but as anointing makes the members nimble and strong and chearefull so where the Spirit of God is in any man it makes him nimble and strong and chearefull to good duties but when wee are drawne to them as a Beare to the stake for feare or an inbred naturall custome this is not from the Spirit for where the Spirit is there duties are performed without force feare or hopes A child needes no extrinsecall motion to make him please his father because its inbred and naturall to him As the weights of a Clocke makes all the wheelesto goe so artificiall Christians are moved with things without them for they want this inward principle to make them doe good things freely but where the Spirit of God is it workes a kind of naturall freedome As the woman in the Law when she was forced by any man if shee cried out shee was blamelesse so if wee unfainedly crie unto Christ and complaine of our corruptions that they are too strong for us this will witnesse to our hearts that wee are not Hypocrites Good duties come from unsound Christians as fire out of the flint but they floow from a childe of God as water out of a Spring yet because there is flesh in them as well as spirit therefore every dutie must be gotten out of the fire And yet there is a libertie because there is a principle in them that resists the flesh Gods children are hindred in good duties by an inevitable weakenesse in nature as after labour with drowsinesse therefore the Spirit may be willing when the flesh is weake If wee strive therefore against this deadnesse and dulnesse Christ is ready to make excuse for us if the heart be right as hee did for his Disciples A child of God is the greatest Freeman and the best Servant even as Christ was the best Servant yet none so free and the greater portion that any man hath of his Spirit the freer disposition hee hath to serve every one in love Sight is the most noblest sence its quicke it can see from earth to heaven in a moment its large it can see the Hemispheare of the heavens with one view its sure and certaine for in hearing wee may be deceived and lastly it s the most affecting Sence Even so is Faith the quickest the largest the most certaine and most affecting it s like an Eagle in the cloudes at one view it sees Christ in heaven and lookes downe into the world it sees backward and forwards it sees things past present and to come and therefore it is that Faith is expressed by beholding A Vaile or Covering had two uses amongst the Iewes one was Subjection and therefore the women were vailed another was Obscuritie and therefore was the Vaile on Moses face Both these are now taken away in Christ for wee serve God as sons and as a Spouse her husband we are still in subjection but not servile and now also with open face we behold the glory of the Lord wee behold the things themselves they are now cleerely laid open the Vaile is taken away Our happinesse consists in our subordination and conformitie to Christ and therefore let us labour to carry our selves as hee did to his Father to his friends to his enemies In the dayes of his flesh hee prayed whole nights to his Father How holy and heavenly minded was he that tooke occasion from Vines and Stones and Sheepe to be heavenly minded and when he rose from the dead his talke was onely of things concerning the Kingdome of God for his carriage to his friends Hee would not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede hee did not cast Peter in the teeth with his Deniall Hee was of a winning and gaining disposition to all for his carriage to his enemies Hee did not call for fire from heaven to destroy them but shed many teares for them that shed his blood O Ierusalem c. and upon the Crosse Father forgive them for they know not what they doe So that if wee will be minded like unto Christ consider how hee carried himselfe to his Father to his Friends to his Enemies yea to the devill himselfe when hee comes to us in wife children friends c. we must doe as Christ did bid avoid Satan and when wee have to deale with those that have the spirit of the devill in them wee must not render reproach for reproach but answer them It is Written When wee finde any grace wrought in us wee should have a holy esteeme of our selves as when wee are tempted to sinne What I that am an heire of Heaven a King a Conqueror the Sonne of God a Freeman shall I staine my selfe God hath put a Crowne upon my soule and shall I cast my Crowne into the dirt No I will be more honorable these are no proud thoughts but the befitting our estate Those that are besotted with the false lustre of the world doe want spirituall light Christ himselfe when Hee was here upon the earth Hee lived a concealed life onely at certaine times some beames broke out So let it comfort us that our glory is hid in Christ now it is clouded with the malice of wicked men and with our owne infirmities but let us comfort our selves with this that we are glorious in the eyes of God and his Angells As men after a fit of sicknesse grow much so Gods children grow especially after their falls sometimes in humility sometimes in patience as wee may observe in Plants and Herbes they grow at the roote in Winter in the leafe in Summer and in the seede in Autumne so Christians appeare sometimes humble sometimes spirituall and joyfull and sometimes they grow in spirituall courage That which wee drew from the first Adam was the displeasing of God but we draw from the second Adam the favour of God from the first Adam wee drew corruption from the second Adam we drew Grace from the first Adam wee drew misery and death and all the miseries that follow death wee draw from the second Adam life and happinesse whatsoever wee had from the first Adam wee have it repaired more abundantly in the second Grace makes us glorious because it puts glory upon the soule it carries the soule above all earthly things it tramples the world under her feete it prevailes against corruptions that foyle ordinary men A man is not more above beasts than a Christian that hath grace is above other men It is an evidence that wee are gracious men if wee can looke upon the lives of others that are better than we and love and esteeme them glorious A man may see Grace in others with a malignant eye for naturall men are so vaine-glorious that when they see the lives of other men outshine theirs instead of imitation they darken what grace they will not imitate they will defame therefore those that can see grace in others honour it in them it is a signe they have grace themselves Men can indure
there is also much more the height and depth and length and bredth of mercy in God and though we have played the Harlot with many lovers yet returne againe Ier. 3. 1. For his thoughts are not as ours and his mercies are the mercies of a reconciled God When wee are under a cloud of temptations let us take heede of opposing our comforts for it wrongs Christs intention who would not have us at any time to be uncomfortable and besides whil'st wee are in such a condition wee are unfit to glorifie God for feare doth binde up the soule and makes it in a palsie temper wee are not fit to doe any thing as we ought without some love and some joy and though we be at present under a cloud yet the Sunne is alwayes the same wee may therefore for a time want the light of his gracious countenance but never his sweete influence Most men if they could they would alwayes live here but whosoever is partaker of Christs Resurrection his minde doth presently ascend and here we are alwayes inlarging our desires because wee are under a state of imperfection Many men that make a profession are like Kytes which ascend high but looke low but those that looke high as they ascend high are risen with Christ for a Christian being once in the estate of Grace hee forgets what is behinde and lookes upon ascending higher and higher till hee be in his place of happinesse and as at Christs rising there was an earth-quake so such as are risen with him doe finde a commotion and division betweene the flesh and the spirit Christ hath an especiall care of his children when by reason of the guilt of sinne they have most cause to be disconsolate and therefore where the heart of any man is upright towards God it is not to be expressed what indulgence there is in him towards such a poore sinner for though Peter had denied him yet in Marke 16. 7. Goe tell his Disciples and tell Peter so that Christ tooke great care to secure him of his love though he had most shamefully denied him God hath not in vaine taken upon him the name of a Father and hee fills it up to the full It is a name of Indulgence a name of Hope a name of Provision a name of Protection it argues the mitigation of punishment a little is enough from a Father therefore in all temptations it should teach us by prayer to flie under the wings of our heavenly Father and to expect from him all that a father should doe for his child as Provision Protection Indulgence yea and seasonable corrections also which are as necessary for us as our daily bread and when we die we may expect our inheritance because hee is our Father but yet wee must understand also that the name of a Father is a word of Relation something also he expects from us we must therefore reverence him as a Father which consists in feare and love He is a great God and therefore we ought to feare him he is also mercifull yea hath bowells of mercy and therefore wee ought to love him if wee tremble at him wee know not that hee is loving and if wee be over bold wee forget that hee is a great God therefore we should goe boldly to him with reverence and godly feare Those that are at peace in their owne consciences will be peaceable towards others A busie contentious quarrelous disposition argues it never felt peace from God and though many men thinke it commendable to cēsure the infirmities of others yet it argues their owne weakenes for it is a signe of strength where wee see in men any good to beare with their weaknesses who wasmore indulgent than Christ hee bore with the infirmities of his Disciples from time to time therefore we should labour to carry our selves lovingly towards them that are weake and know that nothing should raise us so high in our esteeme above others so as to forget them to be brethren in as much as those infirmities we see in them shall be buried with them Many men will make much of eminent persons and men of excellent parts but there may be a great deale of hypocrisie in that and therefore the truth of our love is tried in this if wee beare a sincere affection to all the Saints Eph. 6. 18. Wee must take heede of comming to God in our owne persons or worthinesse but in all things looke at God in Christ if we looke at God as a Father wee must see him Christs Father first if wee see our selves acquitted from our sinnes let us looke at Christ risen first if we thinke of glorification in heaven let us see Christ glorified first and when wee consider of any spirituall blessing consider of it in Christ first all the Promises are made to Christ he takes them first from God the Father and derives them to us by his Spirit the first fulnesse is in God and then he empties himselfe into Christ And of his fulnesse wee all receive grace c. God is said to be our God or to be a God unto us when as he applies for the good of his creature that all-sufficiencie that is in himselfe God is our God by covenant because hee hath made over himselfe unto us every beleeving Christian hath the title passed over to him so that God is his portion and his inheritance There is more comfort in this that God is our God than the heart of man can conceive it s larger than his heart and therefore though we cannot say that riches or honours or friends c. are ours yet if we be able to say by the Spirit of Faith that God is ours then wee have all in him his wisedome is ours to finde out a way to doe us good if wee be in danger his power is ours to bring us out if under the guilt of sinne his mercie is ours to forgive us if any want his all-sufficiencie is ours to supply or to make it good if God be ours then whatsoever God can doe is ours and whatsoever God hath is ours God is the God and Father of all the Elect and hee is also a God and a Father unto every one of the Elect God is every Saints Solidum even as the Sunne is wholly every mans so is God he cares for all as one and for every one as if he had but one There is not onely a mystery but a depth in the mystery as of Election and Reprobation so of Providence there is no reason can be given why some of Gods children are in quiet and others are vexed why one should be poore and another rich In Psal. 97. 2. Clouds and darkenesse are round about him you cannot see him hee is hid in a cloud I but Righteousnesse and Iudgement are the foundation of his Throne howsoever he wrappe himselfe in a thicke cloud that none can see him yet hee is just and righteous therefore when any thing befalls
DIVINE MEDITATIONS AND HOLY CONTEMPLATIONS BY That reverend Divine R. Sibbes D. D. Master of Catherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Grayes Inne LONDON LONDON Printed for Iohn Crooke and Richard Sergier in Pauâ— Churâ— yard 1638 DIVINE MEDITATIONS AND HOLY CONTEMPLATIONS BY That reverend Divine R. Sibbes D. D. Master of Catherine Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Grayes Inne in LONDON LONDON Printed by Tho. Cotes for Iohn Crooke and Richard Sergier and are to be sold at the signe of the Gray-hound in Pauls Church-yard 1638. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER COurteous Reader thou hast here Meditation upon Meditation offered to thy consideration as a helpe to thee when thou art privately alone As sweete spices yeeld small savour untill they are beaten to powder so the wonderfull workes of God are either not at all or very slightly smelt in the nostrils of man who is of a dull sense unlesse they be rubbed and chased in the minde through a fervent affection and singled out with a particuler view like them which tell money who looke not confusedly at the whole heape but at the valew of every parcell So then a true Christian must endeavour himselfe to deliver not in grosse but by retaile the millions of Gods mercy to his soule in secret thoughts chewing the cud of every Circumstance with continuall Contemplation And as a thriftie Gardi ner which is loath to see one Rose leafe to fall from the stalke without stilling so the Christian soule is unwilling to passe or to stifle the beds of spices in the Garden of Christ without gathering some fruit Cant. 6. which containe a mystery and hidden vertue and our Champhire clusters in the Vineyards of Engedie Cant. 1. must bere solved into droppes by the Still of Meditation or else they may be noted for weedes in the Herball of men which hath his full of all kindes but some are slightly passed over as the watery herbes of vanity which grow on every wall of carnall mens hearts and yeeldbut a slight taste how good the Lord is or should be to their soules It therefore behoveth us first to mind the tokens of his mercy and love and afterwards for the helping os our weake digestion to champe and chew by an often revolution every part and parcell thereof before we let it downe into our stomackes that by that meanes it may effectually nourish every veine and living artery of our soule and fill them full with the pure blood of Christs body the least drop wherof refresheth chereth the soule and body of him which is in a swound through his sinne and maketh him apt to walke and talke as one who is now living in Christ. By this sweete Meditation the soule taketh the key where all her evidences lie and peruses the bills and articles of Covenant agreed and condescended unto betweene God and man there shee seeth the great grant and pardon of her sins subscribed unto by God himselfe and sealed with the blood of Christ. There hee beholdeth his unspeakable mercy to a prisoner condemned to die without which at the last in a desperate case he is led and haled unto execution by the cursed crue of hellish furies Here she learneth how the holy land is intailed and retaileth by discourse the descent from Adam unto Abraham his son Isaac and so forward unto all the seede of the faithfull by Meditation the soule prieth into the soule and wit ha reciprocall judgement examineth her selfe and every faculty thereof what she hath what shee wanteth where she dwelleth where she removeth and where shee shall be By this shee feeleth the pulses of Gods Spirit beating in her the suggestions of Sathan the corruptions of her owne affections who like a cruell steppe-Dame mingleth poysons and pestilent things to murther the Spirit to repell every good motion and to be in the end the lamentable ruine of the whole man Here she standeth as it were with Saul upon the mountaines beholding the combat betweene David and Goliah botweene the Spirit and the uncircumcised raging of the Flesh the stratagems of Sathan the bootlesse attempts of the world Here appeare her owne infirmities her relapses into sinne her selfe astoned by the buffets of Sathan her Fort shrewdly battered by carnall and fleshly lusts her Colours and prosession darkened and dimmed through the smoke of affliction her faith hidden because of such massacres and and treasons her hope banished with her mistrust her selfe ho vering ready to take flight from the sinceritie of her profession Here she may discerne as from the toppe of a Mast an armie comming whose Captaine is the Spirit garded with all his graces the bloody armes of Christ by him displaied the Trum. pets sound Sathan vanquished the world conquered the flesh subdued the soule recvived profession bettered and each thing restored to his former integritie The consideration hereof made Isaac goe meditating in the evening Gen. 24. This caused Hezekiah to mourne like a Dove and chatter like a Pye in his heart in deepe silence Esa. 58. This forced David to meditate in the morning nay all the day long Psal. 63. and 119. 148. ver as also by night in secret thoughts Psal. 16. This caused Paul to give Timothy this lesson to meditate 1 Tim. 4. And God himselfe commanded Ioshua when hee was elected Governor that hee should meditate upon the Law of Moses both day and night to the end hee might performe the things written therein Ioshu 1. And Moses addeth this clause teaching the whole Law from God himselfe These words must remaine in thy heart thou must meditate upon them both at home and abroad when thou goest to bed and when thou risest in the morning Deut. 6. This meditation is not a passion of melancholy nor a fit of fiery love nor covetous care nor senselesse dumps but a serious act of the Spirit in the inwards of the soule whose object is spirituall whose affection is a provoked appetite to practise holy things a kindling in us of the love of God a zeale towards his truth a healing our benummed hearts according to that speech of the Prophet My heart did waxe hot within me and fire did kindle in my meditations Psal. 39. Tho want whereof caused Adam to fall yea and all the earth into utter desolation for there is no man considereth deepely in his heart Ier. 12. If Caine had considered the curse of God and his heavie hand against that grievous and crying sinne he would not have slaine his owne brother if Pharaoh would have set his heart to ponder of the mighty hand of God by the plagves already past hee should have prevented those which followed and have foreslowed his haste in making pursuite with the destruction of himselfe and his whole Army If Nadad and Abihu had regarded the fire they put in their Censers they might have beene safe from the fire of heaven To conclude the want of meditation hath beene the cause of so many fearefull
soules that God is our God when riches and treasures and men our lives faile yet God is ours we are now Gods Davids and Gods Pauls and Gods Abrahams wee have an everlasting being in him A speciall cause of too much dejection is want of resolution in good things when wee hault in Religion for as haulting is a deformed and troublesome gesture so in Religion haulting is alwayes joyned with trouble and disquiet God hath made the poorest man that is a governour of himselfe and hath set judgement to rule against passion and conscience against sinne therefore Reason should not be a slave to Passion It is the peculiar wisedome of a Christian to picke Arguments out of his worst condition to make him thankefull and if hee be thankefull hee will be joyfull and so long as he is joyfull he cannot be miserable God hath made himselfe ours and therefore it is no presumption to challenge him to be our God when once wee have interest in God he thinkes nothing too good for us hee is not satisfied in giving us the blessings of this life but he gives himselfe unto us As wee receive all from God so wee should lay all at his feete and fay I will not live in a course of sinne that will not stand with the favour of my God for hee will not lodge in the heart that hath a purpose to sinne Gods people have sweete intercourse with God in their callings when wee looke for comfort we shall finde it either in Hearing Reading or Praying c. or else in our Callings We glorifie God when we exalt him in our soules above all creatures in the world when we give him the highest place in our love and in our joy when all our affections are set upon him as the chiefest good This is seene also by opposition when wee will not offend God for any creature When wee can aske our affections Whom have I in heaven but thee There is no true zeale to Gods glory but it is joyned with true love to men therefore let men that are violent injurious and insolent never talke of glorifying God so long as they despise poore men If wee doe not finde our selves the people of Gods delight let us attend upon the meanes of salvation and waite Gods good time and stand not disputing perhappes God hath not a purpose to save mee but fall to obedience casting thy selfe into the Armes of Christ and say if I perish I will perish here The love of God in CHRIST is not barren kindnesse it is a love that reaches from everlasting to everlasting from love in choosing us unto love in glorifying of us In all the miseries of the world one beame of this loving kindnesse of the Lord will scatter all Our desires are holy if they be exercised about spirituall things David desires not to be great to be rich in the world or to have power to be revenged upon his enemies but that hee may dwell in the House of the Lord and enjoy his Ordinances Psal. 27. 4. Desires shew the frame of the soule more than any thing as where there is a Spring it discovers it selfe by vapours that arise so the breathing of these desires shew that there is a Spring of Grace in the heart Desires spring from the will and the will being as the whole man it moves all other powers to doe their dutie and to see for the accomplishing of that it desires Those therefore that pretend they have good desires and yet neglect all meanes and live scandalously this is but a sluggish desire An Hypocrite will not pray alwayes but a child of God never gives over because hee sees an excellencie a necessitie and a possibilitie of obtaining that hee desires hee hath a promise for it The Lord will fulfill the desires of them that feare him Psal. 145. 19. Prayer doth exercise all the graces of the Spirit wee cannot pray but our faith is exercised our love our patience which makes us set a high price upon that wee seeke after and to use it well God takes it unkindly if we weepe too much and over-grieve for losse of wife child or friend or for any crosse in the things of this life for it is a signe wee fetch not that comfort from him which we should and may doe Nay though our weeping be for our sinnes we must keepe a moderation in that wee must with one eye looke upon our sinnes and with the other eye looke upon Gods mercy in Christ and therefore if the best griefe must be moderated what must the other The religious affections of Gods people are mixed for they mingle their joy with weeping and their weeping with joy whereas a carnall man is all simple if hee joy hee is mad if hee be sorrowfull unlesse it be restrained it sinks him but grace alwayes tempers the joy and sorrow of a Christian because hee hath alwayes something to joy in and something to grieve for Wee are members of two worlds now whilest wee live here wee must use this world for how many things doth this poore life of ours neede wee are passing away and in this passage of ours we must have necessaries but yet we must use the world as if wee used it not for there is a danger least our affections cleave to the things of this life It is a poorenesse of spirit in a Christian to be over-joyfull or over-grieved for things worse than our selves if a man hath any Grace all the world is inferiour to him and therefore what a poorenesse of spirit is it to be over-joyfull or overmuch grieved when all things are fading vanish away Let us therefore beare continually in our mindes that all things here below are subordinate A sincere heart that is burdened with sinne desires not heaven so much as the place where he shall be free from sinne and to have the Image of God and Christ perfected in his soule and therefore a sincere spirit comes to heare the Word not so much because an eloquent man preacheth as to heare divine truths because the evidence of Spirit goes with it to worke those graces You cannot still a child with any thing but the Breast so you cannot still the desires of a Christian but with divine Truths as Esay 26. 8. The desires of our soules is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee There is a thousand things that may hinder good successe in our affaires What man can apply all things to a fit issue and remove all things that may hinder Who can observe Persons Times Places Advantages and Disadvantages and when wee see these things there is naturally a passion that it robbes us of our knowledge as when a man sees any danger there is such a feare or anger that hee is in a mist. So that unlesse God give a particular successe there is none As it is in the frame of a mans body it stands upon many joynts if any of these be out of
committed by him so that this wakeing of conscience shewes that wee are sinnefull creatures Every man by nature though the wisest till hee be in Christ is a slave to the devill who abuses his wits and parts and makes him worke out his owne damnation this is not the condition of a few fooles but the greatest and wisest in the world Satan leades them to honours and voluptuousnesse as a sheepe is led by a greene bough he goes with the streame of mans nature and so is never discerned As a man that is called before a Iudgement Seat being guiltie of many crimes yet the Iudge offers him his Booke as meaning to save him by that meanes but hee cannot read now hee is condemned partly for his former faults but especially because he cannot read and therefore cannot have the benefit of the Law So a wicked man not beleeving in Christ because the remedy is prepared and hee takes no hold of it In this sense as some Divines speake no finne but infidelity condemnes a man for if a man could beleeve and repent no sinne should be prejudiciall to his salvation wee had neede therefore to looke to our faith when want of beleefe seales a man up under sinne a man is imprisoned in his conscience untill he come to Christ and his conscience is his Iaylor his conscience enlightened by the Law tells him that hee is guiltie of such and such sinnes and hereupon keepes him to further judgement There is a miserable cousenage in finne naturally men will deny sinne or else mince it as Adam did and as Saul when Samuel came to convince him I have saith he done the Commandement of the Lord and when hee was driven from that then he did but spare them for sacrifice but when nothing could satisfie then I pray thee honour mee before the people things that we cannot justifie yet wee will excuse them unlesse God come by his Spirit we are ready to shift them off but when the Spirit comes and takes away all these figge-leaves then it convinces him of his miserable condition not onely in generall but the Spirit working together with the Word brings him to confesse I am the man The affections of griefe and sorrow follow upon the discovery of sinne by the Ministery of the Word where the judgement is convinced the affections are stirred up with hatred against that sinne and where this is not there is no convincing when a man cries for mercy as for life this is an argument of sound condition Hee that is truely convinced will be as glad of a Pardon as a Malefactor that stands at the Barre condemned It is the policie of the devill to labour to make us sleight the gracious worke of conviction for hee knowes that whatsoever is built upon a false foundation will come to nothing and therefore hee makes us sleight the work of selfe examining and searching of our selves but sleight this and sleight all for if thou beest sleight in searching and examining thy selfe though wilt also be sleight in thy repentance and obedience Naturally men labour to put out all checks of cōscience by sensuality men are loath to know themselves to be as they are they are of the devills minde they would not be tormented before their time such men when they are alone are afraid of themselves as the Elephant will not come neare the waters because hee hath an ill shape hee would not see himselfe So men by nature will not come neere the light least they should see their ill deformities for nature is so foule that when a man sees himselfe unlesse hee be set in a better condition it will drive him to despaire We ought to have especiall high conceits of the Lordship of Christ as Lord Paramount over all our enemies the feare of death and wrath of God yea whatsoever is terrible indeede hee hath freed us from the feare of it No sinne is so great but the satisfaction of Christ and his mercy is greater it s beyond comparison of Father or Mother they are but beames and traines to lead us up to the mercy of God in Christ. The greatest spite of a carnall man is that he cannot goe to heaven with his full swinge that he cannot enjoy his full libertie and therefore hee labours to suppresse all the Ordinances of God as much as hee can The quintessence and the spirits of the things wee aske in prayer are in God as joy and peace and contentednesse for without this joy and peace what are all the things in the world and in the want of these outward things if wee have him wee have all because the spirits of all is in him Prayer is a venting of our desires to God from the sense of our owne wants and hee that is sensible of his owne wants is emptie a poore man speakes supplications It is not so easie a matter to pray as men thinke and that in regard of the unspiritualnesse of our nature compared with the dutie it selfe which is to draw neere to a holy God wee cannot indure to sever our selves from our lusts there is also a great rebellion in our hearts against any thing that is good Satan also is a speciall enemy for when we goe to God by prayer he knowes wee goe to fetch helpe and strength against him and therefore hee opposeth all hee can but though many men doe mumble over a few prayers yet indeed no man can pray as he ought but he that is within the covenant of Grace A child of God may pray and not be heard because at that time hee may be a child of anger if any sinne lie unrepented of we are not in a case fit to pray will a King regard the petition of a Traytor that purposeth to goe on in his rebellion Therefore when wee come to God we should renew our purposes of better pleasing him and then remember the Scripture and search all the Promises as part of our best riches and when wee have them we should challenge God with his promise and this will make us strong and faithfull in our prayers when we know we never pray to him in vaine When we pray God oftentimes refuseth to give us comfort because we are not in good termes with him therefore wee should still looke backe to our life past perhappes God sees thee running to this or that sinne and before hee will heare thee thou must renew thy repentance for that sinne for our nature is such that it will knocke at every doore and seeke every corner before wee will come to God as the woman in the Gospell shee sold all before shee came to Christ. So that God will not heare before wee forsake all helpes and all false dependance upon the creature and then he get the greatest glory and we have the greatest sweetnesse to our soules th◠water that comes from the Fountaine is the sweetest and so divine comforts are the sweetest when we see nothing in the creature and
and have a care to sanctifie the Lords Day Revel 1. 10. Iohn was ravished in the Spirit on the Lords Day God takes nothing away from his children but instead thereof hee gives them that which is better happy is that selfe-deniall that is made up with joy in God Happy is that povertie that is made up with Grace and comfort Therefore let us not feare any thing that God shall call us unto in this world It is hard to perswade flesh and bloud hereunto but those that finde the experience of this as Christians doe finde withall perticular comforts flowing from the presence of Christs Spirit Saint Paul would not have wanted his whippings to have missed his comforts Christ doth chiefely manifest himselfe unto the Christian soule in times of affliction because then the soule unites it selfe most to Christ for the soule in time of prosperitie scatters and looseth it selfe in the creature but there is an uniting power in afflictions to make the soule gather it selfe to God Christ tooke upon him our nature and in that nature suffered hunger and was subject to all infirmities therefore when wee are put to paines in our callings to troubles for a good conscience or to any hardshippe in the world wee must labour for contentment because we are hardly made conformable unto Christ. There is not any thing or any condition that befalls a Christian in this life but there is a generall Rule in the Scripture for it and this Rule is quickned by Example because it is a practicall knowledge God doth not onely write his Law in naked Commandements but hee enlivens these with the practise of some one or other of his servants who can read Davids Psalmes but hee shall read himselfe in them He cannot be in any trouble but David is in the same c. As children in the wombe have eyes and eares not for that place but for a civill life afterwards among men where they shall have use of all members even so our life here is not for this world onely but for another we have large capacities large memories large affections large expectations God doth not give us large capacities and large affections for this world but for heaven and heavenly things Take a Christian that hath studied mortification you shall see the life of Iesus in his sicknesse in a great deale of patience and heavenly mindednesse when his condition is above his power his strength above his condition As men doe cherish young plants at first and doe fence them about with hedges and other things to keepe them from hurt but when they are growne they remove them and then leave them to the winde and weather so God be sets his children first with proppes of inward comforts but afterwards he exposes them to stormes and windes because they are better able to beare it Therefore let no man thinke himselfe the better because hee is free from troubles it is because God sees him not fit to beare greater When wee read the Scriptures we should read to take out some thing for our selves as when wee read any Promise this is mine when wee read any Prerogative this is mine it was written for me as the Apostle saith What soever was written aforetime was written for our learning c. As the Spirit is necessary to worke faith at the first so is it necessary also to every act of Faith for Faith cannot act upon occasion but by the Spirit and therefore wee should not attempt to doe or to suffer any thing rashly but begge the Spirit of God and waite for the assistance because according to the increase of our troubles must our Faith be increased for the life of a Christian is not onely to have the Spirit worke Faith at first but upon all occasions to raise up our former graces for Faith stirres up all other graces and holds every grace to the Word and so long as Faith continues we keepe all other graces in exercise There is no true Christian but hath a publike spirit to seeke the good of others because as soone as he is a Christian hee labours for selfe deniall he knowes hee must give up himselfe and all to God so that his spirit is inlarged in measure unto God and to the Church and therefore the greater portion a man hath of the Spirit of Christ the more he seekes the good of others If we would have hearts to praise God we must labour to see every thing we receive from God to be of Grace and abundance of Grace answerable to the degrees of good whatsoever wee have more than nature is abundant Grace whatsoever wee have as Christians though poore and distressed in our passage to heaven is abundant Grace There are three maine parts of our salvation first a true knowledge of our misery and secondly the knowledge of our deliverance and then to live a life answerable The holy Ghost can onely worke these he onely convinceth of sinne and where hee truly convinceth of sinne there also of righteousnesse and then of judgements That wee may be convinced of sinne the Spirit must worke a cleare and commanding demonstration of our conditionin nature It takes away therefore all cavills turnings and windings even as when wee see the Sunne shine wee know it is day the Spirit not onely convinceth in generalls that wee are all sinners but in particulars and that strongly Thou art the man this convincing is also vniversall of sinnes of nature of sinnes of life sinnes of the Vnderstanding of the Will and of the Affections of the misery of sinne of the danger of sinne of the solly and madnesse of sinne of sinnes against so many motives so many favours proud Nature armes it selfe with deftnesse strong translations strong mitigations It s necessary therefore that the holy Ghost should joyne with mens consciences to make them confesse I am the man The convincing of the Spirit may be knowne from common conviction of conscience by this that naturall conviction is weake like a little Sparke and convinceth onely of breaches of the second Table and not of Evangelicall sinnes Againe common conviction is against a mans will it makes him not the better man onely he is tortured and tormented but a man that is convinced by the Spirit hee joynes with the Spirit against himselfe hee accuseth himselfe hee takes Gods part against himselfe hee is willing to be laid open that hee may finde the greater mercie It is not enough to know that there is a righteousnesse of Christ but the Spirit must open the eyes of the soule to see else we shall have a naturall knowledge of supernaturall things It s necessary to have a supernaturall sight to see supernaturall things so as to change the soule and therefore the Spirit onely workes Faith to see Christ is mine Further onely the Spirit can worke the conscience to be quiet because he is greater than the conscience and can answer all inward objections and cavills of flesh and blood
the greatest wisedome and sobrietie Iohn the Baptist was accused to have a devill and Christ to be besides himselfe and the Apostles to be full of new wine and Paul to be madde and the reason of this is because as Religion is a mysticall and spirituall thing so the Tenents of it seeme Paradoxes to carnall men as first that a Christian is the onely Free-man and other men are slaves that hee is the onely Rich-man though never so meane in the world that he is the onely Beautifull man though outwardly never so deformed that hee is the onely happy man in the middest of all his miseries Now these things though never so true in themselves seeme strange to naturall men and then again when they see men earnest against sinne or making conscience of sinne they wonder at this commotion for trifles as if we made Tragadies of toyes but these men goe on in a course of their owne and make that the measure of all those that are below them are prophane and those that are above them are indiscreete by fancies and affections they create excellencies and then cry downe spirituall things as folly they have principles of their owne to love themselves and to love others onely for themselves and to hold on the strongest side and by no meanes to expose a mans selfe to danger But now when men beginne to be religious they deny all their owne aimes and that makes their course seeme madnesse to the world and therefore they labour to breed an ill conceit of them as if they were mad men and fooles Gods children are neither mad men nor fooles as they are accounted it is but a scandall cast upon them by the mad men of the world They are the onely wise men if it be well considered for first they make the highest end their aime which is to be a Childe of God here and a Saint hereafter in heaven secondly they aime to be found wise men at their death and therefore are alwayes making their accounts ready thirdly they labour to live answerable to their rules they observe the rule of the Word to bee governed according to the same fourthly they improve all advantages to advance their end they labour to grow better by blessings and crosses and to make a sanctified use of every thing fiftly they swimme against the streame of the times and though they eate and drinke and sleepe as others doe yet like the Starres they have a secret course and carriage of their owne which the world cannot discerne and therefore a man must be changed and set in a higher ranke before he can have a sanctified judgement of the wayes of God Those that lay the imputation of folly and madnesse on Gods children will be found to be fooles and madde men themselves Is not he a foole that cannot make a right choice of things and how doe carnall men make their choice when they imbrace perishing things for the best secondly a carnall man hath not parts to apprehend spirituall things aright hee cannot see things invisible thirdly in his heart he accounts it a vaine thing to serve the Lord fourthly he judges his enemies to be his best friends and his best friends to be his worst enemies fiftly the principles of all his actions are rotten because they are not directed to the right object therfore all his affections are madde as his joy his love his delight his love is but lust his anger vexation for his confidence hee calls Gods love into question but if a false suggestion comes from the devill that hee imbraces and therefore is hee not now a mad man And this is the condition of all naturall men in the world True freedome is when the heart is inlarged and made subordinate to God in Christ. A man is then in a sweete frame of soule when his heart is made subject to God for he being larger than the soule sets it at libertie God will have us make his glory our aime that hee may bestow himselfe upon us When the love of Christ is manifested to mee and my love againe to Christ is wrought by the Spirit this causes an admiration to the soule when it considers what wonderfull love is in Christ and the Spirit shall witnesse that this love of Christ is set upon me from hence it begins to admire Lord where fore wilt thou shew thy selfe to us and not to the world what is the reason thou lovest mee and not others when the soule hath beene with God in the Mount and when it is turned from earthly things then it sees nothing but love and mercie and this constraines us to doe all things out of love to God and men When Ioshua cursed the man that should build the walles of Iericho hee was not in commotion and fury but in a peaceabletemper So that when cursing comes from such a one he is a declaratory instrumēt and the conveigher of Gods curse Therefore every man must not take upon him to curse for men oftentimes curse where they should blesse which is an arrow shot upright that falls downe upon his owne head but those that come in the name of the Lord and are qualified for that purpose their cursings or blessings are to be esteemed for they are a meanes oftentimes to conveigh Gods blessings or his cursings upon us It is over-curious to exact the first beginnings of Grace because it falls by degrees like the dew undiscernably and further there is a great deale of wisedome as well as power in the working of Grace God offers no violence to the soule but workes sweetely yet strongly and strongly yet sweetely he goes so farre with our nature that wee shall freely delight in Grace so that now he sees great reason why hee should alter his course God doth not overthrow Nature the streame is but changed the man is the same Where the soule desires the forgivenesse of sinne and not Grace to lead a new life that desire is hypocriticall for a true Christian desires power against sinne as well as pardon for it if we have not sanctifying Grace wee have not pardoning Grace Christ came as well by water to Regenerate as by blood to Iustifie It should therefore be our continuall care and indeavour to grow and increase in Grace because without it wee shall never come to heaven without this endeavour our sacrifices are not accepted without this wee cannot withstand our enemies or beare any crosse withou◠it we cannot goe on comfortably in our course without this wee cannot doe any thing acceptable and pleasing to God God will be as the dew unto Israel and hee shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his rootes as Lebanon Hos. 14. 5. These are not words wastfully spent for wee have great need of such promises especially in a distressed estate for then our spirits are apt to sinke and our hearts to faint and therefore wee have neede to have the same comforts often repeated Prophane hearts thinke
what neede all this but if ever thou beest touched in conscience for thy sinnes thou wilt then be farre from finding fault when God useth all the secrets in the booke of Nature and translates them to assure us of his mercy and love Gods children are strengthened by their falls they learne to stand by their falls like tall Ce dars the more they are blowen the deeper they are rooted that which men thinke is the overthrow of Gods children doth but roote them deeper so that afrer all outward stormes and inward declinings this is the issue They take roote downeward and bring forth fruit upwards A Christian in his right temper is compared to the best of every thing if to a Lilly the fairest if to a Cedar the tallest if to an Olive tree the most fruitfull And his smell shall be as Lebanon Wee should therefore make use of all naturall things and apply them to spirituall if we see a Lilly thinke of Gods Promise and our dutie wee shall grow as Lillies when see see a tall tree thinke I must grow higher in Grace and when we see a Vine thinke I must grow in fruitfulnesse when wee goe into our Orchards or Gardens let the sight of these things raise our thoughts higher unto a consideration of what 's required of us As its the glory of the Olive tree to be fruitfull so it s the glory of a Christian to be fruitfull in his place and calling and the way to be fruitfull is to esteeme fruitfulnesse a glory it s a gracious sight to see a Christian answer his profession and flourish in his owne standing to be fruitfull and shine in good workes when abilitie and opportunity and a heart answerable doe all meete for doing good this is glorious When wee goe about any action or businesse let us alwayes aske our soules this question Is this sutable to my calling to my hopes but if not Why doe I doe it I that am a King to rule over my lusts doth this agree with my condition this base act this base Company shall such a man as I doe this When a man brings his heart to reason thus with himselfe it will breede Ephraims resolution What have I any more to doe with Idolls and in walking thus circumspectly wee shall finde a heate of comfort accompanying every good action and a sweete rellish upon the conscience with humilitie and thankefulnesse acknowledging all the strength wee have to be from the dew of his Grace In times of calamitie God will have a care of his fruitfull trees as in the 20. of Deute 19. The Israelites were commanded that they should not destroy the trees that bare fruit so though Gods Iudgemēts come amongst us yet God will have a speciall care of his children that be fruitfull but the Iudgements of God will light heavy upon barren trees And howsoever God may indure barrennesse in the want of meanes yet hee will not in the use of meanes It were better for a bramble to be in the wildernesse than in an Orchard nothing will beare us out but fruitfulnesse It may be observed that old men seeme not to grow nor to be so zealous as many young Christians but the reason is because there is in young Christians a greater strength of naturall parts and that shewes it selfe and makes a great expression but aged men they grow in strength and stablenesse and are more refined their knowledge is more cleere their actions more pure their zeale more refined and not mingled with wild-fire and therefore though old Christians be not carried with a full streame yet they are more stable and judicious more heavenly minded more mortified they grow in humility out of a clearer sight of their owne corruptions In true conversion the soule is changed to be of the same minde with Christ that as hee is affected so the soule of such a one is affected and as hee loathes all ill so upon this ground there must be a loathing of whatsoever is evill but a carnall man is like a Wolfe driven from the Sheepe that yet retaines his wolvish nature so these men that are driven from their sinnes onely out of terrour of conscience they are afrighted with sinne but they doe not hate it therefore a loathing of evill is required as well as the leaving of it If wee would make it evident that our conversion is sound we must loath and hate sinne from the heart now a man shall know his hatred of evill to be true first if it be universall Hee that hates sinne truely hates all sinne secondly where there is true hatred it is unappeaseable there is no appeasing of it but by abolishing the thing it hates thirdly hatred is a more rooted affection than anger anger may be appeased but hatred is against the whole kinde fourthly if our hatred be true it hates all ill in our selves first and then in others he that hates a toad hates it most in his owne bosome Many like Iuda are severe in censuring of others but are partiall to themselves fiftly he that hates sinne truely hates the greatest sinne in the greatest measure he hates it in a just proportion sixtly our hatred is right if wee can endure admonition reproofe for sin not be in rage with him that tells us of it therefore those that swell against reproofe hate not sinne onely with this caution It may be done with such indiscretion and self-love that a man may hate the proud manner therefore in discovering our hatred of sinne in others we must consider our calling it must be done in a sweete temper with reserving due respect of those to whom wee shew our dislike that it may be done out of true zeale and not out of wild-fire All love and associations that are not begun on good termes will end in hatred wee should take heede whom we joyne in league and amitie withall before wee plant our affections consider the persons what they are if wee see any signes of Grace then it is good but if not there will be a rent Throughout our whole life this ought to be our Rule we should labour in all companies either to doe good or receive good and where we can neither doe nor receive good wee should take heede of such acquaintance Let men therefore consider and take heede how they stand in combination with wicked persons Whosoever will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution hee must have his nature changed and carry his hatred against all opposite courses and therefore to frame a Religion that hath no trouble with it is to frame an Idoll but Neuters in Religion are like unto Batts that men can scarce distinguish from Myce or flying foule because they have a resemblance of both take heede therefore of neutralitie in Religion after the first heate many become luke-warme and from that they fall to coldnesse let us therefore looke to our beginnings pure affection in Religion must also be zealous Wisemen
humility and for this purpose God hath furnished us with the Spirit of all Grace Let us therefore remember when we have any dutie to doe to pray unto Christ to blow upon us with his Spirit God doth not so much looke at our infirmities as at our uprightnesse and sinceritie and therefore when we are out of temptations wee should consider and examine what God hath wrought in us and then though there be infirmities and failings yet if our hearts be upright God will pardon them as wee finde that David and others were accounted upright and yet had many imperfections Watching is an exercising of all the graces of the soule and these are given to keepe our soules awake we have enemies about us that are not asleepe and our worst enemy is within us and so much the worse because so neere we live also in a world full of temptations and wicked men are full of malice wee are passing through our enemies Countrey and therefore had neede to have our wits about us the devill also is at one end of every good action and therefore we had neede to keepe all our graces in perpetuall exercise we should watch in feare of jealousie taking heede of a spirit of drowsinesse labouring also to keepe our selve unspotted of the world It may be asked how we shall know the Scripture to be the Word of God For answer Doe but grant first that there is a God it will follow then that he must be worshipped and served and that this service must be discovered to us that wee may know what hee doth require and then let it be compared what Word of God can come neare to be the same with this Besides God hath blessed the superstition of the Iewes who were very strickt this way to preserve it for us and the Heretickes since the Primitive Church have so observed one another that there can be no other to this Word But now wee must further know that we must have some thing in our soules suitable to the truthes contained in it before we can truely and savingly beleeve it to be the Word of God as that we finde it to have a power in working upon our hearts and affections Luke 24. 32. Did not our hearts burne within us when he opened to us the Scriptures Againe it hath a divine operation to warme and pacifie the soule and a power to make a Felix tremble it hath a searching quality to divide betweene the marrow and the bone we doe not therefore onely beleeve the Scriptures to be the word of God because any man saith so or because the Church saith so but also and principally because I finde it by experience working the same effects in me that it speakes of it selfe and therefore let us never rest till when we heare a promise wee may have some thing in us by the sanctifying Spirit that may be suitable to it and so assuring of us that it is that Word alone that informes us of the good pleasure of God to us and our duty to him There is in God a fatherly anger after conversion he retaines that and this Fatherly anger is also turned away when in sinceritie we humble our selves There is one saith well A child of anger and a child under anger Gods children are not children of wrath but sometimes they are under wrath when they doe not carry themselves as sonnes when they venture on sinnes against conscience c. but if they humble themselves and reforme and flie to God for mercie then they come into favour againe and recover the right of sonnes Wee may know that God loves us when by his Spirit he speakes friendly to our soules and wee by prayer speake friendly to him againe when wee have communion and familiaritie with him whom God loves to them hee discovers his secrets even such secrets as the soule never knew before Hee reveales them to us when our hearts are wrought to an ingenuous confession of sinne and when we have no comfort but from heaven even as a father discovers his bowells most to his child when it is sicke so God reserves the discoverie of his love especially untill such a time when wee renounce all carnall confidence therefore if wee can assure our soules that God loves us let us then be at a point for any thing that shall happen to us in this world whether it be disgrace or contempt or whatsoever because we may fetch patience and contentednesse from hence that Gods love supplies all wants whatsoever After a gracious pardon for sinne there are two things remaining in us Infirmities and Weakenesses Infirmities are corruptions stirred up which hinders us from good and puts us forward to evill but yet they are so farre resisted and subdued that they breake not forth into action Weakenesse is when we suffer an infirmitie to breake out for want of watchfulnesse as if a man be subject to passion when this is working disturbance in the minde it is infirmitie but when for want of watchfulnesse it breakes forth into action then it is weakenesse and these diseases are suffered in us to put us in minde of the bitter roote of sinne for if we should not sometimes breake forth into sinne wee should thinke that our nature were cured Who would have thought that Moses so meeke a man could have so broken out into passion we see it also in David and Peter and others and this is to shew that the corruption of nature in them was not fully healed but there is this difference betweene the slippes and falls of Gods children and of other men when other men fall it setles them in their dregges but when Gods children falls they see their weakenesses they see the bitter roote of sinne and hate it the more and are never at quiet till it be cast out by the strength of Grace and Repentance Therefore let no man be too much cast downe by his infirmities so long as they are resisted for from hence comes a fresh hatred of corruption and God lookes not upon any sinne but sinne ungrieved for unresisted otherwise God hath a holy end in suffering sinne to be in us to keepe us from worse things There is none that out of sinceritie doe give themselves to holy conference but are gainers by it Many men aske questions and are inquisitive to know but not that they might put in practise this is but a proud desire to taste of the tree of knowledge but the desire of true affected Christians is to know that they might seeke Christ we gaine oftentimes by discourse with those that are punies in Religion Saint Paul desires to meete with the Romanes though they were his converts that he might be strengthened by their mutuall faith Rom. 1. 12. When once the Spirit doth fasten the wrath of God upon the conscience of one whom he meanes to save then there followes these afflicting affections of griefe and shame and from hence comes a dislike and hate of
sinne hence beginnes a divorce betweene the soule and the beloved sinne so that whereas there was before a Scepter of sinne in the soule now God beginnes to dispossesse that strong man and then followes a strong desire to be better and a holy deseparation that if God in Christ benot mercifull then the soule saith what shall become of me and as the Spirit lets in some terrours so he lets in also some hopes as What shall I doe to be saved implying are signation of the will totake any course so he may be saved and then all the world for one droppe of mercy Christ never comes into any heart but where hee is valued and esteemed yet he delights not to hide himselfe from his poore creature but when we are fit when wee truely judge our selves unworthy of any savour then hee receives us Here is comfort therefore for the worst of men if they will come in and submit to Gods Ordinances they will be effectuall to subdue our corruptions and when once God hath taken up the heart of man for his Temple hee will then bring into it all his Treasures there will be a mutuall fellowship betweene God and the soule when we are once subdued God is so powerfull an Agent that hee can overthrow all hee can overthrow the carnall principles of reason which everie naturall man hath in the Fort of his soule He presents to men the condition they are in by nature and le ts in a taste of his vengeance when God in his Ordinances shewes grea ter reasons for goodnesse than Sathan can in his carnall courses then all falls downe Those therefore that are not fully subdued yet let them come to the Ordicances for then they are within Gods reach when the Word of God discovers the basenesse vilenesse and danger of sinne then the soule stoopes therefore let none despaire for though thy heart be stone yet God can worke powerfully nothing is difficult to infirmities but it s a divine worke to pull downe a wicked sinner However we take paines in our callings yet the abitie and blessing comes from God Wee pray for daily Bread and yet hee gives it though we labour for it there is a gift of successe which unlesse it be given us from above wee shall with the Disciples catch nothing Gifts are for Grace and Grace for Glory Gifts are peculier to some men but Grace is common to all Christians Gifts are peculier to many and com mon to such as are not good Gifts are joyned with great sinnes but Grace hath love and humilitie to take downe the soule the devill hath lost little of his accutenesse but yet hee remaines mischeivous so many men have great parts but they have also a divellish spirit Grace comes from more speciall love and yet men had rather be accounted devills than fooles account them men of parts and then count them what you will It is a hard matter to finde out the least measure of Grace and the greatest degree of formalitie for as Painting oftentimes exceedes the thing so doth an Hypocrite oftentimes make a greater shew but the least measure of saving Grace is from desires and these are knowne to be saving if they proceede from a taste of the thing and not meerely from the Object and therefore we must distinguish betweene affections stirred up and the inward frame for those that are suddenly stirred up doe presently returne the waters in the Bath have a naturall hotnesse but water when it is heated will returne to its former coldnesse Though wee be sure of victory over our spirituall enemies yet we must fight The conquered Kings must be fought with all Christ that fights for us fights with us and in us and crownes us when all is done and the time will come ere long when wee shall say of our enemies as Moses said of the Egyptians Those enemies that wee now see wee shall see them no more for ever Be strong therefore in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephe. 6. FINIS Iudg. 5. 23.