Christ then thou art so long as there is credit for the truth so long it is entertained but now suppose it be costly that it shouldbring beggery affliction with it is it now sweet to you doth this support thy heart I am in Gods way canst lye down and subscribe to the equity of Christs proceedings with thee though he should never shew favour to thee if it be not thus I dare not say thou art under the Kingdome of Christ And so for the correcting will of Christ many sad afflictions the Lord tries thee withall the Lord tries men marvellously when thou art under the hand of the Lord those very things that should make men cry to heaven and wean thee from the world those very things do harden thee and make thee grudge and repine The Lord be merciful to thee if this be thy frame the Kingdome of Christ never came into that heart you are begging for mercy and the Lord sayes you mercy you have abused it no saith the Lord Go to your lust that have despised the day of grace and so now you cast off the Lord because the Lord will not give you mercy when you would have it Will you now quarrel with the Lord no down proud heart pray still and mourn still and turne to the Lord and say Lord do with me what thou wilt I am clay in thine hand thou may'st make me a vessell of dishonour I deserve not the least bit of bread such a one as is above the Lord and his will is not under the Lord therefore submit thy self to the good will of Christ 3. When the soul doth thus submit to the will of Christ by vertue of the power and Spirit of Christ i. e. when the soul doth not submit by vertue of its own power strength or ability for this is forre gne power But as it do h seek to submit to the will of Christ so it would have Christ himself act it and rule it and so inable it to submit there unto Now is the Kingdome of God come neere to that heart And herein Christs Kingdome is different from Princes they give lawes that men may keep them by there own might hence they command no imimpossible things but the will of Christ is so crosse to a carnal heart that 't is impossible man of himself should submit to it But the Lord doth it for this end chat the soul should then come to Christ in its need that he would do all the good pleasure of his will and now the Lord himself reignes and that gloriously Rom. 8 1 2. For the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Acts 5.31 A Prince and Saviour for to give repentance and remisspon of sint It is part of his Princely power for to give remission of sins both in turning from sin and to God and all the wayes of God and now you exalt him when he is thus set up 1 Cor. 4.20 The Kingdome of God is not in word but in power The power of Christ Jesus is come into thy soul and the soul is under the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus when it doth lye under the mighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1. 11 12. We pray alwayes for you that the Lord would work and fulfil the good pleasure of his will and the work of faith in power that Christ may be glorified Yea then is Christ glorified when God omnipotent reignes over sin and unbelief and when the Lord doth this not only the Kingdome of God is now come but the Kingdome of Christ in glory is come there is many a poor soul thinks Christ rules him not because he cannot do this nor that became he findes his heart unable and unwilling for to submit to the will of Christ I finde no strength at all saith the soul and I go to Christ and finde not strength conveyed and now he thinks he is not under the Kingdome of Christ I answer that is not the question but hath the Lord made thee willing in the day of bis power when the soul doth lye under the power of the Lord Jesus Christ when che soul doth lye like wax before the Lord Jesus when the soul saith Lord there was never any change of my nature the good Lord change it and if there be any change the good Lord increase and stir up the graces of thy Spirit in my soul and do thou lead me and guide me Brethren the Kingdome of Christ is come to this soul John 5.40 You will not come to me for life He doth not say you do not quicken your selves or ye cannot come to me but will not here is their wound they will not come to Christ for life Rom. 6.19 As ye have yeelded your members servants to sin and Satan so now yeeld up your selves servants to righteousnesse and to holinesse Psal 119.5 6. Thou hast commanded that we should keep thy precepts continually Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy precepts continually Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy statutes When a Christian is grapling with his own heart ye will never be able to overcome the unsubduednesse thereof but when ye bring them to the Lord Jesus Christ that he would take a course with them 1. Now ye please Christ 2. Ye take a sure course to have the will of God done he being in office for that end for Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and Saviour to Israel When the soul doth look up to the Lord Jesus and lye under the power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus 3. You now make the yoke of Christ sweet and his name glorious nothing glorifies Christ so much as this when Jesus doth work in a Christian now the Kingdome of Christ is come to the soul and that in power But now when men will not submit thus far to Christ 1. They can do nothing but will not come to him on whom God hath laid salvation you say you cannot understand nor edifie by the Sermons ye hear and you cannot part with your lusts Ay but now this is thy condemnation thou wilt not go to a Saviour that he may teach thee and help thee when men will not have the Lord Jesus to reigne over them or 2. If men do come they will not come to him where he may be found but say I can do nothing Christ must do all and so neglect the means wherein he will be found or 3. Will submit and come in means to him but not then at the speciall time when He is to be sought and may be found viz. in time of temptation But then forget and forsake him and cry not Hosanna Lord now save now help me against this lust When temptation comes when passion and pride come do you now go to Jesus Christ When the world begins to draw thy heart away dost thou say thus Lord I have prayed this
vexing for all the estate he hath if he hath any eye or tendernesse in it so those small matters for which the Saints have suffered and for which God is provoked and under which some have roared and others have been loaded one after another 't is worth a world oh blesse God for it but consider those that be under the dominion of sin and Satan so strong and miserable sinne so dear that there is not so much as a sigh under that be thankful for that 3. Labour to maintain in the heart a holy feare of abusing liberties every one in his place for what makes them despised but principally the abuse of them in such a Congregation there was such contention such affront to the Elders there is that degenerating of spirit and back-sliding from God that men grow worse under meanes then ever I and so must be if men grow not better Deut. 6.10 12. The Lord exhorts them that when they be at liberty they would not then forget the Lord but then feare 'T is Luthers note on the place When in trouble you rejoyce but when in peace you feare I 'le only name the sins of liberty 1. Take heed of a Prayerlesse spirit and that that lamp go not out Men under some pressures cry and 't is long before they do cry under them and under their sin but then at last they do and when the Lord gives liberty though they have the guilt of the same sins and more sins lie on them yet then like Marriners when the stormes are over fall asleep It s strange that Israel under Pharaoh cried and under Gods afflicting hand in denying them water murmured True thankfulnesse will help to prize what liberty affords 2. An unloving spirit to the Saints It 's that I have oft said souldiers when they are set against a common enemy are all one but when at liberty then they fling javelins at one anothers heads differ in opinion and in heart and affection and 't is not death so to do Take heed of a rigid censorious unloving spirit 3. Extreme ignorance how to use our liberties and hence running to extremes As we say of Christ There is good enough in him but men know not how to fetch and improve it so there is great advantage in liberties but men misse of it through their ignorance and abuse Hence many times more hurt done by an Admonition then by the sin when administred in passion and without compassion Hence under pretence of liberty extream licentiousnesse 4. Imperiousnesse of spirit arising from a frothy emptinesse and an overweening opinion and conceitednesse of their own abilities and wisdome above others and hence will not be led being at liberty by the Councel and Advice of others It 's natural for man to affect sovereignty and when the time comes of liberty then it hath a vent Who made thee a Lord and Judge over us though in bondage much more in liberty they think Wills Common-wealth is in their heads chiefly and hence will not be ruled by Gods ordinances and hence if once taken with an opinion hardly ever removed c. 5. Resting with liberties and in liberties We were never in bondage John 8.33 yet servants to sin We be Abrahams seed better then all the world yet under all the power of sin and Satan and must not be told of their wayes but hate them that censure them for their sins Men in bondage are like sick men that will cry if they were in another bed oh then they should be well but they must first be cured of their disease 4. Make use of liberties He that hath them but sees not so much glory in them or gets not much good from them he wil be no more thankful then one that hath large grounds may walk at liberty but the trees for want of manuring bear no fruit nor ground corn through sloth such a man wil starve there Look as they Deut. 15.5 10 11. they were to bring the first fruits present them before the Lord and rejoyce in all so should you if ever you be thankful for them bring the first fruits to the Lord and think there is more behinde and more in heaven Object But our outward straits are many Object and temptations sad Answ If Christ himself should come on earth what would you have with him Answ would you have him come and set up an earthly Paradise would you have better entertainment then he who had not that which foxes and birds had or would you have him come from his Crosse and then you will make him King if you despise his ordinances and liberties because of wants you would despise himself if he were present But you will reply and say What if we can have both If that can be and Christ calls to take both refuse not his love But it may be an heavy indictment against some at the last day in that they forsake Christ because he is poor and naked for they are therefore called to cloath him and this will be your Peace and you will be no losers your selves another day 2. Suppose he doth keep us low yet Psal 145.13 14. His dominion is alway and raiseth up all that are bowed down Oh be humbled he is said Deut. 32.13 to make the people such honey out of the rock and oile out of the flint sweetnesse and mercy out of the hardest condition 3. They that are not recompenced for their enjoyment of liberties by the spiritual refreshings which the Lord gives shewing them more of their own hearts the Lord proclaims liberty to them to depart I am perswaded the whole Countrey would flourish the more 4. Lament rather your own vilenesse who in the midst of all mercy know not how to use but abuse our liberties and hence the Lord forsakes us as Ezra 9.8 10 11. What grace hath been shewed us what shall we say that after this c Wouldest thou not be angry with us till thou hast consumed us Psal 81.13 16. Oh that my People had heard my voice I would have subdued their enemies God would not be wanting unto us if we were not to him Take therefore that example to imitate in Acts 9.31 Having rest they were edified if we be not so truly as none have the like liberties so no bondage so sad no where such poverty no where such anguish of conscience no where such spirit and power of sin no where such sad anger if in practice we be unthankful or can mouth and speak against long Sermons and against the Countrey and Christians or in hearts undervalue them and when you see Indians rise Brambles Abimelechs and Shebnas raised c. then know this is for abuse of liberty Vse 7. Of exhortation to come under Christs Government Vse 7 and be in his service lest ye come to know the difference between it and some other by experience Mot. 1. You must be either under Christs yoke or Satans and sins Mot. 1. and so
into an Angel of light and speak and by their light will blinde them that the light in them shall be darknesse Rom. 1.22 When men with natural light began to be most wise then they became came the greatest fooles so 't is with other knowledge of Scripture and things they heare Happy were it for many a man if he had never heard nor seen Rev 12.9 Rom. 1.22 for that which he hath heard and seen keeps him from hearing Tyre and Sidon would hear sooner then Capernaum that heard most Reas 3. Reas 3 From the righteous judgement of God in leaving men to be blinded and made deaf from and by the means whereby they should hear and know that as it is with the Saints all evil things are for their good so all good things are for their hurt Isa 6.10 the meriting cause is unbelief and sin but the deep and hidden rise of all is Gods eternal dereliction of them God never intended love special love to them hence he never speaks one word to them 2 Cor. 4.3 John 6.65 Many were offended at his words and forsook him Now to take off this offence I said None can come to me except it be given him of the Father what is that see vers 45. and 37. Vse 1. Vse 1 Hence see the reason why the Word is so wonderfully ineffectual to the soules of many men that it never stirs them that it 's a strange thing to them it 's Heb. 12.19 like the law a voice of words a sound of words so they hear men spake but understand no more then if they speak in a strange language or if they do it concernes not them or if it stirs 't is but as the blowing of the winde upon a rock which blusters for a time but when the winde is down they are still Truly they hear the word spoken but they do not hear God speaking They heard Latimer speak but not God speaking they hear a sound which every one sayes and they think is the word but they hear not God speaking it One would wonder that those Jewes that heard John and his disciples Moses and the Prophets nay Gods voice from heaven saying This is my sonne that they should not hear this and receive him with all their hearts but they did not hear his voice One would wonder to see that such things which a gracious heart thinks this would draw every heart yet remaine not stir'd things which the devils tremble at and others which Angels wonder at yet they hear not Oh they hear not God speak they are dead in their graves farre from God and there they are kept by the mighty power of Satan like one in a deep dark cave kept by fiery dragons under the ground and the tombstone is laid upon them If Christ spake he would make the dead to heare and the blinde to see Vse 2. Vse 2 Hence see why the Saints finde such changes and alterations in themselves when they come to heare sometimes their hearts are quickned fed and cherished healed and comforted relieved and visited sometime again dead and senselesse heavy and hardned Mark 8.17 18 21. How is it ye do not under stand Nay which is more that the same truth which they hear at one time should affect them and at another time doth not the same thing which they have heard a hundred times and never stir'd them at last should The reason is they heard the Word of God spoken at one time but not God speaking and they heard the Lord speaking that same Word at another time the Lord is in his Word at one time the Word goes alone at another time as in Eliab the Lord was not in the whirlwinde but he spake in the still voice and hence there he was to Elijah Luke 24 25. with 32. not that you are to lay blame on the Lord for he blows where he listeth but to make us see 't is not in outward meanes nor 't is not in our own spirits to quicken our selves and to make us ashamed of our own darknesse that when he speaks yet we cannot hear there is so much power of spiritual death and Satan yet within us only out of his pity he speaks sometimes not that you should despise the outward word No no the Lord is there shining in Perfection of glory and that which doth thee no good the Lord makes powerful to some others But prize the Spirit of God in that Word which alone can speak to thee Vse 3. Vse 3 Of dread and terrour to all unregenerate men Hence see the heavy wrath of God against them they have indeed the Scriptures and the precious Word of God dispensed to them but the Lord never speaks one word unto them If any one from whom we expect and look for love passe by us and never speak What not speak a word and we call to him and he will not speak we conclude he is angry and displeased with us You look for love do you not you that heare every Sabbath and come to Lectures and you must out t is well yes you will say His love is better then life and frownes more bitter then death Love wo to me if the Lord do not love me better never been born I hope he loves me Happy I if the mountains might fall on me to crush me in pieces if he loves me not c. but consider if he loves he will then speak peace unspeakable to thy conscience when humbled life to thy heart joy in the Holy Ghost Isa 57.19 John 6.63 1 Thes 1.6 but look upon thy soul and see this day in the sight of God whether ever the Lord spake one word to thee outwardly indeed he hath but not inwardly inwardly also but not effectually to turn them from darknesse to light and the power of Satan to God c. The voice of God is full of Majesty it shakes the heart 't is full of life it quickens the dead and light and peace and gives wisdom to the simple Ps 119. Opening of thy word gives light to the eyes How many women ever learning and never knowing and many men learning and knowing what is said but never heare God speak Then know the wrath of the Lord see and go home mourning under it There is a fourefold wrath in this 1. 'T is the Lords sore wrath and displeasure Zach. 1.2 with ver 4. If one should expect love from another to do much for him and be did not it may be he would not take it as a signe of displeasure but if he will not do a small thing not speak a word to him oh this is bitter what will not the Lord speak a word not one word especially when thy life lies on it thy soule lies on it eternity lies on it especially the Lord that is so merciful and pitiful this is a signe of fore anger 2. 'T is a token of Gods old displeasure eternal displeasure I know you cannot heare hence though
Lord negligently and therefore spending usually two or three whole dayes in preparing for the work of the Sabbath and having his sermons finished upon friday night He hath sometime exprest himself thus in publicke God will curse that mans labours that lumbers up and down in the world all the week and then upon Saturday in the afternoon goes to his study when as God knows that time were little enough to pray and weep in and to get his heart in frame c. He affected plainenesse together with power in preaching not seeking abstrusities nor liking to hover and soare aloft in dark expressions and so to shoot his arrowes as many Preachers do over the heads of his hearers It is a wretched stumbling block to some that his Sermons are somewhat strict and as they terme it legal some souls can relish none but meal-mouth'd Preachers who come with soft and smooth and toothles words byssina verba byssinis viris But these times need humbling Ministeries and blessed be God that there are any for where there are no Law-Sermons there will be few Gospel-lives and were there more Law-peaching in England by the men of gifts there would be more Gospel-walking both by themselves and the People To preach the Law not in a forc'd affected manner but wisely and powerfully together with the Gospel as Christ himself was wont to do Mat. 5. and elsewhere is the way to carry on all three together sense of misery the application of the remedy and the returnes of thankfulnesse and duty Nor is any doctrine more comforting then this humbling way of God if rightly managed It is certain the foundations of after-sorrowes and ruines to the Church have ever been laid in the dayes of her prosperity and peace and rest when she injoyes all her pleasant things This the watchmen of Israel should foresee and therefore what should they do but seek to humble and awaken and search and melt mens hearts and warne every one night and day with teares that in the day of their peace they may not sinne away the things of their Peace There are therefore three requests which we would desire to beg of God with bended knees for England to perpetuate the present prosperity and peace thereof and let us commend them to the mourning and praying ones amongst us that they would be the Lords remembrancers in these Petitions I. A right understanding and sober use of liberty For when People come first out of bondage they are apt to be not only somewhat fond of their liberties but to wax giddy and wanton with liberty and instead of shaking off the bloody yokes of men to cast off at least in part the Government and blessed yoke of Christ also Hence it comes about that a day of rest from persecution which should be a day of liberty to the Saints to serve God may become a day of great seduction and of liberty to seducing Spirits to deceive and damne and mislead them from the truthes and wayes of God But the machinations of men though in conjunction with the powers and gates of hell shall certainly fall at last before Truth and Prayer And of this is the first Treatise which is seasonably publish't To be fast bound to the rule with all the bonds and cords of God and Man is the Perfection of liberty Hence there is not a surer Corner-stone of ruine to a Christian Common-wealth that God will break them with unparallell'd destructions by some overflowing scourge when the day of vengeance is in his heart then to think that Religion is none of their Liberties and yet how maay sonnes of Belial are there void of counsel neither is there any understanding in them who imagine vain things and say Let us break his bands asunder and cast away his cords from us How do men run into extremes either stretching and paring every one to the Gyants bed and thereby denying liberty to the Saints to serve him according to the measure of their stature in Christ or else on the other hand opening the door so wide as to plead for liberty to all the disguised enemies and sins against Christ thereby instead of uniting the Saints in one indeavouring through a dreadful mistake to unite Christ and Belial It is a sad thing when a man is come to this passe that he is not able to resolve his conscience whether Baal be God or the Lord be God and therefore would not have the worshippers of Baal punisht for fear lest Baal should be God Is liberty nothing but indifferency irresolution of spirit in the things of God wo to the valley of vision even to a sinful Nation laden with iniquity and led away from the truth as it is in Jesus and to the Host of the high ones that sit on high in the day of his visitation if this be the spirit of these times for in the day when he visits God will visit for these things 2. That his Word especially the Word of his Gospel may be precious and powerful may run and be glorified in England Alas as there is much preaching but few serious few heart-breaking Sermons so there is much hearing but little effectual hearing Men stand like the Oakes of Bashan before the words of the God of Israel no terrour of the Lord no newes of everlasting destruction no evidence of the fierce anger of God upon them which burnes down to the bottom of hell can take hold upon their spirits or awaken their consciences to make inquiries after God in this their day yea if the barres of the pit of hell were broken and if the devils of hell should come flying up amongst us in our solemn Assemblies from the fiery corners of the Pit below with everlasting burnings about their eares and with chaines of darknesse ratling at their heels they might fright men out of their wits perhaps or from the acts of sin it may be for a time but it would not work upon their hearts their desperate dead besotted hearts The fooles in Israel will have their swinge in their lusts and go to hell in a full cariere let God do his best Oh the hardnesse of mens hearts And the maine reason of it is because they hear but a sound of words but they do not hear the Lord in that Wrrd they hear words that are spoken by God but they heare not they see not God himself therein If ever thou wouldest profit by reading or hearing take every word as a special message to thee from God and of this fruitlesse hearing and the rules of hearing aright is the other Treatise 3. Conscience of his Sabbaths Of which there is an elaborate discourse of this Author formerly publish't by himself Therefore we shall adde no more The blessing oâ— heaven go with these to make us a willing People in the day of his power to submit to his Word and to come under the wing of the Government of Jesus Christ as esteeming these spiritual mercies
Verse 16. Then they spake often one to another there was good effect of his Sermon now what follows Chapter 4.1 Hence the wicked shall come and cut off Branch and Root in Antiochus time there is a burning day a coming that shall burn down house root and branch and hence Matthew 21.43 The kingdome shall be given to them that bring forth fruit You will say we do No thy own mouth shall condemne thee you do not you finde no good by all the ordinances of God and hence come those Questions what warrant for such an ordinance the bottome is they never felt good of it and hence grow weary of it well if it be your burthen the Lord will ease you of it 2. When you see men professing the feare of God mutually naturally contentions and continuing so I say contentious with Saints which they say they love and which by covenant bound to love either from some conceived wrong and hence cannot forgive as Christ doth them or from aprejudicate groundlesse opinion they care not for me nor I for them or from a spirit of scornful Censoriousnesse what are such and such or because distasted because of some reproofe in their sinne or by some opinion or by sōe worldly conveniency or laying out lots or restraint of some liberty c. or because of some sin Now can sit and censure and I say when this is mutual for a godly man may be contended with but he prayes mournes and pitties unlesse it be at some time but when it shall continually abide so fierce and implacable Eccles 7.9 Anger resteth in the bosome of fools when a man shall be glad of an occasion of difference that so he may depart and have something to quiet conscience for breach of Covenant that there can be no healing but Bellies of pigs are more deare then bowels of Saints and when quiet upon the least occasion apt to pick holes and quarrel Now it 's time for the Lord to give over to another government Zach. 11.14.15 When Brother-hood is broken then an Idol-shepheard is set up Exodus 2. Moses was sent to deliver Israel but he findes two Hebrews oppressed striving and must not be checkt neither well then fare-well deliverance if you be of that spirit you shall love one another better if ever the Lord doth that for you It hath been the wisdome of some Princes when their subjects have been at Civil warres to call them forth to a common enemy and there they can agree Oh brethren there is no sinne like this and yet none so slighted You shall know what it is either by being yoked under enemies or sinnes The first of these breaking bonds of union to Christ the other with his members Vse 4. Vse 4 Hence see the reason why many men are delivered up to the bondage of their own lusts the most sad bondage and power of Satan who have seemed to be delivered from it truely they have cast off the government of the Lord. Men wonder why in this countrey men are more vile then ever they were men that gave great hopes the reason is this they have seemed to be under Christs government but secretly cast it off And hence filthy and vile lusts are their Apparitors and Pursevants c. Objection Object The Saints feel a bondage how shall one know the difference Answer The first and greatest inthralment is Answ 1 when Satan and sinne so rule as that they know them not this is lamentable that like those John 8.33 when Christ told them if they continued in the truth it should make them free they would not believe that ever they were in bondage so here a man thinkes himself free when he is a slave thus Psalm 81.13 God gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they were led by their own Councels The Saints may be much carried away by the power of Satans temptations but never so far as to think their bondage is their freedome and to have reasons and arguments prevailing against the good wayes of Gods grace and to have reasons to maintaine their sinfull courses and that is in such as have wit and parts and knowledge which through the righteous judgement of God are left so farre to abuse it as to make use of it to maintain their sin-ful lusts 2. Answ 2 When men if they see their bondage yet have no heart to come out of it in using all means for that end When the will is in captivity no captivity like it no gally-slave like it A childe of God hath a bondage and is led into captivity but Oh miserable man he cries but these Prov. 17.10 have a price in their hand but no heart to make use of it Ezra 1.5 So many whose hearts the Lord stirred they gat up to go to Jerusalem But the Lord never stirs the hearts of these poor creatures they know and feare yet have no heart to get out of that condition nay rather willingly are so They sell themselves to their lusts and sins and Satan here is saith Satan this gaine neglect prayer for it tell a lie for it breake Covenant for it lose thy peace for it here is this honour and credit look big on it here is this estate carry thy countenance high and thus apparrel thy selfe with these trappings walke thus with thy bootes French-like here is this pleasure and mirth keep thou this company loose thy heart neglect thy God give thy selfe over to it here is this ease deferre thy repentance be cold in prayer neglect thy family and a man sells himselfe to his lust pleasures and honours thou art thus provok't and therefore now thou must fret and murmur and rage and hold thy own and so ease thy heart thus men set themselves to sale willingly 3. Answ 3 When men have some heart to come out of it but the Lord leaves men to an indifferency and consequently to apostasie as it was with Agrippa almost perswaded and like the Iraelites that refused to go into that good land Numbers 14. And hereupon the Lord was wroth and said they should not but they repentedand would faine have had some pitty shewed in regard of their misery but their enemies fell upon them and destroyed them al the plea of the Arminians is for this which is nothing else but mens misery Luke 14. those that were invited made their excuses and said I must needs go and see it But found no necessity to come to Christ Now the Saints the Lord never leaves them to a spirit of indifferency but keepes them in a spirit of necessity I must come out of this miserable condition saith the poore soul they say not flesh is weak but I must have helpe Psalm 110. because 't is the day of the Lords power they will not rest contented without helpe and if the Lord delayes them and hears not they will follow the Lord so much the harder 4. If they have any resolution to come out and think it must
not be thus and purpose never to live thus again yet notwithstanding all their purposes and resolutions they fall again and never get any real conquest their untamed hearts wils are never a whit more subdued Isaiah 63.7 8. For he said Surely they are my people children that will not lie So he was their Saviour but they soone rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit their wills were never subdued But now the Saints either the Lord preserves them from such falls and apostasies Or if they do depart from the Lord by reason of the prevailing power of any temptation they ever get real conquest by their fall their sinful corruption thereby gets its deadly wound Rom. 11.10 Their backs are not alwayes bowed down but the Lord raiseth their bowed down spirits Psalm 145.14 and upholdeth their spirits for them when they think they shall one day fall by the hand of such Saul-like sins and distempers A carnal heart may carry a faire profession and be in subjection to Christ for a time but his back stands alwayes bowed down under his profession it is his burthen and hence at last he casts it off as a man doth his wearisome burden but on the contrary childe of God being indeed weary of his sinne and carrying that up and down with him as his burden with his soul bowed down in the sense of his own vilenesse by this means through the helpe of Christ at last he comes to get real conquest over his sinne and cast it off 5. When the Lord in this case lets them alone without inward or outward troubles this is a fearful signe Hosea 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to his Idols let him alone the Lord will take no more paines with them he is wearied out with striving Isaiah 1.5 Why should ye be stricken ye will revolt yet more and more when the Lord sees men the worse for his merciful corrections he deales like parents that have have striven long with their children and can do no good on them they then resolve to let them take their own course and will own them no longer to be of their family the Lord never deales thus long with his but if their sinne will not waste by words the Lord will then try what chaines will do and now they shalt finde good now they shall remember their backslidings and apostasies from God and their impenitency in finne in fecret sinnes especially in the dayes of their peace and prosperity now the Lord will make finne as bitter as ever it was sweet Oh consider this you that are prosperous and because the Lord is good to you therefore you think the Lord likes well of your wayes No greater plague then for the Lord to give a man peace in his sinne or if the Lord begins to afflct thee in thy name or estate begin to be blasted and thou canst see Gods hand on thee and knowest it and yet thou remained unhumbled this is a signe thou art under the bondage of thy finne Vse 5. For examination whether we do Vse 5 or when a people do cast off the government of the Lord and destroy his kingdome it's needful to know the sinne that we may prevent the misery and 't is certaine let New-England be watchful and make sure here to advance the Prince of peace and to keep the right and government in his hand and you shall have the blessing of God and his ordinances peace and mercy in your times and continued to your children for his kingdom is an everlasting kingdome and of the increase of his kingdome there is no end and on the contrary if New-England cast off the government from over them and refuse his service the Lord will then take the kingdome from you and you shal then know the want of what now ye injoy Now because Christs government or kingdome is 1. Inward 2. Outward in Church in State I shall let you know 1 when the inward kingdome of Christ is set up and when 't is tazed down which I shall do by giving you a briefe view of the nature or it and wherein it consists and so you may the better Judge of your own hearts in this particular As Satan hath an inward kingdome in the hearts of those that are without so the Lord Jesus hath an inward kingdome in the hearts of all his Saints Col. 1.13 Blessed be God saith the apostle which hath translated us from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan into the kingdome of his dear sonne which is very spiritual little seen a man may be under all outward government and yet naught here and therefore attend this inward kingdome therefore consists in four things or when the whole soul submits it self to God in these four particulars 1. When the whole foul gives entertainment unto the Lord himself to come into it for if a people shall say they are under such a government and yet will not admit the Prince himself to come amongst them but keep him out of the kingdome they cast off his government and his kingdome 2. When the whole foul closeth with the whole will of the Lord for if a people shall receive a Prince amongst them but he shall make no wholesome Laws to governe them but will be led by their own wills and lusts they pull down his kingdome 3. When the whole soul thus closeth with the will of Christ by vertue of the power and Spirit of Christ for if a people submit to the will of their Prince but 't is not by vertue of his authority over them command of them and helps he hath given them for that end but it is by reason of some forreign power that underhand incourageth them to yield this is poore subjection 4. When the soul thus submits to Christs will for the Lords ends denying its own wisdome or will and is-led by the Lord to his end for if a people shall submit to their Prince but 't is to set up other princes he is cast off from his throne When a man shall serve God and be under his government because it is profitable or honourable it suits his own end this is poor service in the Lords account 1. I say then the soul is under the inward kingdome or government of Christ when the whole soul gives entertainment to the Lord of Lords the Lord himself with all his traine in and by the Gospel of graâ—e the royal sword and Scepter of Christs kingdome for when Christ himself is thus received the kingdome of God is come to that soul and entred into that heart and hence Marke 1.14 15. the Gospel is called the Gospel of the Kingdome and when John and Christ preached believe and repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Under which word is comprehended much but principally Christ Jesus ready to enter the souls of his people and hence Iohn preached Christ Now 't is said those that were effectually wrought upon Matt. 11.12 that the kingdome of heaven did
binding to any and hence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinance of men Hence it is a foolish vanity to aske a warrant in Scripture for such a forme of Government for humane wisdome may teach this though not in Church-government Yet this supreme and inferiour Government hath been in all Kingdomes 1 Pet 2.13 14. to both which subjection is required to refuse to give it is to cast off the Lords Government and there are couched foure reasons in that place to prove this 1. Do it for the Lords sake for the name of Christ and that honour and majesty of Christ stamped on them submit hence cast them off you cast by respect unto nay the name of Christ Jesus 2. Because they are in the roome of the Lord to do the work of the Lord In punishing evildoers and for the praise of them that do well It 's true they may abuse their power otherwise bur yet their power is one thing and their abuse of it another 3. Because this is the will of Christ and you do well in it and so you shall stop the mouthes of foolish men apt to speak against you for sin 4. Because this is the liberty of Christ vers 16. and you are servants to Christ in it and to do otherwise is licentiousnesse and their liberty to exempt themselves from the power of lawfull authority was but a cloak of it For so it seems in those dayes some held it part of their Christian liberty to be free from all bonds and said that Christ had made them Kings on Earth c. So that if they did cast off subjection they did cast off the name of Christ power of Christ will of Christ liberty of Christ Jesus Even under heathen Magistrates what then do they that cast it off under others Quest 2 Quest. 2. When is Christs Government cast off in respect of the supreme power Answ Answ Those that know the questions about the power of Princes and people especially revived in these last dayes cannot but know the field is large where now I am I shall be wholly silent unlesse I saw greater cause of speaking then I do and only point out two or three particulars to prevent such sins as stand next to the door to break in upon this power 1 When men cast off secretly dread and fear and reverence of the Majesty Dominion and Sovereignty that God stamps upon authority and so come to have low mean thoughts of them and contempt of them It 's true none should be elected but such as men can honour for some eminency or other and that of God seen in them Able men fearing God chief amongst the people was the councell of God by Jethro and Moses but when they be Elected now to despise them and hence not to bow the knee or stir the hat and speak rudely before them it 's casting off not only their power in sight of God but the very root of it which is honour And hence in the 5th Commandment all duties to them are comprehended under the word Honour And who sees not but this is a sin which is apt to attend the spirits of men in a place of liberty and in our weak beginnings and day of small things Reports are abroad that no men or worth are respected and hence the Countrey is neglected I cannot say so after many thoughts for I am perswaded no place in Europe more ready to honour men of publick spirits of eminency in piety and humility without the seeing of which no Countrey more apt to vilifie because grace is the glory in the eye of a Countrey led by Religion But take heed lest such a spirit befal us lest the Lord put out our Lamps and cast our Crown down to the ground 2. When men seek to pluck the sword of revenge for sinne hurting the Common-wealth out of their hands without which the greatest power in a Common-wealth is but a pageant and a meer vanity almost a nullity Hence Rom. 13.4 He is Gods Minister yes when he gives good councell and when he is a revenger to execute wrath on him that doth evill So that be the evil what it will be if it hurt the Common-wealth or be against any wholesome Law thereof he is Gods Minister to punish it civilly In the first Reformation of Geneva there were as many heresies and errours almost as truths of God Servetus he denyed the Deity of Christ whereupon the Magistrate put him to death who died with extream horror Whereupon heresies being begun to be snibb'd and blasted Bellius writes a book 1. That men should punish no heresie at all but be merciful and meek is Christ was to the adulterous woman 2. If they did yet that Magistrates they should not punish for errors or heresies 3. If they did yet not with such severity as they begun To all which Beza hath given a most learned and solid answer detesting the hypocrisie of the man and the sad consequences of such opinions if their power should be diminished I conceive 't is calling off Christs power to take away power from Magistrates to punish sins against the first Table of which errors and heresies in Religion are part It 's as clear as the Sun that the Kings of Judah that were godly did it and were commended for it and 't is as clear they were commended for it not as types of Christ but because they did therein that which was right in Gods eyes and according to the commandment of the Lord Which judicial commandments concerning the punishing of Sabbath-breakers false Prophets Hereticks c. Gods fence to preserve morall lawes they are of morall equity and so to be observed to this day of Christian Magistrates c. To exempt Clergy-men in matters of Religion from the power of the civil sword is flat Popery by means of which Antichrist hath risen and hath continued in his pompe and power so long together The indulgence of Princes towards the Papal function in matters of Religion hath undone Christendome 'T is true every error is not to be immediately committed but when 't is like a gangrene of a Spreading nature then the Magistrate in due time must cut it off speedily Object Leave them to the Church Object Answ True leave them 1. there Answ But 2. Sometimes the Church will not sometimes they are not of any Church A Papist an Arminian may come in and leaven and damne many a soul for which they had better never been If it were but one and if he sayes I do it with a meek spirit their trick of late and none must meddle because mercy must be shewen to these wolves A wise shepherd had rather let a hunter come in and kill one of his sheep then let a wolfe or fox escape Act. 20.29 and see his people persecuted then their soules worried Heresie and Error hath this property it ever dies by severe opposition and truth ever riseth the more because Christ is against the
freely which may draw the heart as it will at the great and last day Come ye blessed take a Kingdome take a Christ prepared for you from before the foundation of the world Oh that this might sound in your eares This is the first and cheifest without this all your obedience is hypocrisie and abominable but this will please and then all poor obedience shall please Secondly Love unto the whole will of Christ especially to that part of it to love those that be the members of Christ Some Christians they believe and feeling a heart so crosse to Christ and the will of God think they are from under the government of God and Christ and so from under the grace of Christ and the argument is strong if true but why not under his government because they finde daily a spirit so crosse to the will of Christ and hence under continual fears of condemnation Oh but consider hast thou no love to the will of Christ law of God for if any believe this is found in him if so then under Christs Government Rom. 8.2 The Law of the spirit of life hath made me free What is that Law See Chap. 7.23 24. Spirit of delight in the Law in the inner man and mourning for contrary captivity Know therefore though you cannot do all yet love the whole will of God and mourn where you do not and then say Now no condemnation Do not say 'T is impossible Oh here is mens wo and triall of subjection to Christs will How do you love it love his Sabbaths and Ordinances because of his love to you How do's this constrain you In particular Love the people of God that is his speciall commandment 1 John 3.23 John 13.34 But now the want hereof or the contrary hereto As when a man shall become 1. A Distaster 2. A Contemner 3. A Censurer and whisperer 4. A Scoffer 5. If met on a Bridge an opposer of the Truths or servants of God This is that which kindles wrath and wherein the inward venome of hypocrisie appeares There 's many duties neglected and not that spirit of prayer and holy conferences amongst Christians yet do you keep love to them that what you cannot do your selves yet you love others that can do it and account it your blessednesse to be like them and daily mourne under your neglects that in every thing the Gospel is not adorned by you and on the other side although you have many duties Sabbaths and good acts yet if not love all is vile I fear 't is not mens joy sweetnesse delight to hear the least good word that falls from a good mans lips but rather the truths and things of God despised if so then look for wo. And for Members of Christ their lives not desired their deaths not lamented but you know how to contend and are carelesse though the Gospel and God be slandered you cast off the Lords yoke It was one mans speech that the great sin of this Countrey will be hatred of the Saints a scornful contempt of them It will come by degrees first distaste and then censure and contemne Oh but if herein you submit herein Christ is honoured and Gospel glorified in love and amiablenesse Not in a rigorous austerity of spirit and diabolical censoriousnesse but in word and deed countenance and gesture comforting and encouraging one another When David would know what to do Truely saith he my goodnesse extends not to thee but to the Saints in whom is all my delight Oh therefore submit here this conscience calls for and Christ must have To conclude with a word for help here Means 1. Look to Gods Ordinances Means 1. not as they be in themselves but as appointed of God to communicate an almighty power of spirit to them that wait on the Lord in them An almighty power must overcome and go on conquering and to conquer How shall we have this by Gods Ordinances Some more principall as Word and Sacraments some lesse How shall we partake of this power in them Look not on them in themselves but as appointed and sanctified and so as glorious And there pray and wait and look for the power nay believe you shall receive this power As the waters of Jordan to Naaman How did they cleanse When he lookt upon them without the command and promise he despised them and so found not the benefit of them but afterward he found the benefit of them when he washed seven times in attendance to the appointment of God Brethren it is but go and wash here 1 Cor. 10.5 Means 2. Know your disobedience Means 2. the breadth of it Something 's Christians see and pray against them and then all is well but see the bredth of evill in your disobedience There is something that doth oppose God in every lawfull thing in whole or in part for flesh is in it or else you are blinded if you see it not Oh therefore feel the breadth of evil in it that being sensible of and humbled under and striving against your continual disobedience every thought may be brought into subjection and obedience to Christ OF Ineffectual HEARING JOHN 5.37 Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape FRom the 31. Vers to the end of this Chapter Our Saviour proves that he was the Messiah to come from four testimonies 1. From the testimony of Iohn the first yet the least yet very strong and full vers 32.33 2. From the testimony of his works greater then that of Iohn vers 36. 3. From the testimony of he Father by his voice from heaven vers 37. 4. From the voice of the Scriptures the highest of all and surer then a voice from heaven 2 Pet. 1.19 v. 39 46. Now these words are annexed to the third testimony which I told you is the voice of God from heaven set down Mat. 3.17 For this testimony of the Father is not the inward testimony of the spirit only Because Christ speaks of publick and evident testimonies in this place nor is it meant of the testimony of the Father in the Scripture for that is a distinct testimony and though the Father doth testifie of Christ in the Scriptures yet 't is not as his testimony no more then the testimony of Iohn and of his works whereby the Father did testifie also Nor is it probable that our Saviour would at this time omit that famous testimony of the Father at his Baptisme which if it be not here is no where in this Chapter Beside how is this testimony the Fathers more then the Spirits but then being called his Son he did evidently declare himself to be the Father that spake Lastly the Spirits testimony is spoken of as the testimony of Moses and the Prophets Vers 46 47. For had ye beleeved Moses ye would have beleeved me for he wrote of me vers 47. For if ye beleeve not his writings how shall be beleeve my words Now out Saviour in
gives but a little consolation consider'd in it self it shall give marvelous consolation One would wonder to see what one word will do when the Lods time of blessing it is come 2. After that a Christian hath had the feeling of the efficacy of the word he may lose the feeling of it again and yet the being of it may remain and the reason is this partly because there is not alwayes need of feeling the like efficacy in the word A man may have by the word a marvelous deal of assurance of Gods love and sense of mercy and joy in the holy Ghost he may have this in the feeling of it This word it did ly hid for a time afterward it springs up and gives him peace But he loses his peace again his Sun do's set and it is midnight with him within twenty four hours and he is as much in the dark as before Now the being of this peace is there but he hath no need of the feeling of it at all times the Lord he will reserve that till some time of tentation that he shall meet withall As Paul he had marvelous Revelations but Paul had more need of humiliation then exaltation and there was not that use of Pauls having those glorious manifestations to him I will glory in my infirmities There was need for Paul to know the evils of his heart that he might walk humbly and it did not make so much for the glory of the Lord as this that Paul should say I have this misery and darknesse and sins and yet Jesus Christ he will take away all There was not need for Paul to have those joyes at all times that he had at one time So the Lord he gives a Christian joy and peace now there is no need for a Christian to have it alwayes I will pour floods of water on dry ground Beloved if there should be nothing but raine raine every day and night the ground would be glutted with raine and so turned into a puddle but when the land is dry and thirsty now the ground hath need of raine Let the Earth make use of that raine it hath and when it is dry and thirsty I will give more saith the Lord. So the Lord he gives the soul joy and peace Now if it should continue the very peace and joy of God would not be pleasant to the soul or at least not so pleasant as it will be when the Lord takes it away and gives it the soul again A Christian comes to the meeting-house and the Lord fills the sailes of a poor soul that he wonders the Lord should meet him and speak so suitably to him But as soone as he is gone out again this is the complaint of the soul all is lost again now the soul it falls a mourning again It is not for the glory of God to give the soul such peace out of his Ordinances as he doth in them the soul it would not prize the Ordinances of the Lord so much yet there it is and when they come again the Lord he either gives them the same refreshings again or else there is a new spring 3. The eternall efficacy of the word and voice of God it may be preserved in an internall spirit of prayer for the continuance of it while a man hath it and for the return of it when it is lost Ps 119.4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently David he knew his own weaknesse yet he intimates with what power it came on his heart Oh! that my soul were directed to keep thy statutes When the soul sees the beauty of a command and the good will of God how sweet it is and how amiable the way and work of God is Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy statutes And so when it is gone Psal 63.3 My soul thirsteth after thee Lord saith David that I may see thy glory and power as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary He doth not say that I may see thy glory and power in thy sanctuary though that might be too no but that I may see thy glory and power as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary David he did finde a want of seeing him as he had done yet the vertue of it did remaine in a spirit of thirsting and desire My soul thirsteth for thee as in a dry land where no water is that I may see thee A Christian may have at sometime such a glimpse in hearing the word of Gods grace of the exceeding riches of Gods grace and the love of God to him that he may be in a little heaven at that time ravished in the admiration of that mercy that ever God should look to him It is so and the word sayes so and the soul is ravished with wonderment at it yet God is gone again and the soul loses it Now the soul thinks I have lost the efficacy of Gods word but it is not so for thus it may be preserved Oh that I may see this God as I have done And all his life-time the soul may finde the want of this and yet it may be preserved in a spirit of prayer For whom the Lord hath given once a glimpse of his glory the soul it cannot be at rest but it breatheth for more of that mercy and presence a Christian may finde his spirit marvelously refreshed at the word he may taste how good the Lord is and he may lose it again but this may be preserved in a spirit of longing after this God and presence again And I will say this Brethren A Christian may finde no good by the word to his apprehension he sees the admirable blessed estate of the Saints and exceeding riches of God in Christ sees the swetnesse of the wayes of God goes home and thinks within himself Happy they that are in this condition Blessed are they that can walk thus with God But I cannot saith the soul I say it may finde it thus when he cannot finde the reall efficacy of the word as he would do he may receive the benefit of that word if the Lord do but only give him a heart to desire it Oh that the Lord would but thus manifest himself to me the soul may go away poor and hungry from the word and the Lord may yet reserve a spirit of thirsting after that good which a man desires to finde and there is the efficacy of the word there As now there are two golden vessels one a man fills and it is everyday dropping and he preserves it another vessel he do's not fil but with something that he hath he is every day widening of it So some Christians the Lord he 's a filling of them others the Lord he do's not fill them with such peace and joy ay but though the Lord is not filling of them he is a widening of them there is such a vertue that the lord do's enlarge the heart with secret desires and longings after more of Gods
grace and Christs The Lord he saith I intend to make this man a vessel of glory and I intend he shall have a great deal of glory and peace at the last The lord he leaves such an impression of the word upon him as that thereby he enlargeth the heart Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it 4. A Christian may have the everlasting efficacy of the word and voice of God preserved in a spirit of thankfulnesse and love to the Lord for those joyes and good that it findes by the word sometimes When it feels that the sweet and savour of the word is gone a spirit of thankfulnesse and love to the word that doth remaine The Lord he preserves the efficacy of the word in this way Psal 119.7 I shall saith David then praise thee with uprightnesse of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements The Lord he may teach his people his righteous judgements and the savour and feeling and strength of them to their feeling may be gone and yet it is preserved in a spirit of thankfulnesse and praise that ever the Lord should shew it such mercy When the Spirit is gone the spirit of love and thankfulnesse remaines As now a man hath heard the word the Lord he hath effectually wrought on him and changed his heart and drawn him to himself a Christian it may be he may lose those sorrowes and humiliations and the remembrance of those things yet there remaineth to his dying day this Spirit he blesseth God and wondereth at God that ever he should make the word effectual that he should leave so many thousands in the world and cast his skirt over him and say to him Live this do's remain still Brethren the Lord do's sometimes let light into a mans minde to discover his sin now this light it do's not sensibly overcome the power of sinne But now the soul blesseth God for that word which hath convinced it had I never seen my sinne saith the soul I should never a sought for power a-against it and pardon of it and this continues now and cannot but continue here is the efficacy of the word the word of Gods grace though the flower of it be gone yet there is an eternal power of the word that the soul can say It hath come to me and helped me against these sins and the soul wonders at the Lord it should be so much as it is So again a Christian he findes marvelous refreshings and affection whiles he is a hearing when he is gone away he findes not the same but he blesseth God for those affections he findes and there remains an eternall efficacy of the word 5. The eternall efficacy of the word it may be and is preserved by nourishing increasing and restoring the new man that is eternall There is a double efficacy that the word hath the first is to beget a Christian to life and this new man is eternall I conceive all the actions of the new man may be suspended and the increasings of the new creature may be decayed though God doth renew it again But this never do's decay it never dies He that is born of God cannot sin because he is borne of God and because the seed of God remaines in him 2. There is efficacy in the word when it hath begotten a man to nourish him up and so the word it is food to him that was seed to him to beget him which food is eternal How is it eternal Is it in this that now the sweetnesse savour and remembrance of every thing that doth refresh him shall last in it self No buâ— in this respect it is eternall in that it leaveth its secret vertue in the nourishing of that which is eternall As now Adam when he was in innocency and had an immortall body his food it should have been an immortal food to him but how should that have been should he alwayes have had the same strength from the same diet which he ate long before No but in this respect it should have been an immortall food to him in that it was to nourish that which was to be eternal So it is here the word of Gods grace it begets a man it humbles a man and drawes the soul to Christ but afterwards there are many things that God speaks to the soul in the word that hath an eternall vertue in that it doth nourish up the new creature the word hath a secret vertue in it for this end I will shew it you thus Isa 58.11 The Lord he professes to his People Thy soul shall be at a watered garden The Lord will make the souls of his people like watered gardens in peace and joy and life Now look as if so be trees by water or by some springs that run by it and slide away and ye cannot tell which it is that makes them to grow yet yâ— know this there is in all of them joyned together a secret insensible vertue that every one of them addes something to the flourishing of the tree So it is here the Saints of God the word of God it comes to them and passes by them and ye cannot tell whether this part or that part of the word leave any vertue but many times a man feels no vertue yet it is manifest here is aflourishing Christian here is heart and life and peace that it hath with God and the soul it remains flourishing there is a secret vertue all the words that run by and passe by the souls of Gods people they do leave a marvellous vertue to make the soules of Gods people like watered gardens and to increase in grace Note it by the way you that live under the means of grace your soules shall be like watered gardens if God have spoken to you first or last the Lord speaks many times to you sometimes affecting and sometimes warning sometimes convincing and humbling and speaking Peace and there is a vertue that remaines and if ye finde it not know that God hath not spoken to you 6. The eternal efficacy of the word may be preserved in a power of Conflict against the power of sin for therein the Lords power of the Word does principally appear in this life though not in a power of victory I mean a compleat victory yet an imperfect and incompleat victory there ever is first or last whereever there is a power of Conflict I mean thus the Word it singles a man out and speaks to his heart and sets him at variance with his sin and with himself for his sin and he joynes side with God in the use of all meanes that his unbelieving heart and proud Spirit may be subdued it sets him at variance with his sin now there is many a Christian thinks there is no power of the Word oh my unbelief continues still and my vain minde and I can finde little strength no ye must not look for a power of compleat victory but yet there is a power of Conflict God
he sets the soul at an everlasting distance with his sin never to be reconciled and looks to the Lord that by his Word and Spirit he would subdue them that so he may see the death of them and he sides with the Lord in the use of all means comes to the Word and comes to Prayer and sayes Speak against my sin Lord Lord waste these distempers and so the soul is thus at variance with his sin although his temptations do get winde and hill of him he goes again and to them again and though he perisheth and never have mercy from the Lord yet Lord that I may never sin against thee more help therefore Lord by this promise and mercy and meanes and here he keeps him and here he holds Truly brethren here is an eternal vertue and such a vertue as no hypocrites have that have some sting of conscience and after they have some peace they are at truce with their sins No there is an everlasting conflict and warfare and I do assure you there is an everlasting power gone forth Mat. 12 20. Christ will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax till judgement come to victory Therefore there may be judgement but it may not come to victory there may be smoak and fire and it may almost go out and he Lord he blowes it up again and at the last though it be weak and little and he think with himself he shall never get strength again yet the Lord will give victory in his time Only becautious here I told you there is an incompleat victory the Lord never sets his people at variance with their sin but they have victory but it is an incompleat victory Saith the Lord I will drive out the Hittites and Canaanitess and Perizzites before you but I will do it by little and little There is many a Christian that findes within himself a Spirit of warfare against his sin and did he examine himself he should finde a Spirit of victory but he thinks he hath none because his victory is not compleat If he had a heart so to believe as never to doubt more and such quickning as never to be dead more never to depart from God more now I should think the Word comes with power but I finde that these evils prevaile against me There is many a one does scorn the kindnesse of Christ because he findes not compleat victory but darknesse remaines still and sinful lusts remaine still therefore the Word doth me no good at all saith he The Lord he hath given thee a Spirit of Conflict and hath set thee at an everlasting distance with thy sin and he doth give thee some victory Beloved a Christian may decay in the power of the grace of Christ which he hath received from the Word and voice of God in the Word and he may decay and grow to a very low estate yet be shall finde this the Word of the Lord hath come with power to him it will recover his soul again and so the efficacy of the Word is eternal Psal 72. it s said of Christ that his People shall feare him so long as Sun and Moon shall endure that is continually all their life-time It may be said there he many that finde decay of their service and obedience and they lose their feare of the Lord and their dread and their humble walking before him He shall come as the raine on the mowen grasse many times a Christian hath his flourishing time as the grasse but when the grasse is mowen it is as a dry chip so the soul it may grow dry as dry as a chip Now where is your sap and savour but I tell you if you belong to the Lord Jesus the raine it will fall again the Word of God set on by the Spirit of Christ it shall fall up on you as the raine on the mowen grasse and you know that it recovers little by little and puts on a green coat again Here is the eternal love of the Lord Jesus to his People and thus the eternal efficacy of the word does continue 3. Vse is of exhortation 3. Vse Oh Brethren and beloved in the Lord Jesus may a Christian heare the Word of God spoken and yet never hear God speak may he hear it externally and not internally then rest not in external hearing and with some little movings and affections and stirrings of the Word of Gods grace in hearing Let not the Word be to you as the sound of many waters and a noise no efficacy of the Word that do remaine on your soules Brethren and beloved in Christ I lay my finger on the sore in these times Oh the contempt of the Gospel of Christ though I believe it hath its efficacy in the heart of the Elect that is the thing that I presse never be content with external hearing though thou mayest have some affection and know new things unlesse thou finde the Lord speaking with an eternal efficacy to thy soul I conceive two things are to be done that the word may come with an everlasting efficacy although something is to be done by Ministers that is to preach truth and Gospel-truth fetch 't from heaven wich many prayers and soaked truth with many teares Ye shall know the truth and that truth shall make you free Convicting truth We preach saith the Apostle in the demonstration of the Spirit The Spirit of God when he cometh he convinceth the world of sin Let Ministers do so Preach convincing truth and Gospel-truth fetch'd from heaven and bathed in teares Oh brethren let the fire burn clear let there not be more smoake then fire it will never come with power then convincing Gospel-truth set on by the demonstration of the Spirit of the Lord and this will set a Christian at liberty there is never such a Sermon that the faithful ones of God preach to you if it come not with a power to loosen you and call you home it comes with a power to blinde you it is an axe at the root of the trees but I leave this What means ought the people to use that the Word of God may come with efficacy Them that are in their unregenerate estate the Lord only knowes how to work on their hearts they must come to the outward meanes I speak to the Saints of God I leave others to the infinite mercy of the Lord It is not in him that willeth or runneth but in the Lord that sheweth mercy In the use of meanes 1. Meanes Do not only see thy infirmities and weaknesse but pray to God to give thee a heart bleeding under the sense of thy many infirmities Many times men slight them and are not sensible of them I do not say wickednesses and wilfulnesses but thy infirmities and weaknesses get a heart mourning under them A Christian is made up of infirmities and weaknesses a man would not think there is that in another which he knowes by himself Oh brethren
labour for a broken heart in the sense of your many infirmities and weaknesses darknesse and enmity vanity and unsavourinesse the Lord will have his time to speak to such a soul Break up the fallow ground of your hearts lest my wrath break out with fire the Lord hath promised to dwell with the poor and contrite Look as it was with our Saviour Christ they brought the sick and the lame ones to him and vertue went but from Christ to heal them all Bring thy sick and blinde heart to Christ and vertue shall go forth from Christ to heal it 2. Draw near to God in the Word by looking on it as God speaking to thee We are far from God and therefore we cannot hear him draw near to him when you come to the external Word when you come to heare the Word heare it as the voice of God You heard the Word at the Word of God which you felt in you 1 Thes 2.3 I do not speak that the soule should take every thing that Ministers speak as the Word of God but that which is the Word of God take it as God speaking I am not able to expresse the infinite unknown sweetnesse and mercy and presence of God that you shall finde thus coming I know it is a common truth but I am not ashamed to tell you I have not for many a year understood this truth and I see but little of it yet ye have heard of it but ye do not understand what it is to hear God speaking When God hath an intent to harden a mans heart and to damn him either he shall have aprejudice against the man or else if he hath not a prejudice against the man there is a secret loathing of the truth in regard of the commands of it and that is all and the Lord he hardens and blindes and prepares for eternal ruine all the men in the world by this meanes that live under the meanes When the Lord spake to Samuel Samuel heard a voice but he heard it not as spoken by God but when he took Elies counsel and saw it was the Lord that spoke now he listens to the voice of the Lord and now the Lord opens all his minde to him 3. Do not trust to the external word It is a heaven on earth to hear the Word exalted a glorious thing to hear the Word of God as Gods Word but trust to the free grace of God in it and the Spirit of God in Christ to set on that Word When they brought the lame and blinde and halt to Christ they looked for the Word and the Power of it Speak the Word Lord and thy servants shall be whole so bring your blinde lame and halt soules to Christ and trust to the free grace of the Lord Iesus Christ The Work of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand so the Word of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand also Lastly so seek the Lord and so heare the Word so seek the truth and so hear the truth as that you lay up your happinesse in this world in closing with the truth and with the word Brethren what is a mans happinesse in heaven but to close with God and Christ I cannot come to God now the most that I can have of God now is in his word if it be happinesse in heaven to close with God in Christ truly then it is a mans happinesse to close with God in his word on earth and if it be your happinesse lay up your happinesse in it My son saith Solomon if thou wilt hear my word Prov. 3. let them not depart from thine eyes keep them in the middest of thy heart place thy happinesse in them So shall they be life to thy soul Vers 22. Neverthelesse Brethren let a mans soul be set upon any thing in the world when he comes to hear besides the word if he lay not up his happinesse in closing with the word truely the word it will be like a song to him The Prophet Ezekiel tells them Their hearts were gone after their covetousnesse When a man comes to hear a Sermon there is a Sermon and the Market there is a Sermon and a friend to speak withall and so many young people will go abroad to hear Sermons What is the end of it It is that ye may get wives and husbands many of you but it is not your blessednesse to close with the Lord in his word I have known some men that have had a distaste against the truth of the Lord and I have known them for many a day they have not been able to understand the truth of the Lord. When it shall be thus with a man that a mans heart is set on something else besides the word of the Lord that it is not my happinesse to close with the truth of the Lord such a man shall never understand the truth of the Lord. Though the word be sweet to you sometimes if your blessednesse do not lye in this to enjoy God Oh this Gospel of God and these Commands of God that your blessednesse do not lye in cleaving to the Lord in his word I say it is a certain truth you shall be blinded and hardned by the word For here is a Rule Whatsoever a mans heart is set on as his chiefest good the presence of that good it comes with power So here the precious Gospel of Christ when the presence of it commands the heart nothing is good enough for it and it closeth with it and with Christ in it I beseech you therefore Beloved in Christ set upon the use of these meanes think within your selves What if the Lord had left me without the word I will tell you what ye would have been Look upon these poor Indians herds of Beasts look upon others on their Ale-benches enemies to the Lord such a one thou hadst been This blessed word and woice of God every very tittle of it cost the blood of Christ written all the lines of it in the blood of Christ Oh make much of it and it will make much of you it will comfort you and strengthen you and revive you and if the word come not with power ye shall be under the power of something else if not under the power of the word then under the power of some lust What is the reason that these poor creatures that are come to the tryall for life and death that have fallen into such sins as were never heard of What is the reason that they are under the power of their lusts I will tell you what Solomon saith My son if wisdome enter into thy heart and discretion be pleasant to thy soul it shall keep thee from the strange woman sinful companion If it be pleasant here is the reason the word of Gods grace it never came with power or if it came with power powerless the word of Gods grace hath been to them and because it hath not come with
188 To Hear God speaking in the word p. 189 I. THings Indifferent not to be restrained by a Law p. 129 Setting up humane Inventions casting off Christs head-ship p. 60 Just with God that those that would not be under his Government should be under the power of lust p. 16 God to be Justified in all his judgements p. 3 K. CHrists Kingdome puts not down the Kingdomes of the world pag. 111 In the Kingdomes of the world there is a double power ibid. Knowledge twofold notional and experimentall p. 4. Two degrees of Knowing God in this life p. 155 L. TWo things chiefly occasion the breach of all Lawes p. 118 Gods Lawes only absolutely binde Conscience p. 123. and why ibid. All good Lawes either expresly mentioned in the word or deduced from it p. 124 Why all Lawes should be according to the Word p. 125 Humane Lawes agreeable to the Word binde Conscience secondarily and why p. 126 What a Christian should do in case Lawes be not according to the word p. 127 How to know when agreeable to the word ibid. All Lawes to be made for publick good ibid. Things indifferent not to be restrained by Law See Indifferent Lawes for publick good to be submitted unto though prejudicial to private and why p. 129 130 Of breach of Lawes meerly penal p. 130. and mixt p. 131 Why God often deprives Churches of their Liberties p. 18 In places of Liberty most danger of Licentiousnesse p. 134 Liberties of Gods people the price of Christs blood p. 137 How many wayes Libertie may be abused p. 138. to 140 Love to Christs will and members an evidence that we are under his Government p. 148 How great a sin to neglect this p. 150 God will not serve our Lusts See God M. WE must be subject to the civil Magigistrate and why p. 113 When this subjection is cast off p. 114 Whether he may punish sins against the first Table p. 115 116 May not make what lawes they please p. 118 Ministers how to preach p. 187 O. POwer of Church Officers See Power The evil of not submitting to them p. 104 105 What need there is of this Doctrine at present p. 109 Men apt to cast off Ordinances for temporall advantage and the greatnesse of the sinne of it p. 62. to 68 Secret pollution of Ordinances drives the Lord away from them p. 68. and what those pollutions are p. 69 To come to Ordinances and not to Christ in them is to cast off Christ p. 72 We must not be content with some movings in Ordinances but receive the power of the life of Christ p. 75 God gives not such comfort out of Ordinances as in them p 176. and why P. LOok not for an earthly Paradise of Christ p. 141 Seldome a Persecutor but he is an Adulterer p. 119 Supreme Power of Christ in his Church p. 54 When this is cast off p. 55 What Power given to the Church joyntly p. 79 c. Power of binding and loosing p. 82 Power of Church-Officers p. 95 What Power they have not p. 97. to 99 What Power they have p. 99. to 109 The sin of those that usurp it p. 100 The Power of Officers more then the Power of Members ibid. How Ministers are to Preach p. 187 S. WHat meant by Service p. 3 Difference between Gods Service and others See Government and Difference The Sinne of Servants not subject to their Masters p. 131 132 Of such as live under no Masters p. 132 Sinne cause of Warre p. 2 Sinnes for which God cast s people from under his Government p. 23 24 Souldiers not to neglect the commands of their Leaders p. 121 Spiritual refreshments abundant recompence for temporal distresses p. 142 Of coming to Christ for Strength See Christ Not to be Subject to God is to make him Subject to us p. 4 5 T. WHat reason we have to be Thankfull for the Liberties we enjoy pag. 136 Means of Thankfulnesse p. 137 God takes his own Time to punish those that cast off his Government p. 11 Towns-men ought to be obedient to Town-Orders p. 122 V. HOw to know whether we have heard the Lords Voice p. 165 Gods Voice in the word singles a man out in particular p. 166 Is of everlasting efficacy p. 168 c. Carries home to Christ p. 170 Victory against sin either incompleat or compleat p. 185 W. TRansgression cause of Warre p. 2 The whole soul must close with the whole Will of Christ. p. 38 Will of Christ directing or correcting p. 39 Cast off either in judgement or practice p 42 We must submit to Christs Will by Christs strength p. 44. For Christs ends p. 49 Gods Wisdome seen in subordination of all things to himself p. 10 A twofold Word of God outward and inward p. 157. The inward Word double effectual or ineffectual ibid. The efficacy of the Word may lye hid p. 173 After it hath been felt the sense of it may be lost againe p. 174 Not needful alwayes to feel a like efficacy of the Word p. 175 Preserved in a Spirit of prayer and longing after it p. 176 And thankfulnesse for the good we have found p. 179 A double vertue in the Word to beget and nourish p. 181 Efficacy of the Word appeares in a power of conflict against corruption p. 183 Trust not to the outward Word but to the grace of God with it p. 190 Place our happinesse in closing with the Word p. 191 Every tittle of the Word cost the blood of Christ p. 193 If not under the power of the Word we are under the power of lust ibid. The curse of God on those that enjoy the Word and receive no benefit by it p. 194 The comfort of the Word remaines till death yea unto eternal Life ibid. FINIS