CHRIST DISPLAYED AS THE Choicest Gift and Best Master From Ioh. 4.10 Ioh. 13.13 Being some of the last Sermons Preached by that faithful and industrious Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. NATHANEEL HEYWOOD Sometime Minister of the Gospel at Ormeschurch in Lancashire 1 Cor. 2.2 For I determined not to know any thing among you save Iesus Christ and hlm crucified Salvian de Gubern Dei Lib. 4. In id penitus deducta res est ut sicut de Paganis Barbaris priùs diximus Christi nomen non videatur jam Sacramentum esse sed sermo Nam in tantum apud plurimos nomen hoc parvi penditur ut nunquam minus cogitent quippiam facere quam cum se jurant per Christum esse facturos LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1679. To the Worshipful HENRY HOGHTON Esq And the Lady STANLEY His Vertuous Consort Worthy SIR MADAM I Presume to affix your Venerable Names in the Frontispiece of this Treatise not upon my own account or upon any such interest I can challenge in your Worships being much unknown to you but as acting the part of the deceased Author who had upon great reason conceived a very high estimation of you as I doubt not but your respects to him were reciprocal being grounded both upon long acquaintance and experience of each other his discourse of you with grateful acknowledgments of your multiplied kindness to his person and family in my hearing and his affectionate prayers for you were clear testimonies that you were engraven upon his heart and if his unparallel'd modesty had permitted him to have committed any thing to the Press doubtless his cordial affection would have issued it self in such an Epistolary inscription But since I am necessitated to supply his place in handing these Discourses to the World I prostrate this exposed Orphan at your feet and question not your candid reception and resolute protection of what was the genuine product of his mind and mouth which I will confidently assure you these Treatises are both for matter method words without the least addition substraction or alteration being taken out of his own notes as he preacht them writ at large with his own hand The matter of these Sermons is of greatest moment and importance fundamental truths they are of the gift of God in our blessed Redeemer and Christs Lordship and Soveraignty which are truths of the first magnitude most necessary like wool and corn the staple-commodities of this Kingdom like bread and salt that must be set upon the Table like ground-Cells upon which lyes the weight of the fabrick these are comprehensive and extensive truths without this gift sinners had not been pardoned accepted without this Lordship souls would wander and rebel the former brings us into favour with God the latter conquers rebellious wills subdues enemies regulates Saints and crowns them with glory The manner of handling these subjects is plain exact nervous and very pathetical which took great impression on the hearers vvhen first delivered with the lively voice of that fair spokesman for Christ whose heart was much taken with this lovely and beloved Lord and took great delight to recommend him to poor sinners which he did with great advantage and success whereby he became a spiritual father of many children whom he begot in the bonds of the Gospel Indeed he excelled others in other subjects but in this he excelled himself especially in this swan-like song which savours of Heaven and seems to be calculated for the height of Sion to be sung by that heavenly host in the praises of our dear Redeemer But neither do these weighty subjects nor the lively colours wherein they are set off need my recommendation nor yet the Authors gifts graces industry fidelity and other imitable properties well known to you and all that were acquainted with him need at all be mentioned by me at least at this season his singular accomplishments and conversation shine too bright to be darkened by any black-mouth'd Momus as his soul and body are beyond the reach of Satan and Sorrow so his name is above any just censures and calumnies I make bold to put these Posthumous works into your hands may your Worships in the first place reap the benefit and by your experiments thereof in your souls and conformity thereto in your lives incourage others to come and see how good our Lord Jesus is this is a lovely Song of one that could play well on an instrument may your hearts eccho to this Gospel-tune here 's solid food well cookt rendred delectable with the sweet sauce of acceptable words may your stomacks be keen and sharp and nourisht by it to eternal life These are goads and nails fastened by this master of assemblies now rewarded by his Master given out by one shepherd may Gods Spirit fasten them as a nail in a sure place upon many consciences I have then attained my ends in this undertaking may God be thereby glorified and souls edified we have enough The Lord bless you both and make you rich blessings to your Country in your publick domestical and personal station and relation The Lord drop down this choice gift into your laps and hearts that you may give up your selves to him again as his bored devoted servants for ever God Almighty that hath been the stay of your Youth be also the staff of your old age and maintain you as choice instruments of his glory in the land of the living and in a good old age conduct you through the valley of the shadow of death into the land of life so prayeth Your Worships humble Servant in our Dearest Lord O. H. Febr. 1. 1678 9. To the CHRISTIAN READER especially the Inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Ormeschurch and the places adjacent Grace Mercy and Peace My dearly beloved in our dearest Lord IT is an astonishing Providence that in such a day of Epidemical sinning general fears of approaching Iudgments and great necessity in most places God should thus weaken our strength undermine the fabrick by cutting off so many faithful Shepherds in so short a space therein seeming as if he would make a way to his wrath But as your dark parts have more need of such faithful Watchmen so you are most emptied God having of late renewed his witnesses against you and broken you with breach upon breach before your eyes were fully wiped for one loss another follows at the heels like Job's messengers bringing the sad tidings of the death of another gracious Minister and this last is not the least under which you lye bleeding It is true on his account that 's gone you have no reason to lament God hath put a blessed end to his torturing pains of body perplexing thoughts of heart and indefatigable labours in the Ministry and crown'd him with glory the sharper was his passage the sweeter is his present repose he finds himself abundantly rewarded God made great
and Stars be beautiful the lovely Lord that made them must contain their beauty in the highest measure beauty in God is the amiableness and loveliness of his nature and all his infinite perfections as this pleasantness offers it self to his own understanding and the understanding of men and Angels So that as bodily beauty satisfies the eye and so acts on the heart to win love So the Truth of the Lords nature and all his Attributes offered to the understanding and mind drawing from them admiration and love is the beauty of God The Prophet speaks of it with admiration How great is thy beauty Zech. 9.17 David makes it his one thing that he may behold it Psal. 27.4 David desires no other life but to stand beside God and behold with the eye of his mind and faith God in his Nature and Attributes as he reveals himself to the creature Now this beauty of God shines forth to us in Christ 2 Cor. 4.7 who is the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express character of his person Heb. 1.3 When Moses was to behold God he was hid in the Rock while his glory passed by and that Rock was Christ. You sometimes see beauty that ravishes the heart of the beholder in the children of men O! but Christ is fairer than the Sons of men Psal. 45.2 on which place Austin thus descants To us Believers the heavenly Bridegroom seems to be most fair every way fair in Heaven fair on Earth fair in the Womb fair in the Cradle fair in his Miracles fair in his Doctrine fair in his Stripes fair on the Cross fair in his very Grave To make up a beauty is required 1. A good complexion fairness in colours So Christ is pure white and red Cant. 5.10 white in his Divine Nature which was the brightness of his Fathers substance Red in his humanity being of the same substance with the first Adam who was made of Red Earth White in his holiness Red in his blood and sufferings White in his own immaculate innocence and purity Red by the imputation of our sins which are like scarlet and Crimson White in his goodness and free grace to humble sinners but Red and bloody in his severity to his enemies that will not that he reign over them His effigies was so beautiful that no Painter could ever draw him because of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine lustre and grace that shone in him His countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedar Cant. 5.15 and 1.16 the Spouse cryes out wondering Behold thou art fair my beloved yea pleasant that is lovely and amiable 2. As he is fair in Coulors so he is comly in proportion and integrity of parts If a person have never so good colours yet if any part be wanting or be not an agreement of parts in regard of quantity scituation and stature 't is no beauty but an error of nature But Christ is beautiful for features for infiniteness and sweetness of order and proportion is so spread over his nature and attributes that nothing can be added to him nothing taken from him He is the fulness of the godhead the perfection of beauty Cant. 5.10 to the end His head is as most fine gold his locks bushy and black as a raven his eyes as the eyes of doves his cheeks as a bed of spices his lips like lillies c. O what a pleasant harmony and specious consent of parts is here yea he is altogether lovely Here she breaks off her praises in a general Elogy which no words can express enough q. d. Alas what is this I have spoken I am too barren and empty of language I know not what to call him but do you that hear me imagine or name any thing that is most desirable most worthy to be loved longed for and admired and that is he he is the desire of all Nations This pleasant and delightful gift is set forth in Scripture by something that pleases all the inward senses Here 's beauty to delight the eye O! how blessed are they who see the King in his beauty Here 's Myrrh Aloes and Cassia sweet perfumes to the spiritual smell Psal. 45.8 He is a bundle of myrrh Cant. 1.13 His voice is most sweet and pleasant to the ear Cant. 2.8 The voice of my beloved so taken with the sweetneâ—s of it that she speaks in broken language His lips like lillies dropping sweet smelling myrrh Cant. 5.13 How sweet is he to the taste Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste of an excellent rellish wine milk honey fatted calf c. are but shadows of this He 's a delicate Banquet The kisses of his mouth and hidden manna are most delectable to the spiritual touch Cant. 1.2 The sense and experience of his mercy the assurance of his love the sealing of his Spirit O how swâ—et to a thirsty soul O taste and see that the Lord is gracious and transcendently amiable and pleasant as Mr. Rutherford Suppose all the corns of sand in all the earth and shores all the flowers herbs leaves and twigs of trees since the creation all the drops of dew and rain that the clouds send down all the stars in heaven all the joints hairs and drops of blood of all men that have been are or shall be were all rational creatures and had the wisdom and tongues of Angels to speak of the beauty and loveliness of Christ they would in all their expressions stay millions of miles on this side Christ and his excellency 7. Christ is a most useful gift In this respect he is the one thing needful and were there no other excellency in him this were enough to commend him to us he is so useful that we cannot be without him Though a gift were never so rich pleasant and precious in it self yet if the excellency in it may not be made use of and it be not good and fit for us it is not much valued But this gift of God is so admirable good for our use that he seems to be fitted and dressed and made all for our use in regard of his Mediatorship that office is wholly for us and our benefit He was born lived died rose again sits on Gods right hand as Advocate and comes to judgment for our sakes and for our good He is God and Man Prophet Priest and King A Saviour a Redeemer a Surety an Advocate a Mediator Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. all for use to us lost and perishing sinners He is a jewel indeed but not locked up in heaven to be made use of by none Christ is shadowed forth in Scripture by Head Vine Milk Water c. now what more necessary and useful to men than these Who could reconcile us to God when we were enemies but Christ in his blood Rom. 5.10 Who could justifie us in the sight of God when we were sinners but Christ by his righteousness Rom.
his wrath O do not thou lift up the heel against him to whom thou must one day bow the knee if thou wilt not now kiss the Son thou shalt shortly lick the dust of his feet if thou be not now in the number of his willing people in the day of the power of his grace in the day of his wrath his arrows will be in thy heart as one amongst his enemies In a word if thou wilt not stoop to his golden Scepter thou must be broken in pieces with his rod of iron 6. Give up your selves to Christ and you shall be your own and be happy look when and how much you resign your selves to this absolute Lord even then and so muâ—h you are your own and no more you are never your own but when and while you are his what you deny him or steal from him you give to the Devil the World and the Flesh you lye at the command of every vile lust or black devil till you become his subjects O quam multos habet dominos qui unum non habet O how many how ignoble how poor how cruel are the Lords of that man who hath not this one Lord But the way to secure your selves and whatever is dear to you is to give up all to Christ. He that loseth himself and his life shall find it and he that labours to secure himself another way loseth all Matt. 16.25 If you be his you are happy but if you be your own you are most miserable Can you support preserve or provide for your selves who shall save you in the hour of temptation and distress know ye not yet so much of your own insufficiency and do ye not yet feel your selves to be such a daily burthen to your selves that you have enough of your selves ere now as to beg of God above all your enemies to save you from your selves and to save you from being forsaken oâ— God and given up to your selves Remember that none in the world hath sufficient power wisdom and goodness to take the full care and charge of you but Christ none else can save you or sanctifie you or keep you alive one hour and therefore it will be your happiness and honour that you are his He will use you only in safe and honourable services and to no worse an end than your endless happiness Consider a little how unfit you are to be your own Lords and how unable to govern your selves so blind and ignorant so byassed by a corrupt will so turbulent are your passions so uncessant and powerful is the temptation of your sence and appetite that 't were as fit for a man to be govern'd by a servant or a rider by his horse But he is most perfectly fit to govern you and all the world you can desire nothing reasonably in a Lord and Governor which is not in him He hath perfect wisdom to know what is best perfect goodness and therefore will be most regardful of his subjects good and will put no evil into his Laws Almighty to protect his Servants and see to the execution of his Laws most just and therefore can do no wrong but all his Laws and judgments are equal and impartial He is our very end interest and felicity our dearest friend and father and therefore loves us better than we love our selves and therefore we have greatest reason to submit to his Lordship and obey him as one that rules us to our own felicity 7. Let him be your Lord to rule and save you or you must needs perish everlastingly it 's a folly to think Christ should save you while you serve his enemies in vain do you expect the dignities and priviledges that come by Christ and not submit to the duties and services that are due to Christ. He is the author of salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5.9 The Gospel is a message of eternal life only to those to whom it is a rule of spiritual life and the true believer does not only cast himself into the arms of Christ to be saved but also casts himself at Christs feet to serve him never man had Chriâ—t for his Saviour unless he took him for his Lord. There is no possible escape for Christs enemies If they had another Lord or Potentate that could match Christ in strength they might fly to him to defend them from Christ but Christ is the only Lord and woe unto them that have him for their only enemy Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day when this Lord shall deal with thee Ezek. 22.14 Jer. 4.13 Foolish sinner dost thou contend with thy Maker wilt thou set bryars and thorns against him in battel as smoak contend with the wind the wax with the fire the stubble with the flame or the snow-bâ—ll with the Sun 'T is hard to kick against the pricks there 's no flying from him but by flying to him Isa 10 3. What will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation which shall come from far To whom will ye sâ—â—e for help And where will ye leave your glory Will you call upon the rocks and mountains to fall on you and cover you from the wrath of the Lamb when the great day of his wrath is who shall be able to abide Rev 6 15 16 1â— Were it not better now to enter into the rock and hide your selves in the clefts of this rock Isa. 2 10. No way to escape the wrath of God one spark whereof will horn the guilty sinner to destruction but by kissing the Son Psal. 2. ult 2. Branch of exhortation to all them who have given up their names to Christ and are his listed 〈◊〉 servants Let me perswade you to 〈…〉 serve 〈◊〉 great and blessed Lord O 〈◊〉 him with greatest diligence and fervency of spirit 〈◊〉 best Lord must have your best service darâ— not to offer to this Lord that which cost you nothing the blind and â—â—me are too bad for your ordinary lords this Lord muâ—â— have your all the whole of your created abilitiâ—sâ— Hâ— deserves and his work requires your all he hath much more business then all the time and strength of his servants can bring about if every hair of your heads were an hand you might have your hands full of work O let none do his work negligently how great was his goodness to take such unprofitable servants as we are into the family of his Church what saw he in us more than in Heathens that he should put such an honour upon us I shall first instruct and then excite you 1. For your direction I shall lay down 1. Rules 2. Meanes 3. Manner of this service 1. Rules about Christs service 1. Live and act wholly to and for this your Lord do all you do for Christ Phil 1.21 For to me to live is Christ. Christ is the scope and end of all his life Rom. 14.6 7 8. None of us liveth to himself and no man
use of him here and hath now taken him home to himself His afflictions temptations oppositions were above the ordinary rate which as they assimilated him to his Master so they promoted his greater usefulness here and fittednes for heaven the lintel-stones and pillars of the new Ierusalem suffer more knocks of Gods hammer and tool than the common side-wall stones God wearied him out of this world and made heaven welcome wish him not here again but labour to improve this dreadful breach by remembring his Doctrine imitating his exemplary practice and understanding Gods design in this so amazing stroke search out that Achan that hath troubled your camp lay to heart sin reform your lives live up to the Doctrines you have been taught and do these in particular which are here presented to your view and I am confident will be acceptable to you though wanting the warming-accent of his lively voice which was full of sparkling spirits you must see his face hear his voice no more in your solemn assemblies but yet this Elijah as he mounted up to heaven in a chariot of fire dropped down this paper-mantle amongst us which by the spirit of grace concurring may divide the swelling-waves of Jordan I mean separate betwixt precious souls and those abominations which at this day overflow all banks and bounds Oh that Gods Spirit may by these conduits convey spiritual life and marrow into your souls that you may live though Ministers die they die civilly naturally may you live spiritually eternally This servant of God spent himself as a candle to give you light if ever it might be said of a mortal man as of our Saviour The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up it may be said so of this choice servant of God who spent and was spent for souls who counted not his life dear unto him that he might finish his course with joy in labours more abundant But I purposely wave what concerns his person at present leaving a rough draught of his smooth life to a fitter season All I shall add is to give a brief account of these ensuing Treatises As to the printing of them though Solomon caution his Son against making and reading many Books Eccles. 12.12 yet that only sounds a retreat to luxuriant wits in a scribling age as to writing upon some subjects or for vain glory but doth not simply condemn writing Books which hath been the key of discipline an Herauld of the Gospel and a notable mean to propagate true Religion As for these discourses upon common subjects I pickt them out of a vast bundle of variety of excellent discourses upon such accounts as these 1. Because I do not remember any such full Treatises upon these heads 2. Yet they are needful and useful pleasant and profitable 3. They are handed out in a taking-method and manner 4. His heart was much carried out in preaching Christ to sinners he professed most delight in it these Sermons then are the lively idea of his Gospel spirit 5. God made them savoury and delectable in their first verbal delivery and why not upon a second review 6. This servant of God is likely to preach no more but hereby being dead he yet speaketh 7. The importunity of such friends as deserved to be gratified extorted this labour of love to the souls of sinners nor shall it repent us to expose it naked to the worlds censures so it may by Gods blessing profit any For Treatises themselves though carried on by way of similitude and resemblance yet are not therefore to be despised or rejected the Prophets used similitudes Lumen supernum nunquam desendit sine indumento Rab. Cup. in Synt. Apost p. 177 178. Christ preacht much in Parables and this way sweetly instills Truths with delight and clearness into the mind and affection so that Cyprian's caution be well regarded that they be not stretcht too far He instanceth in leaven I may instance in this gift of God Iesus Christ is not so a gift but that he is also a Lord not to be ruled by us but to rule us To us a Son is given Isa. 9.6 but how that yet the government might be upon his shoulder As he is the Lords Christ so he is Christ the Lord who will rule where he rests and reign where ever he is received he will be Lord as well as Life a Master as well as a Treasure he will sway his righteous scepter over us as well as vouchsafe his glorious benefits to us he expects we should be his servants as well as his friends we must be the Lords Nethinims given to God yea by our selves as we expect this blessed Donative from God he that will not be ruled by his golden scepter shall be crushed by his iron rod. And as Iesus Christ is a gift so he is food bread of life heavenly manna yet this must not be stretcht too far for in this he is contrary to ordinary corporal food for though he feed souls he turns them not they him into his holy heavenly nature Christ as the gift of God is the matter of this feast Christ as Lord is the master and maker of this feast All this must be understood suitable to the majesty of the Son of God and according to the nature of Metaphors otherwise saith Cyprian If they were the same they were not examples but the things rather which they illustrate But all these similitudes fall infinitely short of the perfection of him who is above finite excellencies Nec similitudinem substantiae in facturis suis habere potest ille qui factor est omnium All I shall add further on this account is that caution of his in a like case Et jam hoc loco mundior auditus requiritur purior sensus Let your senses be raised to spiritual objects Having hinted a few words concerning the Author and Treatises give me leave having this fair opportunity to be speak the once constant attenders upon this good mans Ministry and those are either sinners or Saints As for unconverted sinners that attended such powerful awakening preaching and have sitten out these loud calls and pathetical intreaties and rational Interrogatories Perswasives Expostulations I may now say Lord have mercy upon you your case is miserable hath your Minister killed himself to save your souls and yet will you not be saved have you worn him to the stumps and quenched his natural light with your spiritual deadness Have you stifled all those convictions you have had under his Ministry And have you not reason to fear that Gods Spirit will strive with you no more Where will you find such another upright Nathaneel such a rouzing Boanerges such a melting Barnabas Shall he that studied travelled sweat wept sigh'd and suffered be brought in as a testimony against you He was mighty in prayer were you stupid when he wrestled with God for you and was loath to be put off without a soul at a Sermon Did you look about
you as persons unconcerned in Prayer Sermons and compassionate workings of his soul for you God knows and you shall know there hath been a Prophet amongst you he hath washt his hands from the guilt of your blood by faithful warnings your blood be upon your own heads yea may not his blood come to be upon your heads Yea may not the guilt of the blood of the Son of God be required at your hands And have you worn out man are you not content to weary men but will you weary out God also Shall Christ weep over you as over Jerusalem and say as Luk. 19.42 If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Though you cannot hear your former Minister's living voice yet I send you one summons more to your eyes in his own words if this will not prevail expect to hear another manner of message from the great Jehovah Cut them down for they cumber the ground bind them hand and foot and cast them into the fire 1. Is there not yet some ignorant souls among you that have not the knowledg of God Christ Gospel mysteries And if you know not this gift of God no wonder you slight it if you know not the worth of this jewel or your need of it you cannot esteem or desire it a blind man cannot distinguish colours swallows many a gnat knows not whither he goeth God complains His people are destroyed for lack of knowledg Hos. 4 6. Solomon saith Without it the heart is not good Prov. 19.2 The Apostle saith If our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 And the Prophet saith He will have no mercy on a people that have no understanding Isa. 27.11 Alas the whole soul is misguided with this blind guide the will is perverted affections ranging conscience dictates amiss for its a witness but to what it knows and thy clock cannot go if the weights be taken off God Almighty pity you it's a shameful thing to be ignorant but it 's damnning to be wilfully ignorant yea it will aggravate damnation 1 Cor. 15.34 Oh now at last ply your work read pray confer meditate One would think the poor prisoner should take pains to learn to read that knows he must be hanged if he cannot read his neck-verse but if you be negligent God may seal you up in darkness and say if any be ignorant let him be ignorant 1 Cor. 14.38 2. Is any among you an hypocrite that makes a fair shew in the flesh that paint your outsides with a goodly garnish of common gifts and outside duties that have owned your godly Minister living and honour his memorial now dead but have not obeyed from the heart the Doctrine which he delivered or have not been delivered into the form of Gospel-doctrine that are one thing before others in meetings another thing alone and in your families that can down with some common acts of religiousness but slight self-denying flesh-displeasing duties totally unacquainted with heart-work and mortifying special lusts yea rather use duties as a cloak to cover sin than spiritual armour to fight against it Alas how many is there that were baptized in infancy join with Christians as with a party or faction slide into a profession that never came in by the door of regeneration and so deceive themselves and others Ministers judg charitably of Professors know not mens hearts and though they express their jealousie and so give faithful cautions yet encourage good beginnings and hopeful shews in such an evil day as this is but may be mistaken for who would judg him an enemy that marcheth after Christ in duties wears his colours learneth his postures hath got the word keeps his rank converseth with Saints in a religious habit and language yet such may be hypocrites and prove apostates witness Judas Simon Magus Demas Himeneus Philetus c. Oh Sirs as you love your souls see to the truth of grace the root of the matter be as good or better than you seem the heart-searching God knows your home-behaviour and sees how your principles are stated and as you would see Gods face and meet your godly Minister with comfort be sincere and single-spirited 3. Are any amongst you worldlings addicting your selves to pursue and dote upon the profits of the world That spend most of your time in lading your selves with thick clay and panting after the dust of the earth are these things satisfactory Have you ever weighed them in the ballance of rectified reason did you never hear of better things Did you ever hear that riches made men happy Have you not seen riches take wings and leave the possessor Or have you not seen the rich die as well as poor and leave their wealth behind them Alas the world was never true to any that trusted to it It 's a sad thing to see men almost pressed to death still call for more weight to see persons full of drink greedy of more and complaining they die for thirst Oh but saith Christ I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst Ioh. 6.35 The enjoyment of Christ quencheth worldly thirst the Lord awake your spirits to see how vast a distance there is betwixt earth and heaven and stir up your spirits to a proportionable care about soul-concernments 4. Is there a slothful careless or discouraged soul among you that loves his ease better than life that will not take the pains to be saved or that is not resolved for heaven but in suspense as halting bâ—twixt two opinions could have a months mind after Christ were it not for the inconveniences that attend him difficulties in Religion discourage them and having much sense which bears sway distrust prevails and shouts faith to the heart so that the poor soul falls stat at Satans feet grows listless to duty as one who sees the Well dry breaks or throws away his pitcher some are ready to say as those Jer. 2.25 when God saith With hold thy foot from being unshod i. e. do not by putting off thy shoos address thy self to a slothful or an adulterous bed and thy throat from thirst i. e. forbear thy sinful thirst and desires after idols and vanities but thou saidst there is no hope it's to no purpose past cure past care I have loved strangers and after them will I go you may save a labour I am too far gone to turn now God hath cast me off I am desperate and may as well take my fill of ease and sensual pleasures for this is all the heaven I am like to have This is a dreadful case and such sinners surely understand not what it is to be damned and have not learned Christs readiness to pardon and accept penitent sinners That was a wretched answer that that blasphemous Arrian made executed at Norwich in
and Master to guide and govern your hearts and thoughts and lives by his Laws and Statutes and is it your ordinary purpose desire and endeavour to obey him even when he commands the hardest duties and those which most cross the desire and interest of the flesh and 't is your sorrow when you break your resolutions herein then Christ is yours But if you are only content to be saved by him from Hell when you dye in the mean time he shall command you no further than will stand with your credit or pleasure or worldly estate and ends and did never heartily consent that he should rule over you nor resign up your souls and bodies to be governed and disposed by him nor took his Word for a Law and Rule of your thoughts and actions but if he would give you leave you had rather live after the world and flesh than after the Word and Spirit he is not yet yours though you may in words call him Lord and Master yet in your works you deny him He is his Friend and Disciple that keeps his commandments Iohn 15.7 14 but they that would not hearken to his voice would none of him he gave them up to their own hearts lusts Psal. 8.11 3. Have you received the Spirit of Christ The Apostle makes the former and this characters of such as have received Christ. 1 Joh. 3.24 He that keepeth his commandments dwells in him and Christ in him hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us Well then do ye obey the Laws of Christ and walk in his ways conform to his example and live the life of Jesus He that doth not thus may say he abides in Christ but he doth but say so 't is not so in truth and reallity 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abides in Christ ought to walk as he walked Further Let me ask you the question the Apostle asked the Disciples at Ephesus Acts. 19.2 Whether have you received the Holy Ghost If God have given Christ to you Christ hath given you his holy Spirit For if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 1 John 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit The Spirit not as residing in Christ but as given to us is an evidence that we have received Christ. Well then let every one of you be now inquisitive and put such interrogatories as these to himself Have I the Spirit is he given to me doth he dwell in my soul have I the spirit of illumination and revelation Eph. 1.17 Do I see such things as I never saw before as the inexpressible vileness and loathsomness of sin the greatest beauty in holiness c. Have I the spirit of life in Christ Jesus to quicken me and raise me up from the dead Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 3.6 Have I felt the spirit of conviction to convince me of sin righteousness and judgment Iohn 16.8 The spirit of grace and supplication stirring up to and assisting in that heavenly duty of Prayer Zech. 12.10 The spirit of holyness to sanctifie me 1 Pet. 1.2 to mortifie my sins and corruptions Rom. 8.13 and work up my heart to all holy obedience Ezek. 36.27 Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind is Gods Image repaired in me am I transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord Am I growing in grace perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord Do I walk in all Gods Ways and Statutes freely regularly constantly Am I willing to sacrifice an Isaac a Benjamin an Absolom a Delilah Herodias and hew with Samuel delicate Agag in pieces or with David keep my self from mine own iniquity Is the old man dead the flesh with all its cursed retinue mortified do I detest and loath every sin in thought word and deed and that not so much for its effects as for its nature and hate it rather as Hell than for Hell Enquire what do you find of these high and gracious operations oâ— the spirit in your selves he is always an active working Spirit is he so in you Doth he raise your hearts to heavenly things and draw forth your souls to Christ O deal faithfully with your own souls let the search be deep and thorow go to the bottom of your deceitful hâ—arts bring things to an issue be sure that you be not mistaken 4. If Christ be received there will be a more earnest intent desire and breathing of soul after him he that hath once tasted the sweetness of his grace and seen the splendor of his beauty will be so far from being satisfied that he will still more and more thirst after him the more excellency the soul apprehends in him the more vehement and restless are his desires towards him Thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 2.3 4 5 â—he had a glance of him and cries out As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons Here the Spouse seems to be strongly moved with affection and before her beloved had well ended his speech breaks out into an affectionate Elogy of him which she is not able to express but conquered with her own passion she sits down and breathes for comfort I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste Here the soul receives and applys Christ with sweet rellish to her palate comfort to her heart He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love she still tasts more of the riches of his Grace and what was the effect of this did she surfeit with eating his fruit and banquetting no she is more ravisht with desire Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love I am wounded nay slain as some Interpreters with love which by the sweet vehemency and insatiability of it makes the heart to burn and weep groan and sigh to forget all and drive away all but him on whom alone she fixeth and would rest but cannot center till she enjoy him in glory till then she is sick and weary and lives not in her self but in him in whom her life is hid As Plato defines love an ardour or flame of a soul dead in its own body and living in another One thus writes to his friend I have for the present a sick life much pain and love-sickness for Christ. O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in his bosom O when shall we meet O how long is it to the dawning of the marriage-day O sweet Lord Iesus take wide steps O my beloved come leaping over the mountains of separation O that he would fold the heavens together like an old cloak and shovel time and days out of the way and come away Well have you pain and sick-nights for Christ do your thoughts continually run on
garden Cant. 4.16 and now lo here I am to answer the longing expectation of thy blessed Soul which doth even pant and thirst after me who am the health of thy countenance and thy God Psal. 42.11 My company thou dost affect I see 't is most sweet and pleasant to thee and my company thou shalt have here I am to be with thee as thou didst pray and desire I come to eat thy pleasant fruits and bring with me the inexpressible comforts of my Spirit do thou eat and drink Yea drink abundantly O beloved 2. Be willing to be with him in reading much and often in the book of God where thou maist find this precious pearl as in a field what else saith the Prince of Anhalt is the whole Scripture but the swadling-clothes of the child Jesus the Apostle Col. 3.16 right well terms the word of God the word of Christ because he is the matter of the whole and the contents of all the Bible shadowed in the Law and shewed in the Gospel Vnam vocem habent duo Testamenta the word of the Lord contains nothing but the word which is the Lord. Austin How vainly do men look for immediate inspirations when ordinary means is afforded and others forbid the reading of the Scriptures and call Pictures and Images Lay mens books 3. Be willing to be with him in the Communion of Saints Who are a garden inclosed Cant. 4.12 in which Christ doth shew himself most graciously by their savoury speeches and holy conversations emblematizing and representing in a proportionable degree that most admirable ravishing fairness and pleasantness that is in Christ himself let these then be the excellent ones of the earth in whom is all your delight Psal. 16.3 Attend his Ordinances which are the conduits to convey Christ to us though others pretend to be above them yet keep ye under them if ye would keep Christ to put the pitcher above the rock is not the way to take water O let your fellowship be with the Father and with the Son 3. Shake off sloth ease and security indulge not your selves love not your carnal ease be not drunken with the pleasures of the flesh nor surfeit with the profits of the world nor intoxicated with pomp and honours set not your affections on things below let not down your watch be not secure nor high-minded Rom. 3.3 Cant. 5.2 3 4 5 6. you have there Christ knocking at the door of her heart with importunity and tender vehemency for admission and he moves and solicites Open my sister my spouse c. every word an argument a talent weight of love and does Christ call and knock and beg at the door of our souls to enter O what vile ingratitude is it to shut him out Doth he solicite and entreat so many ways by his Word and Ordinances Rod and admonitions and motions of his Spirit what inexcusable obstinate madness is it to drive him away Is any thing so worthy to be harboured there as he and is it not an imcomparable honour that he should vouchsafe to come under our roof She aggravates her fault because of his importunity But observe her idle excuses and vain frivolous pretences for not opening to him vers 3. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on What absurd and sluggish inconveniences does she plead making that her apology which should be her shame in casting off those garments of holiness and spiritual duties which should ever adorn her and growing weary of her nuptial robes which she should ever wear And the other is like unto it I have washed my feet how shall I defile them This is spoken after the manner of those hot Countries where they used to wash constantly before they composed themselves to a setled rest or before they sat down to eat By this custom the Church would excuse her somnolency and negligence as if there were trouble or danger in rising up to entertain him Sad shifts A Christian should endure more for Christ than a little cold or unseasonable diligence One spark of Hell will burn up all these cloaks and fair pretences In the fourth verse Christ proceeds further since knocking would not serve outward means and moral arguments will not prevail he works inwardly and effectually by the powerful visitations and motions of the Spirit which is called the finger Mat. 12.28 compar'd with Luk. 11.20 Then her bowels were moved in her or for him Here 's the great effect of spiritual visits of Christ and the close and lively workings of his Spirit in the heart then she arose and her handâ— dropped with myrrh active and vigorous endeavours should accompany inward motives and suggestions of grace the feet should make haste and the hands be diligent and operative for this is to oyl the lock and make the soul dextrous and prompt to all duties of holiness Vers. 6. You have the effect of her sloth I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone or he was gone he was gone which duplication is more passionate and denotes the expedition and certainty of his absence for which she is much troubled and like a sad widow wrings her hands and crys out he is gone c. my soul failed when he spake or melted or went out of me for his words which he had used to me I was exanimated and astonished O take heed of sloth 4. Hold fast the word of truth keep the mystery of faith in a pure conscience and then you keep Christ. Take heed therefore of all Opinions that are opposite and destructive to the truths of Christ he will not lodg where his truth is thrust out by errours What was it that brought ruin to the ancient Churches of Greece but this they gave way to fond opinions some to Iewish fables some to the Doctrine oâ— Balaam and of Devils and of the Nicholaitans as you read in the second or third Chapter of Revelation and Ecclesiastical History Preserve every truth of Christ according to its moment and weight the dust of Gold is precious 't is dangerous to be careless in the lesser truths Better heaven and earth should be blended together saith Luther than one dust of Gods Truth should perish If you hearken to Satan and Seducers this will be a little one and that shall be a little one till you have little'd away all the principles of faith Count not those small things as the men of the world do for which the children of God have ventured their all Martyrs were not so prodigal of their lives but they knew what they did when they durst not give place for a moment O beware of errour if you would keep Christ let men be in the eyes of the world in righteousness Saints in holiness Angels in zeal like Christ himself If damnable errours be the ground of their Catechisms and their opinions be heretical they cannot keep Christ amongst them receive and retain his faithful Ministers and
from uncleanness Zech. 13.1 Who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world John 1.29 Christ was without spot knew no sin was born holy that he might cover the impurity of thy conception Hath sin like a poison or leprosy spread over thy whole Soul and all thy actions are impure so that there is no soundness in thee but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Improve Christ in this case who will wash thee in his blood Rev. 1.5 bind up thy wounds and make thee partaker of the Divine nature as 2 Pet. 1.4 Though thy sins be as scarlet he will make thee white as snow If the blood of bulls and goats sprinkling the unclean sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living Lord Heb. 9.13 14 O then look unto Christ and be healed tell him as he did Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean No Soap nor Nitre can purge it the general deluge swept away sinners but could not wash away one sin 3. Against the bondage of sin every one is by nature a bondslave to corruption Now Christ was sent to Preach as well as purchase deliverance for captives and to open the Prison to them that are bound Isa. 61.1 2. If a number of men were taken captives by the Turks and made Gally-â—laves suppose some rich Merchant should lay down a vast sum of Money to purchase their liberty or a great Prince make way by the Sword for their escape or give some Prisoners in exchange for them and should this dear-bought liberty be proclaimed to all in general That whoever will apply themselves to him should be free from bondage How deservedly may those lye and dye in Chains that will not accept and make use of those easie terms If thou cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c Christ alone that Son will make you free Ioh. 8.32 33 34. 'T is not a feigned or fancied but a real liberty free indeed 4. Against the danger of sin Art thou afraid of such a corruption art thou annoyed with such a temptation and ready to say ah I shall one day perish by the hand of such a sin Then to prevent falling into sin and antidote thee against the solicitations of it with Paul run to Christ and beseech the Lord once and again till thou have that answer My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8 9. When sin comes as a Potiphars Wife and offers thee deadly Poison in a golden Cup let Faith answer I would consent but that I am a Christian how can I do this great wickedness and sin against my Christ I cannot gratifie this or that lust but I must be disloyal to my Lord Christ. When ever temptations assault and an host incamp against thee hast to the Captain of thy Salvation as David at What time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal. 56.3 5. Against the whole body of sin make use of Christ who came to destroy the works of the Devil Would thou have sin mortified and killed and the old man crucified nail him to the Cross of Christ that by vertue of his death sin may receive its deaths wound no corruptions can stand before Christs Cross. Rom. 6.8 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed 1. Art thou troubled and molested with passion and transported with anger nothing so effectual to subdue and bridle that short madness as Christ. Nihil ita irae impetum cohibet sicut Iesus 'T is the property of contraries to expel one another Christ is meekness and love 2. Doth Pride that detestable sin swell thee art thou proud of wealth honour gifts friends c Nihil ita superbiae tumorem sedat sicut Iesus he is humble and lowly Mat. 11.29 3. Or that diabolical sin of envy Christ can cure thee of that rotten vice Nihil ita livoris culmas sanat sicut Iesus Who ever shewed more opposition to it than Christ who prayed that his Servants might have the same glory with him Ioh. 17.22 4. Or that idolatrous heathenish sin of Covetousness Christ alone can quench the insatiable thirst after worldly things Ioh. 4.14 Whoever drinks of this water shall never thirst Nil ita temperat sitim avaritiae sicut Iesus Thou wilt trample the Moon under thy feet and scorn to love this poor dunghil-world or be fond of these beautiful vanities and fair-fac'd nothings Lastly Dost thou feel in thy Soul the scorching heat of Concupiscence and knowest not how to rid thy self of it Go to Christ who will quickly quench that flame Nihil ita extinguit libidinis flammam sicut Iesus Christs blood is an excellent antidote against lust and will quench and not curb only that inflamation So we might add many more instances for our mortification c. 2. As a Physician to cure all Diseases Christ the gift of God is a most excellent and soveraign Remedy for all diseases and spiritual indispositions whatever the Soul ails go to Christ and he can and will help 1. For darkness and blindness none better than Christ. Do the eyes of thy mind wax dim and dark that thou canst not so well as formerly see the soulness of sin the fairness of Christ the beauty of holiness O make use of Christ who can open blind eyes and clear the sight and make you see that plainly that others can scarce perceive He can illuminate the mind anoint the eye with eye-salve Rev. 3.18 that thou maist see how naked and wretched thou art dispel all darkness and shew thee the light of life Iohn 8.12 and 12.46 If any walk in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God Isa. 50.10 2. Deadness Christ is an effectual remedy against deadness and lifelesness of spirit Whither should we go but unto him who hath the words of eternal life Thou hast fallen among Thieves and they have bereaved thee of all yea of life it self why Christ is that good Samaritan which puts Wine and Oyl into thy wounded Soul Luk. 10.30 he complains that ye will not come unto him that ye may have life he is called our life Col. 3.4 O derive life and strength from him 3. Hardness Art thou infected with that sore disease of hardness of heart so that thou canst not mourn for sin nor art scarce sensible of the great burden of sin and misery nor lay to heart the evils of the times but thy heart is a Rock or an Adamant O go to Christ who can and will take away the heart of stone and give thee a heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 In him this gracious promise is and ever shall be yea and Amen Soak thy heart thorowly in this promise and set before
thine eyes a crucified bleeding Saviour Hence that saying of Bernard Cui fons forte sicul es lanynam invocat Iesum non fluxit uberius What hardness of heart could ever stand before Jesus Christ or what Soul ever went to Christ and came away with a hard heart and was not melted as wax before the Sun If Christ do but strike upon the heart though it were a Rock he can make it gush out with a torrent of brinish tears 4. Barrenness Thou complainest of unfruitfulness thou receivest much and returnest little thou art dry and unprofitable make use of Christ in this case the water is not more effectual to make fruitful the barren ground than the dew of Christs Grace to fructifie a barren heart I the Lord can turn a barren wilderness into a fruitful garden Isa. 51.3 He hath promised to make the Wilderness like Eden and the Desert like the Garden of the Lord. He hath said Isa. 35.1 2 6 7 That the desert shall blossom as the rose yea it shall blossom abundantly for in the wilderness shall water break out and streams in the desert and the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water Go to Christ for the fulfilling of those great and precious promises say Cant. 4. ult Lord send out thy spirit to breathe upon my Soul to blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out c. Christ saith Except ye abide in me and I in you ye cannot bear fruit Under the term abiding is implyed making use of Christ drawing sap and nourishment from him Ioh. 15.4 5. 5. Despondency when thou art disquieted with melancholly Psal. 27.13 doubting and distrustful thoughts arising from the weakness of Grace power of Corruption and malice of Satan have recourse to Christ who hath an incomparable faculty of dispelling all these perplexed and pensive conceits that do torture thy mind He himself suffered and was tempted was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and therefore is able to succour us in all our temptations and troubles Heb. 2.18 and 4.15 16. Now if a man be in any trouble in outward estate or body what will he do in such a case He will go and consult with one that hath been in the like condition Do thus make use of Christ for help who hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 which words of his being spoken home to the heart of a distrustful perplexed person by his own Spirit must needs be of refreshing vertue and reviving power as that light will ever spring up out of darkness and scatter those mists that darken the mind and disturb our peace 't is he that forgiveth all thy sins and healeth all thy diseases Psal. 103.3 3. Improve this gift of God as a sweet and forcible attractive and help to draw your hearts to the performance of all those duties that are required of you and to assist in the exercise of those graces that are to be found in you As 1. Faith In the want or weakness of Faith make use of Christ who must needs be very helpful for he is the author and finisher of your faith Heb. 12.2 he is infinitely able to begin increase and perfect your faith so as that it can have no other vertue or power but such as is derived only from him 'T is he by whom we believe in God who raised him from the dead his own Disciples finding their faith infirm and weak did repair to him for more strength and for a larger measure of it acknowledging him to be able and themselves impotent and unable to do it saying Luke 17.5 Lord increase our faith 2. Repentance Does any lye and groan under the guilt and burden of impenitency O let him address himself to Christ in this sad case who came into the world to call sinners to repentance not as we in the Ministry to call outwardly but to call with an effectual voice and to cause to repent Mat. 11.13 God not only gave him to the world to be a Saviour but hath exalted him to be a Prince to give repentance and remission of sins Act. 5.31 If thy heart be secure and senseless go to Christ who will freely give not sell and work in thee godly sorrow that leads to repentance unto salvation not to be repented of That repentance you frame in your selves will miserably deceive you so that Austin said that repentance doth drown more than sin when you think you can sufficiently do it your selves whereas Christ alone doth give true and acceptable repentance 3. Love Christ is the best teacher of Love that ever the world had who taught it not only by his words but by his blood by his life and by his death Wouldest thou learn to love Go to Christ if thou canst not learn it of him thou canst never learn it Love is the greatest commander of love and the most effectual argument that can insuperably constrain us to it and none ever loved at the rate and measure that Christ hath loved to stand by such a fire is the way for a congealed heart to melt and the coldest affections to grow warm A lively Faith still holding Christ the glass of infinite love and goodness before our faces is the greatest lesson in the art of love A believing view of the nature undertaking love obedience doctrine example sufferings intercession and Kingdom of Jesus Christ must needs inflame believers hearts with an answerable degree of love O steep that stiff and hardned heart in the blood of Christ and it will melt and it will change thy unkind unthankful heart in the very nature of love to come over with Thomas and by the passage of his wounds wind thy self into his heart 4. Obedience both active and passive to which Christ is both an incomparable motive and admirable pattern He fulfilled all righteousness and became obedient to the death of the Cross Lo I come to do thy will O God was his resolution when he came into the world and not my will but thine be done when he went out of it He hath said he will write his Laws in your hearts and cause you to walk in his statutes and give you one heart and one way that ye may serve him for ever Ezek. 36.27 Christs obedience is thine walking in Christ all the acts of it are exerted and performed in the strength of Christ. 5. Prayer would you know how to pray as to have your Prayer accepted and answered let Christ be made use of who is the alone Mediator that by the vail of his flesh hath made a new and living way into the holy place and sits at Gods right hand making request for you So that by him you may have free access with boldness to the throne of grace Heb. 10.19 20. Have you a friend in the Court that will plead your cause and speak a good word to the King and will you not make use of
him O Let us come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 In Christ we have access Eph. 2.18 and 3.14 Rom. 8.34 1 Ioh. 5.4 Ioh. 14.13 If ye ask any thing in my name I will do it in time of the Law if any sinned he was to go to the High Priest who was to mediate and intercede for him to God So now we must come to Christ who mediates and makes intercession for us though we have transgressed he hath suffered though we be unworthy yet he is worthy if we and our suit be commended by one of so great worth and such interest in the Father can we doubt of success He will give us also his spirit to help our infirmities and teach us what to pray for as we ought and lead us by the hand unto God and enable us to cry Abba Father 4. Improve Christ as the purchaser and conveyer of all blessings and benefits to your Souls which they stand in need of are you empty and hungry come to him for food are you naked come to him for clothes are you weak come to him for strength if wavering for stedfastness if weary for rest 1. Let the poor needy and hungry Soul come to Christ and not lay out its money for that which is not bread but hearken unto him eat that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fastness Isa. 55.2 3. He alone will feed and fill the Soul and satiate it with his goodness He will make a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Isa. 25.6 O labour to â—ake in his sweetest consolations fresh every morning the Soul cannot live without some comfort or other if it finds no such sweetness in Christ it will look for it elsewhere and if it tast nothing in his ways to keep it up it will go down to earthly delights for relief 2. Let the wretched naked Soul make use of Christ and not sow together Fig-leaves as Adam Gen. 3.7 Never think to patch together a deal of filthy rags to cover thy uncleanness and nakedness Isa. 64.6 But if thou know that thou art naked then buy of Christ white raiment that thou maist be clothed and the shame of thy nakedness do not appear Rev. 3.18 Christs righteousness is a long white robe to cover thy nakedness see Ezek 16. begin the Soul according to its nativity is naked and filthy but Christ spreads his skirt over it and puts on excellent ornaments he will take away thy filthy garments and cloathe thee with change of raiment Zech. 3. begin 3 Let the weak improve Christ for strength who will perfect his strength in their weakness so that thou maist say with the Apostle When I am weak then I am strong 2 Cor. 12.9 And by his strength I can do all things Phil. 4.13 Trust not in your own strength but rely upon the power of Christ in all your performances art thou to grapple with some strong corruption or temptation and desirest to overcome it hast thou some weighty and difficult duty to perform make tryal of Christ and thou shalt find that he gives power to the faint and to them that have no might Isa. 40.29 4. Let the wavering make use of him for stability and fixedness Art thou afraid of Apostacy in these backsliding times go to Christ to stablish thee 1 Thes. 3.13 That he establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our father at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his saints He is a Rock if thou build on him thou shalt never be moved Matt. 16.10 God stablisheth your Souls in Christ 2 Cor. 1.21 If you can get rooted and built up in him and established by him in the faith you need not fear though you must beware of being spoiled through Philosophy and vain deceit Col. 2.7 8. Do you fear falling away from the Grace or Truth of God then make special use of Christ who is able to establish you and keep you from falling and present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Iude 24. 5. Let the weary Soul come to Christ and he shall find rest make use of this gift of God which is far more suitable to a wandering sin-sick soul than the softest bed to the wearied body what was prophesied by Lamech concerning his Son Noah is compleatly fulfill'd in Christ whereof Noah was a type Gen. 5.29 He called his son Noah rest for saith he this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands Think often on that soul-refreshing promise Matt. 11 28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you c. Come poor restless easeless and dejected souls let others weary themselves in seeking riches and reputation in the world to you I faithfully promise rest which is the thing you want Fecisti nos domine propter te inquietum est cor nostrum donec veniat ad te 5. Improve this gift of God as a standing cordial against those failings and despondencies of spirit and make use of it in the midst of those sad thoughts and miâ—givings of heart you may be under through fear of wrath terrours of conscience and shrinking apprehensions of death and judgment 1. Is God angry doth he begin to thunder and write bitter things against thee and his waves and billows go over you so that your moisture is dried up and you almost overwhelmed with the fierceness of his wrath Now let faith recollect it self and say Well Christ is mine in whose wounds is room enough to hold and in whose heart is readiness enough to receive all that fly unto him true indeed there is a terrible storm of justice gathering over my head and ready to fall upon me but my Christ is my shelter an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest Isa. 32.2 A flood of vengeance is coming but I am got into the Ark destruction near but Christ is my Passover my little Sanctuary able and willing to save to the uttermost with all kinds and degrees of Salvation Heb. 7.25 He hath trodden the wine-press alone and of the people there was none with him Isa. 63.3 O then enter into this rock for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty till the indignation be over-past When God is angry with thy soul take Christ in thine arms and come to him 2. Art thou grown strange to him and alienated thy self from him by sin none is so proper and necessary to be made use of as Christ in this case who is the peace-maker between God and man who hath not only made peace between those but so ratified and confirmed it that nothing shall be ever able to dissolve it God reconciles the world to himself by Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 not only them that were strangers but even
3. Removing the spirit of bondage and restoring peace and joy to the soul He gives them peace with him Iohn 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid and Iob. 16.33 He gives them a free spirit an inlarged heart a sound mind the spirit of power and love 2 Tim. 1.7 5. He shews his Lordship towards his peculiar people in maintaining them in his service and supplâ—ing them in all their wants From this Head wherein dwells all fullness all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministred increases with the increase of God Col 2.19 The Lord is their shepherd they shall not want Psal. 23.1 and 84.11 Verily his houshold shall be fed they shall want no good thing He gives them all things pertaining to life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.4 Even of outward necessaries they shall have what they want if not what they would 6. In defending them against and upholding them in all temptations and troubles He tells them in all their dangers and straits my grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 He will keep them in all their ways surely then in all his work safety evermore accompanies duty His Servants are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6.10 They are preserved in Christ Jesus Iude 2. and are never unsafe but when they leave working or with Ionah run away from their Master Micah 5.4 He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God and they shall abide There is no security but in Christs family never are his servants in danger but when they go out of it and he takes care of the seed and posterity of his Servants Psal. 69.36 7. At last abundantly rewarding and dignifying them In doing his work there is great reward That happiness which Christ gives his Servants in this life is unspeakable their work seems to have more of wages than of work in it but in the next life their joy will be so great as that it cannot so well be said to enter into them as they to enter into it Mat. 25.51 Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. The joy of their Lord whose bosom is the hive and center of all goodness and that in which all the scattered parcels of blessedness are bundled up Râ—v 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be Their services are all Booked he who formerly gave them abilities for to work will now give them a recompence for working their work though never so great is but small to their wages nor is the weight of their labours comparable to that of their Crown and put in all their heavy sufferings too Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life 2. How is this threefold Lordship exercised 1. By what means 2. For what end 3. In what manner or order 1 st By what means doth he exercise this Lordship 1. By his hand of providence concourse and co-operation in the creature that Providence Christ speaks of in Iohn 5.17 19 22 My father worketh hitherto and I work For what things soever he doth these also doth the son likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Nazianzen well interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. nor for the similitude of those things they do but in respect of the same power and authority of both the Son doth not imitate but co operate he works not like but the same work that the Father doth Quod operatur filius opus patris est Hil. Whatsoever the Father doth the Son doth because they are one God have one will power and working for the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son the Father judgeth not alone because he judgeth by the Son The word judging here signifies full power to rule in Heaven and Earth 1 Cor. 8.6 There is one God the father of whom are all things and we in him or for him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him By here notes not the instrumental but the principal cause the Prepositions of and by are not so to be taken that we make two Causes seeing they have but one Nature though they be distinct persons and the Father and Son work together but by these of and by the Apostâ—e differenceth their order and manner of working Col 1.17 He is before all things and by him all things consist 2. By his Word and Spirit in common works and gifts Psal. 110 2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thine enemies The Lord i. e. God the Father â—ho had said sit thou on my right hand i. e. receive chief power and authority from me and exercise jurisdiction over alâ— shall send forth the Rod of thy power i. e. thy powerful and mighty Rod or the Rod and Scepter whereby thou declarest thy power and might â—he means specially the Preaching of the Word which is the Power of God to Salvation and is able to cast down strong holds and every high thing Be thou Ruler by thy word and spirit notwithstanding all the resistance of thine enemies 1 Pet. 3.19 By which aâ—so he went and preached to the spirits in prison by the power and manifestation of his spirit 3. By his Word and Spirit in saving works and effects His Word worketh effâ—ctually in all them that believe 1 Thes. 2.13 and the Spirit of Truth the Comforter which he promises to send Iohn 14.16 18 and 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto on 2. The end or use of this threefold Lordship why or for which he exercises it 1. For his Fathers and his own glory John 13.31 Now is the son of man glorified and God is glorified in him i e He shall be glorified in the admirable work of mans redempâ—ion for death to overcome death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great glory and shews him to be the Lord of life Col. 1.16 all things were created and do consist as well for him as by him that he might have the preheminence and glory as the first-born of every creature or heir of all things 2â— For the salvation of his chosen that he may give unto them eternal life Iohn 17.2 Father the hour is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son may also glorifie thee as thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him 3. For the overthrow of all adverse power to these ends whatever opposeth the glory of God and happiness of believers his Lordship is exercised for
he hath called to the profession of the Goâ—pel He gives authority to some for edification not to destruction 2 Cor. 20.8 13 10. Accordâ—ng to the power which the Lord hath given to edification and not to destruction Mark 13 34. as a man taking a far Journey gave authority to his servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the charge of his domestical affairs he appoints officers sets every one in his place and furnishes him with gifts suitable to his place and cuts out every one his task or work Eph. 4.8 When he ascended or assumed this Lordship he gave gifts to men He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly teachers c. He appoints Ministers to be stewards to distribute to every one in his family their due proportion by way of feeding and governing and they are all accountable to this Lord. 4. Prescribing administrations for their food physick and all necessaries 1 Cor. 12.5 There are differences of adminstrations but the same Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diversities or distinctions of ministries Ecclesiastical functions for the use and benefit of his house that none of his servants may want what is good and fit for them he appoints stewards and rulers over his houshold to give every one their meat in due season Mat. 24.45 and overseers to feed the Church of God and to take care of his Flock which he purchased with his own blood Act. 20.28 to preach the Word and dispense the Sacraments Mat. 18.17 Tell it unto the Church that is the governing and ruling Church which was invested with the power of binding and loosing saith Cameron ver 18 and the subject of the power of jurisdiction to whom belong the censures of excomunication absolution 1 Cor. 5.4 5. By the power of the Lord Iesus Christ c. 5. Conferring gifts and temporal mercies and deliverances upon them Eph. 4.7 To every one is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ gratia gratis data gifts for edifying the Church 6. Correcting them in this life for their miscarriages Judgment commonly begins at the house of God He judges them in this world that they may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent Rev. 2.16 Repent or I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth Ver. 22. Behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds He suffers the world to do that which he will not endure in his own Family His servants will never be faithful to him nor find him faithful to them if he did not sometimes chastise them 7. Calling them to account in the end and rewarding and punishing according to their works Mat. 25.19 After a long-time the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them and gives them their hire that had been labourers in the Vineyard Mat. 20.8 All must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad He hath sundry sorts of servants some that are only titular and complemental call him Lord and Master but are unprofitable wearing his badge but refusing his work profess him but in works deny him using the name of the Lord but transgressing the rule of their Lord the reward of these is to be cast into utter darkness Mat. 25.30 His faithful servants shall be rewarded with his presence who served him in his absence and shall enter into the joy of their Lord. 3. Christ hath yet a more special Lordship over true believers living members of his body that are justified and sanctified servants to him in their hearts Rom. 14.18 He that in these things that is righteousness peace and joy serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men that have the kingdom of Christ within them Luke 17.22 The weapons of this kingdom are not carnal but spiritual and mighty and so his conquest of them 2 Cor. 10.4 The former were members of the Church these are the members of Christ and this Lordship is exercised and put forth by his 1. Drawing them in by effectual calling making them willing in the day of his power Psal. 110.3 as he is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give them repentance and remission of sins Acts 5.31 putting his Laws into their minds and writing them upon their hearts Heb. 8.10 This calling by his word and effectual operation of his spirit doth bring them not only into the visible but into the invisible Church uniting them to Christ the head as well as tying them to the members and whereby grace is not only offered but conferred is a calling in a saving manner according to his purpose the immediate consequence of the election of his grace 2. Suppressing in them whatever is opposite to his rule and overcoming all enmity to his will manifesting and magnifying his grace and strength in their infirmities and making his power to rest upon them 2 Cor. 12.9 10.4 5. Pulling down of strong holds and casting down reasonings and imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ not only curbing but curing their nature and changing the whole man 3. Qualifying them for his service and enabling them to do his work making them ready to do his will Aâ— people prepared for the Lord Luke 1.17 making them vessels unto honour purged and sanctified meet for their masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2.21 If he find employment he will give endowments too if an errand a tongue if a word an hand if a burden a back I can do all things through Christ which strengthâ—neth me saith Paul Phil. 4.13 as the Apostle laboured according to his working which worketh in him mightily Col. 1.29 So carrying them on in his ways with renewed strength they walk and are not weary they run and faint not â—sa 40.28 29 30 31. 4. Giving them freedom to and in his work he makes them free Iohn 8.32 Free from sin that they become his servants Rom. 6.18 from the guilt power and bondage of sin 1. By releasing their debts pardoning their sins Acts 5.31 it 's an Act of Christs Lordship and Princedom to remit and forgive sins 2. By loosing their bonds and breaking the snares and fetters of them He proclaims liberty to captives and opening of prison to them that are bound Isa. 61.1 2. Rom 8.2 The Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death