Government also The truth is I have much mused upon this Charge of his for of all the men in the world I admired and do still wonder with what face HEE could find fault with me and with what conscience HE could accuse me and impute this as a crime worthy of close imprisonment when he knew in his own soul that he had pulled down whatsoever I had preached down from first to last except his own new Instrument which was not then published to the world neverthelesse to close prison I must go And yet do not know any colour of Reason or of Law for that usage unto this moment neither is it possible I ever should for that imprisonment was contradictory to all principles of Reason Justice and Conscience All that can be said is this he presumed to give the Congregation to whom he was preaching several Characters of the Little Horn upon that very day when the people cried or should have cryed if they did not God save His Highness taking the Lords name in vain after the old mode in King Charles his dayes There hath been also I understand from very many friends who come to visit me in Prison a great noyse at Court from whence it is spread up and down the City and Country that I sunk under him when I was brought before him and had not a word to say for my self and Mr. T. was perswaded I was convinced and would forbear to preach as formerly c. and this his said Secretary will witness this businesse is frequently repeated in my absence being twenty miles off in prison I commend the Master and the Man they would make the Saints my friends beleeve strange things against me when I am far enough out of the hearing But the Lord knows I never was conscious to my self of any thing in that kind neither did I give occasion for any man so to judge and report for the truth is this I was not affraid either of his looks or his threats in the least from first to last neither was I at all convinced by any thing that he said that I have done any evil in the sight of the Lord or of man in whatsoever I preached concerning the Little Horn which as I judge was the cause of mine Imprisonment on his part nevertheless This I must needs say and it is truth When I heard the General speak at such a rate concerning IMPULSES upon occasion of somewhat I had a little before toucht upon magnifying the fruits of such Impulses as came upon his own spirit as all excellent and glorious I began to wonder and thought it somewhat strange to hear such language savouring of self-exaltation but when I heard him vilifie those Impulses which other Saints had experience of judging their Impulses to be from the Devil condemning that spirit by which they spake saying Wee had forsaken the Head Christ and were under the Ministration of evil Angels c. My Countenance I verily beleeve was very much changed because of that great trouble which fell upon my spirit in hearing such words bordering as I then conceived upon Blasphemy Hereupon casting my eyes up towards the wall over against me and shaking my head with much grief of heart to hear him I considered in my self whether I should reply to him concerning those grievous expressions of his or not and even as I was resolving in the negative these words came into my mind or were put into my mind with power Answer him not a word Answer him not a word Whereupon when he had done speaking I kept silence and did not return a word that I can remember from this passage I am apt to think they supposed I was convinced by what had been spoken by him and had nothing more to say for my self and thereupon have spread this untrue report but they were and are deceived in that matter But at the end of three dayes and an half I was set free not making any promise or yeelding to any terms which were propounded to me I supposed they were not able to justifie what they had done for This Imprisonment was contrary to the Law of God and of the Land yea and contrary to his own Oath which he had solemnly taken but five dayes before in the presence of many witnesses and so I have done for the present with my first Imprisonment As for the cause of this second Imprisonment It is as far from my knowledge as the former unless it be for bearing my testimony publickly against the open and notorious Abominations of the times wherein the General and his Army are so involved together with the Parochial Church-men and the Luke-warm Professors that certainly there will overtake them a most sore visitation from the Lord which will destroy their Refuge of lyes and tear their Instruments all to peeces If this be to be vile I will be more vile If I must suffer Persecution Imprisonment and reproach for this the will of the Lord be done I am made more than a Conqueror through him who hath loved mee Shall not I be as bold to plead for the Lamb against the Beast as they are to plead the cause of Antichrist against the Lord Jesus God forbid I was indeed after I was apprehended this second time brought before a Committee of the Council as they called it where they caused to be read in my hearing some passages of a Sermon at Alhallows two dayes before and would have me to answer whether I had spoken those things which some of their Pursevants or sneaking Spies had brought unto them It put me in mind of the persecuting Prelates who laid snares to intray the Servants of God in their faithful preachings to the people I told them I would neither affirm nor deny any thing but when they brought the Accusers and the witnesses face to face I would give them an Answer and so we parted After four or five dayes they sent me to Winsor Castle and here I have been nineteen Months and more and know not when I shall come to a Trial they are a long time methinks in preparing the charge against me surely they are to seek it for I was in prison before their Law was published And where there is no Law there is no transgression Now I would willingly know of such as reproach me as an evil doer and therefore I suffer justly what is my transgression and what is my sin for if I am an Offender as Paul saith or have committed any thing worthy of death I refuse not to dye or otherwise to be punished according to my demerits in case I have transgressed any Law of Righteousness whatsoever Wherefore I humbly conceive that mine Imprisonment doth not render me uncapable of writing to the Lords people and therefore these things not being intended for any but the followers of the Lamb I shall desire them not to condemn me before they find me manifestly convicted of those notorious evils which are reported
Page 38 5 This will be a sweet mercy when it comes Page 39 6 It will be a Spirituall thing ibid. II. Signes of the Times In two Sermons on Mat. 16.3 Preached at Great-Allhallowes THe Text opened Page 45 Obs That the Times of the Lords more glorious appearing and manifestation of himselfe they are such Times as have evident Signes set upon them proved Page 46 to 50 The Reasons of the Point First That God might thereby strengthen the faith of his Children Page 50 Secondly To leave his Enemies inexcusable Page 52 Qu What hinders men from seeing the Signes of the Times Answered Page 53 to 58 The Second Sermon Assertion THat the Kingdome of Christ his visible Kingdome or that thing called The Fifth Monarchy it 's two-fold or it doth consist of two parts namely The Kingdome of the Stone and The Kingdome of the Mountaine Opened and proved from Page 61 to 66 Three Reasons to prove That the cutting out of the Stone cannot be meant of Christs first coming Page 66. 77 Eight Reasons to prove That the Civill and Military Power is to be in the hands of the Saints with which they are to break the great Image to overturn the Thrones of Kings and that before the day of Christs appearance Page 68 to 79 Obj That it 's the ten Hornes that hate the Whore answered Page 79 Obj Christs Kingdome is not of this world answered Page 80 Ten Signes of the present Times from Page 82 to 98 III. Christ the Onely Foundation One Sermon on 1 Corinth 3.11 Preached at Pancras Soperlane Doct THat the Lord Jesus Christ is the onely foundation Page 99 1 Qu What are we to understand by Christs being a foundation Answered Page 100 2 Qu In what respect is Christ a foundation Answered Page 101 1 In respect of the fathers laying for a foundation ibid. 2 In respect of Gospel Revelation ibid. 3 In respect of his owne meetnesse Page 102 to 107 Where Jesus Christs meetnesse and fitnesse for a foundation is shewed in many particulars 4 In respect of Believers being built upon him Page 107 5 In opposition to all other foundations Page 108 to 127 Where we have seventeen false foundations mentioned in opposition to which Jesus Christ is a foundation The prosecution of the Point as it was found in his Notes 3 Qu What is Christ the foundation of Answered Page 129 to 135 4 Qu Who layes Christ as a foundation Answered Page 135 136 5 Qu How doth God lay Christ as a foundation Answered Page 137 to 141 6 Qu When doth God lay Christ as a foundation in the soule is it in the first work or change that is wrought upon the soule or afterwards Answered Page 141 to 158 IV. The Promise of the Father Two Sermons on Acts 1.4 Preached at Bishopsgate THe Text opened Page 159 160 Qu Why doth Christ call it the Promise of the father doth not Christ himselfe Promise the Spirit Answered Page 161 162 Qu Why doth Christ pitch the faith of his Disciples now at this time of his Ascension rather upon this Promise than upon any other Page 163 to 166 Obs That the Promise of the Spirit is the great New Testament Promise ibid. Proved by severall Considerations Page 167 to 182 Some Application of the Point Page 182 to 188 The Second Sermon THe Promise of the Spirit is the great Testament Promise 1 It 's a New Testament Promise Page 189 to 193 2 It 's the great New Testament Promise Page 194 Obj If it be the great New Testament Promise how comes it to passe that the Saints and people of God under the New Testament Administration have so little of the Spirit answered Page 195 to 198 Qu What is the way of the New Testament in which God will give out New Testament mercies Page 198 to 200 Why the Promise of the Spirit is the great Promise under the New Testament Severall Reasons for it Page 201 to 205 Vse 1. Hence we see what that thing is that all of us should have our eyes and our hearts fixed upon and taken up with Page 205 2 Then what spirituallnesse is there required of the Saints of the New Testament Page 206 to 209 3 Let every soule take heed of undervaluing the blessed Spirit of God Severall particulars shewing how men undervalue the Spirit Page 210 211 Lastly Let us learn the duty in the Text to wait upon God for the Spirit Page 212 213 V. The Evill of the Times One Sermon on Mal. 3.16 17. Preached at Great-Allhallowes THe Text opened Page 215 Obs That it 's the speciall worke and duty of Gods people when others and the generality of people cast off and Apostatize from the worke of God to speak often one to another Page 216 What those things are that Saints should be speaking one to another of 1 Of the speciall Sin and Evill of the Time Page 217 How shall we come to know the Evill of the Times Answered Page 218 to 222 2 Of the speciall work of God at that Time and what the speciall duty of a Christian is in such an Evill Time Page 222 to 227 3 Of the precious great and glorious Promises that God hath made of better times to come Page 227 VI. Looke to your Aimes and Ends. One Sermon on Mat. 11.7 THe Text opened 235 c. Doct That it 's a very good and a very profitable thing for soules to be very inquisitive into their owne ends in all spirituall actions Page 238 The Grounds and Reasons of the Point 1 Because our Ends and our Aimes are secret things Page 238 2 Because that a mans heart is where his End is Page 239 3 Because a mans heart is as his End is ibid. 4 Because God doth look at our Ends. ibid. 5 Because God will over-look many failings in our obedience if our End be right Page 240 6 Because there 's nothing our hearts doe so much deceive us in as our Ends. Page 241 7 Because a bad End is of such force as it will make that action which in it selfe is good to be bad and instead of reward it will bring judgement from God upon a man for doing of it Page 243 8 Because a good End will make that action which in the Interpretation of others may be bad good Page 244 9 Because all a mans comfort in suffering it will be as his End is Page 245 10 Because if a man have false Ends he will never be able to continue and hold out in a good work Page 246 How we may know our Ends. Page 246 to 248 VII The Idolls Abolished His Notes on Isaiah 2.18 THe Text opened shewing to what Time it relates Page 249 to 252 Doct There is a most glorious day a coming in which all Idolls shall be utterly abolished Page 252 Qu 1 What is meant by Idolls ibid. Qu 2 What Idolls will God abolish The Idoll of Prophanesse Page 253 The Idoll Pomp worldly glory and greatnesse ibid. The Idoll Strength ibid. The Idoll Pollicy Page 254 The Idoll Parts and Learning Page 255 The Idoll of Grace Page 256 Qu When is Grace made an Idoll Answered ibid. Qu 3 Why will God abolish Idolls Page 258 1 Because his designe is to exalt himselfe alone and this whilst Idolls stand cannot be ibid. 2 Because Gods soule hates Idolls above all ibid. Qu 4 How will God abolish Idolls ibid. 1 By the manifestation of his owne glory shewed in five particulars from Page 258 to 260 2 By shaking all Idolls ibid. Vse 1 Learn this That a day will be how much soever men now cry up their Idolls that they shall he ashamed to owne them ibid. 2 Let us take heed we doe not in this day set up Idolls Page 261 3 There shall be a day in which Saints shall have hearts to exalt God onely ibid. 4 Seeing such a day shall come let us labour for a spirit fit for this day when it comes ibid. Two things will work such a spirit in us 1 A mortified heart to a mans owne things ibid. 2 An enlivened heart to the things of God ibid. FINIS
Mr. Tillinghasts EIGHT LAST SERMONS I The Fifth Kingdome or Kingdome of Christ founded on the New Covenant one Sermon on Jer 33.20 21. II Signs of the Times two Sermons on Matth. 16.3 To which is added six Signs as they were in his Notes III Christ the only Foundation one Sermon on 1 Cor. 3.11 With the prosecution of the point as it was in his Notes IV The Promise of the Father two Sermons on Act. 1.4 V The evil of the Times one Sermon on Mal. 3.16 17. VI Look to your Aims and Ends one Sermon on Matth. 11.7 To which is added The Idols abolished being his Notes on Is 2.18 Matth. 3.2 Repent yee for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand LONDON Printed by M. S. for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1655. A PREFACE TO THE READER THe Lord upon my frequent remembrance of the depth of the Riches both of his Wisdome Rom. 12.33 and of his Knowledge hath given me many and manifold occasions to break forth in the words of the Apostles sudden exclamation How unsearchable are his Judgements and his waies past finding out Yea such hath been the tenor of his dispensations and of the Appearance of some of them of late years from out of those unsearchable depths as may well induce us in the midst of such musings to cry out in the words of the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Rev. 16 3. Just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Who will not fear thee Oh Lord and glorifie thy Name But Oh ye faithful followers of the Lamb who shall be able to fathom and to measure the depth and heighth the breadth and length of those judgements which are yet to come upon the people and the Princes of the earth Wo Wo to the worshippers and admirers of the Dragon of the Beast and the false Prophet how terrible will Jehovah be unto the little Horn the last power which lifts it self up against the Saints of the most High after the expiration of the two and forty months How will this little Horn which goar 's our sides and pusheth us into corners roar when the Judgement shall sit and they that is the Saints shall take away his Dominion Dan. 7.26 to consume and to destroy it unto the end And with what consternation of mind will the proud Nimrods of the world flye before the Lamb and his followers when the mighty Hunters themselves shall be hunted from Mountain to Hill by the little handful of those who ar redeemed from the earth And whitherwill ye rune for shelter Oh ye Tyrants Who shall be your Lord Protector in the Day when Jehovahs fury shall be powred out like fire Nâ—humâ— 6 And if the Rocks are thrown down by him what will become of Reeds If the Sons of ancient Kings be hurried out of the world to their own place for their oppressions and persecutions for their contempt of God his Word and his Works what will be the portion of the New Monarchical Tyrants who are but of yesterday and have not had time to take root in the earth neither shall ever be able to confirm or establish their Domination But to contract and call off my mind from expatiating upon this point It cannot but be confessed That the sudden loss of so blessed an Instrument in the hand of Christ in such a juncture of time may well be matter of astonishment or of great grief to those poor souls who beginning to halt betwixt two opinions found present help and strength administred to their feeble knees by his Ministry and having also their eyes anointed with Gospel Eye-salve for the discovery of the present and other Truths It was no marvel that they became so sensible of the usefulness of such an Interpreter in that populous City as the deceased Author of the insuing Sermons And indeed We Prisoners your Brethren and Companions in Tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ could not refrain rejoycing with you for the hopes you had that he should have been as an Arrow or a polished shaft in the hand of a mighty man even the man Christ Jesus in such a day as this But as the heavens are higher than the earth Isa 55.9 so are the Lords ways higher than our wayes and his thoughts than our thoughts We are taught to say It is the Lord 1 Sam. 3 18 let him do with us also as seemeth good to him for indeed we are not our own 1 Cor 6.20 we are bought with a price whether we live or dye we are the Lords Rom. 14 8 and therefore we are obliged to glorifie him in our bodies and in our souls But to proceed to a brief Narrative of some particular passages and circumstances which may be of use for the Christian Readers who are far remote from the City to know It is to be remembred That this Servant of the Lord had waited for some space of time viz. about a year of daies to understand the mind of God in reference to the work which was upon his heart to do for the Lord Jesus at length perceiving his way to be plain before him he came up to the City of London where it pleased the Lord to put a period to his dayes within a very short space after he was arrived But how diligently he improved his time and his talent I need not declare for it s well known to thousands that he laboured as if it had been for his life to promote that glorious Cause which was once the joy of the Saints generally throughout the Nation although now it be almost forgotten by the most and the concernments of Christ and his people in the midst of a generation of Revolters and Backsliders from the work of God in their day Three principal businesses he had upon his spirit to dispatch The first was to speak his mind freely to the Great Man as they call him which accordingly after solemn seeking the face of the Lord with some Brethren he did and did bear his Testimony to his face in the first place in the presence of divers witnesses in such a way of plaineness and pity towards him who was guilty of such open Abominations that undoubtedly it will be of use hereafter to the stopping of the mouths of all Court-flatterers who are one of the worst sort of creeping Vermine in the world purposing moreover to proceed to an higher and more publick Testimony as God should give him a spirit and opportunity thereunto In the next place like another young Apollos Act. 18.27 28. being come to the City he helped them much who had beleeved the present Truth through Grace for he mightily convinced many and that publickly that the Kingdome of Christ is not only a Spiritual Kingdome but an outward visible Kingdome as his words are that this is a branch of the New Covenant That this
to favour the dust thereof then the set time of building Syon is come Quest What are we to understand by Stones and Dust Ans Stones and dust are the beginnings of a Building the first thing a man doth that will build a house is to gather dust and stones and morter the meaning is this as if the Lord should say when you shall see some such thing visible in the world as that there seemes to be a prepation and provision for the beginning of this glorious worke of my kingdome and when you see the hearts of my people wonderfully taken with these preparations and beginnings and raised up to a very high expectation then know that the set time to favour Syon is come and truly when was there ever in the world if not at this day something that did looke as a preparation and provision for this glorious worke of the kingdome of Jesus Christ gathering stones and dust together cutting off the heads of Princes and pulling downe Thrones now the Children of Syon take pleasure in the stones and they favour the dust of it Thirdly A third signe of the time Signe 3 that this worke is approaching upon us is The great reproach that is upon the Remnant that expect this worke When Israel of old came out of Babylon they had a double worke they had a spirituall worke a Civill worke the worke of the Temple and the worke of the Citty Jerusalem and those who expected the carrying on the Civill worke of building the Citty Jerusalem and the walls thereof they were made a wonderfull reproach Nehem 1.3 And they said unto me The Remnant that are left of the Captivity there in the Province are in great affliction reproach the wall of Jerusalem also is broken downe and the gates thereof are burnt with fire Mark the Remnant are in great affliction what Remnant why the Remnant that are left of the Captivity the Remnant that did expect the Citty Jerusalem should be built they are become a reproach the worke of building of the wall of Jerusalem is delayed till the Remnant doe become a reproach the people of God had their Temple done they were set upon building their Citty for they were told by their Prophets that they should build their Temple and their Citty too and now the people cry unto them and laugh at them where is your Citty where is your Common-wealth that you talke of you would have the Citty built and you would have a Common-wealth set up and a kingdome but where is it never such reproach comes upon waiters as when the worke is ready to peepe forth then at that time when they were so reproached was the worke ready to come forth then Nehemiah is brought on his knees and spreads the thing before the Lord in the fourth verse and the Commission for building the wall of Jerusalem was given forth thereupon even that very yeare Babylon litterall was a type of the kingdome of Babylon mysticall their Babylon was a type of our Babylon and as it was then so it is now upon the coming out of Babylon we have a double worke a worke of the Temple and a worke of the Citty the Temple-worke is finished and that is suffered to stand but now the Saints looke for their Civill work for their Common-wealth and that is become a reproach for is not this the reproach at this day these are the fift Monarchy-men and where is now your fift kingdome your fift Monarchy never was that growne to such a reproach this ten yeares how have they been reproached even by some who are now compelled to acknowledge a truth in the principle Now observe when the worke was reproached then the worke went on and as that was the time then for the carrying on of the worke why so now the worke being reproached with us also it s a signe that this is the time for the carrying on of the worke now And truly its worthy our observation How after this worke was come to be a reproach it went on in a wonderfull way the worke of Jerusalem Nehem 6.16 So the wall was finished in the 25 day of the moneth Elul in 52 dayes In 52 dayes what a wonderfull thing is it that the wall of such a Citty as Jerusalem was should be built in 52 dayes and that by so few hands And this little handfull were many of them forc't to take their swords in their hands The Temple was abuilding a great while they needed no swords to that worke but now they come to their Citty-worke they have their swords in their hands to defend themselves because there were many Enemies of that worke and yet notwithstanding all their Enemies and all the opposition it was done as it were by a miracle in 52 dayes So the worke of the kingdome it shall come on apace suddenly in one houre shall this worke come on in 52 dayes was Jerusalem walled notwithstanding all the reproach which Immediatly before was cast upon them Fourthly A fourth signe is Signe 4 The present doubting that is in many godly spirits about this worke as being neere it s a cleare signe that the worke is at hand Two or three yeares since some express't a great deale of faith about this worke they preach't it up we shall goe on wonderfully we shall goe on to Rome we shall pull downe Tythes c. But now their spirits are sunke and they say it s not yet time this is so far from a discouragement as that its a great signe that the worke is neere for this is a cleare Rule that when ever Christ brings forth a worke in the world he will bring it forth so as that he shall not find faith on Earth hence you have it Luk 18.8 Neverthelesse when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on Earth It hath been the usuall way of God even to strike dead the faith of his Children when the worke is at the birth so Exod. 5.20 21. after the death upon the worke there and their burdens are doubled they meete Moses and Aaron who stood in the way as they came forth from Pharaoh and they said unto them the Lord looke upon you and Judge because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants to put a sword in their hands to slay us Observe the People that just before beleived and said O the work is come and the day of our deliverance is at hand in the end of the former Chapter the text saith The people beleived when they heard that the Lord had visited the Children of Israel and that he had looked upon their affliction and they bowed their heads and worshipped Though they beleived in the former Chapter that their deliverance was now at hand yet they doubt in this Chapter as soone as ever the death comes upon the worke they murmur and doubt of it and blame Moses and Aaron telling them they
had made their savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and of his servants to put a sword in their hands to slay us So it was with David when the worke of his kingdome first came forth when he first set out against Saul he had a great deale of confidence at first 1 Sam 22.22 David saith to Abiathar Abide thou with me feare not for he that seekes my life seeketh thy life but with me thou shalt be in safety But observe after this David lost his confidence and came to doubt of the going on of this worke of his kingdome in the 27 Chapter the first verse I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul he speakes quite contrary to what he said before yet now the worke is neere the kingdome is ready to rise So when the Children of Israel were to come out of Babylon and a death came upon the worke they cryed out The time is not come the time is not come that the Lords house should be built here they doubt as to the time their faith was downe yet then was the time at hand and the worke was carryed on in the second yeare of Darius So likewise looke to Christ himselfe when he was here the Disciples a little before his death they could say to him Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God they had much of faith at first but when Christ is in the grave they loose their faith We trusted that it was he that should have redeemed Israel their faith was gone and yet their Redemption was nearer than ever it was and Christs Resurrection at hand so that while they were Questioning and doubting the time of Christs rising approaches So abundance of good men that formerly have kept to Allhallow's-meeting and Blackfryers-meeting they have now of late withdrawne and cry the time is not come the time is not come for the carrying on of the worke of Christs kingdome but this is so far from making us beleive the time is not come that its a signe to us that the time is at hand when doubting comes after the spirit of faith for so it hath been with the worke of the Lord in all his Dispensations Here followeth six other Signes as they were found in his Notes Fifthly A fift signe is Signe 5 The wonderfull spirit of prayer that is upon Gods People when the decree of release from Babylon was ready to issue forth God puts a wonderfull spirit of prayer upon Daniel Chapter the 9th At the beginning of thy Supplications the Commandement came forth and I am come to shew thee So Nehemiah had a great spirit of prayer given to him when the time came that the Citty Jerusalem should be built And God hath promised Immediatly before he builds Jerusalem to give such a spirit of prayer Isai 62.1.6 7 verses For Zions sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest untill the righteousnesse thereof goe forth as brightnes and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night Ye that make mention of the Lord keepe not silence and give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Now when an extraordinary spirit of prayer goes forth it s a cleare evidence the work is at hand What a spirit of prayer was there up in the Bishops times and what was the effect of it it brought their Ruine Afterwards when Presbytery was like to tread us downe as did the Bishops their predecessors a great spirit of prayer was in many by this they are ruined And truly I thinke I may say there was never a greater spirit of prayer up than is at this day And to encourage you the more to it I shall here put in two things First Consider That God gives his Children a larger Commission if I may so speake when they are to pray against Babylon than at other times Isai 45.11 Thus saith the Lord the Holy one of Israel and his maker Aske me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the worke of my hands command ye me Secondly That God will be more quicke in answering Isai 65.24 And it shall come to passe that before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare Sixthly A sixt signe is Signe 6 The Helples condition Gods people at present are in Before God makes his Arme bare in saving he brings his Children into that straight that they can see strength no were else but in him hence those that pray for Syons Restauration Psalme 102. pray as destitute ones and when they are destitute God answers them Never untill this day since some appearings of this worke have been have Gods people prayed as destitute ones we had A Parliament An Army A Generall that went along with us till of late but now Gods people are wholly destitute and indeed that they are brought into this condition is a mercy and an evidence the worke is neere which we might conclude to be farther off were it not thus A notable place we have Deut. 32.36 The Lord shall judge his people and repent himselfe for his servants when he seeth that their Power is gone and there is none shut up or left And indeed this hath ever been Gods way Abraham cannot have his Mercy till he is in so destitute a condition as that to an eye of Reason he is without hope David before the kingdome falls into his hands must be so destitute as that he is forced to fly the land The Helples condition of Gods people is a cleare signe the worke is at hand Seventhly A seventh signe is Signe 7 The Multiplication of the oppressed people who are the oppressed people in a more especiall manner at this day but those that appeare for this truth who are shut up in prisons and Holes but they and yet notwithstanding what a multiplying of them is there under this oppression It s Steven's observation concerning Israel Act. 7.17 That when the time of the promise drew nigh which God had sworne to Abraham the People grew and multiplyed in Egypt He makes the multiplication of the seede a signe of the Promise drawing nigh What a multiplication of this oppressed people there is all the nation over since some have been in prison is well knowne to many many Churches and Pastors of Churches who not twelve moneths since were averse to this way doe now owne it preach it I speake what I know Yea I dare say That if the present Powers of this Nation had set in counsell 12 months together to contrive a way to spread the notion of the fift Monarchy among the godly throughout this Nation they could not have thought upon a better than the casting of some Eminent leading Saints into Prison for there is nothing that men as men doe more affect than to looke into
is of another kind its comforts are of another kind And this God brings all his to before ever they become fruitfull in a Gospel way for note here it may be the condition of a true childe of God as well as of the hypocrite to build too much upon these foundations yea to be building yeares together upon them and that too after true grace is wrought in his soule Abraham was a true beleiver and yet goes in unto Hagar the old Covenant and thirteene yeares together his heart run's upon her fruit and all his Expectations are from it But note this withall that till God brings a belever to this to make a more direct and Immediate close with Christ in the new Covenant he will be barren as to Gospel fruit Abraham had no fruit from Sarah till God had discovered to him that Hagar's fruit was not the fruit but he must yet looke for fruit from Sarah so a true beleiver will be barren as to Gospel fruit untill he is brought off from all other foundations and made to close with Christ in the new Covenant And indeed I thinke I may say that there never was a beleiver in the world but either before conversion or after he hath been brought under the old Covenant and there hath been a building upon such foundations for it is naturall to a soule under the old Covenant so to doe Quest 6. But when doth God lay Christ as a foundation in the soule is it in the first worke or change that is wrought upon a soule or afterwards Answ There is a twofold worke or change wrought upon many soules I say many because every one doth not passe under this double change First Legall which is a worke or change wrought by the power of the Law or by the Ministry of the letter for so the Apostle calls the Law 2 Cor 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life And I doe here expound the Law by the Ministry of the letter to the end we may not looke upon the Law as containing onely the matter of the ten Commandements and the promises and Threats annexed to these but indeed take the Law at large for the summe of that truth revealed either in the Scriptures of the old or New Testament which containes within it Doctrines Promises Precepts Threats c. so far as this truth comes to a soule and is received onely as a notion as it is the letter a voice of words c. so far it falls short of being Gospel which is a word of Power the Power of God unto Salvation a Ministration of the Spirit and life and is no other but the word of the Law that is a bare word without Power a killing letter to it And whatsoever worke or change is wrought by this word as it comes to the soule onely as an enlightening notion or directing letter discovering to a man his duty state c. or as it comes as a threatening terrifying voice of words driving the soule to that it apprehends to be its duty and making it for feare to seeke after a better state than it sees it selfe to be in for all this the word as its a bare letter or a voice of words may doe I say all this worke or change is no other nor better than a legall worke or change for it is a worke wrought by the Ministry of the letter by a voice of words it is the light of the bare letter and the terror of the voice of words that makes a man in his owne strength fall to working and accordingly the worke brought forth or the change produced hereby seeing it is no other but an act a worke a change performed by the strength of nature and not by the strength of the promise it can be no other but a worke of the flesh a child of the Law or old Covenant as was Ishmael and not of the promise or new Covenant as was Isaac Secondly There is an Evangelicall worke oâ— change which is that worke which is wrought upon the soule by the power of the Spirit in the word cutting the soule off from the dead stock of old Adam and ingraffing it into the living stock of the new Adam Jesus Christ And the very foundation of the worke or change is marriage-union with Christ The Spirit of God in the Word lays hold of a poore soule by an Almighty power and breakes it off from the old stock and in the same Instant ingraffs it into Christ Now by the engraffing there is a union and from this union a communication to the soule of that new sap and life that is in Christ and by virtue of this a glorious work and change is wrought in the soule new fruit new actions appeare in it Now observe the Fathers laying Christ as a foundation is not in the first worke which I call Legal for a soule may have that work as had Ahab Judas Herod Stony Thorny ground c. and yet perish for ever but so cannot any that Christ is the foundation of for if so then could not Christ be a sure foundation as the Prophet calls him Esay 28.16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I lay in Syon for a foundation a Stone a tryed stone a precious corner Stone a sure foundation But the laying of Christ as a foundation is in this second worke And the beginning of this is our union which is that thing by which we are ingraffed into Christ and so grow and beare fruit upon Christ as the stock or foundation when a soule hath this union from that moment is Christ his foundation but not before for what ever may be found in him or come from him before this union be it sorrow for sin Comfort obedience c. it hath not Christ for a foundation for how can Christ be a foundation to that soule or to any thing in that soule that is not united to him can we say such a thing is a foundation to such a building and yet the building be separate from that thing and standing upon something else not so Quest But the soule may say If there be this double worke and change and Christ is the foundation onely of the latter How shall I know whether the worke upon me be Legal or Evangelical that so I may know whether Christ be my foundation yea or no Ans This is a most difficult Question and the farther I consider it the more doth it beget matter of feare and trembling and the rather because those things which we ordinarily bring forth as evidences of the grace of God within us will not manifest this difference because there is not any one particular worke affection grace that flowes from the Gospel-worke upon a soule but that worke which is onely Legall hath the counterfeit of that worke grace affection c. not but that there
good Tidings c. Jesus Christ himselfe as he stood in our stead doing our worke and acting in our nature so he did receive the promise of the Father himselfe the Spirit and therefore it s called the promise of the Father Secondly In respect of the Antiquitie of it Because the Father had promised it long before this time so it s the promise of the Father Christ had promised the Spirit to his but it was lately and so it was a new promise not many dayes old made but a little before his death but the promise as it was the Fathers promise so it was antient made many hundred yeares before though now to be fulfilled for the Time of the old Testament was the time of the Fathers administration now in this time there were many promises of the Spirit to be afterwards fulfilled as in Joel 2.28 And it shall come to passe afterward that I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your danghters shall Prophesie your old men shall dreame dreames your young men shall see visions Zach 12.10 And I will powre out upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of Grace and of supplications and they shall looâ—e upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely Son and shall be in bitternes for him as one that is in bitternes for his first-borne And therefore this promise as it was the Fathers so it was antient and for the Antiquitie of this promise because it was most antiently the Fathers therefore it may be called the promise of the Father Thirdly It 's the promise of the Father because of the times and seasons of the giving out of this promise for the times and seasons are in the hands of the Father so Christ tells his Disciples in this Chapter But the Father hath kept them in his owne power Fourthly The maine reason is That hereby Christ might strengthen and confirme the faith of his Disciples and Children in waiting for this premise we have need of all that can be to strengthen our faith and therefore Christ calls it the promise of the Father the Disciples might conceive ô is the Father willing we should have the Spirit we know how willing Christ is he hath said he will send us a Comforter we are sure we shall want nothing that Christ can doe for us but is the Fathers heart as free to give out the Spirit when Christ comes to heaven will not the Father hinder it Christ therefore entitles it rather the promise of the Father than his owne as if he should have said doe not thinke poore soules that my Father is unwilling to give out his Spirit that he is an Enemy to your peace comfort Joy or the coming of the Spirit of grace no the Fathers heart is as full and as free as you can conceive mine to be for its the promise of the Father Quest 2. But why doth Christ pitch the faith of his Disciples now at the time of his ascension upon this promise rather than upon any other could he not bid them as well to waite for some other promise as for this Ans 1. Because there was no promise so suitable unto the state and condition that the people of Christ the Disciples of Christ his followers were now come into as this promise no promise is so suitable to a poore soule in the time of Christs absence as the promise of the Spirit Christ had been personally present with his Disciples some time and he had comforted cheered warm'd and quickened them and when his personall presence was to leave them no promise could be so sweete comfortable and acceptable to answer their condition as this promise of the Spirit therefore Christ gives them this promise as most suiting them if any thing could hold them up against the rage of the world and the malice of the Devill now in his absence it would be the promise of the Father therefore it was the most suitable promise Secondly Because this promise it was now in the very nicke of fulfilling The promise was antient but now the very time of fulfilling of it was at hand the time of giving out of more abundance of the Spirit was drawing on now it s the way of God with his Children when the promise is upon the nick of fulfilling then will God be putting on his Children in a more especiall manner to be waiting and seeking and looking up to him even for the fulfilling of that promise Therefore when the seventy yeares Captivity in Babylon was run out then God stirr'd up the heart of Daniel and he falls downe before God and prayes and urges the promise and beleives when the time was even expired when God comes to give forth his promise when the fulfilling time is come then God puts his people upon waiting for it So afterwards when Jerusalem was to be built when the time of fulfilling was come then the Lord wonderfully stirr's up the heart of Nehemiah and he falls downe before the Lord crying O that Jerusalem might be no more a Citty without walls and indeed it s a great argument though not a demonstration to convince men yet its such an argument as carry's much weight in it to the hearts of the Children of God when they are put on in a more speciall manner to waite upon God for the fulfilling of this or that particular promise for the doing of this or that particular worke though the times and seasons are many times hid to us yet they are in the Fathers power and they are all knowne to him and when they draw nigh God doth usually make that worke to run over the heart of his Children and sets them a praying and seeking and beleiving and waiting for that worke and it may be they can hardly tell how it comes to passe that they are so put upon it but it comes from a secret way of Gods dispensation towards his Children when God sees that the worke is ripe and the thing is heare at hand that it may come when his Children are in a waiting posture he will forerun it over the hearts of his Children ere he bring it visibly forth before the world But though this be a real truth yet I doe not take it to be the speciall reason here why Christ doth put them to looke for the fulfilling of this promise rather than any other but the chiefe reason I take to be this Thirdly Because the promise of the Spirit it s the great promise that the Saints and peaple of God in the new Testament dayes are to have their eye fixed upon and are to be found waiting upon God continually for the giving of it forth it s that great promise the Saints are to be looking up to the Father for in the new Testament Times under the old Testament the Saints had a great bundle of promises but there was one great
and leading promise that stood out before all the other promises and that was the coming of the Messiah and unto this promise all the Types shaddowes Ceremonies and services of the Law did looke they ran into this promise so the Saints and people of God in the times of the new Testament have a great and leading promise also but this great promise of the old Testament is no promise to them for it s accomplished Christ hath come and dyed and is risen againe and we looke not for him to come and dye any more to satisfie his Fathers Justice but now there is I say a great and leading promise in the new Testament which the Saints fix their eye upon above all other promises and that is the promise of the Spirit as the Saints under the old Testament look't cheifely to this promise of the Messiah O when will our Messiah come when will the Redeemer come when will Christ come why so the Saints under the new Testament have this as their great expectatior O when will the Spirit come when will the Spirit come down more into our hearts O when shall we be more fill'd with the Spirit and be enabled to walke in the Spirit and to live in the Spirit and have all our teaching from the Spirit and all our strength and life and whatsoever we have from the Spirit this is that that the Saints should have their eye fixed upon under the new Testament and so the Observation at this time shall be this Obser That the promise of the Spirit is the great New Testament promise it 's the great promise that the Children of God in the times of the new Testament are to be looking up to God for the fulfilling and accomplishing of In the prosecution of which point I shall follow this Method all moulds and methods they are but things wherein we are to seeke the edification one of another First I shall shew you That the promise of the Spirit is a great promise Secondly That its the great New Testament â—romise Thirdly Why the Lord held forth his Spirit to his Children as the great promise why he would have them looke more upon that promise than upon any other promise Fourthly I shall apply this blessed truth to our hearts First The promise of the Spirit it 's a great promise a very great promise so it is First If we doe consider The thing promised the gift given by vertue of this promise What can be a greater gift than for God by promise to give himselfe to a poore soule for the Father and Son to give themselves to a poore soule Now the promise of the Spirit it 's the gift of God himselfe the promise of God himselfe we have God giving himselfe by promise the Father giving himselfe and the Son giving himselfe for these three are one where the Spirit is given all are given and where the Spirit comes and dwells there 's the dwelling of the whose the Father Son and Spirit all the blessed Trinity now what a wonderfull gift is here is it not a great promise then Secondly It 's a great promise If we consider the Promise-Maker wee make account of the promises of great men this is a promise made by the greatest in Heaven and earth the Father and the Son are the greatest My sheepe saith Christ heare my voice and I give unto them Eternall life and none shall plucke them out of my Fathers hand and my Father saith he is greater than I Here are the two greatest in heaven the Father and the Son and they make this promise the Spirit proceedeth from both as the gift of either the Father promiseth it and therefore it 's called in the Text the promise of the Father the Son promiseth it John 16.7 Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Thirdly It 's a great promise If we looke to the way or meanes of conveying this promise to the soule The greater and more difficult meanes a man must use to fulfill some promise made to us the greater and higher account we have of his promise the worth of a mercy may sometimes be measured by the meanes through which it is brought about Now doe but looke at the difficulty's this promise comes thorough It comes upon the account of Christs Intercession for it in heaven I will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter before this promise can come forth in the fulnes and glory of it Christ must strip himselfe of his glory come downe from heaven to earth be made a reproach dye a cursed death and after this goe up to heaven againe and there pray and plead and all before this promise can be given forth so that it 's a promise that comes through all Christ's doings and sufferings and Intercessions before it can be given out in the fulnes and glory of it I will pray the Father he shall give you another Comforter It 's therefore a great promise Fourthly It 's a great promise If we doe but consider The great things that are laid up in this promise First All our spirituall peace and comfort is laid up in this promise all that inward Joy and peace comfort that a poore soule hath it 's all lodg'd up in this blessed promise hence the Spirit is call'd the Comforter because all our comfort if it be true it comes from him there 's a Joy which men have for a season as that of the Stony ground which men may have by the common working 's of the Spirit but it 's not that comfort and Joy which the Spirit workes in the hearts of the Saints in a speciall way as the comforter all the true Joy and comfort that Saints have they have it in and from this promise hath a soule comfort in a way of sence from the sencible feeling of the gifts and graces and operations of the Spirit of God in his heart This comfort if it be right it comes from the Spirit and so it 's laid up in this promise It 's the Spirit of God that must come and worke in us and that must discover his own workings in us that must worke our grace and make us to feele our grace and make us to know that that which we feele it is grace for if the Spirit of God doe not come in and beare witnesse to what we feele there will be no true comfort that we can have that way have we comfort in a way of faith in hanging upon the generall promise A poore soule finds nothing all is dry and dead and all comfort he had formerly in duty 's and ordinances is gone now he lookes up to the promise and draw's in comfort from God altogether in a way of faith when all is dead within This comfort of faith is also from the Spirit
for the Spirit of God enables us to act this faith we are not able of our selves to put forth the least act of faith the soule cannot when he wants sence put forth the least act of faith but it 's the Spirit of God the exceeding greatnes of the power of the holy Spirit that comes and raises up the power of a poore soule the Spirit of God comes when the poore soule is quivering and shaking and trembling under Temptations and comforts strengthen's stay 's supports refreshes and establishes the heart and the soule so all the comfort peace joy and consolation of the soule it 's from the Spirit it 's all lodg'd up in this promise Secondly All our spirituall light and teaching is from hence it 's the office of the holy Spirit to be the teacher of the Saints He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance he is the Saints Comforter and he is the Saints teacher all our light and teaching it 's laid up in this promise there 's a vast difference betwixt the knowledge men have in their heads which we call notion and that knowledge which men have from the Spirit which the Apostle pray's for and calls the Spirit of Wisdome and of Revelation if we have any true light it 's from the holy Spirit as all outward light by which wee see naturall things it 's from the Sun and if the Sun were out of the firmament there would be no light to see created things so the inward light by which we see things as they are spirituall things all this light is from the holy Spirit and if the Spirit of God doe but withdraw from the heart all it's light is but a heape of darknes so the light of the people of God it 's not in themselves and their knowledge it 's not in themselves sometimes men may beate out knowledge and light by their reason and parts I but there 's another kinde of light in the first of the Cor the 24 and this is from the holy Spirit of God The Spirit of God it is the enlightening principle True reason it 's the light of man but it s as real a truth that the Spirit of God is the light of reason therefore we have a speech in Job There 's a spirit in man but the inspiration is of the Almighty giving him understanding that is there 's a rationall spirit in man that can beate things out in a rationall way that can discover and draw conclusions and Inferences and the like but it must be the Inspiration of the Almighty that must give him understanding a man can have no true light no true knowledge if there be not a light enlightening this light if there be not the Inspiration of the Almighty enlightening his understanding if the spirit of man be not guided by the Spirit of God the Spirit of God enlightens the naturall spirit and the naturall understanding of man there 's a spirit in man but the Inspiration is of the Almighty giving him understanding we have as much need of the light of the Spirit to understand spirituall things as you and I or any other have need of the light of reason to teach and discover to us naturall things If a man had not the light of reason he were a naturall foole and a man cannot make out naturall things but by a naturall light so where the Spirit of God is wanting though a man hath never so much reason yet that man is a spirituall foole and he cannot make out spirituall things without the light of the holy Spirit and it was upon this account the Apostle Paul speakes so gloriously to the Corinthians he went to preach the Gospel to consound the wisdome of the wise Where is the wise and where is the Scribe and the disputer of this world Who can understand the Gospel by the brave witts and quicke apprehensions of the world and the sharpest witts if they could not reach these things where is their wisdome no saith the Apostle this is another manner of wisdome than the world knowes For after that in the wisdome of God the world by wisdome knew not God then it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to save them that beleive The wise men of the world by their owne light reason and parts could never know God God would have the knowledge of himselfe come into his Children in another way though they take up truth in a rationall way as men and doe not lay all upon Impressions and revelations yet they receive these things from God by the teaching of the blessed Spirit of God and that hath demonstration going along with it I preach not in the enticeing words of mans wisdome saith the Apostle but in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and the more we can learne things in the evidence demonstration of the Spirit of God the more light there will be in our reason for the Spirit of God enlightens the spirit of man if a man have a great deale of understanding and be unacquainted with the way of the Spirits teaching he knowes nothing and understands nothing The naturall man understands not the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discern'd discern'd by the light of the holy Spirit therefore saith he We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is of God that we might know the things that are given to us of God as if he should have said there are blessed things given us of God glorious things given us of God such things as are worth ten thousand worlds given us of God but how shall we know these things why not by the spirit of the world but by the Spirit of God By this Spirit of God we know the things that are freely given us of God it 's the Spirit of God that enlighten's us Thirdly All our Inward life and motion it s laid up in this promise There 's no motion that can be in our soules which may be called spirituall life or spirituall motion if it be not from the holy and blessed Spirit of God the Spirit of God to the soule of man is as the soule is to his body what is the soule to the body the principle of life and motion if the soule be but out of the body the man is presently but a carkase and there 's no stirring moving breathing or acting so the Spirit of God is to the soule if the Spirit of God be gone from the soule there 's no motion no stirring no acting a living Saint this houre a dead blocke the next houre one that hath a great deale of life from God in this duty is so dead and low as if he had no life at all in the next so the life of the Saints is not in themselves but it s in the Spirit of God and so it s laid up in this promise Fourthly Further All the spirituall strength by which the
soule moves it s all laid up and lodg'd in this great promise the Spirit of God gives forth all the strength the soule hath Eph 3. the latter end We are strengthened with all might by his Spirit in the inner man all the strength or might that a poore soule hath in the inward man it s all from the blessed Spirit of God if a soule hath strength to stand up against Satan truly it s from the Spirit of God The Lord shall tread downe Satan under your feete shortly If the Spirit of God withdraw and leave the soule but an houre Satan will tread him downe and trample upon him but if the soule be a conqueror an overcomer it s by the blessed Spirit all the strength we have whereby we are victors over any Corruptions it s by the blessed Spirit is there the mortification the killing of any corruption in our soules its from this Spirit If ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live it s not the worke of our faith it s not in our owne power we may struggle and strive and labour and toile but the least corruption is too strong for the strongest Christian in his owne strength but now the Spirit that mortify's the deeds of the body so have we strength to performe any duty any worke to heare to speake the word of God truly this is not our owne it s of the blessed Spirit for if the Spirit of God doe but leave a poore soule it cannot speake it cannot pray it can doe nothing the strength that acts the people of God it s not from themselves therefore one while they have a heart full of the groanes and breathings of the Spirit and a mouth full of words to spread before God and at another time they have not a groane in their hearts nor a word in their mouths and they may pump and they can bring up nothing this shews the strength of Christians is not from themselves but from the holy Spirit of God therefore a Christian that can at all times command his strength to pray or preach it s to be feared that that is the strength of man and not the strength of God the strength of the creature and not of the Spirit the strength of parts and of old Adam The Lord let 's his Children feele that they have not strength sometimes sometimes they have sometimes they have not that they might live all their whole life onely in dependance upon God what experience had Paul of this I know how to want and I know how to abound and can doe all things but how through Christ that strengtheneth me yet another while Paul could not speake his mouth is shut up therefore pray for me saith Paul to the Saints pray for me that I may have a doore of utterance so we are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing I am nothing saith Paul yet by the grace of God I am that I am all my strength is laid up in the blessed Spirit it s not in my selfe it s the Spirit of God that is our strength so all our strength is laid up in this promise Fifthly All our boldnes to the Throne of grace it s laid up in this promise Can a poore soule goe to God and cry father father Abba father why truly its the Spirit that enables him so to doe Because you are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father and that is the reason why a Saint one time can goe to God and say father father he can speake it out another time he cannot goe and speake out father it is because the Spirit that makes the soule to cry Abba father it s not in the power of the creature but our boldnes with the Father it s the gift of the Spirit of God it s this blessed Spirit of Adoption whereby a man can run to God as a child unto his father Sixthly All our helpe and assistance at the Throne of Grace it s laid up in this promise Wee know not what to pray for Rom 8. as we ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities and the Spirit maketh Intercession for us with groanes which cannot be uttered its truth a child of God doth not know what he should pray for what he should speak or utter to God or what he should most need but the Spirit of God comes helpes our Infirmities our worke in prayer is not to thinke what we should speake but to lay our selves downe before the Spirit Lord come thou by thy Spirit and mannage all our worke for us we are to spread our selves before the Spirit of God and let the Lord come and speake all in us and the Spirit helpeth our Infirmities with groanes not with words the Spirit helpeth a Christian many times when the soule cannot bring out a word the soule is full of groanings groanings that cannot be uttered groanings that have so much in them that they cannot be uttered the soule many times is put by words and is confounded through fulnes for there is by the holy Spirit of God the representation of a multitude of wants together and of a multitude of mercy's together and the soule would faine breath out all to God and he cannot speak them out all but he sends them up all to God in a groane together therefore saith the Apostle It helpeth our Infirmities with groanes that cannot be uttered a poore gratious soule comes and ly's before God and cannot speake a word O but it sends up a groane to God and though it cannot utter one word to God yet it may send up twenty petitions in one groane Seventhly Our speeding at the Throne of Grace our presenting such things there onely as are the will our father it s from this blessed Spirit When we come to pray of our selves we doe but aske our owne Thoughts and spread our owne wills before God but if we could come and lay our selves alway's under the Spirit of God and be willing alway's to be led and guided by the Spirit of God there would come forth alway's the will of God and not the will of the creature He that searches the heart knowes what the mind of the Spirit is because he makes Intercession for the Saints according to the will of God let the Spirit pray and it shall be the will of God though we are poore creatures and doe not know the will of God yet when the holy Spirit comes and draw's forth the heart it speakes out the will of God O therefore let us come and lye downe under the motions of the Spirit and the guidance of the Spirit He that searcheth the heart knowes what the mind of the Spirit is he doth not looke so much what words and what brave expressions and how these things are utter'd but he know's what the mind of his spirit is when God comes and looks upon his Children he doth not hearken
what brave words come out but what the mind of the Spirit is therein the great thing God lookes after is what the Spirit groanes after what the mind of the Spirit is so that all our boldness at the Throne of Grace all our helpe and assistance and our speaking so as to put up such Petitions onely as are the will of God it s all lodg'd up in this blessed promise of the holy Spirit Eightly All our Assurance and Evidence from heaven it s lodg'd up in this promise hath a poore soule any assurance any hope any Evidence O here it s lodg'd the Spirit is our earnest and evidence He hath given us the earnest of his Spirit as the giving one an earnest is an assurance of the bargaine so the Spirit of God is the earnest which assures the Children of God of their glorious Inheritance with the Saints in light The Spirit is called the first fruites the first fruites were the assurance of the harvest 's coming they are the beginnings of the harvest so the Spirit of God in the hearts of Gods children is the first fruits its the seale wherewith the children of God are sealed After ye beleived ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise and grieve not the holy Spirit of God wherewith you are sealed to the day of redemption that comes and seales up heaven to them and glory to them the Spirit comes and witnesses to them and with them that they are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit of God beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the Chidlren of God He saith before Ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba father As if he should have said we have not the old Covenant spirit the old Testament spirit the spirit of bondage to feare but the glorious new Covenant spirit which helpes us to goe to God and call him father what can be a more glorious witnesse and evidence to a Christian than this yet this spirit alone cannot beare witnes therefore he saith in the next verse The Spirit it selfe beareth witnes with our spirit that is with this glorious Gospel-new-Testament spirit the Spirit of God himselfe comes and witnesseth with this Gospel-spirit with this spirit of Adoption that we are the Children of God this sweete Gospel-spirit that is wrought in us it would not witnesse alone but the Spirit of God comes and puts his seale upon it and saith O this is a true worke of mine a true worke of the father in a child so it beares witnes with our spirit Ninthly The being and the Habit of Grace it s laid up in this promise the Spirit of God its the roote and principle of all grace in the Saints those habits of grace within are but the off-spring of the Spirit in the soule Grace it s not a thing naturall a thing that we bring into the world with us but a thing created and begotten now the creating and begetting principle it s the holy Spirit the Spirit it is that doth create and beget all grace were not the Spirit first given there would be no habits of grace in any all grace in the hearts of the Saints it s from this blessed Spirit and therefore it s laid up in this glorious promise Tenthly All the Acting of every grace it s laid up in this promise also the acting of faith and patience and humiliation and all grace as we have not the principle or habit of grace from our selves but from the blessed Spirit so every act of grace it s from the holy Spirit also as the Lord saith of his Vineyard I will keepe it and water it every moment God keepes his Vineyard and waters it too and he waters it every moment or else it would wither and decay so the Lord keepes us and our grace and waters us every moment else we should decay the Spirit of God it is that comes and waters us and waters all our grace though the soyle be never so good the fruite is not brought forth if there be not dropping from heaven upon it so let the soule be good and the plant of grace in the soule yet if the Spirit doe not come and continually drop upon and water our hearts there will be no fruite brought forth every soule therefore that is able to put forth any grace he hath this from the blessed Spirit O what a wretched thing therefore is it that there should be such a thing in the world as the slighting of this blessed Spirit that any man in the world should slight and contemne this blessed Spirit wherein all our grace is and the acting of every grace lyes in it and it s the exceeding greatnes of the power of the Spirit that makes every grace to act looke upon faith in the first acting it s not wrought by us but by an exceeding great power even the same that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead when he lay under all our sinnes and his Fathers wrath it s that power that workes the first acts of faith that exceeding greatnes of power that helps us to beleive and so it is in all other grace and the people of God doe know that their strength is not in themselves nor their growth in themselves I cannot be holy I cannot walke humbly by any strength of my owne I cannot beleive I cannot love the Saints nor love God or the cause of God by any strength of my own I cannot doe it of my selfe all the acting of my grace its from the blessed Spirit of God Eleventhly All those convictions that are wrought in the soule they are from the Spirit of God all the conviction in the soule whether of sin or of righteousnes it is from the Spirit of God If a poore soule come to be convinc't of sin that he is an unbeleiver it s the Spirit of God must convince the world of sin because they beleive not in Christ if a soule come to see all his righteousness nothing whether it lye in the workes of the Law or in the very acts of beleiving that all is nothing it s the Spirit must convince the soule of righteousnes men run from one peice of righteousnes to another from confession of sin to vowes and promises and thence to Reformation and so to higher things but this doth not convince till the Spirit of God come and convinces the soule and then it saith Lord I am nothing I have nothing I can doe nothing I am empty O that thou wouldest come and fill me with thy holines all that can be done by man and the utmost of reason and parts and the utmost demonstration of truth to the eare can never doe this till the Spirit of the Lord come Twelfthly All those hints of truth those remembrances of truth those bringings of the blessed word and promise of Christ to our mind they are all laid up in this
promise of the Spirit It s the Spirit it s the Spirit that shall bring to your remembrance saith Christ whatsoever I have said unto you The holy Spirit of God comes and makes the soule to remember all the words of the Lord Jesus Christ all the promises in the blessed book of God that concernes our sanctification any peice of it any thing belonging to it or that concernes our consolation or any peice of it or any thing belonging to it they are all lodg'd up in this great and glorious and blessed promise of the Spirit of God as in the promise of the Messiah are lodg'd all the promises of our Justification and every peice of it so in this promise of the Spirit is lodg'd up all the promises of our sanctification consolation Justification flow's out of the one and holines peace and comfort out of the other is it not then a great promise O it s a glorious and most blessed promise I had thought to have shewne you how it is the great New-Testament promise the great promise that we are to looke for under the new Testament but I shall not be able to come to that at this Time The Lord therefore set that upon our hearts and as there is much lodg'd up in this promise so O that our hearts were now all taken with it that we might all looke up unto God for the giving out of this Spirit methinkes none should goe home now and say I will not regard this Spirit I doe not see any thing in this Spirit much lesse that any should goe away and jeere at the Spirit laugh at the Spirit and make a mocke of it O far be it from our soules that any here should doe so but let us every one looke after this Spirit Lord come and give out of thy Spirit to my soule come and give out of thy Spirit to my soule Lord I have been a Rebell an Enemy a wretch an opposer but let thy Spirit come and subdue my Corruption let thy Spirit come downe and bring up my heart to thee O thy Spirit Lord to subdue this wretched distemper in me that have been a mocker and jeerer at thy Spirit Poore soule do'st thou want a word of conviction to be thoroughly convinced before the Lord O say now O Lord send thy Spirit to convince me now O Lord let thy Spirit convince my soule of sin let thy Spirit convince my soule of righteousnes let thy Spirit come and shew me how I have not beleived in Christ how that I have taken up other things besides Christ as my foundation and laid other foundations besides the foundation of God let the Spirit of the Lord come and shew me how many righteousnesses I have set up instead of the Lords righteousnes If the Spirit of God should come to our hearts now not a man or woman here but would goe out and say O I am a poore wretched creature I thought I had had wisdome when I came hither but I goe out a foole and I thought I had had strength when I came hither but I am weakness it selfe and I thought I had had parts and gifts but I am nothing I thought I could have beleived and acted faith upon God but I can doe nothing nothing of my selfe if the Lord come to convince by his Spirit it will be thus indeed There are many legall convictions and men goe away hardened after them and they are ten times worse hast thou man or woman been convinced of that and hast gone away mightily affected and yet can'st thou come againe and sit here and sleepe O beg of the Lord to give out his Spirit to convince thee and to doe all thy workes in thee and for thee hast thou been a long time doubting and seeking what way God will owne what truth God will owne for his truth O labour for the Spirit cry for the Spirit for the teachings of the Spirit beg of the Lord to teach thee by his Spirit spread the promise before the Lord hast thou not said Lord Thy Spirit shall teach us all things and guide us into all truth Here 's thy promise Lord Lord now let me have thy Spirit to reveale thy truth to me and to shew me thy will and when the Spirit comes and teaches us we shall know principles in another way than we did before a Christian can see a cleare evident distinction betwixt those principles he fetches in from reason and those he hath from the Spirit of God enlightening his reason Now wouldest thou depart O beg of the Lord to come and give thee hâ—s Spirit and then being taught by the Spirit of God thou wilt stand to the truth the reason why men are this to day and another thing to morrow it is because they are not taught by the Spirit but their faith is laid in the wisdome of men and they take up things from men and doe beleive a thing because such a wise man speakes it and when a wiser than he comes and speakes otherwise then they will leave that and take up what he saith now saith the Apostle I came not to you with the enticeing word of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith might stand not in the wisdome of man but in the power of God as if he should have said I know how apt you are to take up things in the wisdome of man and not in the light of the Spirit of God but cry out Lord let me have nothing but in the power of God and from thy Spirit upon my heart in the demonstration of thy Spirit this will hold a man will stand to this he will say I did not receive this truth by the light of my reason but by another light hereupon the soule will hold to truth As the Saints in Queene Mary's dayes could not dispute but yet they would dye for the truth they had their principles in the light of the Spirit and in the power of the Spirit Now how many now aday's have their faith founded in the wisdome of men and not in the power of God If God should come and sift men you will never hold if you will not learne of the Spirit but have things onely from your reason How many have spoken gloriously of the truths of the present age and when it comes to some tryall when there comes suffering and their owne Interest calls off to the other side turne their backs upon it that which men have had onely from their reason will not lead them through Temptation if Temptation come that man will give away his truth rather than part with his Interest his honour or profit or the like a man that hath reason will gather up a great deale in the notion but if the Lord doe not teach us by his own Spirit we shall not hold O beg this every heart for himselfe and for all the children of God at this day that we might not
know things by the Spirit of man but by the Spirit of God for the spirit of man will get a great deale of knowledge and let it out againe O that the Spirit of God condemn'd by many in this generation might be honoured by us art thou a poore soule hast thou no strength nor life to duty do'st thou say I come to pray sometimes and would faine have my heart in heaven and keepe my faith up and be full of groanes but I cannot speake a word nor utter a groane but am just like a blocke O come to the Lord and say Good Lord give me of thy blessed Spirit I have sat often and heard in a customary and formall way and so have I pray'd but Lord give me thy Spirit to heare and thy Spirit to pray and thy Spirit to doe all in my soule O then you should finde strength and assistance and helpe and such helpe as the soule cannot Imagine so hast thou not boldnes can'st thou not call God father say now Lord thy Spirit let the Spirit of Adoption come into my heart Lord fill my heart with thy Spirit that I may cry Abba father if thy Spirit come downe into my soule I shall cry father it will helpe my Infirmities and tell me what to say I would goe to God but I know not what to say nor what to lay before God nor what to aske O Lord thy Spirit now to put words into my mouth and thy Spirit to put groanes into my heart so a poore soule that goes about doubting and saith I am undone such and such are happy and blessed they are the Children of God but I shall perish for ever whosoever goes to heaven I shall goe to hell O goe to the Lord and say Lord I cannot see thy seale upon this my affliction good Lord come and give me thy Spirit that earnest of glory and seale my Spirit for glory and witnes by thy Spirit with my spirit that I am thy childe O let every one looke after this every one mind this we are here but a little while we run through the world and little thinke of Eternitie and then at last we cry out O that I had look't after God his Spirit O that I had now the Evidence of the Spirit I have follow'd pride and vanitie and wantonnesse and the world and how I might be rich O that I had now the Spirit of God I would give ten thousand worlds if I had them that I had but the witnesse of the Spirit and the Evidence of the Spirit O Christians doe not mind the great things of God of Religion and of their soules but we have gotten Religion in a forme and as an art like a trade in the world men thinke they do enough if they doe but now then say over a prayer and read one of the Psalmes or the like O you will wish another day O that I had Jesus Christ O that I were sealed with the Spirit of God if you want this the day of Christ will be a bitter day to you so is your heart dry and withering pray to God to come by his Spirit and water you every moment it may be your hearts are a little stirred when you are under a Sermon but you goe away againe and forget all now say soule say to the Lord my conscience is touched now good Lord as I goe out of this place water me and as I goe home water me and all the weeke water me and every moment Lord water me till I come againe there 's need of this beg of the Lord for it and pray to the Lord to give his Spirit for this end for the Spirit of the Lord doth this so hast thou had many sweete promises many times and thou forgettest them cry Lord thy Spirit thy Spirit to bring all these things to my remembrance all the glorious promises O that I might remember them all and that by the holy and blessed Spirit O that day is not farre off that God will come downe with more abundance of this Spirit it will fall upon our hearts O therefore thinke of these things ponder something and goe away with these groanings in your hearts O father give thy Spirit thy Spirit to my poore soule The Lord worke with you I have spent many words but its God that must give you his Spirit looke up for it and if you will helpe all faults heale all divisions cure all distempers in the soule bring the soule to Joy unspeakeable and full of glory get this Spirit it will give such peace to the soule as shall passe all understanding The Lord give more of it to every one of us FINIS The second Sermon ACTS 1.4 Waite for the Promise of the Father THis promise it s no other but the promise of the holy Spirit and our Lord Jesus is pleased to entitle it the Promise of the Father that his Disciples and Children might be as throughly apprehensive of the Fathers willingnes to give forth the Spirit as they were confident of his The last time I shewed you that this promise was a great promise I shall now the Lord assisting goe on and come to the second thing Secondly That the Promise of the Spirit is the great new Testament promise I say the promise of the holy Spirit is the great new Testament promise here are two things to be cleared and proved First That the promise of the Spirit is a new Testament promise Secondly That its the great new Testament promise First That its a new Testament promise my my meaning is not that its a promise proper and peculiar unto the new Testament Times so as that we are to conceive the people of God that lived under the old Testament Administration had not the Spirit we must not so conceive of the thing for the people of God in the time of the old Testament they had the Spirit Holy men of God saith the Apostle Peter spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and therefore they had the holy Spirit with them and if they had it they had it in a way of promise and therefore it s not a promise so peculiar to the new Testament times as that the Saints of the old Testament had not this promise as well as we nay the Saints and people of God under the old Testament they had that very same Covenant in which this glorious promise of the Spirit is held forth and given that we have the new Covenant it runs downe even from Adam as I may say to the end of all things the new Covenant it runs through all the times of the old Testament and its this Covenant the new Covenant that gives forth the Spirit and they had that Covenant running through all that long time they had therefore the Spirit given forth to them But when I say the promise of the Spirit is a new Testament promise we are to understand it thus That its a promise that
doth in a more especiall manner relate to the new Testament Times though it was a promise that had a fulfilling even in old Testament times yet it hath in a more especiall manner a fulfilling to the Saints in new Testament Times the people of God in the times of the old Testament they had the Spirit but they had the Spirit as I may so say in the beginning or in the dropping of it but now the people of God in the new Testament Times they have the powring of it forth looke to the promise of the Spirit in new Testament Times and the promise runs to the powring it forth that is more abundance of it the people of God in the times of the old Testament they had the promise of the Spirit but they had not this promise as their great promise for as I told you the last day they had another promise which was their great promise they had the promise of the Messiah as their great promise but now the people of God under the new Testament Administration they have the promise of the Spirit as their great promise they have not onely the promise of the Spirit but they have it as the greatest promise of all other made to them under that administration Now these things being premised which I thought meete to doe that there might not be a mistake and that none might exclude the people of God of old from the Spirit I shall shew you That the promise of the Spirit is a new Testament promise and this will appeare from two things First All those severall promises that we find in the old Testament of the more full giving forth and powring out of the blessed Spirit did not relate to those times but to the new Testament Times for their fulfilling I shall shew you this in two or three places In Ezek 36 27. among many pretious promises of the new Covenant this is one I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my Judgements and doe them but to what time doth this more especially relate why it doth relate as you may see if you looke into the foregoing verses unto the time when God will gather together his Antients the Jewes out of all Country's vers 24. For I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all Country's and will bring you into your owne land it doth in a more especiall manner looke to the time of the Jewes coming in for the compleate fulfilling and accomplishing of this promise then will it most evidently be seene that the Spirit of God is the guider and leader and teacher of his Children then will the promise of the Spirit in the fulfilling of it be more visible And so likewise in Joel 2.28 29 verses And it shall come to passe afterward that I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall Prophesie your old men shall dreame dreames your young men shall see visions And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those dayes will I powre out my Spirit To what time doth this relate Compare the second of the Acts and you shall there find that Peter tells us now is this word fulfilled in your eares Acts 2.16 17 verses But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall come to passe in the last dayes saith God I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh c The fulfilling of it is under the new Testament Administration and truly though that in the first powering out of the Spirit there was a glorious fulfilling of it in part yet I take it the compleate fulfilling of it and that which is specially aymed at in the Prophet Joel doth relate not to the first but to the last of the new Testament times for Joel speakes of those times when he shall bring againe the Captivity of Jacob and Jerusalem and Joel speakes of a more universall powring out of the Spirit upon Gods sons and daughters than was before so as that at the beginning of the new Testament times there was a fulfilling of that promise in part yet it hath in a more speciall manner a looke to the last times in which the people of God upon the account of this new Testament promise may waite for the promise of the Father and expect more of the blessed Spirit to be given forth to them to be powred out upon them So likewise Zach 12.10 And I will powre upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne c. But when is this why it is if you looke into the 14 Chapter in a time when all nations shall be gathered against Jerusalem and when God will destroy all nations that shall come against Jerusalem and in that day when there shall be great mourning among the Jewes upon their coming in in that day this blessed promise will have a glorious fulfilling all those pretious promises of the powring forth of the Spirit that we read of in the old Testament they looke to the new Testament times Secondly That this is a new Testament promise doth appeare from the words of Christ himself If you look into John 7.38 39. He that beleiveth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living water But this spake he of the Spirit which they that beleive on him should receive for the holy Ghost was not given because that Jesus was not yet glorified Observe the giving forth of the Spirit is made a consequent of Christs glorification of Christs being glorified at the right hand of the Father and therefore the more full giving forth of the Spirit it s a promise to the new Testament times But then Secondly How doth it appeare that this is the great new Testament promise the promise of the Spirit is a new Testament promise Gods people in new Testament times they looke for it but how doth it appeare this is the great promise to be of all other promises the greatest under this dispensation I Answer There are three great promises that we have in the booke of God three promises that may be called the greatest of all first there 's the promise of Christs first coming Secondly There 's the promise of the coming of the Spirit and then Thirdly There 's the promise of Christs second coming These are as I may say the greatest promises that we have in all the booke of God The promise of Christs first coming that was a promise that did belong to the old Testament Administration as I shewed you the last day The glorious promise of Christs second coming that is to have its fulfilling and accomplishment in the time of the new Jerusalem that the people of God doe hope and waite for which coming of Christs personall appearance his
second coming in glory under that Administration shall have its fulfilling But now the promise of the coming of the Spirit that is the promise that we are to expect the fulfilling of under the present Administration that Administration which is betwixt Christs first and second coming not but that there shall be much more as I shall shew anon of the Spirit of God given forth when Jesus Christ shall be personally present with his Children yet notwithstanding the great promise of the Spirit which is spoken so much of in the old Testament and in the new is that which we are to looke up to God for betwixt the time of Christs first and second coming When Jesus Christ was to goe up to heaven and leave his Children and they were to undergoe a very blacke and tempestuous day and Christ saw what the rage of the world was what the Roman power and the Antichristian power and the Kings of the earth would doe therefore that he might not in such a darke day leave them comfortlesse he makes this great promise of the Spirit as if he should have said In all that time O Saints when ever you suffer looke for my Spirit when ever you want comfort looke for my Spirit when you feare that this Antichrist will deceive you looke for my Spirit and so this promise of the Spirit is a promise that runs through all that time in a more especiall manner to the people of God which they doe wait for the fulfilling of Object If the promise of the Spirit be the great new Testament promise how then comes it to passe that the Saints and people of God under the new Testament Administration have so little of the Spirit Ans Why truly there may be something in this as one reason of it namely The way of Gods dispensation which hath been and it is to put death 's upon his promises not onely before the fulfilling time of a promise comes but even when the fulfilling time is come and in the fulfilling time God will put a death upon his promise Though Abraham had a blessed promise made to him by God that he should have seede and God told him that it should be in Bondage foure hundred and thirty yeares and at the end of that time he would wonderfully shew his power bringing them forth with a high hand and give them the land of Canaan but before the fulfilling time came there 's first one death and another upon the promise first Abraham was a hundred yeares old his body dead and yet without any that should be the heire of the promise and Sarah is old and her wombe dead before the fulfilling of the promise and after the heire of the promise was come forth Abraham must goe and offer up his Son why what might Abraham thinke would become of Gods promise Isaac was the Son of the promise and must I goe and offer him up where will Gods promise be Here was a death upon a death upon it and after this Isaac the Son of the promise in whose loines as I may say the promise ran the promised seede was to come forth from him yet Isaac after Abraham had no seede a great while so that before the fulfilling time of the promise came there was deaths upon deaths upon it yet notwithstanding when the Time was come for the fulfilling it when the Lord was now giving forth that that he had promised to Abraham and when he had sent Moses into Egypt to bring Israel out yet then the Lord in the very fulfilling time brings deaths upon it when the Lord had raised up some measure of faith in the people of God expecting deliverance yet the bondage grow's so great that their hearts grow dead as to hope and they thinke they are further off than ever before and afterward when they thought they had nothing to doe but to run to the land of Caâ—aan no but there are great deaths in the way they must goe through a Sea and through a wildernesse and this not all but they must wander forty yeares in the wildernesse and there the whole generation that came out of Egypt dyes what deaths were there upon the promise in the fulfilling time So God made a promise to his people in Jeremiah's time that after 70 yeares Captivitie in Babylon they should come to Jerusalem againe and that should be built but when the fulfilling time was come what deaths were put upon the promise so that for many yeares together the building of Jerusalem and the Temple was hindred I doe urge this notion to this purpose that though the new Testament Administration be the Administration in which the Saints are to waite for the fulfilling of this great promise yet in the fulfilling time there may be very great deaths upon the promise and such as we may see very little of the Spirit given forth and it may be for ages and generations together as in some generations it hath been but little of the Spirit may appeare Secondly Because although the promise of the Spirit is the great new Testament promise that is made to those times yet the fulfilling of this premise may not be alike to all but may be especially made good to some periods of that time The promise of Christ was the great old Testament promise that which Saints all along in the old Testament waited for but that was not fulfilled till the last period of that time so it may be with this Thirdly Another Reason why Saints under the new Testament Administration have so little of the Spirit though this is the great new Testament promise It may be from Saints darknes in the way of the new Testament Saints going out of the way of the new Testament and that Legality that is in and upon the spirits of the Saints As the promise of the Spirit is the great promise of the new Testament that God gives foâ—th in new Testament times so God will give forth his promise in the way of the new Testament if so be therefore the saints be darke as to the way of the new Testament in which God will give forth new Testament mercy's why truly they may be under the new Testament Administration and yet have but very little of the Spirit for even in new Testament times there is as I may say an old Testament spirit upon the Saints they looke upon themselves through their darkness and Ignorance as standing under the old Administration they have thereby the Spirit of the old Covenant and of the old Testament wrought in them and so far as they have an old Testament spirit so far there will not be a giving forth of the Spirit to them in that full measure for God will give forth the Spirit in the way of the new Testament Quest What is the way of the new Testament in which God will give out new Testament Mercy 's Ans To that I answer The way of the new Testament it s this To
receive all from God as I am a poore wretched nothing creature This indeed is the very way of the new Testament in which God doth give forth new Testament mercy's to his Children if a soule come to Christ for Justification the way of the new Testament is to give forth this pretious glorious priviledge to him as he is a poore wretched sinner an unworthy one and so if we come to the Lord for the Spirit in the way of the new Testament why it is to come to God as I am a poore miserable sinner without the Spirit having no hope nor any thing in my selfe that I can ground hope upon why God should give forth the Spirit to me This is the way of the new Testament to come to God for all and to expect all from God as I am a poore sinner why now if Saints be unacquainted with the way of the new Testament they may misse of the mercy 's of the new Testament if Saints come to God for the Spirit and bring somewhat of their owne with them as if a man in coming to God for Justification will bring a righteousnesse of his owne to patch with the righteousnesse of Christ the Lord will not give it forth if you doe not come as a poore sinner that hath nothing in himselfe expecting all from the righteousnes of Christ so if I come to God for the Spirit if I thinke to bring somewhat of my owne to bring some good desires and some good breathings with me and thou saist Lord I am so and so I have such and such breathings therefore give me the Spirit why thou art now out of the way of the new Testament and God will not give forth the Spirit if you would have the Spirit you must say Lord thou knowest I have nothing thou knowest that there is not a good thought nor a good desire in me and I bring nothing with me but am a poore wretched sinner and know not what to doe but I lye be-before thee that thou wouldest give forth thy Spirit to me so that Saints they may in new Testament times enjoy but very little of the Spirit if they are cast into the way of the old Testament Fourthly Another ground and Reason of this point why there is so little of the Spirit given forth and this the great new Testament promise it is because Saints are no more in assembling together Saints are not found as I may say as they should be in the worke of Assembling together there was a twofold giving forth of the Spirit to the Disciples and Apostles of our Lord Christ did give them the Spirit and that Immediatly at his resurrection he gave them the Spirit and breathed the holy Ghost upon them in some measure to beare up their spirits against the sorrows that were to attend them afterward he gave them the Spirit more fully and at both these times the Spirit was given forth unto them when they were assembled together John 20.22 When the Disciples were assembled together Christ came and breathed on them saying Receive ye the holy Ghost so if you looke into the second of the Acts where you have the more full giving forth of the Spirit you shall finde it was when the Saints were assembled together Acts 2. the beginning of the Chapter Here 's the giving forth of the Spirit in a more full measure to them and it was when they were all with one accord in one place when they were met together Christ might have given it to them one by one when they were alone no but our deare Lord chooseth to give forth the Spirit when they were assembled together that teaches us how much he loves the assembly's of the Saints the Saints meetings together that though he could have given them the Spirit to every one in a corner alone yet he will not doe it but he chooses to give it to them when they are assembled together so that if the Saints neglect their meeting together there may be little enjoyment of the Spirit though it be the great promise of the new Testament Administration So much for the second thing Thirdly Why is the promise of the Spirit the great promise under the new Testament why doth God give this as their great promise First One Reason of it may be this Because God in the new Testament Administration would make an advance a step neerer as I may say to heavenly perfection and glory than the former administration was God all along hath been making an advance ever since man fell God hath been making an advance carrying him up step by step now the more of the Spirit is given forth or the more of the Spirit is in any dispensation the greater the advance is for its the Spirit that makes the advance in the hearts of Gods Children now because the Lord under the new Testament Administration would make an advance he would raise the hearts of his Saints nearer to heaven and glory than they were before therefore he gives forth more of the Spirit and he doth hold forth the promise of the Spirit as the great promise and indeed in the Administration that is to come upon this account in that of the new Jerusalem there shall not be lesse but there shall be more of the Spirit for if there should be lesse there could not be an advance there shall be the personall presence of Christ and more of his Spirit too if we did looke upon it onely as an outward thing then it might well be called as some call it a carnall thing but there shall be more of the Spirit of God given forth in that day there shall be an advance in the Saints upon this account Secondly The Lord gives forth the Spirit as the great new Testament promise Because new Testament Saints they are Sons This is the reason the Apostle Paul gives Gal 4.6 Because yee are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit into your hearts crying Abba father the father expects from a Son a growne Son that he should carry himselfe better than a child he doth expect from his Son that he should know how to governe himselfe and to order things better than a servant why now new Testament Saints are Sons and the Lord doth expect under the new Testament that there should be a better carriage that there should be more holines that they should know how to governe themselves in another manner of way than the people of God under the old Testament Now to the end that Saints might be able to governe themselves in another manner of way its needfull they should have more wisdome and grace given forth to them and that they may have it God gives forth more of the Spirit Because ye are Sons therefore he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son therefore he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Thirdly Because God doth expect more worke from new Testament Saints This follow 's upon the
other as yee are Sons there is more worke expected God lookes for more duty and more obedience from the Saints of the new Testament than he did expect from the Saints of the old Testament in the new Testament they have not so much tireing worke they have not so much burdensome worke O but if you looke to the spirituall worke as they come to higher light so God lookes for higher obedience therefore for Moses his ten precepts in the old Testament we have many spirituall precepts in the new the new Testament doth not set us free from holines and obedience but indeed the new Testament calls us to a more strick't holines and a more spirituall obedience ye are called to a higher pitch of holines and obedience under the new Testament and not freed from it the Lord hath set his Saints free from all that that was burdensome and that that was legall obedience under the old Covenant but they are not free from obedience indeed the Saints of the new Testament they are called to a higher pitch of obedience as one that is a son growne the father doth not lay such laws upon him as he doth upon a little Child you must not meddle with this nor doe that nor goe out of the doores nor run in the wet and dirty your selfe c. there are a great many lawes laid upon a child but now when once the son is growne the father lay's no such law's upon him but he doth expect that this growne son should doe him more service than the child there 's not the law 's upon him as was upon the child the son is free but yet notwithstanding here 's more worke call'd for at the hands of the son so it was with the people of God under the old Testament the Apostle tells us they were heires under age and therefore their state was nothing differing from the state of a servant though they were Lord's of all in the appointment of the father and were true heires yet because they were under age they were under such a rigid Governour and Tutor as the old Covenant that held them under the rod of a great many law's but now under the new Testament we are sons and being sons the people of God they should goe out serve God freely with another manner of spirit I doe not say we doe so for truly we are much to short of what we should be the Saints should goe out and worship God with a free spirit we are not set loose from duty 's but we are rather called to do more that in another manner in a free manner with a free spirit as one that is an apprentice he lives in a servile feare of his Master and doth a great deale of worke why now when this man comes to have his freedome doth he doe lesse no he doth more worke but he doth it with a free spirit he doth it with another spirit so it s with the Saints under the old and new Testament they doe more worke under the new Testament but with lesse feare than under the old Testament being delivered out of the hands of their enemies they serve him without feare in holines and righteousnes all their day's Fourthly Another ground and Reason of it may be this God hath greater discovery's of truth for the new Testament times and his people under the new Testament Administration than was for the times of the old Testament under that Administration and therefore the Lord holds forth the promise of the Spirit as the great promise under the old Testament the Lord brought forth truth by little and little precept upon precept and line upon line and here a little and there a little God brought forth truth after divers and sundry manners sometimes by way of vision dreames and voice and the like many way 's of Revelation But now under the new Testament God speakes out all his word he hath spoken in these last times by his Son he speakes forth all his mind to us at once now the more truth is spoken out the more need we have of the Spirit to enable us to understand this Truth for it s by the Spirit we are given to understand the truth 's of God as they are held forth in their beauty glory and fulnes and therefore because Christ under the new Testament Administration was to speake out all of truth the whole of truth that the Saints and people of God might be able to apprehend the blessed truths of the new Covenant as they are held forth to them therefore it is necessary that they should have more of the holy Spirit given forth to them under the new Testament Administration Fifthly Because the Saints under the new Testament are to conflict with greater Tryalls and more sore Temptations than Saints of the old and therefore the Lord gives forth mere of the Spirit Though the people of God under the old Testament met with sore Tryalls yet they were not comparable to the sufferings of the Saints under the new Testament the rage of the Heathen and Antichristian powers was greater than ever the world knew before now to beare up the people of God under this sad-black-long day that they were to goe through in suffering they had need of the Spirit therefore God gives forth the Spirit he doth promise that as the great new Testament promise Vse 1. If it be so That the promise of the Spirit is the great new Testament promise Then hence we see what that thing is that all of us should have our eyes and our hearts and our thoughts fixed upon and taken up with O that every soule would be looking for it crying for it Lord give me thy Spirit what ever the soule wants it may goe to God and say Lord give me thy Spirit This is the great promise in which all other promises are lockt up the promise of conviction the promise of strength and life all are rapt up in this why now we should goe to God in a more speciall manner for the performance of this promise Vse 2. O then what spiritualnes is there required of the Saints of the new Testament If in the old Testament Time when the promise of the Spirit was not given forth as the great promise if then spiritualnes was required O how much more is it required of the Saints and people of God under the new Testament if under the Administration of the letter there was required spiritualnes then how much more is it required under that Administration which is the Administration of the Spirit if the Administration of the letter be spirituall and saith to all the Children of God live spiritually under me First Saints now you are under the Administration of the Spirit It doth bespeake us to be spirituall to have spirituall hearts to be spirituall in all our duty 's in all our addresses to God Truly it s not so much the length of our duty 's the multitude of our
duty 's that God lookes at but that that God lookes at is the spiritualnes of the duty what shall I find of my spirit in that duty what shall I find of my spirit in that prayer what shall I find of my spirit in that word spoken what shall I find of my spirit in that soule God lookes at the spiritualnes of the duty and performance men may pray houres together and twenty times a day and yet not all this so acceptable to God as a poore broken expression and groane of another poore soule may be and truly you shall find God will not Judge as they doe if there be much of the Spirit if it be in poore broken expressions it s more acceptable unto God than a multitude of words and there be not much of the Spirit Conscience will not let men alone but they must pray but doe you looke if you have the Spirit in a duty for this God lookes at there are many that like to the rich men that cast into the treasury they are able to offer up abundance as to the bulke the outward part the outside of a duty and the abundance of their parts and gifts O but many a poore gratious soule that hath not those parts and gifts and abilities and cannot speake twenty words together so handsomely as some it may be can speake houres together yet this mans prayer may be more pretious in the account of God than all that the other doth many a soule can cast in much yet its little with God and many a soule cast's in little as to the outward appearance yet it s much with God as all the gifts of the rich men were little with Christ yet the two mites of the widdow it was much with him O that we might not looke so much unto the outward building as to what there is of the Spirit of God How spirituall was that holy man Paul in prayer what spirituall Petitions what spirituall groanes did he offer up he could never know when he had enough he must have all he must be filled with all the fulnes of God he must comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth and length and breadth and must know the love of God which passeth knowledge all his prayers run in such a high way as one that never could know when he had enough then we are acceptable when all that we doe is fill'd with the Spirit Secondly As its good to have our prayers so fill'd with the breath of the Spirit so in our discourses we should be more spirituall the discourses of good people they are too empty there 's too little of the Spirit in them there are young Christians many men and women can tell when the Lord first wrought upon their hearts they could not endure to come into that company that would not discourse of that which was good and they cared not to heare of any thing but God and Christ and heavenly things but now they have been a great while in the Schoole of Christ they can goe a great while together and have no conference of spirituall and heavenly things I remember thy kindness saith God in the dayes of thy youth youthfull times were loving times then their hearts were warmed and then they were full of good speeches and discourses but now Saints can go up down meet one another and speak of nothing but about their trade c. We are lesse spirituall in our discourses whereas we should be more The two Disciples were in good discourse and as they were so Imployed Christ came to them by the way and made their hearts to burne within them so it is with Saints now when Christ comes and meetes his Children in spirituall discourses he warmes their hearts in a spirituall way yea Christ himselfe left us a patterne of this for it is said of him that after his resurrection he continued forty dayes speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdome of God the verse before the Text This was the discourse of Christ about the things of the kingdome about things appertaining to the kingdome of God and if we were risen with Christ we should delight to speake of the things of the kingdome of God but it s too little in our hearts Thirdly We should be more spirituall in all our Meditations It is reported of that holy Martyr of Christ Mr John Bradford that he was so spirituall and heavenly in his Meditations that ordinarily as he was at meate the Teares would Trickle off his cheekes upon the Table so if we would be spirituall in our thoughts and duty 's we must be spirituall in our Meditations a man that hath not spirituall Meditations will not be spirituall in any thing else for Meditation it feeds the soule with strength and life and the more spirituall a soule is in Meditation the more spirituall will it be in other things Fourthly We should be more spirituall in all our Conversation How spirituall was Pauls conversation Our Conversation is in heaven how few are there of us whose conversations are like his Take most men in the world and their conversation is in hell or the world one of the two either they are prophane and so their conversation is in hell or they are onely Civill or if more yet they are Covetous worldly carnall c. and so their conversation is in the world few there are that have heaven written upon their conversation heaven written upoÌ„ their thoughts words and actions c. Vse 4. If the promise of the Spirit be the great promise of the new Testament Let every soule take heed of under-vaâ—uing the blessed Spirit of God If it be the great promise of the Gospel it s a great sin to under-value him as in the old Testament those that would not believe the great promise of the Messiah were to be accursed as Pagans and Heathens so in the new Testament he that shall speake slightly of this great and glorious Promise of the Spirit is not a Christian but a Pagan a Heathen if he can speake slightly of the great promise of the new Testament he doth under-value it take heed of under-valuing this great promise of the Spirit men doe undervalue the Spirit divers way's First When indeed they have but a low Esteeme of the Spirit of God When a man hath a low esteeme of a thing that is of great worth then he under-values that thing so when a man hath a low esteeme of the Spirit of God he under-values the Spirit of God Secondly Men under-value the Spirit of God when they doe not cry unto God for his Spirit when a thing of wonderfull worth and excellency may be had for asking for and men will not aske for it it s an under-valuing of it saith Christ My father will give the holy Spirit to them that aske him Luk. 11.13 If your earthly fathers know how to give good things to their children that aske them
how much more shall your heavenly father give his Spirit to them that aske him Thirdly Men under-value the Spirit when they would set-up any thing equall with or above the Spirit when then cry up learning parts gifts or any other thing more than the Spirit this is an undervaluing of the Spirit though these things be good in their place and the best parts of pure nature yet they are not the Spirit and if we goe to set up any of these things with the Spirit we doe exceedingly under-value the Spirit of God The reason why the Lord is casting contempt upon learning and parts in our day's it s because men set them up equall with the Spirit looking upon these things as fitting them for the worke of God and not looking for the Spirit Fourthly Men under-value the holy Spirit of God when they dispise the little ones of Christ in whem the Spirit of the Father dwells When I love one Saint that hath the Spirit because of his greatnes he goes in silke and sattin and is honorable and therefore I love him and dispise another Saint that hath the Spirit because of his meannesse he goes in his leather-coate there 's little love to such a one now when Saints dispise meane ones in whom the Spirit of the father dwells there 's an under-valuing of the Spirit If any dispise one of these little ones it were better for a milstone to be hanged about his necke and that he were cast into the midst of the Sea why because there 's a dispising of the Spirit of the father that dwells in them every poore little and contemptible one of Christ's though never so poore in the world we must love them for if I desire to prize a Saint because of the Spirit in him then I shall prize the meanest Saint as well as the greatest Fifthly Men under-value the Spirit when they stop their eares against the Motions and Instructions of it if a man instruct me advise me or counsell me for my good I will not hearken to him but slight what he saith I undervalue the man in undervaluing his Counsell so we undervalue the spirit when we slight and will not hearken to the motions and dictates of the Spirit Sixthly Men undervalue the Spirit when they speak slightly and contemptuously of it when they jeare at the people of God saying You have the Spirit forsooth aye such a one prayes speaks by the Spirit c. Men know not what they say when they speak thus such slight words of the Spirit argues an undervaluing thereof If you did know the worth of the Spirit you would not speak thus Lastly Men undervalue the Spirit when in a a down-right way they persecute the Spirit when they hate a Saint and persecute a Saint for no other reason in the world that they can give but because he is a Saint and hath the Spirit in him O take heed of undervaluing the Spirit Last Vse Is the Promise of the Spirit the great Gospel Promise Then hence let us learne the duty in the Text to waite upon God for the Spirit Promises are to be waited for this is the great Gospel Promise this Promise of the Spirit here is not so much the Promise of the having of the Spirit for that many old Testament Saints had and the Disciples had before this time that Christ bids them waite for the Promise as the having more of it When ever you come to an Ordinance when you come to the Assemblies of the Saints say O Lord now give downe thy Spirit why may not thy Spirit be given downe to me now Thou did'st give downe thy Spirit formerly when the Saints were met together So waite in every duty for the Spirit to come downe be alwayes waiting for this Promise of the Spirit it 's an every-day Promise for though it be fullfilled in part yet there is more and more of it still to be given forth and will be every day till we come to heaven so as that there is no time in which we can say this Promise is so fullfilled to us as that we need no more to waite for the fullfilling of it There are some Promises have the time of their fullfilling and then the duty of waiting ceaseth but this Promise is every day fullfilling and this Promise will never be so fulfilled while we abide in this house of clay till we come to Heaven but there will be room left for waiting Which considered will answer that Objection which kills our hearts in waiting O I have waited so long and yet have not the Spirit Poore soule It may be thou hast not that measure of the Spirit thou lookest at thou wouldest have so much of the Spirit as to have no room left for waiting for any more but this Promise of the Spirit is not such a Promise it is a Promise as is fullfilled by degrees and will not be compleatly fullfilled till thou comest to heaven Thou mayest therefore have more of the Spirit than thou had'st before and thy desires after it and complaints more then formerly for the want of it argue thou hast it but thou hast not so much of it as thou would'st have and therefore thou complainest O soule blesse God for what thou hast and waite for more and in Gods time the Promise of the Father shall be fullfilled to thee according to thy desire We should be every day begging for the Spirit Lord give me more of thy Spirit Waite upon God for the Spirit that we may have more of the Spirit of God that we may be taught more by the Spirit instructed more by the Spirit assured more by the Spirit led more by the Spirit and sealed more by the Spirit and the Lord grant our soules may be filled with this Spirit and that Jesus Christ by his Spirit may dwell in us and take possession of us from henceforth even for ever FINIS The Evill of the Times MALACHI 3.16 17. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a booke of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewells and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne Sonne that serveth him THis Prophet as he was the last Prophet of the Old Testament so he lived in a time of great Apostacy after their returne from Babylon after the second Temple was built wherein men were growne cunning in Apostacy the Lord by his Prophet no sooner charges them with any thing but they justifie themselves saying Wherein have we done thus and wherein have we done thus as you may see in the 7 8 and 13 verses They were so cunning in their Apostacy that the Prophet could not charge them with any thing but they would shift it off and put him upon the Proof Then they that
doe so against the superstitions of the Age before us Saints in all Ages have looked upon it as their duty to bear witnesse against the sin and evill of the Age. Hence Christians are called Witnesses a man that keeps all in his breast is no witnesse but he is a Witnesse that gives forth a Testimony to others And truly I speak this because we may be holy and humble and wise in doing this our duty in bearing witnesse and testimony against the sins of the times O my thinks when a Saint in cold blood shall sit downe and consider that he sees God and his name and his cause and interest blasphemed and trod under foot and abused and dishonoured and shall not stand up for God nor appear for God not have a word to speak for God how will this grieve him and trouble him And may such a one not question his love to Christ It 's to be feared we have but little love to Christ and his cause his name and interest when we cannot speak and appear for him for men to have such a Principle as this I may stand by and look on and see God and his name cause and interest trodden under foot and yet not speak a word but hold my peace and say nothing and another may stand and look on but say nothing no man must speak a word truly this is such a piece of Doctrine that I never heard of and that hath read such Lectures already as I think were never yet read when they themselves that doe such things cannot but know and see and they that look on it's so plaine that they that run may read that there is an Apostacy and yet notwithstanding none must speak of these things and bear testimony against it truly it 's such a Principle and such a piece of Doctrine as never was practiced by the Saints in former times And if the Saints and people of God in former and later times had practiced such a Doctrine and Principle as this is they would never have lost their lives as they did there would not have died so many Saints as there did there would never have been such a large Book of Martyrs as there is we should never have had so many living Testimonies of dying Saints as we have if such a Doctrine and Principle as this had been practiced If any say these men are good men though they have many and great failings Why if it be so this cannot excuse the matter Is a sin the lesse evill because a good man commits it And you cannot but acknowledge that if King Charls or the former Powers had don some things these men have done you would not have put such favourable constructions upon them and why should you think any thing the better of an evill because you think good men commit it It 's not the badnesse of any person that can make a good cause bad nor the goodnesse of the person that can make a bad cause good for though we and all the people of God have many weaknesses and infirmâ—ties yet that cannot make his good cause bad the poor people of God it hath been often upon my spirit that they should be allowed their infirmities in all times and ages they have been allowed their infirmities and truly the allowance now should be larger and greater then ever it was in former times and that upon the account of reason because they and their enemies have been brethren friends together and I speak this to this end that we may not goe and condemne all as I know this is the noise abroad I am perswaded when we come to stand before the Lord Jesus our Judge Christ will make another manner of judgement than now is made and passe another manner of Sentence then now is past upon the Saints by men And I am perswaded if so be that good men would but study things they would see more into them than they doe I mean things by which God is dishonoured and his name blasphemed and they see it not and know it not And they could not in such a day as this but venture hard for God This I am perswaded is the truth of God and many soules that doe not see it God will make them one day ashamed of it that they have not had hearts for God and tongues for God and mouths for God in such a day as this is wherein his cause hath called for it Thirdly Another duty that lyes upon the Saints in such a day as this is is That they endeavour their utmost the reformation of such a thing Ezra did so he endeavoured to bring the Congregation upon their knees and to a reformation of the sin of that Age of taking strange wives he caused the Congregation to enter into a Covenant to put them away Ezra 10. But the third Generall Head is this That the Saints should be often speaking one to another of the precious great and glorious Promises that God hath made of better times to come And we find the Prophets are full of these speakings telling us of glorious times wherein we shall come to enjoy that which will make up all our sufferings afflictions and persecutions God bears up the hearts of his people this way by promising and discovering of better times to come When the Children of Israel were in Aegypt God told them of a better time promises them the Land of Canaan so when his people were in Babylon he made them a Promise of a better time to come he told them then in the time of their Captivity to comfort and chear their hearts that the time was coming wherein all the Kingdomes of the earth and the power and greatnesse of the Kingdome shall be given to the Saints of the most high and with this Christ bears up the hearts of his Disciples I appoint unto you a Kingdome saith he and truly this will sweeten the bitternesse of an evill time this will make up suffering times this will make amends for all the Kingdome that Jesus Christ will give unto those that abide with him in an evill time as the Saints have had a day of Patience so they shall have a day of Power as they have had a day of sorrow so they shall have a day of joy they shall have a day of Peace and Comfort they shall have full peace and full joy yea they shall have joy and peace running over an overflowing of joy and peace they shall have a day of power and rejoycing and therefore saith the Apostle Paul speaking about suffering Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us O the thoughts of that time of glory and power swallowes up all the thoughts of this time of suffering and of evill I reckon and account that the sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared unto the glory which shall be
revealed which we shall enjoy and be made pertakers of with this Paul comforts Timothy If we suffer with him we shall also raigne with him And whatever the poor blind world thinks suffering Saints shall be glorified Saints they that suffer with Christ shall be glorified with Christ the great thing that Paul presents to the thoughts of the Saints in suffering times to comfort them and refresh and bear up their hearts is that they shall have a Kingdome they shall come into the Kingdome of God and raigne with him there There 's a most excellent place for this purpose Revel 5.9 10 13 verses And they sung a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and Nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on earth And every Creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Now look into the next Chapter vers 9 10 11. And when he had opened the fifth Seale I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they held and they cryed with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord Holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth And white Robes were given unto every one of them We see white Robes in one place under the Altar crying How long How long O Lord wilt thou not avenge our blood on them that dwelt upon the earth And in another place we see them in their Kingdome sing Praises and Hallelujah's to God and the Lamb there they are in their glory and in their triumph O let us look to our white Robes to keep our white Robes about us for white Robes shall not alwayes lye under the Altar O this we should be often arguing of and speaking one to another of O the sweet and the great and the glorious precious Promises that God hath made of better times to come Let us make it our care I say to keep our white Robes about us that in all our bearing testimony and appearing for God against the sins of the Times we may keep our white Robes And then we shall conquer and overcome all our enemies for that noble Spirit hath overcome come and conquered all along though it hath been in the fewest never so weak despised a company yet that noble Spirit hath conquered all along though it hath been never so low and never so contemptible yet it hath carried it from the great and mighty and high ones of the world O let us speak often one to another of these things and this will quicken us and keep a lively and active spirit in us and among us and therefore see what notice the Lord takes of it The Lord hearkned and heard O God did hearken and listen to hear what his Children did say for him and to him at such a time as this was wherein there was such great and high Apostacies and backslidings It is as when a man hears many speaking against him and his Child stands and looks on and heares them the father will listen and hearken to hear what his Child saith and what his Child will speak for him he will take speciall notice what his Child saith and how he appears and stands up for him Why so doth the Lord when he sees a company fall from him and tread his name under foot then he will take speciall notice of them that speak and appear for him and not onely so but A Booke of Remembrance is written before him Like unto a man that keeps a Note-book about him to write down things that so he may not forget them so doth the Lord to speak after the manner of men the Lord hath a Note-book and he writes downe what they doe that fear him that fear his name and speak and plead for him he writes it downe O saith he there 's such a one he speaks for me and he appears and pleads for me against the sins of the times O writt it downe presently saith God I will not have that forgot I will not loose that note when others revolt and turne their backs upon me and when others look upon my name and see it trodden under foot and blasphemed they will not speak for me nor appear for me but these doe O write it downe I will not forget that For them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name O it 's good to fear the Lord to be of a fearfull spirit lest we should fall and lest we should turne aside with the croud and with the workers of iniquity to fear least we should backslide and Apostatize and see Gods name dishonoured and not appear for him to speak a word for him it 's good to be fearfull lest we should be drawne and carried away with the stream Let us pray often for one another lest we should be led and drawne away But these feare the Lord and thought upon his name though they could not speak for God nor it may be declare for God as others did yet they thought upon his name they thought how is the name of God dishonoured How is it spoken against and blasphemed by this Apostacy How doth the name of God suffer And thus they thought upon his name But now these men to whom the Prophet spake they forget God and yet they say Wherein have we forgotten God and wherein have we done thus and thus Well saith God there 's a company of poor soules that fear me and think upon my name write it downe write downe every thought that they have of me and of my name how that suffers and how that is dishonoured truly if we can doe nothing else let us think of the name of God at this day how that suffers and how that is trodden under foot God took this exceeding well from them and certainly God will take it well at our hands too And saith God They shall be mine in that day when I make up my Jewells Thou shalt be mine saith God and what would'st thou have God say to thee more than this Thou shalt be mine in that day when I make up my Jewels thou art mine now but then at that day it shal appear that thou art mine It doth not yet appear as John saith what we shall be but when he shall appear we shall be like him Poor soule what wouldst thou have God say to thee more then this Thou shalt be mine God's thou shalt be mine is more worth then all the world If we could be but faithfull to God he would gather
the Lord of Hosts Sin shall be ashamed to appear When the Apostles Preached such a light there was of Gods glory that some sins were ashamed to appear in day time as Drunkennesse 1 Thess 5.7 They that be drunken are drunken in the night 2 He will so discover the glory of his owne greatnesse and Majesty that all other dignities shall be in a manner nothing As though you set up ten thousand Candles yet when the Sun ariseth the light of them all is nothing The Suns of the world shall have their light put out by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse 3 He will so discover the glory of his owne power as shall destroy the Idoll-strength his Arm shall appear to be all in all Men shall visibly see that not Creatures strength but Gods Arme is al See how they shall sing then Isa 12.1 2. And in that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wastâ—angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jebovah is my strength and my Song he also is become my Salvation God is my salvation Now men cry such a valiant man such valiant men have saved us but then the Song will be God alone is our Salvation 4 He will so discover his wisedome as shall wholly destroy Idoll Pollicy Men shall see Gods wisedome so visibly in discovering Plots c. as that they shall see all wisedome of man to be folly 5 He will so powre out of his Spirit as shall utterly abolish parts learning and all those things as they are an Idoll He will powre out of his Spirit upon the Sons and daughters of Sion that they shall thereby be more filled with truth and more able to utter the great things of God than all the Schollars of the world 2 By shaking all Idolls Vers 21. When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth He will terribly shake whatsoever hath been or is an Idoll whether honour or strength or parts or grace And how hath God been shaking all these amongst us How hath he shaken the honour of the world pluckt off Crownes from the heads of Princes and throwne Nobles out of their seats How hath he been shaking strength broken in a wonderfull way Armies by Land Navies by Sea How hath he shaken mens parts and wisedome brought wise men and learned men who made an Idoll of their learning and wisedome to so low an ebb in respect of esteem as they never were and just it is and they shall yet be brought lower till they learne to give God the glory Yea how hath he shaken grace and how many men of grace are fallen that we might learne indeed to cease from man whose breath is in his Nostrills Vse 〈◊〉 Is it so that God will abolish all â—dolls Then learne this That a day will be how much soever men now cry up their Idolls that they shall be ashamed to owne them Isa 1.29 For they shall be ashamed of the Oakes which yee have desired and ye shall be confounded for the gardens yee have chosen Men shall be in this day ashamed to cry up worldly greatnesse strength pollicy parts as now they doe They may have a love in their hearts to these things as Idolls still but shall be ashamed to owne them in the way they now doe Read vers 20. In that day a man shall cast his Idolls of silver and his Idolls of gold which they made each one for himselfe to worship to the Moles and to the Batts 2 Is it so Then let us take heed we doe not in this day set up Idolls To set up Idolls in this day God is pulling them downe makes the offence double We have seen the Lord powring contempt upon many Idolls already and he is now punishing us with the Idolls we have set up let us not goe about to set up more O let us take heed of spirituall Idolls the great Promise of the New Covenant is Cleansing from Idolls Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and yee shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your Idells will I cleanse you Plead it with God 3 Is it so Then learne this There shall be a day in which Saints shall have hearts to exalt God onely The wretched Idoll selfe shall be utterly abolished This is a good day 4 Is it so Then Saints seeing such a day shall come Let us labour for a spirit sit for this day when it comes Two things will work such a spirit in us 1 A Mortified heart to a mans owne things being dead to our honour wisedome parts c. 2 An enlivened heart to the things of God and his glory And O! that this Spirit were in us that the glory of our father could be more to us then all the world See those blessed ones Revel 5. they cry out with a loud voyce Worthy is the Lamb that was staine to receive power and riches and wisedome and strength and honour and glory and blessing We too often cry out our owne worthinesse with a loud voyce but they the Lambs power is the Lambs glory honour wisedome and blessing is the Lambs FINIS A TABLE OF The Chief Heads of the preceding SERMONS I. The Fifth Kingdome or Kingdome of Christ founded on the New Convenant In one Sermon on Jerem. 33.20 21. Preached at Ham. THE Text opened Page 1 2 Qu What that Covenant is that was made with David Answered Page 3 Doct That the Kingdome or visible Kingdome of Christ is founded on the New Covenant proved 1 From the first striking up of the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son Page 4 5 6 Qu What are we to understand by Gods dividing to Christ a Portion with the great and the Spoyle with the strong Page 7 8 9 10 2 From the Promulgation of the Covenant Page 11 Who are the Seed of the Woman and what it is to break the head of the Serpent Page 11 12 3 From the Renovation of the Covneant Page 15 It was renewed with Abrâ—ham Page 16 What it is for Christ to possesse the Gate of his Enemies Page 17 It was renewed with David Page 21 Qu How doth it appear that this is the new Covenant Page 22 4 From the work it selfe where the work doth begin to rise in the world c. Page 25 Vse 1. Let men or Satan doe what they can for the crushing and keeping down such a thing yet a day there is when it will come forth and that in the spight of all the power of men and hell Page 29 2 The unworthinesse of the Saints it cannot it shall not hinder or deprive them of this mercy Page 30 3 It ought not to be strange to us if we should see a death upon this work when it seems to he coming forth Page 36 4 We should waite upon God patiently for the bringing of it forth