is called a new creature to shew us the great transcendent power whereby Jesus Christ is formed in a soul It is the Fathers proper work through the Son by the Spirit the Father giveth it the Son purchaseth it the Spirit applyeth it and works it Create in me a clean heart O God renew a right Spirit within me saith David holiness is a creation and peace is a creation he will create the fruit of the lips peace peace a creation is of nothing or somewhat utterly unfit to receive such a form or being so that the fruit of the lips they are weak and cannot reach such an effect it is Gods Almighty power and the same power that raised up Jesus from the dead that must raise a dead soul to believe in Jesus Christ When Rachel would have of Jacob that which was beyond his power to give he saith Am I in Gods stead that I should give thee children So may the people of God and Ministers say to some sometimes who come to them as if they could give them peace or comfort and expect that as soon as ever they speak a word presently all their doubts and fears should be quelled and subdued no no it is too heavy a weight you lay upon them it is a thing above their reach This the second Thirdly If they were able to do it they have no authority no commission to do it and therefore they may not do it Jesus Christ was annointed for this very end to do the thing I come to do thy will O God in the 40. Psal and what is that will Why that none that the Father hath given him should be lost or perish but his blood and Spirit should be given to them grace and glory should be given to them this is the will of God even your Sanctification and this will he came to do it was that the Father designed him to to deliver his people from their sins therefore was the spirit poured out in such a full measure yea without measure upon the head of this our high-Priest that it might run down to the very skirt of his garment to the very lowest Christian that belongs unto him It is not every member in the body nor any other but the head which is made the seat of the animal Spirits to communicate them to the least and lowest member Now it is not what men are able to do but what they have Commission to do that is authentick If they were able there is no Commission the Lord Jesus only came Authorized to open the Prison doors to Preach deliverance and to give deliverance to the Captives This the third Fourthly If all these did concur in men yet they might want a heart when all is done and then all the rest would avail little to us in our necessity and though it be true the Saints do retain bowels of mercy and do put them on and long-suffering and patience yet alas how short-nostrilled are the best of the Saints in comparison of God Moses his patience was at an end yet the weakest man and had often interceded for them yet ye Rebels must we fetch water out of the rock for you though the murmuring was not against him but against God If a sinner put off getting grace and coming to Christ until the last our patience will hardly hold out so long let the power of my Lord be great as thou hast said c. herein our weakness doth much appear we are ready to cast off and give up men if they come not in quickly and if afterward they do come in we are ready to shut our hearts against them But if there were a heart yet there is no power and that will answer all therefore if we go to the creature for grace we are like to have a denyal Before we apply this or else as a part of the Application shall be to speak somewhat by way of satisfaction to a doubt This seemeth to cross the Scriptures are not the Saints bound to communicate one to another to do good forget not is not this of a larger sense then meerly giving a little of our estates to them if in want So again when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren saith our Saviour to Peter and how can you say then that if we go to the Saints for grace we are like to have a denyal To this I answer the Saints may and ought to communicate their experiences to others as their necessity requireth the humble shall hear hereof and be glad how when his soul made her boast in God And so again the Psalmist as a type of Christ He brought me up out of the horrible pit out of the mierie clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings he hath put a new song in my mouth c. And what then Many shall see it and fear and shall trust in God And so saith the Apostle That ye may comfort others with the comforts wherewith your selves are comforted of God this is doubtless a duty to communicate our experiences and also to exhort one another while it is called to day as the Apostle hath it and to reprove one another this is a duty but this is far from giving of grace For the more distinct understanding therefore of this note only two or three particulars 1. For any merit of our works we cannot give for indeed there is none at all If we deserve any thing at the hands of God it is wrath and ruine it is meer mercy we are not consumed every time we approach this consuming fire with our filthy garments upon us because his compassions fail not when we have done all commanded if we could do it we are but improfitable servants but alas how infinitely short do we fail of what is commanded in many things in all things we offend all for who doth any thing as he should our sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared to the glory there must be a proportion in merit now they are light that is weighty they are for a moment that is eternal and a far more exceeding and eternal weight Now no man can give that which he hath not 2. The glory of our works That we cannot give away that is the Lords that others may see them and glorisie your Father which is in heaven Mat. 5. 16. 3. The influence of them upon others hearts That we cannot give neither we may speak and do plant and water but it it God that giveth the increase the husband-man may plough and sow and harrow but he cannot give the rain of heaven former and later he cannot give power to the seed to dye and rise again it is beyond his reach who can touch the heart but the Lord he is the God of the Spirits whose dwellings are with our spirits especially and he can fashion them as he pleaseth
of God of a lesser nature those with which the spirit is lashed are most sore and therefore the soul might be in danger to depart to iniquity to return to sin again how soon did Israel resolve of making them a Captain to return again Nâ—h 9. 17 If the Prodigal return in such distress to his Father and he should keep him hungring and languishing when he hath not so much as husks to eat surely this were the way to put him upon it to return again to riotous courses the peace of God keepeth them with God c. Sixthly Again because the spirit would fail which he hath made if he did not in due season break the yoak set them at liberty as a tender Father will not lose his child for want of the rod no more will the Father of spirits for want of â—â—shing our spirits yet on the other hand a tender-hearted Father will much less lose him by over-doing of it as he will not spare him indulge him to death so neither will he whip him to death hang â—rons and fetters upon him until they eat into his soul and consume him O no when the Father seeth the spirit of the child to fall and he beginneth to swoon under his rod under the yoak of fear which hath torment be it what it will be then he letteth the rod fall out of his hand fals a kissing of the child to revive him again we must preserve the spirits and maintain nature in Physick and if purgations have wrought the patient off his strength there must be a restoring with Cordials 1 Cor. 10. 13. he will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able c. he will not suffer his people to perish and sink and go away in prison and bondage and therefore he causeth them to go forth and doth arise upon them to that end For the Application of the point there are several uses to be made of it First then take notice from hence what a grievous bondage the service of sin is this is the principal part of the bondage and all the rest are but the product of sin sin is pregnant it hath the seeds of all those terrors fears sorrows slavishness deadness straitness and all the rest in its womb but it self is the chief and therefore we are said to be sold under sin and sin is said to have dominion over us so many lusts Brethren in strength so many pairs of fetters there are about our legs and how then is it likely that a sinner should run the waies of Gods Commandments but I hope by what hath been said already it will be granted that a condition of sin is a condition of bondage only a little to aggravate this consideration to you and all little enough I doubt to startle sinners who are in this condition First consider it is the basest most sordid thing that can be you know a servile condition is mean and base in comparison of liberty and freedom take it at the best but to serve the basest of men who would not abhor this what spirit would stoop to be a drudge to a Master to rake Channels and cleanse Jakes who would not abhor this Brethren this is nothing to sin to the slavery of sin as it was the greatest honour in the world to be a servant a son of God Moses the servant of the Lord David my servant As you know servants do much bear themselves up upon the honour of their Masters So it is the basest servitude in the world to be in bondage to a lust for a man to sell himself into the hands of sin and Satan for a moments pleasure of sin this is base It is brutish for a man to subject his understanding and will to the passions of his lust dishonourable base passions for beasts are led by their appetites Secondly As it is base drudgery so secondly the poor sinner hath so many lusts and so contrary to serve and satisfie that he must needs be distracted between them one commands him this way and the other commands him that way as now for a man to serve his pride and covetousness or his luxury and covetousness these are contrary and distract and distort the mind and hurry him hither and thither he can enjoy no peace in his own spirit at all you shall see a man that will spend at no aim when he is in company and none seemeth to set less by the world then he at such a time but afterward when he recollects himself then he must run and drudge and hurry himself and all his family and drive faster then they are able to bear and all to make up that which he hath consumed upon his lusts is not this a miserable bondage to be under such contrary lusts Thirdly Yea consider that these lusts are most insatiable in drinking up a mans time and spirits and strength and will never leave a man while he hath any thing to lay out upon them more So you know the Prodigal spent all that ever he had upon his lusts all his patrimony his time and strength and spirits and all and so the wanton doth upon his Dalilah and thou mourn at the last saith the wise man when thy life and thy body is consumed and say how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof except it have all the precious workings of the soul it is not satisfied it must have all the thoughts be in them all though God be in none of them all that precious water must drive this mill as for covetousness now how is the soul under the power of that lust as I may say hanged up like a meteor in the air as the Evangelist hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not hanged up as meteors in the â—ir as I may say between heaven and earth and be not careful â—aith our Saviour be not divided distracted in your cares O â—hat they shall eat and what they shall drink how they shall accomplish this and that design what a drudge is any man that is under the power of this lust he doth nothing but root in the world in other servitude if that a servant were maimed or dismembered lost an eye yea or but a tooth they must be let go for their eye-sake or for the tooth-sake but here sin doth nothing but wound the soul breaks a man consumeth him soul and body and yet will not let him go sin doth put a mans eyes out that so it may have the more full compleat command over the poor creature and stops the ears and strikes out the teeth and distasteth the pallate so that any thing of God hath no more relish then a chip to a soul maketh the poor creature lame for any lust harboured in the soul maketh a man go with an uneven pace and halt he cannot go uprightly and so it weakens the hands and maketh feeble knees and indeed like a woolf
Take heed of returning to that Covenant of works or Covenant of life which was a yoak of our own making if our blessed Saviour hath been pleased to break it set us free shall we retâ—rn to that bondage again I doubt this is a great cause of much sorrow and heavy walking before the Lord of many a poor creature O he cannot do this and he cannot do that and therefore he doubts all is not well with him whether he have any thing to do with Christ It is true if he had made our doing our perfect obedience the condition of his Covenant it had been somewhat but he hath not but faith in him take from him for all ends and purposes not only for pardon but for strength for food for victory over our sin Now we go off this and therefore we move so heavily and cannot stir but are like a door off its hinges a Chariot off its wheels bring much bondage and trouble upon our selves and much of our time and pains is spent in poring upon this and getting healing again for this which might be spent in glorifying him Therefore beg of God to this end that he would establish you with his Princely Royal Spirit where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty the Son maketh us free by his Spirit and therefore David maketh that prayer as being sensible of this O beg this Spirit for establishment the Lord will be intreated he puts arguments into our mouths and giveth us the greatest encouragements to beg the Spirit of any other mercy that I know of as being the greatest mercy and the principal of all Gospel-grace and therefore being so great a gift poor sinners might be affraid to ask but saith he you are Fathers whose affections are finite and mixed you are not pure love yea you are evil and yet will give good gifts to your children much more will God give the Spirit this the Apostle is earnest with the Lord for that he would stablish and strengthen his people to every good Word and Work for grace is but a creature and so is weak cannot consist of it self without him therefore be earnest here Thirdly Since we are delivered from outward pressures the yoak that did gall the necks of the people of God as before hath the Lord set us above our enemies hath he before our eyes brought our Egyptians down in the red Sea of blood and shall we return thither again I speak not of the same bondage I hope the Lord will keep his people from that but I speak of a worse to be delivered from a tyrannie of man to return to a tyrannie and dominion of sin it is sad the heathens could say Servitus gravissima est sibi ipsi servire it is the heaviest yoak for a man to be yoaked with his own ends and interests to seek himself serve himself specially his sinful self to make provision for his lusts It was a sad character of Rome that Angustine giveth her Victrix gentium captiva vitiorum What are we the better for being delivered from that bondage if such as were humble then and low and meek and self-denying now are high and fierce and self-seeking proud and wanton and luxurious their whoreing hawking and hounding and spending their time in such sports which should have been laid out in publike service was lookt upon as a great evil God caused their houses and lands to spue them out I wish we be not beginning to come under that worse yoak now we are delivered from that of oppression was it not better for Israel to work in the Iron-furnace in the brick-kill then to be enslaved to their lusts in the wilderness and there to perish and was not Babylon better for them then to be at liberty and yet to become slaves to their lusts to their Idols Brethren I pray you let us look well about us every one it is true the day of the Lord it hath burned like an oven among us and many have been as stubble fully dryed put into it the bryers and brambles that did scratch and tear the people of God they are consumed God hath gone through them and consumed them and are we any thing the better are we not worse If we now melt away with the sweetness of our liberty grow luxurious and wanton wanton in opinions that men know not well what they would be but any thing so it be new and the thriving way and wanton in apparel are there not as many slaves to pride to vanity to self as there were then to the lusts of other men I beseech you which is the worse to be at the mercy of another mans lusts which can but reach the body and effect our sorrow for a time or the mercy of our own merciless lusts which will work our woe and ruine O therefore look to this then if set at liberty slie sin as he said to Lot flie for thy life c. slie fornication and youthful lusts c. said the Apostle The third part of the Exhortation then shall be to take heed how we abuse this our liberty as saith the Apostle not using our liberty as a cloak of malitiousness haply alluding to the manner of persons The Apostles scope in that place leadeth us to one part of the sense of this abusing of our liberty and that is to think they are so free now that they need not have their necks under the yoak of men at all for that goeth before exhorting them to submit themselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake to be subject to the higher powers and subordinate powers is very consistent with this spiritual freedom was there ever any so free as our Saviour who is the Son that maketh us free and yet did not he submit submit to his parents was subject to them and subject to the powers under which he lived because his Kingdom was not of this world and would it suite with the head and will it not suite with the members But I hope I need not speak much to this But there is much more wherein we may abuse our liberty as children by a carrying it frowardly and rebelliously against their parents upon pretence of liberty and servants that are under the yoak it may be think they may do much in this case more then they have warrant to do because they are free it may be and their Masters haply in bondage under sin therefore shall they despise them No but count them worthy of all honour serving them in singleness of heart as unto Christ not for by-respects and ends for fear of their displeasure but for Christs sake to do it this is freedom indeed But to speak a little more generally many men think when once they have gotten their necks out of the yoak from under that bondage and those fears that they have been under they think now they are at liberty they are past
of one as well as another grace which he hath begotten in the soul so that if a man find he thinketh he groweth in faith and thinketh he groweth in love and yet grow not in zeal for the glory of God groweth not in tenderness of heart and plyableness to his will this is not a right growth Alas how many of us then do not grow in grace indeed Seventhly Though there be an uniformity in growth yet we must not so understand it that every member groweth in the same measure with another and yet may grow also in its due proportion and so also in respect of graces there may be somewhat of truth in it but to speak the more distinctly First consider the members of the Church of Christ and our selves if we be such indeed though all the members of the Church of Christ do grow yet they do not grow all alike in the same measure the Apostle saith according to the effectual working in the measure of every part so that you see each part hath a measure every member hath not the same relation the same office in the body and so doth not require the same measure of strength or the same quantity or greatness Yea if it have a greater quantity then is meet it is a burthen and an hindrance as if the joynt of a finger should grow as much as the joynt of a mans knee would it not be monstrous and yet both joynts grow but each according to its proportion so that they grow all â—que but not â—qualiteâ— one as well as another but not one as much as another uniformiter and yet difformiter if every finger were as big as an arm what an hand would there be holding no proportion to the body though the rest grow this over-groweth its proportion It is true every child of God is not a David nor a Paul nor is every one called to those great undertakings that they were the more eminent places in the body of Christ we have the more we must look to it that we grow If a man be a Magistrate or a Minister I tell you Brethren it is not enough that they be as other men in grace and yet alas then what disproportion do some of us make in the body of Jesus Christ that stand in that relation to the body and yet O how do other members over-grow us Brethren they are not to be blamed for their growing so fast but we for our growing no fa 〈…〉 er nor any more proportionable to our relations for a Magistrate to have no more courage nor zeal then another man that is not called so to put it forth is unsuitable and so for wisdom and knowledge and so for Ministers are we as arms in the body and have scarce the strength of a little finger O how can we work for Christ do the works of our conditions if you see some eminent as blessed be his name there are eminent and have their measure of growth to their condition you should be followers of them follow after as hard as you can therefore Ministers should be ensamples to the flock in faith in puriry in holiness 1 Tim. 4. 12. an example to believe in word in conversation in faith in purity c. But alas Brethren may we not rather some of us take examples therein how weak is our faith yet I say where there are such of eminency and thou canst not reach them yet be not discouraged because thou canst not get so much light as the eye hath be not discouraged it is required there more then in another nor so much strength as an arm a leg when thou art it may be but as a little finger only there may be a proportion yea I will tell you Brethren pitty us pray for us Magistrates and Ministers for I do verily believe there are none fall so much short of our proportion of growth in grace according to our relations as we do But this is but the first And then secondly for the graces in every believer now the measure of every grace its growth as I think is much more hard to determine whether all graces do grow according to the proportion of the growth of any one of them that is to say whether love to God and zeal to his glory do grow according to the measure of every mans faith and so patience according to the measure of his faith indeed I am at a stand here if that one habit of grace did beget another faith did beget love it would be the more clear because then according to the strength of the causes the effect would be a strong cause a strong effect the habits of grace in us being not voluntary agents but I take it for granted that the efficient cause of all grace one as well as another is the same Spirit of the Father and the Son it is the supply of the Spirit as the Apostle calls it whereby we grow in any grace now the Spirit of God being a most free agent is not tyed up by a necessity of nature to work alike upon the same heart to the increase of every grace though he do work to the growth of every grace yet whether he doth equally work to the increase of them all So that what proportion of grace a Believer hath in one grace he hath the same proportion of strength in another is doubtful specially since the Lord who works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure knoweth what tryals he hath for every one of us some in one kind some in another some greater tryals for their faith and some for their self-denyal and some for their love may accordingly work but this is not so much material if we can find we grow in every grace of the Spirit whether we do grow alike in the measure of love as in the measure of faith or zeal or spiritualness as it will be very hard to judge considering how hard it is to judge of the strength of our habits by their acts which may accidentally be inter 〈…〉 itted and interrupted and considering whatever knowledge we have at the best of the faculties of our souls and their workings and so of the habits of grace in them So I take it 〈◊〉 is not so much considerable if we could come to know it only if we be sure we grow in all and that we grow according to the measure proportionable to our condition or relation to the body this the seventh Eighthly and 〈…〉 stly that I shall speak to the opening the nature of this growth in grace growth here hath no determined 〈◊〉 until death until we come actually to the spirits of just men made perfect in nature there is a determinate time for growth in quantity which is properly growth about thirty years the causes of it I leave School-men to dispute it is not so proper for us in this place in nature there is in this life yea haply
transmit unto Posterity the Names Memories Gracious Conversations of eminenter Saints especially Ministers who in their several Sphears and Generations have shined like stars of the first magnitude streaming and issuing forth a more then ordinary and illustrious Light 2. The lives of morally honest Heathens are both recorded and read with profit not only by fellow pagans but by us Christians Who knows not that Plutarchâ— lives have in them many things serving for Caution and Imitation More advantage doubtless will redound by reading the lives of the Evangelically spiritually and really religious 3 We have the warrant of sacred Writ which being not only Doctrinal but in a great part Historical doth much incourage to a Practise of this Nature The 11. Chap. of the Epistle to the Hebrews you will find to be an Epitome of the lives of the Fathers Now where we have the Spirit of God going before we may well follow after 4. The extraordinary strictness exemplary severity unwearied industry and activity of this man of God in the waies and work of the Lord do exceedingly excite and strongly provoke to make him thus publike and to propose the holiness of his life and comforts in death for the direction and consolation of those whose faces are set towards Sion and to whom this account of him shall come 5. That God may have the glory of what he had done in him in a way of gracious discoveries and manifestations of what he had done for him in a way of clear providences and encouraging dispensations of what he had done by him in giving success unto his labours and letting him see the travel of his soul to his no small solace and satisfaction 6. That the Name of such a Pleasant Plant and fruitful Bough might be preserved fresh green and verdant in the memories of Gods people eâ—ough himself be witheâ—ed lopt off by the hand of death and foâ— a while laid in the dust As Abel so other Saints though dead may yet speak and be made known And O what a glorious thing is it when departed souls are lodged in Abrahams blissful bosom and dead bodies intombed in living Sepulchres sending forth a sweet and refreshing savour into the nostrils of surviving friends A flower may smell sweet after it is cropt and a way made for the Sun to shine after it is set Mr. John Murcot the History of whose life is now to be related was born in the antient Town of Warwick of Parents considerable for their Extraction more for their shining and pious conversation His Fathers name Job Murcot who applyed himself to the study of the Law which brought him in a competent and comfortable subsistence though since humbled by the calamitous inconveniences of these distracted times whose various revolutions have occasioned a wasting and undoing unto many His mothers name before her marriage with his Father was Joan Townsend of raised parts and eminent piety the happy mother of an hopeful son the renowned Root from whence apppeared and sprouted up this fair and flourishing Branch planted by the Rivers of water who brought forth his fruit in his â—eason his leaves did not wither and whatsoever he did the Lord made it to prosper His Parents were conscientiously careful of his education made it their business to season him with sound and solid Principles in his young and tender years which he greedily suckt in as having an early thirst after God and he who erst while hung on his Mothers breast for milk now hangs on her lips for instruction His Parents perceiving in this their young Timothy an ardent desire to be intimately acquainted with the Scriptures and in order thereunto with Academical learning were very prone to contribute their endeavours towards the ripening of these hopeful Buddings and promising Beginnings and therefore in the first place committed him to the care and tuition of an able and godly School-master Mr. Dugard who instilled instruction both with his lips and life desirous to make him not only a Scholar but a Christian It s hard to say 〈◊〉 which was more diligent and industrious the Master in teaching or the Scholar in learning Time was not mispent and prodigally expended in the eager pursuite of childish vanities he ran at his first seting out and did not lazily loiter when he should be minding his work yea when other boyes would be sporting and playing he would be studiously retired solitariness and meditation being unto him instead of recreation Being competently furnished for the University his Father sent him to Oxford where he continued his former diligence in his studies under the conduct and oversight of Mr. Button his faithful and religious Tutor in Merton Colledge About two years after his thriving abode there the Kings Forces possessed themselves of Oxford put all things into an hurry and ingaged the students in such perplexing snares that Mr. Murcot to disintangle himself out of these uncouth inconveniences fled from Oxford disguised and repaired to the House of Mr. Leigh of Budworth an antient grave able and learned man and Minister of that place and there studied hard both day and night allowing himself but four hours for sleep so intent was he upon his Book and so wholly taken up with religious Exercises The cloud being blown over he repaired the second time to the University and his former diligence which caused the eyes of many to fix and fasten on him as perceiving something more then ordinary in him and expecting more than ordinary from him Though means and maintenance were now very short yet it did not discourage and cause him to deâ—ist he did not unbend the Bow and slacken the string he still stood an end to his Oar and with wonted diligence prosecuted his studies it being his meat and his drink to do his Fathers will Having taken his degree he returned to his old friend Mr. Leigh and was several waies useful to him who now called upon him to appear in publike which he did not without much fear and trembling as being conscious to himself of his own inabilities for so ponderous an employment and loth to put to his shoulders lest he should sink under the burden But being pressed and egged on by his friends and a Call from the Inhabitants of Ashbury he entred into the Lords Vineyard put his hand unto the Plough and was ordained a Minister at Manchestâ—â— He professed to use his own words that he was drawn as a Bear to the stake complaining and often bewailing his want of a sufficient stock of University learning The Lord was pleased to own him in his first attempts and endeavours giving him a seal unto his Ministry by the conversion of two especially who being awakened by his sound Doctrine smart expression and powerful delivery sadly bemoaned themselves and mourned over their lost condition even in publike From Ashbury a call being cleared up he removed to Eastham in Woral and gained mightily upon the affections of many especially the godly
enabled me to surrender you up heartily at the â—earâ—ng of which he lifting up his hands blessed the Lord. To hâ—s wâ—fe he said haste haste Love for my time is very short and withall told his Sister I shall not reach midnight Then lifting up himfelf he said these raptures tell me I must be gone quickly The consideration of his approaching rest did wonderfully revive The Messenger of the Lord whispered him in the ear and told him his Father had sent for him home which happy tidings made his heart to â—eap for joy within him The glimmerings of the white Throne of the Lamb sitting on that Throne and of the glorious troops of Saints and Angels all in white about the I â—rone with the apprehensions and confident assurance of his bearing a part in the Musick of their Hallelujahs caused in him sublime elevations and springing exultings of spirit in a body depressed and bowed down with pinching pains and the agonies of an approaching death He is now in the Cutfields of Emanuels Land and is gotten almost to the top of the Mount and his soul impatient of delaies is ready to leap out of the crazy and declining Cottage of mouldring Flesh Paper being brought he began thus I resign my spirit into the hands of the Father of Spirits and into the bosome of my dear Lord c. To this there were but three or four lines more added for he was in haste and longed to be at home To his wife having in a very short space dispatched his Will he said Bury me in silence without Funeral Sermon I will have no manner of pomp but was perswaded to yeild to the intreaties of his wife as to a Sermon As his children were called for Doctor Winter came in to visit him who unexpectedly seeing death in his face said with a loud and lamenting voice Brother Murcot are you leaving us who with unaltered countenance said Yes and desired him to pray quickly His children being brought he said to his eldest Will Hester be a good child and serve the Lord His son being presented he expressed himself thus The Lord break thy stubborn heart When the little one hanging on the mothers brest was exposed to his sight he lift up his hands and said The Lord bless thee Being put in mind of his servants he affectionately and even smilingly looked up upon one whom he had been instrumental to convert and said Bess hath a better Master the Lord be with thee Bess The children being taken away and his wife coming to take her last leave and final farewel of him he alone lift up himself and kissed her Dr. Winter desiring an interest in his prayers he said The Lord strengthen you for the double work that now lies on you and withal desired him to pray with him which he did in a most pathetical and doleful manner groaning out his requests unto God The people though desired are loath to leave the chamber and hang so thick on the curtains bed-posts hangings doors having not the power to leave their dear and departing friend so that he is in danger of being smothered and dying before his time Drawing near his end his sister said to him Are you in charity with all the Lords people though differing from you Who lifting up his eyes affectionately said Yes She desiring him to manifest it by his last request he lifted up his hands and requested that all the Lords people might be one as his way was one Then stretching out his arms and lifting himself up he said with a loud and shrill voice Lord Jesus draw me up to thee which sweet expressions by a frequent and fervent repetition wasted his spirits so that afterwards he lay in somewhat a silent posture waiting for his change which was now neer at hand About nine of the clock he breathed out his soul into the bosom of Christ and quietly slept in the Lord. The Wednesday following being the appointed time of his interment great was the confluence of people who attended the corps unto the grave The Lord Deputy Fleetwood followed the Body after him the Council then the Maior Aldermen and Citizens in such numerous troops that the like hath not been usually seen in Dublin Dr. Winter preached his funeral Sermon on Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose Faith follow considering the end of their conversation Upon the face of the whole Congregation sate a black cloud of sorrow and disconsolation being not able to vent it on that doleful and uncomfortable occasion into showers The Body being brought unto the place of burial the sadned spectators and standers-by sighed him into his grave and mingling his dust with their moist tears departed and left him in his bed of rest Relation I would willing back with Exhortation A few words of spiritual advice in the close of the whole may be of use though from an inferiour hand And first to you my Brethren in the Ministry I address my self and earnestly intreate you in the bowels of Christ Jesus our Lord to remember That you are not only Church-Officers but Christians Spend not your whole time in reading books and studying other men you will do well to study your selves and to be acquainted with the frame of your own hearts The way which you point out unto others walk in your selves and conscientiously practise the duties which you pangatively press Beware of beams in your own eyes whilest you are diligently plucking motes out of your brothers eyes Let not your own cloathes be full of dust when you are brushing other mens backs It s not handsom for us to be alwaies sweeping before the doors of others and picking up the least offensive straw whilest huge heaps of dunghil filth lie before our own doors unremoved It opens the mouths of opposites when we are taken notice of to bind heavy burdens on other mens shoulders we in the mean time refusing to touch them with the least of our fingers Know we not the pleadings of many at the last day Have we not preached in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils whom yet Christ will spurn from his presence and cast forth as an everlasting abhorring What though Judas had the grace of Apostleship so long as he had not grace with his Apostleship It was a wise course that Paul took and deserving imitation who did beat down his own body lest having preached unto others he himself should become a cast-away What though Satan fall down from heaven like â—ightning before us if he be not cast out of our hearts We have more reason to rejoyce in having our names written in the Lambs book of Life then in having the Devils subject to us O whilest we passionately endeavour the salvation of others souls let us have an eye of tender regard unto our own One hint more at parting We cannot be too often put in
so humble Abigail and from Bâ—az so humble Ruth and shall not this love of Jesus Christ infinitely greater then all humble such poor filthy creatures upon whom he hath set his love Thirdly Let us hence take notice then of the many precious priviledges of the Saints We live much below them because we study them not keep not the relish of them upon our hearts I mean endeavour not so to do the Lord give us hearts now lifted up to him First then As many as by believing are espoused to Jesus Christ they are one with him in the nearest union Surely it is not for nothing that the H. Ghost delights so to set forth the believers relation to Christ by this of a spouse to a husband you know that this is the nearest union among men of one person to another Kindred are near a man his children his brethren they are usually called their bone and their flesh as the men of Judah spake to David we are thy flesh and thy bone but this is aâ— a greater distance but now in Marriage two persons that were strangers one to another never saw the face one of another within a little while by this Ordinance of God are brought to such a nearness as that Father and Mother and Children if they had any before yet they are not so near to them they shall leave Father and Mother and be joyned to their Husband here this union is the stranger by how much greater the distance between the persons were and how much the closer the union is now it is made the distance was great whether we respect the dignity of the person there was no proportion a King and a Beggar are but a shadow and a dark one too to set forth this a King and a worm to take it and lay it in his bosom is nothing to this but chiefly in respect of enmity of mind alas that such as we are at the deadliest feud haters of God and of Christ not only strangers but enemies through evil works that those should be brought so near to Christ as to be made one with him this is something indeed An impotent and weak enemy that could do nothing against him not so much as move any longer then he upheld us and yet we should be look't upon indeed a potent enemy happily in policie may be concerned to such an union but a weak enemy rather would be trampled under foot But then the nearness of the union man and wife are one flesh saith the Apostle but he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit The union of soul and body is nearer then of man and wife if too bodies could be acted by one and the same soul this were a near union indeed Why the Lord Jesus and the saints are one and the same Spirit whereby they are knit together in love this is a near union indeed Is this a light thing a small thing to be made so near the Lord of life and glory even the Children of Israel a people near to him who is like them that have Christ so near them of that are so near him Secondly There is a sweet Communion and Fellowship ariseth upon this a blessed imparting now of all his fulness to such a soul all that is Christ's is now yours his righteousness yours therefore the Holy City the name of it is called the Lord our righteousness Now his honour is yours where he is King you are Queen as in the old custom with the Romanes they used to say where you are Caius I am Caia saith the woman where you are Lord I am Lady be the poor Creature never so contemptible yet marrying with a noble person it dignifieth her with a rich person it enricheth her because she hath an interest in all But beloved that though this be matter enough to insist upon if I could enlarge things for fear of being too tedious There is fellowship-Communion between the Lord Jesus and the soul that others know nothing what it meaneth the Lord Jesus is more open hearted to them his secrets are with them they are the hidden Manna and they again are most free to power out their souls to Jesus Christ into his bosom to power them out like water as he will hide nothing from Abraham so Abraham will hide nothing from him such a confidence hath the poor Believing soul that he speaks boldly freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with speaking all so the original word properly imports that which none else in the world shall know they will make known to Jesus Christ they can be more free with him then any other And not only because he already knoweth the heart as I conceive but out of a sweet confidence they have in him and experience of his bowels yerning over poor souls in such a Condition so that if he knew not all that was in their hearts they would out of this freedom open it to him Yea the Lord Jesus he dyed our death and grieves our griefs and we rise his resurrection and rejoyce in his rejoycings he partaketh with us yea indeed bears the heavier end and all indeed of our miseries and we partake of his joys the oyl of gladness we are anointed with But this is the second Thirdly another is the cohabitation of Christ with his people I will dwell with them and I will walk in them when the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven the Church of the Jews shall come in then he will especially dwell in them then the Tabernacle of God is with men but now saith the Apostle that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith though he be absent indeed in some respect at the right hand of his father absent in body yet he is present in spirit as the Apostle saith of himself as he would have us to be in Heaven have our hearts there and so to dwell there to have our conversations there our love there and where the heart is there the man is Animus non est ubi animat sed ub i amat well we then dwell with him and he dwels with us with him will I dwell saith the Lord. It is a Marriage duty to dwell one with another and if a believer have an unbelieving yoke-fellow if he or she will live with the believer they must not put them away they must not depart from them so it is here the Lord Jesus dwels with his people and this is no small priviledge to the Husband the Bridegroom at hand alway ready to pity and compassionate us in our sufferings within or without But this the third Fourthly he nourisheth and cherisheth them No man hates his own flesh saith the Apostle but he nourisheth it and cherisheth it as you have it there in Nathan's parable one poor Ewe Lamb and he laid it in his bosom and it did eat of his bread and drink of his cup by which are meant all manner of supplies
do which may advantage himself or others how can a man pray when he cannot act his faith nor act his love nor his zeal and fervency of Spirit but all are a sleep Ah what weak service hath the Lord from many of us upon this account 4. Another Consideration shall be this the unseasonableness of the thing Every thing is beautified by the season and if it be out of season it is uncomely It is not a walking honestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honestly or comely to sleep now brethren it is enough for â—inners that are of the night that never â—aw the day-star appear nor the Sun of righteousness arise upon them for them to lie sleeping now it is something suitable for they that sleep saith the Apostle sleep in the night and they that are drunk are drunk in the night the night was for sleep naturally and therefore man goeth forth to labour and to his work until the evening So in spirituals it is most unsuitable to sleep in the day-time brethren if you believe you are of the day and not of the night as the Apostle saith We count him a Drone a Lusk or Lurden that shall sleep in the day-time It was David his fault to be upon the bed in the day-time And so likely Isâ—bosheth except the Custom of the place being hot might excuse it Well then hath the Lord in in finite riches of grace brought thee out of the dark night made it day with thee when it is night with many families and poor souls about thee and wilt thou make it â—ight by sleeping it is unseasonable it is enough for them that are in darkness to sleep Again 2. Consider It is the time wherein you are called upon to act for God and for your own souls It is not only the day but the time for work It is our harvest brethren wherein should lay up not for many years as the fool in the Gospel said but for eternity treasure up grace for eternity lay up a good foundation for the time to come O how richly laden are some of the Saints over others are that have made a profession of Christ as long as they live what is the reason why they have slept while they should have gathered he that gathereth in Summer is a wise son but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame there the one is opposed to the other that soul will cloth himself with shame and Confusion one day that sleepeth in harvest in the time of labour wherefore doth the Bridegroom tarry but to give you space to repent to work out your salvation in and instead of working shall we sleep out this time and will it be Comfortable in the end will it be comfortable if instead of labouring in the vineyard we sleep all the heat of the day what account shall we make when we come to receive the recompence 3. Yet more unseasonable it is also If you consider that usually the time of this falling asleep is after a good while converse and walking with God then men fall a napping the wise virgins they had their oyl and their Lamps burning it is true they had provided for the main and it is likely went forth to meet him but in the way the nearer they came to their journeys end for there must be some good competent time sure before they would conclude that the Bridegroom tarried and then they lay aside all and fall asleep Remember that of the Apostle knowing the season saith he that now it is high time for you to awake for now is your salvation nearer then when you believed Now is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to awake out of sleep now is salvation nearer What is the meaning of this the meaning is now is the most unseasonable time of all other for you to be asleep now you should press hard forward now just at your journies end as a Traveller or a man in a race holds up his head all the way and maketh speed and when he is near the journies end and should lay hold upon the goal that then he should sit down and sleep this is unseasonable and utterly unsafe if he expect to obtain by his running Ah brethren sure you would obtain else why did you run if you expected not a reward Now may I not say with the Apostle you did many of you run well but who hindred you how came it to pass you dropt asleep or are you inclining to it O take heed it is not safe at the end of your race the night is past the day is come or the night the time of this ignorance for our life is compared to the vision of God in heaven may well be compared to a night and that to day well this day is at hand it is nearer then when you began to believe for that is the meaning of that Phrase as such a King reigned that is to say began to raign ordinarily in Scripture Well then it is utterly unseasonable therefore let me beg of you brethren and the Lord prevail with our hearts to take heed of it Fifthly Another Consideration shal be this that while you lay your selves to sleco you lose God and Christ you lose their presence when the soul open to Jesus Christ he cometh in and the father and Holy Spirit with him and they bring their dainties with them and abundantly refresh the soul with his love which is better then wine and as long as the soul doth give him entertainment and followeth to improve its Communion with him he will sâ—ay but truly brethren if we sleep he will not then tarry but he takes his leave and leaveth us sleeping and alas before we are aware we have lost him and know not where to find him It was Sampsons case alas his strength was in the presence of God with him when he departed he was as as another man he lies down upon Dalilahs lap and then he fals asleep and at last he was robbed of his strength God was departed from him he he had many forewarnings but he was bewitched with a Lust it did so imprison his reason that he could not see what he was to do at last he wist not that God was departed from him he went thinking to shake himself as at other times but alas his strength was gone Ah brethren if a man have a Dalilah it is sive to one but sooner or later it will lull him asleep and if it can but get him asleep it is easie to get away the Lords presence from him and he know it not untill afterward Sixtly Another Argument shal be not only that not only when we fall asleep we not only lose the Lord Jesus and the presence of his Spirit but we then shall keep him out also the senses are locke up A Servant fast asleep when his Master cometh home he may knock long enough before he open to him why alas
Jesus knoweth it and he will acknowledge it O he is strict to mark what is good if but a little spark in much smoak or under much ashes when to all mens thinking the life is gone he seeth there is somewhat alive and awake within a Seed of God within and he will take notice of it for the comfort of his poor people If ever in any example we would have thought men had slept will and all we would have thought so of the Disciples that notable example that being so often shakt with such sharp and shameful rebukes yet they should forth with be asleep again as if they had not 〈…〉 heeded Jesus Christ at all yet at last when they came to themselves and could sleep no longer for the enemies were upon them Now sleep if you can lest this should too sorely assail them that they had slept so soundly under such awaking means as they had and be swallowed up of to much grief O saith our Saviour the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak he knew their Consciences would be ready to load them and Satan would help forward their overwhelming grief they wist not what to say to him nor for themselves and therefore our Saviour himself letteth them know that there was some willingness within them the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak and that he took notice of it and accepted according to what they had and not according to what they had not where there is a willing mind O here is comfort indeed to have to do with such a Master such a father such a Bridegroom as both knoweth and that little willingness that is in sincerity in his peoples hearts not to sleep though they themselves could not say so he puts an answer into their mouths to Satans accusing and the smitings of their own hearts and a plea in their mouths to himself to prevail with him for pity and sparing of them Remember this that though sleep and slumber and many woful interruptions are in thy service of God yet remember Jesus Christ he hath served without any such slumbrings and such imperfections and this is thine he will render unto man if he do acknowledge to God he hath sinned that is to say freely feelingly faithfully acknowledge it Ah brethren it was a time of prayer and a duty for the Disciples to pray when our Saviour prayed but they were all asleep if now their righteousness peace and salvation had depended upon themselves where had it been or if Jesus Christ had slept as well as they where had it been but he was wrestling and praying for himself and for them in himself at that time he never was heavy in his prayers he never fell asleep nor slumbred neither with this spiritual slumber he fulfilled all righteousness to a tittle O then remember this brethren this must be the ground of our grace and comfort you must have it in another and not in your selves And magnifie this rich grace of God in Jesus Christ that hath laid up for such poor sleeping sinners such a watchful Ordinance 6. Another word may be this though it be true in thy sleep thou art in great danger as you heard before which indeed is enough to alarm us continually yet if we do strive and stir up our selves aâ—d yet are overcome though sore against our wills and so are in danger of some deadly blow are weak and feeble and the least temptation may smite us to the ground much more then dreadful temptations and without all question Satan never lulls us asleep but he hath a design upon us to take away our life our God our Christ our peace our comfort our strength from us Yea to smite us to the ground at once and smite us no more As Abishai said to David and as he begged he might have leave so doth the Devil even beg O how fain he would have leave to smite us then as he moved the Lord against Job so continually this accuser and enemy whose work it is to devour O when he findeth such a prey how edged is his appetite but remember this for thy comfort and say not surely Satan will smite me to the heart at one time or another poor trembling soul the Lord that keepeth Israel and watcheth them he never slumbreth nor sleepeth Indeed if the Lord had slept as we are apt to think he doth when he with-holds from us his quickening or comforting presence for a time and were apt to cry out as I may say to awake him yet he never sleepeth he watcheth and wards many a secret thrust and blow that when we are asleep poor creatures we cannot be aware of and though thou mayest grieve him by a sloathful spirit and he may make thee smart other ways for it yet surely he wiâ—l not give up the life of dear Saints the price of this life of his dear dear Son to the will of Satan No they were bought at too dear a rate 7. Again O what a comfort it is to a child of God that he hath to do with such a Christ such a Bridegroom the wise Virgins belong to are espoused to as when they do sleep is willing to take so much pains to awaken them This indeed it should grieve us so much the more that we should put him to it yet it is a comfort and no weak one neither that he is willing to be at suh pains with us to awake us How long doth he stand at the door and knock before they will open they lye asleep still he cals them with the sweetest compellations My love my dove my undefiled O thou dear and precious soul it is I thy dear Saviour It is I whom thy soul loveth wilt thou rise and open to me I am wet with the dew of the night canst thou finde in thy heart to put me to stand without and induâ—e the cold and the injuries of the night and weather and keep me out of thy heart the place which I have chosen for my habitation and wherein is all my delight O what workings of his bowels are here one would think this were enough to awaken No yet she shifts and maketh excuses and very frivolous ones as people will when they are not very willing of a thing Well now a man would have thought the Lord Jesus might have been justly grieved so as to depart and leave her sleeping No saith the Text He came nearer and put his hand in at the hole of the door Poor souls he s 〈…〉 eth that the spirit is willing the flesh is weak that is to say So far as carnal we are weak the strength of the flesh maketh us weak and nothing else will do therefore he is fain to come and take her by the heart to touch her heart to begin to unbolt the door himself he cometh in some nearer sweeter powerful breathings of his spirit within that now she is overcome and
heart of the Lord is most widely opened This should be matter of deep humiliation to us all that we are so apt to sleep when we have most need to be awake The other Doctrine gave us a humbling word but this much more If we consider these two things 1. The more grace we have received the worse we grow turn the grace of Christ into wantonness for usually at the first when the soul is awaked out of its dead sleep O how hard it followeth after God it giveth no sleep to its eyes nor slumber to his eye-lids until he find out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob in the soul Well it is true the Lord hath done something for that poor soul he hath opened his eyes to see the want of Christ and touched his heart so that now he followeth him and cannot but follow him this is unspeakable mercy But now when the Lord hath done much more for the soul hath poured upon it his Spirit given the oyl of gladness as well as of grace that then it should fall asleep the more engagements of Love the Lord Jesus lays upon the soul the more liâ—tless the more lazy it should grow The Apostle took it unkindly and well he might the more he loved them the less he was beloved and this could not but shame them if they had any ingenuity and may not the Lord Jesus take it as unkindly that the more he loveth us the less he should be loved of us as his love groweth hottest our love should grow coldest O for a spiritual ingenuity that we might lie down in shame before the Lord continually for this O what ungodly hearts c. and how unkind may poor creatures be and are they who have received greatest kindness from him Paul labored more abundantly because grace bad more abounded toward him then others We are prone to it if we be not left to it the more grace we have received the more listless to grow which ariseth noâ— from the nature of grace but from self-confidence and resting in our receivings which lays us fast asleep a man that hath one talent improveth it but he that hath ten lays it to sleep c. 2. What a shame is it for us that when we have most need to act our grace we have the least use of it for what was grace given us for brethren but for action not to lie idle and rust for want of using but to exercise it for his glory our own comfort and others good Now how do we fall short of these ends when we cannot use it in our greatest need is in those times before mentioned how would a man be ashamed that is or should be a man of his hands and when there is not such need he can sence and use his hands exactly to defend himself or offend his enemy but when he cometh to it indeed that his life is in danger he is in a deep sleep as the Psalmist speaks and none of the men of might find their hands A man is very rational at all other times only at a pinch when he hath more then ordinary need of it he is a very child and can do nothing this is a great shame The Saints that have received much grace and therefore should act strongly for God what a shame is it that when temptation cometh or when any more then ordinary occasion to exercise their grace they are like Children sleeping in their Cradles can do nothing Then If this be so Let us learn never to trust our hearts when they at the best in their highest frame most spiritual most enlarged Alas they are like a deceitful Bow it seemeth firm until you come to draw it but when you have need of it draw it it will deceive you fall asunder he that trustoth in his own heart is a fool saith the wise man and who more likely to know then he who beside the Spirit whereby he spake had had experience what a sad thing that self-confidence and security had been how fatal it had proved to himself be sure brethren if there be any time more then another that we need our hearts to be present or graces to be in act they will be asleep our corrupt part will cloud them and bear them down Do but observe it if it be but to watch one hour with Christ in an holy duty as prayer or the like It is strange but it is true our hearts will be less present then then at any thing else Let the duty be done or before it begin and you shall not be troubled with such a stream of vain and impertinent if not sinful thoughts but once go about this duty and O how do they thrust upon the soul and how lively sometimes when there is not so much need are the affections and how dull and flat are they then therefore trust not any frame you have at any time received for indeed it will prove a broken reed even grace it self if you lean upon it it will fail you and pierce you also Then what need had we brethren to ply the Throne of grace to sit down by the fountain and fulness of life and quickning influence even Jesus Christ David did even when he was at the best frame as in penning the 119. Psalm when do we find more flaming affections towards God and Heaven and his Law and Worship so strong as to break through all oppositions of men and Satan and Corruption and yet how sensible was he of his falling flat even in the midst of such a rapture O quicken thou me quicken thou me according to thy Word saith he alas this vigor will not continue except thou supply it with continual refreshing and renewing of strength And so in that place O that thou wouldst keep this upon the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts for ever alas else he knew if there were a like occasion for a free spirit in the service of God and his Temple it would be far from them O therefore ply the throne of grace brethren live by the faith of the Son of God Faith will draw water out of the wels of salvation And O what need had we to keep in with the Spirit of grace lest he leave us in a time of need It is true when we aprrehend a danger or an hour of temptation coming and the soul be any thing awake O then what mean it will make for the presence of the Spirit but brethren he deals with us as we deal with him If when we have peace and a calm and in our ordinary waking we slight him and sit loose to him believe it in our time of greatest need he may justly stand at a distance from us and let us see what our own strength is and what can we do without him O therefore let us take heed of grieving this holy Spirit which is that Spirit
among them and destroy the rest which will be the effect of this coming of his Only here let us note something concerning this coming of Christ in a word or two for I will not dwell upon these things having dispatched the main things in the Parable already for the most part and 2. Something touching this Cry what it is and 3. Something concerning them both relatively considered one respecting the other 1. For the coming of Christ which is the substance of the Cry as you heard before either it is his coming at last to judge the world to gather the Saints together and carry them into the Marriage as one spouse topresent them to his father the purchase of his dearest blood which we must surely understand here to be principally meant And 2. The coming of Christ to a particular soul or people to gather them either to the spirits of just men made perfect the assembly of the first-born the general assembly or else to separate them from the congregation of the righteous here indeed they live mixed as in the first Psalm but then the sinners shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous but then the wheat goeth one way and the Chaff another the Gorn one way the Tares another the good fish in the Net one way and the weeds and trash drawn in the Net another way Before the foolish Virgins might be counted wise it may by many as well as the wise yea happily the only wise and the wise Virgins the foolish but now he cometh to make a difference and lay it open to the view of all which are which 2. For the Cry It is to be noted that the force of the word imports a strong voice such a voice happily as would Stentora vincere there is a still voice and a loud voice a Cry is when the voice is lifted up when the throat is extended as I may say when persons are hard of hearing Isa 58. 1. Cry with the throat Or it is to be extended to a great distance there is a Cry made So then this is no ordinary voice or warning but a loud Cry a shrill sound that is to be the fore-runner of Christ his coming But then What this Cry is that is here spoken of will be the subject of a further enquiry Why surely brethren we must understand it according or suitable to our exposition of the coming in this place If we take his coming here to be his general coming to judge the world then the Cry may be one of these two and both of them are fore-runners though the one is more immediate then the other 1. Then The preaching of the Gospel to all the world their sound is gone forth into all the world The Gospel of the Kingdom must first be preached to all the World and then shall the end be it must be for a witness to all Nations this is a sound a Cry and the substance of the Cry is behold he cometh go forth to meet him he that is the Bridegroom that hath purchased with his precious blood a peculiar people to himself to be his spouse even as many as shall believe in his name Therefore go forth to meet him make ready for his appearing when he shall come to fetch his Bride see to it that you be found in the number this Cry is to go forth into all the world But this is further off But 2. The voice of the Archangel for the Lord himself shall deseend from heaven with a shout with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shout Beza saith it is taken from Seamen or the like who when they are pulling an Anchor or Cable with one voice cry together and pull together as I may say a Hertamen stirring up one another to pull so this will be a shout happily of all or many of the company which come with Jesus Christ crying out O he is coming make ready for him or what ever it be some shout there will be or like the shout of men ready to set upon and destroy their enemies The Archangel is chief there being orders it should seem among them he doth as I may say cry before the rest and instead of the rest and Calvin maketh this exposition The Trumpet also whatever it be sounds to sound forth the majesty of the appearing of Jesus Christ i◠is the loudest sound that is made with instruments I think and used much in Israel in the gathering together their holy and civil and martial-Assemblies and for preparation to warn Well this will be a Cry that all the world will ring of the very dead in their graves shall hear it they that are in the grave c. Not while they are dead nor be quickned by any vertue of a Creature as this Cry is but the power of Christ then going forth and raising them up they may be said to hear it or at least they are raised at that time The trumpet Calvin mentioneth unto the Corinthians to be nothing else but metaphorical the voice of the Angel the loud Cry which shall be by the Angel formed As a General by Trumpet cals together his Army so God will cite all the world to his Tribunal or as at Mount Sinai to the giving the Law one people were called together with a loud noise or trumpets so much more when all the world shall be called together the Majesty and terror of the appearing of Christ If we take it here brethren of his particular coming to particular souls to gather them to himself in part before that day which I know not that it can be excluded from being a part of his meaning then the voice the cry is otherwise to be understood 1. Then It may be meant of the warning words which the Lord giveth his people by the Ministry of the Gospel every where in his Churches specially indeed brethren this hath been the voyce of all the Messengers of Christ ever since his first coming that he will come and come quickly his last and general coming will be quickly but his coming to us particularly will be quickly Now the importunity of them that call upon us to repent to prepare for the coming of Christ to our souls by death when we are like to receive our doom for our everlasting state this may be meant cry aloud spare not lift up thy voyce Or else 2. Happily some Afflictions God opens the mouth of some rod some heavy visitation the rod cryeth as it is in that place of Micah whether it be the affliction the sickness or stroke whereby the Lord takes men away this cryeth to men repent O prepare to meet the Lord Jesus he is coming he is now even at the door therefore go forth now to meet him as Hilarian chid his soul out egredere O anima egredere
seeth not his disease 2. It is so like to uprightness of heart that it is scarce discernable to the Physitian that should be instrumental to heal it Morbus vix sanabilis saith one qui sanitatem imitatur and then when it is discerned there is much more goeth to the healing of an hypocrite then another sinner he must first be emptied of himself whereof he is full he must be untaught before he can be taught any thing of Christ 3. If he do see his disease he is usually unwilling to have it healed he liketh it better to keep his lusts secretly to have the delight of them and pleasure of sin secretly and yet the shew of godliness Like a sâ—urdy Rogue he hath a sore and he knoweth it well enough but he careth not for having it healed because it is his Plow it is that which brings in his profit or advantage by moving others to commiseration but many times such persons as these dye of their wounds and when theâ— would have them healed they are fostred so and corrupted there is no healing of them The Lord grant it prove not the case of our souls Why but you will say how should a man know then If a hypocrite be such an one that may go so far whether he be an hypocrite or no for it may be you will say for ought I perceive an hypocrite is gone so far that I doubt I shall hardly reach it For answer to this I shall say these few things First then for matter of affection for knowledge I think we can hardly make that Characteristicon because it is common to both and when men speak of it as a practical knowledge an humbling knowledge a warning knowledge c. These are the effects of it But knowledge considered as knowledge it is alike though the Spirit of the Lord do shed it abroad upon some mens hearts and affections so that it works there mightily and remaineth imprisoned in some mens heads and understandings Therefore for the Affection I cannot stand to give account of every affection spoken of before but for That of mourning for son which is specially considerable you have heard a heart may be troubled for sin and it is questionless true But how shall we know then whether our trouble for sin be right or no or whether we be hypocritical therein Truly Brethren If ever we could look upon Jesus Christ crucified by his sins and for them with such an eye of faith and so mourn over him crucified by us and yet for us this surely none else can work but the spirit of grace it is a special fruit of it in that 12. of Zach. It may be thou hast been a poor creature much vexed with thy sins and weary by reason of them and weary of thy groa 〈…〉 ing and trouble but hast thou ever had a sight of Christ crucified and mouraid over him whom thou hast crucified This is the bitterness indeed that a hypocrite cannot reach unto Secondly Though an hypocrite may avoid many sins yet he will have some lust some Dalilah some little one and his soul shall live Now if a man regard any iniquity in his heart be it never so plausibly maintained have he never such fair pretences for what he doth that man is a hypocrite and God will not hear such a mans prayers If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my prayers Judas must have his covetousness he could forego all other Herod must have his sisters daughter all else he can forego If there be any one lust wherein thou sparest thy self keepest it under thy tongue be it never so secret thy heart is not right It may be a man would think that the sin of his constitution he may give himself a little liberty in and this is thy plea It is my temper to be vainly merry a mans temper to be wanton to be foolishly jesting and men will plead their nature for it why truly so might Job he made a covenant with his eyes David I kept me from mine iniquity whether the sin of his nature or his present condition that is to say revenge upon his enemy when he had him in his hand So the sins of a mans place Job kept himself from them all he did not oppress wrong his man servant despise his cause oppress the poor when he had his help ready in the gate to have sided with him If men shall in any case though they have never so urgent temptations allow themselves in any sin surely such men are hypocrites and no better Thirdly an hypocrite will do much but he will not do all he never hath respect to all the commandments of God Why but you will say No more can the most upright man upon the earth do all Not Legally but Evangelically he may he may aim at all though the Commandment be exceeding broad he may search after all that he may do them he may endeavour it though he cannot reach it I have a respect to all and where he cometh short that is his burthen that is matter of mourning to him Take it in two or three particulars that I enlarge not too much 1. It may be an hypocrite will be wonderful strict in the duties of the first table which we call ordinarily religious duties as praying reading hearing c. But you shall find him very slight and slack in the duties of the second Those in the 7. of Matth they would Preach and Prophesie in Christ his name but yet they would work iniquity with both hands Judas would pray with Christ Preach for Christ receive with Christ but he would then couzen and defraud made no conscience of secret thievery And it is very plain in that first of Isaiah who were more forward then they in their sacrifices abundant in their worship multitude of their burnt-offerings and solemn assemblies but in the mean time their hands were full of blood they made nothing of that And is it not so with some of us we are frequent in hearing frequent it as much as others and yet notwithstanding make nothing of the duties of the second table drunkenness is nothing though wine be raging make nothing of railing reviling of covetousness which is Idolatry he will hardly make a Covenant with his eyes as Job did maketh nothing of uncleanness if not outward in act yet contemplative of a wandering eye and wandring heart and so of deceit O this is dreadful let not that man deceive himself certainly he is an hypocrite and though he may go far yet he will be sure to fall short 2. An hypocrite in his obedience he will be much about little inconsiderable things Some ceremonious things or the like more then the weighty matters of the Law so the Pharisees they forsooth would not come into the Judgement-Hall because it was the preparation to the Pass-over lest they should be defiled and not fit for the
all as we have heard then no man surely hath any grace to spare For the Application then It is a reproving word to as many as are ready to think they have enough The Papists tell us of works of supererrogation and I believe that piece of Popery may cleave to some of us faster then we are aware but let us take heed of it when we begin to be so full as we think we run over and could spare any of what we have and we may therefore sit down and breath us Believe it this is the way to make the Cruse of oyl give over running as long as they had an empty vessel the Cruse ran but when all were full it gave over God will not in vain pour out this precious oyl of his Spirit to have it lost upon proud Creatures and bury the Glory of his Grace in an unthankful proud heart That Ancient could say and likely by experience Si dixisti sufficit periisti and may not many of us say so did we ever get good by it it is the ready way to go backward to tumble to the bottom again when we think we are got high enough higher then this or that Christian the Apostle saith God resists the proud but he gives Grace to the lowly The Heathen could say even Plato that a proud man is void of God without God God is far from his thoughts and he is far from the favour of God and indeed so it is God knoweth such a man afar off at a distance he shall have no close familiar communion with God Well the Lord reprove us as many as are guilty in this kind 2. It may serve then to press with the Apostle forward toward the mark of the prize c. O how lazy are most Professors who walk as if they never cared whether they reach perfection or the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ as if we were unwilling to grow too like heaven for fear we should be taken from this earth sooner then we are willing to depart O what earthly heavy drowsie spirits have we how slowly do we drive What is heaven nothing in our eye the enjoyment of Jesus Christ nothing to us that we make no more haste toward him O then as the Martyr said haste after as fast as we can Take heed of such a thought you have been diligent long enough you may now slack your pace you are pretty well for one believe it brethren nothing will sooner quench the spirit then this nothing will sooner damm up the fountain and shut out the light you can never have too much It may be you have through rich mercy what carrieth you in some measure through your present condition you know not what you shall meet with believe it before we die we shall have exercise for every degree of our Grace our Faith our Love we shall have nothing over It may be with thy measure which is less thou maist make a hard shift to get to heaven but why should we not all press after a more abundant entrance into Glory which will be much more for the Glory of his Grace and much more for the comfort of our souls Well then place that behind you brethren which we have attained as Jehu in his furions march caused the Messengers as he reached them to turn behind him still and so went on let not our eying what Grace we have received be any further then to thankfulness take heed of poring on them to pride for that is the way to decline who knoweth how much one thought of pride doth cast us behind hand if the Lord take the advantage for he resisteth the proud above all others cast them behind then stay not rest not until we come to the resurrection of the dead And then In the last place It may be an encouragement to some poor trembling hearts who it may be when they hear this word are ready to lament themselves If this be a truth that they that have most grace have none to spare what a condition then are such as I in who have so little If they have occasion to use all and little enough sometimes What will become of me who have so little like a grain of Mustard-seed If the Cedars of Lebanon have no strength over much but are ready to be blowed up by the roots all they can do is but to stand to the utmost What shall such a bruised reed as I do in the contrary winds of temptation and corruption First then do not judge amiss of thy condition thou thinkest such a one is so so eminent for grace an Oke of Bashan a Cedar God judgeth not as man judgeth thou mayst have more humility and more love to Jesus Christ there may be more sincerity truth in the inward parts in a poor creature that hath little parts or gifts to make a glittering to dazle the eyes of men Herein lies the strength or weakness of the soul indeed Look to this then and gaze not so much upon glorious outward appearances 2. Remember that thou are not accepted for the greatness of thy grace inherent God doth not give his Spirit and such graces in a greater and a smaller measure to some then to others and then accept accordingily he accepteth in Jesus Christ and every poor believing soul doth enjoy whole Christ his righteousness fully imputed to them Therefore this is your acceptance and herein you are alike blessed be the Lord that in this which is the main thing he maketh no difference between the strong and the weak though one man may more strongly and clearly apply him and have more of the comfort yet thou mayst with a trembling hand hold him as surely or rather he will hold thee if thou canst not hold him for the imbraces are mutual between Christ and a poor believing soul 3. If thou have not so much as another thou shalt not likely have so great tryals so great things to do with it thou shalt not be tryed above what he will enable to bear and he will make a way to escape also If his grace be sufficient for thee in all conditions what matter is it only press hard after more and more whatever thou hast reached too and at last thou shalt attain the end of thy hope the salvation of thy soul and in due time thou shalt reap if thou faint not Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HEre is the third part of the answer of the wise Virgins to the foolish Virgins question Which is not to be understood as a serious advice from the wise to the foolish directing them to the ready course to procure oyl to themselves except we could understand by them that sell Jesus Christ or Father Son and Spirit who selleth and would have us buy of him without money and without price Isa 55. 1. for the Bridegroom Jesus Christ seemeth to be distinguished here from them that sold
no their own promises may fail but Gods promises never fail nor a lively hope founded upon them 4. That the poor weary tossed afflicted people of God may have rest in the bosom of the Father and the Son and holy Spirit there remaineth a rest to the people of God they have not their rest here expect it not but either from within or without or both we have our troubles the world casteth them out as the off-scouring of all things they are the despised hated mocked people the song of the drunkard the laughing-stock of the world and therefore because they cast them out the Lord will receive them If we have not persecution without we shall have our exercises what between corruption and temptation and sometimes the terrors of God and sense of his wrath sometimes breaking bones hiding his face from us there is no rest until we come to enter with him now we lie among the pots but then we shall indeed be made glorious like the wings of a Dove in sulness Now this is agreeable not only to the truth but the goodness tenderness bowels of the Lord to his people that his poor afflicted People should rest with himself when he hath by these filings and scourings and siftings and turnings up and down made them meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light So much for the Arguments For the Application of this that they that are ready do enter into Glory First it serveth to shew the blessed condition that the diligent lively prepared soul is in heaven Gate is ready to receive such a soul the bosom of Abraham of Christ opened ready to receive him he shall enter they have this priviledge that many that profess Jesus Christ have not many shall seek to enter but shall not be able that strive not as he doth Blessed is that servant saith our Saviour that his master shall find watching shall find ready for his coming why he will not leave any such soul behind they shall all enter into glory how blessed a condition this is may appear by many considerations more 2. Such a soul as this cannot be surprized so far as he is ready he is never surprized surprizals are terrible if Jesus Christ had come without any warning upon the wiâ—e Virgins while sleeping it had been terrible to them though they might have entred with him also but if we be ready that day will not take us at unawares indeed if a child of God be once ready he cannot be altogether surprized more though in part he may if he carry it not the better he will be still habitually ready if not actually so the foolish Virgins were not They still have the root of the matter though it may be under ground and hid from their eys and is not this a blessed thing as often as you think of the coming of Christ to think now let my Saviour come when he pleaseth I am through rich grace ready for him A servant when his work is done a Spouse when her ornaments are put on and the house trimmed and all ready for her Bridegroom now come when he will I am ready for him before the thoughts of his coming are troublesom and painful now they are pleasant and delightful 3. When death comes how shall they lift up their heads with comfort because their Redemption draweth near O how will they be able to welcome death welcome Jesus Christ welcome the kingdom of heaven it is their entrance into a kingdom though it be bitter indeed and terrible to the wicked and though there be some reluctancy in nature against death and a Paul would rather be cloathed upon then dissolved and since it is the birth of sin that brought it into the world no marvel if Grace it self have no delight in it yet considering that it is an entrance though narrow and pinching into Heaven into Glory the Saints that are ready for it they can bid it welcom As a poor weary tossed Marriner can bid his Port welcome though there may be some fear of Rocks or the like in his landing 4. Are they not blessed souls that shall enter that now all their distances between them and Jesus Christ shall be done away now he whom your souls loved and longed for yea your souls have many times broken within you for the longing for him now he cometh to take you to himself that you may be with him near him alway in his bosom Is not this a blessed Condition what tends all your striving and running and fighting your wrestling praying and weeping to but this now the end of your hope the salvation of your souls cometh upon you blessed yea for ever blessed is such a soul if Christ and heaven the Father Son and Spirit enjoyed in an unspeakable bosom-communion will not speak a man blessed nothing will but thus much for this first 2. Then methinks brethren now we should be putting the question to our own hearts now whether we be ready or no O here is blessedness indeed you cannot but judge that man or woman though a man of sorrow while in the world haply through temptations and a heavy body of death yet that shall enter in Glory when all is done sure you cannot but judge this man a blessed man that is ready for it for he and he only shall enter And can it be but you should reflect now and enquire of the Lord and of your own hearts Lord am I ready for this coming of Jesus Christ or am I not for one of the two I am Dear friends I shall not use any more arguments to you but these two or three considerations 1. How uncertain this coming of Christ to you to call for you is do you know when he will appear do you know brethren whether you shall be warned again called upon again to prepare for his coming this may be the Cry it may be the Cry is past with many of you already is it not high time to awake to look about you to consider whether you be ready or no 2. To consider That there will be then no time given to prepare If you be ready well and good you enter if not you are shut out as afterward we shall speak O then how can we satisfie our selves and quiet our Consciences with an ignorance how it is with us It is high time surely brethren to enquire 3. Except we do enquire we are not likely to take a course to make ready he that thinketh he is ready or careth not whether he be ready or no if he be unready now he is like to be unready for such a man will not set about the work O that the Lord would therefore perswade you this day to consider with your selves are you ready or are you not 4. There is very great need of this enquiry because alas many are ready and think they are unready and then cannot have the comfort of their Condition except
no more to do then will give you leave to maintain your communion with God and make sure of the main thing to get your souls ready and keep them ready for the appearing of Jesus Christ O that we would be perswaded to this end to have every day some converse with this his coming and to labour to work the thought of it upon our hearts that accordingly we may be affected with it as we find our selves ready or unready and so be carried out to make provision for it And how should we willingly submit to any dealings of God with us that tend to make us ready Therefore the Apostle would have them count it all joy when they fell into many temptations or trials this is the knocking of the torch this is the snuffers which must take off the wick of our Lamps and so trim them up we shall find one day we have more cause to be thankful for our afflictions if sanctified then for the contrary dispensation I do verily think there is nothing here below helpeth us forward more And labour to see all working together for this great end that we may be found ready at the appearing of the Lord Jesus And labour for a readiness for an abundant entrance into Glory As the Apostle exhorts them And though at present thou canst not find thou art ready be not discouraged for thou mayst be ready in a good part and for the main and yet not know that thou art ready only stick not here let not fear so overcharge thee as to hinder thee and weaken thy hands but make it thy work with thy whole might to make ready for his coming pray hard study thy heart much stir up thy soul and the graces that are there though much corruption do appear the ashes fly about their ears in this searching yet search and try and yet not so much blow the little spark as to blow it out but labour to cherish it increase it O Lord increase our faith then corruption will down then communion with Christ will rise higher and higher for it is with us indeed according to our faith therefore whatever we do take heed of what weakens our faith of discouraging desponding thoughts study promises the necessity of God in Christ O the unsearchable treasures of comfort that are in every promise in every letter of his Name Labour to live by faith brethren and as that groweth all the rest will come on and thou wilt come at last to be sensible that thou dost believe to feel it and know it and then thy readiness for Christ will be more then ordinary and thy entrance abundant into this Glory The next thing we are to consider in this coming of Christ is that they went in with him to the marriage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The note will be this That such as are ready for the coming of Jesus Christ they go in with him to the Marriage with the Bridegroom Here is to be noted then 1. The Marriage and 2. The going in with Christ the Bridegroom to the Marriage and some what said for the opening of them And then we shall confirm the Doctrine and apply it First The Marriage here what is meant by that Here then by Marriage we may understand a Marriage-feast the consummation of the Marriage and the Marriage-feast made in token of joy nothing was more ordinary then this at Marriages to make feasts As in the example of Sampson at his Marriage they made a feast And so Laban made a feast of seven daies long for the Marriage of his daughter fulfill her week and then I will give thee the other also And so again in Cana of Galilee you see they were at a Marriage-feast So now at the Mariage of the Lamb of the Lord Jesus there is a feast a Marriage-feast Yea but you will say this is not ground enough to understand here by the Marriage a Marriage-feast for they are distinct things It is true they are distinct but yet in ordinary practice they were not separated one from another but went so together that usually in Greek and Latin the Feast is comprehended under the word for Marriage if not principally signified in many places So in that of Laban he made a Feast saith the seventy Interpreters he made a Marriage So there was a Marriage in Cana of Galilee that is to say a Marriage-feast was made there And so it seems the Syriach renders it usually in the New Testament by a Feast as Grotius upon this place and Matthew in the beginning noteth Therefore here by Marriage we will understand a Marriage-feast So Esther 1. 3. The King made a Marriage-feast Now the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Feast both the kingdom of Grace and the kingdom of Glory The kingdom of Grace is a Feast and a rich Feast full of royal dainties as you may find by several Scriptures In that of Matthew The Kingdom of Heaven shall be compared to a certain King who made a Marriage for his Son which the Syriach well terms a Marriage-feast or Banquet which Matthew cals a Dinner and Luke cals a Supper and indeed it is both for the Father Son and Spirit do come in and dine and sup with us they do continually eat bread at his Table as Mephibosheth did at Davids Table 2 Sam. 9. 7. So it is clear Behold I make a Feast of fat things of wine on the Lees a Feast to all Nations what is that but the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Ordinances thereof and Christ held forth in them to be a Feast to every one that will come to him as the carkass is to the Eagles as the Lord sometimes in Scripture invites the fowls of heaven to a Feast he maketh for them that is to say to the dead carkasses of his enemies but here to the carkass of his Son who is slain for Sinners a crucified Christ is the carkass he is the fatted Calf indeed he is the kidneys of the wheat the fat the finest of it his flesh is meat indeed and drink indeed Now this must be spiritually understood not carnally the Kingdom of Heaven is not in meat and drink much less in eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Christ carnally as the Papists say but spiritually It is joy peace and righteousness joy in the holy Ghost here is the Feast If here below we must know that this Feast may be lookt upon either according to the externals or else the internals of it and yet in both respects spiritual The Jews that fell in the wilderness did all eat the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink and yet they fell in the wilderness The ordinances the word the sealing ordinances baptism and the Lords supper sitting at the Lords Table these are the externals of the Feast that many Carrion-Crow may come to And you see there in the Gospel He
King did Arauna give to the King liberally freely it was a great gift freely given So here it is a King that maketh this feast Kings usually have larger more noble spirits as they have larger purses and therefore at their feasts they use to shew the Magnificence and glory of their Kingdom And so doth God here Brethren A King yea the King of heaven the King of glory the King of Kings and King of Saints he will shew the glory of his Kingdom and his magnificence the excellency of his greatness in making this feast therefore surely there must needs be fulness of love and joy 3. It is a feast not an ordinary but a Marriage-feast and such used to be more then ordinary also being a time of greatest rejoycing you see the Marriage feast at which Christ was what an abundance of wine there was turned from water by our Saviour if you compute it it will appear some 300. gallons full six water-pots holding three measures a piece or two and each measure an hundred pints very great store indeed 4. It is a feast a Marriage-feast not only for a servant or friend being married but for a Son the only Son a Son and heir of all a beloved Son most dearly beloved all these surely will exceedingly heighten the considerations of the fulness of the feast brethren the fulness of that love which shall there be manifested and of the Believers joy in that love these things are heightned to us in that place of Matthew Indeed the very feast here in the Gospel is heightned by these considerations but much more then this Yea 5. Consider yet further It is a Marriage-feast for which preparation hath been making from eternity God hath been providing for it Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the world in these things he would have us surely to understand the decree and purpose of such a thing And withal we may note the greatness and magnificence of the feast You know men if they would royally entertain a Prince they make provision long before and as long as they can to get all about them the rarities that the earth or Sea affords specially if a King be the provider O Brethren the Lord hath been laying in as I may say this wine preparing it for us from eternity therefore surely it will appear in an unspeakable fulness Lastly It will be more constantly without interruption and lastingly without any end No interruption at all here we have our vicissitudes now we have a sweet cup a draught a full draught a flagon it may be to stay us when we are sick of love by and by we have nothing but our wormwood and our gall to chew upon now we can behold him have a glorious view of him and our hearts ravished with it by and by he is upon the Cross nailed by our sins and we cannot but look upon him with a mourning eye But there Brethren shall be no interruption nothing but eating and drinking this Love of God in Jesus Christ All his thoughts will be love to us and all our thoughts love and joy no room for one sigh for one tear of sorrow for one groan any more and then it is not for a term and then to end but it is for ever at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore For the time when and the place where this shall be It will be at that day in the Kingdom of the Father It will begin at the souls going to the spirits of just men made perfect it goeth to Christ this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise it goeth to the bosom of the Lord Jesus to Abrahams bosom and beginneth this feast But the fulness of it is not until the glorified body shall be united to the glorified soul and then both together shall be filled with this fulness of love and fulness of joy to all eternity For the place It is in heaven where Jesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Father There Stephen saw him and there he abideth where he is there the Saints will be some think this is typified probably by the upper Chamber where they did eat the Pass-over and the Supper but no more of that Now the second thing cometh under hand that is to say That they go in with the Bridegroom to this feast Wherein these things will be considerable First How he brings them in unto the feast And then Secondly Why it is so And then somewhat to the Application First then he may be said to bring them in and they to go in with him into the feast because he is the meritorious cause of their entrance into glory As he is the entrance of a Believer into the grace wherein we stand as the Apostle speaks so also into the glory There is no acceptance with the Father no access but in and through Jesus Christ as a poor creature hath no admittance into the presence and table of a King but that the son takes him by the hand and leads him in the Lord Jesus then is the meritorious cause he went to prepare a place for us Secondly he doth now as I may say when a soul is brought to heaven after the manner of men I may say he doth receive it and so present it they go in with Jesus Christ But Thirdly And chiefly at the last day at that day he shall come again with his glorious Angels to gather all the Saints together and so to bring them to his Father to deliver the Kingdom up unto him to present them as a Spouse without spot or wrinkle or any such thing thus he shall appear the second time without sin to them that look for him and so they shall for ever be with the Lord. Fourthly He brings them unto the Marriage they go with him even into those joyes unto that eternal bliss and glory he leads them into and there sitteth down with them at the Marriage-feast eating drinking with him this new wine in the Kingdom of the Father It is not only his bringing of them or their going in with him into the place where these glorious manifestations of God shall be for ever but even into the very depth of those discoveries and there he sitteth down with them For the Arguments Besides that none else could do it for us as you heard First His faithfulness to them requireth it He hath promised he will never leave them until he had fulfilled for them all the good that he hath spoken now this is spoken that he will give them glory as well as grace that he will give them eternal life and raise them up at the last day else he were not a faithful High-Priest nor a faithful Saviour if he should leave them short you know it was his last Will and Testament in that place of Ioh 17. and will he see his own Will and
Testament violated Father I will that where I am they shall be also now they cannot come to be where he is except he bring them with him as the Apostle speaks they shall enter in therefore with him having undertaken to save them he will do it to the utmost yea it is the will of his Father also which he hath undertaken to see fulfilled therefore how can he be faithful except he make it good to the utmost this is one 2. His own Communicative He is not willing to be alone in the enjoyment of this glory wherewith he is glorified with the Father he would not ingross those delights and pleasures which are at the right hand of the Father for evermore but would communicate them to some now he is in heaven and his people upon earth yet he would not be alone in those comforts but though himself must sit at the right hand of his Father yet he sendeth the Spirit the Comforter to his people to give them a taste an earnest of those joys of that Feast that is to come indeed so much joy that it is unspeakable and full of glory to many of the people of God many Saints are as I may say in heaven upon earth the Lord Jesus would not eat and drink abundantly and let his people have none that were unkindness indeed where there is little goodness in a creature as all in the creature is but little in comparison of him Job would not eat his morsel alone so will not he Lord Jesus but he will have his people to go in with him to the Feast to the Marriage and drink wine with him as you have it in the Canticles He hath eaten his honey and honey Comb and drank his wine and milk and what then Then drink ye O my friends yea drink abundantly c. 3. Because they have set their love upon him therefore he will put this high favour and honour upon them as it is in the Psalms Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I be with him and deliver him and honour him with long life will I satisfie him and shew him my Salvation Give him to injoy it and not only here but hereafter The Saints they do love the Lord Jesus every one of them their hearts are set upon him and they cleave to him with full purpose of heart in all conditions as the Disciples did they continue with him in his temptations in his poor condition in his imprisoned condition therefore he appointeh them to sit down with him And so you know they are not every one that is admitted to a Marriage Feast they were the friends of the Bridegroom or of the Bride there were thirty young men attending Sampson these were at the Feast among others And so who goeth to the Kings Banquet of wine but the Kings Favorite even Haman he goeth along with him he puts it upon him as a great honour and this is the glory of Jesus Christ the honour which he doth to the man whom he delights to honour who hath set his love upon him even to bring him in to the Feast the Marriage Feast he hath not been ashamed of him before men nor will the Lord be ashamed of him before men and Angels and his Father though while he was here below it may be a man full of infirmities so the Saints are called his friends in many places Abraham my friend Ye are my friends Ioh. 15. and so his Mother and brethren and sisters they are called these are the Favorites which must needs be at the Marriage Feast 4 For his glory as well as for theirs Indeed his glory is theirs and theirs is his now the Lord Jesus cometh to be made glorious in his Saints when the light of the Saints shines before men and they see their good works he is glorified the vertues of him that calls them out of darkness to light are shewed forth but alas this is with so many cloudings interruptions it can scarce be called a glory He shall come to be glorified in his Saints saith the Apostle will not the fulness of the Saints being brought in be his glory they are called the fulness of Christ so that he accounteth not himself full without them but to be as I may say imperfect without some of his Members now at that day he will bring them all and then he will be glorified indeed in them more fully then ever then the general assembly of the first born being gathered together how much honour will he have in it that by his death by his blood he hath redeemed such an innumerable company that he hath by his Spirit sanctified them kept them alive cheared them comforted them raised them and brought them together and put so much glory and beauty upon them all herein he will be much glorified and that every one of them shall have to the full be filled even to admiration of him will not this honour him exceedingly acknowledge and hold forth the glory of his grace before his Father and Angelsglorified 5. He will exceedingly rejoyce in them as well as they in him he spake those things made that prayer in the world that they might have his joy fulfilled in themselves his joy efficienter and his joy subjective for herein he did and doth rejoyce exceedingly surely according to his desire to communicate with his people which is according to his strength of Love to them will be his joy in the communiâ—n therefore saith he thy love is better then wine to see his own love take such an impression upon our hearts as to draw out our love to him this is a great joy to the Lord Jesus I desired with desire to eat this Passover with you saith he to his Disciples great desire so great joy so saith he I have eaten my honey and honey comb he doth as I may say feed upon the graces of his people that is to say they are pleasing delightful to him even when there is mixture in them O what will it be then when there shall be no honey comb no wax no imperfection when grace shall be glorious will it not be his joy and delight to pour out of his love and manifest himself in the most open glorious manner to his people and then to behold them to be filled with love swallowed up of this love and filled with this joy yea swallowed up with that also to see their faces to shine gloriously with grace and joy and comfort unconceiveable O this will be joy to him 6. Because indeed the Saints they are ready to enter in with him they are his Spouse though here considered only as Virgins waiting upon the Bride yet they are the Spouse and sure if any must be brought to the Marriage Feast the Spouse must be there the Angels shall be rather attendants the Saints shall sit down with Jesus Christ at his
away their time in the world spending their strength for that which profiteth not labouring for the meat which perisheth which will not endure to eternal life you see the world was that which kept them from coming to the Feast in the Gospel one could not have while another could not have while a man cannot have two treasures except he had two hearts two contrary treasures earth and heaven both and where the treasure is there will the heart be also therefore Brethren while men are so altogether taken up with the world they cannot but neglect the main thing and so are found unready â—et worldlings hear this word and tremble if any others be likely to be found unready you are the men Even the people of God themselves if they be unready in part it is the world likely will put them out of order off the hinges take heed saith our Saviour your hearts be not at any time overcharged with the cares of this world because there is no time but that day may overtake you and then you will be taken unawares therefore much more a man that is drowned and buried in the world he will be sure to be unready Secondly Such as do but dally with God and Religion and the things of eternity they spend themselves and their strength to feed a formality to put forth broad and pleasant leaves and there is all but for faith and repentance and the great works of a Christian they scarse ever meddle with them at all they go to the creature here with the foolish Virgins go to the opinions of others to the graces of others to their flattering parasite Preachers to be seared and daubed up such as these are likely to be found unready none in more danger then a formal professor Thirdly Such as fail in the midst of their Christian course as you see these Virgins did usually such are hardly recovered again for you see how they wandered up and down from mountain to hill from creature to creature and come not to Jesus Christ So in the Gospel when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man c. Such are like to the Laodiceans spised out of the mouth of God which none returneth to again the Dog returneth to the vomit but not a man our time is fruitful in experiences of this kind you see the door is here shut against those Virgins which failed I mean it of a total Apostacy not partial declinings such the Saints themselves had the wise Virgins but the other lost all true saving grace they had none their form their profession it went out and then they were in darkness could not expect the coming of their Lord with their Lamps burning So much for the opening of it The door is shut the meaning of this is no more but that an entrance into heaven is denyed unto them that are not ready there is no mansion made ready for them that are not made ready for these mansions the Lord Jesus he is the door into the Church the Kingdom of grace and into the Kingdom of glory as you have beard they that enter must enter in by Jesus Christ have access by him now he will shut the door that is to say shut up his bowels and tender mercies for ever though they have been opened to poor sinners here upon earth then they shall be shut up he will have no more compassion on them but when they cry and call shut out their prayers they have clapt the door of their hearts and lockt them against him and now will he shut up his heart and lock it against them for ever Time was when the Jews might have found Jesus Christ but now saith he ye shall seek me and shall not find me but shall dye in your sins Indeed Brethren the door may be shut against a man here on earth after Gods waiting upon a people to be gracious to them he sware in his wrath they should never enter into his rest which was a type of heaven And so those that were invited to the feast they shall not taste of my dainties saith the King for they are not worthy If men refuse and reject the Gospel either professedly or in practise no marvel if the Lord turn the key of heaven gates upon them and they be shut out without any more hope for ever For the Arguments to confirm this a little First Because this feast in heaven admitteth no Guests without a wedding garment without holiness no entrance into heaven no man shall see the Lord except the Lord Jesus have known them and they have known him which is life eternal for so the Apostle puts them together we know that we know him or rather are known of him else Brethren there is no entrance he knoweth no man will acknowledge none then but with a wedding-garment here in the administrations of the Kingdom of grace a person may creep into the feast withont the wedding-garment indeed for the word preached it is for all but the distinguishing Ordinances men may be admitted to haply though they have no wedding-garment as you have it in that place of Matthew but he shall not abide there but shall be cast out he will bind him hand and foot and cast him out though he â—eaveth the admittance of them into the visible Church and visible communion in his ordinances to us who can judge but according to appearance and by the rules of charity yet himself cometh and vieweth the guests and who are fit to be owned as the guests of heaven that shall have entrance there he whose eyes are a flame of fire or like it piercing into the inwards of our souls to see what our spirits are cloathed with And if he takes it so ill of them that creep into the Communion of his Saints and Ordinances here below without a wedding-garment Surely then he will never admit any to this feast of new wine to eternity without such a wedding-garment Secondly Another Argument or Consideration to make this out may be this they that are unready shall not enter the door shall be shut upon them because they have neglected despised the Lord Jesus who is the door and hath the key of David and openeth and shutteth therefore now they shall be rejected the door hath stood open all the day long all the day long hath he stretched out his hands to a rebellious and gain-saying people he would have gathered them and they would not therefore now he will not now he will despise them as they have despised him and there is all the reason that can be that they that would have none of Christ by whom alone there is access to the Father and to this glory that he should have none of them neither they have resisted the motions of his Spirit the Holy-Ghost offering to convince them and now he will resist them clap the door against them Thirdly Because
though he profess never so much love to Israel And O if he would give me a house full of gold and silver I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord And O that my latter end might be as his Yet the Lord can see he is but a wretch for all this therefore Brethren I beg of you that it may be a searching word to us all Whether ever we have known him or be known of him have you ever touched him with the touch of faith for the pardon of your sins for the healing of your corruptions and have you found healing come from him yea or no have you known him the power of his death the power of his life and Spirit yea or no If you have not the Spirit of Christ you are none of his whose ever you be and he will not own you be sure Brethren for his sons for his friends to admit you to the feast except you be his indeed Ah dear friends I doubt many of us will be found with the foolish Virgins following after the creature resting in somewhat else beside the Lord Jesus Do not think your crying Lord Lord will do it this you may do and fall short did not Judas come with his hail Master and kiss him and yet his heart full of treason against him was this his kindness to Jesus Christ and do not many of us kiss him salute him with a kiss of love and homage or obedience in shew and yet in our lives deliver him up to be scourged by our loosness of carriage that there is no difference between us and other men open the mouths of the wicked and this constantly and without a returning to him will he own such a soul think you O how can we be contented to be uncertain in our conditions lest when all is done we should be disowned shut out at that day Thirdly Then Brethren let us all labour and be exhorted to it to study to approve our hearts to God more then to men a needful lesson to us all and it will be our wisdom surely for alas what if men know us and own us and favour us as Saints and precious people and Jesus Christ will not know our souls will this countervail O Brethren see to it that your praise be not of men but of God! O how apt we are to be lifted up and cheared if men think well of us and dejected if we suffer in their breasts if they disown us to be cast out of their hearts would go to our hearts it may be and we could not be quiet Alas what is this to that fearful sentence I know you not If Christ disown us what is it if all the Saints should own us and if he own us what should it discourage us though they none of them own us O labour to be more inward Christians and build your comforts upon the sure mercies of David in Jesus Christ No matter what is the rising way in the world which is the rising Sun Look to the mind of Christ keep a conscience void of offence toward him and make this your work to be found in him when all is done not in your gifts not in your duties not in your graces but in Christ O such a soul knoweth the Lord Jesus and such a soul is known of him and shall be known to all eternity Fourthly Here is an encouraging word to poor doubting souls It may be they are ready to pass this fearful sentence upon themselves sooner then many a wretched hard-hearted hypocrite to whom it properly belongs No matter man though thy gifts be not so great as another mans thou canst do little or hast not those sweet refreshings and enlargements which another hath Is thy heart approved to Jesus Christ canst thou approve thy soul to him that thou lovest him as Peter Lord thou knowest that I love thee though it may be not so much as other Saints do nor so much as the great things he hath done for thee call for yet thou lovest him and wouldst fain love him more be of good 〈◊〉 for thou art known of him If any man love God he is known of God A Judas may be an open professor of Christ and come to him in the day And a poor Nicodemus at the first dare but come in the night it may be and was a very shallow Scholar in Christ's School which is the discouragement of many a poor soul And Judas in the mean time a renowned Teacher of others and yet behold how the one betrayes the Lord Jesus and the other sticks to him when he was dead and professeth him openly at such a time as that when there was most discouragement against it O therefore Brethren though your grace be weak and little at the first if there be the root of the matter in thee if thou canst approve thy heart thou lovest him there is nothing in heaven nor in earth thou wouldest have in comparison of him though thy infirmities be many temptations be many thou art a poor wearied creature it may be with thine own heart be of good comfort the Lord Jesus hath already owned thee and he will own thee in that day And me thinks Brethren as on the one hand when such bold confident souls that make no other reckoning but of salvation but they reckon without Jesus Christ when they meet with so sad a disappointment in stead of an admittance they meet with I know you not O how will their hearts dye within them So on the other hand when a poor trembling doubting Thomas that it may be knoweth not what to think of himself nor his condition he is searching and trying and praying and fasting and humbling running and pressing hard forward and can get little ground of his corruptions which much discourageth him O he walks tremblingly lest he should receive this fearful sentence at the last that the Lord Jesus knoweth him not hath never had any thing to do with him notwithstanding all his profession sin is in strength corruption prevails though it is the bitterness of his soul O when such a poor doubting creature that haply many times looks for nothing but a fearful sentence depart from me shall have this pronounced O come thou poor soul I know thee I have known thee from the beginning of the world though thou hast been doubting of my love yet I know thee though thou hast been made black with affliction and thy visage so marr'd as others knew thee not refuge failed thee no man cared for thee for thy soul yet I know thee though thou hast been wounded with many sins many temptations and walked under many a discouraged heart yet I know thee O how will this be as everlasting life from eternal death to such a soul So that the soul shall now have now more place for doubting the satisfaction shall come with a mandamus he will speak salvation to the heart that it cannot
and feathers compass clothe and adorn the fowl whose wings they are so the rayes do clothe and compass and adorn the Sun as it were how naked would a bird be without his feathers and how naked would the Sun be without his raies and beams Secondly because of the swift motion of the Sun not only in his diurnal course as in Psalm 19. He rejoyceth as a Gyant to run his race but no sooner is the Sun up but he doth in a manner spread his raies to all the Hemisphere as a bird quickly when she riseth spreadeth her wings abroad and therefore the Egypitans Hieroglyph of the Sun was a fowl spreading long wings every way Thirdly because the wings of a fowl are those under which she gathereth her young cherisheth them refresheth warmeth them that they may grow and increase So here the wings of the Sun are those whereby the creatures in their kind are healed and cherished as you know how the body will be benummed and languish with the cold of the night when the Sun beams come to beat on it again how doth it quicken and revive But now for the wings of the Lord Jesus what are his wings as he is the Sun of righteousness whatever answers to this Sun-beams are his wings and what are these In a word then I take them to be the Word and Spirit especially not excluding other Ordinances of Jesus Christ but these especially yea truly the Spirit in the Word and in other Ordinances of Christ I take to be these wings here spoken of The Spirit in the Word even whereby he cometh and preacheth to men even to them that were asar off from Christ is said to come and preach peace by which also saith the Apostle that is by the Spirit he went and preached to the Spirits in prison that now are in prison but not when he sent to preach to them the Spirit of Christ in the Word which Noah preached to them who was a Preacher of righteousness the Lord Jesus went and preached to them I say these are the wings of our Sun of righteousness and so they are called haply for divers reasons First that these proceeding from him even as the raies of the Sun which are his wings proceed from the Sun as the Sun sends forth his beams and influences in a powerful manner so Christ sends forth his light and his truth the Spirit as a person in the Trinity proceedeth from him as from the Father but as to his office to be an enlightening Spirit a quickning Spirit a comforting Spirit so he proceedeth from Christ I will send you the Comforter from the Father he poured out of his Spirit on his Apostles and many others who were to go forth in his name and preach the Gospel to the Nations and the Word he sends it forth out of his mouth proceedeth a two-edged sword which is his Word Secondly as the beams supply the absence of the Sun so doth the Spirit of Christ supply his absence therefore while he was yet present the Spirit was not yet given not poured out in that fulness but when he was to go he comforts his Disciples with this that if he went he would send them the Comforter another Comforter himself was one and he would send them another and that was his Spirit and he should lead them into all truth bring all things to their remembrance and be their Comforter and help their infirmities and so supply the absence of Christ Yea better then if he himself were with them as we use to say the Sun is come into such an house when the beams thereof are come in which do supply the absence of the Sun and better it is for us to have the beams then the Sun in our houses Thirdly because of the swiftness of the opening of the glory of Christ to the last ages of the world O! how swift are the beams of the Sun in a moment darted from heaven to earth and over-spread the whole Horizon So the Lord his Word being quickned by the Spirit doth run very swiftly as the Psalmist hath it in how short a time as the age of the Apostles did it overspread the Horizon gotten as far as Rome and how mightily did it prevail though the Jews did contradict and blaspheme and endeavour to take off the wheels of his Chariots yet it went on never the slower for that it grew and multiplyed Converts unto the face of the Church were as thick as the morning dew on the face of the earth which is generated by the Sun Fourthly as the beams of the Sun carry light and heat and refreshing along with them to the poor languishing earth and other creatures so doth the Spirit and the Word and the Spirit in the Word carries light with it thy Word is a light to my feet and indeed it is not Christ considered alone but as he is held out in the Gospel that is here resembled to the Sun of righteousness as I told you before their sound is gone forth into all the earth that is of them that preached the Gospel of peace and reconciliation through Christ And for heat O! how doth many a poor creature come under an Ordinance with an heartless mind cold and dead and his heart doth burn within him while the Lord by his Spirit hath communion with him in those Ordinances and what refreshings do arise to a poor weary soul when the Lord createth the fruit of the lips peace peace certain undoubted peace he doubleth it for emphasis that peace which passeth understanding and it shall surely be so and suddenly too not long he delights not to hold poor souls in anxiety trouble only what he seeth needful for their humiliation fetching them off themselves and sin and making Christ sweet to them indeed that he may be precious to them Other reasons might haply be given why the Spirit and Word and Ordinances are compared to the Sun which are the wings thereof but this shall suffice The fifth thing what is meant by healing and indeed this is large and as large as our spiritual maladies are some say there is nothing more wholsom then the Sun where it cometh with its beams how doth it purge the air wherein we breath consuming the noysom vapours that arise and would infect it quickly purging the earth from its dregs or else we should quickly find the offensiveness of it So the Lord Jesus by the breaking forth of his Spirit in the Word of Truth doth heal the air consume and scatter the venomous errors of men wherewith we should quickly be all poysoned were it not for this that be makes manifest their folly to all men and they proceed no further He heals the waters the waters of the Sanctuary how often have they been polluted yea poysoned by some and the Lord hath healed them again by his Spirit Again he heals the earth of its barrenness
in Winter the earth seemeth to be languishing and all things withered and dead when the Sun returneth how doth it heal it To it s here Beloved it is the Word and Spirit that opens the earth moistens the earth sweetly refresheth it calls forth the fruits thereof The fruits of the Spirit they are called as the fruits of the earth are called the precious fruits put forth by the Sun and by the Moon which shines by a derived influence from the Sun how precious are the fruits of the Spirit Brethren love meekness joy in the Holy-Ghost humility self-denyal these are the precious fruits put forth by the Sun the Lord Jesus by his Word and Spirit beating upon our barren hearts indeed he maketh the barren Wilderness to become a garden of God Again he healeth he reviveth the spirits which languish and are ready to go out as the poor Birds that in the Winter are hard put to it and some lye you hardly know where as if they were dead or dying when the Sun returneth how doth it refresh and revive their little spirits that were left before The night brings a heaviness and burthen along with it to the body but the morning when the Sun ariseth how doth it enliven and lighten Oh! so it s in this case many a poor soul can say by experience that when darkness hath been long on them they have no light no comfort no refreshing no breathing of the Spirit to their apprehensions in his Ordinances on their hearts O how have hands hanged down and their knees feeble and knock one against another for feebleness and that which was within them was ready to dye But now no sooner hath the Lord Jesus the Sun of righteousness looked on them but they have had their ankle-bones strengthened the joy of the Lord is their strength as Neh. 8. but I intend not here much to expatiate only these two or three things First then the first thing in this healing which is brought under the wings of the Sun of righteousness is pardon for our sins who forgiveth all-thy iniquities and healeth all-thy diseases these are exegetical one of another or may so be looked on Sin Brethren cuts off a creature from God and so maketh a wound which now is healed and made up when they are pardoned Make the heart of this people fat and let their ears be heavy their eyes closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes or hear with their ears or understand with their hearts lest they should be converted and I should heal them which Mark reads thus lest they should be converted and their sins be forgiven them So then forgiveness and healing are all one and its one thing surely included in that of the Prophet Hosea I will heal their back-slidings I will love them freely the justification freely by his grace as the Apostle calls it Poor sinner thou that ever knewest what sin was what a wound it was to thy soul knewest that thy pardon is a healing to thee So then this arising with healing in his wings is by his Spirit in his Word he conveyeth the blood of Jesus Christ the merit thereof maketh it over to the poor soul that believeth to the doing away of all the guilt So as a Sun of righteousness properly he healeth and this is the first Secondly He taketh away also the anguish and trouble that did arise from sin to the soul as when a wound is healed you know the anguish and smart is taken away though while it is healing it may be when searched and tented there will be smart and sore yet afterward it s taken away by degrees I know some of you have felt and haply some at present may feel the grief of your wounds O! how they will throb and beat and burn and smart sometimes broken bones are nothing to a broken heart nor the broken flesh any thing to a broken bone the Lord heals the broken in heart he bindeth up their wounds I have seen his waies and will heal him saith the Lord he speaks to the condition of a poor disconsolate soul under the wrath of God He was wrath and smote him yea he hid him and was wrath O how this troubles a poor soul he cannot but have his heart full of darkness and terrour and trouble that hath the face of God hidden from him well saith the Lord though he did walk frowardly before me gave me not my ends in smiting him yet I will heal him and wherein doth this healing consist Alas in restoring joy and comfort to him the poor soul now was over-whelmed with sorrow his heart now was ready to sink and fail within him and lest it should so do he will heal him and how is this but by his Word and Spirit therein which is the comforting Spitit he will create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him Here is a healing indeed the healing of broken hearts and broken bones it s the work that the Father sent the Lord Jesus for into the world in an especial manner that he annointed him for poured out the Spirit upon him annointed him with the oyl of gladness above his fellows that he might speak in due season that he might bind up the broken spirits Now the Lord Jesus Brethren our dear Saviour he delighteth to do this will and work of his Father O! he loveth to be doing with broken hearts And O that we had some work for the Lord Jesus this day he is among us now to see if there be any heart in this condition that he may heal us it s his delight to do it Well this is a second he hath his cordials as well as his purgatives his lenitives as well as his corrosives Thirdly he cometh with healing under his wings as to take away the anguish so also to purge away the filth of it to heal the running putrifying sore that it may not run and defile and pollute all that a man taketh in hand How much more saith the Apostle shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences from dead works that we may serve the living God With corrosives he eats down the proud flesh and the dead flesh he dryeth up the bloody issues then the person was healed when she touched Christ but the hem of his garment This is that which troubles many a heart more then the guilt of their sins and indeed the returning and recoyling of sin on them again and again occasioneth the questioning of their peace and comfort that they have had O how one cryeth out of this sin and another of that sin and walks heavily and sadly Well the Lord Jesus he will arise with healing under his wings for all these distempers Fourthly and lastly another healing is the taking away his anger manifested in outward calamities or diseases in a people or person I will heal their back-slidings and love them freely for mine anger is
upon us no man desires that he knoweth not We think we are in health and strength of soul in as good a condition as any need nothing and yet are poor and miserable and blind and naked just like a poor man the strength of his disease works him off his senses as we say he thinkeeh he is well as ever in his life when alas he is drawiâ—g nigh the chambers of death his disease is so much the more dangerous Brethren sin 〈…〉 s our heads with such fumes of pride and self-confidence and carnal reasonings that we are ready to conclude all is well with us and I doubt many of us whom this concerneth will put it away from us upon this very account We are whole need not the Physitian so we have no desire to be healed the tender of a plaister by another to a man that thinketh he hath no wounds it is ridiculous they are more ready to mock at it then receive it so far are Sinners from providing an healing for themselves because they are not sensible of their need of it they desire it not Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways we are well enough without it yea more we have no desire to be healed because we are in love with our diseases not as a man that hath an issue he knoweth doth him good would not have it stopt but we have many bloody issues of sin and because of the pleasure and delight or proâ—t or humour or some things we please our selves with them for we are loath to part with them Augustine himself was loath to be healed so soon of his lust not yet Lord not yet said his heart when he prayed for healing the disease hath seized upon the will it self so that it is pleased and taken with the sickness the ill savour of our wounds the stench of them is sweet to us while we have a stinking nostril and therefore no marvel if we can never heal our selves there is need of this Lord Jesus to come with healing under his wings Thirdly We do reject healing and the Physitian When he would have healed us we would not be healed therefore much less can we do it our selves I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged c. Brethren how often hath the Lord Jesus called upon us all and have we not many of us as often refused Hath he not stretched out his hands all the day long all the day of Grace which hath continued long with us and we have been a rebellious a disobedient people we would none of his counsel either it is too mean as Naaman said when he was bid to go and wash in Jordan seven times and he should be cleansed What are not Abana and Pharâ—ar Rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel so proud dust and ashes the Lord opens a fountain for sin and uncleanness proclaimeth to every poor sinner who ever will let him come let his disease be what it will bathe in this Fountain he shall be healed what saith the proud sinner are there not waters of our own will not our own repentance do it we are very backward through the pride of heart to receive even gratis as that proud Papist said He would not have heaven gratis this Pope is in all our bellies therefore the Apostle calls it a submission they would not submit to the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ So we look upon the blood of Jesus Christ as an unholy a contemptible thing will not trust wholly to this grace or else if not too mean yet the way that God goeth to work with a sinner to heal him it is too severe a bitter potion they must take down what must we so much bewail our selves must we search and try our ways rake in our wounds this we cannot indure this will cost us much smart and anguish as it did David and Peter and Ephraim poor foolish creatures we had rather dye of our wounds then to have them searched far from that temper of David we are Search me and try me though some of us I hope have been so exercised in the work of searching and mortification that we can many times say with the Psalmist Lord search us but alas many of us it is otherwise with we come not to the light lest our deeds should be discovered it would shame us you know Ahab could not indure to hear of his sins he hated Mâ—caiah and that cursed principle is in all our hearts we would be humored and daubed and have the hurt of our souls healed slightly because we cannot digest the severity and sharpness of the medicines we are afraid of the wrings and gripes the Prayers the Fastings it will cost us and therefore we are enemies to it 4. If we were never such friends to it if we would never so fain be healed it is not in our power it is above the sphere of our activity if the stripes had been laid upon us which were laid upon Christ when he was whipped with Scorpions alas every blow would have cut us in sunder and given us our portion in that lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever You see brethren that they fetched blood at every blow of our blessed Saviour who was equal with his Father having an infinite Power and Spirit to uphold him and yet O how he ran down with blood dropping upon the ground when the world was to be drowned and overwhelmed all the veins of the earth were as I may say opened so now the Lord Jesus when his Spirit was overwhelmed and amazed as I may say and the Lord in a manner would now swallow him up My God why hast thou forsaken me all the voins the channels of his body were opened O how the blows did even almost fetch away the soul of our Saviour witness that Out-cry what had become of poor man iâ— this had been laid upon him Beside who can pardon our sins is there any but God that can pardon sins and is not this a great part of healing who can speak peace but he He will speak peace to his people he can do it with one word of his mouth he createth the fruit of the lips peace peace assuredly he createth it peace who can subdue a lust all the maceration of the body that the frame of Nature will bear will not do it as it is said of Hierom though his hair did even stand upright with fasting and lying upon the ground yet all would not do to subdue concupilcence he should have taken Gods way and then his help would have come in no no I will subdue their iniquities they are too stiff-hearted for any but the Lord Jesus none could break the heart of sin but he by being broken himself for our iniquities nor can any do it to death though wounded and bleeding and the heart be broken but he himself
Servants or to deliver all such relations no but it is meant here surely of a spiritual Liberty a freedom of the soul from its thraldom nay himself cometh to be a servant did he not rather sanctifie such a condition and relation then abolish it Secondly Then taking it for spiritual Liberty that is to say a freedom from Spiritual evils the subjection whereunto is a bondage to the poor creature we must know yet further that we may take it either in a larger or in a more restrained sense in a more restrained only for that liberty and freedom which the Saints have ever had through the Lord Jesus since the Covenant of Grace was preached to them and they closed with it for we must know that ever before Christ came in the flesh Believers believed in him to come they had a liberty through him as to the main parts of it and necessarily to salvation though haply not in that degree that now ordinarily Believers indeed have that freedom but there were some yoaks upon them then which now we are delivered from they are broken from off the necks of the Saints yea and such as were pinching yoaks indeed but yet less considerable by far then those from which they were delivered and set free so that now we see there is a larger liberty and more glorious which the sons of God have which will better appear when we come to speak to the parts of it only this I thought good to premiâ—e lost any should think that liberty began only when Christ was revealed in the flesh for it was the smallest part that then was added though I say the other liberty from the sore condemning destroying bondage of the soul they had before haply is now heightned to believers and so much by way of premise For the opening of this spiritual Liberty we shall consider 1. It s Subject 2. Its Causes 3. Its Parts extensive and intensive if we may so speak that is to say the degrees of it First then for the subject of this Liberty they are all Christians that are so indeed therefore it is called Christian Liberty not only from Christ the Author but from the Subjects they are Christians Believers both Jews and Gentiles Bond or Free Male or Female Jerusalem saith the Apostle which is above is free which is the Mother of us all all such then as receive the Gospel as the poor are said to do all those upon whom the Sun of righteousness doth arise they are set free they do go forth for the partial subject of this liberty that will better appear when we come to speak of the parts of this liberty some are for the freeing the minde some the will some the conscience some the whole man but of this afterward Secondly Then for the causes of this liberty which is here promised we shall speak to some of them First then The principal efficient cause is the Father Son and Spirit the work of the Trinity ad extra are individed the Father it is that cals us to liberty Ye are called to liberty saith the Apostle use it not as a cloke to the flesh I marvel saith the Apostle that you are so soon removed from him who hath called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel The Apostle meaneth the calling to liberty which he cals the Grace of Christ and that Doctrine of the false teachers that would subject them again to the Law and Ceremonies and to that bondage subvert their liberty he cals it another Gospel And for the Son we have it If the Son make you free you shall be free indeed and stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free false Brethren came to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage And for the Spirit it is as clear The Law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death the mighty powerful working of the Spirit is called the Law of the Spirit as the powerful operation of Sin is called the Law of Sin and so in that place where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and so the Spirit of Adoption it is that succedeth the Spirit of Bondage and setteth us free from that Bondage Secondly The impulsive cause is meerly his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his good pleasure yea his tender mercy his bowels So it is in the Original The bowels of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us there is the arising of the Sun of rightousness upon us and the effect of it you have before That we being delivered from the hands of all our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness c. It is not misery is the motive only else he would do it for all as well as some for we are all of us in the same bondage naturally one as well as another Thirdly The meritorious cause is the blood of Jesus Christ no less then the blood of the Kings son is the price of the liberty of poor Slaves in bondage this must needs be tender mercy indeed rich love indeed so saith the Apostle That through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death that is the Devil no less then a Kings ransom is paid for the liberty of every poor creature that is made free and therefore he took upon him flesh and blood because the children were partakers of the same that he might die for them and to deliver them that for fear of death were in bondage all their life-time of which more afterward we are now speaking to the meritorious cause the price of his pretious mercy even the blood of Jesus Christ Fourthly The means of conferring or conveiging this liberty to poor Sinners is the Gospel of liberty the Covenant of Grace held out in the Gospel is the means and this is plain in many places As in that of Isaiah The Spirit of the Lord is upon me therefore he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives if ever any preaching was the Gospel Christs preaching was and the Covenant who himself was given to be the Covenant to the people sure he would preach nothing but that or in subordination to that as he doth preach the Law too as would easily appear but we may not digress and so in thaâ— other place of Luke where either that or some of the fore-cited places in Isaiah are quoted Ye shall know the truth saith our Saviour and the truth shall make you free by truth there I take it is not meant indefinitely any truth whatever no nor a scriptural truth but the Gospel of truth which is called the truth Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ it is such a truth so pure and precious For his word is like
in the Gospel inculcate this upon the Disciples fear not him that can kill the body but fear him that killeth soul and body And so if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if by the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live these threatnings surely would not have been written to Believers except they were to make some use of them to be as an awe upon their spirits to keep them from sinning to be a quickning to their souls Now on the other hand it is true that there ought not to be in us such a fear as to distract us to drive us from to weaken our Spirits to disable us from duty to cloud and drown all our delight in his waies to blot out our apprehensions of his loveliness and compassion and bowels so as to beget hard thoughts in our hearts of God which will produce hatred of him such a fear ought not to be in us and though there may be a spice of it sometimes even in the best when they are not themselves yet this is not the prevailing principle in the soul but an holy fear of offending him which ariseth from a mixture of love towards him and holy reverence and awe of him and of his Majesty and Greatness and truly Brethren this is no enemy to spiritual liberty But I must not dwell so long upon things But secondly the main thing that I know most troubles a gracious heart is that he finds himself so much under the power of sin O I find not this freedom this liberty you speak of I am a wretch then under the power of my corruptions O the sad complaints to Christians to men continually from some poor disconsolate souls and to speak a little for their consolation if the Lord breath in it First Brethren you must know this that as sin hath had a time of settling and rooting there will be a time of unsettling it thou art of yesterday it may be and dost thou think to be so free the first day as they that have many years been wresting and fighting and praying and fasting and mourning and believing down their lusts This is a great mistake it is infinite mercy that thou hast thy hands let loose and thy feet out of the mire and clay and that thou art set upon a Rock that thou hast now a standing and liberty to fight thou must not expect a liberty from fighting and conflicting with sin while thou art in the flesh mind you the Apostles two or three verses of the same Epistle to the Romans he saith the Law of the Spirit of life the powerful working of the Spirit of life hath set him free from the Law of sin and death and yet a few verses before O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death thou groanest under the burthen whereby it appears thou art delivered in a great part thou art willing to be freed and when the will is disintangled the man is free in a great part Secondly Brethren know this for your comfort that your labour is not in vain striving against sin fighting with it you are sure to overcome though sin lie hard upon you you shall overcome it First the Lord he is able to break all the bonds if he will deliver Peter out of prison what shall hinder his chains shall fall from his hands the Iron-gates shall open of their own accord before him nothing shall be able to hold them It was somewhat hard for Israel to believe that they should be delivered out of Egypt and somewhat a strange Message of Moses at the first even as one should be sent to the great Turk to tell him the God of the Christians commands him to let them go but God tells him and them that he is that he is I am hath sent me the great God who is being it self and from himself he is what he is he is able to destroy the Egyptians dost thou believe this that he can subdue thine iniquities thy strong impetuous violent lusts Secondly then he will do it he heard Israel groaning under bondage and came down to deliver them he remembered his Covenant it was his faithfulness Brethren that brought him out the self-same day the Lord delivered them and the Lord will keep time to a day with thee that groanest under this bondage if thou werâ— but humbled if it had done its work upon thee for that and such like ends he would not suffer sin to prevail upon thee any longer for he letteth not lusts loose upon a soul to woorry it but to humble it make it out of love with sin to drive it to himself to make it for ever cleave closer to him now there is promise upon promise for this you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free he speaks this to his Disciples who did already know it in part know himself the truth the way and the life and the truth in opposition to shadows grace and truth came by Jesus Christ and it shall make you free how many promises are there as in the text therefore surely he will do it Now what an encouragement it is to fight when we are sure to overcome yea to endure hardship in this conflict But thirdly consider it is the very office of Jesus Christ the work which he received of his Father is to destroy the works of the Devil to destroy strong holds to lead captivity captive therefore he came into the world if it had not been for such poor creatures as are under bondage there had been no need of Christ he came to give himself a ransom for many and to preach deliverance to them and the opening of the prison to them that are bound you have heard already and therefore he was annointed of his Father and received the Spirit that he might set open the prison doors Now poor burthened souls if any such whose body ofsin and death presseth them down sore and they walk heavily goâ— to him spread your condition before him put him in mind wherefore he came into the world to set open the prison to loose the prisoners and thou hast an infirmity and haply been bound with it many years beseech him to exercise his Office towards thy poor soul the Lord loveth to hear his people earnest and importunate to plead it thus with him but if thou canst not yet be sure he will do the work which his Father hath given him to do and what is that but to set at liberty such prisoners as thou art that groan under the burthen and bondage of their lusts Fourthly Consider how pittiful a heart he bears to his people labouring under corruption when we are weak it may be sometimes the spirits of a poor creature are spent in labour in other services and he thinketh he should be as lively then as at another time but it is not likly so to be
was big with us and O what sharp travel he had such as never was nor can be the like again and he supplies the nourishment the Word and the Spirit he promiseth shall never depart out of his peoples mouths and this is that the Evangelist hath of his fulness we receive grace for grace the sincere milk of the Word is his he prepareth the sweet cup of consolation in the promises so many precious promises so many breasts a child of God hath to suck continually there he hath prepared nourishment for our faith and so in our tryals and experiences there is nourishment for our faith and for our humility and for our love and all this is from him Secondly But then beside this there is a forming power a power of concoction digestion and assimilation to turn these nourishments into the very substance for so the Apostle Some preach Christ of envy saith he supposing to add affliction to my bonds the Devil and his Angels of light preach Christ but with no good intent not to gain credit but dishonor to the Gospel at the long run we see it by too woful experience well saith the Apostle I know this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ if a man take never so much down if he have not a power to digest it and turn it into substance succum sanguinem he shall never grow by it alas do we not see many live under the Word the sincere milk of the Word and seem to draw as hard at the breast as any hanging upon the Ministers lips that should preserve knowledge and yet grow not come not on there wants this digesting faculty the Spirit of Christ to mix the word with faith then when it is so mixed and concocted it groweth indeed the Word groweth then the poor Believer groweth his faith groweth And so the Apostle in that to the Corinthians who beholding as in a glass there is the nourishment the Ordinances the beholding Christ in them but the power of concocting these turning them to strength is the Spirit we are changed into his image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord as there is not similitudinis but identitatis the glory as of the only begotten Son of God full of grace and truth there is the truth in general that it is from Christ and more specially that this power is his in that one place to the Ephesians from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body he speaks of the growth of the Church in general but there is par ratio for the growth of each member for it is one part of the growing of the whole that the members grow in stature as well as in number and so in that place to the Colossians Let not man beguile you of your reward as a Judge of the race of masteries prescribes it is an exorbitant course to â—un out of the way and then promise you the reward for it this will be but a beguiling of you in a voluntary humility and worship of Angels c. and is worshiping of Saints any better then this voluntary humility and yet some there are that beguile poor creatures of their reward promising them if they run in this course they shall have it not holding the head me thinks an ingenuous Papist reading this should begin to suspect their way since to worship Angels and such voluntary humility as God never commanded as not to approach to Christ without a mediation of Saints which he never commanded is voluntary humility and so this is not to hold the head Christ Jesus from which from the head all the body by joints and bands have nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increases of God it is the increase of God because he is the Author of it or else because of the greatness of the increase and its excellency for so the name of God is often used in the old Scriptures and their phrases the Apostles do often keep in the New You see the nourishment is ministred from the head as the sap is from the root of the tree and it is his effectual working whereby it is turned to an increase of our faith and love and therefore that soul that is not really and truly in the Lord Jesus though he may for a time flourish yet he will wither he may be green and yet be but a weed and they grow fast but they are not upon a right root they spring not from such a seed and therefore at their perfection they will be but wild Oates it may be or Tares which for a great while are so like to Wheat as some of the Antients speak that it is not to be discerned from it until it come into the ear and so many an hypocrite may have as broad a leaf as green a blade in externals not be behind any for enlargements and parts and notions of the knowledge of Christ and yet alas though he had more and more degrees this is not a spiritual growth this is not from the head from the root the Lord Jesus as a root of saving life I deny not but he giveth those gifts and parts but it is not as head of the invisible Church who alone shall be saved though as head of the visible Church there may be a communication of some fatness and sweetness of the Olive to them that is to say the Ordinances and priviledges of the Church which an hypocrite may enjoy yet be cut off when all is done and thereby he may make some progress of knowledge and a formality but yet this is no true spiritual growth this should make us look well about us and see if our water do arise from this fountain it will spread it self until it come to a river grow broader and broader Fifthly As it is from him and therefore we must be in him before we can grow with this spiritual growth so this growth in grace is a growing up into him and good reason if of him and by him be all things that to him should be all things also if Rivers be from the Sea they return to the Sea again there may be two things in this one expression of growing up into Christ who is the head First that we grow up into a nearer fellowship and communion with him who is the head and this is most sure whether the growth of the members where it is the faster do draw more and more yet from the head and other parts where the nourishment is prepared I shall not meddle with but this I am sure of the more grace any soul receiveth the more yet he may it is in order to further fellowship and communion with the Lord Jesus which is indeed an
displeasure when that cup of trembling and astonishment was to be put into his hand to be drunk off to the very dregs but yet he willingly undertook this took it off to the bottom that nothing might remain of the dregs to his people which potion put him into a bloody sweat filled him with horror and even astonished him but hath he done all this and is it possible he should now slight it by casting out any poor soul purchased with so dear a rate that now cometh to him O surely it cannot be Sixthly Because this would be to undo what the Father hath done For it is the Fathers work to draw a poor soul to teach them as you have heard before they can come to Jesus Christ No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him you could not have a desire towards the Lord Jesus not a breathing after the water-brooks the Fountain of life which is in Jesus Christ but that the Father hath breathed it into thee now the Lord Jesus if he should cast out a poor soul that cometh with such breathings after him would quench the Spirit would put out the light of Israel should destroy the works of his Father instead of destroying the works of the devil therefore surely it cannot be that he should cast out any poor soul that cometh to him that his Father hath drawn with the cords of a man and with the cords of love Is it the work of a Saviour to cut the cords whereby poor creatures are drawn to him and not rather of a murderer a soul-destroyer and can we have such hard thoughts of Christ our dearest Saviour O far be it from us this cannot be Seventhly He would hereby bring upon himself the imputation of delusion and mocking of poor sinners not only because of his Promise and offers of Grace but in two respects among others for I will not dwell too long upon these things First Because of the many invitations that he hath made to poor creatures to come to him O mind how he proclaims it to every one that thirsteth Come come buy wine and milk without money or monies worth you that have no worthiness nor any money to buy an acccptation come to the Waters and what then when they come to the Fountain to the Waters will the Lord Jesus shut them out cast them away is there any such imposture in him Come to me all that are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest what then is a poor soul perswaded of his burthen and where rest is to be had and cometh to Jesus Christ ready to sink at his foot and faint away under his burthen and will he there suffer him to perish and turn away his face from him I beseech you saith the Apostle as if God did beseech you by us to be reconciled to God ye rebels for so we are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye run-aways what do you mean why will ye perish Why will ye dye saith he O house of Israel why now if a rebel turn and his heart relent and he would fain close with this Prince of Peace that would fain be at peace with him do you think he will turn his back upon him Surely no he might have done it to the thief upon the Cross that truly repented and believed as to any if he would but if he should do so then sinners had something to answer indeed that there is reason wherefore we should not come to thee who would come to be mocked to be deceived tantalized to have the fountain opened and stand open for any to come that will come and when we are willing then to rowl a stone upon it is not this deceiving the Jews indeed took Christ to be a deceiver and therefore they came not to him I wish we be not many of us Jews in heart though we be Christians in name our conversation witnesseth to our faces for why else do not sinners come to Jesus Christ except they look upon all these invitations of Christ as delusions but take heed that as they perished so we also perish not in the same gain-saying Secondly He would be convicted of imposture if he should reject any poor soul that cometh to him because it is he also that draweth them as well as the Father else they could not come So he saith When I am lifted up I will draw all men unto me that is to say all that the Father hath given me I will draw to me and so he doth objective as the carkass draweth the Eagles together as the willow branch draweth the Lambs after it as a fair lovely object draweth the eye sweet melody draweth the ear and effective also for what the Father doth he doth also for he and the Father are one Now doth the Lord Jesus draw and perswade men send forth his Spirit which is his arm unbared and stretched out to lay hold upon the hearts of sinners to draw them to make them willing to accept of deliverance and salvation in him from the filthiness and power as well as from the guilt of sin and when they come will he shut them out were not this horrible deceit O surely Jesus Christ cannot so deceive poor creatures these are most unworthy thoughts of him Eighthly and lastly It is inconsistent with his bowels and tenderness which naturally he hath to poor sinners specially such as the Father hath given unto him could the Father shut out the Prodigal Son when he returned to him his bowels would not bear it he ran and met him c. Joseph made it a little strange at the first to his Brethren and spake a little roughly to them but mind you he could not hold he was fain to go into a place to weep egerere dolorem to empty his affection into tears for them to see those Brethren of his that had done him so much wrong dealt so hardly with him O when he heard them confess what they had done and their consciences smit them for it then doubtless his bowels were rowled together within him and for a while I say he made a shift to cover it and put some of them into prison but all this while his bowels were moved and was he not a type of Jesus Christ in this haply as I may say in other respects I shall not determine it but when a poor sinner cometh to Jesus Christ that hath sold him for a lust dealt hardly with him crucified him and now he is convinced of it he mourns for it and mourns over him did Josephs bowels yearn and do not the Lord Jesus his bowels is the love of women to be compared to the love of Jesus Christ O surely no he may seem for a while to turn his back upon a poor creature but all this while the fire of love is burning within and will burst out into a flame all this while what workings