They are not pressing on to the utmost mark where the bullets are thickest and the battel hottest as this chosen generation do according to that right minde that is planted in them They long with Moses if possible that they may go over this Jordan they are ever crying out of their shortness Jacob though Pharaoh reckon him an old man yet he complains his days were few and evil and that he had not reached the age of his fathers in their generations I but he would have reached the greatest attainment That which is of this stock presseth to the utmost mark prizeth that Truth that friend that deals most plainly nakedly and exactly with it it chooses the wounds of a friend and goes where the sword cuts sharpest This cannot the Hypocrite ever endure 5. This Chosen Generation have often still and secret hintings speaking within them That they indeed are of this stock that they do belong to God how ever they are stopping the ear and putting it off Now the children of Hell they hunt and seek for such a voyce that they may be cozened and deluded and the Devil he speaks peace to them and they are given up to beleeve a lye but the Children of God are followed and followed with such a secret whispering in their Souls that rises up without their pumping nay when they run from it it speaks Surely they are my people they are my chosen I will be their God Now either we are not sober and so listen not to hear this voyce or else we wilfully stop the ear and run from it for such a base temper is in man against his own good or else through ignorance the Soul runs wrong when it doth hear it goes to Eli as Samuel did it runs to this and the other thing to know the meaning of it because as yet it is said Samuel knew not the Lord but the time comes the Lord will go on and call Samuel Samuel so long till all the chosen of God that are called according to purpose shall be made to hear and own it distinctly and say Speak Lord for thy servant heareth 6. This chosen Generation in their greatest transgressions and iniquities when most guilty and left to themselves yet never find such a witness speaking in them that they shall be cut off utterly for it Now to all the Cains he will peak destruction for that very cause a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be because thou hast killed thy brother and his blood cryes to me therefore thou art cursed c. but to his own he speaks no such thing he shews them not their sin to destroy them nor drive them from him he hath a care of that in all his rebukes So when Nathan was sent to shew David his great sin of Adultery and murther before he had well finished his charge lest such a thought should seise on him as if God would utterly cut him off He addes 2 Sam. 12.13 The Lord hath put away thy Sin thou shalt not dye He never says that word to the Soul of any of his own Iniquity shall be your ruine that sin shall utterly separate no saith Paul nothing shall be able to separate nothing not Principalities nor Powers of Hell not the heights or depths of Sin nothing shall seperate from that love of God to whom that portion belongs Now mind and consider and attend whither all along your Journy you find not such Leadings in your spirits as these I speak off 7. You shall know this Generation by this whenever there is a heart in them to return there is a heart in God to receive He stands open and ready at all times there are such breathings in the souls of his people that witness this for him and can set to their Seals that God is true in this particular that he is alwayes open hearted and waits to be gracious Mind whether it be not thus with you when ever your souls are in a sober frame and you can speak truly and not as Job saith the words of a man that is desperate which are as wind when ever you are your selves I say and sober see if there be not ever such hints speaking in you that God is ready continually he waits to receive whenever you will come At what time soever a sinner repenteth c. And if thou wilt return O Israel return to me as if he should say Go to no other if thou wilt return here is a heart open I am ready for thee Return to me O Israel Now let none get up the words and shadow of this that have not the substance that idol will â—ot stand though never so often raised and held up by force yet it will down but you who are indeed the chosen of God and loved of him if I shall ever live to see you brought out and delivered you will know what I have said and be my witnesses how these leadings have been all along your days with you However at the present it be the weak time with you and hour and power of darkness when fears and jealousies confusions and doubtings have their time to rule I but what saith the Spirit still What speaks that seed of life Are not these stirring within Is there not an invisible and strange close in thy soul when God and the Truth in thee meet When Joseph and Benjamin meet what a kiss is there and turning of Bowels Then again dost thou not finde that all creatures are too short all is weary to thee no rest or content to be had there but there is a pressing on through all to the utmost point to God himself thy life and Portion Is it not thus And so for all the other Characters are not these things so Now if you have heard and believed this You can surely witness to it He that believs sets to his seal that God is true and till you shall set to your seals and believe this That you are this chosen Generation and your souls stand setled in it till then you can never enter into the Priests office to go to God with boldness to go in all straights no we cannot go with that weak Prayer Lord I believe help my unbelief till somewhat of this Faith be risen up and stuck to by us Why do we put it off any longer Why are not we now battered Why not this night What hinders If ever we begin we must begin with this little grain though there be but a dim seeing but a half eye open Yet the star must be followed if ever we will come to Christ and the promise is The eyes of them that see shall not be dim Now it is a dim seeing indeed now we see but darkly but however if we did but stick to this dark seeing then we might go and pray for a farther light that it may grow cleerer and cleerer to the perfect day But why are we so loth to believe that this good is intended us It is
foregoing Verse According as his divine power hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledg of Him that hath called us to glory and vertue Where four things are layd down in which these precious Promises are fulfilled Life Godliness Glory Vertue These are the exceeding great things promised to be though not yet attained For it is one thing to have a Promise given and another to see the accomplishment of it as Christ saith to his Disciples I will send you the promise of my Father the Holy Ghost was promised before but yet to be sent by Christ 1. The first thing promised to which you are called is Life as the promise was to Sarah That according to the time of Life God would surely visit her and she should conceive c. The Spirit of Life is promised to you though yet the Thing is to be accomplished For how do we lie at present in our graves like Dead men long out of minde how dry and desolate and waste because the Spirit of Life that should quicken and enliven is not come The time of Life is not accomplished but the promise is gone forth that at the set time He will surely visit Sarah and the dry womb shall conceive though Abrahams body be dead and Sarahs womb dead and all seem to work to the contrary For great is the desolation now upon us We are sealed in our graves under death but yet this is the promise That the Dead shal hear the Voyce of the Son of God and live And This is an exceeding large and precious Promise 1. Life implies in it a freedom from death a recovery and deliverance out of its power Alas to Live is another manner of thing then we have conceived it We have gone about and acted and spoke like living men but have we Lived in all this have we been yet ever acquitted and freed from fears of death The Terrors of Death made me afraid saith David Are you not yet kept all your life time under this fear of Death You can never have rest nor quiet because the Jaylor is ever at your heels you are not yet freed from him Death reigned it is said from Adam to Moses now Adam was made a Living Soul He had a life to see and know good and evil but yet he could not come at it could not reach the Tree of life a sword was set to keep him off there But the second Adam is a quickening Spirit He hath life in Himself He was raised up by the power of God never to dye more and this is life indeed Now how many in the World are there that never yet came to be Living Souls to have understanding and light to know good and evil but when brought to that yet there is no freedom from Death Death reigns from Adam to Moses to that farther light which comes in by the Law opened and read to the Soul When the Commandment came saith Paul sin revived and I dyed Death yet reigned And now to be freed from this cruel Tyrant from eternal Death and to be made partakers of Life is an exceeding great and precious mercy Who can value it 2. The Man that is alive is capable of instruction and teaching He can hear and learn from others but the Dead know nothing at all saith Solomon while we lie dead in darkness fears unbelief faintings of spirit so long we know nothing hear nothing we are capable of nothing of the minde of God All is confused and without order in this land of Death What is the reason think you there is such a stupid senceless careless Heart upon you not an ecchoing back as was in Davids Heart When Thou saidst Seek my face My Heart answered Thy face Lord will I seek Why is not this minde and quickness and breathings of Truth in you Why you are dead Death reigns sin hath dominion you are not yet freed from that body of Death For were you but alive it were impossible but you should hear the voyce of the Son of God Truth would touch you and that is the first thing to be done to give you life and then sense and hearing will follow But you are now as unsensible at times as a post in the house and therefore you come and go and come and go and nothing is done why because you are under death It is not yet the time of Life and He will make us know we cannot quicken our own souls Adam would have been reaching to the Tree of Life when his Eyes were opened to know Good and Evil I but a flaming sword is set turning every way to keep the Tree of Life and if ever Adam live again it must be upon other terms He must be raised by another power and that freely of gift For he is now a dead man and cannot quicken his own Soul unless that quickening spirit of Life be put within and here lies the great strait to lie at the mercy of another whether He will ever again give life or not and if he will yet it must be in his own time too and not ours and therefore the Church is at a strait and complains There was none could tell her how long How long we must lie in the dust in our graves before Life shall be given we know not we cannot get it out of his hand Truth would never be good and sweet if we could attain it by our reachings Many may press in to take the Kingdom by violence and stealth but the Examiner will come Friend how came you in hither But of a certain this Promise of Life is given to some of us Hear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken The word is gone forth that you shall surely be visited at the Time of Life and till this be accomplished you cannot be capable of instruction Your reason and thoughts cannot reach it but are to sit silent in your graves till Christ shall call Lazarus come forth and so life be given and put within and this will be an eternal Life never to dye any more Death is no more to have dominion but yet it reigns This is your hour saith Christ and the power of darkness and whilest this government is up and those noises of Hell are within we cannot hear the voyce of Truth till the Soul is freed from the stormy wind and tempest and a calm be made We many times go about to quicken our selves and get life at our own hands and so reach up hopes and conclusions and promises to bear up a while but alass all must down again we must to our center to our graves till the spirit of Life be put in We are asking what we should do and what is our way as if then we could easily turn and do it but alass there is a mistake in the bottom Life must first be given us and we must rest in our graves till then and sit in silence in our darkness and
owned and received and prized He shall be welcom to them then even the feet of such as bring glad tydings of peace Then will the Soul say with Abigail Let me wash the feet of the servants of my Lord the King He shall be welcom indeed in that day And this glads and rejoyces and keeps up his spirit to think on this time I had verily fainted saith David unless I had beleeved to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living That bare up his heart There is hope in the latter end saith God to Rachel that thy Children shall come again to their own borders How ever they are now in captivity and lie scattered broken as if utterly forsaken yet they shall return And for these causes Christ weeps over Ierusalem over his people out of joy where ever and in what case soever he finds them yet this joy lives in the bottom I would you might never forget these Particulars But 2. And when He beheld the City He wept Another Reason why He weeps is out of sorrow because He findes them in their blood He grieves to see Ierusalems wickedness to see her hands embrued in blood to see her killing the Prophets and opposing and fighting against her own good There is no other way for Her ever to be saved but by hearing the voyce of her Prophets and obeying them And now to thrust these away saying We will not have this man rule over us for Truth to finde the sons of peace the saved ones in this strange condition hating and striking against their own chief good and best friends This causes a weeping It is a gladness indeed to finde the sons of peace to see a Nathanael an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile one in whom the Spirit of Life the Seed of God is planted Truth joys at this and if this be not in the bottom there is no ground for Truth to work upon No Physician goes about to take a dead man to cure If there be not a Seed of Life there is nothing for Truth to care for and pray and weep over But now where that seed is yet to finde such a Soul or such a people stoning their Prophets to finde his own Children rebelling and standing against Him this causes Truth to weep And when He beheld the City He wept c. Now this Sin hath three Aggravations in it which cause Truth to weep 1. It is an unnatural sin for them to kill their Prophets which came to instruct and inform them in the way of Life Alass in killing your Prophets you kill your selves you murther your own Souls And what murther is so cruel and unnatural as that Who shall save you if you kill your Saviour Him whom God hath sent to be a Saviour and Deliverer If you thrust away this Moses who shal bring you out of Egypt and lead through the Wilderness Nothing so unnatural as for a man to cut his own Throat such a thing is it for any to slight and contemn that Truth which comes to save them 2. It is an ungrateful Sin It is not right nor allowable to render evil for evil to hate our Enemies But to reward evil for good to return hatred for love and mercy and bowels shewed us Am I therefore your Enemy saith Paul because I tell you the truth This is wonderful ungrateful I will send my Son sure they will reverence Him but now after all to take this Son too and kill Him that was sent out of love and exceeding tenderness this is the ungratefullest sin in the World To refuse Him that speaks from Heaven that can open to you the minde and heart and love and good-will of God this Christ weeps at to finde them in so ungrateful a sin 3. It is a venturous and desperate sin That moves Christ to weep to see the hard venture what to sleep upon the top of a Mast To venture to kill their Prophets and the present offer of Grace and know not whether ever another Prophet shall be sent them or no O what a venture is it God hath truly sent me to you to warn you to come out of Sodom and to tell you God hath purposed to destroy the City and will you venture to linger in it still Had Lot stayd but one hour longer he had been destroyed with them but the Angel layd hands on him and pulled him out the Lord being merciful to him This is the next to that unpardonable sin which David prays against O keep me from presumptuous sins that I may be innocent from the great Transgression The Lord warn and prevent you and lay it to your heart to consider how guilty we are in all these Particulars how unnatural we have been and cruel to our own Souls to murther the Truth sent to gather us and then of all transgressions 't is the most ungrateful What people in all the world have been so kindly dealt with so followed and waited on and born with Line upon Line Instruction and Counsel and Love have followed us and to murther this Truth after all how ungrateful is it And then how desperate have we been and venturous in a Passion like the profane Esau to sell all for one morsel of bread to venture all at a blow and what ever comes on it desperately resolve We will not have this man rule over us Well may God say to us Because I would have purged you and you would not be purged therefore you shall not be purged till you dye Do you hear what is spoke It concerns all you are all guilty the Lord lay it not to your charge I know not a People in the World so venturing all at a cast as we have been Come Life or Death yet there hath been a punctual standing out and slighting the Call of Truth to have our wills Thirdly Another Cause Christ weeps over Jerusalem is to find her in that miserable condition of ignorance that she knew not the Things which belonged to her Peace O that Thou hadst known even Thou in this thy day c. But They knew not the day of their Visitation they knew not their time this Christ grieves at Work whilest it is day whilest you have the Light with you for the night cometh wherein no man can work But they had played in Summer they slighted their seasons and opportunities and knew them not knew not the Things belonging to their Peace Man naturally looks after the things that concern his ease but is not so minding what belongs to his peace But it is this Peace only that must stick by us in a strait in a time of need when ease and enlargements and all fail then will this Peace abide and this Christ weeps for to see their ignorance though it is well in one respect that they were ignorant I obtained mercy saith Paul because I did it ignorantly And had we done what we have done fully knowing we had sinned
receive instruction IV. The next general Thing is the Peoples Promise AND WE WILL HEAR IT AND DO IT And if this be not the thing set down in your hearts and minds if we intend not this to come to doing to be the thing that is called for alas what do we come together for Why do we hear What will come of all our way if we are not truly brought to this mind we will hear and do all that the Lord shall command About this hearing five things may be considered 1. You are to hear who it is that speaks My sheep hear my voice saith Christ and the voice of a stranger they will not hear there is need distinctly to know him that speaks calls and not take every word by road that seems good and true as the world do but to be able surely to discern and distinguish between the voyce of God and the voice of man and the voice of the Devil for the same outward words may be taken up by them all the Devil can speak Scripture to Christ He shall give his Angels charge over thee lest thou dash thy foot against a stone and the Jews the great enemies of Christ they can speak as good words as may be they say to the blind man recovered to his sights Give Glory to God what better and righter word can be spoken But yet how base and wicked was it from them for in the next word they reject Christ as for this man we know he is a sinner Now if we be not made to look into the inwards of words and see what runs in them what Spirit breaths whether God or the enemy or mans own heart if we know not this we know nothing and sure the word now preached to us is as an idle tale and we do not seriously enquire who it is that speaks whether this Doctrine be from heaven or from men whether the Lord speaks indeed unto us I told you the Lord would have you know where you are at the present that you are in a desolate Wilderness where a thousand dangers and miseries lie in the way and it is ten thousand to one whether you get clear through all but fall short in some pit or other Now do you believe this indeed do you think it is the Lords voyce that he speaks his very word to you Alas what a mist do the world live in How do they go to Church and hear and hear year after year and it scarce ever comes into any of their minds once to think seriously what is this I hear whose voyce is it Doth God speak to me of a certain or is it onely the voyce of a man If it be man onely then what do I hearing it is a vain service but if God then why seiseth it no more why do they not tremble under it And this old Taint we retain from them and thus I fear most of our hearings slip away without a serious enquiry who it is that speaks to us whose voyce calls for if we were certainly perswaded that when a word touches our hearts when it reproves and finds us Sinners when it pulls and stirs to arise and be going did we surely know it is God that reproves and touches and stirs within us certainly we durst not so stand out and sleight it as we do If it be indeed the word of God it will not be dallied with It is quick and lively and will work one way or other it will either kill or save condemn or justifie draw to God or drive from him he will not speak in vain therefore in all hearings hear this first who is it that speaks 2. The next thing is to hear what he speaks I will hear what the Lord God will say saith David hear the particular word and message that comes to me for he saith to one Go and he is to go and to anothâ—r Come and he is to câ—me to a third Do thou this and that is to be his work Now in Babel there is a strange confusion and lumber of all together it is a Land without order because there is no King nor governmenr nor setled laws to stand to but God is not the God of confusion his Kingdom is a Kingdom of righteousness peace and order the Lord sets every one to his own work and in his own place Sit thou down here thou art a sinner and guilty buckle thou under the guilt that 's thy place To another he sayes Friend sit up higher be thou incouraged and hope and expect deliverance that 's his place to another he says Enter thou into thy Masters joy for thou art worthy and that is his place he speaks not to you all as in one condition though you may be all sailing in one ship yet for different ends and purposes I now some of you that are like a post in a wall it is as impossible to make you hear a word of truth the ear is so stopp'd charm the charmer never so wisely Now the word spoke to such is to know where they are to own theiâ— shame that 's their place for others that may not be this Highway ground where the word is snatched away and takes no place at all yet there is a stony ground and a thorny ground where the seed grows and flourishes a while but yet all is lost it never comes to perfection Now for every one to know what ground is my present condition in What speaks the Lord to me What is my way and work hear that 3. Hear to whom he speaks that not every one may thrust himself in by violence and catch at a share in every word that is spoken do you press in I but you shall be turned out again as fast The children of the Kingdom that thought they had good right and title to it yet they shall be thrust out There is need therefore to know distinctly whether the Lord speaks to me or not Thou art the man said the Prophet to David thou art the sinner when the word shall come home and the Lot fall upon the particular Tribe the particular man the particular sin Tâ—is distinct way God takes in his deâ—lings when Christ said to the D sciples One of you shall betray me they are all put upon the search and enquiry Lord is it I and is it I Now I have told you all the four sorts of grounds are amongst us there is the High-way ground where the seed takes no place at all and the stony ground where it takes a while but there was a depth of earth a sure â—ooting and that soon withers and there is a thorny ground which may continue long and hold to the last but the seed is all overspread over-â—opped and choaked with the thorns Now these three grounds take in a large compasâ— will you now go away and not enquire this night which of these grounds doth my soul stand in how is the state of my condition
in all Ages save the People committed to them Moses he stands up in the gap and the anger is turned away Phinehas he stands up and the Plague ceased David he stands up and takes the sin and the blow upon himself 1 Chron. 21.17 It is even I that have sinned and done evill but as for these sheep what have they done Let thine hand be upon me I pray thee c. Thus he stands up till the destroying Angel puts up his sword till the thing be done he requests for and thus Noah and all the preachers of righteousness prepare an Ark to the saving of their House the people committed to them II. Another Consequent upon Noahs building an Ark is this by which he condemned the world all the world is condemned by it and that in these seven particulars 1. Noah beleeves Gods Word and is Warned God tels him Noah all flesh hath corrupted his way and it repenteth me I have made man wherefore their end is come before me and I will surely bring a Deluge to destroy them all now therefore look to it stay not in all the plain get away from the tents of these wicked men hasten and build an Ark to keep off the danger that thou perish not with them and he believed God 't is said c. But who will beleeve this report now if God Himself should speak or an Angell from Heaven if one from the dead should come we would not beleeve if we beleeve not Moses and the Prophets Now who will beleeve if such a certain word as this be witnessed to them Well deceive not your selves I can surely tell you from God that misery and destruction is certainly coming on if you stick in this condition if you get not an Ark a sure shelter and refuge astrong Tower to flye to you will never be able to stand therefore Knowing the terrors of the Lord we perswade you lay the thing to heart defer it no longer I but who will be warned by all this none of the world will the world within us and the world without that will go on its old way do and say what you can Charme the charmer never so wisely the Blackmore will not change his skin nor the Leopard his spots this carnall and sensuall and Devilish mind within us it wil yet feed on carrion though it be a thousand times warned it will not be warned though it be told and told and told Well this way will surely undo you if you stick on any seen things and come not to give up all and lay down your lives you will certainly be miserable and loose your lives yet this spirit in us will not beleeve but it will put the evill day far off and mock at the making of an Ark. It will plead what need is there of this ado and God he is merciful one shift or other this world will ever finde to be at ease but wo to them that are at ease in Syon c. Noah he is warned the new Heart the sensible Spirit that heares the Word and stands alwayes in awe and trembling that is warned and this is that which Judges the world for they are not 2. Noah beleeves though he be warned of things not seen as yet he disputes not with flesh and blood about the matter but beleeves and this condemns the world who would not argue But what shall we have if we leave all and what need is there of it yet till more danger appears who would build an Ark when no flood is seen and not say with Job No I am well I shall dye in my nest who that is strong and in health and hath all enjoyments about him will then beleeve a change will come Who breaks through all snares and entanglements and says Let me go stand aside all is uncertain all may soon be taken from me this life is a mortal life and all my enjoyments are nothing if the Deluge come therefore strive not to comfort me let me go about the work to prepare an Ark Who breaks through thus resolvedly No the heart stands rather to dispute Sure this man says he knows not what there 's no such danger And thus the time is reasoned out And if you will stand thus pleading till the Flood come unawares and take you yet remember I have told you these things I have dealt truly in warning you And as Christ saith all this have I said that you might be saved But yet you are disputing and reasoning Alas what can I do to help my self And thus we linger and come to nothing Sure all this which I speak to you is as a Tale that is told Lord how I feel the hardness of your heart and that the Word enters not into the stone But sure it is if the Word take no place the Blow shall the Flood will come and destroy this world 3. He condemns the world in this He sets to build an Ark alone He stays not for great and wise ones to joyn with him in the work but builds alone though all scoff and say What will this Babbler say what is this fool doing Will he bring in new Laws and Ordinances and go contrary to all Customs and Orders and Rules of our Fathers and Leaders and wise ones Well but this moves him not Do ye what you will saith Joshuah I and my house will serve the Lord I must go on saith Noah The Soul that is indeed at a strait must go through all Lets and set upon the work It must leave all Relations Father and Mother and Friends and say to all If you will not go with me I must leave you Let the dead bury their dead but follow thou me saith Christ But this is the pleading of all the world Do any of the great ones the Scribes and Pharisees beleeve on him Do the Minsters and godly Divines go this way And here they sit down saying We 'l not be wiser then all men but follow our Teachers Well saith the Soul that is indeed at a strait Go they as they will yet I must go this way there is a press within I know not what shall become of me and 't is time now to look out if neither Father nor Brother if none in the World will joyn with me yet I must go to Zion Alass I am at a strait Alass what shall become of me in the latter end This strait will surely come upon your spirits and run through all enjoyments your eating and drinking and buying and selling nothing shall give you rest And were you indeed here you would not stay for company you would look out for bread to eat were you ready to starve And who ever is thus pressed on through all to build this Ark he condemns the World who all sit down at ease And thus that world in us is condemned by that restless spirit of Truth that is always reaching and crying and pressing forward 4. This condemns the World That Noah
among the People and this the Soul shall find true in it self there is a time when Christ is strong and can get away from them a time when the Soul could deal with its lusts and curb and beat them in when ever they appeared and like Sampson when ever the Philistins came to bind it It could but arise and shake it self and get loose again I but there is a time when Sampsons strength is departed and the Philistins prevail and carry him by force and put out his eyes and make him grind in a mill and he cannot withstand such hold do sins lay upon the Soul They take such fast hold on me saith David that I cannot loook up and again speaking in the name of Christ My sinnes are gone over my head as a burthen too heavy for me to bear they stick close to the Soul that it cannot get loose they stick as the flesh to the bones that the Soul is no wayes able to shake off these Lions and Tygers and devouring beasts that lay hold upon it it is impossible for the soul to get them off but it â—s led captive and made to serve and follow whither this wicked rabble will lead it and here Iob cries out That which my Soul refuseth to touch is made my sorrowfull meat and so Paul cries out that he was a slave and sold under sin and that which I hate and would not do that I do saith he such a strange haling is there and leading captive by sin And this you will all have a time to find true that your iniquities will be too hard for you you will not be able to stand before them they will prâ—vail and have the victory else what need that challenge to Death and Hell where is your victory if they had not the victory once yes they surely will have the victory over all but now not to be left in Hell not to be holden of the grave but to be raised up by the same Almighty power which raised up Christ this will be the Salvation but this will be the sad day to the Soul when it shall be thus left in the hands of Sinners In those dayes they shall mourn c. We promise fair I can submit to be ruled ordered and part with this and other and be denyed of my wil and runs of heart alass you know not your heart nor the multitude and strength of your enemies They wil surely come to be too hard for you that you shal not be able to get out of their hands but a base rabble company of unworthy lusts which somtime the Soul hath scorn'd should touch it now lay hold lead it away like an ox to the slaughter and as a fool to the correction of the stocks and it cannot help it nor wring any ways out of their hands 4. They bring him to the high Priest and set him before a partial unequal judg that is set against him and right or wrong will certainly do what he can to put him to death and thus is the Soul dealt with in this day when it is betrayed into the hands of its lusts They presently lead and hale it to be judged by their own King the Devil he sits in the seat of Judgement to hear and cast the matter he who never favoured Truth was never a friend to it but a murtherer from the beginning seeking all wayes and means to destroy yet He must now be Iudge and condemn and accuse and upbraid the Soul in this day of its calamity Now Shimei comes out and upbraids and curses David Come out thou bloody man Now all the blood of Sauls house is come upon thee Alas there was another hand in it he was clear and innocent concerning Sauls blood he had spared his life when it was in his hands to slay him and had done good to Sauls house but yet this false charge must be laid in his dish and he must bear the railing and go away as guilty O Lord if your Souls be awake and do but mark the carriages within you will see what a stir this wicked Judge makes to find some false accusation or other for which he may pass a sentence of death against the Soul how doth he bestir him to prove that all that ever the soul had or did was but a deceit and in hypocrisie and no truth was in the bottome of it and this is a token you were a deceiver saith the Judg and this proves you will come to nothing you ever had a base taint in all you did a base selfish end and here the poore creature stands amazed and silenced at these cruell charges when presently this wicked Judge is upon its back and will not give a breathing time but asks an answer Answerest thou nothing to what these accuse thee of he calls for an answer in a moment when the Soul stands amazed and nonplust and knows not how to get up a sober thought or word at such an instant to plead for it self yet then they press to have the Sentence pass against the Soul as if there were nothing of truth and singleness but a dissembling hypocriticall heart in all 5. When Christ begins to speak for himself presently one smites him upon the mouth answerest thou the high Priest so why saith Christ If I have spoken evil bear witness of it but if good why smitest thou me So if you can read the Parable when ever the Soul in this day goes about to speak a word for it self though never so fairly and soberly and according to truth opening the thing as it is presently one or other of this Rabble multitude flap it on the mouth some base fear or discouragement comes in What dare you look towards God Dare you speak or plead a word for your self Are not you found guilty and deceitfull here and there And do you look for mercy so that when this work must pass of bringing the Soul to death all things must work to that purpose it may not have liberty to speak a word to clear it self how innocent and clear soever it be 6. They crown him with Thorns A Crown of Thorns indeed 'T is said of the Thorns that they choked the seed and made it unfruitful A Crown of cares and pesters come in which way to take and what to do to escape this hand and get from the blow Oh that the King of Glory should wear such a Crown as this He that was born to a Crown of Glory a Crown of Gold yet he too must be rent with these Thorns He was under cares and fears and therefore 't is said He was heard in the things he feared He looked about to his right hand and to his left to see if there were any to help but he found none This Crown of Thorns rends his head the cares and fears which in the day of his flesh did beset him Then they put on a Purple robe in derision and scorn they mock
but to be as an hired servant but while he claims nothing he enjoys something and while he was claiming something he spent all and had nothing a strange way that God takes He sets the Begger that 's taken out of the dunghil with the Princes of his people but the rich he sends empty away That such as lie reaching to be great should be sent empty away and such as lie and say I have sinned I have sinned against Heaven I have hindred this people I am conscious of it I have been a block in the way yet that He should be received this is strange But what is he saluted with not with the remembrance of his sin but bring the best robe which is that everlasting righteousness that clean Love for if the Prodigal does but return he will never go out again and Love covers a multitude of sins Bring the best robe that 's his best robe He hath beheld no iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel Numb 23. He does as Noahs best son did to his father go backward to cover his nakedness so before he can well see him he cries Come bring the best robe You don't know when you shall return thus buckled and bowed owning the thing as it is how the Father will reward you Be not discouraged do but cry out Lord I have sinned what wouldst thou have me to do And though thou shalt say but I cannot speak a word as I ought nor think a good thought yet let not this hinder thee Come as thou art Remember thou hast heard it reported the Prodigal came thus and his father received him better to be an hired servant in the house then a son a great way off better is it to wipe the childrens shooes then to be in a Kings house amongst ravenous beasts All this is written for our learning that we through patient waiting might have hope and return with this saying Peradventure he will receive me though we come forlorn c. yet see what his Prodigal received for God waits to be gracious O that I could but hear the sound of a right word All your complainings rising onely from being tormented c. are nothing to me because you still love to be in them but if there were but a minde to return see what entertainment it would finde Then he had the fatted Calf set before him the musique and dancing O the sweet harmony when God and man are at unity From this time it shall be said of Jacob and Israel What hath God wrought But minde this of a certain That all your forced confessings for fear c. bring no turn in you nor turns Truth to you but where truly the Soul is buckled it ventures and comes in to its Father and is received and this kinde of entertainment the son findes not a word of upbraiding for what he had done Though the servant owed his Lord ten thousand Talents and is not able to pay one peny of it yet in that he lies down at his Lords feet and owns the thing as it is saying Lord have compassion on me all is forgiven him and had he stood here his Lord had quite forgiven him for ever but because he began to lord it over his fellow servant that owed him a hundred pence taking him by the throat saying Pay me that thou owest me and though he fell down and besought him yet he would not have compassion on him therefore his Lord was grieved and cast him again into prison till he should pay the uttermost farthing Matt. 18.24 c. Therefore minde what will be the benefit of the Prodigals returning see what shall follow it but no man can beget Truth where it is not nor raise it where it is before its time but were you sensible of the reward that shall follow a right turning it were enough to make the worst heart in the world to bow For we propound He is a hard Master No there 's nothing remembred against him but bring the best rob c. There are five dishes which are set before this son for his entertainment 1st Saith the father Bring the best robe 2ly Put Rings on his fingers 3ly Put shooes on his feet 4ly Kill the fatted Calf 5ly There 's gladness Come let 's eat and be merry for this my son was dead and is alive again was lost and is found c. Here will be considered the order next And why not meat for his belly first for he was now almost starved by reason of famine Yet saith the father in the first place Come bring the best robe Wherein you may consider these three things 1. The best robe is brought to cover his nakedness for there 's no standing else before God there 's no disputing with him at all except the sin be covered while there 's any guilt upon the heart there cannot be a neerness betwixt God and man But in all reason he should have had meat for his belly first yet that must not be till he has the best robe the Fathers best Love upon his back because there can be no standing in his sight to speak a word without it For who can stand before everlasting burning And God is a consuming fire Where this Love is not first a covering they will rather cry to the rocks and the mountains to fall on them for who can stand before God in his guilt Therefore first this is most needful to be covered with the best robe But 2. Bring the best robe because the sinner stands with such a shame upon him for while he stands guilty there can be no boldness nor freeness to receive any thing from his Father The poor sinner saith I know not why he gives me this and th' other for ought I know it 's for my greater condemnation for as Solomon saith Some have riches given them for their hurt And how many patterns do we see of it 3. The fear will remain till it be discovered that the sin is taken away therefore saith the Father Bring the best robe for the Father has robes that will wax old which the servants are clothed with I will turn them out of my house saith he and love them no more But after the Prodigal is thus adorned when the Love of God has covered him that he is made able to stand spotless and blameless before him in love now he stands covered in this long white robe he had none of this garment upon him when he went out for then had he never gone but he was covered with that which could be taken from him And you shall know saith God the breach of a Promise But there is Love that cannot be changed a Covenant that can never be broken a Foundation that cannot be shaken and now there 's a boldness to appear before God but so long as any guiltiness remains the Soul is afraid of God I remembred God saith David and was troubled Therefore he cries O
cleanse me from my blood guiltiness The Father is sensible how the Soul stands trembling therefore Make haste bring the best robe make haste to cover his nakedness saith the Father because our guilt is upon us How do we pull charging of sin upon our selves when God charges not and hide our sin when God would charge us but the best robe clears all it intimates the Father had others It 's said of Elkanah he gave portions to all his wives but to Hannah he gave a worthy portion because he loved her I have loved thee with an everlasting Love saith God therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee That where sin abounded Grace might superabound for yet in the worst day the Soul is made to say but my wisdom remained with me The Prodigal in the worst day retained his sonship still though when he returns he is made to confess the thing as it is But first he arises and that 's beyond all that howl upon their beds In their sickness-time and straits they will cry out Oh what a wretch am I but their iniquities are still upon their backs they arise not they dare not approach before God But the Prodigal though he comes bowing and blushing yet he comes knowing and hoping and he never says that word Father I have sinned but the Father saith presently Bring the best robe But 2. I told you this was considerable the Father saith And put a Ring on his hand Do you consider what Rings are used for They are not put on to strengthen the hands but to adorn them But what is the hand for It 's for work O prosper thou the work of our hands saith David Now what must the hand the work be adorned with There are these three ornaments for it 1. The Prodigal must be adorned with Skill as it 's said of David concerning Israel He fed them in the integrity of his heart and guided them with the skilfulness of his hand Psal 78.72 It has taught the Prodigal skill indeed he can say now as David Come â—y Brethren and I can tell you what God has done for my Soul how he delivered me and instructed me now I am made able to divide the word aright There 's great need of skill to know when to speak how to speak to what to speak for what purpose to speak either for edification or destruction All the while before he had no heart to pity strangers till he was fallen amongst thieves c. and now after his coming home he is able to instruct and teach others If there be a messenger one of a thousand to shew unto man his righteousness c. Now he has learnt expereince by his wandering But all the while we were in the house we were Novices we had learn'd no skill how to instruct others for we had learn'd none our selves But now the burnt child dreads the fire when we have run our rounds tryed what is in madness and folly it brings forth skill And who are fit to bring up a people in the wisdom and fear of the Lord but such as have gone down to the deeps as Joseph did First he had been proved and tryed himself he was separated from his brethren as Christ said of Peter Satan hath desired to sift thee and he shall c. but when thou art converted then strengthen thy brethren But 2. The second thing the hand is to be adorned with is Diligence being now once brought from his prodigality he will redeem the time and be more watchful and diligent then ever Be you vigilant for your Enemy the Devil goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour It 's an ornament to the work when it goes on with diligence not sleepingly we say of such a man sure the work is never like to come to perfection The Lord expects a diligent hand in all your services and that beautifies the work but to beautifie a slothful hand is like to the putting a Ring in a swines snout He will not reward the slothful hand but the diligent he rewardeth The Soul that is diligent night and day how to further the work of the Lord therefore Be you always abounding in the work of the Lord saith Paul knowing that your labor is not in vain c. But alass while we are in the Land of Harlots we are ashamed of our work A man that has no meat to eat nor clothes to put on nor a friend to go to to impart his grief what a miserable case is he in such a Land are you in where there 's no growing of any thing that good is nothing but leanness and ill-favoredness because you have outed your selves of all friends But when you shall be brought home then will you say Well I will be diligent Then will you set an high price upon the Truth and say as David O what shall I render to the Lord c. I know how many precious days and seasons you have troden under foot but the time will come that you will be glad to glean them up again and say I will be more diligent to hear and lay up every word and Look The least smile of Truth will be layd up every Mercy will you be made to prize There will be no more a claiming as the Prodigal Give me my portion and saying to me You are bound to preach and look after me and give me this and th' other No there will be a diligent hand prizing and improving to the utmost the least mercy But 3. A third Ring that adorns his hand is the weightiness of employment when the hand shall be employed in things of great concernment When we pass and see a man at work in carving some curious piece and not busied upon baubles and trifles like children that make dirt-pyes we stand and prize the work This will adorn the hand when it shall be employed about things that profit to be about a work which shall abide for ever Let all your words be full of grace seasoned with salt To be employed about such a work which neither fire nor water can hurt this adorns the hand indeed But alass what a little of our work will endure the fire but we shall know the difference I shrink to think what I shall say But must you all go a prodigalling Will you all see your hearts by desperate venturings Indeed Travellers learn experience but they pay dear for it None will know how to distinguish between works and works but they that have traded through them When I was a child saith Paul I did as a child and spoke as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things The Prodigal did foolishly in forsaking his Fathers house and going to Harlots c. but God shall say to him at his return Be not grieved that you sold me c. He has lost nothing by it he is made now to love him the more When God shall say 'T was