentance and hence the Lord will not come upon them unawares before he hath broken their hearts not from infirmities for they will last till death but broken their hearts for and with their iniquity their chief sin In regard of Christ himself that so he may be received with esteem and attended upon with all respect for let the Lord shew never so much kindness to a â—ecure â—inner he is not esteemed he is forgotten buried like a dead carkass a dead Christ out of doors as it is with men that â—â—eep let the King stand by them provide never so much for them they regard it not so Deut 32. 15. Therefore we shall finde the Lord never comes to his people but he comes then when he is esteemed first the Lord works the esteem and then comes Matth. 23. ult Christ departs till men say Blessed be he that 〈◊〉 in the name of the Lord. SECT V. HEnce we may see the dangerous condition of all those that fall into a secure condition and so dye 1. That have been once very forward affectionate strict tender c. but now their lamp is out 2. That have kept themselves and their hearts from soil their lamps bright but now though their hearts contract soil every day they are settled upon the Lees and their scent is in them and their lamp never drest 3. That did once delight in approaching nigh to Christ in his Ordinances in going forth in them to meet the Bridegroom but now they not onely neglect this but take delight therein and rest upon their neglect as a sleepy man takes his delight not in his work but in the neglect of it and though their hearts tell them of this yet they go on their way and dye so what shall we think of them I will not absolutely determine but they give shrewd signs that they are fallen into a dead sleep For the Lord will awaken his Virgins before his coming nay he will awaken very many others for their sakes rather than they shall be secure Look as it was with Christ the nearer he came to his end the more enlarged and heavenly and spiritual so it is with them that have the Spirit of Christ Who are the Servants whom Christ shall bless at his coming Luke 12. 37. Blessed are those that shall be found watching That look as there is no smaller evil but usually before it comes the Lord and gives warning so the greatest and last evil Death that so they may prepare for that as Paul 2 Tim. 4. 5 6 7. The time of my departing is at hand how could Paul tell that the Lord gave him secret hints of it he could smell that state before he saw it or touched it he could observe by the course and câ—ncurrence of providences now my course is finished the corn is gathered all in Asia forsake me so the Lord doth many times unto his people however he doth keep them watchful Oh consider it therefore you that are secure if the Word now doth not awaken yet when thy sick bed comes and death appears remember this truth But remember it now I carry the brand of a Reprobate upon me Hence see what little cause any man hath to take pleasure in his security no pleasure in any sin especially to a holy heart as of the sin of security for if a man takes pleasure in his cups or in his course company or in dancing as Herod or in gaming c. conscience will give him knocks to every bit he snatcheth here there 's honey but then a sting in them also But now when a mans carriage is fair outward duties performed
conscience is quiet when a man hath been at work he thinks in conscience he may sleep for deepest sweetest security comes after most work we have done it is but a neglect a slip which I hope to recover out of one day it is not an unlawful thing but a lawful that I quiet my heart upon Now I have good company freedom from dangers Ordinances curtains drawn about me the best sleep with me and what hurt is here but see the little cause you have to sleep especially in this Country First It will not be your rest alwayes for there must and will come a cry Moses took but little delight in Pharaoh's pleasures they were but for a season and therefore as the Lord there said Micah 2. 10. Depart this is not your rest Secondly If the Word doth not awaken you out of it your cold prayers your heartless hearing your careless walking with God that your lamps be not burning burning love to the Lord and his people shining holiness so as others may walk after your light and be glad to follow you that present pleasure you take is the rotten wood that breeds the worm of a gnawing conscience when in the time of your trouble it shall say What hath your idleness gained to you and it is the fore-runner of misery that if lighter miseries will not do the Lord will bring seven plagues more and drive you into a wilderness and there shall you be famished for want of bread and if this will not do God will send spoilers that shall sell you for slaves and that shall carry you away captive and then you shal remember Sion and the days you slept over your time Find any sin but security in it will make a desolate Country and familes if you sin and rest in it though not gross nay do but decay in what once you had many say it is more here then ever I deny it utterly unless it be to them that are secure and if it be so the loss of your first love a small thing c. will hasten breaking Let this truth therefore be a burning Beacon to awaken you for God will make this word good and not let one tittle of it fall to the ground Ezra 10. 3. them that trembled put away their strange wives and wept sore for it so do you you think you may have this and the Lord too true but the Lord will not long abide with you if secure Hence see the reason why the Word strikes deep and is very smart sometimes upon the consciences of men that a man speaks as if he were in their very bosom that a man saith God is here that the Lord leaves thee with sad qualms upon thy conscience and no peace from all it is oft sanctified unless no grace nay after all this affliction comes if thou wert not secure why would the Lord cry make his Word cry and his Rod cry c. and therefore be not weary of either but bless the Lord for and quietly bear both unless I had those terrors within and afflictions without I had gone astray Psal. 32. 4 5. David was secure and kept silence he confessed and the Lord pardoned for this shall every one that is godly seek Oh so do you think then am not I in the number oh let me seek then and confess my sin CHAP. VI. Of the certainty of Christs coming SECT I. THat though the coming of Iesus Christ to his Churches be late yet it is certain For though it be midnight yet he comes we see For this coming at midnight is not to be understood of the last day of Judgment which shall be at midnight as the Rabbins and Monks in their devotions conceive for Christ speaks here of his coming to particular judgement also which is not always at midnight The scope of the Parable is to provoke to continual watchfulness because though the Lord doth not come in the beginning of the night as was the custom of the Jewish marriages yet he will come late even when you look not for him even at midnight there is a cry I confess the Lord speaks principally of his coming to Judgment yet it is true of any other coming of Christ to his people in this life and because particular examples and instances are the roots of general truths as Circumcision a seal so all Sacraments are so Christ is a Saviour of his people it is meant of great salvation at last yet is true of all salvation beside therefore I shall speak of the coming of Jesus Christ to his Churches and Servants in the general and so involve the whole coming of Christ for the more use and comfort to us Now we shall finde that the Scripture speaks of a sixfold coming of Christ that as all our deliverances are but shadows of our great and last deliverance so Christs coming now is but a shadow of his great and last coming First Christ is said to come to his people when he comes to hear their prayers Luk. 18. 8. And the Lord argues strongly Will an unjust Judge arise at night to help a widow a stranger when she is importunate and will not the Lord hear his elect and chosen yet when he comes shall he finde faith i. e. such prayers of faith as shall continue oh no! but soon apt to be weary before the time comes SECT II. Object BUt if they cease how do they pray night and day Answ. 1. Because they do so for a time 2. When they cease then they are ringing in Gods ears so that let the prayers of the elect for any mercy be once offered and presented as incense before the Lord the Lord will not be worse than an unjust Judge never to come to his people Secondly Christ is said to come to fulfil his promises for sometimes the Lord keeps his people exceeding short and gives his people answers to their Prayer in particular promises you find it so Psal. 85. 8 9. I will hear what the Lord will say for he will speak peace to his people that so they may live by faith and glory more in the Lord then in themselves yet he will come though it be very long Heb. 10 36 36. Ye have need of patience that ye may receive the promise for yet a little while c. We think it long yet it will be so Thirdly Christ is said to come to his people when he speaks peace and breaks the clouds of fears and troubles and shines upon his people for while the Lord is angry and hides his face that a man is beyond sight of the face and love of God now God and Christ is said to be gone so then when he returns to speak peace now he is said to come as that Martyr said He is come Zach. 1. 16 17. I am râ—turned to Ierusalem with my mercies and the Lord will yet comfort Zion for when the Lord forsakes his people for seventy years and takes away all his
17. She thought she was rich c. The Spirit of Grace which is but common that heals a vile proud heart it easeth him it quiets him in healing some sin which lies sore on the conscience it heals and quiets the man so he is well needs no repentance but the Spirit of life indeed destroyeth the man and â—â—ays corruption and hence he resists and now saith the soul I never felt my heart so vile as now and hence saith Paul Sin revived and led me captive Oh wrâ—tched man as it is with a Prince if any great ones come and serve him he likes them this gives him rest settles him in his Throne but if any one come to reign over him now he gathers all his strength to oppose So Common grace it ever comes as a servant to corrupt and hence take a man of best wit and parts he turns them against the Lord and makes them serve himself Thirdly From an apprehension of this difficulty and an unwillingness in the heart to break thorow the difficulty of seeking after the Lord many a man sees as Dives in hell Abraham afar off Grace and God and Christ afar off but there is a great gulf between them and Grace now to be watching fasting seeking the Lord diligently to follow the Lord hard Psal. 63. to keep the heart lamenting till the Lord comes this is hard as Heb. â— 't is said They could not enter in because of unbellef 1. They thought they could never overcome 2. They thought the Lord did therefore hate them Deut. 1. 27. They did not regard the strength of God they shall be but bread for us saith Caleb they could not believe that to be bread that is so hazzardful So 't is with many a man and hence he sits down with desires and hopes and so perisheth the sluggards desires slay him hence many complain of difficulty but never break difficulties and so perish and so not like to the Merchant that goes far for pearl It is his business and no storms noâ— ill weather drive him to desire the smoak of his chimney till he hath got them he hath now resolved to venture all for Prov. 2. 5. if thou dig for silver c. many prize Christ and Grace Oh that I had it but are â—oth to dig for it they love their ease so well and hence rest in their desire after it but indeed miss it and hence many can come to and follow God in outward Ordinances but never find fruit and comfort in any of them because of difficulty yet sit down content because they seek for Ordinances as Prov. 12. 27. The sluggard roasts not what he had â—ook in hunting there is a very great delight in coming to Ordinances as travellers under the shadow but then to climb the tree that is hard and hence lose the fruit and hence God seeing a man love his sloth and hath that base esteem of his Grace as that he will not follow so hard after it as he hath done after his lusts let 's loose Satan and he comes and stakes down a sinner in this God must do all and there he rests and so he falls short like one that comes to Husbandmen and tells them they have taken much pains and care to get their ground good to bring forth much but for time to come their ground shall bring forth fruit without planting or sowing only reap you the fruit it would be good news to them and they beleive it and then when the year comes about they are to seek for corn so this affects and here they rest and by this means want Fourthly From feeling the unprofitableness of seeking the Lord through difficulties and hence they give over but a little before they finde that that will continue 1. Some follow the Lord for carnal ends as Iudas did but he finding the purse grow lank and the bag empty he forsakes the Lord. 2. Some for comfort and hence pray and mourn and hence Mal. 3. 14. what profit is there that we have walked so as it was with Naomi when she returned home both her daughters accompany her some part of her way Return again saith she to your friends here is no Husband for you where I go the one would not be beaten off it is not a Husband I came for but a God thy God shall be my God the other hearing her speeches and loving her Fathers house and Country goes back not without some affection so it is here whereas Faith will cry the more Fifthly From the offences which usually Satan casts in when they are in the heat of their first endeavours as the stony ground being offended fell away As 1. Persecution and hence they fall a childe begins to look towards God the Father Mother Friends scoff and reproach 2. Corrupt Teachers Matth. 24. that like false Christs deceive and put a world of scruples into mens heads and then lead them away as the Galatiaâ—s that would pull out their eyes for Paul yet by love and smooth carriage of false Teachers so plausible they fell off strangely 3. Corrupt company women or men many strong men have fallen by the one and men also who having a form of godliness yet denying the power of it their hearts be taken in these snares 4. Some hard point of doctrine Ioh. 6. 60 66. something is preacht that is cross to our apprehensions I le never believe it say they and away they fall Sixthly Because of false comforts which usually men meet with before they get that which will abide in them in their worst hours and this quiets all 1. From themselves A man sees Christ only can redeem him by price but he feels no need of Christ to redeem him by power and now seeing what a miserable creature he is stays himself upon the Lord and that it may be by some word which he hears Iohn 8. 30 31. when they heard that they believed yet the Lord tells them they are not free but were yet captive to their sin which they need the Son himself to dye to save them from and so manyâ—a one comforts himself and stayes here though he have no other assurance 2. The approbation and comfort of others Ezek 13. 3 4. â— Strange extasies of joy which many a man meets with suddenly they have 〈◊〉 and drunk in Christs presence and have been comforted at such and such a time in such a manner this we shall finde it perswades men that God is theirs without revealing the subject viz. we be his people and that change which God hath made SECT II. Quest. VVHat is that measure which will last and throughout continue Answ. I have spoken of this at large but he that loves the truth as his daily bread will feed upon it when ever it is set before him Now there is one thing this is different and I shall express my self in one thing only viz. They give over before they have tasted and drunk the satisfing
time and Christ forsook them and left them very sorrowful for a time but saith he I will come to you again yea and they might be never awhit the wiser for that Nay saith he At that day you shall know I am in you and you in me As a childe cannot tell how his soul comes into it noâ— it may be when but afterwards it sees and feels that life So that he were as bad as a Beast that should deny an immortal soul and 't is an Article of our Faith so here c. 4. And truly when it is known 't is exceeding useful if a man was never apprehended by Christ that now before he be cast out of sight and reach of Christ he may if possible get the Lord to apprehend him and if he hath been apprehended he may be supported in sad combates and comforted against all feares of Apostacy from the Lord but may know he stands as fast as Mount Sion that never can be removed for times of spiritual assaults are to destroy faith Psal. 22. 8. He trusted in God let him deliver him and therefore you had need make sure of this time may come that to sence and feeling hope and heart may faile What supports now yet Christ doth not Christ will not Christ cannot Quest. How may this apprehending love on Christs part be known 〈◊〉 Answ. In these five Degrees of it it manifests it self for it is unknown in it self but in the manifestation of it there ' is seen of us 1. Degree When the love of Christ apprehends the soul effectually it overcomes the soul by sence of love and thereby draws the soul from the strong holds and bondage of sinne to Christ wherever there is exceeding deare love of the one unto the other it is winning it 's of an overcoming nature and though Christ doth threaten or terrifie his people sometimes yet the end is love the love of Christ is of a winning overcoming vertue and he overcomes by love and where he sets his heart on any he will sooner or later overcome by love if he can the hearts of his to forsake all other Lovers and cleave unto him Ier. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting lovâ— What follows hence I have drawn thee How by loving-kindness Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and I will follow thee this is the prayer of all those whom the Lord espouseth to himself and 't is as if they should say I have neither strength nor heart to come nor follow my iniquities clog me and my feares discourage me c. but yet Lord draw me Let a man believe in Christ and accept the offer of Christ when he can but he can never do it untill his heart a verse to Christ and unbelieving be drawn to the Lord Jesus and that not violently only by terrour but by stronger cords even the cords of Love which perswades mightily the soul of unwilling to become willing the Lord revealing the glorious grace and righteousness of Jesus Christ and all the benefits of him and therefore he offers this to it and requires nothing but faith to receive it this which stirs not the heart of another overcomes the hearts of the Lords own even with an holy admiration at this grace What Lord am I so vile I am and filthy and hellish after so long abusing God and Grace now to reveale offer on such termes Christ and Grace to me Oh Lord I am swallowed up with this kindness how canst thou think such thoughts of love yet I see it Rom. 1. 17. The Gospel is the power of God to salvation for therein is righteousness revealed from faith to faith And mark 't is such a drawing of love as pulls the soul from all the strong holds of sinne to Christ for that which the Prophet complaines of people in his time is true of ours Ier. 8. 5. They took fast hold of deceit and refused to return they hold it as their life and it holds them as fast as spiritual bonds of death either the pleasure of sinne holds them or the power of unbelief in refusing grace attended with sinkings and sadness of heart or objecting against grace through pride of heart when the Lord comes to apprehend it hereupon the Lord Jesus Christ uno eodem actu ictu in drawing the soul to himself draws it from the captivity of sinne thus Acts 26. 18. from darkness to light 1 Thes. 1. 9. and the soul saith as they Ier. 3. 23 24 c. The Lord Jesus doth not so draw it to himself as that at the same time it abides in sinne noâ— so from sinne as that it abides without Christ but uno c. For I observe a double errour in mens drawing to Christ. First Either they come only from misery I say Only and so are rather driven than drawn to Christ they rather come themselves on the legs of their self-love than on the feet of Faith Now when Christ doth effectually draw he doth it by love Oh this meâ—ts this draws this breaks this overcomes and now as we say in Warre It is better to Reconciâ—e an Enemy than to Conquer him by force because thâ— one overcomes his power only but the other overcomes his will so Christ could crush and he doth bruise his peoples souls with miseries they would never else be suitably affected with the bruises of his soul but this makes way for love he overcomes the will by love Secondly Or else if love doth meet affect and draw them yet it doth not overcome them oâ— draw them from the hold of sinne but as Ivy clasps about the Tree with a root of its own I have known some that have been melted affected with the patience and goodness of God towards them that have been almost perswaded and yet have turned almost Devils afterward the Reason hath been because they were never quite taken off their own bottoâ—es Now a soul whom Christ draws the Lord in drawing him to himself pulls him from his sinne so that he is weary of it the sight of Christs grace oh this draws indeed that now not only it dare not will not but cannot live in sinne Rom. 6. 2. Titus 2. 11 12. Grace appeares to all but it teacheth us saith the Apostle to deny ungodlinesse ungodliness will be suing and seeking for love but they deny it the soul thus comes not unto Christ without feeling of sâ—nne in it but that the Lord would take away all iniquity from it Ier. 3. 22. And because it feares there may be some secret evil its care therefore is that the Lord would strike the root of all and make it more bitter than death to its grave The greatest evil of all is sinne 't is greater than Death Grave Hell hence Christs greatest love is in Redeeming first from sinne And as if there had never been sinne grave nor death should never hold so when he breaks the power of sinne no power of Satan World Death shall hold