God himselfe workes as like him as may be it is the glory of God to bee the first cause and last end and to worke from himselfe and for himselfe No creature can worke from it selfe but as it hath his principle from God so it workes for him giving him the glory as the first cause and last end and this is the great worship that God hath from his creature both in this world and eternally in heaven We speake much of honouring God and serving God and worshipping of him wee doe nothing except wee doe this God made the world that hee might have some creatures to worke thus to make him the highest and last end of all many who have excellent naturall parts are often busied about deeper things then other men but their spirits being corrupt not carried to God in that they doe they dive deepe but all comes to nothing are like children diving deepe in the water and bring up nothing but shels and gravell Now where the spirit is carried to God as the last end there first the beauty excellency glory of what ever it hath or doth is iudged according to the reference it hath to God It s true I have these mercies I do such and such things but is God honoured by all al things are as dead to this spirit where it sees not Gods Name lifted up and so the excellency and beauty of what others have or do if God is not honoured by them it lookes on them as dead things Secondly all it hath is or doth lies in an absolute subiection under God to bee at his dispose all things are absolutely subject to the last end Thirdly where God is aimed at as the highest end there Gods glory is willed infinitely no limits no bounds set to the desires or endeavours of the soule after it Fiftly thjs spirit hath other qualifications the spirits of the godly are glorious within As 1. it is an enlightned spirit the light of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ hath shined into it and transformed it into the same image Dan. 5. 11. They said he was a man in whom the spirit of the holy Gods was because light and understanding and wisdome was found in him surely the spirit of the living God is here for light understanding wisdome is found here this is the true light the light of life that hath a quickning power and influence of life in it There is a great difference between the light of the Sunne shining in a garden and the light of torches there is the influence of an inlivening power in the one not in the other such difference there is between the light in the spirits of wicked men and the light in the spirits of the godly it is the knowledge of the holy that is true understanding Prov. 9. 10. And a man of such understanding is of an excellent spirit indeed Prov. 17. 27. This is that which the Holy Ghost calls Spirituall understanding Col. 1. 9. to distinguish it from that understanding there is in naturall men they see into Spirituall things after another manner than other men they see the reality beauty excellency glory of them which are hidden from drossie vile spirits the Gospell is said to bee a mystery revealed to the Saints Col. 1. 26. The Law and Testimonies are sealed and bound up amongst the disciples Esay 2. 16. The Lord delights to reveale himselfe to men of excellent spirits who are onely fit to close with divine and spirituall truths As none can teach so as God teacheth Iob 30. 22. so none knowes the things of God so as the godly doe they behold them as with open face they walke on in the light of the face of God Psal 89. 15. their spirits elevated by such a light as is sutable to that light there is in God himselfe and that lustre of his Image that shines in the face of Iesus Christ but the spirit of the world is a spirit of darknesse even that light which is in them is darknesse Secondly it is a free spirit Psa 51. 12. Establish me with thy free Spirit and this freedome makes it indeed a true royall princely spirit for so the word signifies that is translated in that place a free spirit The words are Establish mee with thy royall princely spirit 1. A free disingaged spirit not entangled nor insnared with base earthly engagements like the spirits of the world but a spirit that is at liberty Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. How doe the engagements of worldly spirits miserably enthrall them that notwithstanding convictions of conscience notwithstanding much unquietnesse of their hearts in their way many checks secret wounds of spirit sinking damps and feares yet they cannot get off their hearts from those engagements they are so miserably so dangerously entangled in this is a woefull bondage Those who are godly can remember a time since their hearts were thus insnared but it was the blessed worke of the Lord to set them at liberty and now they have ease now sweer quiet and rest to their spirits 2. Free from the bondage of sinne not under the power and command of it it hath command over it selfe over its owne passions not in a base slavery to Satan not in servile subjection to men not brought under the power of any creature It was a notable free expression of two blessed Martyrs Surgius and Bacchus who were two great Courtiers being accused for Christians and commanded to offer unto the Idols they refused to goe to the Temple and gave this answer unto the Emperour Wee o Emperour are bound unto you onely in an earthly warfare you have no right over our soules God onely is the Lord of them It will not be forced to any thing that is base God leaves the body and estates of his servants to the power of men oft times but their spirits are free It is to base a disposition of a servant of GOD to plead necessity of sinning no creature can compell another to sinne Tertullia◠hath an excellent expression to this purpose The state of faith doth not admit the alledging a necessity of sinning in those to whom the onely necessity is not to offend 3. It 's free in regard of slavish feare it 's able to looke upon the face of God with ioy Iob 22. 6. Thou shalt have delight in the Almighty and shalt li 〈…〉 up thy face to God The Scripture speaks of a spirit of feare and a spirit of bondage from both which this spirit is set a liberty it can looke upon the power soveraignty justice holinesse of God and rejoyce in them glad that God is so holy and just and that it hath to deale with such a God It hath accesse to his presence with boldnesse and liberty of speech Ephes 3. 12. as the word signifies there It hath sweet and blessed freedome in the performance of holy duties
yet himselfe could bee contented to bee accounted an off-scouring for Christ the sublimity of his spirit was not a greater glory to him in the one than the humility of it was in the other Though a godly man minds high things above others yet can be well contented to be used in the meanest services for the good of others though he be raised above the world yet judges himselfe lesse than the least of the Saints Though he aimes at the highest pitch of godlinesse yet blesse God for and makes much of the least breathings of his Spirit and such a heart is pretious indeed in Gods eies this O Lord thou canst not despise Psa 51. 17. so the words are God can despise Kings and Emperours God can despise the glory and lustre of the world but a humble broken spirit the Lord cannot despise There is no object that God accounts worth the looking at in the world but such a one Esa 66. 2. To him will I looke sayes God The highest heavens and the lowest heart are the two places of Gods most glorious residence Seventhly it is a publike spirit enlarged for publike good not a narrow base straightned spirit Godlinesse doth mightily enlarge the heart of a man The Lord perswade Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Shem the words signifie The Lord enlarge the heart of Iaphet When a man is converted his heart is enlarged and it must needs bee so for now the spirit makes after the enjoyment of God an infinite universall good now it opens it selfe to receive and imbrace a God in whom it expects all good before it followed after some poore drops of good in the creature but now findes all is to bee enjoyed in God himselfe and being thus enlarged to receive an universal good it desires to enlarge it selfe as much as it can to be an universall good but that is proper to God yet a publike good it may be and therefore spreads it selfe as farre as it can Now it loves good as good not upon particular private grounds and therefore the more good the more beloved It mindes good as in reference to God and therefore where God may bee most honoured there the heart most sollicitous most industrious it is willing therefore to empty it self of it's private good that the publike may bee furthered If Nature will venture it 's own particular good for the generall as heavy things will ascend contrary to their natures to keep out vacuity and so to preserve the Universe much more then will Grace Every godly man one way or other according to the abilities he hath is a publike blessing to the place where hee lives The Saints of God are compared to a cloud Heb. 12. 1. the comparision is true in this respect a Cloud waters the earth as a common blessing so are they not as water-pots that water but a few spots of ground in a garden And this publikenesse of spirit is then right and truely gracious First when it is content to doe publike good where it selfe shall be taken little notice of as many times the Engine that doth all in great workes is inward hidden not taken notice of Secondly when he can bee glad that any publike good worke goes on and prospers though others bee used in it and not himselfe to the eclipsing of his light Thirdly when he is willing to be used in any service though but to prepare worke for others which they not hee shall have the glory of after he is gone As Luther writing to Melancthon encouraging him against the strong opposition that they met with in the cause of God God sayes hee is able to preserve his owne cause falling and to raise it fallen if we be not worthy let it be done by others Such a publike spirit as this is is an excellent spirit indeed Eighthly it is a sanctified spirit 1 Thess 4. 8 He hath made us partakers of his holy spirit Chap. 5 23. I pray God sanctisie you throughout your whole spirit and soule Sanctified that is 1 Not such a mixt spirit as the common spirit of the world hath not that mixture of filth and drosse in it but is pure purity consists in freedome from mixture with that which is of a baser nature if mixt with that which is of a superiour nature that doth not make the thing impure as when silver is mixed with gold but when it is mixed with lead or drosse The spirits of the godly are mixed with grace but that makes them more excellent and pure such mixture of spirituall excellency that is above the excellency of the soule their spirits close with but if there come any mixture with that which is base beneath the excellency of the spirit this defiles and this their spirits cannot close with but are sensible of the evill of it and never leave working till they have purged it out from them 2 Sanctified that is God hath set them apart for himselfe as Psal 4. 3. Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe and they have devoted dedicated and consecrated themselves to and for God they are spirits resigned given up to the Lord. 3 All the parts abilities common gifts of this Spirit are sanctified a higher excellency is put upon thē than they have in the spirits of other men weake naturall parts in these are more excellent than the strongest not sanctisied As the consecration of Wood and Leather and meane things put greater excellency upon them than Gold and Silver had that were not so consecrated yet the larger the naturall parts are of a sanctified spirit the more excellent it is 4 It is able to make a sanctified use of what it meddles withall of what it hath to deale in of all the workes and wayes of God it makes all to be holy to the Lord. Ninthly It is a true heroicall spirit none have such brave heroicall spirits as Gods servants have it is not discouraged by difficulties it wil set upon things a sluggish spirit thinks impossible it will goe through that which such a one thinks can never be it breaks through armies of difficulties that it might goe on in its way and accomplish its worke not discouraged as the sluggish spirit who cries out there is a Lyon in the way It is not the difficulty of the worke but the basenesse of our spirits that ordinarily hinders us in our way some difficulties that others count great hinderances it slights and contemns as reproach and scorne in the wayes of God it can contemn contemners and vilifie those who account the wayes of God as vile this the true spirit of Iesus Christ of whom it is said Hebr. 12. 2. He endured the Crosse and despised the shame the shame whereby others despised him was despised of him not accounting it a thing worthy for his spirit to be troubled at no more is a true godly spirit hindered in his way by this than
to the soule but how pleasant then is the fruit when it comes to ripenesse The more fully we follow on in Gods wayes the more full will the testimony of the witnesses both in heaven and earth bee in witnessing our blessed estate unto us Those three witnesses in heaven the Father Word and Holy Ghost and those three on earth the spirit water and the blood of which S. Iohn in his 1 Epistle 5. 7 8. they will all come with their full testimony to that soule which followes God fully By following the Lord fully wee keep our evidences cleare sinne blots and blurs our evidences that oftentimes wee cannot reade them but when the heart keeps close to God and walks fully with him then all is kept faire The Kingdome of God consists in righteousnesse peace and joy the more fully wee are brought into his Kingdome the more fully wee are under his government as there will bee the more righteousnesse so the more peace and joy Es 9. 7. Of the encrease of his government and peace there shall bee no end saith the Text. The more encrease there is of Christs government in the soule the more full it is the more peace will be there Seventhly there is great reason that wee should walke fully after the Lord because the way that God cals us to walke in is a most blessed and holy way In the 21. Revelation 21. verse The streets of Ierusalem that is the wayes of Gods people in his Church wherein they are to walke they are said to bee of pure gold and as it were transparent glasse they are golden wayes they are bright shining wayes Prov. 3. 17. The wayes of wisdome are the wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace There is not any one Command of God wherein hee would have us to follow him but it is very lovely there is much good in it God requires nothing of us but that which is most just and holy as God is holy in all his workes so he is holy in all his Commands they are no other but that which if our hearts were as they ought wee would choose to our selves A righteous man is a law to himselfe he sees that good that beauty that equity in all Gods Lawes as hee would choose them to himselfe were hee left at his owne liberty What one thing is there in Gods Law that could bee spared What is there that thou couldst bee glad to bee exempted from It may bee in the strength of temptation when some lust is up working the flesh would faine have some liberty but upon due serious thoughts looking into the bottome of things a gracious soule closeth with the Law and loveth it as gold yea fine gold and breakes for the longing it hath not to the reward of obedience to Gods Statutes and Judgements but to the Statutes and Judgements of God themselves as David saith his soule did Howsoever our path in following the Lord may seeme rugged and hard to the flesh in regard of the afflictions and troubles it meets withall in it yet where there is a spirituall eye the way of holinesse appeares to it exceeding lovely and beautifull Though David Psa 23. supposed the worst that might befall him in his way as that he might walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet he cals his way greene pastures and saith Godwill leade him by the still waters It is true the wayes of God are grievous to the wicked but very good and delightfull to the Saints because they are the wayes of holinesse as Esay 35. 8. And a high-way shall be there and it shall bee called the way of holinesse The uncleane shall not passe over it Eightly the consideration of the end of our way should bee a strong motive to draw our hearts fully after the Lord in it the entrance into it is sweet the midst of it more as before we have shewed but the end of it most sweet of all there is that comming that will fully recompence all Consider of the sweetnesse of the end of our way 1 In that period of it that will be at death and 2 In that glorious reward we shall have in heaven That sweet and blessed comfort that the full following of the Lord brings at death is enough to recompence all the trouble and hardship that wee meet withall in our way while we are following of him This hath caused many Saints of God to lie triumphing when they have been upon their death-beds blessing the Lord that ever they knew his wayes that euer he drew their hearts to follow after him in them When Hezekiah received the message of death Esay 38. 2 3 he turned his face to the wall and said Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezechiah wept sore O the sweetnesse that possessed the heart of Hezekiah which did flow from the testimony of his conscience that hee had fully walked after the Lord with a perfect heart the verbe there I have walked is in that Mood in the Originall that addes to the signification of it It signifies I have continually without ceasing walked Thus Luther who was a man whose spirit was exceeding full in his love unto and walking after the Lord Jesus Christ while hee lived and when hee came to die his spirit was as full of comfort and joy as before it was full of zeale and courage these expressions brake from him O my heavenly Father O God the Father of the Lord Iesus Christ the God of all comfort I give thee thanks that thou hast revealed thy Sonne Iesus Christ to mee whom I have beleeved whom I have professed whom I have loved whom I have honoured whom the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the rout of wicked men have persecuted and contemned and now I beseech thee O my Lord Iesus Christ receive my soule my heavenly Father although my body is to be laid downe yet I certainly know that I shall for ever remaine with thee neither can I by any be pulled out of thy hands The grace of Gods Spirit oftentimes appeares most in the glory of it when death approacheth because grace and glory is then about to meet That soule that hath followed God fully here when it comes to depart out of the body it onely changeth the place nor the company which was the speech of a late reverend holy Divine of ours a little before his death I shall change my place saith hee but not my company meaning that as he had conversed with God and followed after the Lord here in this World hee was now going to converse with him and to follow after him more fully in a better World Death to such a soule it is but Gods calling of it from the lower gallery of this World to the upper gallery of Heaven to walke with him there Here
THE EXCELLENCY OF A Gracious Spirit DELIVERED IN A TREATISE upon the 14. of Numbers Verse 24. By IER BURROUGHES Minister of Gods Word PROV 17. 27. A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman and L. Fawne at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1639. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE EDVVARD Viscount MANDEVILLE Right Honorable THere is a common slander that hath been raised and vile aspertion that hath been and still is cast upon the wayes of godlinesse That they dis-ennoble mens spirits which Salvian complained of eleven hundred yeares agoe Si quis ex nobilitate converti ad Deum coeperit statim honorem nobilitatis amittit o quantus in Christiano populo honor Christi est ubi Religio ignobilem facit That they make men rigid melancholy sowre uncivill That they dull their parts That they take them off from the delights of the things in the world That if men take up the power and strictnesse of them they must resolve never to keep any correspondence with their friends who are of rank and quality in the world and therefore although those who have little of the world and little to doe in the world may live strict lives yet it is not for such who are borne to great things whose fortunes are raised higher than other mens who have references to many of quality place it cannot be expected that they should bee so strict this must needs hinder them in their outward accomplishments if they begin to take such a course it is impossible they should be compleate every way as beseemes such as they are and thus many are compelled to be evill lest they should be esteemed vile as Salvian complaines of his time Mali coguntur esse ne viles habeātur a notable speech of his fully sutable to our times The first observance that I remember I had of this place in Salvian was from your Lordships ownhands shewing it to me in him as an expression that your Lordship was much affected with But these men do not consider how much they speak against themselves were this true it were a snare a judgement to be raised in outward excellencies above others No it is not honour they are not riches parts dignities that hinder godlinesse it is the basenesse and corruption of mens spirits in the enjoyment of these that hinders godlinesse raiseth the excellencies of them it drawes out the chiefe good in them and puts a higher beauty and glory upon them God hath raised up your Honor to convince the world of the falsenesse malice impiety there is in this evill report that is brought up upon the good and blessed wayes of godlinesse Malice it self cannot but acknowledge that godlinesse in the strictnesse of it naturall excellencies in the eminency of them have a blessed conjunction in your Honour Godlinesse as the enameling of Pearls in those golden naturall endowments with which God hath mercifully plentifully enriched you and were it but for this service only to God and his Church in convincing the world of the vilenesse of this slander I may speake without suspition of flattery happy that ever you were borne and I know that those who know your Lordship will justifie me in that I say In this God hath honored your Lordshipe exceedingly were there no other end for which you still live in such a generation as you doe but onely this yet in this you have great cause to blesse your selfe in God and in this great honour he hath put upon you to make you so publike and worthy an instrument of his Who is it that lookes upon you and sees your wayes but must needs confesse Now I see that strictnesse and power of Religion may stand with a most noble generous sweet amiable courteous demeanour I see it raiseth and ennobleth parts and though it banisheth base and sordid pleasures which are beneath the dignity of a man much more of ture Nobility and generousnesse yet it knowes how to make use of the delights that God affords in this world and orders and guides them so as by it they are injoyed with a double sweetnesse farre above that which others finde And yet further there are two more blessed conjuctures which adde much honour to you the one is a facile yeeldablenes of spirit to any though much inferiour in anything where good may bee done and yet a strong unmoveable sledfast resolute spirit against that which is evill It was the high commendation that Nazianzen gave of Athanasius that hee was Magnes Adamas A Loadstone in his sweet gentle drawing nature and yet an Adamant in his resolute slout carriage against those who were evill The other is this which makes all beautifull and lovely indeed though God hath raised you high in birth in abilities in the esteeme of men both good and bad yet the lustre of the humilitie of your spirit shines beautifully thorow all manifesting it selfe in much gentlenesse and meeknesse and this is the height of all true excellency A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit saith Salomon Prov. 17. 27. the word in the Originall is A coole spirit In also posito non altum sapere difficile est omnino inusitatum sed quanto inusitatius tanto gloriosius saith Bernard ep 42. The Lord carry on your truely noble and generous spirit that you may long hold forth the power beauty and excellency of his grace Let the height of all your designes be to list up the Name of the great God 2 Cor. 5. 9. We labour saith the Apostle whether present orabsent to bee accepted of him the word translated Labour loseth the elegancy of it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we love the honour of it it is such a labour as we account it our honour and glory We are ambitious to have high designes for God is a holy and a blessed ambition whereas the ambition of other men is low base Infoelix prorsus ambitio quae ambire magna non novit saith Bernard Account your selfe blessed when your God is blessed It was the blessing of Shem Gen. 9. 26. Blessed be the Lord God of Shem the chiefe of Shems blessing was that his Lord God was blessed That which I seeke is to ingage your Lordship for God and to stirr you up to answer fully the esteeme the expectations that men have of you whose eyes are upon you as a publike blessing an ornament to the prosession of the truth And yet this I desire your Lordship would consider as I know you doe that Religion is a greater honour and ornament to you than you are to it it doth and will more honour you than you ever did or can honor it s Your birth made you honourable but oh how honourable have you beene since you have beene pretious in Gods eyes Esay 43. 4. Your parts were alwayes hopefull but how apparently have they beene raised since grace hath sanctified
shew mee thy glory Hee must have more of God yet God grants him this also Verse 19. I will make all my goodnes passe before thee And so the Lord passes by him and proclaimes his great and glorious Name before him Hee shewes him so much of his glory as he was able to behold Surely Moses hath enough now No not yet Chap. 34. 9. God must pardon the sinne of his people too and take him and them for his inheritance Hee must have this fruit of Gods favour as a higher than all the rest See how as wee may so say with holy reverence he incroaches as it were upon God as one that could never have enough and yet this God liked exceeding well Here 's a spirit indeed that is not satisfied with meane and ordinary things In a spirituall sense the godly doe seeke great things for themselves and it is their glory so to doe God delights to have the spirits of his children thus raised he would not have them to bee of such sordid spirits as to minde no higher things than the base drudges of the world doe as a Prince or Noble-man delights to see the spirit of his childe raised to higher designes than the ordinary sort of men Fourthly a firme strong spirit Esay 11. 2. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of might First strong to resist strong temptations Secondly strong to overcome strong corruptions Thirdly strong to beare strong afflictions For the first it is not every temptation that can prevaile with these little things will draw weak childish spirits but such temptations as others know not how to resist these can stand before them and go on in their way without any alteration of spirit by them though they live in the middest of temptations yet they are able to keep thēselves unspotted like the three Children who walked in the fire and yet the smell of the fire came not upon them nor their garments or like the children of Israel walking on the dry land safely and the seas on each side of them they are ashamed to complaine of temptations to excuse themselves by their temptations for wherefore hath the worke of God beene so mighty upon their spirits but to strengthē them against temptations many temptations which others thinke to bee strong they scarce take notice of so farre are their spirts above them Luther was so farre above the sin of covetousnesse as he saith of himself he found no temptations to that sinne though his spirit was much pestred with temptations in other kindes The Devill will not set upon such with ordinary temptations hee knowes it is in vaine when he comes upon them it is with temptations of a higher nature of stronger efficacy as some mens bodies are of such strong constitutions as that which will work mightily upon others will not stirre them So it is with mens spirits the devill need not trouble himself much about many the poorest sleightest temptatiōs are enough to draw them to what hee would have yea and such who account themselves to be of brave of more than ordinary spirits too who can stand out strongly against GOD and his truth against the strongest arguments the drawing motives the powerfull perswasions of the Word they move them not at all but every poore temptation of the Devill drawes them any way they have no power to resist but are led as the Oxe to the slaughter and as the foole to the stocks The godly man is strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6. 10. Other men are strong in their lusts and in the power of them against the Lord and his truth Secondly they can overcome strong corruptions temptations from without have not such power as corruptions that are within yet when these rise up like a flood This spirit of the Lord in them sets up a standard against them Esay 59. 19. Yea by a contrary streame opposeth and overcomes them The more sutable any corruption is to the naturall disposition the more powerfully it hath heretofore prevailed the more strongly it would now put forth it selfe the more doth this spirit keepe it under above all others Every ordinary spirit can oppose and be able to resist some meane contemptible sinne which brings little pleasure or profit with it when sin is as it were weakned and benummned by afflictions then they can cast it off when the strength of it is abated for want of fewell for want of opportunities of acting for want of bodily strength to put it forth then they can leave their sinne as Simeon and Levi came upon the Sichemites when they were sore and overcame them so they can come upon their sinne in times of affliction and overcome it this they thinke to be repentance which is a mistake But this spirit can oppose sinne when it is in the vigour and strength and activity of it and overcome it then Let God put this Spirit into one who is yong strong whose bones are full of marrow who hath the world smile on him and may have opportunities to the full to enjoy his lust yet now he shall be able to overcome his corruption prevaile against the strongest lust As it is said of Moses Hebr. 11. 25. When he was of full years he then could deny himself and refnse the pleasures of the flesh The word in the Originall When he was great when he was growne up to ripenesse when he might have injoyed his pleasure to the full yet now he was able to overcome himself the world and this requires strength of spirit indeed Thirdly it is strong to bear strong afflictions as a strong bodyed man can indure cold and hard weather which others dare scarce put out their heads into such difference is there in the spirits of men in regard of their bearings of afflictions some are alwayes complaining murmuring whyning at every little affliction their hearts fret vexe and rage under it like some mens flesh if their skin be but razed with a pin it presently festers and rankles Iob 23. 2. He saith that his stroke was heavier than his groaning but these mens groanings are heavier then their strokes like rotten boughs of trees if a little waight be hung on them they presently break A little thing will break the spirits of these men a little thing will cause them to sinke and pine away and in a desperate sullennesse to make away themselves If thou faintest in adversity thy strength is small saith Solomon Prov. 24. 10. What poore things are they that many mens spirits are not able to beare Not a frowne from a great man not a conceit of the least disparagement that they suffer in any thing that is but a toy and trifle which a man of an excellent spirit would scorne to bestow a thought about the losse of a little money as I have read of one who hung himselfe onely upon a dreame that hee had that hee had
receive great things but are content in doing little they put off God with ordinary flight services but the spirits of the Saints are more generous than so if it were possible they would bee infinite in service to God they never thinke they have done enough for him I will yet praise thee more and more saith David Psal 71. 14. I will adde to thy praise so the words are in the Originall as if he should say God hath had some praise in the world already I would faine adde something for my part I would come in withmy share that he might have some more praise for mee and this not an ordinary praise but endeavoures to have the high praises of God in heart and mouth Psal 149. 6. desires to make the praise of God glorious Psal 66. 2. he would faine be eminent in good workes Tit. 3. 14. Let ours also learne to maintaine good workes the words are let them learn to be eminent in good works above others there is a holy ambition in them to get above others in godlines this is indeed to walk circumspectly that the Apostle exhorts to in the 5. Eph. 15. the word there translated Circūspectly signifies To get up to the top of godlines to perfect holinesse in the fear of God therefore he sets the highest pitch of the rule before him would not have the rule come down to him but indeavours to get up to the rule sets before him the highest examples he can he is not willing to offer that to God which cost him nothing but if any thing more choice more excellent better then others it shall be for God he loves to bee abundant in duty hee would not scant God to give onely that which he must of necessity but loves to bee fruitfull in all good works The reasonings of many mens spirits shewes much basenesse in them Why are wee bound to doe this is it absolutely necessary cannot a man bee saved except hee doe thus may not such a thing be lawfully done If thou hadst a raised generous spirit for God it were enough to thee that such a thing is good is commendable it may bee serviceable God may have glory by it I may do good by it and such a thing hath no excellency in it God shall have no glory by it This were enough to cause the soul greedily and delightfully to embrace the one and freely and strongly to reject the other A generous spirit strives to be abundant in doing good and leaves it selfe with God let God doe with him what seemes good in his eyes it doth not maintain jealous suspicious thoughts of God as if it were best to provide for it selfe and not dare to venture upon God Base unworthy spirits discover themselves much in this they will part with nothing but first will see what they shall have they must have present pay bee sure of it in the hand they are jealous and suspicious of every one they are conscious to themselves of basenesse this way and therefore look upon all others as if there were onely for themselves too but a generous spirit findes in it selfe a disposition ready to doe good to others though they can doe little for him yet if they need and he able he finds hee can freely and readily doe it and this makes him to venture upon others that they will likewise out of freedome and generousnesse bee helpfull to him if occasion if need serve though they should not receive recompence from him and therefore he is not ready to entertaine jealous suspicious thoughts as other baser spirits doe Thus in respect of God hee knowes God is infinitely good and blessed in himselfe and that he out of his own infinite goodnesse is ready to doe good and helpe those in want who are able to doe little againe in way of requitall but that he for his Names sake shewes mercy and loving-kindnesse to his poore creatures because Mercy pleases him and therfore he can venture himselfe upon God Base spirits as they are very jealous in regard of trust so they are very suspicious of love and thinke because themselves are conscious to themselves of unworthinesse and that they themselves love onely for their own ends therefore they think they cannot be truly beloved of others but so farre as they are usefull to them But one of a generous spirit knowes in himselfe that he can love others not onely because he receives good from them but that he may do good to them and therfore sees this to be infinitely more in God and therefore can relie upon Gods love in sense of his owne unworthinesse Though the Lord can receive no good from me yet he can doe good unto me and this I beleeve is the glorious excellency of the Lord and therefore my spirit shall not give way to suspicious thoughts of his love As David 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although sayes he my house bee not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although hee maketh not to grow And this is observable that it is said of him in Vers 1. that when he spake this hee was a man who was raised up on high It is true even in this sense that that expression of his in Verse 5. was an argument of a man whose spirit was truely raised on high and the rather doth a generous spirit abandon base jealous suspicious thoughts of Gods faithfulnesse and his love because it knowes in it self that it hath not such a vile disposition as to abuse this gracious blessed nature that it apprehends of God so as to bee the more secure and loose to give liberty to it selfe in any evill because of this Oh no God forbid this farre from a true generous spirit this the spirit of basenesse this a sordid disposition indeed that it loathes it abhorres the thought of it it findes in it selfe that the sight of this grace of God this blessed nature of God drawes it most sweetly to him to close with him to delight in him it is the strongest Motive to draw it up to holinesse yea To perfect holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. And therefore it casts out jealous suspicious thoughts of the goodnesse and love of the blessed God as fruits of basenesse of spirit Sixthly though sublime raised as before yet withal it is an humble broken and contrite spirit one who is poor in spirit this a blessed cōjunction indeed though it thinks it self too good for any lust yet not too good to be subject to the least Commandemēt though will not be under the power of any creature yet will lie flat and trembling under the least word of the Lord Esa 66. 2. Though not satisfied with meane things yet accounts it self lesse than the least of all Gods Mercies How sublime was Pauls spirit when hee accounted all things dung
life the more noble and excellent activenesse as sense more than the plants and the rationall life more than the sense and grace more than that and glory more than all the more spirituall the more active the more power the forme hath over the matter the more active the thing is and the more the forme is sunk as it were into the matter there the lesse activenesse as in the earth and all heavy bodies now where life is there the forme hath most power and the higher the life the greater the power Godly spirits therefore are not melancholy for melancholy makes dul but they are active and lively though they may bee heavy and sad if put to some imployment not sutable to their spirits but put them upon spirituall imployments and then you shall find them lively and active when they have to deale with God when drawing neare unto him in spirituall exercises then they are full of life they are fervent in spirit serving the Lord as Rom. 12. 11. Boyling in spirit so the word signifies when serving the Lord. The effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous availes much saith S. Iames 5. Chapter 16. verse The working prayer so the word signifies and such a working that notes the most liveliest activity that can bee Birds whose motion is on high fly swiftly when they are got up but slutter when they are below so the spirits of the godly when they are got up on high to God in spirituall exercises then they move lively but when they are busied in inferiour things they are oft-times dull and heavy Twelfthly the spirits of the godly are faithfull spirits faithfull to God and men such as will certainly stick to and will bee true to their principles you may know where to finde them if you know their principles which are sound good as before The righteous is as an everlasting foundation Prov. 10. 25. you may build upon him there is an evennesse in all his wayes a constancy an universality of truth and faithfulnesse for it proceeds from the holinesse of their spirits as the faithfulnesse of God proceeds from his holinesse and therfore those mercies that are called the sure mercies of David Esay 55. 3. they are called the holy sure things of David Acts 13. 34. Gods holinesse makes them sure being once promised There may bee a particular faithfulnesse in some things betweene man and man where but some common gifts and the spirit not this choice spirit but that faithfulnesse comes not from a holy frame and therefore there is not an universality in it These are the speciall qualifications of this other spirit these are the bright glistering Pearles with which a godly soule the Kings daughter the Spouse of Iesus Christ is beautifull within and enlightned free royall sublime humble sanctified publike heroicall serious active faithfull spirit this is another spirit indeed not the common ordinary spirit Sixtly another spirit it feeds upon other comforts differing from those that common spirits feed upon Every life draws to it things sutable to the nature of it and findes some kinde of content and comfort in the enjoyment of such things We account life no life except it hath the fillings of it with things sutable from whence it may have comfort according to the variety of severall principles whereby every creature that hath life lives such is the variety of comforts in the world So the life of this spirit must have comforts sutable to it and because it differs from the life of other spirits therefore the comforts of it are different it lives upon other comforts The life of a Dog is maintained by carrion of a Swine by swill of a Toade by poyson but what doth a man care for these though Carrion lie in the ditch though Swill bee in the kennell though poyson cast upon the dunghill he cares not for them for his life is maintained by and hee feeds upon other comforts Thus though the men of the world living by sense and lust have no other comforts to feed upon but such as are sutable to them but the godly having a life that hath higher and more noble principles they feed upon higher and more noble comforts While Nebuchadnezzar lived the life of a beast hee fed on grasse but after when he was restored to his Kingdome and began to live the life of a King he had other comforts to feed upon and delight himselfe in The joy of the spirits of the godly are like the light of the Sunne fed by heavenly influence but the joyes of other men are as the light of a Candle fed by base and stinking matter for so Solomon makes the comparison Prov. 4. 18. The righteous is as the Sunne that shines more and more unto the perfect day and the joyes of the wicked he compares to a Candle Prov. 24. 20. The Candle of the wicked shall be put out The men of the world have seduced spirits they seed upon ashes Esa 44. 20. The curse of the Serpent is upon them upon their bellies they goe dust they eate while they feed upon their Swill and Huskes the spirits of the Saints finde bread in their fathers house their comforts are inward A good man is satisfied from himselfe Prov. 13. 14. hee hath a spring within in his own brest he need not shark abroad Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 6. Godlinesse with selfe-sufficiency so the word signifies When Oecolampadius lay sick his friends askt him whether the light did not offend him hee clapt his hand on his brest and said Hic sat lucis Here is light enough this is soirituall comfort that which arises from a right frame of spirit Hence the word in Saint Iames chap. 5. 13 translated merry is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rectitude of the minde noting that all true mirth must come from the right frame of the minde As for other mirth I have said of laughter it is mad and of mirth What dost thou As when the humours of the body are all in a right temper there is a sweet sensitive delight in the body much more in the spirit when the faculties and the frame of it are in a right temper Spirituall comforts are such as are above the soule and therefore put an excellency upon it the comforts that are in things beneath the faculty cannot but bee meane and doe debase it How much beneath the excellency of the spirit of a man is the flesh of beasts the juyce of the Grape or any vaine sports or whatsoever may give content to the sensitive part but there are comforts that are above the soule spirituall heavenly divine things and these this spirit feeds upon they are comforts that the spirit rejoyces in before the Lord That a sweet and blessed joy indeed that is enjoyed before the Lord and when the Lord most present most enjoyed Other vaine sensuall spirits have joy but not before the
who know not wherein true worth and excellency consists Matth. 5. 12. Christ telling his Disciples how ill the world would use them he tels them they have as good use from it as the Prophets had before them How was Micaiah a man of a very sweet and excellent spirit contumeliously used hee was strucke on the mouth shut up in prison to be fed with water bread yea with the water and bread of affliction while 430 false Prophets most base spirited men were fed delicately at Iesabels table How was Ieremiah used hee was thrown into the dungeon stuck up almost to the eares in the myre the Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto him daily David before them a man in whom Gods soule delighted yet he complaines of himselfe that he was a reproach of men and despised of the people all that saw him laughed him to scorne they shot out the lip and shook their head at him Psal 22. 6 7. and Iob before him he was made a by-word of the people and as a Tabret unto them as he sayes of himselfe Chap. 17. 6. The same use had the blessed Apostles who were filled with the Spirit of God none more scorned persecuted cōtemned than they The most worthy and famous men in the Primitive times found no better use than these It were infinite to instance in particulars Ignatius Polycarpus Athanasius Chrysostome Basil and the rest reproached banished from their people persecuted and exceedingly contumeliously used In later times the more excellent the spirits of men were the worse use did they ever finde from the world Wee might instance in Wickliffe Hus Luther Zwinglius Musculus c. I cannot passe by that sad example of Musculus who was a man of as brave a spirit as any lived in his time and a very learned and godly man yet after he had much laboured in the work of the Lord in his publike Ministery was so ill used of the world that he was faine to get into a Weavers house and learne to weave that by it he might get himselfe and his family bread and within a while he was accounted unworthy of that preferment and was thrust out of the house by his Master the Weaver and then was forced to goe to the common ditch of the Town and worke with his spade to get his living Whose heart bleeds not to heare of these former examples and divers others men of most pretious spirits thus ill used by this unworthy world even such in whom Christ rejoyces that ever he shed his blood for them Esay 53. 11. such as hee will glory in before his Father and the blessed Angels yet thus are they abused by this wicked world The more eminently the spirit of Christ appeares in any the more is the rage of evill men against them As it is reported of Tygers that they rage when they smell the fragrancy of Spices the fragrancy of the Graces of Gods spirit in his people which are delightfull to God his Saints puts wicked men into a rage when as base spirited men have the world smile on them according to their hearts desire Oh the providence of God who suffers such indignities to bee offered to his most pretious and choice servants but by this meanes the excellency of their spirits appears in greater brightnes their graces shine in the more cleare lustre All Gods servants have his spirit in them but when any of them suffer reproach and ill use of the world then the Spirit of God and glory rests on them then the glorious Spirit of God is upon thē according to the promise of God unto them 1 Pèt. 4. 14. and they may in part perceive even while they are using them ill that they are men not of common not of ordinary spirits who are thus ill used by them they may see in that meeknesse that patience that humility selfe-denyall faith holy carriage requiting good for evill praying for doing all the good they can to those who use them worst that constancy spirituall chearfulnesse sweet contentednesse that holy boldnesse humble courage heavenly magnanimity that it is a wonder their conscience should not misgive them even while they are abusing of them that their conscience doth not tell them Surely these men we doe mistake in they are led by other principles than we know of they have something within that doth support them wee understand not It is a wonder men are not afraid to abuse them as they doe As Num. 1. 2. 8. The Lord said to Miriam and Aaron concerning Moses when they spoke against him Were you not afraid to speake against my servant Moses The words are very emphaticall in the Hebrew they are thus Were yee not afraid to speak against my servant against Moses Were hee onely my servant though he were not Moses were you not afraid but when my servant and Moses that is such an eminent servant of mine in whom so much of my Spirit appeared were you not afraid to speak against him Certainly the Lord will not alwayes suffer pretious choice-spirited men to be trampled under feet he lookes upō them in their lowest estate as his Jewels even while they are in the dirt but time wil come when he will make up his Jewels as Malac. 3. 17. and then there shall be seene a difference between the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not verse 18. God will owne the excellency of the spirits of his servants to be the Image of himselfe and what confusion will this be to the ungodly of the world when the Lord before men and Angels shall own that for the lustre and beauty of his owne excellency which they when time was made matter of their scorn objects of their hatred when God shall come to them as Gideon to Zeba and Zalmana Iudges 8. 18. What manner of men were they sayes Gideon to them whom ye slew at Tabor They answered As thou art so were they each one resembled the Children of a King Then hee said They were my brethren the sonnes of my mother as the Lord liveth if you had saved them alive I would not have slaine you but now he sayes to Iether his first borne Vp and slay them So shall God hereafter say to the men of the world What were those men and what did they whom yee so hated and abused what were they some vile-spirited men how did they carry themselves Your consciences shall be forced then to answer O Lord we must confesse They were those who kept themselves from the common pollutions of the world they lived strictly in their wayes they walked unblameable in their course they were very forward in the duties of the worship and service of God The Lord shall then answer What these men they were my Saints this was my holinesse my image my glory these were not common ordinary men these were my choice ones men pretious in my eyes separated
thou canst then sollow the work of Gods grace make much of such beginnings give up thy selfe to the power of them turne the motions of Gods Spirit into purposes and those purposes into endevours and those endevours into performances and seeke that those performances may bee established Wee doe not know what we lose when at any time we lose the stirrings of Gods Spirit in our hearts Who knowes but that thy eternall estate may depend upon those sparkes that hee is now kindling in theé It is a great wickednes to stifle the child in the wombe when it is new conceived and is it not a great wickednes to stifle those blessed motions that are conceived by the worke of the Holy Ghost And for a conclusion of this point let thy spirit be for ever restlesse untill thou feelest God graciously comming in unto thee let no mercie satisfie thee till God gives thee soule-mercies and blesses thee with his choice spirituall blessings such as are peculiar to those who are good in his eyes A GRACIOVS SPIRIT FOLLOWS GOD FVLLY The second Part. Numb 14. 24. And hath followed me fully him will I bring into the land wherein he went and his seed shall possesse it CAP. 1. 〈…〉 t is for a man to follow God fully THe second Doctrine follows which is this It is the high praise of servants that they follow God fully This is their coâ—mendation that they have their hearts come fully off in the wayes of obedience to fulfill the good will of the Lord this is that perfect heart which God so often calls for in Scripture and for which so many of Gods servants are commended in the Word as Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me saith God to Abraham and be thou perfect Deut. 18. 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God This Noah is commended for Gen. 6. 9. He was a just man and perfect in his generations so Iob Chap. 1. 1. He was perfect and upright The want of this was the staine and blot upon Salomon 1 King 11. 6. the Text there sayes he went not fully after the Lord as did David his father This likewise was the staine of the Church of Sardis Revel 3. 2. I have not found thy wayes perfect the woâ—ds are I have not found thy wayes 〈…〉 thou hast not filled up thy 〈…〉 following me somthing ind 〈…〉 ou hast done but thou hast not followed me fully To have a heart ful of goodnesse as S. Paul testifies of the Romanes Chap. 15. vers 14. and to have a life full of good workes as Acts 9. 33. is witnessed of Tabitha This is the excellencie of a godly man this is the true declaration of the excellencie of that spirit wherein this glory doth consist In this Argument we shall first shew what it is to follow God fully or what the frame of the spirit is in the following the Lord fully Secondly wherein the true excellencie of this lies Thirdly apply it For the first take this Caution premised When we speak of a fulnesse in following the Lord wee doe not mean a legall fulnesse such a fulnesse wherein there is no want or imperfection not to sinne is here onely our law in heaven it shall be our reward Buâ—â—here is a true following of the 〈…〉 that is even in this life to bâ—â—â—â—aâ—ned unto an Evangelicall fulnesse and that is the fulnesse that we are to speake of The Gospel requires perfection as well as the Law though in a different manner and this is First a fulnesse of all graces though not the degree of all graces yet the truth of every grace There is no grace wanting where this Evangelicall fulnesse is Secondly there is no want no not of any degree wherein the soule rests there is such a perfection as the soule takes no liberty to it selfe to faile in any thing Thirdly there are sincere aymes as in the sight of God to attain to the highest perfection the full measure of holinesse and Fourthly there is that uprightnesse of the soule as it doth not onely desire and endeavoure to attaine but doth indeed attaine to the truth of that I shall deliver First the heart is fully set and resolved for God there is fuln 〈…〉 of resolution so the Septuag 〈…〉 slates that place in Ioshuah 14. vers 8 where Caleb speakes of his following of God fully they turne it thus I decreed I determined to follow him The heart is fully taken off from shiftings from hankerings after other things from the ingagements that before it had from disputings reasonings for the wayes of the flesh it doth not hang betweene two as unsetled irresolved wavering but is truly and fully taken off and the resolutions are fully set upon and for the wayes of God Many have some coÌ„victions some stirrings some makings towards the wayes of God some approbation of them thinking with themselves it were well if wee could doe thus Surely they are the best men who can doe thus but still some ingagement holds them fast they have thoughts flitting up and downe they would and they would not they could like well were it not for this thing and that thing this inco 〈…〉 ience and the other trouble w 〈…〉 follow and so they delay and put off and think it may be they may hereafter doe better their good desires and inclinations they hope may serve turne for the present And thus they stand baffling with God and their owne soules they are as Seneca speakes of some alwayes about to live But this soule who fully followes God is fully broken off from former wayes the thoughts of it are come to a determinate issue it is resolved against them whatsoever becomes of it resolved to listen no more after the reasonings of flesh and blood as S. Paul sayes of himselfe Gal. 1. 15 16. that after it pleased God to call him by his grace and to reveale his Son in him immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood Many are a great while before they be thus fully taken off they are as Agrippa Acts 26. 28. almost perswaded to become Christians the truths of God doe move them but not throughly perswade them they strive with them but dâ— not throughly vanquish them The â—pirit of God leaves some in the very birth that there is never strength to bring forth but it is a most blessed thing when the heart comes off kindly and fully now it is not so ready to raise objections against the wayes of God nor to hearken to objections raised by others as it was before When the fire is fully kindled there is little smoke at the first the smoke rises thicke that we can see no fire The reason of so many arguings and objections of the flesh is because the heart is not fully taken off Tertullian hath a notable expression to this purpose How wise an Arguer sayes he doth the pride of man seeme to it selfe when it is
all rationall men approve of and if God would require a man to follow him in no other duties but these it were fine but there are some others that will make him to be observed some in which if he followes the Lord hee shall be reckoned amongst such kind of men of whose number hee doth not like to bee accounted one hee knowes they are discountenanced and despised and this hee cannot beare and therefore those are duties hee hath no minde unto and then thinketh with himselfe Why may not my obedience in other things serve the turne 3 And yet further one that is willing to follow God fully in all duties hee will follow him in those where he sees no reason but the â—are command of God it is enough to him that they are commanded of God it is not for the Lord to give account of his wayes to his creatures it is enough for us that hee bids us follow him absolute obedience is that which is our dutie there is alwayes reason enough in Gods will but whether we see it or see it not if we can but see the Commandement it is enough for us we take too much upon us to dispute about the reason of things with God wee must not be Judges of the Law but doers of it Saul could see no reason why he might not spare the best of the cattle especially when he did it to keep them for sacrifice but it cost him his Kingdome God rejected him for it and told him Obedience was better than sacrifice Luther saith He had rather obey than work miracles And Cassianus reports of one Iohannes Abbas who when hee was young was willing for a whole yeare together to fetch water every day neare two miles to water a drie sticke because hee was commanded so to doe hee thought it reason enough to doe things unreasonable to shew his obedience unto man whose will is many times unreasonable how much more reason is there then that we should shew our obedience to God in duties where through our weaknesse we cannot see the reason when we may be sure that there is alwayes reason enough if we were able to see it Fourthly and yet further the soule that is willing to follow God in all duties wil follow him in Commandements that are accounted little Commandements God expects faithfulnesse in little things God prizes every tittle of his Law more worth than heaven and earth howsoever wee may sleight many things in it and think them too small to put any great bond upon us Christ saith that Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jot or tittle of his Word As if he should say If Heaven and earth were in one ballance and any jot or tittle of my Word in another and if one of them must needs perish I had rather that Heaven and earth should perish than that one jot or tittle of my Word should faile The Authority of Heaven puts weight on things that are never so little in themselves If mans authority doe this how much more Divine Man cannot beare disobedience in little things though the things be very small in themselves yet if commanded by Authority it is justly expected that they should be much regarded Shall mans authority make small things to be accounted great and shall Gods Authority doe nothing Obedience in small things is due to Magistrates much more to God Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Matth 22. 21. It is observable in that place the Article is twice repeated in the Greeke Text when hee speaks of God more than when he speakes of Caesar shewing that our especiall care should be to give God his due Fiftly and lastly not to instance in more particulars the soule that followes God fully in all duties is willing to follow him in duties wherein it must go alone it is willing to follow God in folitary paths Many men were it that they might have company in the way in following the Lord they would be content but to go all alone in such solitary wayes wherein they can see none goe before them wherein they can have none along with them few or none are like to follow after them this is tedious But a childe of God thinkes he hath enough in that he hath God with him that he walkes along with God this is company enough let the way be what it will be As David Psal 23. 4. Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet thou art with me God promises that he will goe before his people that is enough though there be none else It is true company in Gods wayes is delightfull and it is a sad thing that there is so little a tract in Gods paths It was the complaint of Gods people Lam. 1. 4. that the wayes of Sion did mourne because none came in them But if company cannot be had it is enough we have the Lord. 2 Tim. 4. 16. At my first answer saith S. Paul no man stood with me but all men forsook me notwithstanding the Lord stood with me Elijah thought he was left alone he could see no man goe that way hee did yet he continues in his fervour and zeale following the Lord. Indeed we should the rather follow the Lord because we see so few follow him What shall he have none to follow him as Christ said to his Disciples when many forsook him Will you also forsake me Thus you see by these severall instances in difficult duties in discountenanced duties in duties wherein we can see no reason but a bare command in duties that seeme to be small and little and in duties wherein if we follow God we must follow him alone that the soule that followes God fully will follow him in these and so by the same reason in all other duties that God shall require to follow him in And this is that pretious choice spirit we spake of before which shewes it in this that it is thus willing to follow God fully You know it is requir'd of us to be perfect as God himself is perfect to bee holy as God is holy yea this the Gospell requires of us but how can that be Yes thus Gods perfection and holinesse is made known to us in his will in his Commandements now look how large they are set forth to us in these so large must our obedience be though we cannot attaine to the degree yet our hearts must inlarge theÌ„selves to the things to what ever part of Gods will God makes knowne his perfection and holinesse by Thy Commandement is very broad saith David yet godlinesse inlargeth the heart to every duty it cals for there is a grace within the soule sutable to every duty the law requires It may be this is indeed may some thinke in those who are eminent in grace upon whom God hath bestowed a great measure of his Spirit but is this in
every one that hath any truth Wherefore for answer let us know there is this perfection or else there is no truth at all onely remember I doe not speake now of the perfection of degrees in this cōsists the right straightnes of a mans heart A straight line wil touch with another straight line in every point but a crooked line wil not it toucheth but only here there in some so straight hearts will joyne with Gods law in every part but crooked and perverse hearts onely in some onely so farre as may serve their owne turnes In this consists the true plainnesse of a mans spirit you know plaine things will joyne likewise in every point one with another but round and rugged things will not so proud sowlne hearts and rugged spirits will not close fully with Gods truths but where there is plainnesse of spirit there is a full closing a thorow union There is a great dangerous mistake about this point which yet is a generall mistake multitudes of people miscarry everlastingly upon this mistake they think because we cannot in this life attain to the perfection of holinesse in the degrees therefore there is no perfection at all necessary but that they may be saved without it they think therfore that if they do some good things if they obey some Commandements it is sufficient though they take liberty to themselves in other things they finde they can yeeld in something yet other things of Gods will are exceedingly unsutable unto thē Be convinced of your mistake herein a godly man indeed is weak and cannot attain to the performance of every part of Gods will but the frame of his heart is to every part every part is sutable to his spirit He esteemes all the Precepts of God concerning all things to be right and he hates every false way He findes the Law of God in the latitude of it written in his heart there is no command of God that is not dearer to him than all the world Marke that place in Iob Chap. 8. verse 20. God will not cast away the perfect man neither will he helpe the evill doers The perfect man is opposed to the evill doers who shall be cast away If you be not perfect in this sense that hath been spoken of then you are an evill doer who must be cast away how glorious soever many of your actions may seeme to be That place in Ezechiel Chap. 18. verse 21. that is usually taken for the place of the greatest mercy in all the Scripture by many is exceedingly abused yet see what that requires of men in their repentance the words are usually taken up thus At what time soever a sinner repents him of his sin I will blot out all his iniquities saith the Lord. There are not those very words in any place of Scripture but there are to the like effect which are in this place of Ezechiel And in no other place is Gods mercy to a sinner more fully revealed There is no Text in Scripture comes nearer to that which men ordinarily take up than that verse and the 27. 28. verses in the same Chapter and see what of Gods mind wee have made knowne there the words of the Scripture are thus If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all mystatutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live and againe Verse 28. Because he considereth and turnes from all his transgressions Thus you see that God in the largest promises of his mercy to those who have the least measure of grace he requires the turning from all sinnes and the keeping of all his Statutes and this God brings to shew the infinite equity of his wayes towards sinners As if he should say Except this be no mans conscience in the world but must acknowledge it to bee infinitely just and equall that he should perish everlastingly if there bee any way of wickednesse reserved if any statute of mine bee neglected if he thinks to have mercy without an universall turning from his sin without an universall obedience his conscience will tell him that it is an unequall and unreasonable thing that hee should ever expect it And yet further because you think that this universalitie of obedience should be expected only from some who are eminent in grace who have attained to a great measure of godlinesse consider what is required of poore widdowes 1 Tim. 5. 10. They must diligently follow every good work First they must not onely have good desires but good works Secondly they must follow good works Thirdly they must diligently follow them Fourthly they must diligently follow every good work And fifthly they must so follow as they must be well reported of for it Yea sixthly they must doe all this or els they must not be received into the Church Surely then it is a shame for any man especially of parts and abilities to plead weaknesse when so much is required of poore women certainly it is not weaknes but falsenesse of heart that is contrary to universalitie of obedience to the following of the Lord fully in this respect The Vessell of honour is distinguished from the vessel of dishonour 2 Tim. 2. 21. by this Character that it is one that is sanctified and prepared for every good worke You know what S. Iames saith Chap. 1. verse 26. If any man seeme to be religious and bridle not his tongue but deceives his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine It is an heavie censure that all a mans religion is in vain for one fault and that but for a fault in the tongue and yet this is the censure of the Holy Ghost No question such men who were guilty herein would reason thus with themselves We cannot be perfect in this life we doe performe many duties of religion therefore we hope though we faile in this one thing that yet we shall doe well enough God will accept of us No saith S. Iames hee deceives his owne heart such a one shall never be accepted To the like effect is that of our Saviour Iohn 5. 44. How can you beleeve on me which receive honour one of another This was enough to keep thē off for ever from Christ and yet this was but an inward sin no outward grosse crying sin in the esteem of the world Let a man be never so glorious in never so many duties of Religion yet certainly the giving liberty to himselfe in any one lust is enough to keepe him off for ever from God from partaking of good in him As if a wife be never so officious to her husband yeelding to him in never so many things seeking to give him content in his desires never so many wayes yet if she entertaines any other lover besides himselfe it is enough to alienate his spirit from her for ever That which God sayes to Salomon 1 King 9. 4. is very observable to our purpose After Salomon had finished
that glorious Temple for the honour of the Lord after he had assembled all the Elders of Israel all the heads of the Tribes the chiefe of the Fathers of the children of Israel to bring up the Arke of the Lord with all solemnitie to that Temple he had made for it after hee had made such an excellent prayer before all the people and when that was done that hee might shew his further respect unto the Lord he offered to the Lord two and twentie thousand Oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheepe and in his rejoycing in this great worke hee made a great feast to the people seven dayes and to them he added seven dayes more and sent away the people with joyfull and glad hearts Here were great things done in honour to God yet all this would not serve Salomons turne but Chap. 9. 4. After all this God sayes to him If thou wilâ— walke before mee as David thy father walked in integrity of heart and uprightnesse to doe according to all that I have commanded thee then I will establish the Throne of thy Kingdome As if hee should have said Doe not thinke to put me off with any thing thou hast done though the things be great things yet I expect walking according to all that I have commanded thee or else all is nothing And therefore as before you heard he was charged by God Chap. 11. 6. that hee did not goe fully after the Lord One would have thought those glorious actions that he did had been enough to have got him the commendation of going fully after God but we see it would not be there must bee besides these a walking according to all that God commands a keeping his Statutes and his judgements yea and that is observable that wee have in the 6. verse of this 9. Chapter where God sayes after all this That if you shall at all turne from following me you or your children c. then will I cut off Israel Wee must take heed of the least failing in our following the Lord. God threatens Salomon after he had done so much that if hee did at all turne from following him hee would cut him off It is not our forwardnesse in some good things it is not our serviceablenes in some publike and worthy employments that will serve our turnes if we make not conscience of every duty of secret duties and that constantly God hath so connexed the duties of his Law one to another that if so be there be not a conscionable care to walke according to all it is accounted as the breach of all according to that of S. Iames Chap. 2. 10. Whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all The bond of all is broken the authority of all is slighted and that evill disposition that causeth a man to venture upon the breach of one might the breach of others serve for his own ends as well as that it would make him venture upon the breach of any To draw to a conclusion of this Argument let us know that if the heart be right it is willing to be cast into the mould of the Word to receive whatsoever print the Word will put upon it to be in whatsoever forme the Word will have it as Metals that are cast into a mould they receive the print of the mould print for print in every part and this is the heart that doth indeed follow God fully This is S. Pauls expression Rom. 6. 17. You have obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine unto which you were delivered so the words are in the Originall The forme of doctrin is compared to the Mould the sincere obeyers from the heart are compared to the Metal delivered into this Mould which takes impression from it in one part as well as in another No sincere obedience from the heart no true following of God fully without this I have beene the larger in this particular because the mistake is so generall and dangerous 5 Then doth the heart fully follow after the Lord when it is indeed willing to search fully into every truth that yet it doth not fully know with a readinesse to lie under the power of it Such a man is not afraid of any truth of God lest it should put him upon that he hath no mind to as Ahab was afraid to enquire of Michaiah what the mind of God was because hee was never wont to prophecie good unto him but that man who followes the Lord fully doth alwayes account the word of the Lord to be good to him as Mic. 2. 7. Doe not my words doe good to him that walkes uprightly Hee saith to the Lord as Elihu Iob 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou mee if I have done iniquitiy I will doe no more Lord that which I know not doe thou teach me and wherein I have failed I shall conscionably endeavour to reforme Oh! let the Word of God bee glorified for ever whatsoever becomes of mee let it come in the full latitude of it my soule shall yeeld to it my heart is prepared to submit to whatsoever truth God shall make knowne to me I remember I have read in one of the Epistles written to Oecolampadius of a notable expression of one Baldassar a Minister in Germany writing to him Let the word of the Lord come let it come saith he and wee will submit to it if wee had many hundred neckes to put under This is a degree further then the other for there are many who dare not goe against knowne truths for then conscience would fly in their faces but there are some truths which they are afraid to know which they are secretly willing to put off lest they should come to know them which is an argumeÌ„t that their hearts are not fully after the Lord when men are not convinced of many truths not because there is not light enough to convince them but because they are not willing to bee convinced they strive to keepe out the power of the truth from their hearts they are not willing that such truths that are not for their turnes should come into their judgements they seeke to shift them off when the truth stands and pleads for entrance they seeke one shift or other to put it off withall Heb. 12. 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh The words are See that yee shift not him off that speaketh In the propriety of that word as it is in the Originall we have thus much signified to us Christ in his truths comes to aske entrance and we must â—ake heed that wee doe not put him off And if the truth have got into our judgement wee must take heed we doe not strive to get conscience off from it and if conscience hath closed with it take heed wee strive nor to get it out of conscience again and then think it a sufficient plea to satisfie our selves and others
if David should have said I am resolved to walke before thee in a perfect way and yet I have not thy gracious presence with mee oh when wilt thou come unto mee but still whatsoever becomes of mee I am determined to continue walking within my house with a perfect heart The like place we have Psal 119. 8. I will keepe thy statutes oh forsake me not utterly As if he should have said O Lord thou hast in some degree forsaken mee thou seemest as if thou wouldest forsake mee yet Lord I am determined that I will keep thy Statutes Thus the upright heart resolves Though I should perish everlastingly yet I will perish following the Lord and if I cannot follow him I will cry after him and if I cannot cry after him I will look towards him yea though he appears to bee angry yet will I follow him as â—ob Though hee kils me yet will I trust in him Though there be much guiltinesse upon the spirit so that the devill and an unbeleeving sullen heart would much discourage from following after the Lord yet still it will not leave off but it labours to encourage it selfe as Samuel did the people 1 Sam. 12. 20 21. Samuel said unto the people Feare not ye have done all this wickednesse yet turne not aside from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your heart and turne you not aside for then should you goe after vaine things which cannot prosit nor deliver for they are vain Thus the soule that followes the Lord reasons with it selfe Though it is true I have sinned mine iniquities are great God may justly be provoked and for ever reject me yet I will not turne aside from following him I know there is no good to be got els-where though I be unworthy of mercy yet God is worthy of honour and therefore what ever I can doe I will that God may have honour though I perish yea this soule though it receives many a repulse yet still it will follow As the woman of Canaan though Christ called her Dogge yet she leaves not off she acknowledgeth her selfe to be a Dog yet still she seekes Yea though God seems to go crosse wayes quite contrary to that the soule expected yet still this soul will follow him even in those wayes As when the Lord called Abraham to follow him into a Land that should flow with milke and honey Gen. 12. 1. Abraham was content to leave his owne countrey his fathers house his kindred and all his friends and notwithstanding as soone as he came into that Land he found there was a famine in the land Verse 10. so that he was forced to get into Egypt and that with the perill of his life or else he must have starved Flesh and blood would have murmured much at this and have said What is this that Land that God said hee would shew me is this that fruitfull Land for which I must leave my Country and all my friends and now as soone as I come into it I am ready to starve in it and yet Abraham followed God still in all the wayes he was pleased to lead him in Againe when God promised to multiply his Seed as the Starres of heaven yet for twenty yeares after this Sarah was barren God seemed to neglect his promise and after when he had a childe in whom all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed yet this Child Abraham must kill And here God seemes to goe crosse to his Promise yet Abraham followes God still One who followes God fully indeed lookes up to the goodnesse of God in himselfe and in his Promise not to it as it appeares to sense hee sees more good in the Promise then in all the things in the world though hee sees nothing though hee seeles nothing in himselfe nor in any creature for the present and what worke hee followes the Lord in hee will not leave imperfect he will not give over till hee sees something come of it if he followes God for a broken heart he will pray and meditate and pray and meditate again and again if it were a thousand times and a thousand times over again till the worke comes to some effect And so for power over a corruption and strength in any grace where there is truth of grace there will bee working like fire that never leaves working till it breakes forth and gets the victory Hence that place of our Saviour Matth. 12. 20. where hee sayes hee will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised Reed till hee send forth Judgement into victory If wee observe the place of the Prophet from whence this is taken which is Esay 42. 3 the words are He shall bring forth judgement unto truth noting that wheresoever there is truth there will bee victory Christ will nourish the smoaking flaxe that is the least worke of grace till Judgement that is this worke of sanctification bee brought into victory and overcome what opposeth it If hee brings any beginnings of grace to truth the victory is already gotten It is reported of Master Bradford that he would never leave off when hee was in holy duties till hee found something comming in as in confession of sinne till hee found his heart melt and breake for sinne in seeking pardon till hee found some quieting of his spirit in some intimation from God of his love and so for grace till hee found his heart warmed and quickned It is an excellent thing indeed to resolve to follow the Lord in duty howsoever though nothing should come in by it to our selves but yet the heart that is right will never be satisfied in the performance of a duty till it finde some manifestation of Gods presence in it some worke of God put forth upon it by it it will not rest in duty performed it is not satisfied in good inclinations in good desires it hath nor in gifts it receives nor in comforts it findes in the creature nor in enlargements and more inward joyes but it must have grace and God it must have some impression of God upon it to carry with it as a Seale of that presence of God it did enjoy in the dutie it so strives with the Lord as it resolves not to let him goe till it hath got a blessing It is a very full expression that S. Bernard hath to this purpose in two or three words Oh what a mercy were it continually to enjoy that which he saith Oh Lord saith he I never goe away from thee without thee he meanes he never leaves off duty till hee gets the presence of God and so carries the Lord along with him Oh how often doe we goe from God without God! we thinke it enough that we have beene before him in holy duties though indeed we still abide strangers to him he to us How often doth God send us empty away from his presence which we should account a sore and grievous affliction But
yeares after this promise was made there were but seventy soules that came out of Abrahams loynes namely when Iacob went down into Egypt which if we compute the time wee shall find to bee just two hundred and fifteene yeares for Abraham was seventy and five yeares old when the promise was made hee was an hundred yeares old when Isaac was borne Isaac was forty yeares old before he married and hee continued twenty yeares without a child and Iacob was one hundred and thirty yeares old when he went into Egypt so that the time fals to bee just two hundred and fifteene yeares which was just halfe the time from the promise till the people of Israels comming out of Egypt which S. Paul saith Gal. 3. 17. was foure hundred and thirty years Now observe that whereas God halfe this time did but little for Abraham in the fulfilling of this his promise yet because Abraham followed him fully ventured himselfe wholly upon the faithfulnesse of the Lord see how fully God came in with his mercy at the last for in the second two hundred and fifteen yeares hee so encreased his seed that from seventy soules they were growne up to bee sixe hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty Num. 1. 45 46. and these onely from twenty yeares old and upward such men as were able to goe to warre there was thus many of these besides all children and women which it is like were far the greater number yea and the Tribe of Levy was not numbered amongst this number there were two and twenty thousand and upwards of them besides Thus you see how fully God comes in at the last in his mercy and making good his word of promise to such who follow him fully Be you as full as you can in following the Lord the Lord will bee as full towards you in doing good unto you Gods mercy shall be every as full as your obedience can bee 2 Sam. 22. 26. with the upright thou wilt shew thy selfe uprigh The words are in the Originall With the strong and perfect thou wilt shew thy selfe strong and perfect God will goe on strongly to his perfection of mercy towards them who doe goe on strongly in their perfection of obedience towards him Psal 11. 7. The Lord loveth righteousnesse and his countenance doth behold the upright The words translated word for word are thus The Lord loveth righteousnesses and his faces shall behold the upright Righteousnesses that is when all the duties of righteousnesse are together And his faces shall behold that is all the severall kindes and manners of the blessed comfortable manifestations of his love the upright shall have The great difficulties thou meetest with in Gods wayes if thou beest not discouraged but goest thorow them they shall turne to thy greatest comforts As Caleb who was not discouraged by the Anakims those great Gyants and the strong places they lived in which so much discouraged the rest Therefore Hebron the place of the Gyants was given unto him for a possession Iosuah 14. 12 13 14 and 15 verses God certainly will remember the kindnesse of those who are willing to follow him through the wildernesse of difficulties and discouragements Ierem. 2. 2. You who doe thus shall die without staine without any blur which few doe your memories shall be sweet and blessed when you are dead and gone You shall have an entrance ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. This is promised not onely to those that are godly but abound in it as verse 8. They shall be as a ship comming gloriously into the Haven with full saile Thus S. Paul 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. with much confidence and full assurance concludes That seeing hee had fought the good fight and finished his course and kept the faith henceforth there was laid up for him a crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous Iudge should give him at that day hee challengeth it upon the righteousnesse of God When the soules of these who have followed God fully are to enter into heaven the everlasting doores shall stand wide open for them as when great men come to a house the great gates are set open for their entrance and in Heaven oh how full a reward shall there be there for them as 2 Ep. Ioh. 8. vers There is fulnesse of joy at Gods right hand Psalme 16. ult So full as shall bee more than can enter into them they must enter into it because it cannot enter into them there they shall not taste of joy and happinesse but shall bee filled up with them This Christ encouraged his Disciples withall Luke 22. 28 29. Yee are they which have continued with mee in my temptations and I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto mee With this S. Paul encouraged himselfe in all his afflictions hee met withall while hee was following the Lord 2 Cor. 4. ver 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding eternall waight of glory First it is glory and this word alone implies that there is exceeding much in it but further it is a waight of glory yea an eternall waight of glory and more than that an exceeding eternall waight of glory as if yet it were not exprest fully enough hee addes further a farte more exceeding eternall waight of glory and what expression can bee fuller than this This was that likewise that incouraged Moses in his full following the Lord forsaking the pleasures the riches the treasures of Egypt that hee migh follow the Lord fully For hee had saith the Text a respect unto the recompence of reward Hebrewes 11. 26. And you whose hearts and wayes are fully after the Lord have the more cause to rejoyce in this your blessednesse because it it is the blessednesse but of a few Iniquity shall abound saith Christ and the love of many shall waxe cold but hee that endures to the end shall bee saved It is but a hee in the singular number that endures to the end Let these encouragements then fill your hearts with joy and your spirits with renewed resolutions and vigour to fill up your course let them fill your sailes that you may goe on with strength and prosper and be for ever blessed in your way I conclude this Vse with that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 7. 1. Seeing we have these promises these incouragements let us labour to perfect our holinesse in the feare of God And thus I passe to the last Vse which is of Exhortation CAP. V. An Exhortation to follow the Lord fully NOw the Lord carry our hearts fully after himselfe As the two blinde men Matth. 20. vers last as soone as their eyes were opened they followed Christ so were our eyes opened wee would certainly follow after the Lord were they fully opened our hearts would follow fully Many of you have some convictions
Verse to set forth the earnestnesse and fulnesse of the spirit of Idolaters towards their Idols Where have we five such expressions together to set out the fulnesse of the worke of mens spirits in following after the Lord It was said of Ahab that hee sold himselfe to work wickednesse what a fulnesse of spirit was there in him in doing wickednesse Ier. 23. 10. It is said there of the people that their course was evill and their force was not right That vis that strength and force that was in their spirits was not right it was not after God but after the wayes of sinne How many difficulties will men passe thorow for their lusts what cost will they bee at how great things will they suffer nothing is so deare unto them but they will be content to part with it for and bestow it upon their Idols How soon did the people Exodus 32. break off their golden Ear-rings from their Eares to make an Idoll withall and shall not then our hearts and lives bee more fully after the blessed God Wee see wicked men sticke close to their wicked principles they are bold they will not bee daunted they will goe thorow with the worke they have begun what ever come of it should not wee much more stick to our principles should not wee much more bee undaunted in our way and goe thorow with our worke I remember I haue read a passage in Saint Cyprian how he brings in the devil triumphing over Christ in this manner As for my followers I never dyed for them as Christ did for his I never promised them so great reward as Christ hath done to his and yet I have more followers than hee and they doe more for mee than his doth for him O let the thought of our giving the devil occasion thus to triumph over Christ in our slacknesse and negligence in following after him cause shame and confusion to cover our faces and yet to put on this Argument a little more close It may bee you your selves heretofore have followed sinne fully your hearts have beene strong after evill and your lives have beene fruitfull in it it may bee you have beene forward in putting forth your selves ring-leaders in that which was evill not onely stout and perverse your selves but maintainers encouragers of much evill in others you gave up yours members your estates and what you had to the service of sin much time was spent much sleepe broke in plotting and contriving wickednesse much paines taken in the execution of it and now your hearts and wayes seeme to bee for God and is a poore sleight scant dead-hearted service sufficient for him Oh bee ashamed and confounded in thy thoughts let Conscience judge betweene God and his Creature Doest thou thus requite the Lord is this thy kindnesse to him Is there not infinite reason that as you have yeelded your members servāts to uncleannes to iniquity unto iniquity even so you now should yeeld your members servants to righteousnesse unto holinesse Rom. 6. 19. Marke the opposition there there are three to 's in the expression of the service to sinne To uncleannesse To iniquitie Vnto iniquitie but in the service of God there are onely two To righteousnes Vnto holines It is true in this life there will never be that fulnesse of spirit in following after God as there was in following after sinne because there was nothing but sinne in the soule before no other streame to abate it but now there is somthing else besides grace a streame of corruption to oppose it but yet wee should bee ashamed that there should be such a difference the thought of it should cause a dejection of heart within us and we should judge it infinitely equall reasonable that we should indeavour to the utmost wee are able to follow God as fully now as ever wee followed sinne before Saint Paul Acts 26. 11. confesseth that in his former way he was madd in the persecution of Gods servants and when God turned the streame others judged him as mad in the other way 2 Corinth 5. 13. For whether we bee besides our selves it is to God the love of Christ constraineth us And hence we may observe that the same word that signifies to persecute he useth to set out his earnest pressing towards the Marke Phil. 3. 14. I presse towards the Marke for the price of the high calling of God The word that is there translated presse towards it is this same that signifies to persecute because the earnestnesse of his spirit in pressing towards the marke now is the same that it was in his persecution of those that pressed towards the marke before Sixthly the more fully we follow God the more full shall our present peace and joy and soule satisfying contentment be Psal 119. 130. The entrance of thy words giveth light the beginning of following God is sweet and good but the further wee doe goe on the more sweet we shall finde as they who walked toward Sion Psalm 84. 7. They went from strength to strength so they who walke after the Lord they goe from peace to peace from joy to joy frō one degree of comfort unto another for if the entrance into our way be so good and sweet what will it bee when wee come into the midst of it Prov. 8. 20. I lead in the way of righteousnesse in the midst of the pathes of judgement marke what followes there verse 21. That I might cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures Then doth the soule inherit substance indeed then are the treasures of it filled when wisedome leades it not onely in the way of righteousnesse but in the midst of the paths of judgement The way of the just is compared to the shining of the light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. The further hee goes on his way the more light hee hath the more glorious shine is upon him Psal 36. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied and they shall drinke of the River of pleasures Who are those that shal be thus abundantly satisfied and shall have this River of pleasures they are verse 10. the upright in heart That soule that walkes on before the Lord in the uprightnesse of it shall not want satisfaction shall not want pleasure Psal 119. 165. Great peace have they which love thy law It is more to love Gods law thē to do the thing that is commanded in it That soule which doth not onely submit to the Law but loves it will be abundant in duty for love is bountifull great peace hath such a soule that thus loves Gods Law Every good motion in the soule is as the budd of the Lord and that is beautifull and glorious but how excellent and glorious is the fruit of it then the good beginnings which are as the budding of the Pomegranate and the putting forth of the tender Vine are delightfull to God and
mans spirit strengthens it against the impressions that sensitive objects use to leave upon soft and weake spirits Most men have their spirits formed and fashioned according to sensitive objects it is not what they apprehend in abstract notions that works upon them let them bee what they will yet when they have to deale with sensitive things the sweetnesse desireablenesse glory of them works the most powerfully their hearts are altered according to the impression that they leave upon them and this is great weaknesse and an effeminate softnesse of spirit Hence the word translated Effeminate 1 Cor. 6. 9. signifies soft-spirited men This distēper in the spirit is like that in the flesh when it is corrupted with the dropsie the flesh is soft and if you put your finger to it the impression of your finger sticks in it and pits the flesh so the impression of sensitive objects sticks in distempered weake soft spirits as it was in the other Spies who were sent with Caleb and Ioshuah the terrible things they saw in the land stucke mightily in their hearts they brought with them the impressiō of them fastened in their spirits hence Numb 13. 33. according to the translation of the Greek Translators it is They brought the feare of the land with them But this choicenesse of spirit that was in Caleb and is in those who are truely godly keepeth from this and there must bee this firmnesse in the spirit of a man or else it will never cary him after the Lord fully 2 Sam. 22. 26. With the upright thou wilt shew thy selfe upright the word translated upright signifies strong and perfect There is required strength and that more than ordinary too to cary on the soule to perfection Thus you see what there is in this choice spirit that caries it on fully after the Lord Now there must of necessity be this or else this full following of the Lord will never be nothing else will doe it And that 1 Because the wayes of God are supernaturall and therefore there must bee something in the spirit of a man which is supernaturall that must reach to them this which is supernaturall in the spirits of godly men wee see it in the effects and we know it is above reason and all naturall principles whatsoever But what is is very hard to expresse and therefore men of parts in the World are madde to think that any should imagine that those who are of weaker parts than themselves should have any thing in them to carry them on in other wayes than they walke in which they doe not understand because they doe not know what that same thing is which is called supernaturall they will rather think it a conceit and phansie than any reall excellency because they can apprehend other things better than others they thinke why should they not apprehend this better than others if there were any reall excellencie in it 2 The wayes of God are not only above nature but contrary to nature and therefore there must bee needs some speciall choycenesse of spirit to carry a man on in them there must bee a contrary streame to over-power the streame of nature and this streame must be fed by some living fountaine or else there will never bee a holding out In following after the Lord all naturall abilities and common grace will doe no more but stop the streame of corrupt nature they cannot so overpower it as to carry the soule another way but the worke of grace in this choicenesse of spirit will doe it 3 The streame of times and examples of men are exceeding strong and it is not a little matter that will carry on the soule against them The dead fish is carried down the streame though the winde serves to blow it up all naturall abilities of the soule will no more helpe a man against the streame of examples than the winde can carry the dead fish up the stream but if there were life put into the fish it were able then to move against the winde and streame too 4 There are so many strong alluring temptations where in the wiles subtilties depths of Satan are very powerfull to draw the heart away from God that except there bee some speciall worke of Gods grace to give wisdome to discerne the deceits of sin to make the soule spiritually subtill to find out the cunning devices of Satan and to discerne the danger of them the soule most certainly could never hold on in the way of its following after the Lord. 5 There are so many troubles oppositions that it meets withall in this way that most certainly would drive it out were it not for some choyce Worke of Gods grace in it but this choycenesse of spirit will carry a man through all them It is Gods promise Esay 59. 19. That when the enemy shall come in like a floud the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him We made use of this Scripture before for opposition of strong corruptions but it is true here now for the resisting of strong spirituall enemies of strong oppositions when they come in like a floud against the soule to carry it out of Gods wayes the Spirit of God in it doth lift up a standard against them were it not for this it could not hold It is this good and sound constitution of the soule that makes it endure those oppositions that it meets withall An aguish heat may bee greater than that which ariseth from a good constitution but it is not able to resist cold so there may be a naturall violence in a mans spirit for a while in the profession of Religion which may seeme to be zeale but not arising from the good constitution of the soule when troubles come it vanishes giving no strength at all 6 There are so many scandals and reproaches that rise against the ways of God so many aspersions that are cast upon them that if a man hath not more than an ordinary spirit hee most certainly will be offended Blessed are they that are not offended in mee saith Christ It is a great blessing when there fals out scandals and when we see grievous aspersions cast upon Gods wayes yet not to be offended there needs be some more than ordinary light to discover to a man the certainty of that good there is in the ways of God he had need be sure of his principles and know in whom he hath beleeved 7 Yea God many times hides himselfe from his servants while they are following after him and this oftentimes proves the sorest temptation of all and a greater discouragement then all the rest for as for oppositions scandals reproaches these are things they make account of and can often lightly passe them over but when God hides his face this puts them at a stand now they are in the dark and know not what to doe Christ was not much troubled at the reproaches of men at the oppositions hee met withall