day against this sin and Lord I have no strength against it now Lord help me but here is the misery of the soul it doth not go to Christ and by this means live in complaints all their life-time 4. If lastly any thing be to be done they will do it themselves as Paul Gal. 1.12 Not but that a Christian should put forth himself a Christian is not a dead-hearted Christian at all times but the grace of God which comes from Christ doth act the soul in a continuall dependance on Christ and where Christ acts not there Satan doth Now I say the Kingdome of God is come when the soul doth thus submit to the stream of the blessed Spirit of the Lord that the Lord may guide it Oh beloved here is the skill that poseth the Angels how to tell you so to yield your selves to Christ as that Christ may come so to abide in the stock that all your fruit may be from him So to lye under the Lord as that the stream of the Spirit of life may fall on thee so to be implanted in the Lord as to fetch life from him and bring forth fruit to him But try this course submit to the will of the Lord Jesus be nothing in thy own eyes and if the Lord do give thee any thing blesse the Lord for it if any strength against thy sin be vile in thy own eyes and try and see if ye finde not the Kingdome of God the glory of Heaven come into thy soul Oh the light life prayers you might have the heavenly conference ye will have together that it would do a mans heart good to be with such a Christian that those that are with you might say Verily God is in this man verily there is joy in Heaven when the Saints keep in this frame 4 When the soul yeelds thus to the will of Christ for Christs ends for such is the subtil wretchednesse of mens heart that men would have Christ glorifie himself that he may glorifie and honour them like Simon Magus that would give any money for Apostolical gifts that he might be some tody that way also Now if a man shall submit go to Christ for gifts and parts that 's to set up another King to advance a mans self and so also sin and the devil and Christ must be made a servant for this end He is now no King like a Rebel that is not content that thousands of the Kings Subjects should serve him but he will have the Prince serve him also Every man will say this doth utterly overthrow the Kingdom of such a Prince When a man shall secretly fight against the Lord and be for himself and for the devil and sin within When a man shall make all the creatures serve him the souldiers of his army meat drinke and outward comforts this is a marvellous thing Ay but when a man shall make Jesus Christ and God himself and profession of Christ make these to serve him to raise up his name this the Lord takes very ill Only this I would adde when the soul doth look at Christ with a single eye that Christ is sweet and precious and lyes under the blessed Spirit of Christ for that end and now looks up to Christ that he may submit to him with a single eye that the name of Christ may be glorified by life and death true it is self will be in every duty and so is contrary to the Lord in all and not for the Lord. Yet though it be thus there is another thing in the soul that is wholly for God and Christ and hence seeks that he may do his work his heart loves him and so seeks him and he begs it with many teares Oh that my children might serve and love this God nay that all the world might see and blesse and admire this God and the Lord inlargeth his heart herein Psal 72.19 and truely now the Kingdome of God is come to thy soul Rom. 5. 17. As sin and Satan do reigne by death So Jesus Christ doth reigne by life to eternall life Matth. 25.14 He is the true Subject that improves his Talents for the King Christ will subdue all his to himself Psal 66.3 Through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves to thee Rom. 14.17 For the Kingdome of God is not in meat and drinke but in righeousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost When a man shall be picking fault with things and this and that offends him get ye gone the Kingdome of God consists not in that But when the soul do's go to the Lord maintain his peace with God and love to the people of God and joy in the holy Ghost here is the Kingdom of God He that serves Christ in these things the Kingdome of God is come into his soul He that thus submits to the Lord Christ he must first be a man wearie of his own counsels and must loath himself When the Lord hath wearied a man of his own wayes he sayes What am I that the Lord should shew me any mercy And when the Lord calls him to any service Lord What am I that I should now pray to thee Blesse the Lord when the Lord doth keep thy heart in this frame but now when men will honour Christ and yet Saul-like have Christ honour them Many poor creatures they think it a credit to be in Church-fellowship and they will seek to know Christ that they may attaine Church-fellowship and have honour but know it till the Lord do pull down thy base ends and make thee loath thy self and so to submit to his blessed will truely till then the Kingdome of God is not come to thy soul Think of these things for if the Kingdome of God be in our hearts then look for good dayes Brethren let New-England be confident of it but if this be gone from the soules and hearts of men and women in their severall families and places though they may have the outward Kingdome of Christ yet the inward Kingdome being not set up I say no more but what he said Go to Palestina and Bohemia Certainly if they had not cast off the Lords government they had nevever seen those lamentable dayes they had outward Ordinances Oh but here was the thing the inward Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Christ and subjection to the will of the Lord Jesus and to be for the Lord Jesus this the Lord saw was not in them therefore the Lord hath left them to be lamentable spectacles Therefore dear brethren I do beseech you pray and beg for this Kingdome Thou sayest I fall short of this Know this Kingdome of God is at first like a grain of Mustard-seed some little lying under the will of Christ if it be in truth blessed be God for it The Kingdome of God is come and the soul doth weep and mourne after the Lord that the Lord would bring every thought into subjection Know it the Kingdome of
Christ then thou art so long as there is credit for the truth so long it is entertained but now suppose it be costly that it shouldbring beggery affliction with it is it now sweet to you doth this support thy heart I am in Gods way canst lye down and subscribe to the equity of Christs proceedings with thee though he should never shew favour to thee if it be not thus I dare not say thou art under the Kingdome of Christ And so for the correcting will of Christ many sad afflictions the Lord tries thee withall the Lord tries men marvellously when thou art under the hand of the Lord those very things that should make men cry to heaven and wean thee from the world those very things do harden thee and make thee grudge and repine The Lord be merciful to thee if this be thy frame the Kingdome of Christ never came into that heart you are begging for mercy and the Lord sayes you mercy you have abused it no saith the Lord Go to your lust that have despised the day of grace and so now you cast off the Lord because the Lord will not give you mercy when you would have it Will you now quarrel with the Lord no down proud heart pray still and mourn still and turne to the Lord and say Lord do with me what thou wilt I am clay in thine hand thou may'st make me a vessell of dishonour I deserve not the least bit of bread such a one as is above the Lord and his will is not under the Lord therefore submit thy self to the good will of Christ 3. When the soul doth thus submit to the will of Christ by vertue of the power and Spirit of Christ i. e. when the soul doth not submit by vertue of its own power strength or ability for this is forre gne power But as it do h seek to submit to the will of Christ so it would have Christ himself act it and rule it and so inable it to submit there unto Now is the Kingdome of God come neere to that heart And herein Christs Kingdome is different from Princes they give lawes that men may keep them by there own might hence they command no imimpossible things but the will of Christ is so crosse to a carnal heart that 't is impossible man of himself should submit to it But the Lord doth it for this end chat the soul should then come to Christ in its need that he would do all the good pleasure of his will and now the Lord himself reignes and that gloriously Rom. 8 1 2. For the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Acts 5.31 A Prince and Saviour for to give repentance and remisspon of sint It is part of his Princely power for to give remission of sins both in turning from sin and to God and all the wayes of God and now you exalt him when he is thus set up 1 Cor. 4.20 The Kingdome of God is not in word but in power The power of Christ Jesus is come into thy soul and the soul is under the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus when it doth lye under the mighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1. 11 12. We pray alwayes for you that the Lord would work and fulfil the good pleasure of his will and the work of faith in power that Christ may be glorified Yea then is Christ glorified when God omnipotent reignes over sin and unbelief and when the Lord doth this not only the Kingdome of God is now come but the Kingdome of Christ in glory is come there is many a poor soul thinks Christ rules him not because he cannot do this nor that became he findes his heart unable and unwilling for to submit to the will of Christ I finde no strength at all saith the soul and I go to Christ and finde not strength conveyed and now he thinks he is not under the Kingdome of Christ I answer that is not the question but hath the Lord made thee willing in the day of bis power when the soul doth lye under the power of the Lord Jesus Christ when che soul doth lye like wax before the Lord Jesus when the soul saith Lord there was never any change of my nature the good Lord change it and if there be any change the good Lord increase and stir up the graces of thy Spirit in my soul and do thou lead me and guide me Brethren the Kingdome of Christ is come to this soul John 5.40 You will not come to me for life He doth not say you do not quicken your selves or ye cannot come to me but will not here is their wound they will not come to Christ for life Rom. 6.19 As ye have yeelded your members servants to sin and Satan so now yeeld up your selves servants to righteousnesse and to holinesse Psal 119.5 6. Thou hast commanded that we should keep thy precepts continually Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy precepts continually Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy statutes When a Christian is grapling with his own heart ye will never be able to overcome the unsubduednesse thereof but when ye bring them to the Lord Jesus Christ that he would take a course with them 1. Now ye please Christ 2. Ye take a sure course to have the will of God done he being in office for that end for Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and Saviour to Israel When the soul doth look up to the Lord Jesus and lye under the power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus 3. You now make the yoke of Christ sweet and his name glorious nothing glorifies Christ so much as this when Jesus doth work in a Christian now the Kingdome of Christ is come to the soul and that in power But now when men will not submit thus far to Christ 1. They can do nothing but will not come to him on whom God hath laid salvation you say you cannot understand nor edifie by the Sermons ye hear and you cannot part with your lusts Ay but now this is thy condemnation thou wilt not go to a Saviour that he may teach thee and help thee when men will not have the Lord Jesus to reigne over them or 2. If men do come they will not come to him where he may be found but say I can do nothing Christ must do all and so neglect the means wherein he will be found or 3. Will submit and come in means to him but not then at the speciall time when He is to be sought and may be found viz. in time of temptation But then forget and forsake him and cry not Hosanna Lord now save now help me against this lust When temptation comes when passion and pride come do you now go to Jesus Christ When the world begins to draw thy heart away dost thou say thus Lord I have prayed this
the Lord will have it so to be nothing be content thus and though thou dost not finde any benefit from the Ordinance of the Lord as yet yet notwithstanding loath thy own heart but love them yet seek after the Lord and look to the Lord in them And this is certain the Lord hath blessings for his people not only in this life but as he there speaketh to his Disciples when they say to him Lord what shall we have saith the Lord to them You that have followed me you shall sit on thrones But take heed of this if once ye come to slight Ordinances and cast off Ordinances because of these straits and wants and so forth And what are your Ordinances c and a generation of men risen up I think Christians should send forth their gronings to the Lord that the terrour of the Lord may fall upon them they deny all the Ordinances of the Lord and the Spirit must teach us only 'T is true the Spirit must do it but will ye therefore take away the means and hence the very Scripture is made an Alphabet for children and so they do destroy the Ordinances of the Lord. Beloved if it be from this principle take heed of it for if it be ye will certainly finde bondage 4. When men do not thus pull down the Ordinances the throne of Christ but drive the Lord Jesus away out of his Ordinances though they have his Ordinances with them by their secret defilings pollutions spiritual pollutions of the glorious Ordinances of Christ this the Lord frequently complaineth of in Jerem. and Ezek. The very great reason why the Lord did leave his Temple where their fathers did praise the Lord they had polluted and defiled it that was the reason of it They had driven the Lord away from his throne and this doth pull down the princely power of the Lord in his Churches I know there be many sins and defilements and the sons of men have hidden wayes of polluting the Ordinances of the Lord that a man shall sit under all the Ordinances of the Lord and as it is said of Mount Gilboah not any dew fall upon him never see good when good comes the Lord is not dear that is the reason of it Oh thy secret defilements of the Ordinances of the Lord have driven the Lord farre from you There are many I shall only name three principally that there may be a little heed taken of them First When there is a secret contempt grown upon a mans spirit of the Ordinances of Christ attended with a secret wearinesse of them this doth now pollute the Ordinances of the Lord and this doth drive the Lord from his Ordinances Mal. 1.7 Ye have offered polluted bread wherein have we done it say they this was the cause of it Ye say that the Table of the Lord is contemptible the meaning is you do despise my Table and Ordinances and so now do despise me too and so ye do vilifie and contemne the Ordinances of the Lord Therefore saith the Lord in the conclusion of that Chapter vers 11. From the rising of the Sun my name it shall be known As if he should say I am not bound to you I can have a people among whom my name shall be great For saith the Lord I am a great King If one should have asked men in those dayes what good is in your sacrifices what great glory can ye see in them the Saints can see a great deal of glory in mean outsides Now when this is wanting the name of the Lord is polluted and so the Lord driven from his Ordinances Heb. 12.15 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil root of bitternesse springing up and many thereby be defiled When men do live in secret lusts or open profanenesse a man that hath a profane heart such a heart as doth contemne the portion of mercy the Lord doth offer to him who like Esau did sell his birth-right for a messe of pottage Secondly Unbrokennesse of heart in the enjoyment of Ordinances when men live not in a daily sense of the extreme need they stand in of mercy Isa 66.1 2. Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstool Now observe what the Lord doth there speak To him will I look that is poor in spirit and contrite such a poor soul saith the Lord will I look to and to these are opposed such as have not such hearts but do look only to the Ordinances of the Lord Now saith the Lord to such He that offereth a lamb is as if he cut off a dogs neck and he that offereth incense as he that blesseth an Idol These were a people that did plead for the Temple of the Lord and had the Ordinances of the Lord according to his command but here was their wound they were not broken under the Ordinances of the Lord This you shall finde the Saints have many sins and wants under the Ordinances of the Lord but little does the world know their gronings before the Lord and the Lord hath mercy for such soules as are sensible of their need they stand in of the Ordinances of the Lord. But now when men have found the Lord in an Ordinance subduing some particular sin there are other sins remaining in their hearts and they stand unremoveable in their hearts and hence are the strongest and dearest of all the rest Now I say when men having these sins and knowing these sins in their hearts and spirits when as because I cannot subdue these sins and they have attended on the Lord in the use of means and the Lord helps them not and because they hope to be saved at last for all these Hence they come to a truce with their sin and never go mourning to the Lord nor say the Lord hath begun to subdue some of these lusts Now Lord go on but the soul is at truce with his sinnes Beloved if there be any pollution of the Ordinances of the Lord here it is that men come with unbroken hearts to the Ordinances of the Lord that never feel your need of them and wounds and sores that are in your hearts that men do stand with those very sins that they think they cannot subdue and because they cannot ease themselves of them therefore they give way to them When men keep these sins with unsensible hearts of them ye do resist the holy Ghost ye feel not your need of the Lord therefore ye keep your sins and your woes you shall have for them Thirdly Where there is a spirit of unbelief that there is not a seeking to Christ Jesus to wash away the pollutions of his heart and life in his attending upon the Lord in his Ordinances Tit. 1. 15. To the unbelieving nothing is pure but even their minde and conscience is defiled Exod. 30.29 It is said Every thing that touched the Altar was clean and hence without this all is unclean When a poor soul shall come to
death to differ or side or make a party one against another 2. Earnest prayer for the Church and all in it besides thy self and that with striving with God till an answer it given Sretcht out prayers as they made for Peter Acts. 12.5 James 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that you may be healed And so Jude 20. But ye beloved building up your selves in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost This is a means to edifie one another when there is inlargednesse of heart to pray one for another Psal 122.8 For my brethrens sake I 'le wish thy peace Sometimes a Christian can do others little good yet he will wrastle for him in his prayers to God One knowes not the good comes hereby if withall a man keeps a good Conscience making conscience of his wayes And 't is one of the greatest priviledges that a man hath when once he hath a share in all the prayers of the Saints as his own and it answers that Quere What is a Christian the better for the liberties of the Church Matth. 18.19 Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing they shall aske it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven vers 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the mida'st of them Now when people are false herein to their brethren and to their Covenant to their God and to their own soules for there is no one prayer thou makest that shall be lost but if it attaine not a blessing for others it shall returne again into thy bosome When there shall be no heart to spend prayer or shed tears for them whom Christ hath shed his blood for now you cast off the Kingdome of Christ Oh Brethren consider of it when there shall be many a soul in a Church taken by Satans temptations and held in temptations and ready to be overcome by temptations and it may be would not be so but because thou dost not pray publick Ordinances the ministery of the word little good done thereby because thou hast no heart to pray Acts 4.31 And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were met together and they were all filled with the holy Ghost This is the reason the hearts of thy children servanrs and fellow-brethren remaine secure and unshaken by all the Sermons they heare nothing doth them good nothing will pierce or penetrate their adamant-like hearts because thou hast no heart to pray for them or at least not to purpose 3. Timely Exhortation when brethren are dead-hearted and heartlesse in their Christian course Heb. 3.12 13. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another whiles it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Brotherly exhortation is a remedy against Apostasie of heart for though a man cannot convince another yet he may exhort him and 't is to be done in season whiles it 's called today with due respect and taking notice of what good there is with much wisdome and a spirit of humility or else thou spoilest all thou medlest withall putting your selves in their estate and with hearty unfeigned prayer that the Lord would accompany the same with his blessing Heb. 10.24 Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Look over the Congregation and consider such a Brothers or Sisters estate one is poor and low another falling another very much altered Now in some cases a private Brother may do more then a Minister the Lord help us and stir us up to this work Now when this is neglected many soules are hardned 4. Instructing and teaching one another as occasion serves Rom. 15.14 And I my selfe also am perswaded of you my brethren that you also are full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another They were able for to instruct and teach one another Isa 54.13 They shall be all taught of God What God teacheth thee that do thou teach others what thou gainest by hearing or by praying or meditation by putting questions to others sometimes to teach and sometimes to be taught and this do if possible in all occasional meetings and worldly discourses mixe with it some sweet truth that God hath taught thee But now on the other side when Christians shall meet and a man is the worse for their fruitlesse discourse no savour of any thing of God Let them meet never so long or often walking or sitting this is sad 5. In Comforting those that be sad 1 Thes 5.14 and 4. ult Comfort the feeble-minded and supprt the weak wherefore comfort one another with these words There are many sad hearts in Gods Church and sad things are as wounds to a mans limbes that make him halt or fall Oh Brethren be much in this work 2 Cor. 1.4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God That a soul may say such a one came to me and spake some few words to me but they were as seasonable as though the Lord had sent an Angel from heaven to speak to me and of more worth then if he had given me many pounds But now when this also is neglected that one Christians hath not a word of encouragement to another but dry and savourless discourse this the Lord takes very ill at the hands of his people that have received comfort from himself in the day of their sorrow and distresse 6. Restoring a Brother fallen with a spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 2. Brethren if any be overtaken with a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one with a spirit of meeknesse Oh how will a poor soul blesse the Lord for such a Brothers prayers admonitions and exhortations when the Lord shall have brought his heart back again to himself although before he did most of all disesteem and vilifie him Now when these are not used or not with a spirit of meeknesse improved that a man never blesseth God for these the Lord Jesus is pulled down from his throne when not done according to the ability time and place that the Lord affords And this I wish the Churches mourn not for another day For my own part I do adjudge my self before God and men as most guilty of this that I enjoy many sweet Ordinances and we improve them not and hence the glory of the Lord fills not his Tabernanacle abides not on his Churches either to draw others to them or to make others abundantly blesse God for them Now here I will shew you the causes of this 1. Not gaining much in private dutties in Prayer Meditation Reading and daily Examination of a mans own heart And hence they cannot
do good because they receive none or very little themselves they have not a treasure within hence they can spend little have no heart or ability to exhort instruct comfort He that keeps not his shop his shop will never keep him As Psal 41.6 His heart gathereth iniquity to it self when he goeth abroad he telleth it 2. A low spirit which makes a man to have low thoughts and endeavours I mean not an humble but a narrow spirit not inlarged to hold much or to do much hence it doth little As take a plaine countreyman he neither seeks or regards the affaires of the State in publick because his spirit and condition is low but Princes do minde and attend to the affaires of the Kingdome to advance it because their condition is high and they know it Moses he suffered reproach with the people of God losse of all the honour and pleasure of Pharaohs Court feared not Pharaoh nor losse of life for their sakes For he saw that God which is invisible like Saul when once a Kingdome comes to be in his eye he leaves off to seek the Asses 3. Sloth There are Thornes Prov. 15.19 and Lions Prov. 26.13 in a sluggards way There be many difficulties businesses occasion and objections when as if once he were resolved to break thorough them then the work would go on Like a man when he is in his warme bed he is loth to rise but when he is up he would not be in his bed againe if he might be hired again to put off his clothes I shall get no good saith one nor do none saith another and when these businesses are past and occasions over and at another time I will seek God and go about Gods worke and thus a slothfull spirit hinders 4. Want of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 We believe and hence we speak Faith empties us most and hence fills us with Spirit and Life of Christ Jesus hence Steven full of faith and the holy Ghost A lively Christian when he comes in another Christians company it may be he knows not what to speak but he looks up to Christ and sayes Now Lord here is an opportunity in doing or receiving some good and therefore now Lord help 5. Want of fear of God and consolation of the spirit of God from the sense of Gods love Acts 9.31 They walked in the fear of the Lord and consolations of the holy Ghost the Church was edified by the consolations of the holy Ghost A man that 's wounded keeps within and stirs not but when he is in health and strength now hard work is his meat he cannot live except he worke 1 Cor. 15. ult 6. Not considering the shortnesse of our time of sowing Heb. 10.25 Whereas if men were on their death-bed they would wish Oh that I had walked more blamelesly and fruitfully men care not for a comfortable reckoning as yet There are two causes why they receive no good 1. From a mean esteem of the Saints looking on them as men and not as an Ordinance of Christ their persons prayers and speeches And this is a rule Men never gain any good by that Ordinance which they despiseâ— if all were Schollers Ministers or Saints glorified they could then esteem them Hence Eph 4.16 Edifying is by love Making increase of the body edifying it self in love 2. From want of being poor in spirit and sensible of their extream need of Christ continually in all means Beggers will pick up crums and watch for a word of encouragement Isa 11.6 A little childe shall lead the Wolfe and the Lion that is when the Lord hath humbled the heart of a man Oh when a Christian thinks none so poor and shallow and heartlesse as I and every one is better then I however I need more then any This soul will be glad to suck the brest and the Lord will fill others with light and life and his own bowels to do such a one good Whereas else they are shut up and they finde no good conveyed to them by any of the Ordinances of the Lord nor any presence of God in them 3. There is a Ministerial power committed from Christ by the Church to the ruling Officers thereof I say by the Church for all power in the Church is properly Christs yet he nextly communicates it ordinarily to his Church or multitude of Beleevers to whom is committed the supreme power of the Keyes in his word and of binding and loosing as hath been shewen and by this Church this power hath been by Christs appointment and still is to be communicated to those that are chosen out of themselves to be Officers and Rulers over them in the Lord to exercise the power of Christ over them according to his will Hence the very power of binding and loosing opening and shutting given to the Church is also given to Peter and the rest of the Apostles and the successors of Christs Apostles in Doctrine sent of Christ John 20.23 Whosoevers sins ye remit they are remitted c. Because though the power of Communication of it is in the Churches hand yet the power of usual administration of it is in their hand whiles they exercise it according to Christ yet by the Church And hence Paul puts a difference between this extraordinary Ministery as Apostleship and ordinary Gal. 1.1 An Apostle not of men nor by the will of men but by Christ for the Church not by it Now this I say is by the Church from Christ Hence Acts 20.28 The holy Ghost hath made them overseers so that 't is no invention of man or act of man or the power of man but of Christ and hence refuse to be under this power men cast off the yoke and power of Christ Jesus For though the estate of the Church be Democratical and Popular and hence no publick administrations or Ordinances are to be administrated publickly without notice and consent of the Church Yet the government of it under Christ the Mediator and Monarch of his Church t is Aristocratical and by some chief gifted by Christ chosen by the people to rule them in the name of Christ who are unable and unfit to be all Rulers themselves and to cast off these or not to be ruled by these is to cast off Christ Luke 10.16 He that rejecteth you rejecteth me Numb 16.3 You are gathered together against the Lord The Lord accounts himself opposed and resisted when the Officers of his Church are slighted and their government despised Quest What is this power Answ 1. Negatively Quest Answ 1 1. It is not any Lordly pompous power to bear the bell of great smoakie titles to govern in worldly pompe or by worldly rewards and civil punishments 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds It shall not be so with you saith Christ but as I have been without all worldly state so must you be one to another And hence 1 Peter
he sets the soul at an everlasting distance with his sin never to be reconciled and looks to the Lord that by his Word and Spirit he would subdue them that so he may see the death of them and he sides with the Lord in the use of all means comes to the Word and comes to Prayer and sayes Speak against my sin Lord Lord waste these distempers and so the soul is thus at variance with his sin although his temptations do get winde and hill of him he goes again and to them again and though he perisheth and never have mercy from the Lord yet Lord that I may never sin against thee more help therefore Lord by this promise and mercy and meanes and here he keeps him and here he holds Truly brethren here is an eternal vertue and such a vertue as no hypocrites have that have some sting of conscience and after they have some peace they are at truce with their sins No there is an everlasting conflict and warfare and I do assure you there is an everlasting power gone forth Mat. 12 20. Christ will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax till judgement come to victory Therefore there may be judgement but it may not come to victory there may be smoak and fire and it may almost go out and he Lord he blowes it up again and at the last though it be weak and little and he think with himself he shall never get strength again yet the Lord will give victory in his time Only becautious here I told you there is an incompleat victory the Lord never sets his people at variance with their sin but they have victory but it is an incompleat victory Saith the Lord I will drive out the Hittites and Canaanitess and Perizzites before you but I will do it by little and little There is many a Christian that findes within himself a Spirit of warfare against his sin and did he examine himself he should finde a Spirit of victory but he thinks he hath none because his victory is not compleat If he had a heart so to believe as never to doubt more and such quickning as never to be dead more never to depart from God more now I should think the Word comes with power but I finde that these evils prevaile against me There is many a one does scorn the kindnesse of Christ because he findes not compleat victory but darknesse remaines still and sinful lusts remaine still therefore the Word doth me no good at all saith he The Lord he hath given thee a Spirit of Conflict and hath set thee at an everlasting distance with thy sin and he doth give thee some victory Beloved a Christian may decay in the power of the grace of Christ which he hath received from the Word and voice of God in the Word and he may decay and grow to a very low estate yet be shall finde this the Word of the Lord hath come with power to him it will recover his soul again and so the efficacy of the Word is eternal Psal 72. it s said of Christ that his People shall feare him so long as Sun and Moon shall endure that is continually all their life-time It may be said there he many that finde decay of their service and obedience and they lose their feare of the Lord and their dread and their humble walking before him He shall come as the raine on the mowen grasse many times a Christian hath his flourishing time as the grasse but when the grasse is mowen it is as a dry chip so the soul it may grow dry as dry as a chip Now where is your sap and savour but I tell you if you belong to the Lord Jesus the raine it will fall again the Word of God set on by the Spirit of Christ it shall fall up on you as the raine on the mowen grasse and you know that it recovers little by little and puts on a green coat again Here is the eternal love of the Lord Jesus to his People and thus the eternal efficacy of the word does continue 3. Vse is of exhortation 3. Vse Oh Brethren and beloved in the Lord Jesus may a Christian heare the Word of God spoken and yet never hear God speak may he hear it externally and not internally then rest not in external hearing and with some little movings and affections and stirrings of the Word of Gods grace in hearing Let not the Word be to you as the sound of many waters and a noise no efficacy of the Word that do remaine on your soules Brethren and beloved in Christ I lay my finger on the sore in these times Oh the contempt of the Gospel of Christ though I believe it hath its efficacy in the heart of the Elect that is the thing that I presse never be content with external hearing though thou mayest have some affection and know new things unlesse thou finde the Lord speaking with an eternal efficacy to thy soul I conceive two things are to be done that the word may come with an everlasting efficacy although something is to be done by Ministers that is to preach truth and Gospel-truth fetch 't from heaven wich many prayers and soaked truth with many teares Ye shall know the truth and that truth shall make you free Convicting truth We preach saith the Apostle in the demonstration of the Spirit The Spirit of God when he cometh he convinceth the world of sin Let Ministers do so Preach convincing truth and Gospel-truth fetch'd from heaven and bathed in teares Oh brethren let the fire burn clear let there not be more smoake then fire it will never come with power then convincing Gospel-truth set on by the demonstration of the Spirit of the Lord and this will set a Christian at liberty there is never such a Sermon that the faithful ones of God preach to you if it come not with a power to loosen you and call you home it comes with a power to blinde you it is an axe at the root of the trees but I leave this What means ought the people to use that the Word of God may come with efficacy Them that are in their unregenerate estate the Lord only knowes how to work on their hearts they must come to the outward meanes I speak to the Saints of God I leave others to the infinite mercy of the Lord It is not in him that willeth or runneth but in the Lord that sheweth mercy In the use of meanes 1. Meanes Do not only see thy infirmities and weaknesse but pray to God to give thee a heart bleeding under the sense of thy many infirmities Many times men slight them and are not sensible of them I do not say wickednesses and wilfulnesses but thy infirmities and weaknesses get a heart mourning under them A Christian is made up of infirmities and weaknesses a man would not think there is that in another which he knowes by himself Oh brethren
Lord negligently and therefore spending usually two or three whole dayes in preparing for the work of the Sabbath and having his sermons finished upon friday night He hath sometime exprest himself thus in publicke God will curse that mans labours that lumbers up and down in the world all the week and then upon Saturday in the afternoon goes to his study when as God knows that time were little enough to pray and weep in and to get his heart in frame c. He affected plainenesse together with power in preaching not seeking abstrusities nor liking to hover and soare aloft in dark expressions and so to shoot his arrowes as many Preachers do over the heads of his hearers It is a wretched stumbling block to some that his Sermons are somewhat strict and as they terme it legal some souls can relish none but meal-mouth'd Preachers who come with soft and smooth and toothles words byssina verba byssinis viris But these times need humbling Ministeries and blessed be God that there are any for where there are no Law-Sermons there will be few Gospel-lives and were there more Law-peaching in England by the men of gifts there would be more Gospel-walking both by themselves and the People To preach the Law not in a forc'd affected manner but wisely and powerfully together with the Gospel as Christ himself was wont to do Mat. 5. and elsewhere is the way to carry on all three together sense of misery the application of the remedy and the returnes of thankfulnesse and duty Nor is any doctrine more comforting then this humbling way of God if rightly managed It is certain the foundations of after-sorrowes and ruines to the Church have ever been laid in the dayes of her prosperity and peace and rest when she injoyes all her pleasant things This the watchmen of Israel should foresee and therefore what should they do but seek to humble and awaken and search and melt mens hearts and warne every one night and day with teares that in the day of their peace they may not sinne away the things of their Peace There are therefore three requests which we would desire to beg of God with bended knees for England to perpetuate the present prosperity and peace thereof and let us commend them to the mourning and praying ones amongst us that they would be the Lords remembrancers in these Petitions I. A right understanding and sober use of liberty For when People come first out of bondage they are apt to be not only somewhat fond of their liberties but to wax giddy and wanton with liberty and instead of shaking off the bloody yokes of men to cast off at least in part the Government and blessed yoke of Christ also Hence it comes about that a day of rest from persecution which should be a day of liberty to the Saints to serve God may become a day of great seduction and of liberty to seducing Spirits to deceive and damne and mislead them from the truthes and wayes of God But the machinations of men though in conjunction with the powers and gates of hell shall certainly fall at last before Truth and Prayer And of this is the first Treatise which is seasonably publish't To be fast bound to the rule with all the bonds and cords of God and Man is the Perfection of liberty Hence there is not a surer Corner-stone of ruine to a Christian Common-wealth that God will break them with unparallell'd destructions by some overflowing scourge when the day of vengeance is in his heart then to think that Religion is none of their Liberties and yet how maay sonnes of Belial are there void of counsel neither is there any understanding in them who imagine vain things and say Let us break his bands asunder and cast away his cords from us How do men run into extremes either stretching and paring every one to the Gyants bed and thereby denying liberty to the Saints to serve him according to the measure of their stature in Christ or else on the other hand opening the door so wide as to plead for liberty to all the disguised enemies and sins against Christ thereby instead of uniting the Saints in one indeavouring through a dreadful mistake to unite Christ and Belial It is a sad thing when a man is come to this passe that he is not able to resolve his conscience whether Baal be God or the Lord be God and therefore would not have the worshippers of Baal punisht for fear lest Baal should be God Is liberty nothing but indifferency irresolution of spirit in the things of God wo to the valley of vision even to a sinful Nation laden with iniquity and led away from the truth as it is in Jesus and to the Host of the high ones that sit on high in the day of his visitation if this be the spirit of these times for in the day when he visits God will visit for these things 2. That his Word especially the Word of his Gospel may be precious and powerful may run and be glorified in England Alas as there is much preaching but few serious few heart-breaking Sermons so there is much hearing but little effectual hearing Men stand like the Oakes of Bashan before the words of the God of Israel no terrour of the Lord no newes of everlasting destruction no evidence of the fierce anger of God upon them which burnes down to the bottom of hell can take hold upon their spirits or awaken their consciences to make inquiries after God in this their day yea if the barres of the pit of hell were broken and if the devils of hell should come flying up amongst us in our solemn Assemblies from the fiery corners of the Pit below with everlasting burnings about their eares and with chaines of darknesse ratling at their heels they might fright men out of their wits perhaps or from the acts of sin it may be for a time but it would not work upon their hearts their desperate dead besotted hearts The fooles in Israel will have their swinge in their lusts and go to hell in a full cariere let God do his best Oh the hardnesse of mens hearts And the maine reason of it is because they hear but a sound of words but they do not hear the Lord in that Wrrd they hear words that are spoken by God but they heare not they see not God himself therein If ever thou wouldest profit by reading or hearing take every word as a special message to thee from God and of this fruitlesse hearing and the rules of hearing aright is the other Treatise 3. Conscience of his Sabbaths Of which there is an elaborate discourse of this Author formerly publish't by himself Therefore we shall adde no more The blessing oâ— heaven go with these to make us a willing People in the day of his power to submit to his Word and to come under the wing of the Government of Jesus Christ as esteeming these spiritual mercies
our best mercies our choicest and dearest liberties If ever the Lord Jesus which mercy forbid should take his doleful and final farewel of the English-nation as when he laid the tomb-stone upon Jerusalem such as these wil be his mournings over us Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and burnest them that aresent unto thee as they did in the time of Popery how often would I have gathered thy children together by my Word and Spirit therein even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under the wings of my special Government and Protection but ye would not behold your house is left unto you desolate But the Lord who doth not only make the day dark with night but also turneth the shadow of death into the morning even the Lord avert these evils and the Lord make the English nation his Hephsibah the land Beulah which is the prayer of his Mourners in Sion and of Thy Servants in Jesus and for Jesus sake William Greenhill Samuel Mather TO THE Christian READER THe precious memory of the Author of these ensuing Sermons needs no reviving to any gracious heart that had any knowledge of him Yea the world knows in part though but in a little part by some pieces of his formerly printed while he was yet with us who this Author was what it owes to God for him and how justly it might sigh over his grave with that of the Apostle Of whom the world was not worthy His praise throughout all the Churches is farre above any addition by so mean a pen as writes these lines But it is not fit that the first page of any thing published after his death for I doubt not but his death is long ago publickly took notice of should go without some witnesse of a mournfull remēbrance therof which indeed no tears can sufficiently lament We who sometimes sate under his shadow were fed from God by him the poor flock of this Shepherd among whom he lived testifying Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ and whom he somtimes exhorted comforted and charged every one of us as a father doth his children we cannot but carry sorrow in the bottome of our hearts to this day that we must here see his face no more Neither do we believe that his losse remaines with us alone or only within the limits of this remote wildernesse the benefit and consequently the want of such a burning and shining Light is of more general concernment then we easily apprehend especially in this Age wherein not only many sit in utter darknesse but which is more the new Light thereof is darknesse and the Love of many waxing cold But we must all be silent before Him whose judgements are unsearchable Neither may we presume to say to him What doest thou It is instantly and not without cause desired by many that such reliques of his Labours as do survive him may be at least some of them imparted to the publick To effect any thing considerable that way is not an easie or sudden work But this small piece being at present attained it seemed not amisse to let it passe the Presse These were some of his Lecture-Sermons Preached most of them in the year 1641. They are now transcribed by a godly Brother partly from the Authors own notes and partly from what he took from his mouth The subject in both the Texts is of great use and needfull for these times wherein there is more Liberty then good use of it and much more common and outward then saving and effectual knowledge of the word of God These posthumous editions are farre short of what the Author was wont to do and of what the Sermons were in preaching But though the sense be not every where so full nor every thing so thorowly spoken to nor the stile so good by farre as the Authors manner was yet the intelligent Reader will finde a precious treasure of truth in it not fit to be buried or neglected The Prophets do not live for ever but their words do The Lord make them such ever-living words as may take hold of all our hearts not for judgement but for mercy for one of these wayes they shall live yea rise up at the last day March 29. 1652. Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY A wholesome Caveat for a time of LIBERTY 2 CHRON. 12.8 Neverthelesse they shall be his servants that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the Countrey THe greatest part of this Chapter is spent in setting down that famous Warre which Shishak King of Egypt made against Rehoboam King of Judah The cause of this War in regard of Shishak is not set down probable conjectures there be Jeroboam probably might be treacherous who having a party in Egypt lest Rehoboam should grow too great together with some other pretended wrongs might awaken this Bear from his den but in regard of God you may see the Reason set down Vers 2. Because they had transgressed against the Lord. The time of this War is set down in the 1. Vers When he had established the Kingdome by wholesome lawes erecting Gods worship and countenancing godly men 2 Chro. 11.16 17. which continued three years and strengthened himselfe by fortified places and munition fit for war as in the foregoing Chapter appears Now when he had most peace and quiet he and all Israel suddenly forsake the Lord which was the fourth year and in the fifth year comes Shishak and with a mighty hoast wastes all before him untill he come to the chief City Now in Vers the 5. and 6. is set downe the repentanee of the people with their Princes especially Shemajah who no doubt had spoke against their idolatrous courses before takes his season when they were low and tamed and tells them the true cause of their misery Vers 5. Many sins there were in the Land as Idolatry and Whoredomes c. yet the venom was They had forsaken the Lord Let the sin be what it will be yet let it be such a one as men forsake the Lord by it that 's the provocation hereupon they humble themselves some effectually some hypocritically yet all outwardly and say the Lord is righteous they extenuate not their sinne they lay not the blame on man no not on Shishak but see the Lord justifie his proceedings The Lord is righteous we unrighteous although it were more heavy then it is Now in the 7. Verse and in the words read is see down the mitigation of Gods plague and the moderation of his chastisement I will not poure out all my wrath yet I think it not fit to shew perfect deliverance I 'le make them servants to let them know c. There are two parts in the words read 1. The punishment or chastisement on Judah for forsaking the Lord and backsliding from him which is bondage and privation of the liberty they had they must be Shishaks servants 2. The Lords end it was very gracious
That they may know my service c. For explication 1. What is meant by service Answ There are two things in service 1. Government 2. Subjection cheerfull obedience to that government Both the Hebrew word as also the nature of the thing it selfe hath these two God sets up his government over a people his people do or should subject cheerfully to this government By my service is therefore meant my government and your subjection wrought by me to this government 2. They shall know 1. Not by the knowledge of the brain for that they know now but knowledge of experience as it 's said in Ezek. 6. ult When I shall have made the Land desolate in all their habitations they shall know that I am the Lord. Now what shall they know of it Ans The difference between them the sorrow of the one the sweet of the other the misery of the one and blessednesse of the other the bondage of the one and the liberty of the other There might be many things observed from the words but I note only the generall Obser Doctr. 1 That when any people of God forsake the Lord and cast off his government over them they provoke the Lord to put them under the bondage of another government They that abuse Gods liberty must be under bondage the Lord hath a Kingdome in this world most glorious hence when men will not be under it if they will not be ruled by him they must be ruled by the whip and if Christs laws cannot binde Christs chains must Jer. 5.19 And it shall come to passe when ye shall say Wherefore doth the Lord all these things unto us then shall thou answer them Like as ye have forsaken me and served strange gods in your land so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours Psal 107.10 11. Such as sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death being bound in affliction and iron because they rebelled against the words of God and contemned the counsell of the most high Ezek. 20.24 25. Because they had not executed my Judgments but had despised my Statutes and polluted my Sabbaths c. Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good and judgements whereby they should not live c. Zach. 11.15 16. And the Lord said unto me Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish Shepherd Vers 16. For lo I will raise up a shepherd in the land which shall not visit those that be cut off nor seeke the young one nor heal that that is broken nor feed that that slandeth still c. When people break covenant with God and loath him then saith the Lord I 'le not feed and then he sets over them Idol-shepherds This is certain when the soule will not subjecl it selfe to God he goes about to subject God to him nay to his Iusts Isa 43.24 Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins For one of them must stoop and a man would have the Lord be mercifull patient and pittifull to him when he is in league with his lusts now this the Lord will not do And hence if he does not destroy him he with-draws himseif from serving of the creatune and hence other evils take hold of it and bring it under When Adam stood and was for God all creatures served him and the riches of Gods goodnesse preserved him the Lord communicated the sweet of his government or service to him but when he turned away from the right ways of God Now if the Lord should serve him by governing of him in goodness he should serve a lust and bow to the creature nay to a lust which is a vilet thing then for one creature to fall downe and worship another Therefore now hence it comes to passe because the Lord will not be a servant to any mans lust there must be some other government that must seize upon them Hence set all the Saints in the Churches with their faces subjected to the Lord his good will and righteous wayes and then his goodness shall flow down upon them in and through Christ for otherwise we have nothing to do with good but when we are set right for God Hos 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse in judgment in loving kindnesse and mercy c. The Lord will then command all creatures to be serviceable to his Church and people Vers 21 22. But on the contrary misery must needs seize upon the soule that doth cast off the government of the Lord Jesus Thus much for the general explication of the point Now in particular 1. What is this government or service of God 2. What is that bondage he captivates his unto 3. Why doth the Lord do thus Quest 1. What is this government or service of God Quest 1 which being shaken off the Lord gives them over to bondage Ans There is a double government of the Lord over his people Answ 1. Internall or inward of which our Saviour speaks Luk. 17.21 The kingdome of God saith Christ comes vot by observation and outward pomp For behold the kingdome of God is within you And this is nothing else in generall but when the Lord doth bv his Spirit in the word of his grace cause the whole soule willingly to submit and subject it self to the whole will of God so farre as it 's made known to it this is the inward kingdom of God government of Christ in the soul Rō 8.14 So many as areled by the Spirit are the sont of God Ps 110.2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion c. 2 Cor. 10.4 Far the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds Vers 5. Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ There are mighty boisterous distempers but the Lord when he comes in his Kingdome to sit upon the royall throne of the hearts of his people now they flie and this is the inward Kingdom of Christ like a poore Subject pardoned and received to favour he is before the face of the Prince continually attending on him Revel 7.14 15. These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Vers 15. Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple c. Now this is meant in part by Gods service in these dais do you think the Lord cared for thousands of Rams no but to walke humbly Mica 6. Did he care for Temple and Ordinances no but Isa 1.19 If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eate the good of the land Neb. 9.20 In those dayes he gave them his good Spirit to instruct them 2. Externall or outward the end and institution of which was to set up and help forward the inward for externall Ordinances are nothing in themselves meane
bitter as death as sharp as arrows the Lord is pleased for the forsaking of his righteous wayes to make a mans self rip his own bowels the father against the childe the master shall be a scourge to the servant and the servant shall be a scourge to his master weary him of his life the government of the Lord in a mans heart or family being cast off Mic. 7.4 5. Trust not in a friend No greater bondage in the world then for men professing the Lord to be desperately set one against another 4. By taking from a people all that righteous power of government the Lord hath set over them when a people despising the Lord and inward government first for there all begins and so not prizing what they have nor praying for them nor subjecting to them the Lord hereupon sends some sicknesse or some other evill that they are either suddenly taken away or gradually and when they are gone all sink or else such crosse carriages that as Moses said so say they I cannot beare this people Thus Judges 21.25 Men did what was right in their owne eyes when there was no King in Israel No State so miserable as an Anarchie when every one is a slave because every one will be a master Thus Isa 3.1 2.6 Be a ruler to us No I 'le not undertake to rule So 2 Chron. 15.3 5. when without a teaching Priest then no peace at all men will not be under government of them you shall not have them they shall rest in peace and you shall then know the want of them 5. By giving them over to Satans and their own hearts lusts that seeing they will not serve the Lord they shall serve their lusts their sins that now the Lord he hath left off chastising of men and conscience shal check no more prosper saith the Lord and go on in thy sin Psal 81.12 So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked after their owne counsels Rev. 22.11 Let him that is filthy be filthy still When the Lord shall give a man over to Satan not only to winnow him to let out the chaffe and so to make the grain the purer or to buffet them as he did Paul but to insnare them and hold them that he shall not only tempt but his temptations shall take and not onely take but hold 2 Tim. 2. ult Who are taken captive by him at his will taken alive as a snare doth that now a man is beyond the reach of all means only peradventure God may give repentance Isa 1.5 Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt yet more and more The Lord leaves smiting and sayes Go on and prosper in thy sinne and which is the worst of all Satan shall so blinde him and harden him fill him with pride passion lying hatred of Gods people cavilling against the Lords wayes of grace slighting of his betters despising of wholesome counsell from his dearest friends that he knowes not that gray hairs are upon him And after this when God hath cast out it may be the Church doth also a most fearfull bondage that the Lord gives such a soule over unto There are two reasons of this point which I collect only from the story in this Chapt. Reason 1. Reas 1 Inregard of the righteous Judgement of God It 's just and equal that he that will not be ruled by this blessed Lord Jesus he should be ruled by his lusts he that will not be in subjection to a merciful Christ he should be in bondage to unmerciful men this an humbled heart will acknowledge as these do here Verse 6. They acknowledged the Lord to be righteous Mam being fallen it had been righteous with God to have left all men as the Angels that fell in chains of darknesse for ever But among his church and people the Lord sends the Gospel to proclaime liberty and with it sends Christ with his Spirit to come to the prison-doores of poor sinners to give repentance as well as remission of sinnes and now if they will not come out of their bondage accept of the Lords liberty 't is exceeding righteous to deal with them as we do with prisoners condemned to die if the Prince comes to the prison-doores and saies I am come to give thee thy life nay and here is pardon nay favour and to pull off thy chaines also now if he saies no I had rather be in prison every one will say it is just and as it was in the yeare of Jubile he that would not go free was to be a bondman for ever 'T is very righteous to give men their own choice 't is no wrong to let them have their own will If indeed the lawes of Christ were Draco's lawes hard and heavy there were something to object but they are most sweet and for which of all other blessings men have cause to blesse him Psal 147. ult Reason 2. Reas 2 In regard of the mercy or merciful wisdome of the Lord towards his Church and people especially his peculiar ones that hereby they keep the closer to the Lord set a higher price upon the rules and government of the Lord love his kingdome the more and the liberties thereof and use them better when they have them again so here that they may know my service c. 1. How sweet it is Experience we say is the Mistris of fooles such is the foolishnesse of mens hearts that men are many times never truly taught a truth till they are taught it by sense Prov. 5.11 and thou mourn at last when thy flesh is consumed tell a man of all the glory of the Saints they never understand it till they feel it tell men of the wo of their wayes they will not beleeve it till they see it Psal 32.9 Be not as the horse or mule that hath no understanding whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle Hosea 10.11 Ephraim is like an Heifer that is taught Like untamed Horses that will cast their rider unlesse they be held under and backt and then they are gentle so 't is here and truly 't is long before a man can learn the sweet of Christs government hence Israel must be long in Egyptian bondage and many long miseries so that if there be either justice or mercy in the Lord he will do this and this point shall be true Vse 1. Vse 1 Hence then see that the greatest liberty and sweetest liberty is to be under the government of Christ Jesus although men do not think so hence the Lord tells them here they shall know my service they might have replyed we do know it No till they be in bonds they know it not nor cannot learn it So 't is now and hence let men observe whiles they live loosly and are guided by their own wisdome for their own ends according to their own will at peradventures at rovers as they please they do think this liberty very sweet and 't
is better then to be curb'd in But let the Lord strike an arrow in the heart of these wilde bucks that have broke parke and pale send affliction and an Iron yoke of sorrow upon them or distresse of conscience if there be any sense and feeling left they will bemoan themselves and say I did think my liberty sweet but now I see 't is bitter in a sinful way and the Lords way was most sweet by their own confession Hence Psal 2.3 Let us break their bands c. But Oh now hence learn this truth and digest it throughly that the greatest liberty lies here do not in thy judgement think Christian liberty lies in being freed from the law as a rule of obedience in respect of the matter of it to be done nor in thy practise but know though thou didst meet with a thousand Sorrows with it and griefs yet 't is sweet Christs yoke Mat. 11.30 is easie and his burthen light What When not a hole to hide his head in when a reproach of men a worme no man when be boare the Fathers wrath Yes when he was meek under it not mine but thy will be done it was then most sweet 1 Kings 9.21 22. To be a servant to Solomon is no bondage Psalm 119 32. I will runne when thou shalt inlarge my heart Vse 2. Vse 2 Hence see the reason why the Lord hath deprived his Churches of their liberty and his government over them at sundry times and hath put them under Iron yokes and bonds and sore pressures the reason is shewn they have either openly or more secretly cast off the government of the Lord here hath been the very wound the aile of all Churches famous and glorious Psal 81.14 Oh that they had hearkened I should then soon have subdued their enemies The cause is not so hard to finde to a discerning spirit who is privy in any measure to the councels of God 1 King 9.8 9. Solomon hath a promise that the Lords eyes and heart shall be to his people which are under him but if once they slip the Coller then wo and why Because they forsook the Lord that brought them out of Egypt they had liberty but they cast it off What do you think was the moving cause of all those bloody persecutions when the blood of dogs was more precious then of Christian Churches were not they godly yes I do not doubt of it but as it was here though humbled they must be in bondage because they had cast off the government of the Lord Jesus And hence in the Apostles time evil times were come sad apostasies from the truth and because it was long before they were low enough And hence Revel 6. till the fifth seal was opened no crying as it was with Israel in bondage no prayer to purpose and because the Lord saw they would abuse all liberties if they had them And hence in Constantines time when peace came in contention came with it and so abused all that their peace was their poyson And hence in the primitive Churches they began to cast off the government of the Lord Jesus murmurings there were hence came persecution but they were a precious people and made blessed use of it And the Lord couples their chief persecution with their rest And 't is said Acts 9.31 Then had the Churches rest c. And what do you think of the reason of the long reign of Antichrist exalting himself above God and all that 's called God bringing the Church under the heaviest bondage for body and soul that ever the earth saw Men did not love the truth either speculative to guide their minds or practical to rule their wils and hence left to this day What is the cause of Bleeding Germanies wo Oh poor Germany Whence the Gospel first brake out in its full strength that now 't is a field of blood that men in woods like satyres are afraid of men and men in cities glad to eat the intrailes of Beasts and sometimes the flesh of their own babes to preserve their lives What was there no evil but the common condition of the Church to be under the crosse ask them they cannot tell what ailes them but curse the Emperour and Swedes c. Oh think of it with sorrow in secret for them that know it not themselves they have secretly I say secretly cast off the government of a merciful Christ and hence are under the hand of unmerciful men What is the cause in our native countrey notwithstanding all prayers and tears no deliverance truly men do not know it but the Lord sees it they know not how to use their liberty And for our selves what shall I say I cannot but blesse God and wonder to see how 't is with many and rejoyce to see many precious holy ones to whom one day in Gods court is sweeter then a thousand elsewhere but I must professe and cannot but mourne for others men that were eminent under bondage but never worse then here as if the Lord should say Look here be your eminent ones look and feare and mourn you ministers of my house here be the people you had thought had been converted and that of all others such a one would never a fallen so one an opinion takes him another a lot another loose company another his lust another growes proud another fierce another murmuring what should I name al Oh that my words might be healing c. Vse 3. Vse 3 Hence see what will become of us that are now under the government of the Lord if ever we cast it off either inward or outward or both We are not dearer to him then his people Israel here nay Judah When old Israel the great and numerous tribes of Israel had set up calves little Judah and Benjamin received the Priests and yet they fell and were in bondage I know we are not yet in bondage yet it is not more unseasonable to speake now then for the Lord to Solomon 1 King 9.1 Quest Quest But there being much unsubduednes in the hearts of the best how shall one know when there be such sinnes for which the Lord will cast from under his government Answer 1. Answ 1 When men do not loath their own hearts for their unprofitablenesse but loath Gods ordinances secretly and grow weary of them as of their burdens because of the unprofitablenesse of them When a people finde not that special good by them which recompenceth all losses and so prize them but lay blame on them because unfruitful to them Malachie 3.13 He speaks to a people got out of Captivity Your words have been stout against me no say they 'T is in vaine to serve the Lord what profit is there in this you must conceive they had many losses were very poor as vers 11. a temptation which a proud heart cannot indure above any here is now no profit in mourning fasting c. and Gods own people began to think so and hence
Verse 16. Then they spake often one to another there was good effect of his Sermon now what follows Chapter 4.1 Hence the wicked shall come and cut off Branch and Root in Antiochus time there is a burning day a coming that shall burn down house root and branch and hence Matthew 21.43 The kingdome shall be given to them that bring forth fruit You will say we do No thy own mouth shall condemne thee you do not you finde no good by all the ordinances of God and hence come those Questions what warrant for such an ordinance the bottome is they never felt good of it and hence grow weary of it well if it be your burthen the Lord will ease you of it 2. When you see men professing the feare of God mutually naturally contentions and continuing so I say contentious with Saints which they say they love and which by covenant bound to love either from some conceived wrong and hence cannot forgive as Christ doth them or from aprejudicate groundlesse opinion they care not for me nor I for them or from a spirit of scornful Censoriousnesse what are such and such or because distasted because of some reproofe in their sinne or by some opinion or by sōe worldly conveniency or laying out lots or restraint of some liberty c. or because of some sin Now can sit and censure and I say when this is mutual for a godly man may be contended with but he prayes mournes and pitties unlesse it be at some time but when it shall continually abide so fierce and implacable Eccles 7.9 Anger resteth in the bosome of fools when a man shall be glad of an occasion of difference that so he may depart and have something to quiet conscience for breach of Covenant that there can be no healing but Bellies of pigs are more deare then bowels of Saints and when quiet upon the least occasion apt to pick holes and quarrel Now it 's time for the Lord to give over to another government Zach. 11.14.15 When Brother-hood is broken then an Idol-shepheard is set up Exodus 2. Moses was sent to deliver Israel but he findes two Hebrews oppressed striving and must not be checkt neither well then fare-well deliverance if you be of that spirit you shall love one another better if ever the Lord doth that for you It hath been the wisdome of some Princes when their subjects have been at Civil warres to call them forth to a common enemy and there they can agree Oh brethren there is no sinne like this and yet none so slighted You shall know what it is either by being yoked under enemies or sinnes The first of these breaking bonds of union to Christ the other with his members Vse 4. Vse 4 Hence see the reason why many men are delivered up to the bondage of their own lusts the most sad bondage and power of Satan who have seemed to be delivered from it truely they have cast off the government of the Lord. Men wonder why in this countrey men are more vile then ever they were men that gave great hopes the reason is this they have seemed to be under Christs government but secretly cast it off And hence filthy and vile lusts are their Apparitors and Pursevants c. Objection Object The Saints feel a bondage how shall one know the difference Answer The first and greatest inthralment is Answ 1 when Satan and sinne so rule as that they know them not this is lamentable that like those John 8.33 when Christ told them if they continued in the truth it should make them free they would not believe that ever they were in bondage so here a man thinkes himself free when he is a slave thus Psalm 81.13 God gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they were led by their own Councels The Saints may be much carried away by the power of Satans temptations but never so far as to think their bondage is their freedome and to have reasons and arguments prevailing against the good wayes of Gods grace and to have reasons to maintaine their sinfull courses and that is in such as have wit and parts and knowledge which through the righteous judgement of God are left so farre to abuse it as to make use of it to maintain their sin-ful lusts 2. Answ 2 When men if they see their bondage yet have no heart to come out of it in using all means for that end When the will is in captivity no captivity like it no gally-slave like it A childe of God hath a bondage and is led into captivity but Oh miserable man he cries but these Prov. 17.10 have a price in their hand but no heart to make use of it Ezra 1.5 So many whose hearts the Lord stirred they gat up to go to Jerusalem But the Lord never stirs the hearts of these poor creatures they know and feare yet have no heart to get out of that condition nay rather willingly are so They sell themselves to their lusts and sins and Satan here is saith Satan this gaine neglect prayer for it tell a lie for it breake Covenant for it lose thy peace for it here is this honour and credit look big on it here is this estate carry thy countenance high and thus apparrel thy selfe with these trappings walke thus with thy bootes French-like here is this pleasure and mirth keep thou this company loose thy heart neglect thy God give thy selfe over to it here is this ease deferre thy repentance be cold in prayer neglect thy family and a man sells himselfe to his lust pleasures and honours thou art thus provok't and therefore now thou must fret and murmur and rage and hold thy own and so ease thy heart thus men set themselves to sale willingly 3. Answ 3 When men have some heart to come out of it but the Lord leaves men to an indifferency and consequently to apostasie as it was with Agrippa almost perswaded and like the Iraelites that refused to go into that good land Numbers 14. And hereupon the Lord was wroth and said they should not but they repentedand would faine have had some pitty shewed in regard of their misery but their enemies fell upon them and destroyed them al the plea of the Arminians is for this which is nothing else but mens misery Luke 14. those that were invited made their excuses and said I must needs go and see it But found no necessity to come to Christ Now the Saints the Lord never leaves them to a spirit of indifferency but keepes them in a spirit of necessity I must come out of this miserable condition saith the poore soul they say not flesh is weak but I must have helpe Psalm 110. because 't is the day of the Lords power they will not rest contented without helpe and if the Lord delayes them and hears not they will follow the Lord so much the harder 4. If they have any resolution to come out and think it must
not be thus and purpose never to live thus again yet notwithstanding all their purposes and resolutions they fall again and never get any real conquest their untamed hearts wils are never a whit more subdued Isaiah 63.7 8. For he said Surely they are my people children that will not lie So he was their Saviour but they soone rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit their wills were never subdued But now the Saints either the Lord preserves them from such falls and apostasies Or if they do depart from the Lord by reason of the prevailing power of any temptation they ever get real conquest by their fall their sinful corruption thereby gets its deadly wound Rom. 11.10 Their backs are not alwayes bowed down but the Lord raiseth their bowed down spirits Psalm 145.14 and upholdeth their spirits for them when they think they shall one day fall by the hand of such Saul-like sins and distempers A carnal heart may carry a faire profession and be in subjection to Christ for a time but his back stands alwayes bowed down under his profession it is his burthen and hence at last he casts it off as a man doth his wearisome burden but on the contrary childe of God being indeed weary of his sinne and carrying that up and down with him as his burden with his soul bowed down in the sense of his own vilenesse by this means through the helpe of Christ at last he comes to get real conquest over his sinne and cast it off 5. When the Lord in this case lets them alone without inward or outward troubles this is a fearful signe Hosea 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to his Idols let him alone the Lord will take no more paines with them he is wearied out with striving Isaiah 1.5 Why should ye be stricken ye will revolt yet more and more when the Lord sees men the worse for his merciful corrections he deales like parents that have have striven long with their children and can do no good on them they then resolve to let them take their own course and will own them no longer to be of their family the Lord never deales thus long with his but if their sinne will not waste by words the Lord will then try what chaines will do and now they shalt finde good now they shall remember their backslidings and apostasies from God and their impenitency in finne in fecret sinnes especially in the dayes of their peace and prosperity now the Lord will make finne as bitter as ever it was sweet Oh consider this you that are prosperous and because the Lord is good to you therefore you think the Lord likes well of your wayes No greater plague then for the Lord to give a man peace in his sinne or if the Lord begins to afflct thee in thy name or estate begin to be blasted and thou canst see Gods hand on thee and knowest it and yet thou remained unhumbled this is a signe thou art under the bondage of thy finne Vse 5. For examination whether we do Vse 5 or when a people do cast off the government of the Lord and destroy his kingdome it's needful to know the sinne that we may prevent the misery and 't is certaine let New-England be watchful and make sure here to advance the Prince of peace and to keep the right and government in his hand and you shall have the blessing of God and his ordinances peace and mercy in your times and continued to your children for his kingdom is an everlasting kingdome and of the increase of his kingdome there is no end and on the contrary if New-England cast off the government from over them and refuse his service the Lord will then take the kingdome from you and you shal then know the want of what now ye injoy Now because Christs government or kingdome is 1. Inward 2. Outward in Church in State I shall let you know 1 when the inward kingdome of Christ is set up and when 't is tazed down which I shall do by giving you a briefe view of the nature or it and wherein it consists and so you may the better Judge of your own hearts in this particular As Satan hath an inward kingdome in the hearts of those that are without so the Lord Jesus hath an inward kingdome in the hearts of all his Saints Col. 1.13 Blessed be God saith the apostle which hath translated us from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan into the kingdome of his dear sonne which is very spiritual little seen a man may be under all outward government and yet naught here and therefore attend this inward kingdome therefore consists in four things or when the whole soul submits it self to God in these four particulars 1. When the whole foul gives entertainment unto the Lord himself to come into it for if a people shall say they are under such a government and yet will not admit the Prince himself to come amongst them but keep him out of the kingdome they cast off his government and his kingdome 2. When the whole foul closeth with the whole will of the Lord for if a people shall receive a Prince amongst them but he shall make no wholesome Laws to governe them but will be led by their own wills and lusts they pull down his kingdome 3. When the whole soul thus closeth with the will of Christ by vertue of the power and Spirit of Christ for if a people submit to the will of their Prince but 't is not by vertue of his authority over them command of them and helps he hath given them for that end but it is by reason of some forreign power that underhand incourageth them to yield this is poore subjection 4. When the soul thus submits to Christs will for the Lords ends denying its own wisdome or will and is-led by the Lord to his end for if a people shall submit to their Prince but 't is to set up other princes he is cast off from his throne When a man shall serve God and be under his government because it is profitable or honourable it suits his own end this is poor service in the Lords account 1. I say then the soul is under the inward kingdome or government of Christ when the whole soul gives entertainment to the Lord of Lords the Lord himself with all his traine in and by the Gospel of graâ—e the royal sword and Scepter of Christs kingdome for when Christ himself is thus received the kingdome of God is come to that soul and entred into that heart and hence Marke 1.14 15. the Gospel is called the Gospel of the Kingdome and when John and Christ preached believe and repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Under which word is comprehended much but principally Christ Jesus ready to enter the souls of his people and hence Iohn preached Christ Now 't is said those that were effectually wrought upon Matt. 11.12 that the kingdome of heaven did
God is come to thy soul and know it thou hast Jesus Christ at the right hand of God the Father interceding for thee therefore go home and blesse the Lord and wonder at his grace that hath translated thee from the Kingdome of darknesse to the Kingdome of his dear Son If the Lord hath let thee finde the beginning of these things in truth go home and blesse the Lord for it 2. Try when the external Kingdome of Christ in his Church is cast off for we told you this was Christs Kingdome 'T is called the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 25.1 And 't is it which the Lord gives up at the last day to God the Father and hence Mat. 8.12 the members thereof are The children of the Kingdome and hence we read of the rulers and governours of it and the keys not only of doctrine but of power and jurisdiction committed by Christ Jesus to it punctually exprest in Scripture Now we know in the Church there is a three-fold power of Christ in Government 1. The supreme Monarchical absolute power of Christ in and by his Ordinances 2. There is some derivative power of the Church from Christ joyntly together 3. There is a Ministeriall power of the officers of the Church it self Hence the Kingdome of Christ is overthrown when these three are when this three-fold cord is broen by the sons of men and if whole America cast off these or any of these then they fall to bondage and if particular persons in Churches do the Lord will do the like to them much more 1 Kings 9.4 5. When Solomon had been praying much the Lord tells him If he would walk before him as David his father had done to keep his statutes and obey his commandments then he would be a God making good his promise but if not then the Lord would cast off him and that place So Zach. 14.17 And it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the Earth to worship the King the Lord of Hosts even upon them shall be no raine The Lord is quick in his judgements and will spare none 1. There is a supreme power of Jesus Christ in his Church and Ordinances thereof Isa 9.6 The Government is on his shoulders it is true this power is on others also but he is the maine Heb. 3. Moses was only a servant in his House Christ as a Sonne The guidance of all things in the Church doth lye chiefly on him or else it would never be carried along Christ is a Son and that in his own House into whose hands the supreme power of guiding and ordering all things in the Church of God is put the experience of Gods Saints and People doth finde another power which shewes that the Lord Jesus hath and doth exercise a mighty power in the ordinances of his Worship the supreme and kingly power which he exerciseth in the hearts of his people Now cast off this kingly power the Lord himself is cast off I speak not immediately as in the internal Kingdome but mediately And for this the Lord will bring into bondage Luk 19.17 Those mine enemies saith Christ which would not that I should reigne over them bring them hither that I may slay them which is meant of the Lords external administration by his servants Quest Quest When is this done Answ 1. When men impenitently break Covenant made with the Lord. Answ 1 Especially in his Ordinances of cleaving and submitting to him therein and remain so with impenitency This is the maine and first Original of all the rest Now it is manifest the power of Christ Jesus the supreme power of Christ is cast off for a man do's professe by this that not the will of Christ but his own will shall rule him Christ shall not be Lord but as they said Jer. 2.31 We are Lords we will come no more at thee When the League and Covenant between Prince and People is broke then he is cast off from being King this is certain the Lord never did receive any people to himself from the beginning of the world to this day but he hath done it by some Covenant Nor never any people took the Lord to be their God but by some Covenant they bound themselves to the Lord. Whereby they were either made his people or continued to be his people and he their God but I cannot now stand to clear this Now look as when the Lord breaks his Covenant he casts them off from being his people though this he never doth to the Elect So when people break Covenant with him they cast him off as much as in them lyes from being their God they do as much as in them lyes make the Lord to be no God You shall see therefore Hosea 10.3 They say we have no King because we feared not the Lord. It is the speech of Conscience and that at a sad time wherein they did not fear the Lord They have spoken words swearing falsly and breaking the Covenant In their time of Covenanting with the Lord there seemed to be much sorrow and humiliation yet in these very Covenants Hemlock did spring up and hence captivity came Many times the Covenants that are made there is such outward seeming reality that not only men but the Lord speaking after the manner of men He thinks certainly these Promises these Covenants will never be broke yet they are broken Isa 65.8 9 10. I said surely saith the Lord This is a people that will not lie Such profession and such acknowledgements c. so it is said In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence did redeem them But afterward they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit They cast off the Government of the Lord they would not be under the bonds of the Lord and so he was turned to be their enemie this is that which brings captivity and bondage Jerm 2.14 15 c. Is Israel a servant saith the Lord ye shall see the reason why he was so I have broken their iron yoke saith the Lord and I have burst thy bonds and I have planted thee a noble Vine yet hast thou degenerated and this is that which doth make them vassals or slaves And in truth you never see Churches laid desolate but when that time comes men shall see and shall professe it When other Nations shall aske Why hath the Lord dealt thus with his people The answer shall be clear They have broken the Covenant of the Lord. When many miseries come upon particular persons what is the cause of it then remember the Covenant thou hast broken with the Lord. Isa 24.5 6. They have transgressed the Law speaking of the whole earth And they have changed their Ordinances and broken the everlasting Covenant A people that might have had everlasting mercy they would not submit to the Lord they have broken this everlasting Covenant of the Lord Now what followes The earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof
Lord of Hosts even upon them shall be no raine 3. Sadnesse hence Isa 56.7 Even them I will bring to my holy Mountains and make them joyful in my House of Prayer To be joyful in the house of Prayer is promised to such as joyn themselves to Gods Covenant 2. They have a power given them of binding and loosing By admonition of any one that being received in shall sin against their communion and the Lord in it thereby to defile the whole body and to provoke the wrath of the Lord against the same and this is mentioned Matth. 18. and by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.1 4. and this is given to them to use against whatever sinner or offender it be be he great or small Prince or Peer if he be a brother he is to lye down here An admonition is an arrest and message from God from Christ Jesus the King of Kings Eglon must come down from his throne when this is brought Now I grant again this power may be abused miserably as to admonish without conviction or without compassion and love but in heat passion c. Yet this is the part of Christs binding power in his Church which when 't is done 't is bound in heaven Now when men come to that passe that they do not only sin for that the Lord pardons but are grown to that height that they cast off all reproofs and Christ-like admonitions for sin steept it may be in many teares and prayers before they came and sweetned with the Spirit of mercy and terror of Christ Jesus in the mouths of his servants this brings under bondage 'T is not sin so much for this will be but when they cannot abide reproofes they are iron morsels cannot be digested and hence sometime hide it and twenty shifts and halfe as many lies or if it be found out defend it and fall a fencing and thrusting and try it out to the last or extenuate it twenty wayes that a beam is a mote and which is worse their hearts rise and swell and they bear a privy grudge against them as if they were their enemies because they tell them the truth when they should say Let the righteous smite me Exod. 2.14 Who made thee a Prince and Judge over us When Moses the Israelites deliverer was raised up he thereupon departs and they lye under heavy bondage when they cast off his reproof It 's true a Saint may not for a time submit but yet it argues a height of spirit for the present unfit for communion with God and the Lord will bring them off and humble them for their pride 2 Sam. 23.6 7. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thornes thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands A childe of God may have many weaknesses a hypocrite many excellencies but the tryall of them is when they come to be arrested with a sad reproof how they yield there and that as unto God especially when confession shall either discredit their person or make others question their grace Snakes will not hisse nor sting till touched a sheep will be led to the slaughter and turn the cheeke to him that smites So should one poor brother do to another when he comes to him in the name of the Lord but not many that will so do but resist and oppose against all reason 3. They have a power of Communication of good one to another in way of edification according to their places in this their communion So that now 't is not only left in the hands of the Officers but of the whole Church and each Member in the Church according to his place and ability to edifie the whole Eph. 4.16 From whom the whole body fitly joyned and compacted together by that which every joynt supplieth according to the essectuall working in the measure of every part making increase of the body unto the edifying self in love Members are not to stand like beautifull pictures in Church-windowes and as costly images in Churches that have eyes and see not eares and hear not but they are to be living stones in Gods building not only to build up themselves but one another also that so a man may not only get no hurt from communion of Churches but he may get good indeed from the same And if I mistake not here is the wound of Churches When Members seek not and indeavour not the good one of another and so have Ordinances and means of doing one another good but exercise them not or if they do receive not the good they might hereby but may say and shall say at last as he Prov. 5.14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the Congregation Sin prevailing and sorrowes by little and little like water in a leaking ship sinking the poor barke Quest. What are those means that are left to the Saints themselves Quest even private Members to exercise in Christian communion for men and women and so you may see when these are neglected or not improved the power of Christ in his Church is cast off so far forth Answ 1. The first is Answ a Spirit of dear Christ-like love one to another every one to all and all to that one againe being ready to expresse it self in procuring the good of others as well as its own This doth sweeten communion very much and edifies quickens and encourageth a Christian in his whole course marvelously Eph. 4.16 Making increase of the body unto the edifying it self in love Love edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 Knowledge puffeth up but Charity edifieth It 's the joy of the Saints and that which makes the Saints to blesse God in heaven where take any one singly all joyntly besides honour it tender it and seek the good of it and that one blesseth God and seeks their good more then its own againe and this is prophesied Zeph. 3.9 That they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent to serve the Lord with one shoulder to help one another spiritually and outwardly where there be many griefs and burdens which depresse the spirits and make it unserviceable is removed As what is there that doth alienate the hearts of men more from God and his Church but want of love Now when mens love grows cold that a godly man is not esteemed whiles he lives nor his death lamented so much as the losse of a swine When people grow strange one to another and take distastes and prejudices when they can sit by the fire-side and censure and whisper and make offences and take offences and mindes divide and hearts divide that if you aske what such a one is good for the answer is he is good for himself and good to breed brawles and divide a Church A Kingdome divided against it self cannot stand and therefore hereby you cast off this Kingdome Oh Christians should pray for this and mourne for want of this and study peace and follow it It should be
it sads their hearts that they do their work feebly 3. Hence to propose a doubtful question to the Church which may trouble or bring an offenders sin to the Church without councell of the Elders who may encourage them if of God and ripen it for the Church or discourage it if not of God Christ when he writes to the Churches he superscribes his epistles to the Angels if one man may propose a doubtful opinion another may and a third and one may side with another and so much confusion will follow 4. Hence when men shall not take warning of evils to come upon evident grounds it 's casting off the Lords yoke when they come on thee thou mayest say it is because I have refused to hearken to my watchers they warned me of this and it may be you will finde else such evils which the scripture notes according to the word of the Lord by his servant Elisha so will the Lord make good the words and threatnings of his faithful servanrs 5 They have power of publick reproof of any member of the Church in case of plain open and publick offences others without leave cannot nor ought not although others may tell them Reproofs are part of the power peculiar to the governours in any society where governours are present especially and at hand as now in a family no wise man will suffer brawles amongst his children or servants but saies he tell me 1 Tim. 5.20 Now this is sad when a man cannot forbear reproof of others nor hear reproofs of Elders but turns again and will be judge in his own cause though never so grosse a signe of an extream froward high spirit Hosea 4.4 which makes the Lord to take away Elders as soon as any sin is committed and stop their mouths Exod. 2. Who made thee a judge c. And when afflictions come and you then enquire what is the cause of it you may be sure this is one even by the confession of the blindest deboist ones Prov. 5.12 How have I hated Instruction and not obeyed the voice of my teachers 6. They are to feed with power as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth every one in their places publickly instructing exhorting comforting and privately also which though private men may do yet here is the stamp of authority also and so the more power the more blessing usually if God be acknowledged therein Acts 20.28 Hence 1. When men despise their food they are poor things they speak and they can see no matter in them and that after study prayers and teares c. and so cast it by this is to cast off the Lord. 2. When men grow glutted and full Mal. 1. ult although they eat not a bit and hence thrive not but a spirit of slumber and a deep sleep grows on them that they cannot be awakened by all the ordinances of God These things call for chaines Amos 8.12 When will these Sabbaths be ended for which the Lord threatens a famine and then you shall know the worth of them in the want of them These things I speak 1. Because I see the Apostle in many of his epistles layes this charge on the people Heb. 13.7 17. 't is twice repeated 1. Lest Officers be sadded in their worke that 's heavy 2. Lest it be unprofitable for you you think to get this and that good by it but it will be nothing in the conclusion 2 Because we lie under slander of many and that godly as if Elders in Churches were but only ciphers 3. Because people begin to run to extreames Elders taking all to themselves and people taking all for themselves 4 Because if here be not attendance you will quickly see the miserable ruine and fall of Churches more sad then the burning of Solomons temple 'T is observed of Jeroboam when he was sacrificing he had no leprosie but when he stretched out his hand against the Prophet it was withered for the Lord will not bear here they may be despised and you may think your selves Kings without them 1 Cor. 4.8 and they will say so they may rule as they will but you will do as you lift But the Lord will be provoked for this all Satans subtilty lies here disgrace the Elder sayes one divide them sayes another pull them down sayes the third that there may be no King in Israel no nor in Sion that we may do what is right in our own eyes 3. Try when the external Kingdome of Christ in a Common-wealth is cast off for when any Common-wealth is ordered according to the sacred will of Christ by such persons especially whose aime is to advance the Kingdome of Christ by their rule and power 't is then become the Kingdome of Christ Jesus And hence Revel 11.15 when the seventh trumpet is blowne and the Lords last wo is come upon the world and the Kingdomes thereof which have opposed Christ and those Kingdomes are turned to imbrace the Gospel submit to the power of Christ in the same then it 's said The Kingdomes of the world are become the Kingdomes of Christ it 's not said Christs Kingdome is become the Kingdome of the world as if Christ should put down civil authority and exercise rule by it himselfe but The Kingdomes of the worlds i. e. the various Kingdomes are become Christs i.e. to advance it and debase themselves at his feet Eph. 1.22 it 's said All things are put under Christs feet and he is head over all things to the Church that is universally cheefly nextly particularly so then earths Kingdomes when they are subject to Christ for his ends now they exercise the Kingdome of Christ in a manner and hence to cast off this is to cast off the Kingdome of Christ and so to provoke the Lord to put us under bondage Quest When is Christs Power and Kingdome cast off here Quest Answ There is a double Power in the Kingdomes of the world Answ which I suppose when they become Christs Kingdomes they will retaine First There is some supreme or higher power in the chief Magistrates Princes or chief Court of Justice Secondly There is some inferiour power by some superiour power set over particular Persons Cities and Townes for the well ordering of them The ground of this is that natural necessity which Jethro propounded from God to Moses Exod. 18.17 18. 'T is not good for thee to be alone but thou wilt both wear out thy self and thy people Publick authority must have many eyes and many hands and like a River that is to water a Countrey it must have many streams And hence they had in the Common-wealth of Israel which was for God in every City Judges and in Townes such as were over fifties and tens Exod. 18.25 which it seemes continued long till all fit men for government were taken away and then Isaiah 3.3 their condition is lamented Now the forme of this government is not in all Common-wealths alike the Lord not
binding to any and hence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinance of men Hence it is a foolish vanity to aske a warrant in Scripture for such a forme of Government for humane wisdome may teach this though not in Church-government Yet this supreme and inferiour Government hath been in all Kingdomes 1 Pet 2.13 14. to both which subjection is required to refuse to give it is to cast off the Lords Government and there are couched foure reasons in that place to prove this 1. Do it for the Lords sake for the name of Christ and that honour and majesty of Christ stamped on them submit hence cast them off you cast by respect unto nay the name of Christ Jesus 2. Because they are in the roome of the Lord to do the work of the Lord In punishing evildoers and for the praise of them that do well It 's true they may abuse their power otherwise bur yet their power is one thing and their abuse of it another 3. Because this is the will of Christ and you do well in it and so you shall stop the mouthes of foolish men apt to speak against you for sin 4. Because this is the liberty of Christ vers 16. and you are servants to Christ in it and to do otherwise is licentiousnesse and their liberty to exempt themselves from the power of lawfull authority was but a cloak of it For so it seems in those dayes some held it part of their Christian liberty to be free from all bonds and said that Christ had made them Kings on Earth c. So that if they did cast off subjection they did cast off the name of Christ power of Christ will of Christ liberty of Christ Jesus Even under heathen Magistrates what then do they that cast it off under others Quest 2 Quest. 2. When is Christs Government cast off in respect of the supreme power Answ Answ Those that know the questions about the power of Princes and people especially revived in these last dayes cannot but know the field is large where now I am I shall be wholly silent unlesse I saw greater cause of speaking then I do and only point out two or three particulars to prevent such sins as stand next to the door to break in upon this power 1 When men cast off secretly dread and fear and reverence of the Majesty Dominion and Sovereignty that God stamps upon authority and so come to have low mean thoughts of them and contempt of them It 's true none should be elected but such as men can honour for some eminency or other and that of God seen in them Able men fearing God chief amongst the people was the councell of God by Jethro and Moses but when they be Elected now to despise them and hence not to bow the knee or stir the hat and speak rudely before them it 's casting off not only their power in sight of God but the very root of it which is honour And hence in the 5th Commandment all duties to them are comprehended under the word Honour And who sees not but this is a sin which is apt to attend the spirits of men in a place of liberty and in our weak beginnings and day of small things Reports are abroad that no men or worth are respected and hence the Countrey is neglected I cannot say so after many thoughts for I am perswaded no place in Europe more ready to honour men of publick spirits of eminency in piety and humility without the seeing of which no Countrey more apt to vilifie because grace is the glory in the eye of a Countrey led by Religion But take heed lest such a spirit befal us lest the Lord put out our Lamps and cast our Crown down to the ground 2. When men seek to pluck the sword of revenge for sinne hurting the Common-wealth out of their hands without which the greatest power in a Common-wealth is but a pageant and a meer vanity almost a nullity Hence Rom. 13.4 He is Gods Minister yes when he gives good councell and when he is a revenger to execute wrath on him that doth evill So that be the evil what it will be if it hurt the Common-wealth or be against any wholesome Law thereof he is Gods Minister to punish it civilly In the first Reformation of Geneva there were as many heresies and errours almost as truths of God Servetus he denyed the Deity of Christ whereupon the Magistrate put him to death who died with extream horror Whereupon heresies being begun to be snibb'd and blasted Bellius writes a book 1. That men should punish no heresie at all but be merciful and meek is Christ was to the adulterous woman 2. If they did yet that Magistrates they should not punish for errors or heresies 3. If they did yet not with such severity as they begun To all which Beza hath given a most learned and solid answer detesting the hypocrisie of the man and the sad consequences of such opinions if their power should be diminished I conceive 't is calling off Christs power to take away power from Magistrates to punish sins against the first Table of which errors and heresies in Religion are part It 's as clear as the Sun that the Kings of Judah that were godly did it and were commended for it and 't is as clear they were commended for it not as types of Christ but because they did therein that which was right in Gods eyes and according to the commandment of the Lord Which judicial commandments concerning the punishing of Sabbath-breakers false Prophets Hereticks c. Gods fence to preserve morall lawes they are of morall equity and so to be observed to this day of Christian Magistrates c. To exempt Clergy-men in matters of Religion from the power of the civil sword is flat Popery by means of which Antichrist hath risen and hath continued in his pompe and power so long together The indulgence of Princes towards the Papal function in matters of Religion hath undone Christendome 'T is true every error is not to be immediately committed but when 't is like a gangrene of a Spreading nature then the Magistrate in due time must cut it off speedily Object Leave them to the Church Object Answ True leave them 1. there Answ But 2. Sometimes the Church will not sometimes they are not of any Church A Papist an Arminian may come in and leaven and damne many a soul for which they had better never been If it were but one and if he sayes I do it with a meek spirit their trick of late and none must meddle because mercy must be shewen to these wolves A wise shepherd had rather let a hunter come in and kill one of his sheep then let a wolfe or fox escape Act. 20.29 and see his people persecuted then their soules worried Heresie and Error hath this property it ever dies by severe opposition and truth ever riseth the more because Christ is against the
liberty Now examine and try these things Is the Kingdome of Christ come into us that though there be a law in our members warring yet there is a law of the minde warring against it and delighting in the will of Christ and setting him up as chief Are we under the Kingdome of Christ in his Church and Common-wealth so as the soul is willing in the day of the Lâ—rds power though there be and have been some pangs of resistance against persons and against Ordinances so as 't is thy liberty to be subject to Christ in his Ordinances in his servants and 't is thy bondage to be otherwise and thou longest for that day that the Lord would subdue all those boistrous lusts and pride and passions and bruise sin Satan and self under thy feet Then I say as the Lord Isa 33.20 21 22. Look upon Zion the City of your solemnity c. See Rom. 8.7 1. But if the heart growes loose and licentious and breaks the Lords bonds and yokes and will be led by your own fleshly ends and lusts and so go on quietly Be you assured this truth shall have a time to take hold of such spirits and know it assuredly 't is not to be in Christs Family or Kingdome 't is not scrambling for promises catching at Gods grace talking of assurance of Gods love which will shelter you from the wrath of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to whom God hath sworne That every knee shall how 'T is service and subjection which the Lord aimes at and which the Lord looks for I know 't is Gods grace which only can save but it will never save when it is turned into licentiousnesse Do not say There is no danger of it here where we have such means and such liberâ—â—â—s are Answ 1. Answ 1 Never such danger of being licentious as in places of liberty when no bit nor bridle of externall tyranny to curb in 2. Look on the Kingdome of Judah here which in one year all fell 3. Why doth the Lord exercise us with wants and straits 't is to humble us and abate our unrulinesse And 't is the Lords quarrel with his best people to this day desperate rebellious hearts that close not with his Government Do not say we know not how bondage should come here though we should cast oft the Lords Government Answ 1. Answ 1 The Lord can let loose the natives again us Ahab kills 1000000 of Benhadads men but afterwards within seven yeares he returnes again 2. The Lord can raise up brambles and Abimelechs to be the King of the trees when the Olives and the Vines are loth to forsake their places and to lose their fatnesse and sweetnesse 3. The Lord can turn the hearts of those in power against people and let Satan sowe suspicions and sowe seditions and clashings 4. The Lord can leave us into one anothers hands to oppresse to take away the nether milstones 5. If none of these Satan nay Christ himself will come out with garments dipt in blood 3. Do not say 'T is not so there is sweet subjection i. e. 't is so and blessed be God for it yet beware I speak to prevent But yet 1. Some seem to do so and yet are not so 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Mighty to pull down every high thought who attaines this who can be thus yet there are meanes mighty for this end not that all be abolished but all are abolishing 2. Others otherwise openly how zealous for an opinion when it should be death to differ and things in your own heart lying miserably waste and some wretched lust the root of all for which Gods Saints mourn in secret Let such know that will not be ruled by Christ or his servants or ordinances but will have them to rule them and not to be ruled by them The Lords chaines are near and therefore now take your time and come in submit to the Lord and do as these here did acknowledge the Lord to be righteous and turn unto the Lord. Vse 6. Vse 6 Of thankfulnesse for our present liberties and freedome from the bondage of men bondage of conscience bondage of Satan and sin need there is of laying this use seriously to heart considering two things principally 1. The general complaints of the Countrey as they of Jericho 2 Kings 2.19 The waters are bad and the ground barren and these are engraven in marble all other our liberties are written on the water 2. The disgrace and reproach cast upon Gods people and wayes of God and that unjustly which I am afraid to mention whence there grows a contempt of them and the rivers of Damascus now are better then Jordan Oh beloved if it be an heavy hand of God to be under bondage then look on it as a special grace of God to free us from bondage Deut. 32.11 12. The Lord done did lead them c. and Moses Jer 2.20 chap. 33.29 when he had blessed them Happy art thou Oh Israel a People saved by the Lord. And the greater cause we have to do this a People that have abused all liberties Isa 9.8 9 10. He laments it but yet is thankful for it to Gods grace no man that can say but he may be as holy as he will and none to curb or snib 1. Means Consider what all the liberties Gods people enjoy have cost Gal. 5. Christ hath made you free i. e. by his blood Liberty of Conscience from the bondage not of Jewish but of Antichristian Ceremonies and Government and Pressures Liberty of will from any sin 't is by Christs blood and cost that as I am perswaded our liberties have cost Saints their blood The teares prayers and blood of men are much but of Christ much more and are they not worth thanks that are of this price The great reason why unthankfulnesse comes in is because they cost so much as losse of estate of wise or of childe by sea dost thou repent now Christ doth not repent that his blood hath been paid for them and if they be of so little value as there 't is said He repented that he made man so may he that ever he gave them such glorious liberties 2. Consider oft of the sad condition of them that be in bondage Men in bondage prize liberty and think them happy that enjoy it but men out of it do not How sad is the consideration of them that be in bonds it will make thy heart sympathize with them and blesse God for your deliverance Hence saith Christ Luke 22.20 When you see Jerusalem compast with enemies c. flie to the mountaines and wo to them that give suck Consider them that are taken with the Turks if you were in their condition you would say so to bring forth little ones to the murderer or idolater Isa 42.22 and 26. Mens hearts failing for feare this you should see somewhere A mote or a thorn is a little thing but no man would have it alwayes
vexing for all the estate he hath if he hath any eye or tendernesse in it so those small matters for which the Saints have suffered and for which God is provoked and under which some have roared and others have been loaded one after another 't is worth a world oh blesse God for it but consider those that be under the dominion of sin and Satan so strong and miserable sinne so dear that there is not so much as a sigh under that be thankful for that 3. Labour to maintain in the heart a holy feare of abusing liberties every one in his place for what makes them despised but principally the abuse of them in such a Congregation there was such contention such affront to the Elders there is that degenerating of spirit and back-sliding from God that men grow worse under meanes then ever I and so must be if men grow not better Deut. 6.10 12. The Lord exhorts them that when they be at liberty they would not then forget the Lord but then feare 'T is Luthers note on the place When in trouble you rejoyce but when in peace you feare I 'le only name the sins of liberty 1. Take heed of a Prayerlesse spirit and that that lamp go not out Men under some pressures cry and 't is long before they do cry under them and under their sin but then at last they do and when the Lord gives liberty though they have the guilt of the same sins and more sins lie on them yet then like Marriners when the stormes are over fall asleep It s strange that Israel under Pharaoh cried and under Gods afflicting hand in denying them water murmured True thankfulnesse will help to prize what liberty affords 2. An unloving spirit to the Saints It 's that I have oft said souldiers when they are set against a common enemy are all one but when at liberty then they fling javelins at one anothers heads differ in opinion and in heart and affection and 't is not death so to do Take heed of a rigid censorious unloving spirit 3. Extreme ignorance how to use our liberties and hence running to extremes As we say of Christ There is good enough in him but men know not how to fetch and improve it so there is great advantage in liberties but men misse of it through their ignorance and abuse Hence many times more hurt done by an Admonition then by the sin when administred in passion and without compassion Hence under pretence of liberty extream licentiousnesse 4. Imperiousnesse of spirit arising from a frothy emptinesse and an overweening opinion and conceitednesse of their own abilities and wisdome above others and hence will not be led being at liberty by the Councel and Advice of others It 's natural for man to affect sovereignty and when the time comes of liberty then it hath a vent Who made thee a Lord and Judge over us though in bondage much more in liberty they think Wills Common-wealth is in their heads chiefly and hence will not be ruled by Gods ordinances and hence if once taken with an opinion hardly ever removed c. 5. Resting with liberties and in liberties We were never in bondage John 8.33 yet servants to sin We be Abrahams seed better then all the world yet under all the power of sin and Satan and must not be told of their wayes but hate them that censure them for their sins Men in bondage are like sick men that will cry if they were in another bed oh then they should be well but they must first be cured of their disease 4. Make use of liberties He that hath them but sees not so much glory in them or gets not much good from them he wil be no more thankful then one that hath large grounds may walk at liberty but the trees for want of manuring bear no fruit nor ground corn through sloth such a man wil starve there Look as they Deut. 15.5 10 11. they were to bring the first fruits present them before the Lord and rejoyce in all so should you if ever you be thankful for them bring the first fruits to the Lord and think there is more behinde and more in heaven Object But our outward straits are many Object and temptations sad Answ If Christ himself should come on earth what would you have with him Answ would you have him come and set up an earthly Paradise would you have better entertainment then he who had not that which foxes and birds had or would you have him come from his Crosse and then you will make him King if you despise his ordinances and liberties because of wants you would despise himself if he were present But you will reply and say What if we can have both If that can be and Christ calls to take both refuse not his love But it may be an heavy indictment against some at the last day in that they forsake Christ because he is poor and naked for they are therefore called to cloath him and this will be your Peace and you will be no losers your selves another day 2. Suppose he doth keep us low yet Psal 145.13 14. His dominion is alway and raiseth up all that are bowed down Oh be humbled he is said Deut. 32.13 to make the people such honey out of the rock and oile out of the flint sweetnesse and mercy out of the hardest condition 3. They that are not recompenced for their enjoyment of liberties by the spiritual refreshings which the Lord gives shewing them more of their own hearts the Lord proclaims liberty to them to depart I am perswaded the whole Countrey would flourish the more 4. Lament rather your own vilenesse who in the midst of all mercy know not how to use but abuse our liberties and hence the Lord forsakes us as Ezra 9.8 10 11. What grace hath been shewed us what shall we say that after this c Wouldest thou not be angry with us till thou hast consumed us Psal 81.13 16. Oh that my People had heard my voice I would have subdued their enemies God would not be wanting unto us if we were not to him Take therefore that example to imitate in Acts 9.31 Having rest they were edified if we be not so truly as none have the like liberties so no bondage so sad no where such poverty no where such anguish of conscience no where such spirit and power of sin no where such sad anger if in practice we be unthankful or can mouth and speak against long Sermons and against the Countrey and Christians or in hearts undervalue them and when you see Indians rise Brambles Abimelechs and Shebnas raised c. then know this is for abuse of liberty Vse 7. Of exhortation to come under Christs Government Vse 7 and be in his service lest ye come to know the difference between it and some other by experience Mot. 1. You must be either under Christs yoke or Satans and sins Mot. 1. and so
all other miseries and therefore as Joshua said so say I to you Choose you whom you will serve Mot. 2. Consider the difference between the service of the Lord and Shishak Mot. 2. 1. The government of others tyrannical proud men or sin or Satan or outward miseries 't is full of rigour force and cruelty Ezek. 34.4 With force and cruelty have ye ruled them But Christs Government is there shewen to be in mercy and full of mercy though sometimes lost he will fetch thee in again though sick and weak he will heal thee again vers 16. Deut. 4.6 'T is for thy good the Lord hath no need of thy service c. True it is the Lord may shew his people hard things and give them sad miseries but these wounds do not kill them only make way for healing the distempers of their hearts that are in his poor weak ones and his end is to bring them to himself 2. Their government is in it self hard and bitter To serve a lust now 't is a torment sometimes to conscience if that be awake if not 't is a curse of curses much reluct ancy against it much chiding after it and God hides himself dreadful fears and heart it self unquiet but Christs yoke is easie and his burden light his assistance and presence and love and peace makes it so and that daily and at death especially 3. There is little recompence for their service the best that Saul can give are Olive-fields and Vine-yards but anguish of conscience after the work is done But the Lord gives a Kingdome and not a word or thought but there is a book of remembrance writ not a cup of cold water or rag to any of Christs naked servants but it will be recompenced You have followed me you shall sit on thrones Mot. 3. Consider how fain the Lord would have you under his Government Mot. 3. for many will say I have refused so oft and what shall I now do the Lord will cast me by True he may do so and you may be glad if the Lord will honour you in doing his work Yet Prov. 2.23 Returne you scorners at my reproof and I 'le power out my Spirit upon you Jer. 36.3 7. Read sayes God the words of the Roll to them It may be they will hear and present their supplications before the Lord and turne every man from his evil way that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin Read the place if you can without tears You that have departed from God and Christ and provoked Gods wrath when there is but little hope left it may be Oh yet read the Roll. Mot. 4. Once Christs and under his Government Mot. 4. you shall never be cast off As sin hath reigned unto death so shall grace reigne unto eternal life Rom. 5.21 He will bestow on you the sure mercies of David by an everlasting Covenant Isa 55.5 Quest But wherein should I submit to the Lord Quest Answ None have power to rule conscience but Christ Answ give him therefore this glory that wherein he bindes conscience conscience not out of fear but love may indeed submit I have instanced the particulars formerly yet more distinctly There be two great commands or charges of Christ that ly upon all mens consciences to whom the Gospel comes and therein lyes our service of him generally Which two I name because there we think we are free or do not know our liberty First The command of Christ is that every one to whom the Gospel comes and is preached do believe i.e. receive Christ Jesus in all his fulnesse in the Gospel John 1.12 For that is to believe in which command lies Gods offer 1 John 5.23 This is his commandment that ye believe John 6.25 37 38. This is the work of God that ye believe Now here men think they are free 1. They say they are unworthy and hence they say Depart from me Lord I am a sinfull man as if Gods grace was built on mans worthinesse 2. Because unhumbled whereas Gods grace calls in men unhumbled Rev. 8.17 18. For Gods call and offer is general though none but the humble wil hearken to it But there are none but it may be said to them If they can believe let them 3. Because Christ is not theirs and are they bound to believe he is Whereas the first act of faith is not to believe Christ is mine then men were bound to believe a lie But to receive Christ as a woman her husband that he may be mine by faith and so a man may know and say he is mine The Gospel doth no where say to any man Christ is thine but if thou receive him he is thine and consequently the Spirit speaks so also 4. Because they cannot believe unlesse they should presume as if the Gospel bound the conscience of none to believe but them that were able to believe it and receive Christ in it yet 't is otherwise for it bindes all to receive Christ Jesus to go up and possesse him to feed eat and drinke and live for ever And I will leave this one undeniable argument If men are liable to eternal condemnation at the great and last day and to bear the eternal wrath of God and Christ also for disobeying the Gospel for refusing Christ and the offer of his grace therein Then those mens consciences are bound to obey the Gospel i. e. to believe and receive Christ now in this life But all that have the Gospel preached to them are liable to eternall condemnation for disobedience to it John 3.18 19. Psal 2.12 Kisse the Son lest he be angry So 2 Thess 2.8 9. He comes to render vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel Rom. 2.16 The Lord shall judge the secrets of all hearts by my Gospel That is whereever the Gospel comes for they that have no law having no law shall not be judged by it But men that have had the Gospel shall be judged by it and therefore are bound o obedience thereunto The serious consideration of which one truth is enough to draw all to Christ from the power of unbelief especially they that say I cannot or ought not to believe For the reason why men do not come is 1. They think the Gospel concerns not them what doth the Lord say to me come so vile and sinful yes that he doth if there was no such law there could be no transgression or condemnation 2. They think they shall presume No if conscience be bound to it 't is no presumption to keep a Sabbath aright or to receive Christ as God offers him Oh this quiets conscience 3. The Lord layes his chain on the most tender place of conscience as it will answer it at the great day or will have any peace take heed you refuse not so great salvation 4. 'T is a chaine not of bondage but of liberty and mercy and love Come and receive not a Kingdome but Christ Peace pardon and grace
freely which may draw the heart as it will at the great and last day Come ye blessed take a Kingdome take a Christ prepared for you from before the foundation of the world Oh that this might sound in your eares This is the first and cheifest without this all your obedience is hypocrisie and abominable but this will please and then all poor obedience shall please Secondly Love unto the whole will of Christ especially to that part of it to love those that be the members of Christ Some Christians they believe and feeling a heart so crosse to Christ and the will of God think they are from under the government of God and Christ and so from under the grace of Christ and the argument is strong if true but why not under his government because they finde daily a spirit so crosse to the will of Christ and hence under continual fears of condemnation Oh but consider hast thou no love to the will of Christ law of God for if any believe this is found in him if so then under Christs Government Rom. 8.2 The Law of the spirit of life hath made me free What is that Law See Chap. 7.23 24. Spirit of delight in the Law in the inner man and mourning for contrary captivity Know therefore though you cannot do all yet love the whole will of God and mourn where you do not and then say Now no condemnation Do not say 'T is impossible Oh here is mens wo and triall of subjection to Christs will How do you love it love his Sabbaths and Ordinances because of his love to you How do's this constrain you In particular Love the people of God that is his speciall commandment 1 John 3.23 John 13.34 But now the want hereof or the contrary hereto As when a man shall become 1. A Distaster 2. A Contemner 3. A Censurer and whisperer 4. A Scoffer 5. If met on a Bridge an opposer of the Truths or servants of God This is that which kindles wrath and wherein the inward venome of hypocrisie appeares There 's many duties neglected and not that spirit of prayer and holy conferences amongst Christians yet do you keep love to them that what you cannot do your selves yet you love others that can do it and account it your blessednesse to be like them and daily mourne under your neglects that in every thing the Gospel is not adorned by you and on the other side although you have many duties Sabbaths and good acts yet if not love all is vile I fear 't is not mens joy sweetnesse delight to hear the least good word that falls from a good mans lips but rather the truths and things of God despised if so then look for wo. And for Members of Christ their lives not desired their deaths not lamented but you know how to contend and are carelesse though the Gospel and God be slandered you cast off the Lords yoke It was one mans speech that the great sin of this Countrey will be hatred of the Saints a scornful contempt of them It will come by degrees first distaste and then censure and contemne Oh but if herein you submit herein Christ is honoured and Gospel glorified in love and amiablenesse Not in a rigorous austerity of spirit and diabolical censoriousnesse but in word and deed countenance and gesture comforting and encouraging one another When David would know what to do Truely saith he my goodnesse extends not to thee but to the Saints in whom is all my delight Oh therefore submit here this conscience calls for and Christ must have To conclude with a word for help here Means 1. Look to Gods Ordinances Means 1. not as they be in themselves but as appointed of God to communicate an almighty power of spirit to them that wait on the Lord in them An almighty power must overcome and go on conquering and to conquer How shall we have this by Gods Ordinances Some more principall as Word and Sacraments some lesse How shall we partake of this power in them Look not on them in themselves but as appointed and sanctified and so as glorious And there pray and wait and look for the power nay believe you shall receive this power As the waters of Jordan to Naaman How did they cleanse When he lookt upon them without the command and promise he despised them and so found not the benefit of them but afterward he found the benefit of them when he washed seven times in attendance to the appointment of God Brethren it is but go and wash here 1 Cor. 10.5 Means 2. Know your disobedience Means 2. the breadth of it Something 's Christians see and pray against them and then all is well but see the bredth of evill in your disobedience There is something that doth oppose God in every lawfull thing in whole or in part for flesh is in it or else you are blinded if you see it not Oh therefore feel the breadth of evil in it that being sensible of and humbled under and striving against your continual disobedience every thought may be brought into subjection and obedience to Christ OF Ineffectual HEARING JOHN 5.37 Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape FRom the 31. Vers to the end of this Chapter Our Saviour proves that he was the Messiah to come from four testimonies 1. From the testimony of Iohn the first yet the least yet very strong and full vers 32.33 2. From the testimony of his works greater then that of Iohn vers 36. 3. From the testimony of he Father by his voice from heaven vers 37. 4. From the voice of the Scriptures the highest of all and surer then a voice from heaven 2 Pet. 1.19 v. 39 46. Now these words are annexed to the third testimony which I told you is the voice of God from heaven set down Mat. 3.17 For this testimony of the Father is not the inward testimony of the spirit only Because Christ speaks of publick and evident testimonies in this place nor is it meant of the testimony of the Father in the Scripture for that is a distinct testimony and though the Father doth testifie of Christ in the Scriptures yet 't is not as his testimony no more then the testimony of Iohn and of his works whereby the Father did testifie also Nor is it probable that our Saviour would at this time omit that famous testimony of the Father at his Baptisme which if it be not here is no where in this Chapter Beside how is this testimony the Fathers more then the Spirits but then being called his Son he did evidently declare himself to be the Father that spake Lastly the Spirits testimony is spoken of as the testimony of Moses and the Prophets Vers 46 47. For had ye beleeved Moses ye would have beleeved me for he wrote of me vers 47. For if ye beleeve not his writings how shall be beleeve my words Now out Saviour in
into an Angel of light and speak and by their light will blinde them that the light in them shall be darknesse Rom. 1.22 When men with natural light began to be most wise then they became came the greatest fooles so 't is with other knowledge of Scripture and things they heare Happy were it for many a man if he had never heard nor seen Rev 12.9 Rom. 1.22 for that which he hath heard and seen keeps him from hearing Tyre and Sidon would hear sooner then Capernaum that heard most Reas 3. Reas 3 From the righteous judgement of God in leaving men to be blinded and made deaf from and by the means whereby they should hear and know that as it is with the Saints all evil things are for their good so all good things are for their hurt Isa 6.10 the meriting cause is unbelief and sin but the deep and hidden rise of all is Gods eternal dereliction of them God never intended love special love to them hence he never speaks one word to them 2 Cor. 4.3 John 6.65 Many were offended at his words and forsook him Now to take off this offence I said None can come to me except it be given him of the Father what is that see vers 45. and 37. Vse 1. Vse 1 Hence see the reason why the Word is so wonderfully ineffectual to the soules of many men that it never stirs them that it 's a strange thing to them it 's Heb. 12.19 like the law a voice of words a sound of words so they hear men spake but understand no more then if they speak in a strange language or if they do it concernes not them or if it stirs 't is but as the blowing of the winde upon a rock which blusters for a time but when the winde is down they are still Truly they hear the word spoken but they do not hear God speaking They heard Latimer speak but not God speaking they hear a sound which every one sayes and they think is the word but they hear not God speaking it One would wonder that those Jewes that heard John and his disciples Moses and the Prophets nay Gods voice from heaven saying This is my sonne that they should not hear this and receive him with all their hearts but they did not hear his voice One would wonder to see that such things which a gracious heart thinks this would draw every heart yet remaine not stir'd things which the devils tremble at and others which Angels wonder at yet they hear not Oh they hear not God speak they are dead in their graves farre from God and there they are kept by the mighty power of Satan like one in a deep dark cave kept by fiery dragons under the ground and the tombstone is laid upon them If Christ spake he would make the dead to heare and the blinde to see Vse 2. Vse 2 Hence see why the Saints finde such changes and alterations in themselves when they come to heare sometimes their hearts are quickned fed and cherished healed and comforted relieved and visited sometime again dead and senselesse heavy and hardned Mark 8.17 18 21. How is it ye do not under stand Nay which is more that the same truth which they hear at one time should affect them and at another time doth not the same thing which they have heard a hundred times and never stir'd them at last should The reason is they heard the Word of God spoken at one time but not God speaking and they heard the Lord speaking that same Word at another time the Lord is in his Word at one time the Word goes alone at another time as in Eliab the Lord was not in the whirlwinde but he spake in the still voice and hence there he was to Elijah Luke 24 25. with 32. not that you are to lay blame on the Lord for he blows where he listeth but to make us see 't is not in outward meanes nor 't is not in our own spirits to quicken our selves and to make us ashamed of our own darknesse that when he speaks yet we cannot hear there is so much power of spiritual death and Satan yet within us only out of his pity he speaks sometimes not that you should despise the outward word No no the Lord is there shining in Perfection of glory and that which doth thee no good the Lord makes powerful to some others But prize the Spirit of God in that Word which alone can speak to thee Vse 3. Vse 3 Of dread and terrour to all unregenerate men Hence see the heavy wrath of God against them they have indeed the Scriptures and the precious Word of God dispensed to them but the Lord never speaks one word unto them If any one from whom we expect and look for love passe by us and never speak What not speak a word and we call to him and he will not speak we conclude he is angry and displeased with us You look for love do you not you that heare every Sabbath and come to Lectures and you must out t is well yes you will say His love is better then life and frownes more bitter then death Love wo to me if the Lord do not love me better never been born I hope he loves me Happy I if the mountains might fall on me to crush me in pieces if he loves me not c. but consider if he loves he will then speak peace unspeakable to thy conscience when humbled life to thy heart joy in the Holy Ghost Isa 57.19 John 6.63 1 Thes 1.6 but look upon thy soul and see this day in the sight of God whether ever the Lord spake one word to thee outwardly indeed he hath but not inwardly inwardly also but not effectually to turn them from darknesse to light and the power of Satan to God c. The voice of God is full of Majesty it shakes the heart 't is full of life it quickens the dead and light and peace and gives wisdom to the simple Ps 119. Opening of thy word gives light to the eyes How many women ever learning and never knowing and many men learning and knowing what is said but never heare God speak Then know the wrath of the Lord see and go home mourning under it There is a fourefold wrath in this 1. 'T is the Lords sore wrath and displeasure Zach. 1.2 with ver 4. If one should expect love from another to do much for him and be did not it may be he would not take it as a signe of displeasure but if he will not do a small thing not speak a word to him oh this is bitter what will not the Lord speak a word not one word especially when thy life lies on it thy soule lies on it eternity lies on it especially the Lord that is so merciful and pitiful this is a signe of fore anger 2. 'T is a token of Gods old displeasure eternal displeasure I know you cannot heare hence though
God speaks you hear him not but why doth not the Lord remove that deafnesse you old hearers that have eares fat with hearing but heavy he never intended love else he would speak there would be some time of love Rom. 11.7 8. The Elect have had it others are blinded as 't is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not hear to this day 3. 'T is the Lords present displeasure When a man looks for love and speech and he doth not speak at those times he is not wont to speak one may take it as no signe of anger but when the Lord shall speak usually and then he speaks not this is a sad signe 1 Sam. 28.6 15. He cries out of this He answers me not by Urim nor dreames nor thee by the Gospel nor Law neither where he useth to answer If this anger were to come it were some comfort but when 't is now upon thee even that very Sermon and Word whereby he speaks to others but not a word to thee 4. 'T is his insensible anger for a fat heart and an heavy eare ever go together for you will say I feel no hurt in this I have heard and been never the better but yet that hath made me never the worse Oh poor creature 't is because you feel it not but when the time of misery shall come you will say This is wo and load enough for the Lord to give no answer Psal 7â— 9 We see not our Prophets nor any to tell us how long so you that despise meanes you shall then lament and say none can tell how long Oh therefore lament this thy condition now that the Lord may hear some of your cries c. Vse 4. Vse 4 Hence examine whether ever you heard the Lords voice or no not only outwardly for that you know you have often done but inwardly and not only so for so ye may do and yet your eares heavy but effectually that if it be not so you may be humble and say Lord how have I spent my time in vaine and if it be so you may be thankful and say Lord what am I that the infinite God should speak to me There is great need of trial of this for a man may reade hear and understand externally whatever another may and yet the whole Scripture a sealed book There are therefore these three degrees by which you shall discern the effectual voice of God you must take them joyntly 1. The voice of God singles a man out and though it be generally written or spoken speaks particularly to the very heart of a man with a marvellous kinde of Majesty and glory of God stamp't upon it and shining in it When a man heares things generally delivered the blessed estate or the Saints the cursed estate of the wicked consolations to the one curses to the other exhortations to faith and obedience to both and a man sits by and never thinks the Lord is now speaking and means me Or if it doth so yet thinks he intends me no more then others he heares not the Lord speaking for when he speaks he speaks particularly to the very heart of a man he doth so fit the word to him whether it be the Word of the law to humble him or of Gospel to comfort or of command to guide as if the Lord meant none but them The word is like an exact picture it looks every man in the face that looks on it if God speaks in it Heb. 4.12 13. It searcheth the heart verse 12. but verse 13. he speaks of God how comes that in because God the Majesty of God comes with it when God speaks it With whom we have to do why is that put in because when the Lord speaks a man thinks now I have to do with God if I resist I oppose a God Before this a man thinks he hath nothing to do with God they are such strangers Hence it is one man is wrought on in a Sermon another not God hath singled out one not the other that day Hence take a man unhumbled he hears many things and it may be understands not if so yet they concern not him if they do and conscience is stir'd yet they think man means them and speaks by hap and others are as bad as they and his trouble is not much At last he heares his secret thoughts and sins discovered all his life is made known and thinks 't is the Lord verily that hath done this now God speaks 1 Cor. 14.35 those things he did neither believe nor imagine c John 4.29 See the man that hath told me all that ever 1 did Hence take a soul that is humbled he heares of the free offer of grace he refuseth it why this is to all and to hypocrites as well as to me Apply any promise to it it casts by all it looks upon them as things generally spoken and applied by man but they hear not God speaking but when the Lord comes he doth so meet with their objections and speaks what they have been thinking may be true that they think this is the Lord this is to me Hosea 2.14 I'lespeak to her heart and hence 't is called the ingraffed word James 1.21 like one branch of many applied to the stock Job 33.14 16. 2. The voice of the Lord doth not only speak particularly but it goes further it comes not only with an Almighty power but with a certain everlasting efficacy and power on the soul Thus 't is here verse 38. Ye have not his word in you they had it out of them and not only in you but abiding in you 1 Pet. 1.23 born of incorruptible seed the Apostle seems to speak of a kinde of birth by corruptible seed and such are like goodly flowers which soon wither but you are born of incorruptible seed which hath an eternal savour sweetnesse and power Mat. 13. of the foure grounds three of them fall away John 15.16 Their fruit does not remain they have some living affection at the present but they go away and it dies Look but upon particulars doth the Lord once speak by the Word and humble the heart it never lifts up its head more doth he reveal the glory of Christ that light never goes out more Isa 60.19 2 Cor. 4.4 5. As at the first Creation there was light and so continues to this day so doth he give life John 11.26 Yon shall never die more doth he give peace and joy no man shall take their joy from them Isa 32.17 Fruit of Righteousnesse and Peace and assurance for ever Doth he give the Spirit of all these which Gal. 3. comes by hearing of faith it shall abide for ever John 14.17 That look as Gods love is everlasting so his words have an everlasting excellency and efficacy in them and goodnes in them the sweetest token of his love and as Christs purchase is only of eternal
good things so the application of this purchase by the Word 't is of eternal worth peace but peace eternal life light favour joy but joy eternal like mustard seed though very little yet mighty in increase and never subdued again so that though it be but little yet 't is eternal and hence observe where God hath spoken effectually the longer the man lives the more he growes in the vertue and power of the word another though wonderfully ravished for a time yet dies most commonly outwardly in external Profession but ever in inward savour so that when you hear the word and it moves you affects you and John is a burning light and you rejoyce therein but 't is but for a season The evil Spirit comes on you and David playes upon his Harp and Ministers preach sweet things but as soon as the Musick is done the evil Spirit returns I say you never heard the Lords voice The peace and joy of the Lord enters into Eternity and the Apostle expresly calls him an unfruitful hearer James 1.24 that sees his face and forgets himself A gracious heart can say This peace shall go to heaven and joy and love and fear it 's part of eternal glory 3. The voice of the Lord comes not only thus particularly and with eternal efficacy but with such efficacy as carries unto and centers in Christ so 't is here For him whom God hath sent you believe not John 6.41 They shall be taught of God wherein in doth that appear the shall hear and learn so as to come to me if the law humbles them it 's such a humbling as drives them unto Christ poor and undone Rom. 10.4 if the Word gives peace to them 't is such a peace which at the last they finde in Christ Eph. 2.17 18. with 14. if it live holily it lives unto Christ not meerly as to God and to quiet conscience unto a Creator as Adam but for Christs sake 2 Cor. 5.14 15. We judge that if we were dead and Christ died for us we should then live unto him if they grow up by the word 't is in Christ Eph. 4.14 though Christ be not mentioned yet it is strange to see let the word speak what it will whether terrour Oh my need of Christ mercy and grace oh the love of Christ oh the blood of Christ Command Oh that I may live to honour Christ and wrong him no more Duties Oh the easie yoke of Christ They look upon the whole Word rightly dispensed as the Bridegrooms voice and truly his words are sweet For a man may have some such feare reformation affection as may continue but never carry him out of himself unto Christ The Pharisees knew the law were very exact even til their death profited as Paul said he did yet they had not the word abiding in them because not driven out of themselves to Christ to rest there Hence when men shall hear many things but to what end do you heare or what vertue have the things you hear Do they only please fancy for a time or do you hear to increase your knowledge and parts or do you hear for custome and company and to quiet conscience or are you affected and sunk but not driven by all to lay thy head on Christ the Lord never spake yet to thee when the word hath laid you on this foundation truly it's office is done and ended Gods end is now attained c. Oh try your selves here have you heard but never heard the voice of the Lord rushing upon thee with Majesty speaking to thy hearty and the very secrets of it but have said This is for others and when you have thought the man hath spoken to you your hearts have then swollen against him or have you thus heard but all dies and withers like flowers the same heart still or have you had some powerful stroke which remaines but it forceth you not out of your selves to Christ there to rest there to joy there to live there to die truly your time hath been spent in vain you never yet heard the Lord speak Oh mourn for it thou art still in thy blood if he never said Live in thy bondage if the Lord never said Come forth This is the condition of many to be lamented with teares But if thou hast thus heard particularly and though bat little light life and peace yet it is of eternal efficacy and all to draw thee to Christ then blesse the Lord For blessed are jour eares that hear and I say as Moses said Deut. 4.32 Ask if ever People heard God speaking and live The Apostle Heb. 12.24 makes it a greater matter to come to hear God on Mount Sion and yet live Blessed be God I live Object Object But may not many of the Saints hear and hear the Lord speak but not feel this everlasting power and efficacy Answ I would not lay a foundation of unthankfulnesse nor discourage any Answ and therefore note for answer these particulars 1. There may be an eternal efficacy of the Word and yet ly hid and not felt for a time The Word is compared you know to seed and that in this respect the seed it is cast under the clod in the winter-time and it hath a vertue in it to grow but it is hid and comes not to blade of a good while and when it doth blade yet it beares not fruit of a long time So here the Lord may cast the seed of his Word into the heart but it is hidden for a time it is not felt as yet but there it is a word of threatning a word of promise a word of Command a man may cast it by and say It belongs not to me a man may slight the command for a time Yet notwithstanding the Lord having cast his seed into the heart it shall spring up As many a childe the father speaks to it and applies the word home to it when it is of some years the childe regards it not But now stay some time till the Lord do bring it into some sad affliction now a man begins to think I remember what my father spake to me once I regarded it not then Now this seed which was cast when the childe was young it shall spring up twenty years after John 2.22 Christ had said He would destroy the Temple and raise it againe in three dayes Now when he was risen from the dead his disciples remembred that which he had spoken to them but they regarded it not before These things saith Christ have I spoken to you whiles I was with you but when the comforter is come he shall bring all these words to your remembrance that I have said unto you One sentence it may be that hath discovered a mans sin it lyes hid but when the time of ripening drawes near you shall see the word will have marvelous increase and that sin it may be will bring to minde twenty sins and that promise of God which
gives but a little consolation consider'd in it self it shall give marvelous consolation One would wonder to see what one word will do when the Lods time of blessing it is come 2. After that a Christian hath had the feeling of the efficacy of the word he may lose the feeling of it again and yet the being of it may remain and the reason is this partly because there is not alwayes need of feeling the like efficacy in the word A man may have by the word a marvelous deal of assurance of Gods love and sense of mercy and joy in the holy Ghost he may have this in the feeling of it This word it did ly hid for a time afterward it springs up and gives him peace But he loses his peace again his Sun do's set and it is midnight with him within twenty four hours and he is as much in the dark as before Now the being of this peace is there but he hath no need of the feeling of it at all times the Lord he will reserve that till some time of tentation that he shall meet withall As Paul he had marvelous Revelations but Paul had more need of humiliation then exaltation and there was not that use of Pauls having those glorious manifestations to him I will glory in my infirmities There was need for Paul to know the evils of his heart that he might walk humbly and it did not make so much for the glory of the Lord as this that Paul should say I have this misery and darknesse and sins and yet Jesus Christ he will take away all There was not need for Paul to have those joyes at all times that he had at one time So the Lord he gives a Christian joy and peace now there is no need for a Christian to have it alwayes I will pour floods of water on dry ground Beloved if there should be nothing but raine raine every day and night the ground would be glutted with raine and so turned into a puddle but when the land is dry and thirsty now the ground hath need of raine Let the Earth make use of that raine it hath and when it is dry and thirsty I will give more saith the Lord. So the Lord he gives the soul joy and peace Now if it should continue the very peace and joy of God would not be pleasant to the soul or at least not so pleasant as it will be when the Lord takes it away and gives it the soul again A Christian comes to the meeting-house and the Lord fills the sailes of a poor soul that he wonders the Lord should meet him and speak so suitably to him But as soone as he is gone out again this is the complaint of the soul all is lost again now the soul it falls a mourning again It is not for the glory of God to give the soul such peace out of his Ordinances as he doth in them the soul it would not prize the Ordinances of the Lord so much yet there it is and when they come again the Lord he either gives them the same refreshings again or else there is a new spring 3. The eternall efficacy of the word and voice of God it may be preserved in an internall spirit of prayer for the continuance of it while a man hath it and for the return of it when it is lost Ps 119.4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently David he knew his own weaknesse yet he intimates with what power it came on his heart Oh! that my soul were directed to keep thy statutes When the soul sees the beauty of a command and the good will of God how sweet it is and how amiable the way and work of God is Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy statutes And so when it is gone Psal 63.3 My soul thirsteth after thee Lord saith David that I may see thy glory and power as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary He doth not say that I may see thy glory and power in thy sanctuary though that might be too no but that I may see thy glory and power as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary David he did finde a want of seeing him as he had done yet the vertue of it did remaine in a spirit of thirsting and desire My soul thirsteth for thee as in a dry land where no water is that I may see thee A Christian may have at sometime such a glimpse in hearing the word of Gods grace of the exceeding riches of Gods grace and the love of God to him that he may be in a little heaven at that time ravished in the admiration of that mercy that ever God should look to him It is so and the word sayes so and the soul is ravished with wonderment at it yet God is gone again and the soul loses it Now the soul thinks I have lost the efficacy of Gods word but it is not so for thus it may be preserved Oh that I may see this God as I have done And all his life-time the soul may finde the want of this and yet it may be preserved in a spirit of prayer For whom the Lord hath given once a glimpse of his glory the soul it cannot be at rest but it breatheth for more of that mercy and presence a Christian may finde his spirit marvelously refreshed at the word he may taste how good the Lord is and he may lose it again but this may be preserved in a spirit of longing after this God and presence again And I will say this Brethren A Christian may finde no good by the word to his apprehension he sees the admirable blessed estate of the Saints and exceeding riches of God in Christ sees the swetnesse of the wayes of God goes home and thinks within himself Happy they that are in this condition Blessed are they that can walk thus with God But I cannot saith the soul I say it may finde it thus when he cannot finde the reall efficacy of the word as he would do he may receive the benefit of that word if the Lord do but only give him a heart to desire it Oh that the Lord would but thus manifest himself to me the soul may go away poor and hungry from the word and the Lord may yet reserve a spirit of thirsting after that good which a man desires to finde and there is the efficacy of the word there As now there are two golden vessels one a man fills and it is everyday dropping and he preserves it another vessel he do's not fil but with something that he hath he is every day widening of it So some Christians the Lord he 's a filling of them others the Lord he do's not fill them with such peace and joy ay but though the Lord is not filling of them he is a widening of them there is such a vertue that the lord do's enlarge the heart with secret desires and longings after more of Gods
grace and Christs The Lord he saith I intend to make this man a vessel of glory and I intend he shall have a great deal of glory and peace at the last The lord he leaves such an impression of the word upon him as that thereby he enlargeth the heart Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it 4. A Christian may have the everlasting efficacy of the word and voice of God preserved in a spirit of thankfulnesse and love to the Lord for those joyes and good that it findes by the word sometimes When it feels that the sweet and savour of the word is gone a spirit of thankfulnesse and love to the word that doth remaine The Lord he preserves the efficacy of the word in this way Psal 119.7 I shall saith David then praise thee with uprightnesse of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements The Lord he may teach his people his righteous judgements and the savour and feeling and strength of them to their feeling may be gone and yet it is preserved in a spirit of thankfulnesse and praise that ever the Lord should shew it such mercy When the Spirit is gone the spirit of love and thankfulnesse remaines As now a man hath heard the word the Lord he hath effectually wrought on him and changed his heart and drawn him to himself a Christian it may be he may lose those sorrowes and humiliations and the remembrance of those things yet there remaineth to his dying day this Spirit he blesseth God and wondereth at God that ever he should make the word effectual that he should leave so many thousands in the world and cast his skirt over him and say to him Live this do's remain still Brethren the Lord do's sometimes let light into a mans minde to discover his sin now this light it do's not sensibly overcome the power of sinne But now the soul blesseth God for that word which hath convinced it had I never seen my sinne saith the soul I should never a sought for power a-against it and pardon of it and this continues now and cannot but continue here is the efficacy of the word the word of Gods grace though the flower of it be gone yet there is an eternal power of the word that the soul can say It hath come to me and helped me against these sins and the soul wonders at the Lord it should be so much as it is So again a Christian he findes marvelous refreshings and affection whiles he is a hearing when he is gone away he findes not the same but he blesseth God for those affections he findes and there remains an eternall efficacy of the word 5. The eternall efficacy of the word it may be and is preserved by nourishing increasing and restoring the new man that is eternall There is a double efficacy that the word hath the first is to beget a Christian to life and this new man is eternall I conceive all the actions of the new man may be suspended and the increasings of the new creature may be decayed though God doth renew it again But this never do's decay it never dies He that is born of God cannot sin because he is borne of God and because the seed of God remaines in him 2. There is efficacy in the word when it hath begotten a man to nourish him up and so the word it is food to him that was seed to him to beget him which food is eternal How is it eternal Is it in this that now the sweetnesse savour and remembrance of every thing that doth refresh him shall last in it self No buâ— in this respect it is eternall in that it leaveth its secret vertue in the nourishing of that which is eternall As now Adam when he was in innocency and had an immortall body his food it should have been an immortal food to him but how should that have been should he alwayes have had the same strength from the same diet which he ate long before No but in this respect it should have been an immortall food to him in that it was to nourish that which was to be eternal So it is here the word of Gods grace it begets a man it humbles a man and drawes the soul to Christ but afterwards there are many things that God speaks to the soul in the word that hath an eternall vertue in that it doth nourish up the new creature the word hath a secret vertue in it for this end I will shew it you thus Isa 58.11 The Lord he professes to his People Thy soul shall be at a watered garden The Lord will make the souls of his people like watered gardens in peace and joy and life Now look as if so be trees by water or by some springs that run by it and slide away and ye cannot tell which it is that makes them to grow yet yâ— know this there is in all of them joyned together a secret insensible vertue that every one of them addes something to the flourishing of the tree So it is here the Saints of God the word of God it comes to them and passes by them and ye cannot tell whether this part or that part of the word leave any vertue but many times a man feels no vertue yet it is manifest here is aflourishing Christian here is heart and life and peace that it hath with God and the soul it remains flourishing there is a secret vertue all the words that run by and passe by the souls of Gods people they do leave a marvellous vertue to make the soules of Gods people like watered gardens and to increase in grace Note it by the way you that live under the means of grace your soules shall be like watered gardens if God have spoken to you first or last the Lord speaks many times to you sometimes affecting and sometimes warning sometimes convincing and humbling and speaking Peace and there is a vertue that remaines and if ye finde it not know that God hath not spoken to you 6. The eternal efficacy of the word may be preserved in a power of Conflict against the power of sin for therein the Lords power of the Word does principally appear in this life though not in a power of victory I mean a compleat victory yet an imperfect and incompleat victory there ever is first or last whereever there is a power of Conflict I mean thus the Word it singles a man out and speaks to his heart and sets him at variance with his sin and with himself for his sin and he joynes side with God in the use of all meanes that his unbelieving heart and proud Spirit may be subdued it sets him at variance with his sin now there is many a Christian thinks there is no power of the Word oh my unbelief continues still and my vain minde and I can finde little strength no ye must not look for a power of compleat victory but yet there is a power of Conflict God
labour for a broken heart in the sense of your many infirmities and weaknesses darknesse and enmity vanity and unsavourinesse the Lord will have his time to speak to such a soul Break up the fallow ground of your hearts lest my wrath break out with fire the Lord hath promised to dwell with the poor and contrite Look as it was with our Saviour Christ they brought the sick and the lame ones to him and vertue went but from Christ to heal them all Bring thy sick and blinde heart to Christ and vertue shall go forth from Christ to heal it 2. Draw near to God in the Word by looking on it as God speaking to thee We are far from God and therefore we cannot hear him draw near to him when you come to the external Word when you come to heare the Word heare it as the voice of God You heard the Word at the Word of God which you felt in you 1 Thes 2.3 I do not speak that the soule should take every thing that Ministers speak as the Word of God but that which is the Word of God take it as God speaking I am not able to expresse the infinite unknown sweetnesse and mercy and presence of God that you shall finde thus coming I know it is a common truth but I am not ashamed to tell you I have not for many a year understood this truth and I see but little of it yet ye have heard of it but ye do not understand what it is to hear God speaking When God hath an intent to harden a mans heart and to damn him either he shall have aprejudice against the man or else if he hath not a prejudice against the man there is a secret loathing of the truth in regard of the commands of it and that is all and the Lord he hardens and blindes and prepares for eternal ruine all the men in the world by this meanes that live under the meanes When the Lord spake to Samuel Samuel heard a voice but he heard it not as spoken by God but when he took Elies counsel and saw it was the Lord that spoke now he listens to the voice of the Lord and now the Lord opens all his minde to him 3. Do not trust to the external word It is a heaven on earth to hear the Word exalted a glorious thing to hear the Word of God as Gods Word but trust to the free grace of God in it and the Spirit of God in Christ to set on that Word When they brought the lame and blinde and halt to Christ they looked for the Word and the Power of it Speak the Word Lord and thy servants shall be whole so bring your blinde lame and halt soules to Christ and trust to the free grace of the Lord Iesus Christ The Work of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand so the Word of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand also Lastly so seek the Lord and so heare the Word so seek the truth and so hear the truth as that you lay up your happinesse in this world in closing with the truth and with the word Brethren what is a mans happinesse in heaven but to close with God and Christ I cannot come to God now the most that I can have of God now is in his word if it be happinesse in heaven to close with God in Christ truly then it is a mans happinesse to close with God in his word on earth and if it be your happinesse lay up your happinesse in it My son saith Solomon if thou wilt hear my word Prov. 3. let them not depart from thine eyes keep them in the middest of thy heart place thy happinesse in them So shall they be life to thy soul Vers 22. Neverthelesse Brethren let a mans soul be set upon any thing in the world when he comes to hear besides the word if he lay not up his happinesse in closing with the word truely the word it will be like a song to him The Prophet Ezekiel tells them Their hearts were gone after their covetousnesse When a man comes to hear a Sermon there is a Sermon and the Market there is a Sermon and a friend to speak withall and so many young people will go abroad to hear Sermons What is the end of it It is that ye may get wives and husbands many of you but it is not your blessednesse to close with the Lord in his word I have known some men that have had a distaste against the truth of the Lord and I have known them for many a day they have not been able to understand the truth of the Lord. When it shall be thus with a man that a mans heart is set on something else besides the word of the Lord that it is not my happinesse to close with the truth of the Lord such a man shall never understand the truth of the Lord. Though the word be sweet to you sometimes if your blessednesse do not lye in this to enjoy God Oh this Gospel of God and these Commands of God that your blessednesse do not lye in cleaving to the Lord in his word I say it is a certain truth you shall be blinded and hardned by the word For here is a Rule Whatsoever a mans heart is set on as his chiefest good the presence of that good it comes with power So here the precious Gospel of Christ when the presence of it commands the heart nothing is good enough for it and it closeth with it and with Christ in it I beseech you therefore Beloved in Christ set upon the use of these meanes think within your selves What if the Lord had left me without the word I will tell you what ye would have been Look upon these poor Indians herds of Beasts look upon others on their Ale-benches enemies to the Lord such a one thou hadst been This blessed word and woice of God every very tittle of it cost the blood of Christ written all the lines of it in the blood of Christ Oh make much of it and it will make much of you it will comfort you and strengthen you and revive you and if the word come not with power ye shall be under the power of something else if not under the power of the word then under the power of some lust What is the reason that these poor creatures that are come to the tryall for life and death that have fallen into such sins as were never heard of What is the reason that they are under the power of their lusts I will tell you what Solomon saith My son if wisdome enter into thy heart and discretion be pleasant to thy soul it shall keep thee from the strange woman sinful companion If it be pleasant here is the reason the word of Gods grace it never came with power or if it came with power powerless the word of Gods grace hath been to them and because it hath not come with