Angels could not reach this This Redemption and Cleansing was precious and would have ceased for ever But this Blood is the Ransome this Blood cleanseth and so perfectly that it shall not appear not only to mens eyes but also Gods peircing Eye Sinners quite your own righteousness why defile ye your selves more When your eyes are opened ye will find it so here is washing apply your selves to this Fountain And if ye do indeed so if ye expect cleansing from Jesus Christ I pray you return not to the puddle Ye are not washen from sin to sin more and defile your self more If ye think ye have liberty to do so ye have no part in this Blood SERMON XI Isai 1. 16. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil c. THere are two evils in sin one is the Nature of it another the Fruit and sad Effect of it In it self it is filthiness and contrair to Gods Holiness and abasing of the immortal soul a spot in the face of the Lord of the Creatures that hath far debased him under them all Though it be so unnatural to us yet it is now in our fallen estate become as it were natural so that men agree with it as if it were sunk and drunk into the very soul of man The other is the guilt and desert of punishment and obligation to it All man hate this but they cannot hold it off They eat the Tree and Fruit of Death they must eat Death also They must have the wages of sin who have wrought for it Now the Gospel hath found a remedy for lost man in Jesus Christ He comes in the Gospel with a twofold blessing a twofold vertue a pardoning vertue and a sanctifying vertue VVater and Blood 1 Jo. 5. 6. He comes to forgive sin and to subdue sin To remove the guilt of it and then the self of it Gods appointment had inseparably joyned them And Christ came not to dissolve the Law but to establish it If he had taken away the punishment and left the sin in its being he had weakened the Law and the Prophets That conjunction of sin and wrath which is both by divine appointment and suitable also unto their own natures must stand that Divine Justice may be intire And therefore he that comes to redeem us from the curse of the Law hath also this Commission to redeem from sin and all transgressions of the Law Rom. 11. 26. and Gal. 3. 13. He that turns away the wrath of God from men turns also ungodliness from them which provoked his wrath And so he is a compleat Redeemer and a compleat Redeemer he had not been otherwayes If he had removed Wrath only and left us under the bondage of sin it had not been half redemption he that commits sin is the servant of sin But this is perfect freedom and liberty to be made free from sin for it was sin that subjected us to wrath and so was the first Tyrant and the greatest The Gospel then comes with a joyful sound unto you but many of you mistake it and apprehends it to be a Doctrine of Liberty and Peace and that unto sin But if it were so it were no joyful sound If there were proclaimed a liberty to all men to do as they list no punishment no wrath to be feared I would think that Doctrine no glade news it were but the perpetuating of the bondage of a reasonable soul But this is glade news a delivery and freedom proclaimed in the Gospel but what Not unto sin but from sin and this is to be free indeed We ought more to Jesus Christ for this then for redemption from Wrath because sin is a greater evil then wrath Yea wrath were not so if sin were not Therefore he exhorts to wash and wash so that they may make clean Take Jesus Christ for Justification and Sanctification imploy both the Water and the Blood that he hath come with But because all men pretend a willingness to have Christ their Saviour and their sins pardoned through his Blood who notwithstanding hate to be reformed and would seek no more of Christ Therefore he branches out that part of the Exhortation in several particulars All men have a general likeing of remission of sins but renouncing of it is to many a hard Doctrine they would be glade that God put their evils out of his sight by passing them by and forgetting them But they will not be at the pains of putting away their evils from his sight And therefore the Gospel which comprehends these two united is not really received by many who pretend to be followers of it This is his Command that ye believe Some pretend to obey this and yet hath no regard of that other part of his Will even their Sanctification And therefore their Faith is dead it is a fancy If ye did indeed believe and receive Christ for pardon of sin it were noâ— possible but your Souls would be ingaged and constrained to indeavour to walk in all well-pleasing But it is an evident token of one that is not washed from his sin and believes not in Christ if he conceive within his heart a greater latitude and liberty to walk after the flesh and be imboldened to continue in sin because of his Grace and Mercy And yet such are the most part of you Upon what ground do ye delay repentance Upon what presumption do ye continue in your sins and puts over the serious study of holiness till a more fit time Is it not from an apprehension of the Grace and Mercy of God that ye think ye may return any time and be accepted and so ye may in the mean time take as much pleasure in sin as ye can seing ye may get leave also for Gods Mercy I pray you consider that you have never apprehended Gods Mercy aright ye are yet in your sins and certainly as yet are not washed from them Put away the evil c. When the Spirit convinces a Soul he convinces a man not only of evil doings but of the evil of his doings Not only of sin but of the sinfulness of sin And not only of those actions which are in themselves sinful but also of the iniquity of Holy things I think no man will come to wash in Christs Blood till this be discovered If he see much wickedness many evil doings yet he will labour to wash away these by his own tears and repentance and well doing As long as he hath any good Actions as Prayers Fasting and such like he will cover his evil doings by them He will spread the skirts of such righteousness over his uncleannesse and when he hath hid it from his own eyes he apprehends that he hath hid it from Gods also He will wash his bloody hands with many Prayers and thinks they may be clean enough We see blasphemers of Gods Name use to joyn a prayer for forgivenesse
his hope he hath no reason to change his hope The Lord hath often done things we looked not for but we never looked for any thing according to the grounds of the word but it was done or a better then it He doth not always answer our limitations but if he give Gold when we sought Silver are we not answered Are we disappoynted There are three things that use most to disquiet and toss mens spirits sin and wrath future events and present calamities Faith establisheth the Soul on God in all these and suffereth it not to be driven to and fro with these winds It finds a harbour and refuge in God from all these If he be pursued by the avenger of blood Gods Wrath and Justice here is an open City of Refuge that he may run to and be safe If iniquities compass me about yet I will not fear but oppose unto that great company the many sufferings and obedience of Jesus Christ My coâ—science challengeth and writteth bitter things against me yet I have an answer in that blood that speaketh better things nor Abels If sinns prevail he will purge them away His Mercy is above all my â—â—n and his Vertue and Power is above my sin He hath promised and will he not do it Oftimes mens Souls are perplexed and tossed about future Events careful for to morrow this is a great torment of spirit it cutteth and divideth it putteth a man to his own providence as if there were no God But he that trusteth in God is established in this his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he hath commited his Soul to him and why may he not his body He hath nothing but his promise for eternal Salvation and may not that same suffice for temporal He careth for me saith Faith why then should we both care about one thing He hath given his Son for me the most precious gift which the world cannot match and will he not with him give all these lesser things And thus the Believer incloseth himself within the fathers love and providence and iâ— fixed not fearing evil tidings For what tydings can be evil seing our Father hath the Soveraign disposing of all Affairs and knoweth what is best for us Present dispensations often shake men and driveth them to and fro their feet slip and are not established thou bid thy face and I was troubled But if you trusted in God and considered what is in him to oppose to all difficulties and calamities you would say I shall not be moved though the floods lift up their voice If you believed his love would not this sweetten all his dealing He maketh all work together for good Soveraignty Righteousness and Mercy are sure and firm ground to stand upon in all storms You may cast Anchor at any of those and ly secure It is the Lord let him do what be pleaseth This was enough to quiet the saints in old times Should he give account of his matters to us Sball the clay say to the potter why is it thus His absolute right by Creation maketh him beyond all exception do what he please But beside this he is pleased and condescendeth to reason with us and give account of his matters to testify to our Conscience that he is righteous in all his ways It was the ground of Jeremiahs setling Lam. 3. It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed It should have allayed and stayed Job know this thou art punished lesse then thy iniquities deserve who will set a time to plead with him Shall any be found righteous before him And this might stop all mens mouths and put them in the dust to keep silence seing he hath Law to do infinitely more then he doth why should not we rather proclaim his Clemency then argue him so very hard If to both those you shall add the consideration of his Mercy that all his pathâ— are Mercy and Truth unto you even when he correcteth most severely so that you may blesse him as well for Rods as for Meat and Cloathing and count your self blessed when you are taught by the Rod and the Word the one speaking to the other aâ— the other sealing its instruction If you believâ— that it were a fruit of his Love He chasteneth â—very son whom he loveth that because he will nâ— let you depart from him will not let you settâ— upon a present world and forget your Countreâ— above therefore he compasseth you about witâ— Hedges of Thorns to keep in your way And therefore he maketh this world bitter and unpleasant that you may have no continuing City If all this were believed would not the soul triumph with Paul What can separat me from thâ— love of God not past things for all my sins are blotted out and shall be remembered no more not present things for they work to good and are a fruit of his Love not things to come for that is to come which shall more declare his love then what is past Would not a Soul sleep securely within the compass of this Power this Love and Faithfulness of God without fear of dashing or sinking Now judge whither a perfect peace may not flow from all this may it not be a perfect calm when the Mountains that inviron go up to Heaven Not only doth the Soul trust in God but God keepeth the trusting Soul in peace He is the creator of peace and the preservator of it I creat peace I keep him in peace The same power and vertue is required to the preserving of a thing and the first beeing of it Our Faith and Hope in God is too weak an Anchor to abide all storms Our cords would break our hands faint and weary but he is the everlasting God who failâ—â—â— not and â—â—arieth not he holdeth an invisible grip of us we are kept by his power to salvation and we are kept by his power in peace Thy right band holdeth me saith David and this helpeth me to pursue thee What maketh believers inexpugnable impregnable is it their strength No indeed but salvation will God appoynt for walls and bulwarks Almighty Power is a strong wall though invisible this power worketh in us and about us Now Believers pity the world about you that knoweth not this peace when they ly secure and cry peace peace Alas they are a City open without walls as the plain field there is no keeper there nothing to hold off destruction Entertain your own peace do not grieve the Spirit who hath sealed it If you return to folly after he hath spoken peace to you I perswade you you shall not maintain this peace there may be peace with God but no peace in thy Conscience as long as the whoredoms of thy heart are to the fore Thou may be secure but security is worse then fear Know this that continuing in a course of sin entertaining any known sin shall trouble thy peace If God have spoken peace to thee thou shalt not lodge that enemy
needeth not hinder his praise And the discovery of grace in them needeth not marr your shamâ— God hath most glory when we have most shame these two grow in just proportion so much is taken from God as is given to the creature Thirdly we would also press you from this ground to long much to be clothed upon with immortality to put off the filthy raggs of time and earth-righteousness and to be clothed upon with the white robs of the righteousness of the Saints As you would dwell near the fountain here and be still washing your garments and offering all your sacrifices in him who sanctifieth all so would you pant and thirst for this spotless garmeâ—t of glory Glory is nothing but perfect holiness holiness washen and made clean in the Lambs blood your rags are for the prison and for so journing when you come to your fathers house your raiment shall be changed Therefore Christians every one of you aspire higher sit not down in attainments forget what is behind and presse forward let perfect holinesse be in your eye and purpose sit not behind it All our time-duties have much filthinesse long for the pure stream that waters the City above Grace is not in its native place it is corrupted and mixed here Heaven is the own Element of it and there is grace without mixture Undervalue all your performances till you be above where that which is in part shall be done away where no unclean thing entereth Fourthly This likewise holdeth out to you a continual necessity of washing You must take up house beside the fountain opened in the house of David and never look on any piece of inherent righteousnesse but see a necessity of dipping it in the Lambs blood And therefore should you pray alwayes in Christs Name that the prayer which of it self would be cast as dung on our face may have a sweet favour from hiâ— Cover your holinesse with Christs righteousneâ— and make mention of it only SERMON XVII Isaiah 64. 6. And we all do fade us â— leaf and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away HEre they joyn the punishment with the deserving cause their uncleanness and their iniquities and so take it upon them and subscribeth to the righteousnesse of Gods dealing We would say this much in general First No body needeth to quarrel God for his dealing he will alwayes be justified when he is judged If the Lord deal more sharply with you then with others you may judge there is a difference between your condition and theirs as well as in the Lords dispensation even as this people do vers 5. 6. It is a strange saying Lam. 3. 31. The Lord doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men That is as we conceive the Lord hath not such pleasure in trampling on men as he might do on the dust of his feet Though he be absolute soveraign Lord of the Creature and men be but as the dust of his feet and he may do with his own what he pleaseth and none ask What dost thou Yet the Lord useth not to walk according to his own absoluteness he hath another ordinary rule whereby he worketh a rule of justice and equity especially in the punishing of men he useth not to â—fflict men for his pleasure as tyrants use to destroy their people The Lord exerceth his soveraignty another way and if he be absolute and illimited in any thing it is in shewing mercy oâ— men But in judgement there may be still some reason gotten for it in the creature beside the will of God So that to speak with reverence of his Majesty stroaks are often drawn out of his hands he getteth so much provocation ere he strike and holdeth off so long threatneth and giveth warning thus before stroaks as if it were against his will to lay on as if his heart werâ— broken with us Secondly if men knew themselves and their own sinfulness they would not challenge God with unrighteousness but put their mouth iâ— the dust and keep silence And it is from thiâ— ground that this people do not charge God Sin is of such infinit desert and merit because against infinite Majesty that God cannot go beyond it in punishment And therefore Jeremiah when he is wading out of the deep waters of sore temptation and sad discouragement he pitcheth and casteth Anchor at this solid ground It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed Lam. 3. 22. What do I mean thus to charge God as if he dealt rigorously No no It is his mercy that a remnant is left our stroaks are not pure justice our cup is mixed mercy is the greatest part what ever is behind utter destruction whatever is below the desert of sin which is hell and damnation all this must be reckoned up to mercy That I am yet alive and so may have hope this is mercy For why should a living man complain vers 39 That a rod is come to awake â— out of security this is mercy for we might haâ— slept to death And this wholsome counsel gâ— Job of his friends to stay his murmuring an grudging at Gods dispensations Job 11. 6. Whâ— dost thou complain Job Know but thy sins an there shall be no room for complaint look bâ— unto Gods secrets of wisdom and his Law aâ— see it is double to what you have known yoâ— obligation is infinit more then you thougâ— upon and then how great and numberless muâ— iniquities be Know therefore saith Zophâ— God exacteth of thee less then thine iniquitiâ— deserve God exacteth not according to Law he craveth not according to the obligation bâ— bids write down fifty in his bill of affliction when an hundred are written in our bill of deserving So then complain not it is merâ— that life is saved Are you men and liviâ— men wonder at this and wonder not thâ— you are not wealthy are not honourable seinâ— you are sinners All that came on Jerusaleâ— maketh not Ezra think God out of boundâ— Chap. 9. 13. As we are less then the least oâ— Gods mercies and all our goodness deserveth none of them so is the least sin greater then the greatest of all his judgements and deserveth still more Nay if there were no more but original corruption common to men and the filthiness that accompanieth mens good actions yeâ— is God righteous in punishing severely and this people acknowledge it so You use to enquire what sin hath such a man done when so terrible judgements come on Nay enquire no more he is a sinner and it is mercy there is not more and it is strange mercy that it is not so with you also You use to speak foolishly when Gods hand is upon you I hope I have my punishment here I hope to suffer here for my sins Poor souls if God make you suffer for sins it will be another matter though now your punishment be above your strength and patience yet it is below your sin As sin
your prayers a delight be upright in the thing you seek and see that you intertain no known sin give it no heart allowance Thirdly There are many prayers not heard not known because the mouth outcryeth the heart It is the sacrifice of the contrite heart that God despiseth not The prayers of this people were such Isai 29. 13. They drew near with the mouth but the heaâ—t was far away It is worship in spirit and truth that God loveth Joh 4. 23. Since Prayer is a communion of God with the Creature a meeting of one with God and speaking face to face God who is a Spirit and immortal must have a spirit to meet with a soul to speak to him Now do you not find your hearts gading abroad even in duty Is it not most about your Corns and Lands in the time of solemn worship Therefore God getteth no more but a carcasse to keep communion with He may have as much fellowship with the stones of the wall and timber of the house as he can have with your ears and mouths while you remove your hearts to attend other things And I would say more if your mind be present yet your heart is gone sometimes yea often both are gone abroad Sometimes the mind and thought stayeth but the affection and heart is not with it and so the minds residence is not constant Your thought may come in as a wayfaring man but tarrieth not all night dwelleth not Now speak to it even Christians may not your Prayers often have a contrary interpretation to what they pretend You pray so coldrifely and formally as God will interpret you have no mind to it we ask as we seemed indifferent whether our petition be granted or not Should the Lord be affected with your petitions when you your selves are not affected much Should his bowels of zeal sound within him when yours are silent It is fervent prayer availeth much Isai 5. 16. A heart sent out with the petition and gone up to Heaven cannot but bring back an answer If Prayer carry not the seal of the heart and soul in it God cannot own it or send it back with his seal of acceptation Fourthly Many Prayers are not calling on Gods Name And no wonder that when people pray yet the Spirit say None calleth on thy Name for Prayer is made as to an unknown God and God is not taken up according to his Name which are his glorious Attributes whereby he manifesteth himself in his Word To call on Gods Name is so to pray to God as to take him up as he hath revealed himself And what is the Lords Name Hear himself speak to Moses Exod. 33. 19. and 34. 6 7. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty Now to call on this Name is for the soul in Prayer to have a suitable stamp on it every Attribute of God taking deep impression in the heart And so Gods Name to be written on the very petitions And shortly we may say the Spirit should have the impression of Gods greatnesse and Majesty of his goodnesse and mercy of his terriblenesse and justice This is the order that God proclaimeth his Name into In the entry the supplicant should behold the glorious Soveraignty and infinite distance between God and the Creature that he may have the stamp of reverence and abasement upon his spirit and may speak out of the dust as it becometh the dust of the ballance and footstool to do to him who sitteth on the circle of the Heaven as his Throne And this I must say there is little Religion and Godlinesse among us because every man is ignorant of God Even Gods children do more study themselves and their condition then Gods greatnesse and absolutenesse Who searches Gods infinitnesse in his Word and Works till he behold a wonder and be drowned in a mystery O but the Saints of old did take up God at a greater distance from the Creatures they waded far into this boundlesse Ocean of Gods Majesty till they were over head and ears and werâ— forced to cry out Who can find out the Almighty to perfection All these are but parts of him his back-parts There is more real Divinity and knowledge of God in one of Jobs friends discourses one of Davids prayerâ— then now in twenty Sermons of gracious men or many prayers or conferences of Saints But withal you must study his goodnesse and mercy and this maketh up the most part of his Name The definition of God hath most of this so that it may be said truly that mercy is his delight mercy as it were swelleth over the rest God were not accessible unlesse mercy did temper it Behold then greatnesse to humble and goodness to make bold that you may have accesse As greatness should leave the stamp of reverence on your petitions so should mercy and goodnesse imprint them with faith and confidence And that the rather because as Christ is said to be the Fathers Face and tâ— image of his Person 2 Cor. 4. 6. and Heb. 1. â— So may he be called the Fathers Name and â— doth God himself call him Exod. 23. 20 21. Tâ— Angel that went before them in the wilderness wâ—â— voice they ought to obey his Name is in him aâ— this Angel is Christ Jesus Acts 7. 37 38. â— then Christ Jesus is Gods Name God as â— revealeth himself in the Word is God in Châ— reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5. â— And therefore Christians you ought to prâ— alwayes in Christs Name and this is to call â— his Name Not only encourage your selves â— come to God because of a Mediator becaâ— he is God in Christ but also offer up all yoâ— prayers in Jesus his Name that his Name caâ—led on them may sanctifie them otherwise yoâ— affection at prayers cannot be acceptable â— God for he loveth nothing but what comâ— thorow the Son Prayer must have an evil sâ—vour when it is not put in the Golden Censâ— that this Angel hath to offâ—r up incense with tâ— prayers of the Saints And likewise you woâ— know Gods justice and wrath that you mâ— serve in fear and trembling And when treâ—bling is joyned with the rejoycing of faith thâ— is acceptable service You ought to fear to â—fend his holiness while you are before him Lâ— Gods terribleness have a deep impression â— your spirit both to make sin bitter and to maâ— mercy more sweet Thus should Prayer asceâ— with the seal of Gods Attributes and then is a calling on his Name Now is there any câ—ling on his Name among us Who maketh â—udy to take up God in his glorious Names â—herefore you call not on a known God and â—nnot name him Now all of you take this â—le to judge your prayers by Think you not â—at you make many prayers You both think and
whole But so also his work of providence is perfect Divine wisdom hath framed and contrived all and it cannot be better If any thing seem imperfect in it self yet it is perfect in relation to his glorious ends he directs it unto and so would we look on all the works among us â—f any thing seemed a spot and disgrace of the creation certainly the sin of men and Angels Nay but even that is so ordered by his holy soveraignty that in relation to his Majesty it may be called a perfect work If ye do but consider what a glorious high Throne he hath erected to himself for justice and judgement to be the habitation of it and mercy and truth to go before it upon the ruins of defaced man what a Theater of Justice he hath erected upon the Angels falls ye would call it as perfect a work as is in the world His work is one in the world subordinate to one great design of manifesting his own glorious justice and mercy omnipotency and wisdom Now what do ye see of it but parcels though ye comprehend all your time in one thought yet certainly ye cannot judge it aright for it is but one work that all the several buildings and castings down all the several dispensations of his providence from the beginning to the end make up and when we think upon these disjoyned limit our consideration within the bounds of our own time can we rightly apprehend it Nay which is worse we use to have no more within the compasse of our thought but some present thing and how much more do we err then What beauty what perfection can such a small part have But it s present to him who beholds with a glance all these parts though succeeding in many generations he sees it altogether joyns the end with the beginning sees the first mould the first foundation-stone and the last compleating all flowing from himself and returning thither and ending in himself He hath made an interchange in nature which might teach us the night alone hath no beauty nay but it beautifies the day Your darkest hours and tempests publick and personal are they perfect works Yes certainly if ye compound them with your Sun-shines and calms several colours make Pictures beautiful the one is as needful as the other And if ye did consider your profit more then your honour and pleasure ye would say so He doth not model his works according to our fancy to please us but our good to profit us and he is wiser then we and so then it is the most perfect work in it self that possibly displeaseth us most Therefore ye would judge of his dealing by another rule nor your satisfaction for please you and perish you If he spared the rod he should hate us indeed fond love is real hatred Christians if ye would judge his works by his word and not by your sense by your well and not by your will certainly ye would say as the men did of Christ he hath done all well the world would discover to you a perfection even in imperfection a perfection in infirmities that ye should not only rejoyce in them but glory in them most gladly therefore will I glory c. saith Paul Are infirmities a perfect work Or is the suffering of Paul to be buffetted and tempted a perfect work What comfort is in it Yes much infirmities alone are infirmities indeed nay buâ— infirmities in me and strength in Jesus weaknesse in me and strength dwelling in me these make up one perfect work that could as little want the infirmities as the strength the glory of God and our well and consolation require the one as well as the other it could not be compleat without any of them What do ye think of the times now are Englands apostacy and Irelands desolation perfect works That great work of Reformation that seemed to be above our shoulders it 's now razed to the ground and the very foundations removed Iâ— deformation a perfect work Certainly if wâ— look on these things in the Scriptures light and consider them in relation to him who is the chief builder and doth in heaven and earth what he pleaseth that deformation is a perfecâ— work though not a perfect reformation thougâ— we could not inform you of the perfection of it yet the general might silence us all this shall be no misse no marr in the end His work at the end of accompts shall appear so compleat as iâ— it had never had interruption He is wise anâ— knows what he doth if this were not for his glory and his peoples good certainly it should noâ— be Was not the peoples wandering in thâ— wildernesse 40. years a most strange work â— longer interruption of the expected and beguâ— voyage out of Egypt What humane reasoâ— would have styled this work with perfection â— Did they not often murmure against it yet Moses calls this a perfect work also What if thâ— Lord be diging the ground deeper in England that the foundation may be the surer What iâ— he be on a work of judgement filling the cup of many deluded blasphemers that he may have another cup of wrath prepared What if this be his great purpose to execute vengeance upon a prophane generation that will not abide the very name and form of godlinesse by these who pretend to the name of it as their honour What if the Lord hath defaced all that this Kingdom was instrumental in building of in England that he alone may have the glory in a second Temple more glorious Many things there may be in his mind and he is in one mind and who can turn him and what his soul desireth even that he doth and this may be enough to satisfie us He sees and knows all his works from the beginning and without all controversie he hath provided it so that the reproach of his Name shall be made up with the more shining of his glory and the afflictions of his people shall be compensed with songs of deliverance May ye not give him so much credit as ye would give to a skilful man in his own Trade Ye know it is his Name Excellent in counsel and wonderful in working then take his work expound it according to his Word and not your apprehension It may be his vvork appears not excellent nay but if ye knevv his counsel ye vvould think it so His vvonderful counsel makes all his vvorks excellent and therefore do not take upon you to judge his vvorks unlesse ye could vvade the depth of his counsels else ye declare your selves to be both ignorant and presumptuous There is a time to build and a time to cast down a time for every thing saith the vvise man novv I say he knovvs the time and season he does every thing in his time If ye come by a Work-man that is casting dovvn a house that in your appearance seems good vvould ye condemn him presently No but stay till ye see vvhat
Journey Christ took to meet with us and it is downward below himself but his Love hath chosen it to be like us though he should be unlike himself How Divinely doth the Divine Apostle speak of it and the word was made flâ—sh and he dwelt among us Jo. 1. 14. And therefore the Children of Adam may in verity say of him what the Holy Trinity in a Holy Irony spake of man Lo he is become as one of us It was a singular and eminent Priviledge conferred upon man in his first Creation that the Trinity in a manner consulted about him let us make man after our image But now when man hath lost that Image to have such a result of the Counsel of the Trinity about it let one of us be made Man to make up the distance between man and us O what Soul can rightly conceive it without Ravishment and Wonder without an Extasy of Admiration and Affection that the Lord should become a Servant The Heir of all Things be stript naked of all The Brightnesse of the Fathers Glory be thus Ecclipsed and Darkened And in a word that whiâ— comprehendeth all Wonders in the Creatioâ— who made all things he himself made of Woman And God became a man and aâ— this out of his Infinite Love to give a Dâ—monstration of Love to the world So higâ— a Person abased to exalt so base and low â— we are There is a Mystery in this a greâ— Mystery a Mystery of Wisdom to swalloâ— up the Understanding with Wonder And Mystery of Love to ravish the hearts of meâ— with Affection Depths of both in the Emptâ—ness of the Son of God The Prophet doubâ—ing what was commanded to seek a Sigâ— whither in Heaven above or in the Depth beneath but what he would not ask Goâ— gave in his great Mercy Behold a Virgâ— shall conceive a son and they shall call his naâ— Immanuel A sign indeed from Heaven at the height of Heaven because he is God and sign from the Depth beneath too because he â— man God with us and so composed to uâ—â— Heaven and Earth together God with us thâ— he might at length bring us to be with God He became Immanuel that he might mak us Immelanu If that was given as Tidings of greâ— Joy and as the highest and deepest sign of Lovâ— and Favour at that time to uphold the fainting Church O how much more may it now comfort us when it is not a Virgin shall conceive but a Virgin hath conceived Maâ— not the Joy be increased that the Redeemer not to come but come already and hath made up that wide separation which was between us and him by his low condescendency to his Union with our Nature This is one step of Advancement towards that happy Marriage that the whole creation seems to groan and travel for Rom. 8. 22. But yet there is a great Difficulty in the way We are in a state of Captivity we are prisoners of Justice have sold our selves and our happiness And now our Natural Inhâ—â—itance lies in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone heirs of Wrath concluded under the Curse of God And indeed this was insuperable to all flesh Neather Men nor Angels could ransom us from this The Redemption of the Soul of man is so precious and the Redemption of the Inheritance of man that is Heaven is so precious too that none in Heaven or Earth can be found that can pay the price of them so that it would have ceased for ever And here the great Design of Christs Union with sinners would have marred and miscaried if himself had not undertaken to overcome this too And indeed as there could none be found to open the Seals of the Book of Gods Decrees concerning his Church none worthy in Heaven or Earth but the Lamb the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah He prevailed to open it and loose the Seals thereof Rev. 5. 3 4 5. So there could none be found in Heaven or Earth neither under the Earth worthy to undertake or accomplish this work or able to open the Seals of the Book of Gods Curses or to blot out the hand-writting of Ordinances that was against us or to open the prison of Death into which-man was shut up None I say hath been found worthy â— prevailed but the Lamb of God and Lyon â— the Tribe of Judah And therefore the foâ— and twenty Elders that sit round about tâ— Throne and the four Beasts or innumerabâ— company of Angels and Spirits of just mâ— made perfect fell down before the Lamb evâ—ry one of them with Harps and they sung new Song worthy is the Lamb that was slain receive power and riches and wisdom and strengâ— and honour and glory and blessing For thou hâ— redeemed us to God by thy blood And every Creâ—ture says Amen to this and consents to this â— do him homage To him who alone wâ— worthy and al 's willing to it as worthy so it I think the 16. Vers of this Chapter givâ— us a sensible representation of this The prâ—ceeding Discourse from the beginning holdinâ— out the sinful and deplorable condition of thâ— people and in them as a Type of the desperâ— wickednesse of all mankind and withal their dâ—sperat misery for Paul Rom. 3. maketh the Application for us and from this concludeth aâ— under sin and so all under wrath all guiltâ— that every mouth may be stopt Men waiâ—ing for Light and behold Obscurity for Brighâ—nesse but walking in Darknesse groping foâ— the Wall like the blind stumbling at noon day as in the night and in desolate places as dead men all roaring like Beasts and mourniâ— like Doves when ever the apprehension of thâ— Terror of God entereth Now it is subjoyneâ— Vers 16 And he saw that there was no man c as if he had waited and looked through all thâ— world if any would appear either to speak or â—o for man if any would offer themselves and â—nterpose themselves for his Salvation Therefore his own arm brought Salvation and his righteousness it sustained him Therefore the Son of God steps in and offers himself as if God had first assayed all others and when Heaven is full of wonder and silence he breaks out in this â—o I come to do thy will Psa 40. Since I have gotten a Body to be like sinners I will also come in their place and I will give my Life a Ransome for them And therefore it is subâ—oyned The Redeemer shall come to Sion He â—hall come Cloathed with Vengeance and Indignation as a Garment against the enemies of his Church Sin and Satan in Zeall and burnâ—ng Love to his designed Spouse He shall strengthen himself and stirr up his Might and Fury against all that detain her Capâ—ive Now indeed he is the only fittest Person for â—his Businesse in Heaven or Earth for he hath â—oth right to do it and he hath only Might and Power to accomplish it He hath right to the Redemption of sinners because
compassions fail not and so he is never so angry but there is room left for manifestation of Mercy on those that come to him Gods anger is not an humor and passion as ours is he can take the poor Child in his Armes admit it into his bosome when outward Dispensations frown Mens anger is like the sons of Belial Briers and Thornes that none may come near to lest they be hurt but God angry is accessible because his anger is still tempered and mixed with Clemency and Mercy and that mixture of Mercy is so great and so predominant in all his Dispensations here that they being rightly understood might rather invite to come then scarre from it there is more Mercy to welcome then Anger to drive away Secondly Look upon the very end and purpose of Gods hiding himself and withdrawing it is this that we may come and seek him early Hos 5. 15 When God is angry Mercy and Compassion principleth it for anger is sent out to bring in wanderers His anger is not humor but resolute and deliberate walketh upon good grounds Because David in his prosperity missed not God When all things went according to his minde then he let God go where he will Therefore the Lord in mercy must hide his own Heart with a frowning countenance and cover himself with a Cloud that David may be troubled and so take hold on God Psal 31. 7 8. Since then this is Gods purpose that you may come nearer to him and since he goeth away that you may pursue certainly he will never so run away as you may not find him out nor will he run further nor he strengtheneth thee to pursue him Thus Ps 63. 8. God was flying and David pursuing Nay but the flyer giveth leggs to the pursuer he upholdeth him as it were against himself So did the Angel strengthen Jacob to overcome himself Now shall it not be pleasant to God that you lay hold on him as your own even when he seemeth to be cloathed with vengeance seing he changeth his outward Countenance for this very end he seemeth to go that you may hold because when you think he stayeth you hold not as the Child while the nurse is near will look about it and take hold of any thing but when she withdraweth the Child cleaveth the faster to her But Secondly we ought to stirre up our selves more now then any other time Times of Gods withdrawing calleth for extraordinary and doubled approaches So Hab. 5. 15. they will seek me early And therefore the Lords Children in Scripture have made great advantage of such Dispensations The truth is as long as we are well dealt with security creepeth on and Religion is but in a decaying condition Duties are done through our sleep We are not as men awaking and knowing what we do and whither we go But when the Lord beginneth to trouble us and hides his Face then it is a time to awake out of sleep before all be gone And there ought to be first more diligence in Duties and approaching to God because your case furnisheth more matter of supplication And as matter of supplication groweth prayer should grow If necessity grow and the cry be not according to necessity it is ominous And therefore David useth to make his cry go up according to his trouble In a prosperous Condition though every thing might call a tender hearted loving Christian to some nearness to God yet ordinarly if necessity presse not prayer languisheth and groweth formal Sense of need putteth an edge on supplication wheras prosperity blunteth it The heart missing nothing cannot go above sublunary things but let it not have its will here and the need of Heaven will be the greater Now I say if you sit so many calls both from a Command and from your own necessities you do so much the more sin Affliction will make even a hypocrite seek him and pour out â— prayer and visit him Psal 78. And Isai 26. And if you do not take advantage of all these pressures you must be so much the more guilty And therefore God as it were wondereth at their obstinacy They return not to him that smiteth them All this is come upon us yet have we not prayed And secondly it is sent for that end that you may be more serious and therefore you ought so much the more to awake to lay hold on him This is the way the Lord useth with his secure and wandering Children Psal 119. 67. For the Lord findeth us often gripping too strongly to a present world and taking it in our armes as if we were never to part with it Mens souls cleave to outward accomodations Therefore the Lord useth to part us and our idol that we may take hold of him the faster It is Union with himself that is our felicity and it is that which God most endeavoureth When he removeth beloved Jewels it is because they were a stumbling block and divorced the Soul from God When he seemeth to withdraw himself his going proclaimeth so much Oh follow or perish Thirdly it is a very dangerous thing when he withdraweth and you follow not when he is angry and you care not doth not fly in to make peace with him certainly his anger must wax hotter and desertion will become a spiritual plague Rods must be tempered with much bitterness What mixture of Mercy can be in such a Dispensation where the fruit of it is to harden But if the Lords hardest dealing wrought you to more nearness and Communion with himself then certainly you have a fair advantage against the present trouble and you have your Cup mixed You shall at length blesse God for such Dispensations they may be reckoned for good to you Next there ought to be more exercise of Faith and laying hold on the grounds of Consolation in God in such a time 1. For as difficulties grow Faith should fortify it self against them so much the more The greater the storm be it should fly the more into the Chalmbers Faith in the time of a calme day getteth no tryal Faith bulketh much because it hath not much to do But except there be some fresh and new supplies it cannot hold out in a temptation But it is a singular proof of a Noble and Divine Faith that can lay hold on him and keep him when he would go that can challenge kindness on a miskening Jesus that can stand on the ground of the Promises when there is not a foot breadth of a Dispensation to build on While all things go with you ye have no difficulty to maintain your Faith Nay but when the Lord seemeth to look angry then awake and gather strength take hold on his strength Look what is in your Condition or his Dispensation what is good or omnious then take hold on the other hand on him and look what is in him to answer it and swallow it up Ye ought to be well acquaint with the grounds of Consolation that are