You know the Apostles prohibition notwithstanding 1 Thess. 5. quench not the Spirit These cautions of not quenching are sanctified by the Spirit as meanes of not quenching CHRIST performeth his office in not quenching by stirring up sutable endeavours in us and none more sollicitous in the use of the meanes than those that are most certaine of the good successe the ground is this the meanes that GOD hath set apart for the effecting of any thing fall under the same purpose that he hath to bring that thing to passe and this is a principle taken for granted even in civill matters as who if he knew before it would bee a fruitfull yeare would therefore hang up his plough and neglect tillage Hence the Apostle stirres up from the certain expectation of a blessing and this incouragement here from the good issue of finall victory is intended to stirre us up and not to take us off if we bee negligent in the exercise of grace received and use of meanes prescribed suffering our spirits to bee oppressed with multitudes and variety of cares of this life and take not heed of the damps of the times for such miscariage GOD in his wise care suffereth us oft to fall into a worse condition for feeling than those that were never so much inlightned Yet in mercy hee will not suffer us to be so farre enemies to our selves as wholly to neglect these sparkes once kindled were it possible that wee should be given up to give over all endeavour wholy then wee could looke for no other issue but quenching But CHRIST will tend this sparke and cherish this small seed so as hee will preserve in the soule alwayes some degree of care If we would make a comfortable use of this we must consider all those meanes whereby CHRIST doth preserve grace begun as first holy communion whereby one Christian heateth another Two are better than one c. Did not our hearts burne said the Disciples Secondly Much more communion with GOD in holy duties as Meditation and Prayer which doth not onely kindle but addeth a lustre to the soule Thirdly wee feele by experience the breath of the spirit to goe along with the ministeriall breath whereupon the Apostle knits these two together Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesies Nathan by a few words blew up the decaying sparkes in David Rather than God will suffer his fire in us to dye hee will send some Nathan or other and some thing alwayes is left in us to joyne with the word as connaturall to it as a coale that hath fire in it will quickly catch more to it smoaking flaxe will easily take fire Fourthly grace is strengthned by the exercise of it Vp and be doing and the Lord bee with thee saith David to his son Salomon Stirre up the grace that is in thee for so holy motions turne to resolutions resolutions to practice and practice to a prepared readinesse to every good worke Yet let us know that grace is increased in the exercise of it not by vertue of the exercise it selfe but as CHRIST by his Spirit floweth into the soule and bringeth us nearer unto himselfe the fountaine and in◅illeth such comfort in the act whereby the heart is further inlarged The heart of a Christian is Christs Garden and his Graces are as so many sweet spices and flowers which his Spirit blowing upon maketh them to send forth a sweet savour therefore keepe the soule open for entertainment of the Holy Ghost for he will bring in continually fresh forces to subdue corruption and this most of all on the Lords day Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day even in Pathmos the place of his banishment then the gales of the Spirit blow more strongly and sweetly As we looke therefore for the comfort of this doctrine let us not favour our naturall sloth but exercise our selves to god linesse and labour to keep this fire alwayes burning upon the Altar of our hearts and dresse our Lamps daily and put in fresh oyle and winde up our soules higher and higher still resting in a good condition is contrary to grace which cannot but promote it selfe to a further measure Let none turne this grace into wantonnesse Infirmities are a ground of humility not a plea for negligence not an incouragement to presumption We should bee so farre from being ill because CHRIST is good as that those coales of love should melt us therefore those may well suspect themselves in whom the consideratiō of this mildnesse of CHRIST doth not work that way Surely where grace is corruption is as Smoake to their eies and vineger to their teeth And therefore they will labour in regard of their owne comfort as likewise for the credit of Religion and the glory of GOD that their light may break forth If a sparke of faith or love bee so precious what an honour will it be to be rich in faith Who would not rather wa◅e in the light and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost than to live in a darke perplexed estate and not rather bee caried with full saile to heaven than bee tossed alwayes with feares and doubts The present trouble in conflict against a sinne is not so much as that disquiet which any corruption favoured will bring upon us afterwards True peace is in conquering not in yeelding The comfort in this Text intended is for those that would faine doe better but sinde their corruptiōs clog them that are in such a mist that oft times they cannot tell what to thinke of themselves that faine would beleeve and yet oft feare they doe not beleeve and thinke that it cannot bee that GOD should be so good to such sinfull wretches as they are and yet they allow not themselves in these feares and doubts And among others How doe they wrong themselves and him that will have other Mediators to GOD for them than he are any more pitifull than he who became man to that end that hee might be pitifull to his owne flesh let all at all times repaire to this meek Saviour and put up al our suits in his prevailing name What need wee knock at any other doore can any bee more tender over us than CHRIST What incouragement have we to commend the state of the Church in generall or of any broken hearted Christian unto him by our prayers Of whom we may speake unto CHRIST as they of Lazarus Lord the Church which thou lovest and gavest thy selfe for is in distresse Lord this poore Christian for whom thou wert bruised is bruised and brought very low It cannot but touch his bowells when the misery of his owne deare bowells is spred before him Againe considering this gracious nature in CHRIST let us thinke with our selves thus when he is so kinde unto us shall we be cruell against him in his name in his truth in his children how shall those that delight to be so terrible
Christs love and tender care over those that are humbled and besides the mercy that resteth in his owne brest hee workes the l◅ke impression in his Ministers and others to comfort the feeble minded and to beare with the weake Ministers by their calling are friends of the Bride and to bring Christ and his Spouse together and therefore ought upon all good occasions to lay open al the excellencies of Christ and amongst others as that hee is highly borne mighty one in whom all the treasures of wisedome are hid c so likewise gentle and of a good nature and of a gracious d◅sposition It cannot but cheere the heart of the spouse to consider in all her infirmities and miseries she is subject unto that shee hath a husband of a k◅nd disposition that knowes how to give the honour of milde usage to the weaker vessell That will be so farre frō rejecting her because she is weake that he will pity her the more And as hee is kinde at all times so especially when it is most seasonable he will speake to her heart especially in the wildernesse The more glory to God and the more comfort to a Christian soule ariseth from the beliefe and application of these things the more the enemy of Gods glory mans comfort labours to breed misperswasions of them that if hee cannot keepe men from heaven and bring them into that cursed condition he is in himselfe yet he may trouble them in their passage Some and none of the worst Sathan prevailes withall so farre as to neglect the meanes upon feare they should being so sinfull dishonour God and increase their sins so they lie smothering under this temptation as it were bound hand and foote by Sathan not daring to make out to Christ and yet are secretly upheld by a spirit of faith shewing it selfe in hidden sighes and groanes unto God These are abused by false representations of Christ all whose waies to such being wayes of mercy and all his thoughts thoughts of love The more Sathan is malicious in keeping the soule in darknesse the more care is to be had of establishing the soule upon that which will stay it Amongst other grounds to build our faith on as the free offer of grace to all that will receive it the gracious invitation of all that are weary and heauy lad◅n those that have nothing to buy withall The command binding to beleeve the danger of not beleeving being shut up prisoners thereby under the guilt of all other sinnes the sweet intreatie to beleeve and ordayning Embassadours to desire peace putting tender affections into them answerable to their calling ordaining Sacraments for the sealing of the covenant Besides these I say and such moving inducements this is one infusing vigor and strength into all the rest that they proceed from Christ a person authorized and from those bowels that moved him not only to become a mā but a curse for us hence it is that hee will not quench the smoaking wick or flax It addes strength to faith to consider that al expressions of love issue frō nature in Christ which is constant God knowes that as wee are prone to sinne so when conscience is throughly awaked wee are as prone to despaire for sinne and therefore hee would have us know that hee setteth himselfe in the Covenant of grace to triumph in CHRIST over the greatest evills and enemies we feare and that his thoughts are not as our thoughts are that he is God and not man that there is heights and depths and breadths of mercy in him above all the depths of our sin and misery that wee should never bee in such a forlorne condition wherein there should be ground of despaire considering our sinnes bee the sins of men his mercy the mercy of an infinite GOD. But though it be a truth cleerer then the Sunne beames that a broken hearted sinner ought to embrace mercy so strongly enforced yet there is no truth that the heart shutteth it selfe more against then this especially in sense of misery when the soule is fittest for mercy untill the Holy spirit sprinkleth the conscience with the blood of Christ and sheddeth his love into the heart that so the blood of Christ in the conscience may cry lowder then the guilt of sinne for onely Gods Spirit can raise the conscience with comfort above guilt because he is only greater then the conscience Men may speake comfort but it is Christs Spirit that can onely comfort Peace is the fruit of the lips but yet created to bee so No creature can take off wrath from the conscience but he that set it on though all the prevailing arguments be used that can bee brought forth till the Holy Ghost effectually perswadeth by a divine kinde of rhetoricke which ought to raise up our hearts to him who is the comforter of his people that he would seale thē to our soules Now God dealing with mē as understanding creatures the manner which he useth in this powerfull worke upon their consciences is by way of friendly entercourse as intreaty and perswasion and discovery of his love in Christ and Christs gracious inclination thus even to the weakest and lowest of men And therefore because hee is pleased by such like motives to enter into the heart and settle a peace there we ought with reverence to regard all such sanctified helpes and among the rest this of making use of this comfortable description of Christ by God the Father in going boldly in all necessities to the throne of grace But wee must know this comfort is onely the portion of those that give up themselves to Christs government that are willing in all things to be disposed of by him For here we see in this Scripture both joyned together mercy to bruised reedes and yet government prevailing by degrees over corruptions Christ so favoureth weake ones as that he frameth their soules to a better condition then they are in Neither can it be otherwise but that a soule looking for mercy should submit it selfe at the same time to be guided Those relations of husband head shepheard c. imply not onely meeknesse and mercy but government likewise When we become Christ ans to purpose we live not exempt from all service but onely wee change our Lord. Therefore if any in an ill course of life snatch comforts before they are reached out unto them let them know they doe it at their owne perills It is as if some ignorant man should come into an Apothecaries shop stored with varietie of medicines of all sorts shold take what comes next to hād poyson perhaps in stead of Physicke There is no word of comfort in the whole booke of God intended for such as regard iniquity in their hearts though they doe not act it in their lives Their onely comfort is that the sentence of damnation is not executed and thereupon there is yet opportunity of safer thoughts
no helpe in himselfe is carried with restlesse desire to have supplie from another with some hope which a little raiseth him out of himselfe to Christ though hee dareth not claime any present interest of mercy This sparke of hope being opposed by doubtings and feares rising from Corruption maketh him as smoaking flax so that both these together A bruised reed and smoaking flax make up the state of a poore distressed man such an one our Saviour Christ termeth Poore in spirit Math. 5. who seeth a want withall seeth himselfe indebted to divine Iustice no meanes of ◅uppie frō himselfe or the Creature and thereupon mournes and upon some hope of mercy from the promise exāples of those that have obtained mercy is stirred up to hunger thirst after it This bruising is required before conuersion that so the spirit may make way for it selfe into the heart by levelling all proud high thoughts and that wee may understand our selves to be what indeed we are by nature we love to wander from our selves and to be strangers at home till GOD bruiseth us by one Crosse or other and then wee bethinke our selves and come home to our selves with the Prodigall A marvellous hard thing it is to bring a dull and a shifting heart to cry with feeling for mercy Our hearts like malefactors untill they be beaten from all shifts never cry for the mercy of the Iudge Againe this bruising maketh us set a high price upon CHRIST the Gospell is the Gospell indeed then then the fig-leaves of morality will doe us no good and it maketh us more thankefull and from thankefulnesse more fruitfull in our lives For what maketh many so cold and barren but that bruising for sinne never indeered Gods Grace unto them Likewise this dealing of God doth establish us the more in his wayes having had knockes and bruisings in our owne wayes This is the cause oft of relapses apostasies because men never smarted for sinne at the first they were not long enough under the lash of the Law Hence this inferiour work of the Spirit in bringing downe high thoughts is necessary before conversion And for the most part the Holy Spirit to further the worke of conviction ioyneth some afflictiō which sanctified hath a healing purging power Nay after Conversion wee neede bruising that reedes may know themselves to be reedes not Oakes Even Reedes need bruising by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature and to let us see that we live by mercy and that weaker Christians may not be too much discouraged when they see stronger shaken and bruised Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly This Reed til he met with this bruise had more wind in him then pith Though all forsake thee I will not c. The people of God cannot be without these examples The Heroicall deeds of those great worthies comfort the Church not so much as their falls and bruises doe Thus David was bruised until he came to a free confession without guile of spirit nay his sorrowes did rise in his owne feeling unto the exquisite paine of breaking of bones Psalm 51. Thus Hezekiah complaines that God had broken his bones as a Lion Thus the Chosen vessell S. Paul needed the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest hee should bee lifted up above measure Hence wee learne that wee must not passe too harsh judgment upon our selves or others when God doth exercise us with bruising upon bruising There must bee a conformitie to our head Christ who was bruised for us that wee may know how much wee are bound unto him Profane spirits ignorant of Gods wayes in bringing his children to Heaven censure broken hearted Christians for desperate persons when as GOD is about a gratious good worke with them It is no easie matter to bring a man from Nature to Grace and from Grace to Glory so unyeelding and untractable are our hearts The second point is That Christ will not breake the bruised Reed Physitians though they put their Patients to much paine yet they will not destroy nature but raise it up by degrees Surgeons will launce and cut but not dismember A mother that hath a sicke and froward Child will not therfore cast it away and shall there bee more mercy in the streame then in the spring shall wee thinke there is more mercy in our selves then in GOD who planteth the affection of mercy in us But for further declaration of Christs mercy to all bruised Reedes Consider the comfortable relations hee hath taken upon him of Husband Shepherd Brother c. which hee will discharge to the utmost for shall others by his grace fulfill what hee calleth them unto and not he that out of his love hath taken upon him these relations so throughly founded upon his fathers assignement and his owne voluntary undertaking Consider his borrowed Names from the mildest Creatures as Lambe Henne c. to shew his tender care Consider his very name Iesus a Saviour givē him by GOD himselfe Consider his Office answerable to his name which is that he should heale the broken hearted Esay 61. 1. At his Baptisme the Holy Ghost sate on him in the shape of a Dove to shew that he should be a Dove-like gentle Mediator See the gracious manner of executing his Offices as a Prophet he came with blessing in his mouth Blessed be the poore in spirit c. and invited those to come to him whose hearts suggested most exceptions against themselves Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden how did his boweis yearne when hee saw the people as sheepe without a Sheepherd he never turned any backe againe that came unto him though some went away of themselves Hee came to dye as a Priest for his enemies In the dayes of his flesh hee dictated a forme of prayer unto his Disciples and put Petitions unto GOD into their mouthes and his Spirit to intercede in their hearts and now makes intercession in heaven for weake Christians standing betweene Gods anger and them and shed teares for those that shed his blood so he is a meeke King he will admit mourners into his presence a King of poore and afflicted persons as hee hath beames of Majesty so hee hath bowels of mercies compassion A Prince of peace Why was hee tempted but that hee might succour those that are tempted What mercy may we not expect from so gracious a Mediatour that tooke our nature vpon him that hee might bee gracious hee is a Phisitian good at all diseases especially at the binding up of a broken heart that hee might heale our soules with a plaster of his owne blood and by that death save us which we were the procurers of our selves by our owne sinnes and hath he not the same bowels in heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me cryed the Head in heaven when the foot
doe yet let us doe it since wee have to deal with so good a Lord and the more strife we meet withall the more acceptance Christ loveth to tast of the good fruits that come from us although they will alwaies rellish of the old stock A Christian complaineth hee cannot pray Oâ—… am troubled with so many distracting thoughts and never more than now But hath he put into thine heart a desire to pray he will heare the desires of his owne Spirit in thee Rom. 8. 26. Wee know not what to pray as we ought nor doe any thing else as wee ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities with unexpressible sighes and grones which are not hid from GOD. My groanings are not hid from thee GOD can picke sense out of a confused prayer These desires cry louder in his eares than thy sinnes Sometimes a Christian hath such confused thoughts hee can say nothing but as a childe cryeth O Father not able to shew what it needs as Moses at the Red sea These stirrings of spirit touch the bowels of GOD and melt him into compassion towards us when they come from the spirit of adoption and from a striving to be better Oh but is it possible thinketh the misgiving heart that so holy a GOD shold accept such a praier Yes hee will accept that which is his owne and pardon that which is ours Ionas prayed in the Whales belly being burdened with the guilt of sin yet GOD heareth him Let not therefore infirmities discourage us Saint Iames taketh away this objection Cap. 5. 17. Some might object If I were as holy as Elias then my prayers might be regarded But saith he Elias was a man of like passions to us he had his passions as well as we For doe we think that GOD heard him because he was without fault No surely But looke we to the promises Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee Matt. 7. 7. Aske and ye shall receive and such like GOD accepteth our prayers though weake first because wee are his owne children they come from his owne Spirit Secondly because they are according to his owne will Thirdly because they are offered in Christs mediation and hee takes them and mingleth them with his own odours There is never a holy sigh never a teare we shed lost And as every Grace increaseth by exercise of it selfe so doth the grace of prayer by prayer wee learne to pray So likewise wee should take heed of a spirit of discouragement in all other holy duties since we have so gracious a Saviour Pray as wee are able heare as we are able strive as we are able doâ—… as we are able according to the measure of Gracâ—… received GOD iâ—… CHRIST will cast a gracious eye upon that which is his owne Would S. Paul doe nothing because he could not doe the good hee would Yes hee pressed to the marke Let us not bee cruell to our selves when CHRIST is thus gracious There is a certain meeknesse of spirit whereby we yeeld thankes to God for any ability at all and rest quiet with the measure of Grace received seeing it is GODS good pleasure it should bee so who giveth the will and the deed yet so as we rest not from further endeavours But when upon faithfull endeavor we come short of that we would be and short of that others are then know for our comfort CHRIST will noâ—… quench the smoaking flax and that sincerity truth as before was said with endeavour of growth is our perfection It is comfortable what GOD saith 1 King 14. 13. He only shall goe to his grave in peace because there is some goodnesse though but some goodnesse Lord I beleeve with a weake faith yet with â—…aith love thee with a faint love yet with love endeavor in a feeble manner yet indeavour a little fire is fire though it smoaketh Since thou hast taken mee into thy Covenant to be thine of an enemie wilt thou cast me off for these infirmities which as they displease thee so are they the griefe of my owne heart FroÌ„ what hath bin spokeÌ„ with some little additioÌ„ it wil not be difficult to resolve that case which some require helpe in namely whether we ought to performe duties our hearts being altogether indisposed For satisfaction we must know I our hearts of themselves doe linger after liberty are hardly brought under the yoake of duty the more spirituall the duty is the more is their unto wardnes CorruptioÌ„ getteth ground for the most part in every neglect it is as in rowing against the tyde one stroke neglected will not be gained in three and therefore it is good to keepe our hearts close to duty and not to he a rken unto the excuses they are ready to frame In the setting upoÌ„ dutie God strengthneth his owne partie that hee hath in us wee finde a warmenesse of heart and increase of strength the Spirit going along with us and raising us up by degrees untill it leaveth us as it were in heaven God often delighteth to take the aduantage of our indisposition that hee may manifest his worke the more clearely and all the glory of the worke may be his whose all the strength is Obedience is most direct when there is nothing else to sweeten the action although the sacrifice bee imperfect yet the obedience with which it is offred hath acceptance 4. That which is wonne as a spoile from our corruptions will have such a degree of comfort afterwards as for the present it hath of comber Feeling and freenesse of spirit is oft reserued untill duty be discharged reward followeth worke In and after dutie wee finde that experience of Gods presence which without obedience wee may long wait for and yet go without This hindreth not the Spirits freedome in blowing upon our soules when it listeth For wee speake onely of such a state of soule as is becalmed and must row as it were against the streame As in sailing the hand must bee to the sterne and the eye to the starre so here put forth that little strength we have to dutie looke up for assistance Yet in these duties that require as well the body as the soule there may bee a cessation till streÌ„gth be repaired whetting doth not lett but fit 〈◊〉 In sudden passions there should be a time to compose and calme the soule and to put the strings in tune The Prophet would haue a Minstrell to bring his soule into frame So likewise we are subject to discouragements in sufferings by reason of impatiency in us Alas I shal never get through such a crosse But if God bring us into the crosse hee will be with us in the crosse and at length bring us out more refined Wee shall lose nothing but drosse as in Zach. 13. 9. Of our own strength wee cannot beare the least trouble and by the Spirits assistance
those the desire of whose soule is towards him hee that by his messengers desires us to bee reconciled will hee put us off when wee earnestly seeke it at his hand No doutblesse when hee prevents us by kindling holy desires in us hee is ready to meete us in his owne wayes When the Prodigall set himselfe to returne to his father his father stayes not for him but meets him in the way When hee prepares the heart to seeke he will cause his eare to heare He cannot finde in his heart to hide himselfe long from us If God should bring us into such a darke condition as that wee should see no light from himselfe or the creature then let us remember what he saith by the Prophet Esay Hee that is in darknesse and seeth no light no light of comfort no light of Gods countenance yet let him trust in the name of the Lord. Wee can never bee in such a condition wherin there will be just cause of utter despaire therfore let us doe as Marriners doe cast Anker in the darke CHRIST knows how to pitty us in this case Looke what comfort he felt from his Father in his breakings the like wee shall feele from himselfe in our bruising The sighes of a bruised heart carry in them some report as of our affection to CHRIST so of his care to us The eyes of our soules cannot be towards him but that he hath cast a gracious looke upon us first The least love wee have to him is but a reâ—…ion of his love first shining upon us As Christ did in his example whatsoever hee gives us in charge to doe so he suffered in his owne person whatsoever hee calleth us to suffer that he might the better learne to relieve and pitty us in our sufferings In his desertion in the Garden and upon the Crosse he was content to want that unspeakable solace in the presence of his father both to beare the wrath of the Lord for a time for us and likewise to know the better how to comfort us in our greatest extremities GOD seeth it fit we should taste of that cup of which his Sonne dranke so deepe that we should feele a little what sinne is and what his Sonnes love was but our comfort is that Christ dranke the dreggs of the cup for us and will succour us that our spirits utterly faile not under that little taste of his displeasure which wee may feele He became not onely a man but a curse a man of sorrowes for us Hee was broken that wee should not be broken he was troubled that wee should not be desperately troubled he became a curse that wee should not be accursed Whatsoever may bee wished for in an all-sufficient Comforter is all to be found in Christ. 1 Authoritie from the Father all power was given him 2 Strength in himselfe as having his name The mighty GOD 3 Wisedome and that from his owne experience how and when to helpe 4 Willingnesse as being flesh of our flesh bone of our bone Wee are now to take notice of diuers sorts of men that offend deeply against this mercifull disposition of Christ As 1. Such as goe on in ill courses of life upon this conceit as if it were in vaine to goe to CHRIST their lives have beene so ill when as so soone as wee looke to heaven all incouragements are ready to meet us and draw us forward Amongst others this is one allurement that CHRIST is ready to welcome us and leade us further None are damned in the Church but those that will Such as either enforce upon themselves hard conceits of CHRIST that they may have some shew of reason to fetch contentment from other things as that unprofitable servant that would needs take up a conceit that his Master was a hard man hereby to flatter himselfe in his unfruitfull courses in not improving that talent which he had 2. Such as take up a hope of their owne that Christ will suffer them to walke in the wayes to hell yet bring them to heaven whereas all coÌ„sort should draw us nearer to Christ else it is a lying comfort eyther in it selfe or in our application of it And 3. those that will east water themselves upon those sparkes which Christ labours to kindle in them because they will not be troubled with the light of them Such must know that the Lambe can be angry and they that will not come under his Scepter of Mercy shall be crushed in pieces by his Scepter of Power Though he will gratiously tender and maintaine the least sparke of true grace yet where hee findeth not a sparke of Grace but opposition to his Spirit striving with them his wrath once kindled shall burne to hell There is no juster provocation then when kindnesse is churlishly refused When God would have cured Babylon and she would not be cured then she was given up to destruction When Ierusalem would not bee gathered under the wing of Christ then their habitation is left desolate When Wisedome stretcheth out her hand and men refuse then Wisedome will laugh at mens destruction Salvation it selfe will not save those that spill the potion and cast away the plaister A pitifull case when this mercifull Saviour shall delight in Destruction when hee that made men shall have no mercy on them Oh say the Rebels of the time God hath not made usto damne us Yes if you will not meet Christ in the wayes of his mercy it is fit you should eate the fruit of your owne wayes and be filled with your owne devices This wil be the hel of hel whén men shal thinke that they have loved their sins more then their soules when they shall thinke what love and mercy hath beene almost inforced upon them and yet they would perish The more accessory wee are in pulling a judgment upon our selves the more the conscience wil be confounded in it selfe when they shall acknowledge Christ to be without all blame themselves without excuse If men appeale to their owne consciences they will tell them the Holy Spirit hath often knockt at their hearts as willing to have kindled some holy desires in them How else can they be said to resist the Holy Ghost but that the Spirit was readier to draw them to a further degree of goodnes then stood with their owne wills whereupon those in the Church that are damned are selfe-condemned before So that here we need not to rise to higher causes when men carry sufficient cause of their owne damnation in their owne bosomes 4 And the best of us all may offend against this mercifull disposition if wee bee not watchfull against that liberty our carnall dispositions will bee ready to take froÌ„ it Thus we reason If Christ will not quench the smoaking Flax what need we feare that any neglect of our part can bring us under a comfortlesse condition If Christ will not doe it what can Ans.
to be so Who is hee that despiseth the day of little things Zach. 4. CHRIST would not have us despise little things The glorious Angells disdaine not attendance on little ones little in their owne eyes and little in the eyes of the world Grace though little in quantity yet is much in vigour and worth It is CHRIST that raiseth the worth of little and meane places and persons Bethlem the least and yet not the least the least in it selfe not the least in respect CHRIST was born there The second Temple came short of the outward magnificence of the former yet more glorious than the first because CHRIST came into it The Lord of the Temple came in to his owne Temple The pupill of the eye is very little yet seeth a great part of the heaven at once A pearle though little yet is of much esteeme Nothing in the world of so good use as the least dram of graces But Grace is not onely little but mingled with corruption whereof it is that a Christian is said to be smoaking flax whence we see that Grace doth not waste corruption all at once but some is left to conflict withall The purest actions of the purest men need CHRIST to performe them and so is his office When we pray we need to pray again for CHRIST to pardon the defects of them See some instances of this smoaking flax Moses at the red Sea being in a great perplexity and knowing not what to say or which way to turn him groaned to GOD no doubt this was a great conflict in him In great distresses we know not what to pray but the Spirit makes request with sighes that cannot bee expressed Broken hearts can yeeld but broken prayers When David was before the King of Gath and dis-figured himselfe in an uncomely manner in that smoake there was some fire also you may see what an excellent Psalme he makes upon that occasion Psalme 34. Wherein upon experience vers 18. he saith the Lord is neare unto them that are of a contrite spirit Psal. 31. 22. I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight there is smoake Yet thou heardest the voice of my prayer there is fire 〈◊〉 carest thou not that we perish cry the Disciples here is smoake of infidelity yet so much light of faith as stirred them up to pray to Christ Lord I beleeve there is light But help my unbeliefe there is smoake Ionas 2. 4. cryes I am cast out of thy sight there is smoake yet will I looke againe to thy holy Temple there is light O miserable man that I am saith Saint Paul upon sense of his corruption but yet breakes out into thanks to God through Iesus Christ our Lord. I sleepe saith the Church in the Canticles but my heart wakes In the seven Churches which for their light are called seven golden Candlestickes most of them had much smoke with their light The ground of this mixture is that we carie about us a double principle Grace and Nature The end of it is especially to preserve us from those two dangerous Rockes our Natures are prone to dash upon Security and Pride and to force us to pitch our rest on Iustification not sanctification which besides imperfection hath some soile Our spirituall fire is like our ordinary fire here below mixt But fire is most pure in its owne Element above So shall all our graces be when we are where we would bee in Heaven which is our proper element From this mixture it is that the people of GOD have so different judgements of themselves looking sometime at the work of grace sometimes at the remainder of corruption and when they look upon that then they think they have no grace though they love CHRIST in his ordinances and children yet dare not challenge so neer acquaintance as to be his Even as a Candle in the socket sometimes sheweth its light and sometimes the shew of light is lost so sometimes well perswaded they are of themselves sometimes at a losse Now for the second observation Christ will not quench the smoaking Flax First because this sparke is from heaven it is his owne it is kindled by his owne Spirit And secondly that tendeth to the glory of his powerfull grace in his children that he preserveth light in the middest of darknesse a sparke in the middest of the swelling waters of corruption There is an especiall blessing in that little spark Isay 56. 8. When Wine is found in a cluster one saith Destroy it not for there is a blessing in it We see how our Saviour CHRIST bore with Thomas in his doubting with the two Disciples that went to Emaus who staggered whether he came to redeeme Israel or no hee quencheth not that little light in Peter which was smothered Peter denyed him but he denyed not Peter If thou wilt thou canst said one poore man in the Gospell Lord if thou canst said another both were this smoking flax neither of both were quenched If Christ had stood upon his owne greatnesse he would have rejected him that came with his if but CHRIST answers his if with a gracious and absolute grant I will be thou cleane The woman that was diseased with an issue did but touch and with a trembling hand and but the hem of his garment and yet went away both healed and comforted In the seven Churches wee see he acknowledgeth and cherisheth any thing that was good in them Because the Disciples slept of infirmity being oppressed with griefe our Saviour CHRIST frameth a comfortable excuse for them The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake If CHRIST should not be mercifull he would misse of his owne ends There is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared Now all are willing to come under that banner of love which hee spreadeth over his Therefore to thee shall all flesh come Hee useth moderation and care lest the spirit should faile before him and the soules which he hath made CHRISTS heart yerned the Text saith when hee saw them without meat lest they should faint Much more will hee have regard for the preventing of our spirituall faintings Here see the opposite disposition betweene the holy nature of CHRIST and the impure nature of Man Man for a little smoake will quench the light CHRIST ever wee see cherisheth even the least beginnings How bare hee with the many imperfections of his poor Disciples If he did sharply checke them it was in love and that they might shine the brighter Can we have a better patterne to follow than this of him by whom we hope to bee saved Rom. 15. 1. We that are strong ought to beare with the infirmities of them that are weak I become all things to all men that I may winne some O that this gaining and winning disposition were more in many Many so farre as in us lyeth are lost
man We see ambitious men study accommodation of themselves to the humours of those by whom they hope to raise themselves and shall not wee study application of our selves to CHRIST by whom wee hope to be advanced nay are already sitting with him in heavenly places After wee are gained to CHRIST our selves wee should labour to gaine others to CHRIST Holy ambition and covetousnesse will move us to put upon our selves the disposition of CHRIST but we must put off our selves first Wee should not thirdly racke their wits with curious or doubtfull disputes for so wee shall distract and tire them and give occasion to make them cast off the care of all That age of the church which was most fertile in nice questions was most barren in Religion For it makes people thinke Religion to be onely a matter of wit in tying and untying of knots the braines of men given that wayes are hotter usually than their hearts Yet not withstanding when we are cast into times and places wherein doubts are raised about maine points here people ought to labour to be established God suffer questions oftentimes to arise for tryall of our love and exercise of our parts Nothing is so certaine as that which is certaine after doubts Shaking settles and roots In a contentious age it is a witty thing to be a Christian and to know what to pitch their soules upon It is an office of love here to take away the stones and to smooth the way to heaven Therefore wee must take heed that under pretence of avoydance of disputes wee doe not suffer an adverse party to get ground upon the truth For thus may we easily betray both the truth of God and soules of men And likewise those are failing that by over much austerity drive backe troubled soules from having comfort by them for by this cariage many smother their temptations and burne inwardly because they have none into whose bosome they may vent their griefe and ease their soules We must neither binde where GOD loseth nor lose where GOD bindeth nor open where GOD shutteth nor shut where God openeth the right use of the Keyes is alwayes successfull In personall application there must be great heed taken for a man may bee a false Prophet and yet speake the truth if it bee not a truth to the person to whom he speaketh if hee grieve those whom God hath not grieved by unseasonable truths or by comforts in an ill way the hearts of the wicked may bee strengthned One mans meat may bee anothers bane If we looke to the generall temper of these times rouzing and waking Scriptures are fittest yet there be many broken spirits need soft and oily words Even in the worst time the Prophets mingled sweet comfort for the hidden remnant of faithfull people GOD hath comfort comfort ye my people as well as lift up thy voyce as a Trumpet And here likewise there needs a caveat Mercy doth not rob us of our right judgement as that we should take smoaking firebrands for smoaking flax none will claime mercy more of others than those whose portion is due severity This example doth not countenance lukewarmnesse nor too much indulgence to those that need quickning Cold diseases must have hot remedies It made for the just commendatiōs of the Church of Ephesus that it could not beare them which are evill We should so beare with others as wee discover withall a dislike of evill Our Saviour CHRIST would not forbeare sharp reproofe where hee saw dangerous infirmities in his most beloved Disciples It bringeth under a curse to doe the worke of the Lord negligently Even where it is a worke of just severity As when it is sheathing the sword in the bowels of the enemy And those whom we suffer to be betraid by their worst enemies their sinnes wil have just cause to curse us another day It is hard to preserve just bounds of mercy and severity without a spirit above our owne which we ought to desire to bee led withall in all things That wisedome which dwelleth with prudence will guide us in these particulars without which virtue is not virtue truth not truth the rule and the case must bee laid together for if there be not a narrow insight seeming likenesse in conditions wil be the breeder of errours in our opinions of them Those fiery tempestuous and dist◅ctive spirits in Popery that seeke to promote their Religion by cruelty shew that they are strangers to that wisedome which is from above which maketh men gentle peaceable and ready to shew that mercy they have felt before thēselves It is a way of prevailing as agreeable to CHRIST so likewise to mans nature to prevaile by some forbearance and moderation And yet oft wee see a false spirit in those that call for moderation it is but to carry their owne projects with the greater strength and if they prove of the prevailing hand they will hardly shew that moderation to others they now call for from others And there is a proud kind of moderation likewise when men will take upon thē to censure either party as if they were wiser than both though if the spirit be right a looker on may see more than those that are in conflict So in the censures of the Church it is more sutable to the Spirit of CHRIST to incline to the milder part and not to kill a flye on the forehead with a beetle nor shut men out of heaven for a trifle The very snuffers of the Tabernacle were made of pure gold to shew the purity of those censures whereby the light of the Church is kept bright That power that is given to the Church is given for edification not destruction How carefull was Saint Paul that the incestuous Corinthian repenting should not bee swallowed up with too much griefe As for civill Magistrates they for civill exigences and reasons of State must let the Law have its course yet thus farre they should imitate this milde King as not to mingle bitternesse and passion with authority derived from GOD. Authority is a beam of Gods Majesty and prevaileth most where there is least mixture of that which is mans It requireth more than ordinary wisedome to manage it aright This string must not bee too much strained up nor too much let loose Iustice is an harmonicall thing Herbs hot or cold beyond a certaine degree kill We see even contrary Elements preserved in one body by a wise contemperation Iustice in rigour is oft extreame injustice where some considerable circumstances should incline to moderation and the reckoning wil be easier for bending rather to moderation than rigor Insolent cariage toward miserable persons if humbled is unseemly in any who look for mercy themselves Misery should bee a Loadstone of mercy not a footstoole for Pride to trample on Sometimes it falleth out that those that are under the government of others are most injurious by
given for that use to shew us the best way and to guide in the particular passages of life if otherwise it is but commoÌ„ light given onely for the good of others Some have light of Knowledge yet follow not that light but are guided by carnall reason and policie such as the Prophet speakes of All you that kindle 〈◊〉 fire walke in the light of your owne fire and in the sparkes that you have kindled but this you shall have of mine hand yee shall lye downe in sorrow GOD delights to confound carnall wisedome as enmitie to him and robbing him of his prerogative who is God onely wise We must therefore walke by his â—…ight and not the blaze of our owne fire God must light our candle Psal. 18. 28 or else we are like to abide in darknesse Those sparkes that are not kindled from heaven are not strong enough to keepe us from â—…ying downe in sorrow though they make a greater blaze and shew then the light from above as mad men doe greater things then sober but by 〈◊〉 false strength so the excesse of these mens ioy ariseth from a false light The candle of the wicked shal â—…e put out The light that some mâ—… have it is like lightning which after a sudden flaâ—… leaveth theÌ„ more in darknesse They can love thâ—… light as it shines but hatâ—… it as it discovers and directs A little holy lighâ—… will inable to keepe thâ—… word and not to betray Religion deny Christs name as CHRIST speaketh of the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 8. Fourthly where thiâ—… fire is it will sever thingâ—… of divers natures shew a difference betweenâ—… things as gold and drosse It will sever betweene flesh and spirit and shew this is of Nature this of Grace All is not ill in a bad action or good in a good action There is gold in oare which God and his Spirit in us can distinguish A carnall mans hart is like a dungeon wherein is nothing to be seene but horrour and confusion this light maketh us judicious and humble upon clearer sight of Gods puritie and our owne uncleannes and maketh us able to discerne of the worke of the Spirit in another Fiftly so farre as a man is spirituall so far is light delightfull unto him as willing to see any thing amisse that he may reform and any further service discovered that hee may performe because he truly hateth ill and loveth good if hee goeth against light discovered hee will soone bee reclaimed because light hath a friendly party within him Whereupon at a little sight of his errour hee is soone counsellable as David in his intendment to kill Nabal and blesseth God afterwards when hee is stopped in an ill way In a carnal man the light breakes in upon him but he labours to shut the passages hee hath no delight to â—…ome to the light It is impossible before the spirit of grace hath subdued the hart but that it should sin against the light either by resisting of it or keeping it prisoner under base lusts burying it as it were in the earth or perverting of it and so making it an agent and factour for the flesh in searching out arguments to plead for it or abusing that little measure of light they have to keep out a greater higher and more heavenly light and so at length make that light they have a misleading guide to utter darknesse And the reason is that it hath no friend within the soule is in a contrary frame and light alwayes hindreth that sinfull peace that men are willing to speake to themselves whence we see it oft inrage men the more as the Sunne in the Spring breedeth aguiâ—…h distempers because it stirreth humours and doth not wast them There is nothing in the world more unquiet than the heart of a wicked man that sitteth under meanes of knowledge untill like a thiefe hee hath put out the candle that he may sinne with the lesse check Spirituall light is distinct it seeth spirituall good with application to our selves but common light is confused and le ts sin lye quiet Where fire is in any degree it will fight against the contrary matterâ—… GOD hath put irreconciliable hatred betweene light and darknesse at first so betweene good and ill flesh and spirit Grace will never joyne with sinne no more than fire with water Fire will mingle with no contrary but preserveth its owne purity and is never corrupted as other Elements are Therefore those that plead and plot for liberties of the flesh shew themselves strangers from the life of God Vpon this strife gracious men oft coÌ„plaine that they have no grace but they contradict themselves in their complaints as if a man that seeth should complaine he cannot see or complain that he is asleepe when the very complaint springing from a displeasure against sinne sheweth that there is something in him opposite to sinne Can a dead man complaine Some things though bad in themselves yet discover good as smoake discovers some fire Breaking out in the body shews strength of Nature Some infirmities discover more good than some seeming beautifull actions excesse of passion in opposing evil though not to bee justified yet sheweth a better spirit than a calme temper when there is just cause of being moved Better it is that the water should runne something muddily than not at all Iob had more grace in his distempers thaÌ„ his friends in their seeming wise cariage Actions soiled with some weaknesses are more accepted than complementall performances Fire where it is in the least measure is in some degree active so the least measure of grace is working as springing from the Spirit of GOD which from the working nature of it is compared to fire Nay in sinnes when there seemeth nothing active but corruption yet there is a contrarie principle which breaks the force of sinne so that it is not out of measure sinfull as in those that are carnall Fire maketh metalls pliable and malliable so doth Grace where it is begunne it worketh the heart to bee plyable and ready for all good impressions Vntractable spirits shew that they are not so much as smoaking flax Fire turneth all as much as it can to fire so grace maketh a gracious use even of naturall and civill things doth spiritualize them what another man doth onely civilly a gracious man will doe holily Sparkes by nature flye upwards so the spirit of Grace carrieth the soule Heaven-ward and setteth before us holy and heavenly aimes as it was kindled from heaven so it caries us back to heaven The part followeth the whole Fire mounteth upward so every spark to its owne element Where the aime and bent of the soule is God-wards there is grace though opposed The least measure of it is holy desires springing from faith and love for we cannot desire any thing which we doe not beleeve first to be and the desire of it issues from
love Hence desires are counted a part of the thing desired in some measure but then they must bee First constant for constancy shews that they are supernaturally naturall and not inforced Secondly they must bee caried to spirituall things as to beleeve to love GOD c. not out of a speciall exigent because if now they had grace they thinke they might escape some danger but as a loving heart is caried to the thing loved for some-excellency in it selfe And thirdly with desire there is griefe when it is hindred which stirres up to prayer Oh that my wayes were so directed that I might keepe thy Statutes Psal. 119. 5. O miserable man that I am who shall deliver c. Fourthly desires put us onward still O that I might serve GOD with more liberty O that I were more free from these offensive unsavoury noysome lusts Fire worketh it selfe if it hath any matter to feed on into a larger compass and mounteth higher and higher and the higher it riseth the purer is the flame So where true grace is it groweth in measure and purity Smoking flax will grow to a flame and as it encreaseth so it worketh out the contrary and refineth it selfe more more Therefore it argueth a false hart to set our selves a measure in grace and to rest in beginnings alledging that CHRIST will not quench the smoaking flax But this mercifull disposition in CHRIST is joyned with perfect holinesse shewed in perfect hatred to sinne for rather than sin should not have its deserved punishment himselfe became a sacrifice for sinne wherein his Fathers holinesse and his owne mo◅ of all shined And besides this in the worke of sanctification though hee favours his worke in us yet favours he not sin in us for he will never take his hand from his worke untill hee hath taken away sin even in its very being from our natures the same Spirit that purified that blessed Masse whereof hee was made clenseth us by degrees to bee sutable to so holy a Head and frameth the judgement and affection of all to whom hee sheweth mercy to concur with his owne in labouring to further his ends in abolishing of sinne out of our nature From the meditations of these rules and signes much comfort may bee brought into the soules of the weakest which that it may bee in the more abundance let mee adde something for the helping them over some few ordinary objections and secret thoughts against thēselves which getting within the heart oftentimes keepeth them under Some thinke they have no faith at all because they have no full assurance when as the fairest fire that can be will have some smoake The best actions will smell of the smoak The morter wherin Garlicke hath beene stamped will alwayes smell of it So all our actions will savour something of the old man In weaknesse of body some thinke grace dyeth because their performances are feeble their spirits being the instruments of the soules actions being wasted not considering that GOD regards those hidden sighes of those that want abilities to expresse them outwardly he that pronounceth them blessed that consider the poore will have a mercifull consideration of such himselfe Some againe are haunted with hideous representations to their fantasies and with vile and unworthy thoughts of GOD of CHRIST of the word c. which as busie flyes disquiet and molest their peace these are cast in like wilde-fire by Satan as may be discerned by the 1 strangenesse 2 strength and violence 3 horriblenesse of them even unto nature corrupt A pious soule is no more guilty of them than Benjamin of Iosephs cup put into his sack Amongst other helps prescribed by godly Writers as abomination of them and diversion from them to other things c. let this be one to complaine unto CHRIST against them and to flye under the wings of his protection and to desire him to take our part against his and our enemie Shall every sinne and blasphemy of man be forgiven and not these blasphemous thoughts which have the Devill for their father When CHRIST himselfe was therefore molested in this kinde that he might succour all poore soules in the like case Some thinke when they beginne once to bee troubled with the smoake of corruption more than they were before therefore they are worse than they were It is true that corruptions appeare now more than before but they are lesse For first sinne the more it is seene the more it is hated and thereupon is the lesse Moats are in a roome before the Sun shines but they then onely appeare Secondly Contraries the nearer they are one to another the sharper is the conflict betwixt them now of all enemies the spirit and the flesh are nearest one to another being both in the soule of a regenerate man and in all faculties of the soule and in every action that springeth from those faculties and therefore it is no marvell the soule the seat of this battell thus divided in it selfe be as smoaking Flax. Thirdly the more grace the more spirituall life and the more spirituall life the more antipathy to the contrary whence none are so sensible of corruption as those that have the most living soules And fourthly when men give themselves to carnall liberties their corruptions trouble thē not as not being bounded and tyed up But when once grace suppresseth their extravagant and licentious excesses then the flesh boyleth as disdaining to be confined yet they are better now than they were before That matter which yeelds smoake was in the Torch before it was lighted but it is not offensive till the Torch beginnes to burne Let such know that if the smoake bee once offensive to them it is a signe that there is light It is better to injoy the benefit of light though with smoake than to be altogether in the darke Neither is smoake so offensive as light is comfortable to us it yeelding an evidence of truth of grace in the heart therefore though it be combersome in the conflict yet it is comfortable in the evidence It is better corruption should offend us now than by giving way to it to redeeme a little peace with losse of comfort afterwards Let such therefore as are at variance and oddes with their corruptions looke upon this Text as their portion of comfort Here is an use of incouragement to duty That CHRIST will not quench the smoaking flax but blow it up Some are loath to performe good duties because they feele their hearts rebelling and duties come off untowardly Wee should not avoid good actions for the infirmities cleaving unto them CHRIST looketh more at the good in them that hee meaneth to cherish than the ill in them that he meaneth to abolish A sicke man though in eating he something increaseth the disease yet he will eate that nature may get strength against the disease So though sin cleaveth to what we
judgement unto victorie By judgement here is meant the Kingdome of Grace in us that Government whereby CHRIST sets up a Throne in our hearts Governors among the Iewes were first called Iudges then Kings whence this inward rule is called Iudgement as likewise because it agrees unto the judgement of the word which the Psalmi◅ft calleth judgement because it agreeth to Gods judgement Men may read their doome in GODS word what it judgeth of them GOD judgeth of them By this judgement set up in us good is discerned allowed and performed sinne is judged condemned and e◅ecuted O◅ spirit being under the Spirit of CHRIST is governed by him and so far as it is governed by Christ it governes us graciously CHRIST and wee are of one judgement and of one will he hath his will in us and his judgmēts are so invested into us as that they are turned into our judgement we carrying his Law in our hearts written by his Spirit and the law in the inner man and the law written answer as counter pa◅es each other The meaning then is that the gracious frame of holines set up in our hearts by the Spirit of CHRIST shall goe forward untill all contrary power ◅ee brought under The spirit of judgement will be a spirit of burning to consume whatsoever opposed corruption like rust eats into the soule If GODS builders fall into errors and build stubble upon a good foundation GODS Spirit as a spirituall fire will reveale this in time and wast it they shall by a spirit of judgement condemne their owne errours and courses The whole worke of grace in us is set out under the name of judgement and somtimes wisedome because judgement is the chiefe and leading part in grace whereupon that gracious worke of repentance is called a change of the minde and an after wisedome As on the other side in the learned languages the words that expresse wisdome implie likewise the generall relish and savour of the whole soule and rather more the judgement of taste then of ◅ight or any other sense because Taste is the most necessary sense and requireth the neerest application of the obiect of all other senses So in spirituall life it is most necessary that the spirit should alter the taste of the soule so as that it might savour the things of the spirit so deepely that all other things shold be out of rellish And as it is true of every particular Christian that CHRISTS judgement in him shall be victorious so likewise of the whole body of Christians the Church The government of CHRIST and his truth whereby hee ruleth as by a Scepter shall at length bee victorious in spight of Satan Antichrist and all Enemies CHRIST ryding on his white horse hath a Bow and goeth forth conquering in the ministery that hee may overcome either to conversion or to confusion But yet I take Iudgement for CHRISTS Kingdome and governement within us principallie 1 Because GOD especially requireth the subjection of the soule and conscience as his proper Throne 2 Because if judgment should prevaile in all others about us and not in our owne hearts it would not yeeld comfort to us hereupon it is the first thing that wee desire when we pray Thy Kingdome come that CHRIST would come and rule in our hearts The Kingdome of CHRIST in his ordinances serve but to bring CHRIST home into his owne place our hearts The words being thus explained that judgement here includeth the governmēt of both mind will and affections there are divers conclusions that naturally doe spring from them First that CHRISTS government in his Church and in his children is a wise and well ordered government because it is called Iudgement and Iudgment is the life and soule of wisedome Of this Conclusion there are two branches 1 that the spirituall government of CHRIST in us is joyned with judgement and wisedome 2 Wheresoever true ◅spirituall wisedome and judgment is there likewise the Spirit of CHRIST bringeth in his gracious government For the first a well guided life by the rules of CHRIST standeth with the strongest and highest reason of all and therfore holy men are called the children of wisedome and are able to justifie both by reason and experience all the wayes of wisedome Opposite courses are solly and madnesse Hereupon Saint Paul saith that a spiritual man judgeth all things that appertaine to him i◅ judged of none that are of an inferiour ranke because they want spirituall light and sight to judge yet this sort of men will bee judging and speaking ill of what they know not they steppe from ignorance to prejudice and rash censure without taking right judgement in their way and therefore their judgement comes to nothing But the judgement of a spirituall man so far forth as he is spirituall shal stād because it is agreeable to the nature of things as things are in themselves so they are in his judgement As GOD is in himselfe infinite in goodnesse and majesty c. so he is to him he ascribes to GOD in his heart his divinity and all his excellencies As CHRIST is in himselfe the onely mediatour and All in All in the Church so he is to him by making CHRIST so in his heart As all things are dung in comparison of CHRIST so they are to Paul a sanctified man As the very worst thing in religion the reproch of Christ is better then the pleasure of sin for a season so it is to Moses a man of a right esteeme A◅ one day in the Courts of God is better then a thousand elsewhere so it is to David a man of a reformed judgement There is a conformity of a good mans judgment to things as they are in themselves and according to the difference or agreement put by GOD in things so doth his judgment differ or agree Truth is truth and error error and that which is unlawfull is unlawfull whether men thinke so or no. GOD hath put an eternall difference betwixt light and darknesse good and ill which no creatures conceipt can alter and therefore no mans judgement is the measure of things further then it agrees to truth stamped upon things themselves by GOD. Hereupon because a wise mans judgement agrees to the truth of things a wise man may in some sense bee said to bee the measure of things and the judgement of one holy wise man to bee preferred before a thousand others Such men usually are immoveable as the Sun in its course because they thinke and speake and live by rule A Iosuah and his house will serve God whatsoever others doe and will run a course contrary to the world because their judgements leads them a contrary way Hence it is that Sathan hath a spite at the eye of the soule the judgement to put out that by ignorance and false reason for he cannot rule in any untill either hee hath taken away or perverted judgement he is
whatsoever the judgement shall say to the contrary there is no connaturall proportion betwixt an unsanctified hart and a sanctified judgment For the heart unaltered will not give leave to the judgement coldly and so berly to conclude what is best as the sick man whilst his aguish distemper corrupteth his taste he is rather desirous to please that then to hearken what the Physitian shall speake judgment hath not power over it selfe where the wil is unsubdued for the will and affections bribe it to give sentence for them when any profit or pleasure shall come in competition with that which the judgement in generall only shall thinke to be good and therefore it is for the most part in the power of the heart what the understanding shall judge and determine in particular things Where grace hath brought the heart under there unruly passions doe not cast such a mist before the understanding but that in particular it seeth that which is best and base respects springing from selfe-love doe not alter the case and byas the judgment into a contrary way but that which is good in it selfe shall be good unto us although it crosse our particular worldly interests The right conceiving of this hath an influence into practice which hath drawne me to a more full explanation this will teach us the right method of godlinesse to begin with judgement and then to begge of GOD together with illumination holy inclinations of our will and affections that so a perfect government may be set up in our hearts and that our knowledge may bee with al judgment that is w th experience and feeling when the judgement of CHRIST is set up in our judgements and thence by the Spirit of CHRIST brought into our hearts then it is in its proper place and throne and untill then truth doth us no good but helpeth to condemne us The life of a◅ Christiā is a regular life he that walketh by the rule of the new creature peace shall be upon him he that despiseth his way loveth to live at large seeking all liberty to the flesh shall dye And it is made good by Saint Paul If we live after the flesh we shall dye VVe learne likewise that men of an ill governed life have no true judgement no wicked man can bee a wise man And that without CHRISTS Spirit the soule is in confusion without beauty and form as all things were in the Chaos before the creatiō The whole soule is out of joynt till it be set in againe by him whose office is to restore all things The baser part of the soule which should bee subject ruleth all and keepeth under that little truth that is in the understanding holding it captive to base affections and Sathan by corruption getteth al the holds of the soule till CHRIST stronger then he commeth and driveth him out and taketh possession of all the powers and parts of soule and body to be weapons of righteousnes to serve him and then new Lords new Lawes CHRIST as a new Conquerour changeth the fundamentall lawes of old Adam and establisheth a government of his owne The second Conclusion is that this government is victorious The reasons are 1 Because CHRIST hath conquered all in his owne person first and hee is GOD over all blessed for evermore and therefore over Sinne Death Hell Sathan the world c. And as he hath overcome them in himselfe so he overcomes them in our hearts and consciences Wee use to say Conscience maketh a man a King or a caitife because it is planted in us to judge for GOD either with us or against us Now if naturall conscience bee so forcible what will it be when besides it owne light it hath the light of divine truth put into it It will undoubtedly prevaile either to make us hold up our heads with boldnesse or abase us beneath our selves If it subject it selfe by grace to CHRISTS truth then it boldly overlookes Death Hell Iudgement and all spirituall enemies because then Christ sets up his Kingdome in the conscience and makes it a kind of Paradise The sharpest conflict which the soule hath is betweene the conscience and GODS Iustice now if the conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ hath prevailed over assaults fetcht from the justice of GOD as now satisfied by CHRIST it will prevaile over al other opposition whatsoever 2 We are to encounter with accursed and damned enemies therefore if they begin to fall before the spirit in us they shall fall if they rise up againe it is to have the greater fall 3 The spirit of truth to whose tuition CHRIST hath cōmitted his Church and the truth of the spirit which is the Scepter of CHRIST abide for ever therefore the soule begotten by the immortal feed of this spirit and this truth must not onely live for ever but likewise prevaile over all that oppose it for both the word and spirit are mighty in operation and if the ill spirit be never idle in those whom GOD delivereth up to him we cannot thinke that the Holy Spirit will bee idle in those whose leading and government is committed to him No as he dwelleth in them so he will drive out all that rise up against him untill hee be all in all What is spirituall is eternall truth is a beame of CHRISTS Spirit both in it selfe and as it is ingrafted into the soule there fore it and the grace though little wrought by it will prevaile a little thing in the hand of a Gyant will do great matters A little faith strengthned by CHRIST will worke wonders 4 To him that hath shall be given the victory over any corruption or temptation is a pledge of finall victory As Ioshua said when he set his foot upon the five Kings which hee conquered Thus God shall doe with all our enemies heaven is ours already onely we strive till we have full possession 5 CHRIST as King brings in a commanding light into the soule and bowes the necke and softens the Iron sinew of the inner man and where he begins to rule he rules for ever his Kingdome hath no end 6 The end of CHRISTS comming was to destroy the workes of the Devill both for us and in us And the end of the resurrection was as to seale unto us the assurance of his victorie So I to quicken our soules from death in sinne 2 to free our soules from such snares and sorrowes of spirituall death as accompany the guilt of sin 3 to raise them up more comfortable as the Sunne breakes forth more gloriously out of a thick cloud 4 to raise us out of particular slippes and failings stronger 5 to raise us out of all troublesome and darke conditions of this life And 6 at length to raise our bodies out of the dust For the same power that the Spirit shewed in raising CHRIST our Head from the sorrowes of
thing it wil be of more use and comfort then al this world which passeth away comes to nothing Yea let us be thankfull sor that promised and assured victory which we may relie on without presumption as Saint Paul doth Thankes bee to GOD that hath given us victorie in Iesu Christ. See a slame in a spark a tree in a seed see great things in little beginnings Looke not so much to the beginning as to the perfection and so we shall bee in some degree joyfull in our selves and thankfull unto Christ. And let all this that hath beene spoken allure those that are not yet in state of grace to come under CHRISTS sweet and victorious government for though wee shall have much opposition yet if we strive hee will helpe us if we faile he wil cherish us if wee bee guided by him we shall overcome If we overcome wee are sure to be crowned And for the presēt state of the Church we see now how forlorne it is yet let us comfort our selves that CHRISTS cause shall prevaile Christ will rule till he hath made his enemies his footstoole not onely to trample up on but to helpe him up to mount higher in glory Babylon shall fall for strong is the Lord who hath condemned her Rev. 18. 8. Christs judgement not onely in his children but also against his enemies shall be victorious for hee is King of Kings and Lord of Lords GOD will not suffer Antichrist and his supports to revell and ruffle in the Church as they doe If we looke to the present state of the Church of CHRIST it is as Daniel in the midst of Lyons as a Lilly amongst thornes As a ship not onely tossed but almost covered with waves It is so low that the enemies thinke they have buried CHRIST in regard of his Gospel in the grave and there they thinke to keepe him from rising but CHRIST as he rose in his person so hee will roule away all stones rise again in his church how little support hath the Church and cause of CHRIST at this day how strong a conspiracie is against it The spirit of Antichrist is now lifted up and marcheth furiously things seeme to hang on a small and invisible thread But our comfort is that CHRIST liveth and raigneth and standeth on Mount Sion in defence of them that stand for him and when States and Kingdomes shall dash one against another CHRIST will have care of his owne Children and cause seeing there is nothing else in the world that he much esteemeth At this very time the delivery of his Church and the ruine of his enemies is in working we see not things in motion till CHRIST hath done his worke and then wee shall see that the Lord raigneth CHRIST and his Church when they are at the lowest are neerest rising his enemies at the highest are neerest a downefall The Iewes are not yet come in under CHRISTS banner but GOD that hath perswaded Iaphet to come into the Tents of Shem will perswade Shem to come into the Tents of Iaphet The fulnesse of the Gentiles is not yet come in but CHRIST that hath the utmost parts of the earth given him for his possession will gather all the sheepe his Father hath given him into one fold that there may bee one sheepfold and one shepheard The faithfull Iewes rejoyced to thinke of the calling of the Gentiles and why should not we joy to thinke of the calling of the Iewes The Gospels course hath hitherto been as that of the Sun from East to West and so in GODS time may proceed yet further West No creature can hinder the course of the Sun nor stop the influence of heaven nor hinder the blowing of the winde much lesse hinder the prevailing power of divine truth untill CHRIST hath brought all under one head and then he will present all to his Father these are they thou hast given unto me these are they that have taken mee for their Lord and King that have suffered with mee My will is that they bee where I am and raigne with mee And then hee will deliver up the Kingdome even to his Father and put downe all other rule and authority and power Let us then bring our hearts to holy resolutions and set our selves upon that which is good and against that which is ill in our selves or others according to our callings upon this incouragement that CHRISTS grace and power shall goe along with us What had become of that great worke of Reformation of Religion in the latter Spring of the Gospel if men had not beene armed with invincible courage to out-stride all lets upon this faith that the cause was CHRISTS and that he would not be wanting to his owne cause Luther ingenuosly confessed that he caried matters often inconsiderately and with mixture of passion but upon acknowledgement GOD tooke not advantage of his errors but the cause being GODS and his aymes being holy to promote the truth and being a mighty man in prayer and strong in faith GOD by him kindled that fire which all the world shall never bee able to quench According to our faith so is our incouragement to all duties therefore let us strengthen faith that it may strengthen all other graces This very beliefe that faith shall bee victorious is a meanes to make it so indeed Beleeve it therefore that though it bee often as smoaking flax yet it shall preuaile If it prevaile with GOD himselfe in tryalls shall it not prevaile over all other opposition Let us waite a while and we shall see the salvation of the Lord. The Lord reveale himselfe more and more unto us in the face of his Sonne Iesus CHRIST and magnifie the power of his grace in cherishing those beginnings of grace in the middest of our corruptions and sanctifie the consideration of our owne infirmities to humble us and of his tender mercy to incourage us And perswade us that since he hath taken us into the covenant of grace hee will not cast us off for those corruptions which as they grieve his Spirit so they make us vile in our owne eyes And because Sathan labours to obscure the glory◅ of his mercy and hinder our comfort by discouragements The Lord adde this to the rest of his mercies that since he is so gracious to those that yeeld to his goverment we may make the right use of this grace and not lose any portion of comfort that is layd up for us in CHRIST And hee vouchsafe to let the prevailing power of his Spirit in us bee an evidence of the truth of grace begun and a pledge of finall victory at that time when he will be all in all in all his for all eternity Amen FINIS Heb. 10. 7. 1 Th. s. 5 14 Hosea 2. 24. Rev. 22. 17. M◅ 11. 28 Esay 53. 1. 1 Ioh. 3. 23. Ioh. 16. 9. 2 Cor. 3. 20. Es. 5. 8. Hos. 11. 9. Eph. 3. 18. Es. 57.