given for that use to shew us the best way and to guide in the particular passages of life if otherwise it is but commoÌ„ light given onely for the good of others Some have light of Knowledge yet follow not that light but are guided by carnall reason and policie such as the Prophet speakes of All you that kindle 〈◊〉 fire walke in the light of your owne fire and in the sparkes that you have kindled but this you shall have of mine hand yee shall lye downe in sorrow GOD delights to confound carnall wisedome as enmitie to him and robbing him of his prerogative who is God onely wise We must therefore walke by his â—…ight and not the blaze of our owne fire God must light our candle Psal. 18. 28 or else we are like to abide in darknesse Those sparkes that are not kindled from heaven are not strong enough to keepe us from â—…ying downe in sorrow though they make a greater blaze and shew then the light from above as mad men doe greater things then sober but by 〈◊〉 false strength so the excesse of these mens ioy ariseth from a false light The candle of the wicked shal â—…e put out The light that some mâ—… have it is like lightning which after a sudden flaâ—… leaveth theÌ„ more in darknesse They can love thâ—… light as it shines but hatâ—… it as it discovers and directs A little holy lighâ—… will inable to keepe thâ—… word and not to betray Religion deny Christs name as CHRIST speaketh of the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 8. Fourthly where thiâ—… fire is it will sever thingâ—… of divers natures shew a difference betweenâ—… things as gold and drosse It will sever betweene flesh and spirit and shew this is of Nature this of Grace All is not ill in a bad action or good in a good action There is gold in oare which God and his Spirit in us can distinguish A carnall mans hart is like a dungeon wherein is nothing to be seene but horrour and confusion this light maketh us judicious and humble upon clearer sight of Gods puritie and our owne uncleannes and maketh us able to discerne of the worke of the Spirit in another Fiftly so farre as a man is spirituall so far is light delightfull unto him as willing to see any thing amisse that he may reform and any further service discovered that hee may performe because he truly hateth ill and loveth good if hee goeth against light discovered hee will soone bee reclaimed because light hath a friendly party within him Whereupon at a little sight of his errour hee is soone counsellable as David in his intendment to kill Nabal and blesseth God afterwards when hee is stopped in an ill way In a carnal man the light breakes in upon him but he labours to shut the passages hee hath no delight to â—…ome to the light It is impossible before the spirit of grace hath subdued the hart but that it should sin against the light either by resisting of it or keeping it prisoner under base lusts burying it as it were in the earth or perverting of it and so making it an agent and factour for the flesh in searching out arguments to plead for it or abusing that little measure of light they have to keep out a greater higher and more heavenly light and so at length make that light they have a misleading guide to utter darknesse And the reason is that it hath no friend within the soule is in a contrary frame and light alwayes hindreth that sinfull peace that men are willing to speake to themselves whence we see it oft inrage men the more as the Sunne in the Spring breedeth aguiâ—…h distempers because it stirreth humours and doth not wast them There is nothing in the world more unquiet than the heart of a wicked man that sitteth under meanes of knowledge untill like a thiefe hee hath put out the candle that he may sinne with the lesse check Spirituall light is distinct it seeth spirituall good with application to our selves but common light is confused and le ts sin lye quiet Where fire is in any degree it will fight against the contrary matterâ—… GOD hath put irreconciliable hatred betweene light and darknesse at first so betweene good and ill flesh and spirit Grace will never joyne with sinne no more than fire with water Fire will mingle with no contrary but preserveth its owne purity and is never corrupted as other Elements are Therefore those that plead and plot for liberties of the flesh shew themselves strangers from the life of God Vpon this strife gracious men oft coÌ„plaine that they have no grace but they contradict themselves in their complaints as if a man that seeth should complaine he cannot see or complain that he is asleepe when the very complaint springing from a displeasure against sinne sheweth that there is something in him opposite to sinne Can a dead man complaine Some things though bad in themselves yet discover good as smoake discovers some fire Breaking out in the body shews strength of Nature Some infirmities discover more good than some seeming beautifull actions excesse of passion in opposing evil though not to bee justified yet sheweth a better spirit than a calme temper when there is just cause of being moved Better it is that the water should runne something muddily than not at all Iob had more grace in his distempers thaÌ„ his friends in their seeming wise cariage Actions soiled with some weaknesses are more accepted than complementall performances Fire where it is in the least measure is in some degree active so the least measure of grace is working as springing from the Spirit of GOD which from the working nature of it is compared to fire Nay in sinnes when there seemeth nothing active but corruption yet there is a contrarie principle which breaks the force of sinne so that it is not out of measure sinfull as in those that are carnall Fire maketh metalls pliable and malliable so doth Grace where it is begunne it worketh the heart to bee plyable and ready for all good impressions Vntractable spirits shew that they are not so much as smoaking flax Fire turneth all as much as it can to fire so grace maketh a gracious use even of naturall and civill things doth spiritualize them what another man doth onely civilly a gracious man will doe holily Sparkes by nature flye upwards so the spirit of Grace carrieth the soule Heaven-ward and setteth before us holy and heavenly aimes as it was kindled from heaven so it caries us back to heaven The part followeth the whole Fire mounteth upward so every spark to its owne element Where the aime and bent of the soule is God-wards there is grace though opposed The least measure of it is holy desires springing from faith and love for we cannot desire any thing which we doe not beleeve first to be and the desire of it issues from
love Hence desires are counted a part of the thing desired in some measure but then they must bee First constant for constancy shews that they are supernaturally naturall and not inforced Secondly they must bee caried to spirituall things as to beleeve to love GOD c. not out of a speciall exigent because if now they had grace they thinke they might escape some danger but as a loving heart is caried to the thing loved for some-excellency in it selfe And thirdly with desire there is griefe when it is hindred which stirres up to prayer Oh that my wayes were so directed that I might keepe thy Statutes Psal. 119. 5. O miserable man that I am who shall deliver c. Fourthly desires put us onward still O that I might serve GOD with more liberty O that I were more free from these offensive unsavoury noysome lusts Fire worketh it selfe if it hath any matter to feed on into a larger compass and mounteth higher and higher and the higher it riseth the purer is the flame So where true grace is it groweth in measure and purity Smoking flax will grow to a flame and as it encreaseth so it worketh out the contrary and refineth it selfe more more Therefore it argueth a false hart to set our selves a measure in grace and to rest in beginnings alledging that CHRIST will not quench the smoaking flax But this mercifull disposition in CHRIST is joyned with perfect holinesse shewed in perfect hatred to sinne for rather than sin should not have its deserved punishment himselfe became a sacrifice for sinne wherein his Fathers holinesse and his owne mo◅ of all shined And besides this in the worke of sanctification though hee favours his worke in us yet favours he not sin in us for he will never take his hand from his worke untill hee hath taken away sin even in its very being from our natures the same Spirit that purified that blessed Masse whereof hee was made clenseth us by degrees to bee sutable to so holy a Head and frameth the judgement and affection of all to whom hee sheweth mercy to concur with his owne in labouring to further his ends in abolishing of sinne out of our nature From the meditations of these rules and signes much comfort may bee brought into the soules of the weakest which that it may bee in the more abundance let mee adde something for the helping them over some few ordinary objections and secret thoughts against thēselves which getting within the heart oftentimes keepeth them under Some thinke they have no faith at all because they have no full assurance when as the fairest fire that can be will have some smoake The best actions will smell of the smoak The morter wherin Garlicke hath beene stamped will alwayes smell of it So all our actions will savour something of the old man In weaknesse of body some thinke grace dyeth because their performances are feeble their spirits being the instruments of the soules actions being wasted not considering that GOD regards those hidden sighes of those that want abilities to expresse them outwardly he that pronounceth them blessed that consider the poore will have a mercifull consideration of such himselfe Some againe are haunted with hideous representations to their fantasies and with vile and unworthy thoughts of GOD of CHRIST of the word c. which as busie flyes disquiet and molest their peace these are cast in like wilde-fire by Satan as may be discerned by the 1 strangenesse 2 strength and violence 3 horriblenesse of them even unto nature corrupt A pious soule is no more guilty of them than Benjamin of Iosephs cup put into his sack Amongst other helps prescribed by godly Writers as abomination of them and diversion from them to other things c. let this be one to complaine unto CHRIST against them and to flye under the wings of his protection and to desire him to take our part against his and our enemie Shall every sinne and blasphemy of man be forgiven and not these blasphemous thoughts which have the Devill for their father When CHRIST himselfe was therefore molested in this kinde that he might succour all poore soules in the like case Some thinke when they beginne once to bee troubled with the smoake of corruption more than they were before therefore they are worse than they were It is true that corruptions appeare now more than before but they are lesse For first sinne the more it is seene the more it is hated and thereupon is the lesse Moats are in a roome before the Sun shines but they then onely appeare Secondly Contraries the nearer they are one to another the sharper is the conflict betwixt them now of all enemies the spirit and the flesh are nearest one to another being both in the soule of a regenerate man and in all faculties of the soule and in every action that springeth from those faculties and therefore it is no marvell the soule the seat of this battell thus divided in it selfe be as smoaking Flax. Thirdly the more grace the more spirituall life and the more spirituall life the more antipathy to the contrary whence none are so sensible of corruption as those that have the most living soules And fourthly when men give themselves to carnall liberties their corruptions trouble thē not as not being bounded and tyed up But when once grace suppresseth their extravagant and licentious excesses then the flesh boyleth as disdaining to be confined yet they are better now than they were before That matter which yeelds smoake was in the Torch before it was lighted but it is not offensive till the Torch beginnes to burne Let such know that if the smoake bee once offensive to them it is a signe that there is light It is better to injoy the benefit of light though with smoake than to be altogether in the darke Neither is smoake so offensive as light is comfortable to us it yeelding an evidence of truth of grace in the heart therefore though it be combersome in the conflict yet it is comfortable in the evidence It is better corruption should offend us now than by giving way to it to redeeme a little peace with losse of comfort afterwards Let such therefore as are at variance and oddes with their corruptions looke upon this Text as their portion of comfort Here is an use of incouragement to duty That CHRIST will not quench the smoaking flax but blow it up Some are loath to performe good duties because they feele their hearts rebelling and duties come off untowardly Wee should not avoid good actions for the infirmities cleaving unto them CHRIST looketh more at the good in them that hee meaneth to cherish than the ill in them that he meaneth to abolish A sicke man though in eating he something increaseth the disease yet he will eate that nature may get strength against the disease So though sin cleaveth to what we
Christs love and tender care over those that are humbled and besides the mercy that resteth in his owne brest hee workes the l◅ke impression in his Ministers and others to comfort the feeble minded and to beare with the weake Ministers by their calling are friends of the Bride and to bring Christ and his Spouse together and therefore ought upon all good occasions to lay open al the excellencies of Christ and amongst others as that hee is highly borne mighty one in whom all the treasures of wisedome are hid c so likewise gentle and of a good nature and of a gracious d◅sposition It cannot but cheere the heart of the spouse to consider in all her infirmities and miseries she is subject unto that shee hath a husband of a k◅nd disposition that knowes how to give the honour of milde usage to the weaker vessell That will be so farre frō rejecting her because she is weake that he will pity her the more And as hee is kinde at all times so especially when it is most seasonable he will speake to her heart especially in the wildernesse The more glory to God and the more comfort to a Christian soule ariseth from the beliefe and application of these things the more the enemy of Gods glory mans comfort labours to breed misperswasions of them that if hee cannot keepe men from heaven and bring them into that cursed condition he is in himselfe yet he may trouble them in their passage Some and none of the worst Sathan prevailes withall so farre as to neglect the meanes upon feare they should being so sinfull dishonour God and increase their sins so they lie smothering under this temptation as it were bound hand and foote by Sathan not daring to make out to Christ and yet are secretly upheld by a spirit of faith shewing it selfe in hidden sighes and groanes unto God These are abused by false representations of Christ all whose waies to such being wayes of mercy and all his thoughts thoughts of love The more Sathan is malicious in keeping the soule in darknesse the more care is to be had of establishing the soule upon that which will stay it Amongst other grounds to build our faith on as the free offer of grace to all that will receive it the gracious invitation of all that are weary and heauy lad◅n those that have nothing to buy withall The command binding to beleeve the danger of not beleeving being shut up prisoners thereby under the guilt of all other sinnes the sweet intreatie to beleeve and ordayning Embassadours to desire peace putting tender affections into them answerable to their calling ordaining Sacraments for the sealing of the covenant Besides these I say and such moving inducements this is one infusing vigor and strength into all the rest that they proceed from Christ a person authorized and from those bowels that moved him not only to become a mā but a curse for us hence it is that hee will not quench the smoaking wick or flax It addes strength to faith to consider that al expressions of love issue frō nature in Christ which is constant God knowes that as wee are prone to sinne so when conscience is throughly awaked wee are as prone to despaire for sinne and therefore hee would have us know that hee setteth himselfe in the Covenant of grace to triumph in CHRIST over the greatest evills and enemies we feare and that his thoughts are not as our thoughts are that he is God and not man that there is heights and depths and breadths of mercy in him above all the depths of our sin and misery that wee should never bee in such a forlorne condition wherein there should be ground of despaire considering our sinnes bee the sins of men his mercy the mercy of an infinite GOD. But though it be a truth cleerer then the Sunne beames that a broken hearted sinner ought to embrace mercy so strongly enforced yet there is no truth that the heart shutteth it selfe more against then this especially in sense of misery when the soule is fittest for mercy untill the Holy spirit sprinkleth the conscience with the blood of Christ and sheddeth his love into the heart that so the blood of Christ in the conscience may cry lowder then the guilt of sinne for onely Gods Spirit can raise the conscience with comfort above guilt because he is only greater then the conscience Men may speake comfort but it is Christs Spirit that can onely comfort Peace is the fruit of the lips but yet created to bee so No creature can take off wrath from the conscience but he that set it on though all the prevailing arguments be used that can bee brought forth till the Holy Ghost effectually perswadeth by a divine kinde of rhetoricke which ought to raise up our hearts to him who is the comforter of his people that he would seale thē to our soules Now God dealing with mē as understanding creatures the manner which he useth in this powerfull worke upon their consciences is by way of friendly entercourse as intreaty and perswasion and discovery of his love in Christ and Christs gracious inclination thus even to the weakest and lowest of men And therefore because hee is pleased by such like motives to enter into the heart and settle a peace there we ought with reverence to regard all such sanctified helpes and among the rest this of making use of this comfortable description of Christ by God the Father in going boldly in all necessities to the throne of grace But wee must know this comfort is onely the portion of those that give up themselves to Christs government that are willing in all things to be disposed of by him For here we see in this Scripture both joyned together mercy to bruised reedes and yet government prevailing by degrees over corruptions Christ so favoureth weake ones as that he frameth their soules to a better condition then they are in Neither can it be otherwise but that a soule looking for mercy should submit it selfe at the same time to be guided Those relations of husband head shepheard c. imply not onely meeknesse and mercy but government likewise When we become Christ ans to purpose we live not exempt from all service but onely wee change our Lord. Therefore if any in an ill course of life snatch comforts before they are reached out unto them let them know they doe it at their owne perills It is as if some ignorant man should come into an Apothecaries shop stored with varietie of medicines of all sorts shold take what comes next to hād poyson perhaps in stead of Physicke There is no word of comfort in the whole booke of God intended for such as regard iniquity in their hearts though they doe not act it in their lives Their onely comfort is that the sentence of damnation is not executed and thereupon there is yet opportunity of safer thoughts
was trodden on on earth His advancement hath not made him forget his owne flesh though it hath freed him from passion yet not from compassion towards us The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah will onely teare in pieces those that will not have him rule over them Hee will not shew his strength against those that prostrate themselves before him What should we learn from hence but to come boldly to the throne of Grace in all our grievances Shal our sinnes discourage us when hee appeares there onely for sinners Art thou bruised Be of good comfort he calleth thee concoale not thy wounds open all before him keep not Satans counsell Go to Christ though trembling as the poore woman if wee can but touch the h◅m of his garment we shall be healed and have a gracious answer Goe boldly to God in our flesh for this end that wee might goe boldly to him he is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Never feare to go to God since we have such a Mediatour with him that is not onely our friend but our brother and husband Well might the Angells proclame from Heaven Behold we bring you tidings of joy well might the Apostle stir us up to rejoice in the Lord againe and againe he was well advised vpon what grounds he did it peace and joy are two maine fruits of his Kingdome Let the world be as it will if we cannot rejoyce in the world yet wee may rejoyce in the Lord. His presence maketh any condition comfortable Bee not afraid saith hee to his Disciples when they were afraid as if they had seene a Ghost it is I as if there were no cause of feare where he is present Let this stay us when wee feele our selves bruised Christ his course is first to wound then to heale No sound whole soule shall ever enter into heaven think in temptation CHRIST was tempted for mee according to my tryalls will be my Graces and Comforts If CHRIST bee so mercifull as not to break me I will not breake my selfe by despaire nor yeeld my selfe over to the roaring Lyon Satan to break me in pieces Thirdly see the contrary disposition of CHRIST and Satan and his instruments Satan setteth upon us when we are weakest as Simeon and Levi upon the Si◅hemites when they were sore But CHRIST will make up in us all the breaches sinne and Satan have made hee bindes up the broaken hearted and as a mother tendreth most the most diseased and weakest childe so doth CHRIST most mercifully incline to the weakest and likewise putteth an instinct into the weakest things to rely upon something stronger than themselves for support The Vine stayeth it selfe upon the Elme and the weakest creatures have oft the strongest shelters The consciousnesse of the churches weaknesse makes her willing to leane on her beloved and to hide her selfe under his wing But how shall we know whether wee are such as those that may expect mercy By bruising here is not meant those that are brought low onely by crosles but such as by thē are brought to see their sinne which bruiseth most of all When conscience is under the guilt of sinne then every judgement brings a report of GODS anger to the soule and all lesser troubles runne into this great trouble of conscience for sinne As all corrupt humours runne to the diseased and bruised part of the body And as every Creditor falls upon the Debtor when hee is once arrested so when conscience is once awaked all former sinnes and present crosses joyne together to make the bruise the more painfull Now he that is thus bruised will be content with nothing but w th mercy frō him that hath bruised him he hath wounded and he must heale 2. Againe a man truly bruised judgeth sinne the greatest evill and the favour of God the greatest good 3. Hee had rather heare of mercy than of a kingdome 4. Hee hath meane conceits of himselfe and thinketh hee is not worth the earth hee treads on 5. Towards others he is not censorious as being taken up at home but is full of sympathy and compassion to those that are under GODS hand 6. He thinketh those that walke in the comforts of GODS Spirit the happiest men of the world 7. He trembleth at the word of God and honoureth the very feet of those blessed instruments that bring peace unto him 8. Hee is more taken up with the inward exercises of a broken heart than with formality and yet carefull to use all sanctifyed meanes to convey comfort But how shall we come to have this temper First we must conceive of bruising either as a state into which God bringeth us or as a duty to be performed by us both are here meant we must joyn with GOD in bruising of our selves when hee humbles us let us humble our selves and not stand out against him for then hee will redouble his strokes and let us justifie CHRIST in all his chastisements knowing that all his dealing towards us is to cause us to returne into our owne hearts his work in bruising tendeth to our worke in bruising our selves Let us lament our owne untowardnesse and say Lord what an heart have I that needs all this that none of this could bee spared Wee must lay siege to the hardnesse of our owne hearts and aggravate sinne all we can wee must looke on CHRIST who was bruised for us looke on him whom wee have pierced with our sinnes But all directions will not prevaile unlesse GOD by his Spirit convinceth us deeply setting our sinnes before us and driving us to a stand Then we wil make out for mercy Conviction will breed contrition and this humiliation Therefore desire GOD that hee would bring a cleere and a strong light into all the corners of our soules and accompany it with a spirit of power to lay our hearts low A set measure of bruising our selves cannot be prescribed yet it must be so farre as we may prize CHRIST above all and see that a Saviour must be had And secondly untill we reform that which is amisse though it be to the cutting off our right hand or pulling out our right eye There is a dangerous slighting of the worke of humiliation some alledging this for a pretence for their overly dealing with their owne hearts that CHRIST will not breake the bruised Reed But such must know that every sudden terrour and short griefe is not that which makes us bruised Reeds not a little hanging downe our heads like a Bulrush but a working our hearts to such a griefe as will make sinne more odious unto us than punishment Vntill we offer an holy violence against it else favouring our selves we make work for GOD to bruise us and for sharpe repentance afterwards It is dangerous I confesse in some cases with some spirits to press too much and too long this bruising because they may die under the wound and
doe yet let us doe it since wee have to deal with so good a Lord and the more strife we meet withall the more acceptance Christ loveth to tast of the good fruits that come from us although they will alwaies rellish of the old stock A Christian complaineth hee cannot pray Oâ—… am troubled with so many distracting thoughts and never more than now But hath he put into thine heart a desire to pray he will heare the desires of his owne Spirit in thee Rom. 8. 26. Wee know not what to pray as we ought nor doe any thing else as wee ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities with unexpressible sighes and grones which are not hid from GOD. My groanings are not hid from thee GOD can picke sense out of a confused prayer These desires cry louder in his eares than thy sinnes Sometimes a Christian hath such confused thoughts hee can say nothing but as a childe cryeth O Father not able to shew what it needs as Moses at the Red sea These stirrings of spirit touch the bowels of GOD and melt him into compassion towards us when they come from the spirit of adoption and from a striving to be better Oh but is it possible thinketh the misgiving heart that so holy a GOD shold accept such a praier Yes hee will accept that which is his owne and pardon that which is ours Ionas prayed in the Whales belly being burdened with the guilt of sin yet GOD heareth him Let not therefore infirmities discourage us Saint Iames taketh away this objection Cap. 5. 17. Some might object If I were as holy as Elias then my prayers might be regarded But saith he Elias was a man of like passions to us he had his passions as well as we For doe we think that GOD heard him because he was without fault No surely But looke we to the promises Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee Matt. 7. 7. Aske and ye shall receive and such like GOD accepteth our prayers though weake first because wee are his owne children they come from his owne Spirit Secondly because they are according to his owne will Thirdly because they are offered in Christs mediation and hee takes them and mingleth them with his own odours There is never a holy sigh never a teare we shed lost And as every Grace increaseth by exercise of it selfe so doth the grace of prayer by prayer wee learne to pray So likewise wee should take heed of a spirit of discouragement in all other holy duties since we have so gracious a Saviour Pray as wee are able heare as we are able strive as we are able doâ—… as we are able according to the measure of Gracâ—… received GOD iâ—… CHRIST will cast a gracious eye upon that which is his owne Would S. Paul doe nothing because he could not doe the good hee would Yes hee pressed to the marke Let us not bee cruell to our selves when CHRIST is thus gracious There is a certain meeknesse of spirit whereby we yeeld thankes to God for any ability at all and rest quiet with the measure of Grace received seeing it is GODS good pleasure it should bee so who giveth the will and the deed yet so as we rest not from further endeavours But when upon faithfull endeavor we come short of that we would be and short of that others are then know for our comfort CHRIST will noâ—… quench the smoaking flax and that sincerity truth as before was said with endeavour of growth is our perfection It is comfortable what GOD saith 1 King 14. 13. He only shall goe to his grave in peace because there is some goodnesse though but some goodnesse Lord I beleeve with a weake faith yet with â—…aith love thee with a faint love yet with love endeavor in a feeble manner yet indeavour a little fire is fire though it smoaketh Since thou hast taken mee into thy Covenant to be thine of an enemie wilt thou cast me off for these infirmities which as they displease thee so are they the griefe of my owne heart FroÌ„ what hath bin spokeÌ„ with some little additioÌ„ it wil not be difficult to resolve that case which some require helpe in namely whether we ought to performe duties our hearts being altogether indisposed For satisfaction we must know I our hearts of themselves doe linger after liberty are hardly brought under the yoake of duty the more spirituall the duty is the more is their unto wardnes CorruptioÌ„ getteth ground for the most part in every neglect it is as in rowing against the tyde one stroke neglected will not be gained in three and therefore it is good to keepe our hearts close to duty and not to he a rken unto the excuses they are ready to frame In the setting upoÌ„ dutie God strengthneth his owne partie that hee hath in us wee finde a warmenesse of heart and increase of strength the Spirit going along with us and raising us up by degrees untill it leaveth us as it were in heaven God often delighteth to take the aduantage of our indisposition that hee may manifest his worke the more clearely and all the glory of the worke may be his whose all the strength is Obedience is most direct when there is nothing else to sweeten the action although the sacrifice bee imperfect yet the obedience with which it is offred hath acceptance 4. That which is wonne as a spoile from our corruptions will have such a degree of comfort afterwards as for the present it hath of comber Feeling and freenesse of spirit is oft reserued untill duty be discharged reward followeth worke In and after dutie wee finde that experience of Gods presence which without obedience wee may long wait for and yet go without This hindreth not the Spirits freedome in blowing upon our soules when it listeth For wee speake onely of such a state of soule as is becalmed and must row as it were against the streame As in sailing the hand must bee to the sterne and the eye to the starre so here put forth that little strength we have to dutie looke up for assistance Yet in these duties that require as well the body as the soule there may bee a cessation till streÌ„gth be repaired whetting doth not lett but fit 〈◊〉 In sudden passions there should be a time to compose and calme the soule and to put the strings in tune The Prophet would haue a Minstrell to bring his soule into frame So likewise we are subject to discouragements in sufferings by reason of impatiency in us Alas I shal never get through such a crosse But if God bring us into the crosse hee will be with us in the crosse and at length bring us out more refined Wee shall lose nothing but drosse as in Zach. 13. 9. Of our own strength wee cannot beare the least trouble and by the Spirits assistance
wee can beare the greatest the Spirit wil joyne his shoulders to help us to beare our infirmities The Lord will put his hand to heave us up You have heard of the patience of Iob saith ◅ames wee have heard likewise of his impatiency too But it pleased God mercifully to over-looke that It yeelds us comfort also in desolate conditions as contagious sicknesses and the like wherein wee are more immediately under Gods hand Then Christ hath a throne of Mercy at our beds side and numbers our teares and our groanes And to come to the matter we are now about The Sacrament it was ordained not for Angels but for Men and not for perfect men but for weake men and not for Christ who is truth it self to binde him but because we are ready by reason of our guilty unbeleeving hearts to call truth it selfe into questions Therefore it was not enough for his goodnesse to leave us many pretious promises but he giveth us seales to strengthen us and what though we are not so prepared as we should yet let us pray as Hezekias did The Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seeke the Lord God of his fathers if hee be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary Then wee come comfortably to this holy Sacrament with much fruit This should cary us through all duties with much chearefulnesse That if we hate our corruptions and strive against them they shall not be counted ours It is not I saith Saint Paul but sinne that dwelleth in me for what displeaseth us shall never hurt us and we shall bee esteemed of GOD to be that we love and desire and labour to be What wee desire to be we shall be and what wee desire truely to conquer wee shall conquer for God will fulfill the desire of them that feare him The desire is an earnest of the thing How little incouragement will cary us to the affaires of this life and yet all the helps GOD offers will hardly prevaile with our backward natures Whence are then discouragements not from the Father for hee hath bound himselfe in Covenant to pitty us as a father pittieth his children and to accept as a father our weake indeavors and what is wanting in the strength of duty he giveth us leave to take up in his gratious indulgēce wherby wee shall honour that grace wherein hee delighteth as much as in more perfect performances 2. Not from Christ for he by office will not quēch the smoaking flaxe 3. Not from the Spirit he helpes our infirmities and by office is a Comforter Discouragements then must come from our selues and Satan who labours to fasten on us a loathing of duty and among other causes of discouragement some are much vexed with scruples even against the best duties partly by distemper of body helped by Satans malice casting dust in their eyes in their way to heaven and partly from some remainder of ignorance which like darkness breedeth feares and as ignorance of other things so especially of this mercifull disposition in Christ. The perswasion of which would easily banish false fears they cōceive of him as one sitting at a catch for all advantages against thē wherein they may see how they wrong not onely thēselves but his goodness This scrupulosity for the most part is a signe of a godly soule as some weedes are of a good soile therefore are they the more to be pitied for it is a heavy affliction and the ground of it in most is not so much from trouble of cōscience as frō sicknes of fātasy the end of Christs comming was to free us from all such groundlesse seares 2. There is still in some such ignorance of that comfortable condition wee are in under the Covenant of Grace as by it they are much discouraged Therefore we must know that weaknesses do not breake covenant with GOD they doe not betweene husband and wife and shall wee make our selves more pitifull then Christ who maketh himselfe a patterne of love to all other husbands 2. Weaknesses do not debarre us from mercie nay they incline GOD the more Psal. 78. 39. Mercy is a part of the Churches joynture CHRIST marrics her in mercie The husbands be bound to beare with the wife as being the weaker vessell and shall wee thinke hee will exempt himselfe from his owne rule and not beare with his weake Spouse 3. If CHRIST should not bee mercifull to our infirmities hee should not haue a people to serve him Put case therefore wee bee very weake yet so long as wee are not found amongst malicious opposers and underminers of GODS truth let us not give way to despairing thoughts wee have a mercifull Saviour But lest we flatter our selves without groūd we must know that weaknesses are accounted either 1. imperfections cleaving to our best actions or 2. such actions as proceed from want of age in CHRIST whilest we are Babes or 3. from wāt of strength where there hath beene little meanes or 4. they are sudden indeliberate breakings out contrary to our generall bent and purpose whilest our judgement is overcast with the cloud of a sudden temptation After which 1 we are sensible of our infirmity 2 we grieve or it 3 and from griefe complaine and with complaining strive and labour to reforme and in labouring get some ground of our corruption There be some almost invincible infirmities as forgetfulnesse heavinesse of spirit sudden passiōs feares c. which though naturall yet are for the most part tainted with sinne of these we are weary and would faine shake them off as a Sickman his Ague otherwise it is not to bee esteemed weaknesse so much as wilfulnesse and the more will the more sinne and little sins when God shall awake the conscience and set them in order before us will prove great burthens and not onely bruise a Reed but shake a Cedar Yet GODS children never sinne with full will because there is a contrary Law of the minde whereby the Dominion of sinne is broken which alwaies hath some secret working against the Law of sinne Yet there may bee so much will in a sinfull action as may wonderfully waste our comfort afterward and keepe us long upon the racke of a disquieted Conscience GOD in his fatherly dispensation suspending the sense of his love So much as we give way to our wils in sinning in such a measure of distance we set our selves from comfort Sin against conscience is as a theefe in the Candle which wasteth our joy and thereby weakneth our strength We must know therefore that wilfull breaches in Sanctificatiō wil much hinder the sense of our Iustification What course shall such take to recover their peace Such must give a sharp sentence against them selves and yet cast themselves upon GODS mercy in CHRIST as at their first conversion And now they had need to claspe
to the meeke of the earth hope to looke so gracious a Saviour in the face they that are so boysterous towards his Spouse shall know one day they had to deale with himselfe in his Church So it cannot but cut the heart of those that have felt this love of CHRIST to heare him wounded who is the life of their lives and the foule of their soules this maketh those that have selt mercy weepe over CHRIST whom they have pierced with their finnes there cannot but be a mutuall and quicke sympathie betweene the Head and the Members When wee are tempted to any sinne if we will not pitie our selves yet we should spare CHRIST in not putting him to new torments The Apostle could not finde out a more heart-breaking argument to ensorce a sacrificing our selves to GOD than to conjure us by the mercies of GOD in CHRIST This mercy of CHRIST likewise should moove us to commiserate the estate of the poore Church torne by enemies without and renting it selfe by divisions at home It cānot but work upon any soule that ever felt cōfort frō Christ to consider what an affectionate intreaty the Apostle useth to mutuall agreement in judgement affection If any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit any bowells and mercies fulfill my joy be like minded As if he should say unlesse you will disclaime all consolation in Christ c. labour to maintaine the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace What a joyfull spectacle is this to Satan and his faction to see those that are separated from the world fall in pieces among themselves Our discord is our enemies melody The more to blame those that for private aims affect differences from others and will not suffer the wounds of the Church to close and meet together Which must not be understood as if men should dissemble their judgement in any truth where there is just cause of expressing themselves for the least truth is Christs and not ours and therefore we are not to take liberty to affirme or deny at our pleasures there is a due in a peny as well as in a pound therefore wee must bee faithfull in the least truth when season calleth for it then our words are like Apples of gold with pictures of silver One word spoken in season will doe more good than a thousand out of season In some cases peace by keeping our faith to our selves is of more consequence than the open discovery of some things we take to be true considering the weaknesse of mans nature is such that there can hardly be a discovery of any difference in opinion without some estrangement of affection So farre as men are not of one minde they will hardly be of one heart except where grace and the peace of God beare great rule in the heart therefore open shew of difference is never good but when it is necessary howsoever some from a desire to bee some body turne into by-waies and yeeld to a spirit of cōtradiction in themselves yet if Saint Paul may bee Iudge Are they not carnall if it bee wisedome it is wisedome from beneath for the wisedome from above as it is pure so it is peaceable Our blessed Saviour when hee was to leave the world what doth hee presse upon his Disciples more than peace and love And in his last prayer with what earnestnesse did he beg of his Father that They might be one as he and the Father were one But what hee prayed for on earth we shall onely enjoy perfectly in heaven Let this make the meditation of that time the more sweet unto us And further to lay open offenders in this kinde what spirit shall we think them to be of that take advantages of the bruisednesse and infirmities of mens spirits to relieve them with false peace for their owne worldly ends A wounded spirit will part with any thing Most of the gainfull points of Popery as confession sasatisfaction merit Purgatory c. spring from hence but they are Physitians of no value or rather tormentors than Physitians at all It is a greater blessing to bee delivered from the sting of these Scorpions then wee are thankfull for Spirituall tyranny is the greatest tyranny and then especially when it is where most mercy should be shewed yet even there some like cruell surgeons delight in making long cures to serve themselves upon the misery of others It bringeth men under a terrible curse When they will not remember to shew mercy but persecute the poore and needy man that they might even slay the broken in heart Likewise to such as raise temporall advantage to thēselves out of the spirituall misery of others join such as raise estates by betraying the Church and are unfaithfull in the trust committed unto them when the children shall cry for the bread of life and there is none to give them bringing thus upon the people of GOD that heavie judgement of a spirituall famine starving CHRIST in his members Shall we so requite so good a Savior who counteth the love and mercie shewed in feeding his Lambs as shewed to himselfe Last of all they carie themselves very unkindly towards CHRIST who ◅umble at this his low stooping unto us in his government and ordinances that are ashamed of the simplicity of the Gospell that count Preaching foolishness They out of the pride of their heart thinke they may do well enough without the helpe of the Word and Sacraments and think CHRIST tooke not state enough upon him and therefore they will mend the matter with their own devises whereby they may give the better content to flesh and blood as in Popery What greater unthankfulnesse can there bee then to dispise any helpe that CHRIST in mercy hath provided for us In the dayes of his flesh the proud Pharisees tooke offence at his familiar conversing with sinfull men who onely did so as a Physitian to heale their soules What defences was Saint Paul driven to make for himselfe for his plainnesse in unfolding the Gospell The more CHRIST in himselfe and in his servants shall descēd to exalt us the more we should with all humility and readinesse entertaine that love and magnifie the goodnesse of GOD that hath put the great worke of our salvation and laid the government upon so gentle a Saviour that will carry himselfe so mildely in all things wherein hee is to deale betwixt GOD and us and us and GOD The lower CHRIST comes downe to us the higher let us lift him up in our harts so will all those doe that have ever found the experience of CHRISTS work in their heart We come to the third part the constant progress of CHRISTS gracious power untill hee hath set up such an absolute government in us which shal prevaile over all corruption It is said here he will cherish his Beginnings of Grace in us untill he bring forth
whatsoever the judgement shall say to the contrary there is no connaturall proportion betwixt an unsanctified hart and a sanctified judgment For the heart unaltered will not give leave to the judgement coldly and so berly to conclude what is best as the sick man whilst his aguish distemper corrupteth his taste he is rather desirous to please that then to hearken what the Physitian shall speake judgment hath not power over it selfe where the wil is unsubdued for the will and affections bribe it to give sentence for them when any profit or pleasure shall come in competition with that which the judgement in generall only shall thinke to be good and therefore it is for the most part in the power of the heart what the understanding shall judge and determine in particular things Where grace hath brought the heart under there unruly passions doe not cast such a mist before the understanding but that in particular it seeth that which is best and base respects springing from selfe-love doe not alter the case and byas the judgment into a contrary way but that which is good in it selfe shall be good unto us although it crosse our particular worldly interests The right conceiving of this hath an influence into practice which hath drawne me to a more full explanation this will teach us the right method of godlinesse to begin with judgement and then to begge of GOD together with illumination holy inclinations of our will and affections that so a perfect government may be set up in our hearts and that our knowledge may bee with al judgment that is w th experience and feeling when the judgement of CHRIST is set up in our judgements and thence by the Spirit of CHRIST brought into our hearts then it is in its proper place and throne and untill then truth doth us no good but helpeth to condemne us The life of a◅ Christiā is a regular life he that walketh by the rule of the new creature peace shall be upon him he that despiseth his way loveth to live at large seeking all liberty to the flesh shall dye And it is made good by Saint Paul If we live after the flesh we shall dye VVe learne likewise that men of an ill governed life have no true judgement no wicked man can bee a wise man And that without CHRISTS Spirit the soule is in confusion without beauty and form as all things were in the Chaos before the creatiō The whole soule is out of joynt till it be set in againe by him whose office is to restore all things The baser part of the soule which should bee subject ruleth all and keepeth under that little truth that is in the understanding holding it captive to base affections and Sathan by corruption getteth al the holds of the soule till CHRIST stronger then he commeth and driveth him out and taketh possession of all the powers and parts of soule and body to be weapons of righteousnes to serve him and then new Lords new Lawes CHRIST as a new Conquerour changeth the fundamentall lawes of old Adam and establisheth a government of his owne The second Conclusion is that this government is victorious The reasons are 1 Because CHRIST hath conquered all in his owne person first and hee is GOD over all blessed for evermore and therefore over Sinne Death Hell Sathan the world c. And as he hath overcome them in himselfe so he overcomes them in our hearts and consciences Wee use to say Conscience maketh a man a King or a caitife because it is planted in us to judge for GOD either with us or against us Now if naturall conscience bee so forcible what will it be when besides it owne light it hath the light of divine truth put into it It will undoubtedly prevaile either to make us hold up our heads with boldnesse or abase us beneath our selves If it subject it selfe by grace to CHRISTS truth then it boldly overlookes Death Hell Iudgement and all spirituall enemies because then Christ sets up his Kingdome in the conscience and makes it a kind of Paradise The sharpest conflict which the soule hath is betweene the conscience and GODS Iustice now if the conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ hath prevailed over assaults fetcht from the justice of GOD as now satisfied by CHRIST it will prevaile over al other opposition whatsoever 2 We are to encounter with accursed and damned enemies therefore if they begin to fall before the spirit in us they shall fall if they rise up againe it is to have the greater fall 3 The spirit of truth to whose tuition CHRIST hath cōmitted his Church and the truth of the spirit which is the Scepter of CHRIST abide for ever therefore the soule begotten by the immortal feed of this spirit and this truth must not onely live for ever but likewise prevaile over all that oppose it for both the word and spirit are mighty in operation and if the ill spirit be never idle in those whom GOD delivereth up to him we cannot thinke that the Holy Spirit will bee idle in those whose leading and government is committed to him No as he dwelleth in them so he will drive out all that rise up against him untill hee be all in all What is spirituall is eternall truth is a beame of CHRISTS Spirit both in it selfe and as it is ingrafted into the soule there fore it and the grace though little wrought by it will prevaile a little thing in the hand of a Gyant will do great matters A little faith strengthned by CHRIST will worke wonders 4 To him that hath shall be given the victory over any corruption or temptation is a pledge of finall victory As Ioshua said when he set his foot upon the five Kings which hee conquered Thus God shall doe with all our enemies heaven is ours already onely we strive till we have full possession 5 CHRIST as King brings in a commanding light into the soule and bowes the necke and softens the Iron sinew of the inner man and where he begins to rule he rules for ever his Kingdome hath no end 6 The end of CHRISTS comming was to destroy the workes of the Devill both for us and in us And the end of the resurrection was as to seale unto us the assurance of his victorie So I to quicken our soules from death in sinne 2 to free our soules from such snares and sorrowes of spirituall death as accompany the guilt of sin 3 to raise them up more comfortable as the Sunne breakes forth more gloriously out of a thick cloud 4 to raise us out of particular slippes and failings stronger 5 to raise us out of all troublesome and darke conditions of this life And 6 at length to raise our bodies out of the dust For the same power that the Spirit shewed in raising CHRIST our Head from the sorrowes of
owne beames things shall bee what they are nothing is hidden but shall be laid open Iniquity shall not be caried in a mystery any longer Deepe dissemblers that thinke to hide their counsells from the Lord shall walke no longer invisible as in the clouds If this were beleeved men would make more account of sincerity which will onely give us boldnesse and not seeke for covershames the confidence whereof as it maketh men now more presumptuous so it wil expose them hereafter to the greater shame If judgement shall bee brought forth to victory then those that have been ruled by their own deceitfull hearts and a spirit of errour shall bee brought forth to disgrace That GOD that hath joyned grace and truth with honour hath joyned sin and shame together at the last all the wit and power of man can never bee able to sever what God hath coupled Truth and piety may bee trampled upon for a time but as the two witnesses after they were slaine rose againe and stood upon their feet so whatsoever is of GOD shall at length stand upon its owne bottome There shall bee a resurrection not onely of bodies but of credits Can wee thinke that hee that throw the Angells out of heaven will suffer dust and wormes meat to runne a contrary course and to cary it alwayes so No as verily as CHRIST is King of Kings and Lord of Lords so will hee dash all those peeces of earth which rise up against him as a p◅tters vessell Was there ever any fierce against God and prospered No doubtlesse the rage of man shall turne to CHRISTS praise What was said of Pharaoh shall bee said of all headdy enemies who had rather lose their soules then their wills that they are but raised up for CHRIST to get himselfe glory in their confusion Let us then take heed that wee follow not the wayes of those men whose ends we shall tremble at There is not a more fearefull judgement can befall the nature of man then to bee given up to a reprobate judgement of persons and things because it commeth under a w◅e to call ill good and good ill How will they be laden with curses another day that abuse the judgement of others by sophistry and flattery deceivers and being deceived Then the complaint of our first mother Eve will be taken up but fruitlesly The serpent hath deceived me Sathan in such and such hath deceived me Sinne hath deceived me a foolish heart hath deceived mee It is one of the highest points of wisedome to consider upon what grounds wee venture our soules Happy men will they bee who have by CHRISTS light a right judgement of things and suffer that judgement to prevaile over their hearts The soule of most men is drowned in their senses and caried away with weake opinions raysed from vulgar mistakes and shadowes of things And Satan is ready to inlarge the imagination of outward good and outward ill and make it greater then it is and spirituall things lesse presenting them through false glasses And so men trusting in vanity vanish themselves in their owne apprehensions A wofull condition when both wee and that which wee highly esteeme shall vanish together which will be as truly as Christs judgement shall come to victory and in what measure the vaine heart of man hath beene inlarged to conceive a greater good in things of this world then there is by so much the soule shall be inlarged or be more sensible of misery when it sees its error This is the difference betwixt a godly wise man and a deluded worldling that which the one doth more judge to be vain the other shal hereafter feel to be so when it is too late But this is the vanity of our natures that though we shun above all things to be deceived and mistakē in present things yet in the greatest matters of all we are willingly ignorant and mis-led The fourth conclusion is That this government is set up and advanced by Christ alone He bringeth judgement to victory We both fight prevail in the power of his might we overcome by the Spirit obtained by the blood of the Lambe It is he alone that teacheth our hands to warre and fingers to fight Nature as corrupted favors its owne being and will maintaine it selfe against CHRISTS government Nature simply considered cannot raise it selfe above it selfe to actions spirituall of a higher order and nature therfore the divine power of CHRIST is necessary to cary us above all our own strength especially in duties wherin we meet with greater opposition for there not onely nature will faile us but ordinarie grace unlesse there bee a stronger and a new supply In taking up a burthen that is waightier then ordinary if there bee not a greater proportion of strength then weight the undertaker will lye under it So to every strong encounter there must bee a new supply of strength as in Peter when he was assaulted with a stronger temptation being not upheld and shored up with a mightier hand notwithstanding former strength foully fell And being falne in our raisings up againe it is CHRIST that must doe the worke 1 by removing or 2 weakning or 3 suspending opposite hindrances 4 by advancing the power of his grace in us to a further degree then wee had before wee fell therefore when we are fallen and by falls have gotten a bruise let us goe to Christ presently to binde us up againe Let us know therefore that it is dangerous to look for that from our selves which we must have ◅om CHRIST Since the fall all our strength lyes in him as Sampsons in his haire we are but subordinate agents moving as we are moved and working as we are first wrought upon free so far forth as wee are freed no wiser nor stronger then he makes us to be for the present in any thing wee undertake It is his Spirit that actuates and inliveneth and applyeth that knowledge and strength we have or else it saileth and lyeth as uselesse in us we worke when we worke upon a present strength therefore dependant spirits are the wisest and the ablest Nothing is stronger then humility that goeth out of it selfe or weaker then pride that resteth upon its owne bottome and this should the rather bee observed because naturally we affect a kinde of Divinity in setting upon actions in the strength of our owne parts whereas CHRIST saith without me you can doe nothing he doth not say you can doe a little but nothing therefore in all especially difficult encounters let us lift up our hearts to CHRIST who hath spirit enough for us all in all our exigences and say with good Iehosaphat Lord wee know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee The battell we fight is thine and the strength whereby wee fight must be thine If thou goest not out with us wee are sure to be foiled Sathan knowes nothing can