So the Devil stands before the soul to cut off the souls birth Then also comes in the power of all Relations And the power of all Engagements And the power of all former Customs And the power of an Evil Nature Nay if you will go this way to work then farewel all Friends and farewell all your former Pleasures and farewel all Preferment Was it not a great matter for Job to be upright in the Land of Vz why Because there was much opposition in it Is it not a great matter for a little poor Barque or Vessel to live at Sea in the time of a storm for a little spark of fire to live in much water for a little light to live in a great wind You look upon such a poor gracious soul and you do not consider the wind that blows upon it the storms that beat upon it and you say 'T is not much Grace he hath or much good he does Oh! but consider if you would consider the great Opposition that the soul meets withal then you will say Oh! 't is much indeed there is Abundance of Grace there Secondly Consider the Retinue of Grace Grace hath a great Retinue Though it be very mean it hath rich Retinue If a man hath but a poor Cottage an Acre of Land an half-Acre of Land a Rood Yet if it be an Earnest of a great Inheritance 't is much Look upon the little Cottage in it self or the Rood of Land in it self 't is not much but consider it as an Earnest of a great Inheritance so 't is much Beloved whatsoever Grace the Saints have they have it but as an Earnest Ye reade of the Testimony of the Spirit of the Earnest of the Spirit all the Grace that the Saints have on this side Heaven 't is all but the Earnest of what they shall have And the Apostle he blesses God for this as ye reade in the 1. of the Colossians 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which bath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Mark Here are Three things especially considerable in these words All the Children of God have an Inheritance You have but one Heir to your Estate all are not Heirs but all Gods Children have an Inheritance And the Inheritance called an Inheritance of Light It does not lie in a dark foggy and fenny and moorish place 't is a comfortable Inheritance 't is an Inheritance of light And the Apostle He does here give thanks unto God that had made them Meet to be the partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light He does not here give thanks unto God for the Inheritance but that they were meet to be partakers of the Inheritance that they had an Earnest till the Inheritance came I say all the Grace which a godly man hath on this side Heaven it is but an Earnest you look upon it as it is in it self and you say 'T is not much I but look upon it as an Earnest but as an Earnest and then you will say 'T is much indeed Oh! 't is much indeed But then Thirdly and specially Consider the Mystery of Grace Grace is a mystery Ye reade in Scripture of the mystery of iniquity and the mystery of godliness godliness is not only a mystery in the general but all the parts of godliness are mysterious there is a mystery in every part and if you would but a little consider the mystery of Grace I dare say you would lift up your hands and say then Oh! what Abundance of grace is here even in the weakest Saint For example to Instance Ye say 't is no great matter for a man or woman to tremble at the Word 'T is more then many a one does many come and fit out Sermons never tremble before the Word Well but you say 't is no great matter to tremble before the Word to tremble at the Word I but for a man to tremble at the Word and yet to count it as hony and the hony-comb to tremble at the Word yet to love it prize it then look upon it as the hony and the hony-comb this is much Now ye shall have a poor soul a poor Christian come and tremble before the Word and yet look upon the Word as the hony even as hony and the hony-combe for sweetnesse This is much Again You count it no great matter for one to love the Ordinances so to love the Ordinances above all the world as to be willing to part with all the world rather than to part with them This is a great matter But may be you will say this is no great matter Well but for a man or a woman to think so so to love the Ordinances yet notwithstanding at the same time to think that he don't Profit that he is barren and gets little or no good thereby this is much Now thus you shall have it with a poor Christian love and prize the Ordinances and would not part with the Ordinances for all the world and yet at the same time complain and say Oh! I get little good thereby Here 's a Mystery Put all together you take things asunder and therefore you think it is not much Again You think it is no great matter for a man to comfort himself in this That the Lord knows his heart I but for a man to comfort himself in that and yet say There is much hypocrisy there the same day it may be say Oh! I am an hypocrite Thus you shall have it with many a poor poor gracious drooping soul All is naught Oh! my heart it is full of hypocrisy and I am but an hypocrite and yet now let him be charg'd or accused by men of the world for such and such designes he comforts himself in this Oh! but blessed be the Lord the Lord knows my heart Put these things together Again You wil say 't is no great matter for a man To look into his own heart so to look into his own heart and so to be sencible of his sin as to think he shall perish for ever I but for the same person To professe he would not change his condition with another for all the world this is much Take many a poor drooping soul and thus it is I am afraid I shall go to Hell and perish to all eternity But now come lay his condition to a Drunkard to an Adulterer saies he I professe I would not change my condition with that man for all the world at the same time Here 's a mystery 't is strange but there 's a mystery in every piece of godliness and if you would but consider it would appear that there is much Grace in those that have the least Again You say 't is no great matter for a man To work out his salvation with fear and trembling I but for the same person To rely upon Jesus Christ only for salvation This is much Now thus it
this than with the other And I pray what then Do but observe Paul who gracious he is how humble he is how thankful he is how ready to serve Christ how ready to serve the Churches for Christ how ready to suffer for Christ upon all occasions Oh! how gracious did this make him Thus 't is with a poor soul that hath tasted of the free-grace of God in Christ the heart is more taken herewithal than with the thoughts of Heaven Ah saies a poor soul I was going on in such a sinful way or I lay sleeping and snorting in my sins and I know not how before ever I was aware the Kingdom of Heaven did approach unto me and the Lord in his free-grace showed mercy to my family and to my poor soul Oh! therefore any thing for Jesus Christ Oh! I will spend and be spent Oh! any thing for Jesus Christ The sight of Gods grace does make one gracious and therefore Christ does take this way Causing the Kingdom of Heaven grace and free remission to approach first unto us before we do draw neer to it There is one Reason more I will but name it Christ does so order things in the dispensations of his grace that no flesh might glory in it selfe or in any thing that it hath or doth that no flesh might rest in any duty in any service in any suffering but only upon grace upon Christ alone Beloved we are very unwilling to come unto any duty and when we have done we are then as apt to rest upon it as ever we were unwilling to come unto it But what 's the reason that men are so apt to rest upon their duties but because there are these secret thoughts that they come to Christ before he does come to them Let the heart be possest with this truth That Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven and of free-grace does approach unto us and come neer to us before we draw neer to it And then he will not rest so much upon what he is doth or suffereth A man in this case is like unto a Silk-worme you know how 't is with that worme it makes a fine web a fine work and when it hath done it dies in it afterward it eats a hole through the work and it comes out with wings a quite other creature than it went into it So it is with a poor Christian he makes a fine work of duty and then he dies in it but through the manifestations of Gods free grace he does as it were eat a hole through all and he comes out with wings flying away from his duties not so as to neglect the performance of them but so as not to rest upon them flyes away from in regard of resting upon any duty and only upon this ground because saies he God did draw neer to me grace did draw neer to me mercy did draw neer to me before ever I drew neer to it and therefore why should I rest upon any duty performe it I will but through grace I will not rest upon it By way of Application Applic. 1 Let us I pray consider with our selves whether God hath dealt thus by our souls or no Hath the Kingdom of Heaven approch't and drawn neer unto us before we drew neer to it if not truly for ought that I know we are yet under the Law and all our mournings and walkings Heaven-ward they are but Legal If God love you indeed He shews kindness and mercy to you before you do come to him 'T is with Gods darlings as 't is with the worlds-darlings You have some men take a great deal of pains rise early and go to bed late and yet the world does not smile upon them these are the world's enemies Some take pains and grow rich thereby these are the worlds friends Others there are again that before ever they take any pains the Lord is upon them with the worlds blessings these are the worlds darlings So I say God hath his darlings and if thou art one of Gods darlings He does cause the Kingdom of Heaven Grace and Free-remission to appear and draw neer unto thy soul even before thou dost draw neer to it Hath God dealt thus by any of you Oh! contemplate consider seriously the sweetness of this grace Beloved preventing grace is sweet grace The Lord gave a Grown a Kingdom to David but the best Pearle in all the Crown that his eye was most upon was Gods preventing mercy Psa 21.3 Lord saies he thou hast prevented me with the goodness of thy blessing As if he had said thus Lord thou hast not only given me a kingdom made me a King over thy people but when I was a poor Shepheard keeping my fathers sheep thou diddest prevent me with thy love So may a poor soul say Ah Lord thou hast not only given me a kingdom but thou hast prevented me with thy love 'T is a great matter that the great God of Heaven and Earth should answer our prayers give us any mercy upon our request I but that the Lord should give us the greatest mercie before we come for it Pray good people mark it a little Ye shall observe that the greatest mercies that ye have ye have them and they are given unto you before you come for them There are some great mercies that a Christian hath as Conversion of his soul Justification Remission of sin Some lesser mercies as comfort and peace and outward plenty As for these lesser mercies God gives them when we do come for them but as for the great Mercies Remission of sin Justification of our persons Conversion of our souls God is upon us with these mercies before we come for them Oh! what grace is here Oh! what glorious rich grace is here What! shall be not stand and admire at the glory of this free grace of God in Jesus Christ You will say unto me Quest But suppose this that the Lord hath brought the Kingdom of Heaven neer to me and my family before I did come to it for I must confess that I have tasted and drunk deeply of Gods preventing love Oh! how graciously hath God dealt by our poor family wee were a poor ignorant family and the Lord shewed mercy to our family when we little thought of it to such a Child to such a Servant to such a Friend to mine own soul Indeed this is true That the Kingdom of Heaven hath approch't unto me drawn neer unto me before I drew neer to it Oh! what is my duty now that does flow from hence Let me tell you Ans 1 Duty First of all Be sooner at Heaven gate with your duties hereafter than ever you were before When as a Master comes into his servants Chamber in the morning and takes him abed if the servant have any ingenuity the servant saies this my Masters coming thus early is plainly a rebuke to my sloth and therfore God willing I will be up sooner another day So now
of God Page 206 7 It fils the soul with Gods infinitness Page 207 Application If Difficulties arise here is the way to grapple with them Page 207 Object How shall a man use his faith that be may break through all difficulties Answered 1 Exercise your faith in the promise before you speak with the difficulties Page 208 2 When you do look upon them look upon them as your trials many times as the Devils Engins to work your hearts off again Page 208 3 Set your selves now especially with al your might to venture upon Jesus Christ Page 209 4 The greater difficulties your graces are recovered out of the hands of the more sweet will they be unto you Page 210 5 Study Jesus Christ more ibid Object Suppose a man hath bin in Jesus Christ a great while and then discouragements arise to beat him out of the ways of Christ how shal he raise his faith to work through these Answered 1 Consider your call often Page 211 2 The more you beleeve in the ful of difficulty the more you please God ibid 3 Talke often one to another what great things God hath done that he hath promised Page 212 4 Consider what great difficulties Jesus Christ hath broke thorow to come to you ibid 5 Never speak with your difficulties apart from a promise ibid Matthew 3.2 SERMON I The text opened and explained Page 216 Doct. The kingdom of Grace mercy forgiveness comes to us before we com to that Page 211 Proved Page 218 Evidenced 1 From our own condition Lost sheep Page 228 2 From Christs willingness to save sinners Page 224 Objections answered Page 225 Reas 1 That God may be known to be God Page 229 Reas 2 That men may be made the more gracious ibid Reas 3 That no flesh may glory in it self nor any thing it doth Page 231 Application 1 Consider whether God have dealt thus by our souls or no Page 232 If so learn these duties 1 Be sooner at heaven gate with your duties hereafter than you were before Page 234 2 Labour to be like God in this particular ibid 3 Wait with long suffering for the conversion of others Page 235 4 Trust in God for ever Page 236 Application 2 You that have not received the Kingdome of Grace Take heed how ye neglect so great salvation Page 237 SERMON II Matth. 3.2 Doct. 2 The drawing nigh of the kingdom of grace is the greatest motive to true Repentance Page 240 Opened by considering the particulars of Repentance and you shall find the grace and love of God hath influence upon them all Viz. 1 Sight and knowledge of sin Page 242 2 Be humbled for it Page 243 3 Loath himself ibid 4 Be ashamed of it ibid 5 Acknowledge it Page 244 6 Labor to unsin it it ib. Reason 1 Because Repentance is a fruit of faith Page 245 Reas 2 Because it flows from love Page 246 Object Arguments drawn from Hell and the wrath of God seem to work Repentance more than the love of God Page 247 Answered by distinctions 1 It is one thing to be troubled in conscience and another thing to be humbled for sin Page 248 2 It 's one thing to be prickt at heart and another thing to repent ibid 3 It 's one thing to repent of sin in regard of the inconvenience of it and another thing to repent in regard of the morral evil of it ibid 4 It s one thing to be broken with the weight of sin and another to have the soul melted for it Page 249 5 Its one thing to have sorrow repentance in the Ore and another thing to have it refined ibid 5 It is one thing for repentance to be more in view another to be mort in spirit Page 250 7 It is one thing for our Repentance to affect our own heart much another thing for to affect the heart of God much Use 1 What a sad condition are those in to whom the kingdom of God hath come and yet they are not moved to repentance Page 251 Use 2 The reason why our hearts are no more humbled is because we do not labor to bring the kingdome of God neere to our souls Page 252 Use 3 What infinit cause we have to repent Page 254 1. The more evangelical our repentance is the more it will cure our souls and not hurt our bodies Page 255 2 The more you wil be grieved for sins against the Gossel Page 256 3 It is a friend to spiritual joy ibid 4 The more you hope your sin is pardoned the more you will grieve for it Page 257 5 The more your heart will be enlarged to and for Christ ibid 6 The more of the Gospel is in your repentance the more of the Gospel will be in your obedience Page 257 7 The more your hearts will be sweetned towards the Saints Page 258 FINIS Grace FOR Grace OR THE OVER-FLOVVINGS OF CHRISTS-FULNES Received by all SAINTS JOHN 1.16 And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace Preached at Dunstans in the East March 16. 1644 HERE in this Chapter are Two choice Spirits John the Baptist and John the Evangelist both agreeing in this To advance the Honor of Jesus Christ John the Baptist is brought in by John the Evangelist giving as you reade in this first Chapter Four great Testimonies of Jesus Christ The first begins at the 15. verse John bare Witness of Him and cryed saying This was He of whom I spake Wherein John the Baptist doth prefer Jesus Christ above himself both in regard of His Person and in regard of His Office In regard of His Person as you reade in the latter end of the 15th This was He of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for He was before me In regard of His Office at the 16 the 17 and 18. verses And of His Fulness have al we received even Grace for Grace For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ c. I confess there are Learned Interpreters as Cyril and Chrysostome that do conceive the words of my Text to be the words of John the Evangelist the 15. verse having as they say relation unto Johns speech in the latter end of the 14. verse Full of Grace and Truth But Origen and others unto whom I rather incline think that they are the words of John the Baptist because they are knit unto the former by the copulative And And of His fulness have all we received Grace for Grace He therefore that spake the words of the former verse in all likelyhood spake these words He that spake the words of the former verse was John the Baptist and therfore these words being linked unto the former by the word And in all likelyhood are the words of John the Baptist The Words of themselves fall into these Three Propositions First That there is a fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Secondly That of this
into the Land of Canaan first the sentnece of death is put upon both these their Males are to be cutt off from Egypt and before they come into Canaan they must go into a howling wildernesse thus the sentence of death passes first upon the mercy before they do come to it And was it not thus with David David had a Kingdome promised him that he should be the King of Israel but first of all David must be thrust out of the Kingdome he must into the wildernesse he must be hunted up and down there like a partridge David must be a Traitor first before he can be a King and David must be a Rebell first in the eyes of the King before he can come to the Kigndome and to the Throne he had the mercy afterward but first the sentence of death was put upon it So Job a great and a large and a comfortable Estate that God gave unto him but first he is plundered and spoiled of all a sentence of death passes upon all his comforts And is not this Gods dealing with his People still look I pray into the 11. of the Revelation and ye shall see how the two witnesses are to fare After three days and an half at the 11. v. the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them and they heard a great voice from Heaven saying unto them Rev. 11. come up hither But I pray marke they are kild first at the latter end of the 7. verse He shall make warre against them and shall overcome them and kill them and their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City which spiritually is call'd Sodome and Egypt and they of the People and Kingreds and Tongues and Nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves There is a Spirit of life enters into them afterwards I but first of all a sentence of death passes upon them this is Gods way and manner of dealing with his People with the children of Abraham with those that are true Beleevers What Reason for it This seemes somewhat strange Not a blessing or a mercy of any great importance or concernment but the sentence of death passes upon it first What Reason for this Why is God pleased to take this way with his owne people the Children of Abraham First of all Reas 1 God doth so give blessings and mercies unto his own people as That he may be most of all seene therein Beloved God doth not onely give us these outward creature-comforts for to supply our Wants but to beare up the honour of his owne greatnesse You have not fish out of the water onely to supply your wants nor fruit from the earth onely to supply your wants nor light from the Sun only to supply your wants but to beare up the honour of Gods greatnesse also When he gives unto his people he does give in such a way as may most of all bear up the honour of his own greatnesse if it were only to supply their wants then possibly the sentence of death should never come upon the second cause but now it is also to beare up his own honour the honour of his own greatnesse and that is done this way Hereby God is known to to be a living God so long as there is life in the meanes God is not so well known to be a living God but when all meanes are dead and yet the mercy comes Oh! sayes a soule now I see that God is a living God Hereby the Power of God is made known he must needs be great in power that can say to things that are not Bee and give a Resurrection unto dead things so long as there is strength and ability in the meanes men do not so much consider the power and the All-suffciency of God but when all meanes are strengthlesse and all meanes are dead and yet the mercy comes Oh! sayes a soule now I see that God is a God Almighty God All-sufficient Hereby he is made known under the name of Jehovah a Being that gives a Being unto all other Beings faithfull in fulfilling his promise so long as there is a being in the second cause and in the meanes God is not known by the name Jehovah but when there is a sentence of death put upon the second cause and yet the mercy comes Oh! now sayes a soul I see that God is Jehovah a Being that gives a Being to all other Beings Therefore God does it 2. Reas And then againe secondly God does go this way with his people with beleevers the children of Abraham That they may learne more to trust unto him to trust unto God alone You know what the Apostle sayes in the first of Timothy the fifth chapter and firth verse She that is a widdow and desolate trusteth in God We seldome trust in God till a desolation come upon the meanes A widdow that is desolate trusteth in God when desolation comes upon the meanes then we learne for to trust in God One that does learne to swimme so long as he can touch the bottome can touch the earth with his foote he does not commit himselfe unto the streame but when he can feele no bottome then he commits himselfe unto the mercy of the waters Now so long as a man can stand upon the second cause he can feele the bottom with his feete he does not commit himselfe to the streame of mercy but when once the second cause is gone and he cannot feele the bottome then he commits himselfe unto the streame of mercy And you shall see the Apostle gives you this account of it in the second of Corinths the first chapter and the ninth verse But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead This is another reason why God is pleased to go this way Againe Reas 3 Thirdly It is fit that all beleevers should be conformable to Jesus Christ It was thus with Christ we read in that second of the Philippians of our Lord and Saviour That God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name But see first of all a sentence of death passes upon his name He was made of no reputation verse the seventh he was made of no name first And being of no reputation tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of man wherefore God hath highly exalted and given him a name which is above every name He brought salvation life to ligth he spoil'd Satan but first of all he was spoil'd himselfe and a sen tence of death passes upon him before he brought things unto life and he gives you to understand thus much himself here he holds forth himselfe for our example in the twelfth chapter of John sayes he at the
into his soule Answerable to that a chaine of gold is hung about his necke Joseph a poor stranger brought as low as ever man was Answerable to that he is made next in the Kingdome to Pharoah Beloved if the dead Mercy rise as your bodies when they rise they rise in glory So when the Mercy rises it will rise a glorious Mercy And as it shall be the greatest Mercy that ever you had so it shall be the surest That is most certain that is certain after uncertainty Whose assurance was like to Thomas's Oh! sayes Thomas My Lord and My God two My's My Lord and My God it came out of doubting A Tree that stands after shaking stands the most firmly Assurance after doubting is the strongest Assurance surest Assurance As 't is the greatest Mercy so I say it shall be the surest Mercy if ever the Mercy rise And then againe Lastly As the surest so it shall be the sweetest Mercy The children of Israel they had wholesome meat and water and drinke but the sweetest water was that which they had after no water water out of a rocke that was like hony And a Mercy that comes out of a rocke that comes from out of the sentence of death from under death it shall be the sweetest Mercy You know what the Father of the Prodigall sayes when his son was come home he cals his friends together Lak 15.32 Come sayes he and make merry with me for this my son was dead and is now alive Cals his friends together and speaks thus unto them So shall it be with the Soule when the Mercy lost is found when the Mercy dead is raised then the Soule shall call in his friends Come O my friends Come I le tell you what the Lord hath done for my Soule here here is a Mercy dead and 't is now alive Come make merry with me O my friends this my Assurance it was even dead and 't is now alive Oh! this Blessing this Blessing it was dead but 't is now alive Come and make merry with me O my friends for this Mercy was dead and 't is now alive Thus I say if this Mercy rise that hath the sentence of death upon it it shall be the greatest Mercy it shall be the surest and it shall be the sweetest Mercy that ever you had in all your dayes And therefore who would not waite upon the Lord who would not waite upon the Lord when the sentence of death is put upon the Mercy and upon all the manes that do lead unto it Oh! my beloved in the Lord that you would but possesse your hearts of this one Truth this Mercy how quiet would your Soules be under all the distempers and the troubles of the time Nationall distempers Personall distempers When you look upon the troubles that are abroad yet your hearts would be quiet and you would say well but yet notwithstanding we may be in the way to the greatest Mercy that ever England saw why should we be thus discouraged Oh! my Soule waite upon God this is Gods way he never gives any great Mercy to any of his people but first he does put a sentence of death upon it and upon all the meanes that do lead unto it And therefore notwithstanding all yet we may be in Gods way Therefore Oh! my Soule waite on him Thus much for this time Rom. 4. vers 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe THe words as ye heard the last day are spoken concerning Abraham Preached-at Margarets New fishstreet March 2. 1645. And they hold forth three great Truths unto us The First is this That when God intends to fulfill his promise by giving any speciall blessing to the children of Abraham he does first put the sentence of death upon the blessing and upon all the meanes that do lead unto it Abrahams body is dead and Sarahs wombe is dead when God had promised him a great seed The Second is this When God is thus pleased to put the sentence of death upon a blessing or the meanes that do lead thereto Then and then especially 't is the duty and commendation of all the children of Abraham to beleeve in God and not to stand poring upon the meanes and the deadnesse thereof He considered not his own body being dead nor the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe The Third is this That no difficulty can stand before Faith true saving justifying Faith carries the Soule through all difficulties discouragements and naturall impossibilities to Jesus Christ Thus it was here with Abraham he being not weak in Faith he had an eye unto Jesus Christ I have done with the First and my desire is now at this time to dispatch the Second When God is pleased thus to put the sentence of death upon a blessing Doctr. or the meanes that do lead unto it it is the duty of the children of Abraham then to trust in God not to stand poring upon or considering of the meanes and the deadnesse thereof Thus it was here with Abraham God made Abraham a promise that his seed should be like the sand and like the starres for multitude But Abrahams body is dead and his wives body is dead Notwithstanding Abraham considered not the deadnesse of the meanes And in all this he is held forth for our Example as you heard the last day As he did therefore so must we do The Doctrine is somewhat large I shall break it asunder into three parts and endeavour to cleare up these three Propositions unto you for the proof of the whole First That a meere rationall considering of the meanes and the deadnesse thereof is a great and a speciall enemy to the work of beleeving Secondly That when all means faile 't is the duty and commendation of the children of Abraham then to beleeve Thirdly That so to do is exceeding pleasing to God and most acceptable First That a meere rationall considering of the meanes the straitnesse or scantinesse narrownesse or deadnesse of the meanes is a great and a speciall enemy to the work of beleeving Abraham being not weak in Faith considered not his own body being dead If he had considered he might have been hindered in his Faith Ye reade of Zacharias that good man Father of John the Baptist that when the Angell brought him tidings of a child in way of his speciall Mercy he would not beleeve it And in the 1. of Luke and the 20. verse ye reade how he was punished for it Behold thou shalt be dumbe and not able to speak untill the day that these things shall be performed because thou beleevest not my words But what hindred him what kept him off from this work of beleeving you shall find at the 18. verse too much attendance unto and considering of the meanes and the deadnesse thereof Zachary said unto the Angell Whereby shall I know
of water that is contrary a weak faith is borne down instantly Art thou therefore weak and hast newly begun to look towards Jesus Christ Oh labour to get stronger faith and that you shall do by growing in the knowledge of Iesus Christ Study Christ more his life more his death more his fulnesse more the merciful dispositon of Iesus Christ more Thus shal you be able to grow strong and shal work through all difficulties and discouragements unto the Lord Christ Yet you will say to mee Quest But suppose now that a man hath beleeved some time a great while been in Christ a great while difficulties and discouragements doe arise to beat a man out of the good wayes of Christ that he hath taken up How should a man so raise and use his faith as he may be able to work through all these unto Jesus Christ I 'le speak but to this and so I 'le wind up all Answ First of all consider your call often consider your call your first call to a worke and put your selves often unto this disjunction Either God hath called me to this worke or else he hath not If God hath not called me what meanes this Scripture And what meanes that Scripture And what meanes the other Scripture And if God hath called me why should I lay down the work for any difficulty Will not he carry me through And know this that difficulties do sometimes arise in our way to make a stoppage in our proceedings and sometimes they arise onely to draw out our faith When as thou seest thy call cleare unto any work then say these difficulties arise onely to draw out my faith and not to make a stoppage in my proceedings In the second place consider this That the more you beleeve in the face of difficulty the more you please God Nothing so pleasing to God as beleeving in the face of difficulty God will trust him with much that trusts much to God God will break through many difficulties to save thy soule if thou canst break through many difficulties to come to him There 's no grace does more honour God then Faith of all graces it honours God most and of all the pieces of faith none doe more honour God then beleeving in the face of difficulties When therefore any difficulty or naturall discouragement does arise say the Lord pardon mee Oh! I have dishonoured God enough already is this the way for to honour God to beleeve in the face of difficulties and naturall discouragements Here now I have more opportunity to do it the Lord help mee now will I set my selfe to beleeve In the third place Sometimes when you meete together speak unto one another of the great things that God hath done the great things that God hath promised the great things that Faith hath done As words of anger do draw out anger so experiences do draw out Faith Onely I pray take heed when ye speake of your experiences and what God hath done that ye don't lay or ground your Faith upon your experience but upon the promise 'T is a good speech that Parisiensis hath Experience sayes he 'T is like the crutch the lame mans crutch it does uphold the lame man but it don't cure him And so an experience it stayes up thy soule for the present but experience cannot cure you of your unbeliefe 't is onely the promise cures you of your unbeliefe 'T is said in the 106. Psalme concerning the children of Israel When they saw the Egyptians lie in the sea before them then they beleeved in God and sang his praise And the next words that follow are They soone forgate his works I when as we beleeve the word onely because of experience no wonder that we soone forget our experiences and all Therefore take heed tell of your experiences draw out your experiences for to strengthen your Faith yet lay not your Faith upon your experience but upon the Word And againe in the fourth place Above all things consider what great difficulties Jesus Christ hath broke through to come to you Ye reade of him so described in the Canticles He comes leaping over the mountaines many are the mountaines that Jesus Christ came leaping over to come to you Passion-worke is greater and harder then Creation-worke he came leaping over the mountaines of worke Oh! shall Jesus Christ come leaping over mountaines and difficulties to come to my Soule and shall I go over no mountaines and breake through no difficulties to get to Jesus Christ thinke what difficulties he broke through to come to you And lastly Never speak with your difficulties or discouragements apart from the promise If a man be travailing in the rode and a thiefe can sunder him from his company draw him alone into the woods a hundred to one but he takes his purse if he save his life And if the Devill can part you from the promise take you into the woods where you shall see nothing but darknesse difficulties and discouragements a hundred to one but he spoiles you of all your comforts man or woman does difficulty arise therefore naturall discouragement arise Away to the promise and say unto them when they come I will never speak with you unlesse it be in the presence of a promise Oh but Gods providence seemes for to crosse his promise Obj. Be it so yet thou mayest beleeve Answ though Gods providence seemes for to crosse his promise yet thou mayest rest on the promise Oh but I have a threatning set on upon my heart Object Be it so yet thou mayest beleeve the promise Answ although the threatning have taken hold upon thee and fild thee with trouble for God does therefore threaten that he may make way to a Promise Gods promises don't make way to his threatnings but his threatnings make way to his Promises God does therefore threaten that he may not fulfill but God does therefore promise that he may fulfill and therefore though the threatning have taken hold upon thine heart and thou liest under the apprehension of Gods displeasure get away to the promise rest upon the promise I but Jesus Christ hath withdrawn from me Object and hid himselfe from me Be it so yet thou mayest go to the Promise Christ doth therefore withdraw from thee that he may draw thee to him Answ Jesus Christ does therefore hide himselfe that he may show thee his face more and more Our brother Joseph he cannot conceale himselfe long his bowels and compassions won't let him Wherefore then whensoever any difficulties or naturall discouragements do arise upon you come to this conclusion now therefore will I trust in God now therefore will I venture upon Iesus Christ O my soule now venture now venture and say Lord such and such difficulties are risen thou hast called me to this work difficulties arise upon me surely thou hast called me to this work they are not therefore to make a stoppage in my proceedings but to draw out my faith now therefore I
sins But I pray what works the heart over to this acknowledgment When David had Saul at a great advantage and spar'd him Saul breaks forth into this expression O my son David thou art more righteous than I O David thou art a righteous man but I am an unrighteous man So when the soul sees what infinite advantage the Lord hath it at and how the Lord spareth then the soul breaks forth and saies The Lord is righteous I am unrighteous I am unrighteous this works an acknowledgment Sixtly A Repenting person does not only acknowledge his sin as occasion serves but he labours to un-sin his sin and truely else it is no Repentance He does walk contrary unto himself and his former self he does labour to undo what he had done before sinfully he does labour to unsay what he had said before wickedly Before the Jaylor was converted he clap't up the Apostle into close prison and either he whipt him there or else being whipt he did not relieve him and wash his wounds But the Jaylor Repenting mark how he walks contrary to himself Repenting he opens the prison door he washes the Apostles wounds brings him into his own house sets meat before him Those Sorcerers Acts 19. repenting burnt their books which before they prized and studies much How did Manasses walk contrary to himself when he once Repented Well But what is that that will bring the soul to this disposition to walk contrary to ones former self If you look into the 116. Psalm ye shall find there how the Psalmist eats up his former words I said in my hast all men are lyers It was amiss in me I eat my words I am sorry for it what made him do it Saies he at the 3. verse The sorrows of death compassed me about and the pains of hell gate hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow Then called I upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver me at the 5. verse Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is mercisul Now having had a tast of Gods grace and God mercy now he eats his former words And so the good man Hezekiab I said saies he I am cut off from the land of the living Isa 38.11 He did eat his words I repent it was suddenly done How was he wrought off to this He had tasted of the love and grace and goodness of God and this made him do it So that now look into the bowels of Repentance and the several workings thereof and ye shall find there is no such way or means or motive to bring a soul unto Repentance as the approaching of the Kingdom of Heaven the word and work of Gods grace and love of God in Jesus Christ Would you know the Reason Briefly thus Repentance is a fruit of faith Ye have a notable expression of godly sorrow to the height in the 12. of Zachary the latter end of the 10 11 and 12. verses speaking of the Call and Conversion of the Jews They shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitterness for him the latter end of the 10. verse as one that is in bitterness for his first-born Bitterness upon bitterness and mourning And in that day at the 11. verse there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon And the land shall mourn every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart Here is great mourning and sorrow What caused this saies he at the 10. verse They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn They shall look upon me whom they have piercit This is the eye of faith and all true mourning and sorrow does come from thence All tears of Repentance flow from the eye of faith the more a man by faith is able to see a pierced Christ the more his heart is pierced for sin committed the more by faith a man is able to see a wounded Christ the more will his heart be wounded for sin committed Faith works Repentance but what worketh faith Surely the Gospel the preaching of the Gospel Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the preaching of faith He does not say by the preaching of the Gospel but by the preaching of faith The Gospel is called faith not only because 't is the Cbject of faith but that by which faith is wrought Again As Repentance is a fruit of faith So also it does flow from love Amor doloris causa Love is the cause of grief The more a man loves another or apprehends that he is loved of him the more he grieves if he hath any way injured him If you at un-awares do strike another and one tell you that he is your enemy ye grieve not ye are not troubled unless it be in regard of some mischief that may come to your self But if one tell you that he is a friend a specialfriend that grieves you So now if by my sins I have striken at God if I look upon God as an enemy I am not grieved much I am not troubled much But when I consider him as my father the best friend I have in the world and consider how by my sins I have stricken at him this makes me grieve Oh! that ever I should wound the name of him whom my soul loves She loved much saies our Saviour concerning the weeping woman she loved much for much was forgiven her He does not say she wept much for much was forgiven her there was no mention before of her love but only of her weeping and yet saies our Saviour she loved much because he would shew what it was that drew up the sluce of these tears it was her love And what causeth love Love causeth love The more a man sees and apprehends the love of Christ towards him the more his heart is drawn out in love towards Christ again And what greater act of love than this That the Kingdom of Heaven approaches that the Kingdom of Heaven should come and make it's approach to such a poor sinner as I am Surely therefore the approaching or drawing neer of the Kingdom of Heaven is the highest and greatest motive in the world unto true Repentance You will say Experience seems for to speak the contrary for arguments drawn from Hell and the wrath of God seem to be more powerful and efficacious in the working of Repentance I have will some say sometimes considered the wrath of God and let out my heart upon arguments drawn from thence and then I have bin much humbled broken been much affected yea the truth is I have been more humbled and more broken and more affected and more troubled for sin than when the Gospel the word of the Kingdom hath been preach'd and opened unto me How therefore is this true Experience seems to speak the contrary I answer Quicquid recipitur c.