or deny the same principle Naturall perswasion is no faith if Nature gave thee all thou hast thou hast none at all Secondly If it bee Moralities gift to thee it is no faith I call that a Moral perswasion which is wrought from the consideration and improvement of Morall Principles if thou beest perswaded to rest and rely upon God and his promises for salvation meerely upon this skore I live justly I tythe Mint and Annis I have taken no mans Oxe or Asse from him whom have I defrauded Alas thus Aristides and Cato might beleeve Thirdly If thy Faith be thy grandfathers Legacy to thee it is no hand that will reach the Lord Iesus Christ A traditionall perswasion is no faith If thou beest perswaded that Christ dyed for thee c. upon this skore My Mother told me so our fore-fathers held so and they were wiser than wee c. Alas friend there is as much difference betwixt faith and thy soule as there is betwixt heaven and hell This was the Samaritanes Religion which the good woman was as tenacious of as ours are now of the Common Prayer Book Joh. 4. 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this mountaine and you say in Jerusalem is the place to worship It is the great objection wee have against the Church of Rome That they would have men beleeve as the Church beleeves But for the most part wee are condemned in what we condemne Doe not most men beleeve as their Fathers beleeved What a sinne it is thought to thinke of stripping Queen Elizabeths Reformation Are not most men limitted to this faith and is not here all the perswasion that men have of the saving Truths of God that Christ was God and man that he dyed rose and is ascended Why this was our Fathers Faith this wee were taught when wee were little ones and upon this skore being perswaded they must goe under the Notion of Beleevers and when heaven and hell meet this Faith shall save them Fourthly If thy faith be the Devills gift to thee it is no hand that will reach Christ The Devill hath his Apes-faced-Graces Morall walking instead of Gospell-obedience Feare of Hell in stead of feare of God and so presumption instead of Faith He carries too great designes 1. To flatter the soule to hell by presumption Thinke nothing ill of thy selfe sayes the Devill venture upon God let it never trouble thee venture all yes doe and cry confidently Lord Lord open to me I have prayed in thy name c. Hee knowes well enough that the answer will be Depart from me I know you not you workers of iniquity Feare not saith the Devill to apply hot boiling Lusts to the bleeding wounds of Christ you may rest upon him that dyed for you though you doe not take any such care to live strictly and holily with him other folk shall goe to heaven besides Puritanes God is mercifull Is thy faith such a one as this Christian O tremble at that Mat. 7. 24. And would not one thinke that this were the miserable faith of most of men It is impossible but when you heare so many peales in your eares of repentance as you heare in these dayes but you should have some thoughts what shall become of your poor soules And who so lookes upon your lives againe and seeth no repentance no sitting downe and saying What have I done no care of future obedience but a loose irreligious walking would he not bee confident that the Devill hath perswaded you to venture it is but a soule lost but poor wretch it is lost for ever and Christ is mercifull but to no such hell-hounds as thou art wretch O Lord it would make an heart tremble to come to some poore Creatures upon their Death-bed and examine the condition of their soules Why they are well they rest upon Jesus Christ they are confident he will save them who is bolder than blinde Bayard is our Countrey Proverb though all know the wretch never was sensible of his lost condition nor ever carefull to conforme himself in the least to Jesus Christ Faith is not the devils gift Diabolicall perswasion widely differs from faith But lastly Fiftly Faith is the gift of God It is grounded upon divine perswasion The Spirit of God and the Word of God and the Merits of Jesus Christ these are the grounds that perswade the soule to rely upon Jesus Christ Rom. 14. 14. I know my selfe and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ The worldling is perswaded after another fashion from naturall or morall Principles or Tradition or at best as concerning Ahab 1 Kings 22. 21. There is an evill Spirit gone forth and said I will perswade him and the Lord hath permitted and assented to it ver 22. Thou shalt perswade him and prevaile also But now the child of God is perswaded another way come to him and aske him Christian what perswades thee to rest upon Jesus Christ he answereth with Paul I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ Sir Ah Sir I was despairing almost the spirit of God by its inward motions inclined me to roll my selfe on Christ Or the word of God perswaded me I heard a Voice saying come I knew he that had promised was faithfull and able to performe it Rom. 4. 21. Faith is the gift of God saith the Apostle Ephes 2. 8. It is the Fathers work and gift the Sonnes gift and work the 1 Phil. 3. 9. Spirits worke and the Words worke 1. It is the Fathers worke and gift John 6. 37. All that the Father gives me shall come to me Faith is of his willing John 6. 40. It is the Sons gift and work I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ It is a piece of Grace and Christ is the well-head of all divine Grace 1 Cor. 1. 4. He is therefore called The author and finisher of our faith Hebr. 12. 2. It is the gift and work of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. 9. To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another faith by the same Spirit It is therefore reckoned as one of the Spirits workes Gal. 5. 22. It is a fruit of the Spirit It is wrought by the Word which therefore is called the Word of faith Rom. 10. 8. Now try thy selfe Christian whether thy hand be a true hand Is thy faith a gift of God wrought by his Spirit and grounded upon his Word such must that hand be that plucketh the fruit of this Apple-tree of free grace Not mans much lesse the devills gift but Gods gift it will quicken thee in Gods wayes but I spake of that before I have now done with my rules of examination the Lord perfect this Application in every one of your soules Use 3 I proceed now to a third Use and and that is of Exhortation To all those that are through the mercy of God recovered out of that sad condition in which we were all by Nature that are now cleansed
they shall be saved I know not which way too Christian thou wert lost and undone thou wert in Adams loines as well as any thou hadst an adventure in his ship as well as any the ship was wrackt Did the Lord ever call thee Didst thou ever yet find a powerfull worke of Gods spirit joyned with the word upon thy heart Did the Lord ever make thee in any measure to see thy lost condition Did the Lord ever yet bid thee when thou sawest thy selfe lost and wert confounded in thy owne insufficiency looke upon Jesus Christ and live Was sinne ever yet a sting to thy soule if not I doubt yea I am out of doubt Christ was never a true comfort to thee Christ was lift up as the brazen serpent now for whom was that lift up but for those that felt the smart of the fiery serpent and no way else be cured Againe Christ sanctifies before he glorifies he hath ordained us to good works and then to obtaine everlasting life though not for them this is Christs method of raising Dost thou looke to be saved Art thou sanctified Christian Is thy heart changed and thy tongue changed Beleeve it no uncleane thing shall ever enter into the new Jerusalem Christ useth to raise to holinesse before he raiseth to happinesse But I have in the former Doctrine spake so fully to this worke of Examination in relation to this thing of so great a concernment to every soule as nothing can be more that I shall now adde no more but passe on Use 4 This Doctrine may in the fourth place be applyed by way of Exhortation 1. To those that yet have no part at all in the Lord Jesus Christ 2. To those that through free grace have an interest in this Saviour and have been raised by him 1. Is there any poore soule here that is to this day so miserable as that it hath no portion in the Lord Jesus Christ Now I beseech you as an Ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ as in Christs stead I beseech you get an interest in him You have heard he is he whom the Lord hath ordain'd to be the Saviour of the world he is the mighty one upon whom help was laid yea the only mighty one upon whom help could be laid O then above all things looke for a portion in him in whom alone you can be rich Wouldst thou be saved This all desire Glory and happinesse are fine things Omnibus in voto every man would dye the death of the Righteous and have his later end like his Wouldst thou goe to Heaven Christian he is the way Wouldst thou live he is the life yea he and none but he Be assured thou art now a child of wrath and there is but an haires breadth betwixt thee and hell thou art wounded past the cure of the whole Creation loe here is balme in Gilead If thou wilt enquire enquire returne come Were there a poore wretch sicke of an incurable disease to ordinary Physitians and Chirurgians and some rare one should come to the Towne that alone had found out the mystery in the Art of curing that very trouble he should be throng'd with Patients How is it that Christ hath no more practise he that is the great Physitian that all the creatures are Physitians of no value to him Alas the reason is too perspicuous men are sensible of their bodily troubles but their soul-troubles are not felt by them To direct thee a little to him wert thou sicke of such a disease and hadst heard of so rare a Physitian what wouldst thou aske 1. How shall I speake with him 2. What must I give him 3. How must I apply his physicke 4. What Rules of diet or walking c. must I observe 1. Dost thou aske how thou shalt speake with the Lord Jesus Christ to lay open thy soules wounds unto him And where doth he exhibite his balme I answer to thee The word is near thee even in thy mouth it is the word of faith which we preach Behold Christ keeps open shop Wisedome cries and Understanding puts forth her voice she standeth in the top of the high Places by the way in the places of the paths She cries at the gates at the entring in of the doores Unto you O men she cals and her voice is to the sonnes of men O ye simple understand wisedome and ye fooles be of an understanding heart Prov. 8. ver 1 2 3 4 5. The Lord Christ keeps open shop in every place We as the Embassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ intreat you to be reconciled to God Did ever such naturall balme goe on begging The word is neare thee there Christ offers himselfe Dost thou aske what is his price 2. He offers it freely Heare the Market proclamed and the price set Isa 55. 1 2. Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat wine and milke without money and without price This is the condition bring nothing the way to have thy sacke filled as full as thou canst carry it is to bring it empty Only come and live look up and be healed was there ever so cheap a Market of so rich commodities Christian poore Christian wert thou but sensible of thy soules wants thou wouldst give as many thousand worlds if thou hadst them and they could be given as there are graines of dust upon the face of the earth to have a portion in the Lord Jesus Christ Imagine but what a poore damned wretch would give to have but so much liberty as to cast up a long looke to Heaven what a comfort it would be to them if the light of the Gospell might but shine into hell a few dayes And is mercy offered freely mayest thou be saved if thy owne cursed will were not in the way Ah Christian turne turne why should thy soule dye when there is balme in Gilead and so glorious a Physitian there Dost thou aske how must I apply his bloud 3. I answer only by Faith God so loved the world saith the Apostle that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Nay to speake lower yet on thy part is only required a seeking of Christs face Thus saith the Lord seeke my face and live The truth of it is as the merit was Christs so the Application is his too Faith is required but it is a gift infused it is the gift of God Indeed it is an act too but as so it is Gods gift I meane the strength by which thou must act He is the Author and finisher of our faith saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes O therefore cry cry mightily unto God he will help thee doe this too Goe alone and wrastle with God and take no answer without Christ cry and take no deniall like the blind man that when the Disciples discouraged him and Christ seemed to slight him cryed yet the more earnestly till the Lord said
Mercer inclineth Sort. 3 A third sort of expositors are such as would make this whole book a prophesy of the conversion of the Gentiles they understand it thus I that is Christ raised thee that is the Church of the Gentiles under the Apple-tree out of a low estate say some by the help of some inferiour Magistrate saith M. Cotton But I want an instance of the Metaphor so used to patronize that opinion I have shewed you now the severall opinions which I shall reject for these reasons For the Popish opinion If we understand the sence of the words to be this That the Spouse raised Christ upon the Crosse what shall become of the next words there thy mother brought thee forth Did Christs mother bring him forth there if so either his personall mother or his mysticall and metaphoricall mother for his personall mother in respect of his divine Nature he had none for his humane Nature Mary was his mother But how can we say concerning the Crosse There Christs mother brought him forth If it be understood of Christs mysticall or metaphoricall mother which say some is the Church 1. Besides that I never read the Church called Christs mother though his wife and sister And I doe not like creating senses without we be put to great straights I say besides that it is to me very harsh sense which I scarce understand viz. how the Church is said to have brought forth Christ under the Crosse For holy M. Ainsworth's and learned Mercer's opinions my reason or objection is the same If we doe understand the sense of the words thus I that is thy Spouse raised thee up by earnest prayer under the Apple-tree in thine Ordinances I doe not know how to make sence of the next words There thy mother brought thee forth c. How can we say that Christs mother whether his naturall mother Mary or his metaphoricall mother the Church as some would have it painfully brought forth Christ for so the word is under the tree of free grace of life To me it almost sounds a making of Christ the object of free grace and life who is indeed the subject of it For the third sort I reject their opinion 1. Because I see no reason why we should turne this whole book into a Prophecye 2. And for M. Cottons single opinion I gave my reason against it before I shall now propound my owne opinion and rather seeke for company than follow any 1. I lay it downe for a ground that the words are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ speaking concerning the beleeving soule 2. I take it for granted that the designe of Christs speech to the beleeving soule his Spouse is to mind her of some notable engaging mercy he had bestowed upon her a deliverance 1. Out of some low estate that methinks is plaine both from the word used raised which presupposeth a fallen estate 2. Out of some estate in which it was naturally that me thinks is plainly hinted in those words There thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee Now to give you the sence of the words I the Lord Jesus Christ thy husband The words opened thy Redeemer raised thee up exalted thee by the great worke of my redemption under the Apple-tree The Apple-tree is Christ Cant. 2. ver 3. Under my selfe by the use of mine Ordinances which are the fruit of the Apple-tree Christ or I raised thee up under the Apple-tree when thou wert not ingrafted in me but in a state of disunion indeed under the Apple-tree in respect of eternall ordination but not in the Apple-tree by an actuall implantation and union When thou wert in that sad estate I raised thee up by the great worke of my redemption It followes there thy mother brought thee forth c. there where in a lost condition in a state of disunion a stranger to me There under the Tree of forbidden fruit involved in Adams first guilt weltring in bloud c. There she brought thee forth that bare thee So the sence of the words is this Dost thou think much to leane upon me in the wildernesse O my Spouse remember thou wert in a poor lost undone Condition in such an estate thy naturall mother brought thee forth it is true thou wert under an eternall ordination to obtaine Salvation by me but thou wert far from such an vnion there thy mother left thee and could not help thee and then I raised thee I by the great worke of my redemption covenanting coming dying c. for thee raised thee from this misery to eternall life and all the privileges of it and this I did when all other meanes failed There thy mother brought thee forth by the use of my ordinances thou wert raised under the apple-tree so that the designe of the Lord Jesus Christ in the speech Is to shew the beleeving soule what cause she had in all estates to cleave to him more than all the world besides and this he demonstrates 1. By letting her see her miserable estate by nature 1. She had need of raising 2. She was in a state of disunion not united to the apple-tree 2. By letting of her see the hopelesnesse of any remedy from any thing in the world any friend in the world surely the mother is the best friend and yet sayes he this estate she left you in yea she that bare you 3. By letting of her see the Honourable condition that she was now in expressed in that word raised which containes as much as can be spoken even all the fruits and privileges of Redemption 4. By letting of her know the Author of this happinesse and redemption That is I saith he all the world could not I did 5. By letting of her know the meanes were his for so also the words under the apple-tree may be understood I raised thee The soule may say why the word raised me yes it is true but still thou art raised under Christ For Christ is the apple-tree The ordinances are the apples and they also grow out of Christ even as naturally as the Apples growe out of the apple-tree The text being thus opened holds out to us many pretious truths In generall it is the description of a Saint à primo ad ultimum from first to last In particular you have here the Spouse described 1. In her naturall Condition where you are told 1. What she is originally so she is in a state of disunion to Christ in such a condition that she hath need of raising so her mother brought her forth so she brought her forth that bare her 2. What she is then virtually though not implanted into Christ yet within a reach of him under the applee-tree though not implanted in it under an eternail ordination to life though for the present a Child of wrath in a wildernesse yet comming out or to come out 2. She is described in her gratious condition and there we have these
line but this will not doe Christian Esau was rejected though he was Isaacs sonne and Ishmael though he was Abrahams sonne Justus non gignit justum gignit hominem Thy righteous father did not beget thee a righteous man but he begat thee a child of flesh corrupt flesh and bloud Thy godly mother brought thee forth under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee This was the Jewes great brag that they came forth out of the waters of Judah and were called by the name of Israel and were of the house of Jacob Isa 48. 1. They call'd themselves of the Holy City and this made them stay themselves upon the God of Israel but for all this observe what God sayes to them v. 4 5 6 c. This was that which the Jewes had to boast of to the Lord Jesus Christ Joh. 8. 33. We are Abrahams seed and were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou you shall be made free They tooke it ill that they being Abrahams seed should be so much as supposed to be in a bad condition But observe how Christ takes away their brag in the 39. Jesus saith unto them if you were Abrahams children that is his spirituall children you would doe the works of Abraham But in plainer English ver 44. Ye are of your Father the Devill and the lusts of your Father you will doe Heare this you that had godly parents and your selves have no goodnesse in you Abrahams faith will carry none to heaven but himselfe your parents faith will want a way of conveyance to doe good to your soules Graft a sweet Peare or Plumme upon a wild or sowre Crab-stocke it will grow and yeeld a pleasant fruit the nature will be changed in the fruit but now take the stone or kernell of that fruit and set it in the earth it shall not come forth a Plum-tree but a Crab-stock againe It is thy case Christian thy parent was a naturall Crabstocke the Lord grafted grace upon him then he brought forth sweet and pleasant fruit worthy of amendment of life But now thou art his kernell come out of the earth thou art not come forth gracious but naturall Thy parents grace was by vertue of an inoculation not by nature Therefore to conclude this use let me mind you of the words of the first Gospell-preacher John the Baptist Mat. 3. ver 8. Bring forth fruit therefore worthy of amendment of life and thinke not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father Looke to your condition Christians It is neither your noble nor yet gracious parentage and descent will carry you to heaven think not to say within thy self I had a gracious parent Thirdly from hence we may be instructed what a soul-cheating principle Libertines build on that conclude thus There is no need of Repentance or faith or such holy and strict life if we be elected we shall be saved if not we shall be damned Suppose thou beest elected poore creature yet know thou art borne under the Apple-tree O turne not the grace of thy God into wantonnesse looke to find thy selfe raised or thou shalt never see thy soule saved It is true for the sinnes of those whom the Lord hath chosen by name to everlasting life they are decretally pardoned from all eternity and meritoriously pardoned in the death of Christ but still they remaine as offences to God and keep the soule under a reall obligation unto death till the Lord comes and actually and formally in justification acquits the beleeving soule from hels claime and frees it out of the Devils imprisonment Suppose a condemned man in prison the Prince hath determined to pardon him and some friend of his possibly hath purchased his pardon for him but yet he is in the dungeon in fetters in the Gaolers hand till he be actually set free c. So it is with every Elect Vessell Cheat not thy selfe therefore with such licentious soule-deceiving principles of Libertinisme I have done with the first Use of Instruction I passe on to a second Use 2 How doth it now stand every poore soule in hand to examine his condition whether he be not in this sad condition yet yea or no. Christians the weight of your soules hangs upon this Examination This was your and my condition Try therefore your selves whether you be in the faith or no prove your owne selves know you not that more more than nature is in you Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates I have in this place not long since handled this point so fully that I shall at this time adde very little to what I have already said Only it lying so full in my way give me leave to speake a word or two and the Lord speake it to your hearts I will speake but foure words 1. Therfore know this If none hath done more for you than your mother hath done you are under the Apple-tree still That is plaine in the Text There your mother brought you forth there she brought you forth that bare you What doth our Mother doe for us she conveighes Nature to us from her we derive flesh and bloud and our naturall dispositions if thou beest nothing but Nature thou hast nothing of Grace But some will say this is a note as darke as the other To make it therefore so as to be understood by the meanest capacities we must understand that there are two sorts of Natures A more corrupt or a more refined sort of Nature All short of Grace is Nature 1. If thou hast nothing seen in thee but corrupt filthy nature That thy naturall inclination carries thee out to acts of prophane wickednesse and thou hast not so much as put a bridle upon thy wild spirit but letst it run at randome and carry thee out to drunkennesse wantonnesse lying swearing all manner of ungodlinesse This thou mayest be sure of thou art not raised yet out of thy hellish danger in which thou wert borne Eph. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 9 10. Rev. 21. 8. Rev. 22. 15. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. But secondly If thou hast no more than bridled and refined Nature I call Bridled Nature a kind of civility which thou pridest in that thou art not so debauched a wretch as others are It consists first of all in a Negative righteousnesse Thou canst say thou art no Papist no Malignant and perhaps as much as the Pharisee Luke 18. v. 11. I thanke thee I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publicane Secondly In a Positive righteousnesse Thou canst say whose Oxe have I taken whose Asse have I taken or whom have I defrauded Thou tythest Mint and Annis and dost no more to others than thou wouldst be content they should doe to thee thou art a good Second-table-man keepest the rule of justice strictly Thus had he done To whom Jesus Christ said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One thing is
washed and sanctified You heare what you were by Nature borne out of Christ Children of wrath as well as others hath the Lord raised you up hath hee given you to taste of the Apples of free-grace let the remembrance of your former condition perswade you 1. To get thankfull hearts 2. To get pittying hearts 3. To keep humble hearts A word or two of each of these 1. Let this consideration perswade with you to get thankefull hearts Let every soule of you say sing that 103 Psalme verse 1 2 3. Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not his benefits who hath forgiven all thine iniquities who hath healed all thy diseases c. to the 6. verse Christians I have heard a Story of a Gentleman that having rid over a dangerous Passage in the night returning in the morning to see it at the beholding of it sunke down and dyed Astonishment kild him Ah Christian wouldst thou be but perswaded in the morning of thy Conversion when the Lord hath brought thy soule to himselfe wouldst thou bee but perswaded to look with a serious eye of meditation what dangers thou hast escaped now many times in the mad age of thy youth thou ranst over everlasting burnings and wert just sinking wouldst thou but remember how often thou dividedst an haire betwixt thy soule and hell and this not once but againe and againe that the Devill had not thy soule onely in chase but was bearing at thee many a time and hell was opening its jawes upon thee and thy soule was just going alive into the pit Ah Christian wouldst thou but thinke of this me thinks thou shouldst even be ready to sink downe and dye in astonishment nay rather live Christian ascend let thy heart ascend in praises O say Blesse the Lord O my soule My heart and all that is within me praise his holy Name My tongue and all that is without me sing unto his glory Ah! what a miracle of mercy it is that ever one poor soule should come to heaven Stand amazed at it O my soule were not wee all borne blinde How doe any of us see O now let us all say with David Psalme 116. verse 16. O Lord truely we are thy servants we are thy servants and the children of thine hand-maidens for thou hast loosed our bonds I shall shut up this first Branch of the Exhortation with the words of the blessed Apostle Rom. 12. verse 1 2. Now I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that you offer up your bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And bee not conformed to this world but be yee transformed by the renewing of your mindes that yee may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Ah Christians God deserves your hearts and hands O bee thankfull But I shall now passe over this first Branch of the Exhortation and the rather because I shall have a more full opportunity to meet with it againe and presse it more home in the next Doctrine which I shall note from those words I raised thee Secondly were you even you Christians also out of Christ when your Mother brought you forth Ah methinkes then the sense of your owne misery should call for the yernings of your soules to those poore creatures that are yet in it I beseech you therefore brethren to put on as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies It was the Apostles exhortation Col. 3. vers 12. though in another case Ah how many objects of such Charity is there every where How many poore wretches in every Congregation in every family that the Lord knoweth are yet in the state of Nature It is ten to one but all of us have either an Husband or a Wife a Father or a Mother or a childe or a brother or a sister or a friend so As the Elect of God put on bowels of mercy for them pitty them pray for them mourne before God for them pluck them as brands out of the fire you know what their condition is how sad and deplorable and what an object of pitty they are Wee that never were yet in the Spanish Inquisition nor ever were yet in the Turkish Captivity yet from but the meer reports of the slavery that poor Creatures suffer there our soules yerne towards their sufferings and wee sometimes could weep to thinke of them and could bee content to part with some pence to contribute towards their reliefe So for our poore brethren of Ireland though praised for ever be our God wee have not seene such butcherings and rapes as they have done nor felt such penury and pinching want as they have done yet he scarce deserves the name of a Christian amongst us that hath not a yerning soule towards them that doth not pray for them that is not afflicted to heare those sad and dolefull relations concerning their sufferings and that would not to his ability contribute something to relieve them Ah Christians that you would be but as sensible of soule-evills as bodily trifling calamities Is not think you the Captivity of hell as sad and dreadfull as to be a Turkish Gally-slave Is not it as sad to be under the Devills clutches as it can be to be in the fingers and under the power of the Irish Rebells Alas let them doe what they can they shall doe no more but kill the body there is their malice spit if that bee done but here both body and soule are in danger for ever And my friends do you think that the Turke hath the tenth part of the Captives that the Devill hath Do you thinke there is not ten thousand times more poore soules under the Devills Lashes than there is Christians under the power of the Irish Rebells and have they a sword have they torments like him and where is the soule mournes over the Drunkard vaine person the swearer or blasphemer where is the soule that sayes to him what are you about to doe and yet I dare say here is not one in this Congregation that hath not a Father or a Mother a childe a brother or a sister or a friend in that Captivity O Christians consider did not you need pitty and prayers thinke you when you were there O save others with feare pulling them out of the fire O pray pray It may bee it is but yet a day and this Herod the Devill intends to make an end of these poore soules Cry cry mightily to God for your poor Children Friends Acquaintance Hark how the Church of the Jewes prayed for the Church of the Gentiles when they were strangers to God Cant. 8. verse 8. We have a little sister and she hath no breasts what shall wee doe for our sister in the day when shee shall bee spoken for So say O Lord I have a little Childe a Father a Mother an Husband a
Brother a Sister a Friend that hath no grace Lord what shall I doe for her in the day when she shall be spoken for Remember your owne misery and you will pitty their poor soules Thirdly and lastly Were you all borne out of Christ in a sad undone condition by Nature Then let mee perswade you to keep humble hearts Remember but what you were It is enough to tame the swellings of your spirits to thinke that you were not borne worth a ragge to cover your nakednesse you were cast out into the open field to the loathing of your person It was that which the Apostle urged to bring downe the swellings of pride in the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4. 7. For who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou hast received it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Let mee apply those very words to thy soule Christian Art thou proud of thy gifts and proud of thy graces that thou differest from another and excellest another others are nothing to thee c. I beseech thee to consider who maketh thee to differ How came there to be such a difference betwixt thee and other Christians I am sure you were once both under the Apple-tree together there your mothers brought you forth there she brought you forth that bare you Hath Christ made thee to differ What hast thou then that thou diddest not receive Now if thou diddest receive it why diddest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Wilt thou boast boast of thy owne then Christian boast of thy workes not of thy gifts give Christ his owne and thou art not worth a farthing yea the Lord knowes ten thousand times worse than a begger Wee say and truely too that one that hath been very scandalous if ever the Lord brings him in he had need bee very circumspect and humble And so concerning one that hath been of a verie low and meane condition and by the meere favour of the Prince is raised up to some great dignity wee say it will be a great deale of policy in him to carry himselfe humbly in his place Truely Christian I know no actuall difference by Nature betwixt thee and the vildest damned Reprobate in Hell Indeed there was a difference in God the Fathers Book of Election and in Christs Book of Redemption which is but a transcript of the other but a Creature difference there was none no selfe-difference at all Hath the Lord brought thee in thou hadst need walke humbly and circumspectly Philip would have the Boy to cry at his Chamber doore Philippe memento mortalis es Philip thou art a mortall man remember it be not proud of thy Empire thy Diadem must lye downe in the dust I would have the Christian that the Lord hath given great gifts and parts to be minded of his first estate I would have my Text written in his heart repeated in his eares O remember Christian who it was that Raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee And now I have done with my Use of Exhortation in its several Branches Use 4 I have but one word more and that is Consolation Is it so that we are borne under the Apple-tree though under out of Christ yet under not out of sight or hope The Apple-tree is over us though by Nature we have no hand to reach up to it Here 's then a word of comfort and hope 1. To those that upon serious examination the Lord hath made seriously sensible that to this houre they are out of the Lord Jesus Christ if yet they be willing to get into him 2. To those of Gods people that walke with sad hearts for the spirituall estate of their children husbands wives friends c. considering that they were all borne out of Christ and for ought they can yet see they have yet no portion in him For the first Is there any whose hearts the Lord hath smitten with the sad apprehensions of this Truth that they are all borne out of the Lord Jesus Christ that begin to say what shall we doe to be saved Loe here is some comfort yet though thou beest borne for the present out of Christ yet possibly thou mayest be borne under the Apple-tree yea for ought thou knowest thou art Christ is the Apple-tree Christ exhibited in his Gospell in the preaching of the Word c. is a glorious Apple-tree full of ripe Apples dropping into the hands of every soule that doth but lift up his beleeving hand to take and eat This is certaine whomsoever Gods secret will shuts out of heaven his revealed will shuts out none who doth not shut out himselfe Come therefore Turne turne why wilt thou dye O thou sinfull creature For ought thou knowest thou art in no worse condition than Manasses and Paul and Mary Magdalene all of them were borne such as thou art Christ cals Hoe every one that thirsteth come c. Come then let not thy sinnes hinder thee there 's merit enough and mercy enough in him O let not faith be awanting in thee Behold it is now Autumne with us Autumne indeed for Gospell-dispensations have been but as green Apples formerly to the times wherein the Lord hath cast our lot never was there such a plenty of soule-enlightening powerfull preaching plenty enough the Lord grant we surfeit not with it O reach out an hand take eat live To encourage consider how the Lord pleads with you Some Apple-trees are so loaden with fruit that when the Apples grow once to their full quantity the boughes bend even to the hand of the gatherer such my friends are our dayes the boughes loaden with Apples of free Grace even bend again to your soules O take eat and your soules shall live The Autumne is plenteous The Gospell is free you may take what you will it shall cost you nothing Christ even bends to you loaden with Apples of Love Ah! how he reacheth out himselfe to your soules despaire not only plucke and eat you are under the Apple-tree Secondly Is there any one here that hath a child husband wife friend brother sister c. that he can have no comfort concerning in regard that they can see no sigues of grace in them let this comfort them yet they may be under the Apple-tree though the Lord hath not discovered himselfe yet to their soules yet he may doe it All the Apples are not gathered off the Tree of Life it is laden yet pray cry for them mourne for them the Lord may yet give them an heart to repent I thinke it was Ambrose told Saint Austines mother being sadly lamenting the condition of her sonne then a Manichee Be of good comfort saith he it is impossible that a sonne of so many teares should perish I will not say so concerning any one but I will say vix probabile est it is scarse probable
that a child or friend of many teares and prayers should perish Give not over therefore mourning over them crying praying to God for them the Gospell-day lasts What though thy friend by his life yet declares himselfe to be out of Christ yet he may be under the Apple-tree for ought thou knowest though not upon it yet under it Christ that saw Nathaniel under the Fig-tree may see thy child or friend under the Apple-tree and call him and raise him up it is Christs place where he useth to raise his Elect ones I raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee THE SPOVSE Raised FROM Vnder the APPLE-TREE OR The way by which Children of Wrath come to be made the Children of Grace Opening the Doctrine of our Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ both in respect to the Purchase and Application By JOHN COLLINGS M. A. Isa 63. 5. And I looked and there was none to help and I wondred that there was none to uphold therefore my owne arme brought salvation unto me LONDON Printed for Rich Tomlins 1649. The Spouse raised from under the APPLE-TREE CANT 8. ver 5. I raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee I Have now done with my first general Doctrine containing Mans misery Hee was brought forth under the Apple-tree there his mother brought him forth there she brought him forth that bare him I am now come to the second Generall part expressing Gods mercy to poore man fallen and undone in this condition expressed in those words I raised thee you may observe 1. The Agent I. 2. The Act Raised 3. The Object Thee I thy Bridegroome the Lord Jesus Christ raised It presupposes a fall I helped up thee My Spouse being in a sad and undone condition The Doctrine is shortly this Doct. 2. That it is the Lord Jesus Christ that helpeth his redeemed ones out of their undone condition 1. I shall inlarge and prove this truth in the generall In these particulars 1. He was designed to doe it 2. He can doe it 3. He must doe it for none else could 4. He hath done it 5. He will doe it After this I shall explicate to you the manner how the Lord Christ raised up his servants under the Apple-tree then thirdly I shall give you the reasons and lastly I shall come to Application First in regard that the Doctrine is propounded indefinitely I shall prove it to you in severall particulars which possibly may some of them beare the force of Reasons too 1. He was designed to doe it It was a designe of Eternity that Jesus Christ should step out of heaven and raise up his elected ones from their lost condition therefore Christ is said by the Apostle to the Hebrewes chap. 3. ver 2. To be an High-Priest faithfull to him that appointed him The businesse from Eternity lay thus Here is man lost and here are those amongst others lost saith God the Father to his Sonne that I have given thee for a portion what shall be done for man Well yet I will study to doe good to a wretched creature Thou shalt in the fulnesse of time goe and bee borne of flesh and bloud and dye for them and satisfie my justice and they shall be thine for a portion therefore they are called the Lords Redeemed ones Isa 35. 9. The holy People the redeemed of the Lord. Isa 62. 12. This thou shalt do saith the Father and upon these termes they shall live believing in thee This was Gods Covenant with the Sonne of his love for us For it is worth the noting that though the Covenant of Works was made betwixt the Lord and Adam personally yet the Covenant was made with Christ and all us in him mystically this the Apostle largely proves Gal. 3. 26. The promises were made to Abraham and his seed hee saies not to seeds as of many but as of one And to thy seed which was Christ The Covenant was made then betwixt God and our representative The Lord Jesus Christ God sayes thou shalt goe and dye for them and I will yet save them believing in thee Content saith the Lord Jesus Christ I will goe and fulfill thy pleasure and they shall bee mine for ever I will in the fulnesse of time dye for them and they shall live in me Psalme 40. verse 6. Burnt-offering and Sinne-offering thou hast not required no it was Self-offering Then said I Loe I come in the Volume of thy booke it is written of mee to doe thy will O my God Hebr. 10. verse 5 6. In what Booke was it written that Christ should come to doe the will of God It was written in Cyphers in the Ceremoniall Law it was written in plainer English in the Prophets But it was written in the Book of Gods Decrees in this sense the Lord Jesus Christ is called Rev. 13. verse 8. The Lamb slain before the beginning of the World And in regard of Gods Decree we may say the Saints were redeemed pardoned Justified from eternity His Father from before all time appointed him to be our High-Priest and hee from before all Eternity subscribed to his Fathers pleasure in it Thus from Eternity he raised us up Secondly as he was designed to doe it so it was not a worke beyond the greatnesse of his strength God in doing it laid help on one that was mighty There was power enough in his mercy price enough in his merits to have bought more than the handfull of his redeemed ones out of the hands of the Devill had they beene to bee sold It is a slandering thought of infinite mercy for me to thinke there is no balme in Gilead there is no Physitian there though our sinnes be mighty yet hee that hath helpe laid upon him is mighty too and the might of our sinnes is nothing to the power of his mercies He was God as well as man his manhood made him our helper his Godhead made him a Mighty helper able to pardon all the sinnes of his Saints and to furnish all their soules with long white Robes of his Righteousnesse Yea thirdly Such a worke it was to raise us that it was hee alone that could doe it all heaven and earth had been at a losse for a satisfaction for divine Justice if it had not satisfied it selfe upon it self See it in Gods word Isaiah 63. verse 5. And I looked and there was none to helpe and I wondred that there was none to uphold therefore mine owne arme brought salvation to them And so Isaiah 59. verse 16. And he saw there was no man and wondred that there was no intercessor therefore his arme brought salvation unto him and his righteousnesse sustained him He saw none would And no wonder at that for none could but if they could they would not All creatures would have been like the Priest and Levite Luke 10. verse 31
enough to his Father for his Father sayes hee was well pleased with him and as he needed none so he had no other Isaiah 63. verse 3. I have trodden the Wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with me I raised thee saith hee yes it was hee and he alone so I have made out my third Proposition Yet further Fourthly he hath done it This is more than all the Prophets could say they could beleeve that he would raise his redeemed ones wee can say he hath done it He hath raised all of them meritoriously some of them actually I understand by Raising a contrary condition to our Originall condition in which Adam left us he hath brought them out of their misery who were his elected and redeemed ones He hath pardoned their sinnes acquitted them of their guilt paid their debts set them cleare againe in Gods books and this he hath done for all those that are his Spouses for to them only he speaks saying I raised thee meritoriously when he dyed upon the Crosse for them he did it intentionally from all Eternity he gave his word to his Father for the debt that it should be paid upon demand but when he dyed he made paiment and discharged his word yet he doth not come and proclame the soule discharged till justification when the Lord actually and formally acquits the soule from all and accepts it as perfectly cleare of all accounts due upon any score whatsoever to God and therefore I say in the second place That some he hath raised Actually that is Actually and formally justified them pardoning all their sins and imputing his owne righteousnesse to them and accepting of them as Righteous for his owne sake even for his owne Names sake He hath done it meritoriously he said upon the Crosse All is finished he bore our griefes the chastilement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we were healed saith the Apostle Isa 53. And he hath done it for some Actually having justified them Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God where the Apostle speaks of justification as of a past act of grace concerning the beleeving Romanes and so 1 Cor. 6 1. concerning the beleeving Corinthians And Christ is stil justifying every day all his time is spent either in reading pardons for his redeemed Saints or in presenting Petitions from them and pleading for them I raised thee I have done it and I will doe it That is my last Proposition Fifthly He will doe it I meane actually and formally he hath done it already 1. By the engaging of his word to his Father nay more than so by paying downe the price his father abated him not an ace he paid every groat yea and left a surplusage too only he hath not taken out their pardon yet the Actuall and formall discharging of some is behind but they need not feare it is to come out of course without a farthing more paid 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes There is not a farthing more due and it were injustice with God to deny justification to those that sue it out by confession of their sinnes and seeking of his face God speaks of it here therefore as done I raised thee I take the words to imply the whole reparation of mankind I meane that part of mankinde whom the Lord had from Eternity chosen to everlasting life and for whom Jesus Christ had paid the Ransome of his precious bloud Christ I say speakes of it here as done because of the certainty of it Take onely one place for this John 10. 27 28 29. My sheep he are my voice and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave mee them is greater than all and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one Observe the thing proposed to be confirmed that is that those that are Christs should never perish Now to root this in their mindes he tells them 1 That they were his sheep and hee kew them they could not bee lost then at unawares and he not misse them 2. They were his Fathers gifts to him therefore they should not be lost hee would have a care of his Fathers love-tokens 3 But may they not be taken away No for 1. He is resolved to give them eternall life 2. He hath given his sure word for it Neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand They cannot doe it whether hee will or no for saith hee my Father which gave them me is greater than all Yea and further I and my Father are one My owne power and my fathers power united are ingaged for their preservation Those therefore that are elected though for the present they may be out of Christ yet they shall be raised But what I have already said may be enough to prove the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Doctrine that it is Jesus Christ that raiseth his elected ones out of their naturall undone condition It is hee that was designed by the Father to doe it that can and that alone could doe it he therefore must or none else can that hee hath done it meritoriously for all his Elect and actually for some of them and that in his due time he will do it actually and formally for all Now for a little further explication and clearing of this truth let us examine how hee hath done or will doe it To that question I shall answer in these particulars and indeed the answer may be drawne out of what I have already said First he did it stipulatione by entring into a Covenant and engaging his word for us The Covenant of Grace from which flowes all salvation to poore Creatures was originally made with the Lord Jesus Christ as I before prooved from Gal. 3. 15 16. Christ engaged himselfe to his Father for the fulfilling of the Law and satisfying his Fathers wrath for us and hence it is that the Prophet sayes speaking Prophetically concerning the Lord Jesus Christ He shall bear their iniquities Isaiah 53. verse 11. Isa 53. 6. He hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all verse 5. Hee was bruised for our iniquities With what Justice could God our Father lay our iniquities upon the Lord Jesus Christ Christ was a guiltlesse person nor could wee engage him in our cause but it was a voluntary engagement that himselfe entred to his Father As it is with us A poore Debtor is ready to be arrested for a debt that he is not able to pay there is no way but one either pay or to prison Let him have never so rich and great friends the Creditor cannot charge a farthing of the Debt upon them it is no Justice But if this pooâ—â— Debtor hath some rich friend that will
step in and say Sir this is my friend I pray bee patient with him I will undertake for the debt I will engage my word and bond that the debt shall bee paid at such a time or when you will please to call for it c. The Creditor it may be will be so favourable as to say Sir I know you are able to do it if you will engage your word I shall spare your friend pay it at such a time or when you will set the time and I will acquit your friend The engagement is entred in the Creditors Book and from that day forward the Creditor looks upon this his Debtors friend as now by his own voluntary engagement become his Debtor and never regards his old Debtor more This is our case Adam had runne us in debt an infinite debt which neither he nor we are able to pay A Writ of Vengeance was out mankinde ready to bee arrested and bound in Chaines and throwne into an everlasting prison from whence hee should have been sure never to come out till hee had paid the utermost farthing which he could never have done with all the friends and estate he could have made Jesus Christ seeing some of his elected friends that his Father had given him having their names in the Writ steps in and sayes Father these are my friends Isa 63. 8. Surely they are my people children that will not lye so he was their Saviour I will undertake their debt upon me charge it upon my score I will pay every farthing if thou pleasest to accept it it shall be paid at such a time Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made under the Law to redeeme them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of sonnes The Father accepts this tender therefore he is stiled Gods beloved Sonne in whom he is well pleased The word is in whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An emphaticall word which generally signifies to love but more specially and properly it signifies to love something by adhering to it with the minde and heart and so to be content and fully satisfied with it that one desires nothing else Me thinks I cannot but observe three things in it 1. God signifies by it that he is pleased with him and with his tender As if wee should say I like that well 2. God signifies by it that he is fully content with him so that hee desires nothing else As if we should say I desire no better security than his 3. God doth signifie by it that he will trust to it As it we should say in such a case to a surety Well then I will no more look after my Debtor now I will trust to you onely So upon Christs offer saith God I like thy tender as sufficient and am so fully content with it that I desire no more but now I shall wholly trust to thee for all Now God repeateth these words in the Gospell at Christs Baptisme and at Christs Transfiguration Matth 3. Mat. 17. And to what purpose but to witnesse to the world as that hee was well pleased with Christ as his Sonne that in heaven his worke was to delight in his Sonne and he did so delight in him that he desireth no other pleasure than the company and beholding of his Sonne which puts me in minde of a sweet notion of Master Rutherfords that God spent all his time from Eternity till the Creation of the World in delighting himselfe in Christ But I say as it doth signifie that and so set out the infinite love of the Father that he would be pleased to part with such a darling of glory for us as also in this it sets out the Fathers love that he should send to looke after inglorious wretches when hee needed not our companies for hee had pleasure and delight enough in the company of his Eternall Sonne whose company did so content him that he desired nothing else for himselfe So I also thinke that God by his twice repeating of it after Christ came would have us understand that God was well pleased with him as our Surety with what Heb. 7. 22. Christ is called our Surety payment hee should make c. But now in regard it was in time that Christ came in the fulnesse time saith the Apostle Gal. 4. 4. How did the Lord Jesus make our paiment sure I answer By engaging his word God the Father had nothing but the Lord Jesus Christs word for the paiment of all the Elects debts not from eternity till Christ came and made payment according to his engagement Now thus hath the Lord Jesus Christ raised us out of our lost condition by engaging his word and entring into a Covenant 2. He did it Assumptione carnis By assuming of our flesh He made a Covenant with his Father for us from all Eternity But hee tooke out this Bond in time canceling it with his owne bloud Therefore saith the Apostle Galatians Chapt. 4. Verse 4. God in the fulnesse of time sent forth his Son made of a Woman born under the Law to Redeem those that were under the Law that they might receive the adoption of sons He could Covenant for us as God but he must dye for us as man In the fulnesse therfore of time he bowed the heavens and came downe and tooke upon him our flesh not changing the Godhead into flesh neither confounding the substances nor the Natures but personally uniting of them that the two Natures became one Person and so he became a Saviour fit to raise us Now to him that raised this was necessary 1. That justice might be done It had been no justice in God to have charged the guilt of one Nature upon another Gods wayes appeare equall in charging the guilt upon the guilty Ez. 18. 3. Forasmuch then as the children whom he came to redeeme were partakers of flesh and bloud he also tooke part with them that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death even the Devill Heb. 2. 14. and ver 17. In all things it behoved him to be made like to his brethren and why ver 16. He had taken upon him the seed of Abraham that is the guilt of the seed of Abraham to satisfie for them 2. It was requisite That he might be a faithfull High-priest faithfull to his word You shall observe it that Christ gives it as a great reason of his condescentions and actions of Grace That all righteousnesse may be fulfilled and that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet c. Christ is tender of his Fathers Truth Now God had said that the womans seed should bruise the serpents head Gen. 13. ver 15. And though by Abrahams seed was spiritually meant Christ Gal. 3. 15 16. to whom the Promises were made yet the Promises had not been fulfilled if that Christ had not also been Abrahams seed and therefore
did it freely we buy without money or money-worth Isa 55. 1 2. 2. If you aske to what end hee did it It was his own glorie that he might get himselfe glory from poore dust and ashes that little thanke him for all this mercy declared to their souls He Predestinated Redeemed and Adopted us meerely to the praise of the glorie of his grace Ephes 1. verse 6. The end which he aimed at in Calling us was his glory Rom. 9. 23 24 25 26. If you aske me why God that could as well have been glorified in the damnation of poore wretches would chuse rather to be glorified in their salvation and bringing them to life I must run back again to the Fountaine againe meerly because so it pleased him because it was his will There wee must rest I shall now proceed to the Application of this mysterious sweet and precious Doctrine and it might be applyed severall wayes But I shall onely apply the consideration of it as offering you ground and matter First of Humiliation Secondly of Instruction Thirdly of Examination Fourthly of Exhortation Fiftly of Consolation Use 1 First of all for Humiliation Harke Christians is it so that thou wert so lost and undone that none but Jesus Christ could raise thee and hee hath done it when none else could and wil raise thee higher yet and this hee could not have done without taking thy flesh dying upon the Crosse suffering the bitternesse of his Fathers wrath consider then what cause thou hast to be humbled for thy sins 1. Considering that these were they put Christ to death 2 that by these since that time thou hast crucified the Lord of life 1. Consider that thy sins were those that put Christ to death Rom. 4. 25. He was delivered to death for our sinnes Me thinks every one when they heare of Christs Agony and bloudy Sweat of his Whippings Buffetings of his bitter Sufferings c. should be ready to cry out with Pilate Quid mali fecit What evill I pray hath he done Ah none Christian it was to raise thee thou wert dead lost undone he dyed to raise thee thou stolest the fruit he climbed the tree thou enjoyedst the sweetnesse of sinning and he for that was acquainted with the bitternesse of suffering He bore thy iniquity even thine and mine too if we be elected Certainly it was a great griefe of heart to David to remember that he had an hand in the bloud of Uriah that was surely the great transgression that hee complained of to be sure that heart-troubling sinne for which hee puts up that particular Petition Deliver mee from bloud-guiltinesse O God And questionlesse it was no small Trouble of Spirit to Paul afterwards to consider that he was one of them that were consenting to Stephens death Acts 7. 59 60. Chap. 8. verse 1. he afterwards repeats it with shame I was a persecuter Christian here is one murdered by cruell hands not an Uriah not a Stephen but hee that is worth ten thousand of these not an Abell yet his bloud troubled Cain all his life time but one whose bloud cries for better things than the bloud of Abell did here 's the Lambe of God slaine slaine by thy hands he was bruised for thine iniquities and his soule was made an Offering for thy sinnes Is it nothing to thee O Christian when Pilate was but about to condemne him his wife came startled in and cries Have nothing to doe with that just man and when Stephen charged the Jewes Acts 7. 52. for being the betrayers and murtherers of the Lord Jesus they apprehended it as a thing so hainous that they would not endure him beyond that word but were cut to the heart and gnashed upon him with their teeth verse 54. Christians there is none of you here but your sinnes were the betrayers and murtheres of the Lord Jesus that Christ that had such eternall sure and unchangeable thoughts of love to your soules Ah! how great were those sins which could not be remitted without the bloud of the immaculate Lamb of God Me thinks every one of you should sit downe and say Ah Lord that ever I should be such a wretch so farre to provoke the fire of thy wrath that nothing could quench it but the bloud of thy Sonne that I should throw my selfe so deep into Hell that nothing could raise mee but the bloud-shedding of the deare Sonne of Gods love You have had to doe with that just man Christians not to doe with condemning him but even with the vildest acts of Barbarisme were done unto him your hypocrisie was the kisse that betrayed him the sinnes of your hands and feet were the nailes that fastened his hands and feet to the Crosse the sinnes of your body were the Spears that pierced his sacred side the sinnes of your soules were they that made his soule heavy to the death that caused the with-drawings of his Fathers love from him and made him in the heavinesse of his panged soule to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me O sit downe goe alone weep and weep bitterly for him whom you have pierced for those stripes by which you are healed 2. But secondly if any thing will move your soules to make your head a Fountaine of water and your eyes Rivers of teares Consider That this Christ you have crucified even since his death upon the Crosse for you When the Apostle St. Peter Acts 2. had made a long Sermon of Christs love shewing the Auditors what Christ had done and what he was he summeth up all verse 36. God hath made that same Jesus whom yee have crucified both Lord and Christ Now saith the Text verse 37. When they heard this viz. that they had crucified this Christ they were pricked at the heart This Christ my beloved whom you have crucified by your youth sinnes and life sins this was he that was crucified for you O be pricked at the hearts at this saying Was it not enough that he once was pierced scoffed wounded crucified for you but must you againe crucifie him and which of you doe it not daily Causinus tels us a story of Clodoveyus one of the Kings of France that when he was converted from Paganisme to Christianity while Remigius the Bishop was reading in the Gospell concerning the Passion of our Saviour and the abuses he suffered from Judas and the rest of the Jewes he brake out into these words If I had been there with my Frenchmen I would have cut all their throats In the meane time not considering that by his daily sins he did as much as they had done Which of us is not condemning the crucifiers of Christ for their cruelty and in the meane time we condemne not our selves who by our daily sinnes make him to bleed againe afresh Ah let us judge our selves and sit downe and mourne we are they that have added to Christs bonds that have increased his wounds and the pangs of his grieved soule
which is now glorified with our renewing lusts and corruptions I shall conclude this use with a prayer that God would fulfill to all our soules that gracious promise Zach. 12. 10. That he would poure out the spirit of grace and of supplications upon us and make us to look upon him whom we have pierced and doe pierce daily and mourn as a man mournes for his only Son And be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternes for his first-borne I passe on to a second way of Application viz. by way of Instruction Hath Christ and Christ alone raised us 1. Let us hence be instructed How Instruction much the Lord Jesus Christ loved us And here let my soule be drowned in sweetnesse and in sinking cry out O the depth of unfadomable love What tongue what Saint what Angell can speake out this unspeakable love Pray O pray Christians That Christ Eph. 3. 17 18. may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints What is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Is it love in a friend to passe his word for his friend arrested and ready to be haled to gaole and to take the debt upon himselfe and is it no love in Christ yea is it not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unspeakable of loves for Jesus Christ when a writ of eternal vengeance was Ready to issue out against you to be your surety and beare the blow off to the breaking of his own armes Was it love in the Roman to personate his friend and upon the Scaffold and after to suffer for him and is it not infinite love for Jesus Christ to take the raggs of your flesh upon him and indeed to dye a death upon the crosse for you for you deare friends for you he was smitten despised rejected of men he dyed to make you live he was content to fall so you might rise Let your thoughts sinke in this ocean and spend your lives in spelling the letters of love that must be joyned in this one word or sentence I Raised thee From hence Secondly be Instructed What a perfect Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ is he leaves nothing for thee to doe but to thanke him hee makes the plaister and layes it on hee trod the Wine-presse alone and there is none with him he hath left thee nothing to do but to believe his last words All is finished he conquered sinne upon the Crosse and death and hell in the grave He will have none to be a sharer with him either in his worke of Merit or Application get but hands he will deliver thee thy pardon ready written granted sealed nay he will help thee with hands too He was made perfect through sufferings Hebr. 2. 10. Heb. 5. 9. Being made perfect hee became the author of salvation to them that obey him 3. From hence againe bee instructed Christian What need thou and every poore soule hath of the Lord Iesus Christ Thou wert fallen and layest as unable to helpe thy selfe as an Infant throwne into an open field Men and Angels were at their wits ends to answer to this question How then can any be saved The Heavens said Salvation was not in them and Earth sayes Salvation is not in us nothing but God-man can doe this great work There is no other name but onely the Name of Iesus by which thou or I or any of the children of men can be saved If thou hast him thou hast enough if thou hast not him it is not all the righteousnesse of Saints and Angels that will make a garment which will not bee too short to cover thy nakednesse O cry Lord give mee Christ Lord give mee Christ or else I dye Thinke not of thy owne merits thy righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloth and as a filthy ragge Christs Righteousnesse is sufficient for thee 4. Let all the redeemed ones of the Lord be instrushed How much they owe and shall for ever owe to him that is become their Saviour It is no slight mercy Sirs to be saved out of everlasting burnings It is a piece of love which as wee can never comprehend so we can never walke up to O let us all say What shall wee render unto the Lord for his mereies wee will take the cup of salvation and praise the Name of the Lord. You would thinke you owed a great deale to him that should exalt you from a Dungeon to a Throne Mephibosheth thought he was mightily honoured to be admitted to eate bread at the Kings Table How much Ah! How much Christians is every of your soules indebted to the Lord Jesus Christ who remembred you in your low estate For his mercy endureth for ever But I passe on further Use 3 From hence may every one try himselfe whether he be raised out of that lost undone condition wherein he was by Nature I have spoke to this in the former Doctrine but because I here meet it so fit again take two Notes of Triall from this Doctrine 1. If you be raised you are raised by Christs merits 2. You are raised according to Christs method 1. If you be raised It is by Christs merits all the Abana and Parphars of thy owne merits would not doe it One drop of that fountaine that was set open for Iudah and Ierusalem for sinne and for uncleanenesse is worth all the waters of thine own Damascus What trusts thou in Christian Is it what thou hast done Alas thou art so far from having any naturall strength as Pelagians and Arminians dreame or any other strength of merits either of thy owne or thy friends which Papists dreame of that if all the Saints in the earth and all the Angels of heaven could unite their forces in one arme and to one act they could as little have lifted thee up out of the pit into which thou wert fallen as thou couldst lift up an house with the palme of thy hand if it were fallen downe It was onely this mighty one this Prince of glory this King of power that could doe it Say therefore as they say that great Papist concluded Tutissimum est Christi merit is confidere it is most safe onely to rest upon him believe it all other trusts are as the bruised Reed of Egypt and as the broken staffe of Assyria which if thou trusteth too they run into thy hand and pierce thee they will cause thee to fall many strides short of heaven when they have carried thee to their furthest their Nil ultra O trust not in them if there be all thy confidence thou art not yet raised 2. If Christ hath raised you it hath been in his method of Application Christ saves none but whom he sanctifies and sanctifies none but whom he justifies and justifieth none but whom he calls Some men are justified they think but they know not which way and
What wilt thou And he answered Lord that I might receive my sight Goe thou and doe likewise beg Lord that I might be washed with thy bloud Lord that my sinnes might be pardoned though thou meetest with discouragements and thou thinkest that thou art one that art a dog to whom the childrens bread must not be given yet leave not beg againe but for a crumme of mercy a drop of bloud verily thou shalt not goe away without comfort 4. There is but one Querie more What Rules must I observe in the using of his physicke To this Christ hath shaped an answer for me Goe thy way sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Thou must take heed that thou dost not returne againe with the dog to the vomit and the swine to the wallowing in the mire He that is borne of God sinneth not sayes the Apostle not constantly nor wilfully but weakly This for direction And remember this last which I shall conclude with that of the Prophet Ez. 18. 24. If the Righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that he hath trespassed and in his sinne that he hath sinned shall he dye saith the Lord. Shall I need adde any thing for motive I should thinke not but only call upon you to get eyes to see your sad and undone condition in which you are It is no wonder that you should say we have need of nothing when you thinke you are rich Get but a true understanding 1. Of your owne vile and undone condition what an hell you carry about with you 2. What an hell you tread over every day and it will be enough to pricke on your soules to seeke a portion in the Lord Jesus Christ especially if yee well consider what I have sufficiently proved to you that it is impossible that in Heaven and earth there should be found any way of salvation for your poore soules but in himselfe Now the Lord worke these things upon your hearts 2. Give me leave now to speake a word of Exhortation to you my Brethren to whom the Lord hath of his free grace given a portion in the Lord Jesus Christ and you are become his raised redeemed ones The duty which I shall in generall presse upon you is thankfulnesse O give thanks unto the Lord he remembred you in your low estate for his mercy endureth for ever O what shall ye render Christians what can ye render to the Lord for this mercy For Motives Consider but every word of the Text apart and methinks it should be Motive enough to prevaile with those that have any thing tasted of this heavenly gift First I. To open this word a little and shew you what there is in it to melt your hearts into obedience 1. I that was infinitely above thee Christ was the brightnesse of his Fathers Image God blest for ever even from all Eternity He was from Eternity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unice dilectus the only beloved of his Father in whom his Father tooke infinite delight he was the Prince of glory God blest for ever Now for an Eternall God to stoop to a poore worme O mercy for a King to visit an Hospitall to come with his owne hands and dresse the putrified wounds of his meanest subject it is a condescention scarse found amongst the sons of men and yet if you could find it it should come infinitely short of this condescention 2. I that did not at all need thee The Lord stood not in need of a worme the Father was pleased with the Sonne from all Eternity and taken up with delighting himselfe in him and the Sonne was againe pleased with the Father They had an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-sufficiency of glory and were enough each of them to other had it not been his bowels of mercy that had yerned towards thee for thy good he had never been moved towards thee from any other principle 3. I whom thou hadst offended Greater love than this is not found amongst men than for one to dye for his friend yet greater love than this hath Christ shewne that he dyed for his enemy Rom. 5. 8. Scarcely for a righteous man will one dye yet peradventure for a good man some will dare to dye But God commendeth his love to us-ward in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us O love infinite unfadomable love Secondly consider the Act with its circumstances I raised thee 1. Out of a low condition What lower than hell that was thy portion Christian thou wert a child of wrath by nature even as others He remembred thee in thy low estate his mercy endureth for ever 2. To a glorious condition It is an estate more glorious than thy naturall estate was or could be miserable to be free men in Jesus Christ Rom. 6. 18. into marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. to to be children and if children then heirs of God and joynt-heires with the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 8. 17. Heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. Heires of the Promises Heb. 11. 9. Heires of the Kingdome Jam. 2. 5. Ye which in times past were not a people are now the people of God you that had not obtained mercy have now obtained mercy and are become 1 Pet. 2. 10 11. A chosen Generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people wherefore is it but that you should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknesse into marvellous light 3. He raised you by his owne falling yes nothing else could doe it Without bloud there had been no remission Heb 9. 22. His owne soule must be grieved to the death that your soules might be comforted He must be smitten despised rejected of men that the chastisement of your peace might be upon him and by his stripes you might be healed Was ever love like his Thirdly Consider it further in the object of this Act I raised thee 1. Thee not others Thee not Angels Thee not many other men 1. Not Angels yet the Angels were far more glorious creatures which if raised had sinned no more but spent their time in singing forth his glory and serving him with cheerfull readinesse all their dayes yet Heb. 2. 16. He in no wise took upon him the Nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seed of Abraham 2. If the Lord would have chosen men might not he have chosen ten thousand more great more noble more wise that in a carnall eye were by Nature cut out far more fit to have made vessels of glory of than thou art yet the Lord hath passed them by he hath passed by Eliab and Shammah that were sonnes of the same Father with thee and hath chosen thee that wert the least of all Ishmael and Esau that were thy elder brethren and hath chosen
thee 2. Thee that wert as low as others Adam left thee as deep in hell as any reprobate there Loe here the infinitenesse of free grace Two were in the same house yea grinding at the same mill of iniquity and thou art taken and the other is left possibly thou wert in thy wildest youth seeming to ride faster to hell than the other were that were thy brethren friends and acquaintance yet the Lord hath raised thee and let the others lye wallowing in their bloud he hath not said to them live 3. Thee that wert his Enemy Was ever dying love yea love in dying extended to an enemy before You have heard of two stories one of a Grecian the other of a Roman paire Theseus and Perithous Pilades and Orestes that would have dyed for their friends each for another but hath any offered to dye for his Enemy Moses would offer to have his name blotted out for his people that were Gods people and which he loved but would Moses have done it for a Philistine yet this hath Christ done O love ye the Lord all his Saints 4. Thee that never askt it He was found of them that sought it not Alas mankind lay as well without a tongue to aske as an hand to help themselves and behold Christ pitied them and amongst them thee his love declared from Eternity towards thee had not so much cause in thee as a poore prayer would have amounted to he was not moved by thy sighs and teares but by his owne infinite love 5. Lastly thee that hast still Rebellion in thee Christ said within himselfe when he dyed upon the Crosse Now is my heart-bloud powred out for as vile wretches as any are and for those that I know will requite my bleeding wounds my dying love with new speares and thornes thus he knew that thou wouldst doe in the time of thy unregeneracie yea and after thou shouldst be called too Who lives and sinnes not Now Christian lay these things to thy heart meditate of study out this love and see if thou hast not cause to say My soule and all that is within me my tongue and all that is without me praise the Lord. But O remember Christian Remember Burnt offering and sacrifice he doth not require but this he requires that thou shouldst doe his will O say Loe I come I am ready to do it But more particularly let me point thee out some particular duties that the Lord requires of thee in a poor answer to his rich Acts of eternall love First hath not he thought his glory too deare to lay aside for a while for thee nor his Word and Truth too dear to pawne for thee nor his bloud too deare to spill for thee hath he valued nothing in comparison of thee O doe thou value nothing in an equall ballance with him be willing to deny thy selfe for him who in every thing hath denyed himselfe for thee Thy Lusts cannot be so pleasing to thee as Christs glory was to him Be content to leave them Thy Honour cannot be so great as his was which he left for thee and became ignoble in our eyes Surely when wee saw him we esteemed him despised smitten of God and afflicted Isa 53. 4. But it was when hee was wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities when the chastisement of our peace was upon him and that by his stripes we might be healed Thy Riches cannot be greater than his yet remember him O remember the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who though he was rich yet for your sake became poore that you through his Povertie might be made rich 2 Cor. 7. Thy life cannot be more deare than his yet he valued not his life for thee but powred out his bloud his precious bloud upon the Crosse that through his bloud thou mightest have remission purchased Learne hence Christian a lesson of self-deniall Be content to suffer for him who was content to suffer that he might raise thee value nothing in comparison of him This Lesson had Saint Paul learned Phil. 3. v. 7 8. What things were gaine to me I counted losse for Christ yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may win Christ c. ver 10. That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Looke upon nothing in an equall ballance with him 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing amongst you save Jesus Christ and him crucified Secondly hath Christ entred into a Covenant and given his word to his Father and kept his word with his Father for you O then learne of him Vow your selves to him and keep the vowes of your lips Say with David Psal 116. ver 16. Ah Lord truly we are thy servants we are thy servants and the sons of thy handmaids for thou hast loosed our bonds Say with David Psal 40. Mine eares hast thou opened and bored them Say Ah Lord we come to doe thy will Christ kept his word with his Father for you Ah keep your word with him pay him the vowes which you have made Thirdly Hath Christ to raise you taken upon him your flesh O then Take ye upon your selves his spirit He hath become for you the childe of man doe you become for him the children of God Be made partakers of the divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. Your Nature was full of imperfection and weaknesse the divine Nature is full of perfection and glory He hath raised you be raised put off your filthy rags and put on change of Raiment Fourthly Hath Christ died that he might raise you from the death of Sinne and from the power of the Second death O then dye to sinne Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry for which things c. The Apostle Saint Paul presseth the great duty of mortification from this very principle Likewise reckon yee also your selves to be dead to sinne but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 11. and so on ver 12 13. Let not sinne therefore reigne in your mortall bodies c. Ah throw away the nailes that pierced your Christ Fifthly Did Christ rise from the dead that he might raise you from the death of sinne O then rise to newnesse of life The Apostle Saint Paul presseth this worke of Vivification also from Christs Resurrection Rom. 6. ver 4. We are buried with him by Baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so we also should walke in newnesse of life and so all along that Chapter Sixthly Hath he
Though now for a season you are in heavinesse through manifold temptations yet it is that the triall of your faith being much more precious than of gold which perishes though it be tried with the fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory In temptations they leane upon God and they come out of these temptations leaning beleeving upon God too having found that he is able and knoweth how to deliver the godly out of all temptations 2 Pet. 2. 9. A fifth wildernesse in which the Spouse of Christ leaneth upon her Beloved and out of which she commeth leaning is the wildernesse of desertion And this is one of the saddest wildernesses that the Spouse of Christ comes in and she hath an hard work to leane here when Christ seemeth to pull away his shoulder yet even here she leanes Christ himselfe did so My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me Mark the phrase Forsaken yet not forsaken the Bridegroome cryes out he was forsaken yet my God Gods forsaking us is no ground for us to forsake him If he seemes not to owne us it is no warrant nor policy in us not to owne him It is the duty of a pious soule when God clouds himselfe yet to cry My God The bowels of the father must yearne upon the childe againe if the childe cryes and will not shake him off It is a remarkable expression of Job chap. 13. ver 15. Though he kils me yet will I trust in him How now if thou beest kill'd blest Job how canst thou trust O immortall faith that puttest Spirits of confidence in the dust and ashes of Job Let God hide himselfe from the soule and so kill it For Gods separation of himselfe from the Christians soule is a worse death than the separation of his soule from his body Yet the soule must trust in him it must it will leane upon him The Spouse loseth not but quickens her faith in a fit of desertion That place of the Prophet is remarkable Isa 50. v. 10. Who is amongst you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God They that feare the Lord though they may walke in a darke wildernesse and see no such light as they were wont to see have no such comfortable enjoyments of their God as they were wont to have yet they will trust and rest themselves upon the Lord and come out of this wildernesse leaning In all the wildernesses of this life the Spouse will leane upon her Beloved yea and upon him alone in all states in all conditions upon him for directing grace upon him for quickning grace upon him for whatsoever she hath need of either pardon or guidance or direction or assistance or comfort or heaven at all times she must trust in the covert of his wings for all blessings The Spouse of Christ is a most dependent creature The Babe of grace is never old enough to goe alone it hangs like a childe upon the mothers hands and leanes like a Bride upon the Bridegroomes bosome Thus have I done with the Doctrinall part having shewed you how she hath had and sometimes hath her dwelling in the wildernesse and how out of every wildernesse she commeth up but leaning and what strength there is in her Saviour to beare her up leaning upon him even in every wildernesse Who is this commeth up from the wildernesse leaning upon her Beleved Now let us see what use we may make of it And first here may a word of reproof and a brand of folly be fastened upon divers erroneous opinions and practices First is it so that the Spouse of the Lord Christ that comes and is married to the Lord Christ comes out of the wildernesse of sinne Then this may reprove the errour and folly of those that dreame of heaven and flatter themselves with the hopes of glory but yet never regard comming out of this wildernesse Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance These men dreame of Heaven and yet never thinke of Repentance Christ came to seeke and to save that which was lost friend how lost what insensibly lost as all of us were by Nature This is an idle construction that giddy headed Sectaries have of late devised to help themselves to heaven with The Devils are so lost yet Christ never came to save them No no friend it is those that are lost in their own apprehensions those that know not what to dot o be saved those that feel themselves even in the jawes of hell he makes apprehensions of his wrath precede the apprehensions of his love But woe and alas how many thinke they have a part in Christ That the Devill hath as great a part in Christ actually as they have Heaven is growne the common journeyes end and let men ride which way they list Not the most debauched wretch in a Congregation but aske him what he thinks shall become of him if he dyes in that condition why he hopes he shall goe to heaven nay I wish he doth not say he is sure of it too All men are sinners He is lost but Christ came to seek and save that which was lost Tell him of mourning for his sinnes if he meanes to be comforted of humbling himselfe if he meanes to bee exalted of feeling hell if ever he means to feele heaven O then you are a legall Preacher Heare what the other side saith what those you call Antinomian Preachers O these are the only Gospell-preachers to them This makes them to passe for such honest men O they shew a fine Cushion-way to Heaven that you shall not need wet a foot or eye in But let them preach what they will friend beleeve him who although he knowes but little yet knowes you must go out of the wildernesse if ever you come there The way is neither the Drunkards Ale-way nor the Adulterers uncleane way nor the Covetous man his dirty way nor the Ambitious mans high way nor the Hypocrites hidden way nor the Carnall-Gospellers formall way nor the Antinomians easie way It is a way through a wildernesse not a way in a wildernesse The Spouse is not described by her staying in the wildernesse but by comming out of the wildernesse Who is this commeth out of the wildernesse Secondly Doth the Spouse of the Lord come out of a wildernesse of sorrow leaning upon her Beloved First she is in then she commeth out then this reproves the folly of those that preach men found before they were lost and of those that dreame of leaning before they are in the wildernesse The Spouse leans but it is when she is comming out of the wildernesse Is there any that preacheth down a needlesnesse of duties that mockes at mourners that learne people a way to be found before they are lost Examine the Scriptures before you trust them under a pretence of exalting
a Rule one president makes not a law It is no rule for thee or me to trust in that no more then the saving of the thiefe upon the Crosse might be a safe president for us to deferre repentance till our dying day Let thee and I learne to be humbled to get broken hearts to loath our selves see our owne misery Sorrow is the ordinary doore to joy Humiliation the ordinary step to exaltation Mourning for sinne the onely preface to Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in Gods ordinary way of dealing out grace The Latine is full Quae est illa quae ascendit that ascends from the wildernesse Our Translation commeth up implying an ascensive motion t is her running up an hil They that run up a mountaine if they run too fast they may quickly run themselves out of breath it is bad jumpping over a broad ditch especially if it be drowning depth for feare if wee jumpe short we jumpe our last It is a great jump from the bottome of Hell to Heaven to take it at one leape I wish those that dare take it doe not fall short and drowne themselves eternally I had rather goe up Gods steps then make such a hasty motion God give me grace to ascend up the Saints staires to the chambers of glory Elijah was such a favourite to heaven that God sent a coach for him But those that will expect till that fiery Chariot be sent downe for them too I suppose may waite something a longer time then they desire O beg of God to humble you to powre out his spirit of mourning and supplications upon you this will learne you to beleeve friends It is the humbled soule only that construe that word Faith it is Hebrew to others it poseth the impenitent heart Faith is a riddle to them Christ findes his Spouse in the wildernesse and there he gives her his shoulder to leane upon But Thirdly She commeth up leaning out of the wildernesse Is it the duty of a soul that is in a wildernesse of affliction or temptation or desertion to leane upon the Lord Christ Then this may reprove those that are in these wildernesses and yet cannot be perswaded to leane upon the Lord Christ hence they cry out O faith is impossible is it possible to beleeve that Christ will save me me that have scorned his salvation and slighted his mercies And because thou hast slighted mercy wilt thou therefore still slight mercy still refuse his offer of grace Thou sinnest as much now in not beleeving there is mercy for thee that hast dispised mercy as thou didst sinne in dispising that mercy O why is it harder to rise up then to cast downe a soule Why wilt thou not beleeve O thou of little faith Is the mole-hill of thy sinnes like the mountaine of his mercies doth the voice of thy sinnes roare like the voice of his loving kindnesse Is there any humbled soule before the Lord O doe not provoke God by thy infidelity now he hath made thee capable of faith You that are Christians for shame in your severall wildernesses of afflictions temptations and desertions doe not O do not cast downe your heads and say who shall shew us any good or if you doe say againe with the Saint in the ensuing words Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Beleeve in your depths of sorrow beleeve in your most trying afflictions most sadding temptations most killing desertions beleeve me it is the greatest honour you can put upon the Lord Christ And it is the greatest dishonour you can put upon your God to have any diffidence in the Lords armes any distruct in the Lords free grace It is the property nay it is the duty of the Spouse to come out of wildernesses leaning Fourthly Doth she leane upon God before shee can come must he worke the first motion to make her willing before she can beleeve in him Then how are those to be here reproved that would make mans will to be the Author of its first motions unto God Pelagius was a great defender of it First he would hold That the grace of God was not necessary but by the law of nature we might be saved 2. That the grace of God which the Apostle speaks of was only in giving the law of nature 3. Driven from this he would maintaine that the faculties of the soule and their naturall Actions was the grace of God understood by the Apostle Yet here is no leaning upon our Beloved Afterwards he would maintaine * Si quaeratur an ex suis Naturalibus viribus anima aliquid afferat ad suam conversionē vel renovationem vel aliquam facultatē vel actionē quae vel partiatis causa vel quocunque alio modo appelletur vere respondetur quod habet se merè passivè Chemni in loc de lib. Arbitr 4. That the grace of God was necessary for sinnes past but it was in the power of mans free-will to avoid or commit sinnes for the time to come and to resist rebellious corruptions 5. After this he would maintaine That some men indeed were weake and must doe all by the grace of God others that were stronger might act good by their owne will But still only some Spouses leane Lastly he would maintaine and the Arminians still from him That grace did indeed helpe a good worke but it had its first motion from our wils or at least might have and the will had a negative voice and might resist and crosse grace which did not work irresistably in the soule to force the soule to him * Quae de gratia Dei praeveniente praeparente operante traduntur hunc habent sensum quod non nostrae partes priores sunt in conversione sed quod Deus per afflatum divinum praeveniat post hunc autem motum voluntatis divinae factum voluntas humana non habet se mere passivè sed mota adjuta à spiritu sancto non repugnat sed assentitur Ib a Cassianus Monachus Pelagii Doctrinam amplexus est Faustus Hormisda Ben. I would not rake up these graves did not these ghosts walke in these our dayes when every grave of Heresie is unbowelled and no one takes care to throw the dirt upon them againe Nay and the Papists having beene tainted with this Leven the Sententiaries now tell us b Hominis est preparare cor Aqui. in Sum. Theo. Acquiescre assentiri est nostrûm That a man without grace meerly by the strength of his free will may avoid any mortall sinne and prepare himselfe for Gods free grace and fulfill the Commandements of God Quoad substantiam actus for the substance of the Act c Quibus de congruo mereatur gratiam facientem Scotus And another more impudently maintains That a man without any grace of God by the meere strength of nature may doe workes morally good yea even such as God shall be bound to concur with and give
the print of their teeth upon you A godly man is like a man under protection he owes much but the Bayliffe dares not meddle with him Christ hath undertaken the debt for him he is under the protection of the Sonne of God he can looke a Judgement in the face and never run for it The wicked man on the contrary is like one that hangs upon every bush as we say owes more than he is worth he dares scarse looke out of the doores whiles the Bayliffes are about when the judgements of God are about the wicked wretch dares not looke out he sinks into his grave in the thoughts of it This Plague this Feaver this Ague may be a Bayliffe to arrest me that God hath sent to carry me bound hand and foot and throwne into Hell where is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth And then thinks with himselfe O that they did so Where is my surety if it should be so who would be bound for the payment of the Debt due for my sinnes and to be paid at Gods Judgement Seat The godly man he likewise saith This Plague this Feaver this Sicknesse may arrest me But suppose they should the Son of God is bound for my Debt My Judge surely will not demand better Surety then his owne Sonne I blesse God I am out of the wildernesse O happy man Here 's a portion of thy happinesse but here is not all 2. Consider That if thou shouldest fall into the corner of another wildernesse Thou hast one to leane upon even in every wildernesse If thou shouldst have a rod upon thy backe thou hast a staffe to comfort thee Thou hast one to lead thee out whensoever thou art in an arme that thou mayest trust to Happy is he that hath a friend in the Court such is thy friend A friend in adversity is better than a brother saith Solomon thou hast a friend in adversity and he is thy brother Thy brother Christ is thy friend that will lead thee through and out of every wildernesse Is the childe happy that in want hath a father to run unto the wife happy that hath a husband in time of sicknesse to comfort her The servant happy that hath a Master in adversity to pitty him then I dare pronounce thee in all times happy Thy husband loves thee thy father sends his son to lead thee thy husband is alwayes by to comfort thee and lead thee by his hand God hath said Esay 58. 11. That he will guide thee continually and satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones Thou hast alwayes a friend at need a brother in adversity Thirdly Is it so that the Spouse comes out of the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved This may then shew us the infinite love of God to the creature that he would be pleased to looke us up in the wildernesse and let us leane upon him Christ was led into the wildernes because thou wert there he had a bad journey to fetch thee nome Oh! what should what could besides his infinite free-grace make his bowels of mercy so yerne towards the creature as to look it up in the wildernesse to cloath it naked to wash it polluted to save it damned Christ the shepheard had lost his stray sheep and goes after that which was lost in the wildernesse untill he sindeth it then he layeth it on his shoulders and bringeth it home O blessed be the name of the Lord for his free grace and mercy The shepheard followed the sheep whiles the sheep regarded not the shepheard we were in a wildernesse he came to find us out O! was not this infinite love astonishing mercy Lastly Is it so that we must come out of every wildernesse leaning upon our Beloved O then let this informe us what need we have to walk close with the Lord Jesus Christ what need we have to be fearfull of offending and carefull to please him It is he that must help us in every need he that must lead us in every wildernesse If he forsakes us we are undone Have we but one friend let us keep him then if we anger him we lose our best friend Hath the shiftlesse child need to keep the love of the Father the Babe need to keep in the armes of the Nurse the wife need to keep the love of the husband the blind man need to keep the love of his guid O Christian thou hast much more need to keep the love of thy Christ It is he that must succour thee at every need he that must make the rugged wayes plaine for thee It is he that must carry the Babe of grace in his armes lest it should dash its feet against the stones of affliction It is he that must lead the child of God upon his hand lest in this world of afflictions it fall and hurt it self O keep close in his armes keep thy selfe warme in his bosome feare that which may make thy God go free from thee Gods departing from the creature is a piece of hell thou knowest not how soone thou mayest need him yea thou alwayes needest him therefore take heed of sinning against him thou wilt anger thy best friend I will assure thee I hasten to the last Use which shall be a word of Exhortation Doth the Spouse of Christ come out of the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved First O then you that are yet in the wildernesse of sinnes come out come out get this Spouses Beloved and then leane upon him 2. You that are in the wildernesse of sorrow for sinne afflictions temptations desertions leane upon your beloved live leaning and dye leaning you that say you are sinking and you cannot beleeve Oh leane and come out of this wildernesse leaning upon your Beloved A word to the first Is there any before the Lord this day that is yet in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity with what arguments shall I plead with such a soule Those are not wanting but with what arguments shall I prevaile with such a soul to come unto the Lord Christ were any here drowning in the water a little Rhetoricke would perswade them to let me helpe them out were any lost in a wood I should not need much entreat them to give me their hand and I would shew them a way out of that loosing place why should I not as much prevaile for heaven this day 1 Consider what estate it is that thou takest such pleasure to continue in first it is a dangerous place more dangerous then the sands to the ship thou art ready to be swallowed up of hell every houre in it A troop of judgments waites upon thee to destroy it how canst thou abide consuming fire or dwell in everlasting burnings Secondly Consider it is a joylesse condition There is no true joy to the sinner though he sings sometimes amongst his drunken cups yet he cannot feed heartily upon a feast of joy because the Sword hangs over his head it is
capable of that literall sense Others are against this partly because as they say that marriage of Solomons was wicked and against Gods Law Deut. 7. and partly because it is probable that Solomon having before that time as 1 King 3. 3. the feare of the Lord in his heart it is not probable he would have contracted that marriage had not she first contracted to have forsaken her fathers house which the Hebrewes also say was one of the marriage-Articles But it is probable that that marriage gave occasion to the writing of this Psalme and for the reason against it Rivet answers by a Rule of S. Hieroms Homines mali in re non bona sanctissimarum rerum imo ipsius Dei typi esse possunt That In Scripture evill men and that in wicked actions are oft-times types of holy actions and that of Gods owne too oft times Ishmael was a type of the old Testament according to the Apostle an many other instances might bee given Whether it be a Type or an Allegory is not much materiall nor worth the disputing Rivet thinks neither sense improbable but conceives it might be both nor do I see any thing of value against it In the Psalme observe 1. The Preface verse 1. Wherein he Psalmist declares the readinesse of his heart and instinct of the spirit putting him upon the Composure of it 2. The narrative part of the Psalm from the 2 verse to the last 3. The Conclusion of it verse ult In the narrative part is something 1. Relating to the Bridegroom 2. Relating to the Bride The Bridegroome is commended from his Beauty v. 2. Thou art fairer than the children of men 2. From his Eloquence v. 2. Grace is powred into thy lips 3. From the blessing of God upon him God hath blessed thee for ever 4. From his Glory and Majesty v. 3. 5. From his successe v. 4. 6. From his Temper and Disposition verse 4. 7. From his Valour verse 4 5 6. 8. From the nature of his Kingdome v. 6. 9. From his love to Justice v. 7. 10. From the perfume of his Garments v. 8. 11. From his choice in his Queene and his Attendants v. 9. So farre it relates to the Bridegroome The other part relates to the Bride and in it is a Lesson of Instruction and Exhortation read to her prest from severall Motives The Exhortation is in the two verses in which my Text lyes And it is foure-fold prest from severall Arguments In the Text then you may consider 1. An Exhortation enforced upon the former Description 2. Severall Motives to presse this Exhortation 1. In the first consider 1. The person exhorted set out by the name of Daughter O Daughter 2. The Exhortation which is five-fold 1. Hearken 2. Consider 3. Incline thin eare 4. Forget thy people and thy fathers house 5. Worship him 3. The Motives inforcing it which are 1. The former description of him now thou art married to such an husband hearken c. 2. The Relation of Daughter Children should harken to their Parents 3. Shee should bee beautifull 4. Her beauty should be desireable 5. The King should desire it yea greatly desire her beauty Let me a little open the words and then proceed O Daughter Quae consentit viro in matrimonium est viro in loco filiae saith Rivet The woman that consents to her Husband in marriage is to him in stead of a Daughter So saith the Parable 2 Sam. 12. 3. The Ewe-lambe which signified the wife laid in the poore mans bosome and was unto him as a daughter Jer. 3. 4. Wilt thou not from henceforth crie unto me Thou art my Father the guide of my youth the guide of her youth that is an Husband and yet her Father God can marry his Daughter and yet the marriage not be incestuous Yea hee first marryes the soule and then makes it his Daughter according to that 2 Cor. 6. 18. Wherefore come out from amongst them and be yee separate saith the Lord and I will be a Father unto you and you shall be to me Sonnes and Daughters saith the Lord Daughters by Adoption Gal. 4. 6. Nor in vaine called a Daughter It is a courteous compellation as both Rivet and Mollerus note by which the Lord will let his Saints know that he will extend towards them the care of a father as well as the love of an Husband he will love them like an husband and protect them like a father Hearke Christians Saints are Sons and Daughters as wel as Spouses to Christ If he be a father where is his honour If an husband where his love But to proceed Hearken O Daughter Audi filia What should shee heare Shee should heare her husband There was a voice from heaven Matth. 17. 5. This is my well-beloved Son heare him Christs Sheep are eare-marked John 10. 11. The good sheep are thus markt They hear his voice Faith comes by hearing yea and it growes up by hearing too they are over-growne Saints that are growne past Ordinances I am afraid they are growne out of Christs knowledge it is the deafe adder stops her eare Davids eare was opened Psal 40. They that are too proud to heare Christs Voice on Earth I am afraid will be thought too vile ever to see his face in heaven Hearken therefore O Daughter Gods way to the Heart lies through the Eare that 's his ordinary way if he at any time comes another way I am afraid it is not when wee have wilfully blockt that up but when himselfe hath stopt it Hearken O Daughter and Consider or see vide First heare then see There is a seeing of Faith Faith is the daughter of hearing the Eare must open before the soule Doe not onely heare but also see Hearing is not enough He that beleeveth not is damned already Seeing may bee of experience As wee have heard so have we seene in the City of our God The soule that heares well shall see Iohn 1. 50. Because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree beleevest thou thou shalt see greater things than these Faith must goe before Sight but Sight shall succeed saith yet Faith is a Sight though not of experience And incline thine eare Expositors make this Phrase to containe three things 1. A Repetition of the first Branch Hearken It is a difficult duty the word is doubled that it may bee inforced the Psalmist speaks twice considering our deafnesse yet he speaks louder in this than in the other phrase Secondly therefore To incline the eare is more than to heare it doth argue a notable stirring of Attention Hee that inclines his eare affert aliquem animi motum propensionem quickens up his minde and brings with him to the duty a readinesse of Spirit and an intentnesse of minde 3. Inclining the Eare say some is Nota demissionis a Note of that subjection and obedience which should bee found in the Spouse of the Lord Jesus Christ toward him It followeth
Mat. 7. 13 14. but then you must not look for the same journies end The Lord give you hearts to consider it and feare to tremble at it 3. And from hence thirdly you may bee instructed that it must bee something more than nature that must make a poore soule beautifull and desirably beautifull in Jesus Christs eyes It must neither bee naturall beauty will doe it nor yet naturall parts no nor natures glory nor the best of nature naturall righteousnesse Matth. 5. 20. It must be something more than flesh and bloud yea something more than flesh and bloud can helpe us with But I passe over this 4. From hence fourthly you may be instructed What an infinit love the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved his Saints with 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold saith the Apostle with what manner of love the father hath loved you with that you should be call'd the sonnes of God Here hee sayes hearken O Daughter the Daughter of a King is honourable but the daughter of the King of Kings is much more honourable But if I may say it here seemes to be a degree of love beyond it the Kings wife is more honourable than the Kings daughter Behold therefore O yee upright in heart with what manner of love the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved you that hee should desire your beauty not only love you but if uncomely poor wretches make you beautifull according to that Ezech. 16. 13 14. nay not only so but desire your beauty not onely like it but desire it O love infinit love when David sent his servants to let Abigail know that hee desired her beauty marke how she admires at it 1 Sam. 25. 41. shee arose and bowed her selfe on the earth and said Behold let thine handmaid bee a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord Doe you heare this newes O yee daughters of men doe you heare this newes that the King of glory the Lord Jesus Christ that hath no need of you that is infinitly above you hath sent me this day to tell you that hee desires your beauty Rise up O yee Saints bow your selves and say Let us be servants to wash his feet c. Let us bee the doore-keepers of his house his meanest servants No Christians you shall be his sons and daughters Nay hearken O daughters here 's more for you The King desires your beauty Spell this love at leisure and now wash your soules follow after Jesus Christ study it with your most serious thoughts live to it with strictest lives What conversation becommeth the gospell what manner of persons should you be Follow on make haste and rise and follow him singing crying as you goe O the heighth and depth the incomprehensible heighth the unfadomable depth of love wherewith the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved sinners before the beginning of the world c. And lastly 5. Can you learn a lesse result from hence than this that Saints selfe-denying despised Saints are happy creatures Terque quaterque beati blessed againe and againe Surely you have not heard mee all this while but you are preventing me in the words of the Psalmist Happy are the people that are in such a case yea blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God we may say of them O nimium dilectis Deo creatures strangely beloved of their God strangely happy in this that the King should desire their beauty Let the world scorne one let them put out the finger and barke at the moone let them mock puritanisme let the way of holinesse be every where spoken against pro hominum arbitrio let them talke so long as you gaine you dance before the ark though Michal mock out at the window You shall be more beautifull the more vile they think you it is for the Kings sake that hath desired your beauty and scornd theirs for the Kings sake that hath chosen you to obtaine everlasting life through Jesus Christ but hath ordained them to wrath and neglected their beauty One would not think now that these creatures that ravish Christs heart should offend worldlings eyes so much surely Christ should have no judgement if these were the contemptible ones of the earth the unlovely creatures Well well Christians let them mocke on after the way which they call simplicity and foolery moping c. worship thou the God of thy fathers thou shalt have thy pleasures when they shall have torments thou shalt have thy crowne and honour when the pride of their glory shall bee stained and that shall lie in the dust These children of vanity forget what Abraham though something too late to doe him good advised their brother to remember Luk. 16. 25. That in their life time they received good things and those precious Lazarus'es evill things but yet a little while and you shall be comforted and they tormented yet a little while and you shall be honoured and they shall be cursing the wombe that bare them and the paps that gave them suck cursing the honour that ruin'd them the pleasures that damned them the worldly glory which hath made them inglorious for ever yet a little while and instead of their sweet smels they shall have the stinkes of fire and brimstone and instead of their girdles rentings of heart for ever instead of their well-set haire they shall have baldnesse they shall spend more time in rending and tearing their haire than ever they did in curling or powdring it Yet a little while and instead of their stomachers they shall have girdings with sackcloth everlasting burnings instead of their present beauty But blessed shall you bee for you shall shine like the Sun in the firmament of the father for the King hath desired your beauty I have at last done with my first use of Instruction I proceed now to a second and that shall bee of examination Vse 2 Are you willing now to know Christians whether Jesus Christ cares for you yea or no whether you be desirable in his eyes yea or no heaven and hell hang upon this thing Trie whether you have forgotten your owne people and your fathers house The most men and women are afraid of the touchstone and are willing rather to take heaven for granted though they find hell for certaine but this is not safe with you Trie your selves then Christians I will helpe you a little in so good a work 1. If you have forgotten your fathers house you have first seene a great deale of folly and vanity in it Man is a reasonable creature and will never leave any thing but he will see some cause to leave it Did the Lord ever yet convince you throughly not with a Notionall but an heart conviction of the folly of your fathers house Did the Lord ever throughly convince you of your evill wayes the sinnes of your natures the customary sinnes of your lives of your education sinnes and your beloved sinnes Had you ever a through conviction of the vanity
love to them you have heard of killing with kindnesse let the kind of death be never so sweet yet the death will be bitter Take heed not of killing the bodies alas that were nothing but of damning your childrens soules and your owne too with miscalled kindnesse 3 Obj. But wil another Christian say I have not forgot my honour and glory I am not low enough I feare to get in at heavens gate I answer first 1. This is like the melancholy conceit of her that a Divine of our owne speaks of of a woman that conceited she was so fat shee could not get to heaven it is the lownesse of mind that God looks at Lords and Ladies if their hearts be not as high as their titles may sit in heaven as well as meaner persons I doe not say they shall have chaires of state set for them but they may have a roome there it may be one or two may sit above them if there bee degrees in glory that gave them place here but as Master Rutherford sayes the least place in Heaven is Heaven though it bee behind the doore But secondly 2. Is not thy outward Pompe and glory that which thou affectest and delightest in it and huntest after Does not thy title tickle thy eare nor swell thy heart if not it can doe thee no hurt all the feare of those swelling things is lest they should breed tympanies in the soule 3. Doe you look upon the title of the servant of Jesus Christ the title of Christian as the farre more honourable title Are you of Theodosius his temper which would you rather chuse to be call'd my Lord or Madam or to be called the servant of Christ which doe you preferre if the latter it is a signe you have forgot the former though you retaine it 4. Is your outward greatnesse and pompe no snare to your soule in the wayes of God Great persons are too ready to think they are above prayers above hearing above meane Saints should such ones as they pray in their families no let their boy do it should they pray in secret and runne up and downe to lectures O no forsooth it is a dishononour to them Heaven was made I confesse for the most part for people of lesser quality 1 Cor. 1. 26 27. James 2. 5. should such as they go to private meetings no better go to a taverne there they shall only foule their soules but keep their clothes cleane But now hath the Lord given thee another spirit it is true thou art great but thy greatnesse is no such snare to thy soule thou canst pray for all thy greatnesse and heare sermons and kneele in a duty for all thy silk stockings and entertain communion with the meanest Saint yea and for a need preferre a lether dublet in honour before thy selfe Though thou beest great it seemes thou hast forgot it 4 Obj. Ah but will a Christian say I am so addicted to mirth and pleasure I must have my vagary and tickle my sense sometimes c. 1 Answ Christian dost thou love thy pleasures more than thy God that indeed were something art thou more pleased with hearing a song than hearing a sermon this sounds high But love God best and for ought I know thy eye for thy recreation may bee delighted in seeing and thy care with hearing too 2 Answ Wilt thou baulk an opportunity of communion with Christ or with his Saints for a vaine pleasure Wilt thou bee a loser in thy heart to gaine a little pleasure for thine eye or eare or any sense wilt thou misse a family duty an opportunity of hearing Gods word privatly or publiquely thy time of secret duty a time of communion with the Saints to wait upon thy pleasure In such a case I would have thee suspect thy heart otherwise thou mayest recreate thy selfe with them and yet have forgotten them 3 Answ Suppose thy pleasures have been such and are such as are in themselves sinfull as wantonnesse drunkennesse c. Dost thou love them so that thou wilt have them whether God will or no thou wilt break with God to enjoy thy lust this is an ill and a very ill signe But possibly thy pleasures are such as God allowes thee temperately used if such thou mayest so use them and yet the King desire thy beauty I have finished this branch of application I have but one word more to adde It shall be of Use 4 Exhortation Let mee now perswade with you Christians And oh that the Lord would help mee to perswade 1. with you who have not at all yet forgate your fathers house and so consequently your beauty is not at all desirable to Christ 2. With you that have begun to doe well I have a word to both sorts 1 Br. Is there alas is there any poore soule before me this day whose heart smites him and tells him that his soule is not at all yet desirable in the eyes of Jesus Christ is there any poore creature so sadly miserable possibly the world dotes on you for beauty wit parts behaviour c. but in the meane time doe your soules tell you in plaine English that you are despised in Christs eyes As though God did beseech you by mee I pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God Ah poore soule wouldst thou be desired of Jesus Christ Hearken then O daughter and consider and incline your eare forget thy owne people and thy fathers house I know I am pleading with you for an hard thing especially for you that have all the world at will But I beseech you by the love you bear to your precious soules which shall last for ever doe it ah doe it I had need now have the Rhethorick of an Angell yea if I had yet God must perswade Japhet to come and dwell in the tents of Shem. Let mee offer but a few considerations and venture at a perswading of you and leave the issue with God 1. Consider How will you live when your fathers house failes you for the present it is a full house and you live as wee say as well as a carnall heart would wish you have pleasures and honours and riches even what you would aske the colour is in your cheeks and the marrow in your bones But will this last alwayes doth not the fashion of this world passe away and will not the fashion of your bodies passe away what will you doe in that day of your visitation These things may last a while till God comes to keep a Court in your Conscience or hee summons you to a particular judgement or layes you upon your back in a bed of affliction or comes to his last judgement But in any of these dayes poore creature what wilt thou doe when thy perfumed body shall come to stinke in the nostrils of men thy soule shall be more loathed of God a future livelihood would be thought of This will perswade a virgin to marry sometimes But besides 2. Christian Dost
betimes believe it there will bee more weeping else when you come to part Dir. 4 Lastly Crie crie mightily unto God that he would take off your heart Believe it it must be his work you will be wearied else in the multitude of your owne indeavours if the Lord draw off the heart it will be drawne indeed Be much in publique prayer but especially be much in secret prayer I must conclude 2. Br. Lastly you that have been taught of the Lord to forget your fathers house that so the King might desire your beauty Let mee plead with you still to forget it more Selfe-deniall is a long and hard lesson a Christian must be learning it from his cradle to his grave and every time hee studies it hee shall find something to be done that is yet behind and all that he hath done to bee done better you have learned in part how to doe it I need not direct you you need no other directions then 1. To study every day more and more the vanitie of the creature Read over the book of Ecclesiastes well it is enough to teach you that lesson 2. Converse little with your fathers house have as little to doe with the world the pleasures or profits or riches or companie or manners of it as you can the lesser the better 3. Be more acquainted with Jesus Christ get neerer to him bee more in communion with him get more tasts of Heaven Earthw ill relish the worse for it I might presse upon you the same motives I urged before and I should doe it with advantages you know what this King is how much to bee desired how much to bee odored you know what a difference there is betwixt the worlds comelinesse and the comelinesse which hee putteth upon his Saints Let mee onely urge one word or rather name it Some read the words quia concupivit Because the King hath desired thy beauty here 's an argument an engaging argument to a Saint The Lord hath effectually made it knowne in your soules that hee desires your beauty more than tenne thousands of others Hee hath whispered not onely in your eares but in your heart his desire to you Ah now Christians be you humble self-denying ones because the King hath desired your beauty Let the love of Christ constraine you to order your hearts and conversations as becommeth the Gospell of the Lord Jesus Christ According to the lawes of this King that hath so passionately desired and so effecaciously declared his desire to your beauty I must have done The Lord adde his blessing FINIS THE RIGHT VVAY TO TRUE PEACE OR A discovery of a Gospell-Mystery how the spirit that is troubled may find Peace in Christ and how A Christian may know whither the Peace which his spirit hath in trouble or with which it comes out of any trouble be Christ's Peace Discovered in a Sermon Joh. 16. 33. By John Collings M. A. Preacher of Gods word in Norwich Joh. 14. 1. Let not your hearts be troubled you believe in God believe also in me London Printed for R. Tomlins 1649 To the Right Honourable the Lady Katharine Courteen Grace Mercy and true Peace Madam WHen this Sermon was first preach'd your Honour was pleased to entitle your selfe to it conceiving it which indeed was composed for my selfe to have been prepared and suted to the temper of your Ladiships spirit at that time So farre my Master onoured me that day as to doe him a double work with the same hand Truly Madam it was a salve provided for my owne use and not intended further than for my friends in that assembly where first I published it and accordingly was laid up in my closet till I brought it forth privately for the use of some other noble friends who were better able then my selfe to judge of the efficacy of it having received from some of them a probatum est and God having made it acceptable and in their estimation more usefull than my own low opinion of the workman's pains in it conceived it They were pleased to desire the recent which to spare my owne paines in transcribing it was the onely cause of my least thoughts of the publication of it Truly Madam in these unhappy times wherein the Presse is become such a prostitute I think I may easily be excused of my ambition to have this or any other worthlesse notes of mine come under it To abate the noise of many things in Print which believe it sounds not at all sweet in my eares I have desired it should be added to some former Sermons which before were in the Printers hands in which also I satisfied but his desires in denying my selfe in my owne But to those worthlesse precedent pieces it comes in a fit place The first of the Sermons tels us what is the state of the Elect by nature The second what is their estate in Christ and describes their way of Restauration The third points out their duty as redeemed ones to lean upon their beloved The fourth minds them of the Saints great duty of selfe-denyall Now in regard that the soule reconciled to God may bee sometimes saying where is my God become and as there is none lives and sins not so none shall live but at one time or other shall meet with trouble I have added this to the other in which I have endeavoured to discover to a Christian how hee may recover his quiet and in the midst of those troubles which in the world hee shall bee sure to meet with find that peace which passeth all understanding The first of these Sermons shews us our originall want of peace being not reconciled to God The second describes our Peace-maker and his severall acts both of purchase and application by which he both made peace for his elect in generall and applies it to each of them in particular The third discovers the instrument and directs the soul in the particular use of Faith which is the instrument to convey this peace to the soule upon all occasions The fourth will teach the soule how to keep its peace And this in case the soule hath lost its peace and the spirit of the Christian bee over whelmed with trouble wil in some measure direct him how to find his peace and how to come out of trouble by the hand of Christ Madam this is a great Gospell mystery It is a subject that deserved a more learned pen and one more experienced in the wayes of God to have discussed and resolved it than that poore worthlesse creature who hath undertaken it That in the world the Saints must look for trouble your Honour knowes I believe by as sad experiences as most of those that tread the wayes of God That in the midst of these troubles in Christ the soule of the Christian may have peace This Text and Sermon Madam I trust wil sufficiently make good both by generall proofe and particular demonstrations In troubles to have peace is no
or the transcript it is a peace with the whole Trinity The Father is he with whom it is made the Sonne is he by whom it is made the Spirit seales it and becomes Nuntius pacis the Messenger of that peace to the soule being hee to whom it belongs of office to set the broad seale of the Court to every pardon Eph. 1. 13. Eph. 4. 30. But why then is it called Christ's peace I easily answer 1. Because hee is the meritorious cause of it Eph. 2. 14 15. hee is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene us having abolished in his flesh the enmity c. v. 16. and that hee might reconcile both to God in one body by the crosse having slaine the enmity thereby And the spirit which conveyeth the newes of this peace to the soule is sometimes called his spirit hee was hee that while hee lived upon tho earth came and preached peace to them that were afarre off and to them that were nigh Eph. 2. 17. and through him wee have an accesse by one spirit unto the father vers 18. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their sinne 2 Cor. 5. 19. Wee that preach the Gospell of peace to you as though God did by us beseech you are Ambassadours for Christ and as in Christ's stead wee entreat you to be reconciled to God therefore it is called his peace and it is said to bee laid up in him and from this peace of justification and peace of conscience proceeds A third peace which is the peace of the members each with other a peace which is too sadly broken and too little pursued in our dayes 1 Joh. 1. 3. The Saints have fellowship one with another and their fellowship is with the father and the sonne Jesus Christ and could they walk together except they were agreed And thus I have now though in a discourse something too large shewed you what peace is and what this peace is that is Christ's peace and that is laid up in Christ for the Saints and they may find it in him in the midst of their earthly troubles But yet more particularly In what of Christ is this peace laid up for the Saints 2. How shall they come by it in the day of trouble To each of these give me leave to speak a word or two To the first In what of Christ is this peace laid up I answer in three particulars 1. It is laid up in the bloud of Christ in his bitter death and passion as the meritorious cause This peace Christian is written and sealed with the bloud of the Lambe the immaculate Lambe of God this is cleare in that place I before quoted Eph. 2. 16. Hee reconciled us both unto God in one body by the crosse vers 13. you are made nigh by the bloud of Christ his bloud was the bloud of expiation 2. It is laid up in the word of Christ in his precious promises That is plaine from the very words of the Text These things have I spoken that in mee you might have peace David had peace many a time out of a promise the word of the Lord quickned and comforted him hee had once a trouble that had sunk him had he not found peace here they are his owne words Psal 119. I had perished in my affliction if thy law had not beene my delight The Gospell is therefore call'd the Gospell of peace and the word of Christ is as well the word of peace as the word of truth how many poore soules have found this true by many precious experiences they hove been in spirit-troubles heavinesse hath made their heart to stoop till a good word hath come and made it better 3. It is in the spirit of Christ who is the Nuntius pacis hee that declares and seales up the peace to the soule and is the messenger of peace betwixt God and Christ and the soule that truly believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and believing in him hath life Thus it is in him Now if you aske how the child of God may draw this peace from Christ I answer these three wayes 1. By Meditation of him thus David Psal 104. 34. my meditation of him shall be sweet the soule-feeding upâ—◠〈…〉 of 〈…〉 â—â—on the gracious acts of grace in which the Lord Jesus Christ hath declared the yernings of his love to poor soules shall rather peace a quietment and establishing of spirit in the midst of all its troubles when the poore Christian is in the midst of troubles to sit down and think well yet my sinnes are pardoned yet God and I are at agreement this affliction this crosse comes not to me as a law demand not as a piece of vindicative justice but as a fatherly chastisement this shall administer peace to his soule his meditation of Christ shall be sweet to his soule That 's one way to gaine it 2. By a believing application both of what Christ hath spake and what he hath done Faith is the hand that the soule reacheth out for peace and by which the soule brings in peace to it selfe Rom. 5. 1. Beeing justified by faith wee have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Those that believe shall bee established and the more a soule believes the more it is established it is from some unbeliefes or other that any soule is disquieted Faith brings in peace it is not the bare knowing of the promise or the bare knowing of what Christ hath done but the chosen with the promise the chosen with Christ in what hee hath done and suffered for the soule that brings in peace to the soule 3. The soule gaines this place by a close walking with Iesus Christ a walking in the spirit Is 32. 17. The work of righteousnesse shall bee peace marke the upright man consider the just man the end of that man is peace the wicked mans conscience is continually throwing out myre and dirt There is no peace to the wicked saith our God Peace indeed is not the wages of a day well spent not a naturall result and fruit of a strict walking but peace is the reward of righteousnesse the reward not of debt but of grace The words of the Psalmist hint thus much to us To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50. 23. When a Christian hath ordered his conversation aright the salvation of God must be shewne him I have onely one thing remaining as to the doctrinall part of my discourse that is to shew you what paines what order Christ hath taken for his Saints peace in him while in the world they meet with trouble It may easily be gathered from what I have already spoken in short take it in these three words 1. He hath died upon the crosse that he might doe it Eph. 2. 14 15 16. It cost him his bloud to work out our peace 2. He hath
given us many precious promises many things hath he spoken that in him through them wee might have peace 3. He hath sent his spirit Ioh. 14. hee promised the sending of his spirit whom he there calls the comforter in relation to the peace that the spirit conveyes and seales to the soules of his Saints Thus much may serve briefly to have spoken to the doctrinall part I proceed now to the application of what I have said I shall apply it variously First by way of instruction Use 1 Instr Let us learne from hence the nature of the world and what to expect from it from the men of it from the Contentments of it or while wee have any thing to doe in and with it one wittily sayes it is like the straits of Magellane where which way soever a ship was bound to be sure the saylors found a wind against them Br. 1 Truly so it is with the world let a man be bound for the coasts of hell or heaven if he sailes through the world he shall be sure to find a wind against him they that have most Contentments in it that think they have the world at will they shall find that in the world even they shall meet with trouble Though they bee the world 's owne and so it doth not hate them and the cause of their troubles lies not there yet in respect of the very incertainties of all things in the world the flitting condition of every thing under the Sunne where there is nothing certaine they shall meet with troubles Sirs you may look for all faire weather but you will not find it you may think you are above crosses when you are upon your mountaines of gold and worldly greatnesse But believe it besides the clouds of divine vengeance which hang over your heads and threaten you disturbance hereafter you will find that there will bee earthquakes here below that will hinder your quiet sitting In the world all shall have trouble But more properly Br. 2 From hence we may be instructed What is the peace or lot of the Saints while they live on this side their fathers house Every one that lives in the world shall have his hand and heart full of trouble but all that will live godly in Christ Iesus must look for it in a more especiall manner I told you before that Christ and his crosse cannot be parted if you take him you must have him with all the appurtanances of which the crosse is one there is an emphasie in the word you In the world you shall have trouble others shall have trouble but you especially others may have but you shall have David was flattering himselfe into another opinion Psal 30. 6. In his prosperity hee said hee should never be moved but he was quickly consuted the Lord hid his face and hee was troubled The man eat his owne words and confuted himselfe Is there any before me that hath undertaken the wayes of God upon another expectation that hath forgot that he was made a Christian upon this condition that hee should take up the crosse and follow Christ Christians you may ratifie your errour before experience confutes you in it if you look for earthly peace for immunity from troubles it is more than Jesus Christ ever leased out for life to his Saints feed not your expectations high for feare your quick experiences low them Trouble is the lot of the Saints here as sure as heaven is their portion hereafter But thirdly Br. 3 From hence we may be instructed concerning the miserable condition of those poore wretches that are without Christ They shall be sure to meet with trouble and for the way of peace they have not knowne it Let me a little speak to such poore creatures Is there any poore wretches before mee and O Lord that there were not many such that are yet such as the Apostle sayes the Ephesians once were Eph. 2. 12. that are without Christ aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers to the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Poor wretches my soule trembles for you Let me but propound to you the same question that the Prophet propounds Is 10. 3. What will you do in the day of visitation in the day of desolation which will come from far to whom will you flee for helpe and where will you leave your glory you are now in prosperity and plenty you have no disturbances no dissettlements of spirit but what will you doe in the day of your visitation If the Lord should come but to keep court in your conscience to visit there a little for all your abused mercies for all your originall and actuall sinnes for all your youth and life sinnes if the Lord but comes and beats up your quarters poore creatures what will you doe in that day whether will you flie for helpe a wounded spirit who can beare though none can beare it yet Christ can heale it Ah but this Christ is none of your Christ you never lookt upon him as your Priest or your Prophet or your King poore wretches what will you doe whether will you flie Ah that poore creatures should so quietly sleep over damnation as you doe that you should sit at your tables of gluttony and drunkennesse and eat and drink and rise up to play so freely when there 's but an haires breadth betwixt your poore soules and everlasting burning The sword of divine vengeance that sharpe two-edged sword hangs over your head every moment and there is nothing but the twine thread of your life keeps it from dividing you and all your comforts from indeed dividing you from all manner of hope and comfort and peace either from the Creator or Creature and that for ever poore halfe-damned wretch spell that word and tell me how many syllables of time goe to the compounding of it Good Lord how it would pose reason to find out the ground of any soules rest or peace though but for an houre without Christ after what rate they dance about the take that burnes with fire and brimstone and play about a nest of adders and a cockatrices denne You that think your selves at such good quarter with God because hee is not upon your neck every day I will tell you what you are like a Gentleman that rides out in a flashed suit of apparell If the Sunne shines hee is well enough and glisters bravely upon the road but if the weather proves cold or a showre of raine comes and hee hath never a coat to put on nor ever an hedge to shelter himselfe under is he not washed for his bravery what will he doe may hee not chance to get a cold will with his leave beare him company to his grave So long as the Sun shine of prosperity lasts that your conscience doth not flash in your face and you meet with no crosses in the world you are well enough and all the world well be fooles in your eyes
had Zimri peace that slew his master is damning a soule the way to save it A third sort dispute themselves out of troubles come out of disquietments of spirit upon morall principles these will argue the case with themselves what a shame it is that they should be ◠so much troubled for a lost friend or for a crosse in a worldly estate and conclude this is below a man or below their spirits the peace of these men is but a logicall conclusion upon false premises All these have not known the way of true peace no Christians no the way of peace they have not knowne True peace neither growes in the alehouse garden nor in natures garden no nor yet in the Philosophers neither It is a branch that springs out of the root of Jessee a conclusion upon gospell-premises an effect of the balme Gilead Are you under any burthens of spirit in any troubles and would you have peace runne up to Jesus Christ fetch it from his bosome extract it out of his bloud gather it out of his word This this is the peace which passeth all understanding this is the lasting peace that hath no worme at the root no defect no rottennesse in it All other peace will be as easily broke as it is slightly made Come out of your crosses and troubles Christians with a peace drawn from Jesus Christ come out this way I say otherwise you mistake the way of peace But I shall proceed no further in this first branch of application Us 2 Secondly Is this a truth that whatsoever trouble a Saint meets with in the world yet in Christ hee may have peace what means this weeping then Christians why doth Rachel refuse to be comforted why doth Asaph or Davids soule runne and not cease why doth their soule refuse comfort what is the businesse with Christians that their spirits are heavy night and day and no oyle will make their face to shine All the balme of Gilead will not close their wounds if the Lord doth but lay an outward crosse upon them if he doth but take away a friend call in the money hee lent them crosse them in a relation let their spirits but fall a little how are they troubled as if their fountaine of Peace were dried up and justification and Gospell-promises had lost the Nature of a Cordiall Christians doe not your sad disquieted troubled spirits deserve chiding when Christ hath taken such paines that in him you might have peace and yet you walke under a crosse as if there were no way of peace discovered For shame Christians know your duty are you troubled you are by your trouble invited to Christ that you might find peace shew for shame shew that your condition is different from those that have not tasted how good the Lord is that know not how to improve Christ in a day of adversity and Use 3 Thirdly you that are Christs Disciples bee of good cheare It is Christ's owne application 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Get heart be of good cheare though in the world you meet with troubles if you walk long with troubled spirits it is your owne fault for in Christ you may have peace who will pity your starving when you refuse your meat you may have peace if you will take it Lift up your heads therefore in the midst of your worldly troubles Be of good cheare Christ hath overcome the world Disquieting your selfe is not your duty believing is your duty and will ease you when that will but adde vexation unto your spirit Are you under burthens of spirit doe worldly crosses trouble you what then these should drive you to Christ but not into the cave go and pray believe c. But what doest thou doe in the cave Eliah Runne to Christ as fast as thou wilt but why sittest thou still to weep bee of good comfort there is no trouble upon thy spirit bee it what it will But Christ hath spoken some word or other done some action or other from whence thou mayest extract peace in that trouble Ah but will a poore Christian say this is spoken to Christ's Disciples to them indeed Christ speaks in mee you shall have peace but I am afraid I am none of that number and then what have I to doe with peace How may I know whether I bee Christs disciple yea or no and secondly I am afraid if I should make up peace that it would not bee Christs peace To speak a litttle to these two things Let me in the fourth place insist a little upon an use of examination Use 4 How then doth it stand you in hand Christians to examine your hearts concerning these two great things 1. whether you bee Christ's Disciples or no 2. Whether the peace of your spirits with which you content your selves and in which you satsfie your selves after trouble sometimes be a peace of Christs making or of your owne making and so false and uncomfortable I shall speak shortly to both these c. 1. Would you know whether you bee Christ's Disciples yea or no I will give you notes from his owne mouth to informe you in that point 1. Did your soules ever effectually heare and imbrace the word of Jesus Christ this is one note Joh. 10. 27. My sheep heare my voice you have heard with your eares but have you had eares to heare have you heard with a poore and contrite spirit so that you have trembled at it Is 66. 2. Hath the Lord bored your eares with the word Hath the word of Christ beene transmitted as from the preachers mouth to your eare so from your eare to your soules you have heard the Ministers voice but have you heard Christ's voice to your soules in an ordinance that the word came not onely to you in the letter but in power and in the spirit of God This is one signe but not enough Many are called 2. Doe you continue in the word of Christ this is a notable marke marke that place Joh. 8. 31. If you continue in my word then are you my Disciples indeed not in name not in profession not in the account of men onely no but indeed Disciples to purpose can your soules say that you have made the word of God a light unto your feet and a la◠horne to your pathes that you have set the law of the Lord ever before you that as you have learned Christ so you walk in him you fall not back but continue in the word of Christ then are you Disciples indeed 3. If you beare much fruit then are you Christ's Disciples Joh. 15. 8. Herein is my father glorified that you beare much fruit so shall you be my Disciples Doe you bring forth much fruit of holinesse unto God and righteousnesse before men thus you glorifie the father thus you shall evidence your selves to be Christ's disciples by growing in Grace and thriving in Godlinesse 4. If you be humble selfe-denying selfe-hating meek creatures This is a signe that
you have learn'd of Christ for hee is meek and lowly see Luk. 14. 26 33. concerning this note Christ in plaine English saith whosoever hath it not cannot be his Disciple it is the first lesson of Grace Deny your selves But are you humble and selfe-denying ones selfe-loathing and abhorring creatures doe you even loath your naturall selfe and hate your righteous selfe and forsake all your selfe then are you Christs Disciples doth the spirit of Christ which is the spirit of meeknesse dwell in you and rest upon you then have you learnd of him 5. If you beare the crosse with that faith and patience which you should bear it then you may know you are Christ's Disciples Luk. 14. 27. without this you cannot be Christ's Disciple there is nothing shall more evidence a Christian to himselfe and to others to bee Christ's Disciple than his religious bearing of the crosse his religious carriage under trialls and burthens of spirit this is a great peece of the way in which Christ will be followed of all those that are his Disciples Lastly If you love one another then you may know and all men may know concerning you that you are Christs Disciples Joh. 13. 35 By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you love one another Saint John in his Epistles beates much upon this to love the Saints meerly because they are Saints not for their good nature or wit or parts or greatnesse or any respect but impartially because they are Saints It is a good note By these things you shall know your selves whether you be Christs Disciples or no if you be you have a title to his peace And from what you have heard that true peace for the soule in the midst of this worlds troubles is only to be found in Christ and onely that which is drawne from Christ Every Christian hath ground to bring the peace of his spirit the comming of his spirit after trouble to the touchstone that he may be able to know whether it be Christs peace or his owne I shall give you five or six notes for that 1. If it be drawne from some word of God it is true peace Thy soule hath been troubled thy spirit hath been burthened now it is quieted I pray how came your spirit off trouble what was it that helpt thy spirit out of the miry clay what didst thou close with some Gospell-promises didst thou bosome a promise and was that peace to thee this is Christs peace such a peace was Davids Psal 119. 50. This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickened mee so v. 81. My soule fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy word so v. 114. Thou art my hiding place and my shield I hope in thy word so v. 147. Davids peace was drawne from the word of God from what God had spoken in reference to him in particular or at least in generall to one in such a condition Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto mee the joy and rejoycing of my heart Many a poore soule before me I doubt not but hath known this way of getting peace when his spirit hath beene full of trouble that he hath not known what to doe perhaps hath not been able to eat or drink or sleep through anguish of heart perhaps a Minister hath been made the sweet messenger of peace to the soule and God hath used him as an instrument to mind the soule of some promise or other which at such a time hath come into the soule as water to the thirsty ground and hath been even as an apple of gold in a picture of silver perhaps the spirit of God according to that promise Joh. 14. 26. Brings to remembrance something that Christ hath spoken some generall promise or some particular promise which proves as the balme of Gilead to the soule to heale its wounds This is a Gospell-peace a sweetly made peace a peace of Christs making in the soule according to the text 2. If thy peace ariseth from a due consideration and application of some thing in the nature of God as hee hath revealed his nature to us whether it be from Gods will or 2. from the meditation of Gods mercy and goodnesse or 3. from a meditation of Gods faithfulnesse the consideration of many things in Gods nature may command peace in a soule but especially these three are fountaines out of which the Saint drawes peace The consideration of the stroke that Gods will had in Davids affliction brought him peace Psal 39. 9. I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because I knew it was thy doing hence was Elie's peace 1 Sam. 3. 18. when his eares amongst the rest could not but tingle at Samuels news hee said It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good Hence was Hezekiah's peace when he could not but bee troubled to heare what should become of his sons and daughters 2 Kin. 20. 17 18. yet hee had peace v. 19. he said good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken Hence was those good peoples peace Acts 21. 13 14. They were troubled at Pauls departure considering what Agabus had prophesied concerning him v. 11. At last they quieted themselves and their minds stood upon this bottom v. 14. They said The will of the Lord be done now if thy peace be concluded upon this account the Lord hath sent a grievous crosse a grievous affliction upon thee and thou wert troubled but thou begannest to think why this was the will of the Lord concerning mee this is the Lords doing and upon the due meditation of this thy spirit growes quiet out of a meere submission and obedience to Gods dispensation This is true peace it was the Saints peace 2. Or perhaps it is from a due meditation of the Lords mercy and goodnesse thou hast a crosse and triall befallen thee but thou beginnest to think well yet the Lord is good to my soule yet the mercy of the Lord indureth for ever and upon this consideration thy soule hath peace this is true peace upon this account was the Churches peace Lam. 3. 21. This I recall to mind therefore have I hope It is of the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not they are new every morning c. v. 25. The Lord is good to them that wait upon him even to the soule that seeketh him c. Hence shee concludes peace in sad troubles 3. Or is it from a consideration of the nature of God in his faithfulnesse Lam. 3. 23. Great is thy faithfulnesse Thou sittest down with thy selfe and considerest why am I troubled the Lord hath promised that joy shall be to the upright of heart and that light shall arise out of darknesse to the upright and that though sorrow be for a night yet joy shall come in the morning This God is a faithfull God hee hath said it and shall hee not
God in the Sanctuary and from hence did peace flow in like a river to thy soule I say that peace is a true peace Christs peace in which thy soule may rejoyce and triumph But I shall adde no more to this use of examination I have but one more to adde and that is of exhortation Use 5 Christians you have all heard mee largely discussing this doctrine in its severall branches That in the world Saints must looke for trouble but in Christ they may have peace the best peace peace without bitternesse joy without sorrow 1. Let me plead with you that yet are strangers to the Lord Jesus yet unbelievers Poore creatures O that this might perswade you to look after an interest in Jesus Christ who is our peace Indeed you make to your selves peace none live so joyfully and spend their dayes so in wealth as you there are none sing requiem's to their soules like you But consider 1. Your peace is a false peace you have cried unto your soules Peace peace when indeed their hath been no true peace to you There is no peace to the wicked saith my God no true peace It may be when you heare the words of the Lords curse you will blesse your selves in your hearts saying wee shall have peace though we walke in the imagination of our hearts to add drunkennesse to thirst but is there any such presumptuous wretch that saith so in his heart Harke what the Lord saith The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses that are written in the book of God shall light upon his head and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven and the Lord shall separate that man to evill c. Deut. 29. 19 20 c. It is true you have a peace sometimes under trouble but a cursed peace the Lord knowes a dreadfull peace indeed no peace for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Nay not only so 2. The very shadow of your peace is an inconstant shadow and will faile you shortly If you be put to it you will not know what to doe What will you doe in the day of your visitation whether will you flie for helpe but to this I spake before O now that you would be wise it is the wise man's part to see things a farre off and provide for them prudens quasi providens or procul videns but your trouble is not farre off and you have no way of peace for Christ is not knowne to your soules the way of peace you have not knowne When all your contentments are gone in the creature where will you have peace Now the Devill the world many say unto you as Jael to Sisera turne in hither feare not turne in to us feare not and it may bee in a time of prosperity they may cover your conscience with a mantle of security and give you a bottle of milke but if once you bee in the midst of a sleep of security they will take an hammer in their hand and come softly to you and smite a naile into you temples and fasten it into the ground What will you doe when you find trouble Poor creatures my soule trembleth for you O that you would consider But behold Christ saith to you and there is no deceit in his words Sinners turne in to mee and feare not in me you shall have peace while the day lasts before the decree goeth forth and the day passeth away as the chaffe before terrour strikes into your soule and seizeth upon you like an armed man O that you would be wise that you would look out for a portion in Christ that you would make him your friend that when your sinfull peace failes and your naturall shadowy peace failes Christ may receive you into everlasting peace and you may rest in his bosome Turne in to him sinners and you need not feare hee shall be your peace But secondly Let me speak to you that are believers to you that have known the way of Peace true Peace which flowes to your soul from Jesus Christ Let mee presse 3 words upon you Br. 1 Bee not disquieted with worldly trouble Christ is your peace in him you may have peace it was his legacy to you O let not your hearts be troubled you believe in God believe also in Jesus Christ Know you not that he is your Peace why are you cast downe why are your soules disquieted within you if you meet with frownes from the world crosses in your worldly interests yet why are you troubled In Christ you may have Peace To this end consider 1. That Christ hath overcome the world hee hath qualified the Mercury and Quickesilver of it and made that which was in it selfe poyson no more then Medicinall hee hath overcome the world hee hath taken the sting out of every crosse the poyson of every affliction The world is crucified to you O be you also crucified to it bee of good cheare O you Saints for Christ hath overcome the world 2. Doe but consider what a loser Christ is by your troubles If you be disquieted if you be troubled as other men you make Christ a loser by you a great loser 1. Hee is a loser in his bloud in the end of his death he died upon the crosse that hee might bleed out balme of Gilead for you that hee might bleed out peace for his Saints under every trouble 2. You make him a loser in his breath To what purpose are the multitudes of his precious promises but that by these things should men live and in these the Saints might find peace so David Psal 56. 4. What time I am afraid I will trust in thy word heark what hee sayes in the Text These things have I spoken that in me you might have peace To what purpose hath Christ held out his Gospell promises his good words but that they should make the hearts of his Saints better when heavinesse makes them stoop 3. As to you you make him a loser in his victory to what purpose hath hee taken paines to conquer the world for you if you must yet bee slaves to it and every crosse and triall every frowne and ill-look from the world must bring you into a distemperature Lift up your heads therefore Christians lest Jesus Christ bee a loser by your soules Bee of good cheare know and believe that Christ hath indeed and that for you too overcome the world Br. 2 Secondly This Doctrine calls upon you that are believers to live much with Jesus Christ gaine more and more acquaintance with him with his word with his spirit heighten your communion with him Thus shall you know every hiding place and bee acquainted with every hole of the Rock This is that that makes many a poore much at losse oft-times It is a truth that there is peace laid up in Jesus Christ for a poore soule in every
trouble under every crosse whence is it then that their spirits are sometimes so much down so much sunk whence is it that assoone as ever a Saint is troubled he doth not presently without any more adoe runne to Christ and secure himselfe and be at rest but wee heare day after day that the Spirit of the Saint is under the same burthens overwhelmed in the same manner as if there were no balme in Gilead no Physician there Truly there may bee many causes possibly there may be a sullennesse in the soule that it will not out of the cave it is angry with God and will refuse comfort Possibly God may please to deny a present application of a comfort by the hand of the spirit which can alone make a plaster stick upon a wounded spirit bee it never so well made and spread But I perswade my selfe two great and very usuall causes yea most usuall are Ignorance and negligence Either the soule is a stranger to the Rock or else it doth not put forth its legges in running to it 1. A Christian may have a great interest in Christ a great portion in the rock of ages and yet be in a great manner ignorant of him and this partiall ignorance though it shall not hinder their finall salvation for our high-priest hath compassion on the ignorant saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes yet it may hinder their present comfort It may be the soule is not so acquainted with the word of God that when it is in trouble it can turne to a promise presently that shall relate to its condition it may be it may not bee so acquainted with all the corners of Christs gracious heart that it can presently consider Christ in a sutable notion to comfort it under its present burthen Now this very ignorance and not being acquainted with Jesus Christ may a great deale hinder the soules comfort and make him go with a sad heart a great deale longer than that soule that is more growne in the knowledge of Christ more acquainted with every piece of his nature more experienced in his wayes Indeed secondly a great cause may be the soules negligence a knowledge may lie dormant in the soule a man may have legges and not use them so a Christian may have a sufficient acquaintance with Christ in his words of promise and wayes of mercy and yet for all this if it will sit still in an houre of trouble and never set it selfe to meditate upon these things never put forth it selfe to trie if it can close with the promise that it knowes never trie whether its faith will efficaciously worke upon the mercifull nature of Jesus Christ though it knowes it A soule may walk troubled long enough but this I have nothing to doe with here Christians ah you that feare the Lord in the dayes of your peace be every day gaining more and more knowledge of God in his wayes of mercy be every day gaining more and more knowledge of God in his precious promises learne to know every hole of the rock that so you may readily flie to it in an houre of straits readily run to it in an houre of trouble That your spirits may no sooner be troubled but you shall being so acquainted with the book of God presently turne to a good word of promise that shall make it better or presently fix your eye upon Christ and consider him in some sutable notion of love or other from which your soules shall gather peace This shall be your wisdome Br. 3 Lastly you that are believers have you heard that there is peace laid up for the Saints against the dayes of trouble Then learne if ever you meet with trouble in the world whether outward or inward Not only to look after peace and a quietment and settling of your spirits againe but look to draw your peace from the Lord Jesus Christ in the day of trouble to quiet your spirits in him and to heale your spirits with something drawne from him some word of his some meditation concerning him c. Fetch out your peace and quietment in all troubles from the bosome of the Lord Jesus Christ Let mee for this exhortation onely give you some few directions and then I shall conclude with two or three motives I know every child of God is listning after this and apprehends a great deale of sweetnesse in this fully conceiving that it would be a very sweet thing if he could bring this about that his soule should come out of every disturbance Walking upon Christs hand you cannot but say this would be a sweet comming off indeed Ah but will some say how should this bee what course should we take to worke this about what would you advise a poore creature to doe that it might come out of troubles on this fashion To this I shall answer in a few directions and that briefely Dir. 1 First Let it be thy first work when thou art overwhelmed with a rrouble be it from what cause it will to sit downe and think what is now a bitter dispensation that doth not please mee I am troubled at it but let me think is there nothing of God in this dispensation commeth this affliction out of the dust see if thou canst see nothing of Gods power or soveraignty wisdome or justice providence love and goodnesse c. I dare say there is scarce any affliction befals thee but if thou studiest it well thou wilt see all of these yea more of God than these come to in it thou wilt be brought at last to conclude surely God was in this crosse in this losse of a friend in this losse of estate and I was not aware of it surely it is the will of the Lord concerning me and shall I not submit God might doe what he hath done he is my Lord and soveraigne why then doth my spirit rise up in armes against him this is the ordering of a wise Providence If what I would have had had come to passe then surely I could not have mended it it would have been worse for me surely here is love in this dispensation for that God is all love that measured it out to mee Thus by understanding what of God there is in thy triall thou wilt gaine a true peace The truth is it is the usuall course of men and women holy men and women as well as others if a trouble come upon them to sit downe and conceit what of man there is in it and say This was such a ones malice to mee now hee hath done me an ill turne c. whereas this instead of bringing the soule off trouble in a sanctified manner doth nothing else but involve the soule in an inextricable Labyrinth of afflictions and if ever it comes out it is at the back-doore too Dir. 2 When thou hast considered what there is of God in it then mediate a little what there is in God to mend it Sit downe and think with thy selfe is
ther not love enough of God remaining to sweeten this soure potion to make pleasant this bitter dispensation will not Christ's dying for my sinnes and washing me with his bloud make me amends for Gods present bitter dealing with mee is there not faithfulnesse in that God who hath said Hee will never leave nor forsake his people who hath said joy shall come in the morning and that light is sowne for the upright in heart But thirdly Dir. 3 Sit downe and meditate in thy hour of trouble what particular promises the Lord hath made out to his Saints under such troubles that so thy soule may close with them and thou mayest be still'd with a good word from God some of you know what it is so to bee still'd to have a disturbed spirit quieted by the seasonable comming in of a Gospell promise in an houre of straits oh how sweet is that peace say now to your selves The Lord hath here brought an houre of trouble upon me hath he no where made out a word of promise to suit my condition I dare say it there is no condition no sad dark condition that a poore Christian can be in but somewhere or other the Lord in his word hath suited the soule in that condition with a speciall promise find it out Christian it is the bladder that under the arme-holes of the soule must keep the soule from sinking in the deep waters of afflictions Peace made by Gods good words you heard before is a true peace a peace of Jesus Christ's making in the soule Dir. 4 Sit downe in thy day of trouble and weigh Gods mercies against his frowns then thou shalt find that the beame of thy soule will stand even nay it will leane to the scales where his mercies are sit down and think with thy self here 's a bitter triall a bitter affliction but have I no mercies to countervaile them The Lord hath taken away one of my children but hath hee not left me my fruitfull vine yet hee hath nipt off one of my olive branches but hath he not left me many remaining about my table he hath left mee my husband my wife yet It may be he hath taken away part of thy estate but hath he not left thee food convenient for thee If not hath he not left thee an estate in Christs love yet a sure estate in Grace and a richer reversion in glory It may be hee hath hid his face from thee for a moment for a little moment but hath he not given thee everlasting mercies Think of this Christian and doe thus and thou wilt find thy spirit will begin to bee rightly quieted Dir. 5 Study in the day of trouble how far Christ hath overcome the world the frownes of the world as well as any thing else and is not his victory thine Christian sit downe and think well here 's a bitter crosse a sad dispensation but my Saviour hath pull'd out the sting of it it comes not upon mee as a law demand O crosse where 's thy sting O hell where 's thy victory this comes not upon mee as it would have come upon another as it would have come upon a Reprobate Is 27. 7. Hath he smitten them as hee smote those that smote them the gall and vinegar is taken out of the cup Christ had that when he hung upon the crosse for mee this will helpe something to calme thy spirit to think it is a fathers rod not a sword of an enemy Dir. 6 Consider the dayes of old thus I told you before David did Psal 119. 52. and the Psalmist Psal 77. sit downe and think how God hath dealt bitterly with thee but did he never deale kindly with thee hadst thou never the shinings of his countenance Think how graciously God hath formerly dealt with thee and see what that will doe towards thy peace Dir. 7 Let reason sleep and set faith on work I told you before that in a day of trouble peace may bee brought to the spirit as a conclusion from reason I cannot helpe it and it is a foolish thing in me to feare what I cannot avoid I cannot alter this dispensation why should it trouble me c. Let Tully or Cato work out their peace upon this account let heathens that know not faith's nature or objects quiet themselves upon such considerations Christian In the day of trouble if thou wouldst have peace let reason sleep and let faith act upon the promises and providence and nature of God Dir. 8 Lastly Pray unto God to settle thy soule to send thee his peace and wait upon God in his ordinances The way of peace is in the Sanctuary True Peace is some of the water of life that must be drawn by the bucket of faith out of the wells of salvation I shall adde no more by way of direction But now lest Christians should think this of flight concernment and that if they can get their spirits quiet it is no matter what quiets them Christian know there is a great difference betwixt Peace and Peace betwixt the world's Peace and Christ's Peace betwixt adulterate and true borne Peace I will not stand at large to set them together though they would best appeare so but in short saith Musculus the worlds peace is Fusa instabilis nudis verb is ad perditionem a large peace upon no good grounds an instable peace upon no good bottome a meer verball Peace and that which will end in everlasting trouble But on the contrary consider by way of motive that the Peace which I have been describing to you which is laid up in Christ for the Saint and may be drawn from Christ by the Saint in a day of trouble is 1. A true Peace the other is no Peace a meere truce Peace made with the spirit for a while till some new breakings forth a flattred shadowy Peace a conceited imaginary Peace Peace in a Picture where is onely the resemblance not the substance This is a true Peace Peace indeed to the soule 2. This Peace is a sweet Peace a Rose without Prickles a Potion without Gall a sweetned Cup without any rubbings of Wormewood Hezekiah complained that in his Peace hee had great bitternesse It is true though in another sense concerning all the world's Peace and all morall Peace but Prov. 10. 22. The blessing of the Lord makes rich and addes no sorrow therewith This is Peace with the Lord's blessing the other is but at the best the Peace of a warme Sun there will be no sorrow added with this Peace with all other Peace sorrow will be added 3. This Peace is a lasting Peace all other Peace will fade and die Nature in time may bee out of breath of course that it can sigh and groane and weep no more But let it get but breath againe and that Peace will be disturbed Reason may tame Passion a while but let but Passion at any time get the upper hand in Reason's sleeping time or let it
the mistakes he hath therefore rather chose to put himselfe upon thy charity then put thee or himselfe to the trouble of a table of Errata's which is usually made with trouble and seldome used when it is done A short Table of the severall things contained in the two last Sermons THE Psalme analysed and the words of the Text opened 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. 5. Doctrines noted out of the words 13 14. The fifth Doctrine handled viz. That soule that would have the Lord Jesus Christ desire its beauty must forget its owne people and its Fathers house and whosoever doth that shall be beautifull 14 15 16 c. The Method of handling the Doctrine propounded 15. What is meant by our Fathers house 15. What of our Fathers house must be forgotten opened in five particulars 1. The manners of our Fathers house viz. our sins 16. 5. Sorts of sins chiefely hinted in that expression 16 17 18 19. Sinnes 1 Originall 16. 2 Of Education 17. 3 Of Company Conversation 18 4 Of Custome 18 19. 5 That are our beloved sins 19. 2. The Company of our Fathers house 19 20. That is two-fold ib. 1. Our dearest Relations 19 20. How they must and must not be forgotten 20. Not 1 in honour 2 nor affection nor 3 providentiall care but. 1. If God they draw severall wayes 20 21. 2. If their love beclâ—eâ— us out of the way when God calls us 21. 2. Sinfull Company is the company of our Fathers house 23. 3. The soule must forget the honour and pomp and riches and greatnesse of its Fathers house 24 25 26. How that must be ibid. 4. The soule must forget the pleasures and vanities of its Fathers house 27. That explained 28 29. 5. The soule must forget the Righteousnesse of its Fathers House 30 31. VVhat that is ib. Civility is but a smooth way to hell it is worth nothing no more is fâ—â—â—â—lity in duties â—â— 2. Br. Of Explic. How these things must be forgotten 32 33 34 45. c. 1. Sin and sinfull Company must be forgotten absolutely 32 33. 2. The rest must bee forgotten secundùm quid 33. 3. They must be forgotten Conditionally 33. that explained 34. 4. Comparatively they must be forgotten 35. 5. In effect they must be forgotten 35 36. 3 Br. of the Explication viz. How that soule shall be beautifull that thus forgets its Fathers house 36 37 38. That shewed Negatively Positively 36 37. Negatively not with A corporal beuty 36. A natural beauty 37. in its owne eyes a creatures eye 37. Positively it shall be beautifull 1. By Imputation 37. 2. By Christs Acceptation 38. 3. In Saints eys 38 39. 4. Branch of the Explication viz. what is meant by that phrase The King shall desire thy Beauty 39 40. Opened Generally 39. 2. Particularly Six things implyed in it 40 41 42 43. 1. Christ shall see an excellency in such a soule 40. 2. He shall love such a soule ib. 3. He shall in his heart preferre such a soule 40 41. 4. He will endeavour and effect an union with such a soule 42. 5. He will covet a neare Communion with such a soule 4. 6. He will love such a soul with a constant and inseparable love 43. 5. Reasons of the Doctrine 44 45 46. Because 1. It is the very law of marriage 44. 2. While the soule lives in its Fathers house it cannot be beautifull 44. 3. Till the soule part with these it cannot cleave to Christ 45. 4. Because God is a jealous God 46. 5. Because it is the will of Christ to whom aâ— an Husband the united soule must bee obedient 46 The Application of the Doctrine à 47 ad 89. 1. For Instruction in severall Branches Br. 1. That the most part of the world 〈◊〉 those which the world esteems of are uncomely indesireable creatures in Christs eye 47 48 49 50. Br. 2. Which may the way to heaven lyes and that it is a straight way 51 52 53 54. Br. 3. That something more than Nature must make a soule beautifull in Christs eyes 54. Br. 4. With what an infinite love hath Christ loved his Saints 54 55 56. Br. 5. What happy creatures are poore self-denying Saints 56 57 58. 2. Use For Examination Whether we have forgotten our fathers house and our beauty be desireable in Christs eyes or no. 59 60 61 62 63 c. 1. You have seen a great deale of folly in your Fathers house 60. 2. You have had another excellency discovered to you 60 61. 3. Your parting hath not been without some teares 61 62. 4. You have some combatings of spirit with your fleshly inclinations to go home againe 62 63. 5. Christ is your sole delight and all Christ is your delight 63 64. 6. Doe you abide and dwell with Christ 64. 3 Use For Consolation 1. Against all the uncomelinesse Saints apprehend in themselves 65. 2. Against all the dirt the world casts upon Saints 65 66. 3. Against the worlds low esteem of them 66. Severall Objections of misdoubtings Christians answered 67 68 69 70 71. 1 Ob. I am ready to yeeld to temptations and fall into sinne I feare I have not forgot the manners of my Fathers house An. Notwithstanding thy falling into sinne sometimes yet thou maist have forgot it try therefore 1. Which way stands thy Affection 68. 2. Doe you not chide your selves back 69. 3. How long doe you stay at home 69. 2. Ob. I have not forgotten my Fatheas house I am often in vaine company yea and I love them my heart is too much glued to my Relations Answ 1. Are they thy invited guests or intruders 71. 2. Art thou a companion of them in sin or only in civill actions 71. 3. Dost thou love them with a meer naturall love or more 71. 4. Could thy Relations hinder thee from Christ or thy love hinder thee from discharging thy duty to them faithfully 72 73. 3. Ob. I am not low enough for Christ I am rich and noble c. Answ 1. This is a melancholy fancy fat folk may get in at the straight gate with crowding 74. 2. Dost thou not affect and delight and hunt after worldly pompe and glory 74. 3. Dost thou look upon thy title of the servant of Christ as the highest title of honour 74. 4. Is thy outward greatnesse no snare to thee in the waies of Christ if none of these it cannot hinder thee 74 75 4. Obj. Ah! But I am so much addicted to vaine pleasures c. 1. Answ Dost thou love thy pleasures more then God 76. 2. Wilt thou baulk an opportunity of communion with Christ or his saints to enjoy a vaine pleasure 76. 3. Dost thou affect pleasures that cannot consist with holinesse as adultery c. 77. If none of these thou mayest enjoy them and yet be beautifull in Christs eyes ib. Vse 4. For exhortation 1. To those who have not forgotten their fathers house 77 78 79 80 81.
him and engaged him still to be The servant of thy soule in the work of his Master John Collings Chaplyfield house May 21. 1649. THE LOST SHEEP brought home c. Solomons Song Ch. 8. v. 5. Who is this that commeth out of the wildernesse leaning upon her weld beloved I raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there shee brought thee forth that bare thee THis book is called the Song of Songs that is Canticunt excellentissimum the most excellent song so Vatablus and Estius gives the reason because it containes a discourse between Christ the most glorious Bridegrome and his Church or the beleeving soule the Bride The song of songs as a note of Quia sermocinationem cōtinet Christi Sponsi Ecclesiae spōsae Estius eminency Mr. Brightman will have it as well Nota distinctionis quam eminentiae a note of distinction as well as of eminency A song more excellent than any of those that Solomon made the song that sounded sweetest to Canticum excellentius omnibus quae Salomon composuit Brightman Solomons penitent heart whose pen-man was Son and heire to the sweet singer of Israel Whose every note is a note of free grace where every straine is breathed by the spirit of the most high and every close sounds the beleevers close with Christ an union with him who is the head of the Church A song finally wherein every line breathes the perfume of the Rose of Sharon and is beautified with the colour of the Lilly of the Vallies It is a song of love sung in parts by the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of his Fathers love and the wife of his bosome whether the society of beleevers his Church in generall or every beleeving soule in particular It beginns with love Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for his love is better than wine and it ends with love Make hast my Beloved and come away The fountaine from whence it ariseth is a spring of love and the Sea into which it falls is an ocean of love where the soule that enters is swallowed up of love and drowned in sweetnesse The whole streame of the book is a streame of love running betwixt two precious bankes Jesus Christ and the beleeving soule sometimes it is an higher sometimes a lower water it is alwayes some though the flood-gate be not alwayes open The two lovers spend their long in feasting themselves with each others embraces One while the Bridegroome courts his bride with ravishing straines of grace another while she is emptying her soule into her beloveds bosome In the whole there is nothing but a sweet enterchange of delightfull expressions while both seeme to be ravished with each others embraces I shall in handling of the text first open it to you 2 Raise some propositions of Doctrine from it and 3. Handle them by explication confirmation and application For the finding out the meaning of the words it is necessary we should consider them in a double Notion 1. Relatively 2. Absolutely 1. Relatively as they stand in a necessary connexion with the former verses It was now the spouses course to powre out her soul into her beloved's bosome her part began at the 10. ver of the former Chapt. and continues to this verse My text in the former part of it seemeth to be a Parenthesis and the voice of a third person considering the great love exprest by the spouse and her following of him through the most rugged wildernes-ways and even then leaning upon him or considering the great glory and happinesse of the Spouse from the influence of Christ love upon her either in admiration of Christs condiscention that will admit a worm to leane upon him and will stoop to lead it and uphold it in darkest saddest conditions and fill it with light in peace at such times or in admiration of the Spouses glory and beauty by the reflection of her Beloveds countenance or of her constancy and secret power of grace in her that in the wildernesse saddest condition she could leane that the briars and thornes would not seperate her Beloved her quos Deus conjunxit c. or out of an ignorance of her and the secret power of grace in her carrying her out in darkest times and in a wildernesse condition to such an affiance cryes out Qua est illa What manner of creature is this that she should leane Or who is this so glorious a creature that comes up leaning Or what manner of love is this that makes her follow a Beloved through such uncoth rugged dangerous wayes as these 2. But to consider the words Absolutely now in themselves Who is this that commeth up The first question is whose words these are The second what the meaning of them is Expositors differ upon the first Some would have them to bee the continued speech of the Church and say They are an expression of the great love beleeving soules beare to Expositio summi amoris quo Ecclesia prosequitur Sponsum an suit ulla unquam Ecclesia quae tot ac tantos labores perferret tantaque pericula susciperet ad consequendum dilectum suum Haec igitur sunt pignora voluntat is meae quod fide difficultates omnes superavi Tremell ad locum the Lord JESUS CHRIST by comparison What Church or what person ever saith she would undertake so many and so great labours to obtaine her Beloved These are pledges of my good will that by faith I have overcome all difficulties leaning upon him in the wildernesse I shall neither wholly embrace nor altogether reject this sense I am inclinable to thinke the words may be the Spouses but not spoken in Tremelius his sense as from her selfe boasting of her selfe but spoken by a Prosopopeia the Spouse speaking what she conceived others would say concerning her and rather incline to thinke the words should be a Parenthesis than otherwise Beda and M. Brightman with the rest that would have this whole Booke to be a Prophecye of the calling of the Church of the Gentiles will have the words to be the voice of the Jewish Church admiring at the calling of the Church of the Gentiles Who is this What wildernesse-creature is this that she should have any thing to doe with the promised Messias Quem me solum deligere caeteris autem Nationibus rebar esse ignotum Cujus nominis sit haec gens quae ascendit ex deserto Institui videtur haec questio de grandioribus natu sororibus quae stupescent hoc novo inaudito spectaculo Bright ad loc Beda ad locum And therfore those Expositors read it Dilectum meum my Beloved who I thought only had loved and chosen me and should have been unknowne to any other Churches But I see no reason why the words should be only restrained to the Jewish Church nor why illa this should only be understood of the Church in generall whiles that which
is predicated of the subject is common to every particular soule as well as to the beleeving Church For every beleever leanes by faith upon the Lord Jesus and comes out of his particular wildernesses leaning upon him And therefore I rather agree with * Non solum vicinae gentes sed etiaÌ„ ipsi qui sunt in populo hanc mirantur sic ascendenteÌ„ ex deserto Luther Luther upon the place not only saith he the Neighbour Nations but those of the same Nation shall admire her comming out of the wildernesse In short I conceive the words have a Prosopopeia in them The Church or soule speaks them as if she should have said Methinks I fancie the world standing wondring at me how I can leane upon Christ in my wildernesseconditions and out of the saddest wildernesse how I can come up by the strength of Christ leaning upon him They will wonder at my glory and honour that Christ will priviledge such a worme as I am so as to lean upon him and that he will help me They will not understand how I can come leaning in the wildernesse they will say Who is this Christs power of Grace in me will be hidden to them and yet they will admire Who is this That comes up out of the wildernes Out of a sad low condition out of a lost rugged condition out of crosses trials afflictions inward or outward But I shall open this terme more hereafter Leaning Tremellius reads it associans associatura joyning or marrying or about to joyne or marry her selfe Vatablus Hierome and Lyra read it Deliciis â—ffluens flowing abounding with delights Beda and Brightman read it Innixa leaning upon her Beloved And so our Translation The quarrell betwixt these Expositors is not so great but I conceive it may easily be thus taken up 1. Leaning is a posture of familiarity And she that is so bold as to leane upon her Beloveds arme is surely lodged in her Beloveds heart and is associans marrying or associatura about to marry to her Beloved and 2. Leaning is a posture of love too She that leanes loves and surely she takes pleasure in her posture she takes delight in her Beloveds company Upon her Beloved Christ Jesus who loves her and having first loved her is now beloved of her He is called Her to denote her propriety in him Thus you have the sence of the former part of the Text. The Church or the beleeving soule fancies that the world seeing her keep her hold on Christ in saddest conditions and keep a close communion with Christ in the midst of briars and thorns in a barren heath and dry ground in the midst of trials would be ready either out of ignorance not knowing the power of grace that upheld and helpt and sustained her or else admiring her happy and glorious condition that in the wildernesse she had such a Beloved to leane upon or admiring the strangnesse of her constancy and patience that she would adhere to Christ at such a low ebbe would either by way of scoffing or admiring cry out Who is this that nothing will part from Christ Or Who is this that Jesus Christ will thus owne and uphold in saddest conditions Or Who is this What power is this that upholds this man or woman in such estates as every one else would bee lost in Who is this that commeth by the feet of faith and patience up out of these deep sad wildernes-straights and yet comes up with such a fixed temper of spirit with such a stayed mind and with such a stedfastnesse of reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ Who is this that commeth up Thus you have the former part opened It followes now in the Text. I raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee For the opening of these words and making my way cleare these two things must be resolved 1. Whose part of the Dialogue whose speech these words be 2. What the meaning of them is The first great question is whose part in this dialogue of love these are This is certaine they are either Christ's or the beleevers the opinions of men are divided about it Some think that the words are the continued speech of the Spouse their great reason is because the words both before it and after it are the Spouses Of this opinion are Gregory Aquinas Lyra Hierom yea and learned Mercer and M. Ainsworth There are some others that think they are the words of Jesus Christ minding the Spouse how he raised up his Church say some which I doe not deny so they doe not limit it to the body of beleevers collectively for my owne part I strongly incline to the latter viz. That the words are the words of Christ my reasons are 1. Partly because the 4 verse containes a phrase of speech with which she had twice closed a speech before viz. chap. 3. 5 6. chap. 5. 8. and partly because of the congruity which appeares to me in the sence thus The Spouse before had seemed to cast out words as if she had bin almost ashamed of Christs company and by her walking with him had made her selfe a laughing stock or a wondering stock to the world for so the phrase Who is this may also be taken to which Christ replies I raised thee c. as if he should have said and do I not deserve this and a great deale more too Remember but what I have done for thee I have raised thee up under the Apple-tree c. To which as overcome with love the soule replies v. 6. Set me as a seale c. As if she should say Truth indeed Lord thou hast done it O set me now as a seale upon thine arme as a seale upon thy heart c. A third reason is the incongruity of the sence if the word be taken as the words of the Spouse which will further appeare in the opening of the words The first question being resolved I come to the second To shew you what is the meaning of these words In doing of which 1. I shall shew you the opinion of others 2. I shall reject most of them shewing you reason why I doe so 3. I shall give you my owne opinion concerning the words and reasons for it Sort. 1 1. I will begin with such expositors as would have these words to be the Spouses words and these are either Papists or Protestants The popish expositions run together I say they that is the Spouse the beleeving soule raised thee awakened and applied thee under the apple-tree hanging upon the crosse Gregory saith that the apple-tree is procul dubio arbor sanctae crucis the tree of the holy Crosse Sort. 2 M. Ainsworth and Mercer carry it another way I saith M. Ainsworth that is the Spouse raised thee up by earnest prayer Psa 44. 24. Raised up Christ under the apple-tree the tree of free grace and life mentioned Chap. 2. 3. To this sence