Blessed be one good neighbour or how solitary should we be in earth Defile not the land which ye shall inhabite wherein I dwell saith Christ Numb 35.34 The earth would be hell did not Christ dwell in it you have much misery kept off by one good neighbour you have and you might have more if you did but get more acquaintance with him You have lived a great while in the earth and so hath Christ do ye know him do ye love him he maketh the earth a blessing as base as 't is to such A mans felicity dependeth altogether upon the favour of God let his dwelling be where ' twill Earth is heaven hell is heaven when God dwelleth with one there Mourning creatures tell me where do ye dwell In a vally of tears In earth doth Christ dwell with you doth he dwell in earth too in your hearts then be cheared for he will wipe all tears from your eyes and if your hearts be a rest for him he will be a rest for them when you have none in earth When the earth trembles and melts you have one that dwelleth in it that will see you shall do well Christians visit your next neighbour often lie in his bosome whilest you live on earth you will live very desolate else were the earth a better place then ' t is I pitty all that live in this world 't is so base and miserable but them that live without God in this world my heart bleedeth over them Some live where they have no good neighbour nor no friend and they truly have a bad life on it some live so in earth that it were as good they were in hell almost whipt in body tortured in soul longing for death and yet it must not be because not yet full ripe for hell Ah Lord here is a dwelling in earth indeed what difference now between earth and hell All you that live in earth and live in your sinnes expect such a life every houre The earth groneth it beareth so many and so naught sinners do not you grone too Do not you grone to Christ to be better The earth will be eased of her burden quickly but not you your place will be changed quickly but not for the better all that are now in earth will be anon in hell that do not leave their sinnes quickly the sword and strange diseases are going about for this purpose and do you not see how they sweep the earth Coloss 1.16 Visible and invisible c. THe works of God afford man a full soul-imployment Some things are subjected to sence and these are called visible but other things are not subjected to sence but ordered for more noble powers of the soul to make at and these are called invisible The soul is manifold in its acts and operations and so is Christ that all the soul may follow him There is a manifold grace of God as the Apostle speaketh a grace visible and a grace invisible and the soul can make at both and so Christ would have it The eye can see the eare can heare the heart can conceive here is working without and within Conception is operation about invisibilia unseen things 't is a spirit at work upon words shaping out to it self what they but mentioned as countries and creatures where the body never was nor never saw but onely shall divine conception 't is a spirit taking shiping as it were in the word and sayling round the world taking in visible and invisible things to leave out none of Christ The soul is noble in its acts and Christ would lose none for want of imployment if visible things be to low to be busied about there be invisible if there be nothing without doore to be found for imployment to wit in earth it may find something within about invisible things by going to Heaven Creation is laid by Christ with gradation higher and higher visible and invisible if one room be too low the soul may go higher as high as it will as high as it hath power the works of Christ lie as high as the tallest spirit can reach The soul is not forc'd but drawn to noble action Creation is temptation the works of God are laid so as to entice the soul higher and higher like Jacobs ladder till it come as high as it should be When the eye of the body is weary of looking upon bruits trees and such like visible things as are here then the eyes of the soul may go one room higher in the ladder towards Heaven to things which are not seen to that invisible place and societie above The soul is remiss'd in his acts in works as well as in words Christ leaveth this without excuse Man was never without full imployment Adam had it and the sonnes of Adam have it There is a double book of words and a double book of works to reade and one higher then the other one visible and the other invisible one for the eyes of the body another for the eyes of the soul and I wonder what idle souls will say for themselves when Christ cometh to reckon with them You have a talent and imployment for it a soul such a noble soul and such noble imployment both neglected will lie heavie upon you Bodily sloth you cannot bear and soul-sloth Christ cannot bear soul-sloth is enraging sinne and observe how angrily Christ chargeth it Thou wicked and slothfull servant shouldst thou not have imployed what I gave thee to my advantage Matth. 25.26 take from him what he hath saith Christ A man hath his soul taken away that imployeth it not an idle soul becometh a besotted soul a besotted soul is no soul a spirit dead and buried in the flesh powers and parts are blasted and withered when neglected Soul-idlenesse about divine things springeth sometimes from too much imployment about humane and such men neither know their hearts nor yet this time worldly now and you will be worldly when the world cometh to be burnt The soul is first let loose from divine things and then when 't is abroad it will not be lured in again by them though held up to them Wicked worldlings you know not what you do when you let your souls loose to the world there 't is curst and becometh wild and will not return though words of God and works of God all that God is and doth be held up to it and therefore is the prodigall said to be lost for this my sonne was lost c. Sometimes soul-idlenesse about divine things springeth from dislike of them Some the God of this world blindeth them and 't is idle to talk to these of visible or invisible things for all that is good is invisible to them they know not how to set their spirits about any thing but to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Ah Lord how blind how base are some souls No word of God no work of God visible to them under a divine
But I am afraid he will be gone If Christ do go will he leave his dear ones behind him Doth not the eagle carrie her young so doth Christ I carried you upon eagles wings Coloss 1.18 The first born from the dead THere are two first-born mentioned in this chapter the first-born of every creature verse 15. and the first-born from the dead the one respects being the other respects well-being and Christ is first in both these first in being in reference to all the creation and first in well-being in reference to the new creation the first that came forth from under the power of sinne alive which is the first-born from the dead here meant which the Apostle calls the first-born amongst many brethren elsewhere that is the first in our nature in the state of divine favour Christ broke the ice as we speak in reference to that body of death under which the state of mankind lay and so the first that came forth alive from under the guilt of sinne and the killing justice of God This time is sad so is our text it leads us to behold a world of dead men From the dead c. The term is indefinite and speaks our condition universally We are all by sinne dead without power to please God and liable to wrath for ever and Christ the first that made way out of this condition the first that broke through that displeasure which spoild us all Bodily death is sad soul-death a thousand times more sad we must walk amongst the tombes for an houre we are to rip up the dead to set out the nature of soul-death Demonst 1. Breath is gone the spirit of God is not in a dead soul Union speaks life Sathan not Christ lies in a sinners heart he is alive to sinne affection strong action that is evil action free among the dead Such light hath such motion ghosts walk in the dark wayes of death dead souls walk in Spirituall death is a soul cast out from God a soul cast out from God casts out God the word of God the operations of God a dead soul fights against life quicknings are as stabbings sermons which stirre are conjurings his eyes stare his heart quakes let Paul be gone Felix will be in hell else before the time the words of life are death to a dead soul Felix soul is in departing whilest a world of life was imparted to him nothing will keep life in a dead soul but the departing of Christ and his quickning spirit The dead deny the resurrection they would not be raised out of their grave means that are used this way are to them as conjuring from the dead gastly Christs yoke is easie wisdomes wayes are pleasant so the devils yoke is easie and his wayes are pleasant the dead are at rest in sinne they feel no pain though in the way to hell till they come there Eyes closed this also belongs to the dead in sinne The dead see nothing godlinesse is a mystery and the word of life a parable to a dead soul Confusion covers the dead reason is rebellion doing is undoing and yet the soul thinks all is well Light is darknesse sweet is bitter life is death to a dead soul Jacob is Esau the blind miscall every person and every thing O that thou hadst known in this thy day The sunne brought out of heaven and set at the doore and yet not discerned the dead see nothing in the day time day is night to the dead sunshine darknesse Christ close by yet not apprehended by the dead Christ knocks at the doore the voice though just behind or just before yet not heard our Gospel is hid though this be light more sparkling more shining then all other light Pride buds as the Prophet speaks sinne spreads God frowns hell gapes yet the dead see nothing Spirituall death 't is spirituall understanding quite lost one not able to discern divine things however externally advantaged hold a torch to the eye of the dead yet he sees nothing and if ye could hold the sunne close to the eyes of a dead man yet could he apprehend nothing the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse in it self the wisdome of the Scriptures is even also the same to a dead soul he knows nothing as he ought not the things he gathers and looks upon in wisdomes house Carcase stinking The dead smell lothsome the dead in sins do so Malignity hath got victory the whole state is corrupted all the bloud black and filthy in the dead Temptations overcome what Sathan saith is law and Gospel imaginations evil and all so and onely so evil the whole bulk and carcase of Christianitie stinking to Christ Christians The dead are all dead all filthy from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot full of sores plague-sores and all run and bloud filth is wallowed in Spirituall death is the soul under the rule of sinne sinne ruling the heart sleights truth the heart sleighting truth life is evil and yet pleaded for as good this stinks abominably in the nostrils of God Havvoth pravitates wickednesses Spirituall death is the inward parts very wickednesse the heart given to a harlot a strumpet is base and stinking Affection false and your lungs are rotten the opening of your mouth to God is as the opening of a sepulchre Spirituall death 't is a man abominable to God person action in life in death the dead stink alwayes God hates a wicked soul forever Sinne is everlasting so is justice the soul that lies in it is an abomination from generation to generation The grave and hell do not purifie the dead Spirituall death is a soul eternally lothing and lothed Stretched out coffin'd and buried this is the last property of the dead Dead in sinne are stretched out with a witnesse conscience is racked Conviction is the proper divine operation in a dead soul men under the power of sinne are under the power of wrath here spirituall death is a heart under the mere sence and guilt of wrath Worms eat the dead conscience gnaweth souls that lie in their sinnes The dead are stretched out and buried the dead bury the dead There be black bearers below and they are fetched up when wicked souls depart and thousands of them stand ready to carry the dead to their place This night they shall take away thy soul A dead soul is stretched out carried forth and buried in the night saith the Text This night they shall take away thy soul Dead souls are all buried in the night in utter darknesse The summe of all is this Spirituall death is a soul seperated from God under pollution and conviction untill condemnation Vse 'T is a time of slaughter fields cities towns dipped and dyed in bloud Dead bodies are many but dead souls are more the dead are in every house yea almost in every bed and yet no Lord have mercy at the doore Husband dead wife dead child dead and
breake in so is wealth in the soule graces are fixed starres in a region where nothing can come to pull downe or darken All ends in this Persons are to be prized according to the wealth and worth they have in them Vse If this rule were pursued the world would be rightly ranked and every one would have his place Confusion covers the earth for want of right judgement beggers are on horseback and Princes are on foot The world is turned upside downe all is naught this is every ones complaint why you doe it you look not at what persons have in them but at what you may have by them so you prefer them Hypocrisie overspreads the Land great ones love flattery alas for us what windie emptie gracelesse wretches do we lay in our bosom Wo unto the Land where the Prince is a child saith the Prophet double woe surely then to that Land where Prince and people are children Infatuation is a heavie stroake there are more deadly blowes upon us then wee are aware of truth is trampled upon and this lightly esteemed what judgement can be in men to make judgement of persons or wayes O yee simple understand wisdome saith Solomon divine discretion is peculiar wisdome 't is a thing by it selfe to discerne what true worth persons and things have in them and yet he that cannot doe this will lay vipers in his bosom and whet knives to cut his own throat so hast thou done poore England for a long time which makes thee bleed now so long and so deadly Wee must plead with our Maker and plead with our selves O my soule which side of things takes thee inside or outside Painting is a common art and the worst are best at it women use it men use it Statesmen tradesmen you paint your words your actions you put glosse upon every thing in your shops a man shall lose his estate yea a man shall lose his soule that can look no further then out-sides 'T is the unhappiest time that ever came to take any thing upon trust by the sound or by the outside persons preachers prayers Sermons a man may have his soule slaine in the Sanctuary his spirit turn'd out of the way and bitterly beaten by watch-men I said in my haste I may say it soberly all men are liers the Land with much bleeding is turned into a rotten Bog one thinkes he goes safe here and safe there and sinkes over head and eares ere he is aware The bosome of a neighbour is your grave his white candid words your winding sheet Ah thrice unhappie man that livest now in England and canst look no farther then outsides Godlinesse is a mystery the kernell of Scriptures of every word you heare lies inward Christs words are spirit and life As the spirit and life of things is held out so prize and imbrace them and no otherwise Many Sermons nothing in them Many books nothing in them Many persons have fine clothes but nothing in them Let them goe for nothing which have nothing in them fine cloathes are like fine covers and titles of books both to be valued alike if nothing folded up in them Ob. Sol. But I cannot discerne what is in them By what comes from them you may 't is proper to Christ in some sense to know what is in man but 't is proper enough to us to know what is in man by what comes from him Doth the breath of man stinke then his intrailes are rotten The heart and the tongue trade together the tongue hath all from within Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speakes My heart was at my mouth you have such a Proverb 't is true When the mouth frothes the heart workes if men drivel upon their beards if mens words fall as drivel upon their chin 't is a light soule within braines are cracked or spirit curst which is worse and therefore say where you see such sights as he to David Away with this fellow what should I doe with mad-men If you cannot finde what is in persons or things suspend putting price upon them till you can Lay hands upon nothing suddenly lay hearts upon nothing suddenly let election of persons and things be deliberate If you cannot finde out what is in others yet you may finde out what is in your selves The spirit of man knowes the things that are in man Some persons swell with pride and I wonder at them doe you indeed know what is in you In me there dwells no good saith the Apostle 't is every mans case 'T is mischievous not to know what is in others but 't is damnable not to know what is in our own heart in some measure You that swell in pride know not your own hearts if God be not mercifull to you you will set such a high price upon your selves that Christ will give nothing for you nor Christians care nothing for you Some creatures rot in their own dung 't is a heavie judgement and yet 't is your condition that thinke highly of your selves Were this rule I am upon pursu'd things prized according to what worth is in them there could not be a proud person amongst us Alas what good is in me what is in me is Christs he is all all in all If upon search you finde nothing in you it should not discourage for Christ can become all in you Christ is for inward diseases as well as for outward wants if you be poore in purse he can inrich you yea if you be poore in spirit he can inrich you Esa 29.24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learne doctrine Christ is excellent in working Esa 28.29 not a wheele in the Watch within that goes untrue but he can finde it and mend it COLOSSIANS 1.20 And having made peace through the blood of his crosse THe connection of this Verse with the former yeelded us some things very useful of which you heard the last day We are now to consider the Verse in it self divine favour according to its formality causality and extent are here particularly set down According to its formality and so 't is expressed in Synonymicall terms Peace and reconciliation according to its causality and this expressed and amplified Christs blood the blood of his crosse By that blood which took away Christs life love between God and the creature was made The latitude of this love how far it reaches in the last words of the verse is expressed to wit to things in earth and to things in Heaven The love that breathes forth by Christ casteth rayes and beams over all The opening of things thus divided shall be one after another as we come to them The grand thing that belongs to our welfare I am now to enter upon Our blessednesse lies in union with the chiefest good Man is ruined because out with God God at variance communicates no blessings and man is in hell every where if he have not
the last the noblest so doth spirituall nourishment Hope is the last concoction of the soule the last digestion of words and workes by which pure bloud spirits substance and strength is delated and defused all over the state The Scripture makes three concoctions as Nature doth corporall and Hope is the last Tribulation worketh Patience Patience Experience Experience Hope and now the spirit hath spirit hath it self strength setlednesse therefore it followes and hope confounds not Providence toumbles the soule and the soul toumbles providence and the first result of this is patience the second result experience what God is at present and in the breast of this sits hope what God will be and smiles till things worke to this last issue the soule is confounded as the Apostle speaks Hope sucks the sweet of the words and works of God to the bottome that which lyes in the bottome of all God saith and doth to a Christian is heaven what ever lyes utmost the end is eternall life still to a Saint what ever things are a this side Things looke variously sometimes to a neare sight and explicite repugnancy betwixt words and works between such an end and such meanes ordained to it and yet all in an ultimate interpretation carry an exact subordination to the soules highest good Hope is a great Peere privy to the depth of wisdome to the intentions and resolutions of God and to the harmony of all changes and turnings how when and where they will meet in such a blessed end and lies and bathes and sports her selfe in the consistances of all varieties with and towards her prime good 't is a grace to which felicity is alwayes in view a halcyon that findes out a quiet place upon the most moving and boysterous body to wit the sea Hope t is a soul free from a Consumption fat and merry eates not out it s owne spirits nor its owne marrow Some kinde of Spiders eate out the Dam which sits upon them as soone as hatcht so do the thoughts and apprehensions of some souls kill the minde and spirit that brings them forth they are such poysonous and eating things they are so venemous so fiery so dark so gnawing so voyd of heaven of any glimpse of it and so full of hell I reckon upon my afflictions from morning to night saith Hezekiah and I have cut off mine own life his soule hatched such thoughts in time of distresse as did gnaw out the bowells and. life of it selfe that affliction became as death and death as hell which is the property of despaire and unbeliefe to render persons as destroyed and damn'd already as that expression is As there be soules damn'd already and in hell already so there be souls saved already and in heaven already in heaven whilst looking for it apprehension of it in Christ so strong so clear what ever accidentals turmoile the outward man the while Accounting that the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation 2 Pet. 3.15 t is a soule that hath so clear an apprehension of the issue of all sufferings for Chirst that the issue of them is in him already what he expects is to him already in a degree in judgement and account judging that the long-suffering of God is salvation yea not onely in judgement not onely in strong evidence and conviction but in sweet contemplation delectation and fruition for 't is a grace that speaks the love of God shed abroad in the soule and experience hope and hope makes not ashamed why because the soule now hath a good part what it hopes for Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given to us Rom. 5.5 Vse Our felicity lies in noble principles 't were well if we had an impregnable estate in these times Every thing is unsetled and almost hopelesse how is your spirituall condition Every thing without hath made its will and bequeathed it selfe to Death Devills Ruine have your soules made their will and bequeathed themselves to Death and Devills too Ah my soule what a sad state is this Sinne reignes though every thing runne to ruine this doth not The Sword of the Spirit can kill no sinnes therefore it doth soules O how consciences bleed how ghastly are many soules now more to seek for eternall safety then temporall I know not what these wretches will doe God and man are upon you and against you whither will you flee what will you doe for relief Nothing destroyes hope like an evill conscience Now sinners tell me what is sinne now to you Where is that sweet that did ere while so extraordinarily take you what is that in your sinne that did hold you so fast and so long from Christ Shew me now the kirnell of your course You have been cracking shells a great while and what now is the in-side of all nothing but Death and Hell and in stead of your wonted joy an afrighted soule and a fearefull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation Now that which you chose should stand you in most stead doth it thus cheat you then write upon thy sinne Vanity upon thy heart Thou hast deluded me I know not what will be the issue of these evill times death is gathering to the heart apace to the heart of Kingdomes Estates and the like if it be there already in order to your soules truly Justice is quicke with you and you had neede looke about you In swoning fits cordials be necessary something to be taken inwardly that is Christ he fetches life and hope Christ in you the hope of glory Sinfull fearefull wretches there is nothing in you but nature and the old man therefore are you so weake and wicked in your course so dreadfull in apprehension about the end Men would do much sometimes in their owne strength when a lively word takes hold on them but this cannot be never considering how desolate all within is Your eyes are not in your head as the wise man speaks that is they are not in your heart you see nothing within as you should When conscience is fired by the word you thinke to do this and that presently and then all will be well and then fayle in the action and so increase the flame Conscience when a fire must have something dropt in to it things done without are nothing to wit the bloud of Christ Not a sparkle of hell is alayed without bloud without the bloud of Christ or the bloud of the soule Application of remedy must be as the distresse lies your hell is within you and Christ must descend into hell to do a sinner good to set his soule in rest and hope he must goe into the World to save it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.5 Christ must come into this World and then into the heart of man that is in it into the great World and then into the little World which he is willing to doe and so expresseth himselfe Heb. 10.5 When
and joyfull to tell who are slaine and who saved our Travells are to all remote parts that are into Heaven into hell into the heart of man where these two meet to search the book of life and the book of death to finde whose names are written in the one and to informe the persons Paul could tell Clement and others that their names were written in the book of life Phil. 4.3 And whose names are written in the other to wit the book of death and to informe likewise the persons Jude could tell who were of old ordained to condemnation we are to seek creatures lost in hel which is hard work to finde to search out things hidden in God from ages and generations which is harder worke Vse The soule of man certainly is very precious to Christ he sits up with it late watches with it very long burnes out many watch-lights to save it if possibly from dying eternally Estimation is to be made of things according to cost about it provided that the layer out bee prudent When you let houses or lands this comes in as a consideration to heighten rent what you are out in purchase and repaire Christ cannot be taxt for imprudence or improvidence and yet he is at more cost and paines about the soule then about any thing not onely here and there a man is pickt out to minister to the soule but all the creatures in the world are severally gifted vertued decked and adorned to minister to and worke upon the soule the words and works of God have all a harmony in this they all therefore are and abide which otherwise should all passe away were it not to take and gaine the soule there is a juice and Verdure a spirit in every living creature to incline it to serve man and so to by as his soule to God The multitude of preachers to the soul of man is great some he had at the third hour some at the sixth some at the ninth God and the Creation were preaching to man from the beginning all creatures brought their full goodnesse to mans full view and use to keep him fully good but could not he fell asleep in the fore-noon in the morning when the primest and sweetest sermons were made that ever the eares of man heard and dyed in his sleep Wee that come in labourers at the latter part of the day we preach to the dead our worke is to fetch the dead to life againe to raise Lazars out of their grave that have lain there long and stink and yet how unsavory soever how impossible soever our worke is and seemes to be we must upon the perill of the bloud of our own soules discharge it our labour is spending and ending we like Rachel dye in travell to bring forth sonnes and daughters to Christ and yet woe to us we shall dye twice if wee hold not on this labour and this travell Certainly Christ hath put an high price on poore soules I am sadded to thinke how mis-judging some persons are of Christ and their soules Doth Christ milke out his breast to bastards such as are base borne and no sonnes Can he summe up nought nought many noughts to a great summe and to a great price A naughty tongue a naughty hand a naughty heart a naughty conscience all these naughty parts to a precious whole I answer Christ doth prize naked beings the soule according to its esse though it hath never a good quality in it What shall a man give in exchange for his soule high price is put here upon the soule simply as it is such a transcendent being beyond others then againe Christ sets a price upon things according to what he can work them too he can lay out cost and paines mans meate horse meat seed and grain of this kinde and that and plow in hope Persons of art and skill put a price upon this and that grasse which others tread under foote as weeds and nothing worth because by such and such decoctions they know what precious things to bring them to Nero put great price upon Thapsis a gigantine Fennell his great men about him wondred to see him send so farre for it and put such esteeme upon it but hee did so because he knew how to order it with Frankincense and other things to take away the bruises of his body God hath Frankincense by him to wit Christ and though wee be but as Fennell a weede little worth yet hee can tell how to order us and shape us so as to bring us to great maturity and price and according to this to wit what he can do with soules doth he put price upon them though at present of little worth and therefore let empty creatures judge righteously concerning Christ and their soules Would Christ be at paines and at cost to lay pipes to the cisterne if he did not meane to fill it Be just in opinion concerning Christ and mercifull in practice concerning us and this is the last thing I have to say upon the point Our calling is full of wasting labour very painefull easen it to us by your plyablenesse to Christ Sinners are full of sores putrified from head to foot and yet will not be lanced nor drest this is the killing paine of all our paynes that all we do is rejected Ministers would not be gray headed so soone nor die so fast notwithstanding their great labour if it were but successefull but this cuts to the heart and makes us bleed in secret that though we do much it comes to nothing I am placed in an Hospitall where there are so many score Diseased creatures that 't would pity any ones heart to looke upon them and yet when I come to dresse them they all curse mee in their heart and one hides his wounds from mee an other sees and sweares he is as well as I in as good a condition as his Minister and yet lookes as pale as Death as black in the mouth and in the eyes as if he were in Hell already an other tumbles in blood and filth and sayth this is his Scarlet-shute hee hath no other habit to go brave and gallant in if he should not do so and so he should die in the neast and wishes those hang'd that contradict and trouble him there is so many filthy breaths and dampes in the places where wee worke these are the things that kill us more then our meere paine there is so much conjuring in the spittle where we are placed and so many eyes stare and looke so fiery and gastly so many devils walking among the Tombes and Graves where we are labouring to rowle away stones that lie at the mouthes of them These are they that teare our Lungs consume our Spirits Our worke dies therefore we die not so much that we labour as that we labour in vaine wee can send none out of the Hospitall where wee are Phisitians upon two Legs but all upon foure none goe out well all
die under our hands all the solemnitis belonging to our company are for the most part Funerall solemnities going to the Grave with the dead in trespasses and sinnes our invitations are Sir mourne with me I beseech you for such a one that lies upon his eternall Death-bed that hath Plague-spots in his breast that lies raving blaspheming and much a doe to keepe him in his Bed to keepe him from leaping into a worse if worse may be from leaping desperatly into Hell When our Ministrey petrefies turnes hearts into stones and these taken up and throwne at us this kills us the recoiling of our paines kills us when our peace returnes to us as Christ speakes J have laboured in vaine spent my strength for naught saith the Prophet When we spend our strength to make men more naught then they were this wounds our heart which should be considered of sinners to kill ones selfe and ones Minister too which would save him what a bloudy condition is this the bloud of a Minister upon a mans soule is more then the blood of many men stubborne soules lay this to heart When the Poet would cure drunkennesse in the Heathen Emperour he said remember thou drinkest the Blood and the Life of the earth meaning the juyce of the Grape So I say to you stubborne sinners remember when you breake the heart of your Ministers by your stubbornnesse you destroy the Blood and Life of the World I would I could say any thing to breake the Iron sinnew that is in the neck of some sins and sinners Be a friend to us in our worke and be a friend to your selves come off readily and speedily to Christ our work will be easy and your condition safe hold us fight long and I know who will fall at last with a witnesse The warre betweene the house of David and Saul was long saith the Text 2 Sam. 3.1 the issue was answerable had that malitious stubborne man layd downe his Armes and readily yeilded to the Will of God to Christ that came against him in David hee might have found mercy but he would stand it out to the last and weary God and David his servant till at last there was no remedy and then all Davids Teares Prayers and brave services that he had done tooke place and effect with a witnesse Make our life dolefull and Christ will make your death dolefull be as great as you will stay long in the birth and kill Midwife and you will be delivered in hell ease us and ease Christ for Christ striveth in us we strive but according as be striveth in us as saith the following clause in my Text striving according to his working and therefore is Noahs suffering so long in his paynes for that people called the long suffering of God 1 Pet. 3.2 London England the blood of many Prophets is upon thee is this nothing the blood of God is upon thee and God layes this to heart now now he makes inquisition for blood hee makes blood to touch blood your blood to touch the blood of them whom you have kil'd in their labour by your frowardnesse and wickednesse to Christ and them COLOS. 1.29 Striving according to his working c. STriving This word seconds the explanation given of the former that the labour of the Ministery is very painfull t is a putting off all powers externall and internall to it to the utmost t is a strife contention running for a victory a fight so the word is in severall places translated Fight the good fight of faith I have fought a good fight in both places is the same word that here is translated strive fighting running for victory they are acts wherein the whole man intends it selfe as in matters of life and death The worke of our calling is in the former word generally and summarily exprest in this word t is particularly specified as it beares upon its particular and proper cause When we say such a one labours this satisfies not what is his labour this question is answered by this following word in order to our calling Our labour is in some sence the worst the sowrest t is contention spirituall contention i. a contention which hath its rise not from our owne spirit but from the spirit of God and its termination in the spirit of man We strive not according to our own will but according to his Word and Spirit that striveth and worketh in us Contention hath a bad and a good acceptation the spirit lights on fire of Hell sometimes and flames out of the mouth and burnes all that stand neere in name in whatsoever is deare this is bad contention Folly lurkes long in an unmortified soule at last gets a head and then words without wisdome or conscience toumble out one upon anothers backe as if they should toumble downe all that is before them but they throw downe him onely from whom they come A fooles lips enter into contention and his mouth calleth for strokes and in the next verse a fooles mouth is his destruction and his lips are the snare of his soule Prov. 18.6 7. If standers by can keepe off the flame this fire burnes no more houses then into which it comes The flame that comes out of one mans mouth if it be not suckt in by another onely one tenement is consumed folly is full of humour humour disguiseth every person and action and apprehends all for enemies and so fights against yea slayes with the tongue deare friends for deadly foes that is as much as in him lies Folly generates humour humour is a bastard pride now none so beautifull in any proceedings as the man himselfe other folkes children are all untimely births and mishapen brats and deserve all to be murthered with the mouth and bit to death Butchery is some persons trade neighbours children kild quartered and hung out to sale every day for all that come by and will buy pride hardens the heare hardned the man will runne against any one with his tongue till he can get other weapons and spot himselfe all over with the blood of the best mans repute in the world before his face Contention is a murthering of a mans off-spring before his face and throwing the blood of them in his face thou didst say this and thou didst doe that Pride hardens 'tas this property in every soule many hearts quard and become sulpherous stones the divell takes them up and strikes fire with them to burne all Bad contention hath alwaies a diabolicall concurrence more or lesse many things may charge and load the Gun but the Divell gives fire still and makes it off and helpes to fetch out all that is within the man Contention hath a good acceptation good contention is an expliced zeale against sinne Sinnes are of severall sorts some have their tongues cut out of their mouthes by conscience and can nor dare say nothing of their course others have their tongue in their head and can and will say
a noble life as we pretend to when we professe a religious life this life is according to every dram drawne from Christ 't is not from the speciousnesse of our owne action nor from other folkes incouragement This time is full of straits externall ingagements byasse men much about internall and externall things if this temptation were over saith one I would take a better course No thou wouldst not courage to the things that are noble springs not from any earthly advantage if all secular authority in the Land should say they would secure thee for any dammage that thou shouldest suffer in pursuite of such a Religious cause yet would thine owne heart fall off like the Jsraelites from entring the holy Land and thou wouldest as they step back when at the doore ready to enter who though Moses and Aaron bid them to enter yet they fell off so though Parliament and Synod were at thy back and did incourage thee to enter yet if thou have no other incouragement thou wilt not step a step in the wayes of God by the grace of God J am that J am saith Paul let all the men in the World be never so gratious to thee yet wilt thou be as ungratious as thou art to the day of thy death if the grace of Christ do not put Spirit and Life into thee Externall inducement is nothing that mans Religion is nothing that thinks otherwise and 't will prove so to his shame and losse if his eyes be not opened to see it If a man speake meerly of a naturall life that is a life as a man as such a creature then a man may say of externall good things as Hezekiah of health and strength and other outward advantages in these is the life of my spirit but if you speake of Divine Life life to that which is Heavenly in riches honours friends parts in no exernall thing in no internall thing but in Christ is the life of my spirit according to his working not according to my own working shall I worke for God and for his glory Stratagents and wiles is much made use of in these times of woe Satan uses it too stay saith hee till Parliament and Synod put life into thee till they doe this and they do that 't is good to honour authority in that which is proper to such authority but so you may stay till the sword of Gods wrath that is in the Land kill you all Worke according to his working within you and take heed of checking this to waite for others working without you to set you forward strangle the quicknings of the spirit and expect quicknings from men and thou wilt be executed by conscience for the greatest murtherer in the World Our life beares upon the operation of Christ Le ts make Christ the fountaine and then le ts draw as much water of life from him as may bee You see how exact and expresse the proportion is made betweene Christs operation and our life such operation such life we strive according to his working therefore le ts set Christ at worke hard and get as much divine operation and life from him as may be Divine operation is the choysest mercy in the World how full of life is my spirit when in the Hands of God! when hee hath it working and moulding of it commend thy spirit therefore often into his hands send him much worke Spirits are so much imployed and over-wrought in the World that Christ hath little or no work sent him no house nor shop to work in A man no an image stands before God in duty a thing without a soule no spirit sent to God to talk with no soule no child of the soul at home to tell where the Parent is children of the soule I meane thoughts desires all sacrificed to devills at the end of the earth and thus farre from home must abide and never be sent for home who ere come to visit them though it be Christ himself what Divine operation can be in the soule when the soule is so given up to gadd after worldy things Divine operation is a very retired act two great Pears in conference may not be interrupted things in discusse being of such great concernment the Spirit of God and the spirit of man Divine operation it is a vision from Heaven of property like that of Pauls that bindes the soule in order to all carnall objects that may make the minde gad and in this vision as in that is a voyce a still voyce Saul Saul sinner sinner why dost thou do this and that against me but this still voyce is full of life to the soule that stilly listens this operation of Christ silenceth that noyse which is in the soule by the operation of other things and then is there a voyce from Heaven to the soule come up hither O soule thou must be above this and that for the tranquillity and felicity of thy life These are the operations of God in which is the life and Heaven of man All divine operation hath voyce the word and the spirit goe together still Christ workes and talkes makes peace and speakes peace makes war and speakes it to conscience You might know what God is a working in your soules hee speakes it now and then very plaine to conscience you that have eares to heare what the spirit saith the spirit workes and then it speakes what it workes the spirit saith now and then in still weather if you listen now and then you may heare what it saith The spirit and the word go together one moves and quickens the soule by the other Hell-ward or Heaven-ward the one should be much dreaded and the other much desired Divine operation is a thing of the greatest concernment in the World 't is as the spirits in the blood if the Pulse beate and worke not spirits are all wasted death is seized upon the state Sinners I know not how God workes in your soules how hee hath stirred or how he doth onely know this when he leaves pulsation that is ceaseth knocking know that your life is departed the operation and the pulsation of God is the life of the soule the life of the soules is the blessednesse of the soule as I am lively and agile in divine things carried upon Eagles wings to God in all duties so am I in Heaven Get as much therefore of this operation and life as you can I speake this because there is a great difference in Divine operation There is an operation that makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to will and there is an operation that makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all readinesse of minde to will 2 Cor. 8.11 Act. 17.11 they received the word with all readinesse of minde speaking of the noble Bereans There is a great difference betweene Divine operations and this makes a great difference betweene Christian and Christian one farre more noble then an other These were more noble then those of
the heart is vitall or mortall to dispatch the creature for his furthest end To make miserable or blessed here is not the furthest end of internall operation though the furthest end of externall operation Externall donations which are the workes of Gods hand their furthest end is to make a sweet condition here as riches and the like they will availe here Money answers all but they will not availe any further then here for the felicitating of man they will not availe in death much lesse in judgement to doe man any service but the furthest end of internall operation is to make cursed or blessed in death and after death in another world when and where nothing else can There be gifts that be meere Spirit which have not a jot of any carnall thing in them these we call internall these are moulded some by justice some by mercy and you shall see what their end is by an instance or two God hath given them a spirit of slumber Rom. 11.8 Here hee speakes of operations all spirit God hath given them a spiris of slumber internall workes and the Prophet tels the end and issue of these t is decisive to dispatch them they have a spirit of slumber that they may goe away in a slumber Shut their eyes lest they should see with them stop their eares lest they should heare with them and convert and be healed Internall operation wee see dispatches the soule one way or other Into whatsoever house ye enter say peace and if that would not take speak death These were but emblems of Christs internall action Into what house or heart Christ goes to worke by his Word and Spirit hee makes through worke the Axe is then to the root it makes excision or circumcision at least All internall operation is to cut off sinne off the soule He is a Jew that is one inwardly Circumcision is that of the heart When he goes to worke inwardly he doth excise or circumcise and thus I have opened the nature of internall operation The worst evill is curable the greatest good attainable this issues naturally from this point that there is such an engine to be found that can worke inwardly Our greatest maladies are those that are within that one plague that was upon Pharaohs heart to wit the hardning of it was more then the ten plagues upon his outward man Evils are not rightly weighed this is one of the greatest evils they which strip us most of externall things they are accounted greatest no they are not that which gnawes upon the soule after outward things are gone is greater There is death and the bitternesse of death as Agag said the one it is a greater evill then the other by farre The death of husband wife child or the death of estate is nothing if it be but a naked departure of these if their ghost doe not walke afterwards in the soule if there be not after their departure a bitter tang in conscience as evilly got or as evilly kept got with too little conscience and kept with too much affection the cup of affliction fill it as full as the world or as satan can if God doe not put one Ingredient in it or other to make it off with a tang and a touch upon the spirit t is nothing when a malady doth fester inwardly and lights of some blood-vessels that carries it more directly to the heart then it is a malady indeed and yet in these cases there is hope if taken in time because there are things inwardly vertuall and operative so we can say spiritually the strongest poyson that the soule hath taken in cannot render the condition desperate because there are things of an internall vertue operations that can reach the soule Christ can purge the inward man and can let the inward man blood with his Word he can pricke the heart any tumor or swelling in it and let out all the watery or fiery matter that is in it he can wound the spirit and then heale it make clouds and then expell them make darknesse upon the face of the deepe upon the soule that deepe part of man and then make a Sunne rise in this horizon in that more then halfe the little world that lies out of fight when more then halfe the little world is drowned when that in part of man is quite overwhelmed yet then is not the case desperate nor should any soule give it up as so Misery sometimes arises to extremity extremity is darknesse without any light a whole Army engaged and routed without fightings within feares the hand can doe no more the head doe no more all faculties have pumpt themselves dead in the place I cannot thinke a thought to refresh me the waters are come in to my soule and come in so deepe that I give up my selfe for lost This poore soule hath more sorrow then is godly Pressure is unkind when it oppresses oppression is not alwaies from another I may be an oppressor to my selfe and this is when I write death upon my person because Christ hath written death upon all my actions Wher thou canst doe no more wilt thou give up thy soule for lost if this should be generally practised there would not a soule be saved Waters are come into thy soule and thy heart is overwhelmed and yet in this deepe internall distresse a Rocke may be found something higher then thee may appeare for reliefe by a supreame hand From the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed lead mee to the Rocke that is higher then I Psalm 61.2 When the water is got in to me and overwhelmes my heart yet then there is one higher and taller then I that can pull mee out of these deepe waters pull body out yea pull soule out and save the heart when it is overwhelmed The worst evill is curable the greatest good attainable I see by this point The greatest good in this world is that which Christ most loves that which he most loves is truth in the inward parts Wee are taken with outward beauty and outward glory Christ is not All the glory of this world was shewed to him by satan at once and yet no temptation to him affection not stird a jot internall glory takes Christ much truth in the heart himselfe seated in the soule is the greatest good in the world to him and to us and this takes him exceedingly If the Divell when hee tooke Christ and set him upon the top of a high place could have taken Christ and set him downe in any mans heart and seated truth in the inward parts of any one though it had been the poorest person in the world this would have taken him indeed but Satan cannot doe this for Christ neither doth Christ need it from him he can doe it himselfe he works inwardly at a greater depth and from a more underived strength then he hee can take Chariot in his Word and ride over all the
have that expression in the Scripture we are but trifles and yet Christ cannot put these trifles out of his mind he carries our souls as he carries his own thoughts he minds us up and down the world till we come home Compassion is when things are laid to heart and so carried up and down and they are choicely carried indeed which are so carried Compassion carries Christ and us compassion gathers about his heart and that gathers his children about there too and so they are bound up together in that bundle of life and carried through sinne and miserie to eternall felicitie into his kingdome Christ saves surely a father bears over his children to make sure work that they may not fall in Between nature and grace is a great gulf and a remove from one to the other is not without great danger soul transaction from corruption to grace is with perpetuall fierce conflict the soul cannot put out a step for heaven but Sathan lets fly at it and Christ therefore is a convoy and he transferres from sinne to grace and from hell to heaven As transactions of state removing this and that have their bloudy contests so transaction of that great State for eternity within pulling down and setting up have deadly contest and the soul will be killed in the way to heaven if not born along When Israel went out of Egypt not a dog barked but when a soul goes out of the bondage of sinne into the libertie of Christ many dogs and devils bark and bite Christ therefore as he doth pull out so he doth carry in whom he fastens hold on he lets not go whom he takes into his arms he keeps there and still carries them there in all conflicts to make sure work all Christs children fight in his arms if the devil can kill them there so they all fight upon this advantage every battell passage to heaven is secured the great whale that is master of the deep bellies us and saves us from all storms carries us and conveyes us to our haven the kingdome of his dear sonne Christ saves sweetly 't is pleasant travelling in his arms a man may go a great way with ease upon anothers legges the way though long and dirty goes away one knows not how when bravely carried Christ will have none destroyed nor none tired in the way to heaven Wisdomes waves are pleasant they go all in coaches and chariots to heaven 't is the honour of the way the state of the king in his kingdome below to be born up and down so The king brought me into his chambers saith the Spouse Christs yoke is easie easie indeed because born upon anothers neck you yoke creatures so that their yoke may not pinch you use art to lessen labour and make work no work and pains pleasures Christ is excellent at this art he doth so yoke every one that he draws with ease he makes every ones yoke big enough to put in his own neck together with the man and so he draws himself and the man too and that is an easie yoke indeed and a little burthen as you put something of weight sometimes into a childs hand and you carry the child with that in his hand therefore the child easily bears because he and his burden both are born by another This is substance according to shadow this sweet way of salvation was typified in Noah Noah was transferred by an ark from an old world to a new and that shadowed out salvation in Christ and the very manner of it Christ transferring the soul from a bad state to a good So Israel was brought out of Egypt to Canaan and the Scripture tells you how just as an Eagle carries her young and as a father carries his children Have I conceived all this people that thou shouldst say unto me Carrie them in thy bosome as a nursing father carries the sucking children Numbers 11.12 God was more tender then Moses it was tedious to him to bear so many and so froward in his bosome to Canaan yet so did God and so would he have had Moses done and because he had not patience enough to do it he died ere he came there 't is dangerous not to be compassionate according to expresse command though ones burden be never so great God took up the burden that Moses would not and he tells you how he carried them As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them and bears them upon her wings So the Lord alone did bear them and no strange God with him Deuteronomie 32.11 12. God can bear much alone and will for a sinners good and his own glory that is to answer types and fulfill truth Use As Christ does bear souls to heaven so does the devil bear souls to hell evil spirits are very painfull too Who bears your souls Sathan carries by delusion some are carried about by winds of Doctrine the devil is in that wind when errour rules the life Sathan rules the heart this soul is born in the arms of an evil spirit 'T is a light soul that a ly will carry but his fall will be heavy Whom Christ carries truth carries the word of God and the Spirit of God are the two wings upon which Christ carries souls to heaven Upon what wings do ye flee By these you may know who carries you whether Christ or the devil Christ wraps up spirits in the word and so away with them to heaven Sathan carries by violence The Apostle Peter tells us of some that are carried about by a tempest Sathan certainly is in that tempest souls born by that evil spirit are hurried Tempests are beside rule and beside resistance so are souls carried by Sathan the heart hath chosen its own way and reason must not stirre nor divinity lesse every thing is irksome that opposeth nothing that contradicts can the man heare this soul is in the devils chariot tumbling to misery apace if God stop not no man can The Lord seldom stops souls when they run apace till they have fallen and hurt themselves much if not ruin'd themselves quite Christ drives gently he goes truths way and truths pace souls carried by Christ go no faster then truth such make a stop at every turning and look out they go slowly and surely Christ kicks at wilfull spirits but he doth not carry them they are meek souls willing to be carried onely by Christ whom Christ carries The devil bears to destruction to ruine grace and the soul he bears as he did bear Christ to ruine all body and soul Souls carried by Sathan are carried away from God to the glory of the world to a god which is not God Carrying away from God is a graduall thing some are carried away more then others and some are carried away quite which I will stand upon a little I see some carried away extremely which makes my heart tremble to behold Men are carried away captive that is
when evil is committed against all means used to avoid it and that case is afflicting but not destroying for 't is the case of the best sometimes The compasse is set to such a haven and all mariners working that way and by force of wind beaten aside As the heart stands to Christ and truth or not so is the man more or lesse carried away some plead against their own hearts as working so and so unruly and side with conscience and Christians as condemning them and wish that as they condemne that which is naught that so they would execute it too and bury it quite that like the body of Moses neither man nor devil might find it to make a resurrection of it again Others plead for an evil engaged affection against Christians yea against conscience and all the art lies to keep along between these two smoothly and well that sinne and the man may enjoy themselves without being notorious both and afraid one of another or both of hell this soul is carried very farre from God if he see it but if not the man is in a desperate condition and yet Christ can bear out of this Does God bear souls heaven-wards load him let him not want imployment cast your burdens upon him Casting our burdens upon God turning off perplexing thoughts making known requests and resting upon God for answers One complains of this and another of that but do you complain of all to Christ that he would give you with his everlasting arms a lift Iniquity is too heavie for the soul and the soul is too heavy for it self when it onely bears it self and makes not to Christ to be born Every thing cracks under the weight of sin our very souls crack under the weight of sinne Sinners thank your selves Why is not Christ of more use with you You would bear all alone that will kill you Christ can carry all alone your souls and the guilt and filth that is in them but none else he did tread the winepresse alone There is art in unloading the soul upon Christ and it lies in this in observing particularly what loads the soul and what Christ hath said particularly to such a case no soul miscarries of being born to heaven that thus does Christians blesse-God he takes much pains with you receive this and I conclude this point Gods arms are as free for you as yours for your children I have often wondred at that expression They shall runne and not be weary but now I see how it comes about we run upon anothers legs Christians that you keep on the way of God so chearfully and so resolutely against all opposition 't is Gods bearing of you blesse him you would wax weary and with-draw to the perdition of your souls else Perseverance in grace is a great deal of pains to Christ though it be little to us When you carry children long in your arms over this stile and over that do not your arms ake Then think of Christ what bearing your souls and your sinnes is and whether it be worth thanks Let him have the burden for the bearing and if it were all gold You pay porters for carrying this and that pay Christ well let him have your souls for the carriage of them Coloss 1.13 Into the kingdome of his dear Sonne CHrist hath double honour from above externall and internall the hand of God and the heart of God and both here one after another to be spoken of Preferment and this as a great favourite A Kingdome and this because dear a sonne of love Into the kingdome of his dear Sonne or Son of his love There is a generall misjudgment of Christ We judged him forsaken of God The Jews generally judge meanly of Christ and so do we Gentiles but all without warrant for God doth not so Christ is high in Gods esteem and hath honour suitable A kingdome here besides a kingdome to come I will make demonstration to you of Christs kingdome here and by such things as are in the kingdomes of men The lambe hath a throne mercy and justice working in power here God sits upon the throne of his holinesse Psal 47.8 Holinesse here speaks mercy and justice and the demonstration of these is Christs throne that upon which he sits Christ hath no other seat nor abiding in this world but as a dispenser of mercy and justice God sits upon the throne of his holinesse Man can sit down upon things without himself but God cannot his own holinesse is his throne the whole world will afford him no rest nor no seat to stay a moment upon but onely what himself doth in it Some are condemned already and by that rule some are saved already some broken in heart and some hardened in heart and all these speak out Christs throne here in the power that doth these sits Christ he sits upon the throne of his holinesse Kingdomes have thrones thrones of judicature and so hath Christ He that rejecteth my words hath one that judgeth him saith Christ All move as if there did none sit and judge but 't is the misjudgment of the world for there is a throne erected here below and not an action done not a word nor a thought but he that sits on the throne judges he hath one that judges him Christs throne is invisible but not a fancie and to many insensible but 't will be the more terrible What is done in the flesh is judged there and what is done in the spirit is judged there within and without you have one that judgeth you senses cannot reach this and pride will not but yet this pulleth not down Christs throne the work goeth on the judicature of a kingdome these Colossians found it they were self-condemned by truth and carried out of themselves to Christ Who hath brought us into the kingdome of his dear sonne Kingdomes have throns of Judicature and thrones of State the Lambe hath a seat of glory in this world Do not abhorre us for thy name sake do not disgrace the throne of thy glory Remember thou break not covenant with us Jeremy 14.21 Dispensation of Justice and Truth is Christs throne of Judicature and so dispensation of Mercy and Truth is his throne of glory by this he sits and abides very glorious in the midst of the Christian world as by the other he sits very terrible in the midst of the wicked Mercy is the most glorious thing that miserable man beholds the least mercy gives Christ a seat of glory in the world every flower in the field every starre in the heavens every grace in your hearts speaks out Christs glorious seat here name a mercy in the world and there sits Christ in glory under this notion is that expression Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Solomons throne had steps to it one higher then another Mercy is dispensed by degrees here higher and higher and the highest are those which reach the heart and make that glorious and
there is Christs highest seat of glorie in this world I may make an externall demonstration of this such parts of the creation as in which God most manifests himself for the ordering of all that is by way of eminence called his throne His throne is in the Heavens saith the Psalmist which is not spoken exclusively as if God had his seat no where else but comparatively that is no where so eminently as in that part of the creation that orders all the rest As the most noble part of the great world is Gods prime seat so the most noble part of the little world is his prime throne his throne is in the heart in that totum gubernans Thrones are erected in chief places more of Gods state and glory is to be seen in one soul then in all the creation a spirit speaks what God is and makes at the very esse of God as it were whereas all other things speak but what God doth and so make but at his back parts Where you can find God most according to what he is in himself and according to what similitude he makes to himself by operation there is his seat of glory he seated himself in the hearts of these Colossians and shewed himself as a God making covenant which is more then remembring covenant as the Prophet before speaks and therefore by so much the more fitly may be called the throne of his glory Majestie Kingdomes have majestie a kingdome is the union of many to hold forth greatnesse and dread to its own safety Solomon had Lions about his throne to set forth the Majesty of it to make transaction between that and all other people with awe Christ manageth his way in this world with majesty Heaven and earth tremble at his presence he utters his voice to the great world and the rocks rend thunder is the voyce of God to the great world and with what majesty doth he expresse himself to all creatures below in that voyce As there are thunderings without so there be thunderings within in great majesty doth Christ speak to the soul sometimes ask your consciences else ask Felix the Goaler and Cain else yea ask your father Adam else what a case were all these in when Christ did but reason with them Yea I ask you hypocrites if any here is not the way of Christ full of majesty What means those loads that gather about your hearts and that fearfulnesse which surpriseth you else Thou dost but touch the mountains and they smoke saith the Psalmist God doth but now and then give a touch within and the ruddie merry face pales and sadens presently he doth but whisper within and spirits flie up into the head into the face and about every where and the heart within beats for want of them ready to swoune away Twenty years time not enough to heal the wound of a word of Gods mouth O the majesty of that word Gods word is a sword hath not a sword dread especially when ranted against the breast ask wounded spirits whether Gods words be not full of majesty Look upon the whole creation upon the earth upon the sea upon the heavens do they not all speak the majesty of Christ God is mightier then the noise of many waters yea then the mighty waves of the sea saith the Psalmist tossings rollings and roarings of the sea do they not speak loudly the majesty of Christ But ah sinner the tossings rollings and roarings of a troubled soul speak the majesty of Christs words much more Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men Know ye the terrour of the Lord the majesty of God as manifested by his Word and Spirit Paul did Job did the dread of God fell upon him these Colossians did and were brought out of it into the kingdome of a dear Sonne a Sonne of love Kingdomes have supremacy one in chief Supremacy and over all such as are Monarchically governed and so is the kingdome of Christ Christ moves as by a majesticall so by a superiour power to all and this is basis majestatis Christ is a great King over all as the Psalmist titles him he moves here below by a power above men above the greatest of men above Kings and therefore called the King of Kings and Lord of Lords he moves by a power above Angels good and bad his throne is above thrones dominions principalities that is those spirituall principalities which by Angels are expended he rules yea he captivates all which is more Every knee bow to him of things in Heaven of things in earth and of things under earth men and Angels good and bad The Sunne is supream and swayes all virtues of the Heavens and earth Christs dominion is from the sea to the worlds end there is not a power from one end of the world to the other but 't is under Christ The first Adam was over all and so is the second his motion yet but darkly speaks this but 't will every day now more then other the kingdomes of the world will become the kingdomes of Christ what he yet darkly over rules he will take visibly into his hands and the kingdomes shall become one and under one Israel had one Lord the Lord thy God is one Lord. Distance of place destroyes not the Supremacy of Christs Kingdome nor the Monarchicall government of it which will be plain by this demonstration Talk with Christians here and talk with Christians in the furthest part of the world and you shall find consent of divine motion within and without amongst them all which speaks them all under one supremacy all subjects of one kingdome though so farre distant they grone under sinne as you do and extoll Christ as you do face answereth to face and yet these faces never saw one another pulse beat and spirits work alike the state is the same the bloud is the same though it run in various veins and some to the extreme parts of the earthen fabrick As things are in their native power Christ is above them and supream and as things aspire and exalt themselves and pretend to something above their native state as things strut themselves and stand a tiptoe so Christ also is above them Low things will stretch and lift up themselves to over-top and this may do something amongst men but 't will not with God In that wherein they dealt proudly he was above them said Jethro of Pharaoh and his company Order or laws A kingdome hath a scepter Kingdomes are not many together like heaps of stones confused and any one upmost but many together by rule and this holds altogether to the weal of each Bonds knit many together every man loose and to his will and then many kings but no kingdome every man to his will and publick weal makes her will too and dies Bread is the life of particulars and law is the life of generalls bread is the life of persons and law is the life of
glory strive to corrupt infinite glory let this set an edge upon every mans sword I go forth against a company of carnall worshippers which destroy God which change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man I know not what fire this puts in your spirits I know what fire it kindles in Gods spirit namely jealousie which is a kind of unquenchable fire which burns to the third and fourth generation and which nothing quencheth but the bloud of them that kindle it shed this when called to it or else God will and yours too Read the sad condition of this generation Revel 14.9 If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the holy Lambe False representation makes false adoration and our kingdome is full of this and we have done little spiritually to give better instruction and therefore 't is no wonder that we fall corporally with them that fall 't is the manner of God to whip his with those with whom they sinne and commit fornication The beast and the image of the beast idolatry and superstition hath swayed above three parts of us for a long time and it will be no wonder to see scarce one part of four out-live our present misery if there be any place to sanctifie your selves and to save this generation it will be well if God give you hearts to take it know your own blindnesse and it will teach you how to use your out-going against others Immedicabile vulnus ense c. if means to reclaim take place before cutting off I wish that may be used every where Coloss 1.15 Who is the image of the invisible God GOd is invisible in action and in person in the one partly and in the other wholly in the one for a time and in the other till time shall be no more God is invisible in creation this world is a glorious fabrick but built without hands and without tools onely with the word of his mouth and can you see the words a man speaks God was rather audible then visible in the making of all things Consider all things as made and the glory of these is invisible Can you see thrones and dominions principalities and powers spirits which serve you or spirits which maligne you of which the aire you breath in is full as the sunne of beams The heavens and all the hosts of them do you see You have many mighty friends which you see not and many mighty enemies and all these in such a large room the breadth of which above nor below you see not look above you and look under you have you seen how your countrey-house is roofed and floored Can you see the breadth of that canopy that is over you or of that green foot-cloth that is under you Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth declare if thou knowest it all saith God to Job chap. 38.18 so I may say to the greatest astronomer Hast thou perceived the breadth of the heavens declare if thou knowest it all If we see not the roof nor the floore surely we see not the foundation of this world at all whereupon are the foundations of the world framed or who laid the corner-stone thereof The profundity and invisibility of God in creation doth he himself go on thus speaking of to Job Solomon in a like style speaks to this purpose He hath set the world in its perfection so that no man can find out the work which God makes from the beginning to the end Eccles 3. God in providence is invisible Can you see those pillars upon which the world stands upon which England now stands Can you behold those wheels that turn round the world and behold how in their motion still they fulfill eternall counsells Can you apprehend as you are apprehended Can you comprehend as you are comprehended Can you master divine actions with your eye as it masters you with its hand Can you see him that speaks to the little world and to the great world and to the proud seas and waves which rage in both Come thus far and no farther He that speaks to the clouds Water this citie and not that and to the sword Go and destroy in this kingdome and not in that Can you see that hand which leads you that hand which feeds you that hand which protects you those everlasting arms which are underneath you That bosome in which lambs are carried and those leggs on which the weak run and are not weary Can you tell me how many servants wait upon you and can you see of what stature they are and what livery they wear Is their cognizance your cognizance When I propose such queries as these to my sad shallow soul I am fain to break out and break off with Job He doth great things past finding out and wonders without number Lo he goeth by me and I see him not and he passeth on also but I perceive him not Job 9.10 A man a Christian cannot see God many times and yet God fast by A man thinks God is going backward with such a businesse when he is going on with it He passeth on and yet I cannot perceive him Job spake this as if this had been his case alone but alas 't is not 't is every mans case God goes out of sight to him the wisest man the most seeing man is in the dark frequently in this point of providence Eccles. 8.17 You see now that God is invisible in action in that wherein he is most seeable and therefore I thinke you will easily believe he is so in person the materiality of his being the immensity of his being and the glory of being which results from both the former necessarily render him invisible to us God is not onely invisible in regard of his essence or god-head but also in regard of the fulnesse and glory thereof which is called light indeed in the Scripture but yet such as to which no mortall eye can approch The beams of the sunne above though light yet so glorious as too big for any organ we have to take in Things have density to terminate colour to congregate being and glory of being finite yea both not onely finite but both brought down to a suitable proportion to such a tender organ or else our eye languishes and closes it self as able to make no vision God is not simply invisible but invisible in reference to us Angels see him and Saints above see him they behold his face which is the most invisible God is invisible to a mortall eye as the Apostle speaks a mortall eye must have its adaequatae objecta or else 't is discouraged and closes
more then a Prophet John was a teacher farre beyond all the Prophets before him and therefore said to be aboundantly more then a Prophet but Christ was a teacher farre beyond John farther beyond John then John was beyond any of the Prophets before him and therefore he may well be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aboundantly more then a Prophet Matth. 11.9 Concerning his Kingly office he is said to be greater then Solomon so I may say concerning his Propheticall office he is greater then John or any Prophet I will demonstrate the superiority of Christs propheticall office Christ doth otherwise receive and otherwise imparts then ever any Prophets or Teachers did Visions were transient to the Prophets the word of the Lord came to them and then went away again Balaam in a trance could see much and then of a sudden saw nothing no more then another man so it was with the greatest Prophets seers and then in the dark again the spirit of the Lord was transient and came and went from one to another That bad man intimateth this truth that I tell you which struck the Prophet and said Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me to thee Vision is an abiding thing in Christ light abideth in the Sunne it doth so to day it doth so to morrow and it doth so for ever Christ seeth much to day as much to morrow and as much to all eternity his eye is not darkned the spirit of the Lord is not accidentally but naturally in him the Sonne lieth in the bosome of the Father No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten which is in the bosome of the Father he hath revealed him I think these terms of Father and Sonne and bosome they point at the naturalnesse of Christs ability to explicate infinite excellency There is no new thing to Christ under the Sunne no nor above the Sun no new thing to Christ in earth nor in Heaven nor in the bosome of God Christ is never at a losse respecting the knowledge of things above or below present or to come he never needeth instruction from any in this thing or that Who hath instructed him The lamp in the Tabernacles went out and Vision did fail or at least it is conceived so by some of the learned which undertake to interpret these things but the lamp in the true Tabernacle never goeth out nor vision never fails Light dwelleth with him Daniel 2.22 As the spirit dwelleth in the body as the eye dwelleth in the head which confirmeth me more in that which I said before concerning the naturalnesse of Christs abilities Vision to the Prophets was of this or that particular thing The greatest seers were not cunctis oculati seers in all things in some things they knew much and in other things nothing David a great Prophet and a very knowing man yet in some points a beast The greatest Doctours knew but in part skild in this knowledge or that each had their particular eminency But Christ hath all wisdome and all knowledge He is not onely skild in all the wisdome of the Egyptians to use that allusion but he is skild in all the wisdome and learning that is in this world or in any other world In Christ is all wisdome and all knowledge yea all the treasures of these the spring of whatsoever is admired for light and skil amongst the Sonnes of men In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Coloss 2. His eyes runne through the earth so they do Heaven and he masters all he looks upon his understanding is infinite and this without study primo intuitu at the first look There are but few things that lie naked before you you are fain to make a stand at every thing to make understanding but Christ makes a stand at nothing for all things are naked before him that is he looketh upon all and understandeth all presently his beholding of a thing and understanding of it are the same He is quick of understanding saith the Prophet The Lamb opens sealed books and though all dark sayings to every one else yet he readeth and understandeth presently when there was none found to open the book the Lamb could and therefore called Palmoni by Daniel the revealer of secrets Dark things and plain things day and night are all one to him He revealeth deep and secret things he knoweth what is in the darknesse Dan. 2.22 the revelations delivered by John are called the revelations of Christ The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him c. Revel 1.1 Vision to the Prophets was by a borrowed power their light was not connaturall but supernaturall to them Light is connaturall to the Sonne it is not onely naturall but connaturall my meaning is equally naturall to the Sonne as to the Father The Father and the Sonne are one their power one their wisdome one they are one in hand one in tongue one in vision and sight Christ sees of himself with his own eyes he sees all things and as exquisitely as the Father as exquisitely as he from whom he receives What Christ hath as an officer he hath it not in way of talent interest and inferiority as you have things but he hath it as his own and as his own joyntly and equally with the Father Moses was faithfull as a servant but he as a Sonne in his own house The Church militant here and the Church triumphant above that is to say grace and glory they are all Christs own even as they are his Fathers and if there be any thing beyond these it is Christs own too even as it is Gods own which I think that expression points at where he saith Glorifie me with thine own self with the glory that I had with thee before the world was Grace is as properly Christs own and as fully Christs own as sinne is said to be the devils own when the devil tells a lie he tells it of his own that is he doth that which is naturall to him and that wherein there can be no superiour to him to lie more facilly nor more exquisitely then he So what truth Christ speaks he speaks it of his own that is that wherein he is naturall and not supernaturall and as it were above himself and that wherein he is equally full and paralell to any speaker of it connaturall with any that speaks this language The paralell state of Christ with the Father in point of imparting spirituall things is hinted methinks in that form of speech which the Apostle James useth chap. 1. 18. Of his own will he begat us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures Propagation here which speaks all spirituall excellencies is made coaction or conaction in order to the persons of the Trinity that wherein they are joynt and equall and do with one another as two eyes which are convisive seeing together and seeing equally together without
of the will of God in this as in the other Windes Seas Planners Brutes Men Persons Parts Actions all are carried about with one wheel the will of God Things above man are shaped also Things above man and squared according to the will of God Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven in Earth in the Sea and in all deep places Psalme 35.6 Omnia quae voluit Deus all things which the Lord willed c. God hath no other counsellour but his Will about all businesse businesses here below and businesses above in Heaven God moveth to every thing in Heaven as he pleaseth and maketh conveyance thence of things as he pleaseth God hath many about him and when he hath any businesse to dispatch here below he maketh a messenger to man of whom he will and wrappeth up what good he will and sendeth it along with him The word goeth forth out of Heaven for the souls of men from divine will This wind bloweth where he listeth it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching c. The Spirit goeth forth out of Heaven by the will of God Christ goeth forth from Gods will and all that he bringeth Gods will guideth him to send whom he will and what he will with him from Heaven to Earth It pleased the Father to send Christ out of his bosome and with him all fulnesse from Heaven to Earth All runneth into this that God shapeth every thing to man according to his will Use This maketh a distinction between God and Man Know Gods prerogative and give it him no creature may pursue his own will Man should know his bounds best and he breaketh bounds worst No man may pursue his own will and do whatsoever pleaseth him and yet he thinketh he may Pride is desperate wickednesse the spirit of the Devil is in man he would be as God above God and carry all by his will The enemies said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lusts shall be satisfied upon thee I will draw my sword mine hand shall destroy them Exodus 15.9 All these expressions shew how man doth invade the prerogative of God to move according to his will If they have persecuted me saith Christ they will persecute you Christ relateth many sad things concerning his people but the saddest of all is this that he mentioned at last all these sad things saith he they will do unto you for my names sake Persecuting bloudy wretches is your will absolute May your will be an infallible rule to you as Gods is Are ye men or are ye Gods or are ye Devils Will you do what you will Is it a small thing to you to destroy divine prerogative to step up into the chair of State to slash and cut Truth and the lovers of it with your tongues and pens and hands as you will Malice broke out hypocrisie striveth to hide it men would not have their insides outward but God giveth up man to his will and then the heart is plainly seen Resolution to evill is the punishment of hypocrisie observe these times and you shall see men speak out themselves and write down in red letters what they are A man fast to his will was first very loose from God He that seeth in secret doth not tell all presently loosenesse generateth pride pride generateth perversenesse and now God leaveth the man to his will A man left to his will maketh this his rule as God doth and is a little god in his own eyes doth what he will Know your condition you that know no rule but your will you are hypocrites discovered a generation left of God left by Mercy that Justice may take you Resolution to evill is a sinner upon the top of the ladder putting a halter about his own neck and bidding the hangman to do his office when he will A man pinn'd to his will hath three grand plagues upon him One is this whatever he doth amisse is aggravated still thou didst it wilfully Christ bleeds truth bleeds conscience bleeds and all these take their bloud and throw it in the face of this sinner with this anguish Ah wretch thou gavest us these wounds with thy will thou hast committed wilfull murther we preached unto thee we prayed unto thee we cried and wept unto thee to save our bloud yet thou wouldest not O how is Jerusalems sinne aggravated from their will I would have gathered thee but thou wouldest not I spake words to thee shed tears to thee to save my bloud to love my person and yet thou wouldest not 'T is made self-murther in the Scripture which is the bloudiest murther of all so highly is self-will aggravated O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self 'T is all one as if God had said thou hast been self-willed A man may fall off and yet have his honour with Christ if will move well no sinne is aggravated but all extenuated alas the flesh is weak But 't is enough to me saith Christ that the spirit is willing Bigge-spirited sinners think of this you sinne nothing but bigge sinnes the letters you make are suitable to the penne with which you write them 't is a text penne you write with and they are all text letters which you make and Christ will shew you them in his book hereafter and they will be very plain to be read by men Angels and conscience they are so bigge Aggravation is a willfull sinners plague he sinnes nothing but bigge sinnes all his brats are clothed in scarlet which speaks very loud to conscience Conviction is a second plague of a wilfull sinner this is all his gratulation from Christ fire thrown in his face When ever Christ meets a wilfull sinner he draws his sword at him slashes conscience and wounds it deeply This sinner comes to Church and there Christ meets him and stabbes him to the heart with every word he speaks which is the sword of the spirit this sinner goes into company more suitable to him and yet there too Christ meets him and throws dirt in his face the filth of his action whilst hot that it may be the more scalding in the midst of laughter nips him by the heart Whilest the Saints are before the wicked and the bloud of their names upon their tongues sporting themselves he makes them tremble as he did Felix Bigge vessels that are high above water are easily shot through and through 't is the usuall practise of God to make Pashurs Magor-missabib to shoot them through and through to smite such within as smite his without and to make them fear round about None in stronger terrour at times then stout-hearted sinners This makes vexation which is our next thing to pursue Devils are tormented 't is their proper plague 't is the proper plague of a man pinned to his will to be still crossed and vexed God doth what he can and another doth what he can to please him yet nothing goeth right his will is so
all things to be seen of men A meer professor fails and flats in his noblest action if men observe him not his zeal dies if the breath of men blow it not Come see my zeal c. A meer professor is a Chameleon he lives by the aire of mens mouths he christens his children himself and calls all vertue that he doth Come see my zeal c. And it was but vain-glory a vice and no vertue a stinking weed and no flower They are ugly brats that Hypocrites bring forth no body else can endure to lick them to any beauty and therefore they lick them themselves Come see my zeal Rotten lungs use art to breath sweet they are not troubled when they smell it themselves they only blush when others smell it stinck and therefore use skill to make their breath smell sweet Come see my zeal Integrity hatches good and runs away can scarce own her own children though they run after her a good man cannot tell how to lay hands upon any good action as his but Hypocrisie calls evill good and yet openly appropriates it Come see my zeal If an upright man be any thing or do any thing 't is not he but Christ in him he doth not say come see my zeal or my wisdome but come and see the Wisdome and Life of Christ in me Naked profession is time-serving 't is a Christian squaring his religion to please all sides A meere professor would have all men speake well of him though Christ nor his own conscience doe not which is a wofull thing Woe to your when all men speake well of you i when you so order your religion and course of life as to please all sides though God be displeased Religion is lovely sometimes but not for it selfe some take it up to drive designes and can taste sweetnesse in it no longer then it will conduce to some secular advantage Christ is an abiding sweet where the heart is upright Christ is deare upon the Crosse when torne to pieces deare every limbe every drop of his bloud deare so for ever The way of Christ is more then the strewings of it to a reall Christian all the wealth and all the honour in the world are not so pleasant as one despised and persecuted truth of Christ They are joy'd in the way they remember thee in thy wayes Esa 64.5 They respect the way not the strewings of the way no other strewings but what Christ maketh by his going before them They remember thee in thy wayes i. Christ For he maketh his own wayes sweet to them that simply walke in them Times vary oft and all present new temptations yet one thing is constantly made at in all where profession is reall i to injoy Christ let my soule lie still in the bosome of Christ and move steadily in his wayes and then let times and fortunes change as they will Reall profession pursues realitie in every condition it hunts one hare how many soever crosse the way in which it goes Distraction of times naughtinesse of men make not Christ unpleasant but more precious If the world will frowne O that I could see Christ smile more If truth be slighted O that I could so walke as to live some beautie into it Integritie holds on her way as Solomon saith I tremble to thinke of this generation wee are clouds without water carried as the winde sits that 's Judes description of naked profession When the Parliament prevailes then their wayes are honoured when the King prevailes then his wayes are honour'd when mens persons are honour'd and prosper'd then their religion is honour'd meere profession is a bable a humour any thing nothing a double minde unstable a double mouth sweet and bitter from the same fountaine as the cisterne will best receive that is powred into and this may be the motto of the profession of this time All that hath been formerly said to distinguish in this matter is but one thing and may be plainly rendered thus Naked profession is without internall reformation Spirits can transforme themselves they can speake like Angels and yet abide Devils men can doe much this way Put yee on the Lord Jesus Christ c. The tongue can doe this when the heart hath never a rag upon its backe Their inward parts are very wickednesse There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a turning and a turning inwardly The Author to the Hebrewes useth the latter word Wee have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence Heb. 12.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wee were inwardly turned the spirit recoiling as asham'd An internall turning i when the heart is turned as well as the outward man according to that in Malachi The heart of the children shall be turned to the fathers which is reall profession The Temple was the same in the outside in Christs time that it was in the Prophets time before yet he could not own it because the inside was not the same it had a den of theeves in it My Temple hath a better inside saith he and whips out these theeves and overturnes their Tables it shadowes out this that where there is a reall Temple a true Christian the power of all lusts though never so many is overturned in the soule by the power of Christ which worketh in us I will speake no more by way of discovery but let the discovered lay to heart their condition You which are but seeming professors you will be reall persecutors The punishment of one sin hardens to another The proper plague of hypocrisie is searing burned spirits are fit to burne others so they doe in hell 'T was a generation of seared hypocrites which contrived the bloud of Christ are they not such many of them which contrive Christs bloud and torment at this day in the Christian world The crosse wee beare is the wound of friends the enemies which cut our throats are of our owne house of our owne Land and pretend to be of our owne Religion Would not that bloudy Army abroad be accounted Protestants and for Protestant Religion I send you forth as lambes amongst wolves and yet those wolves wore sheep-skins they would be accounted of the seed of Abraham 't is our case and it makes our triall the greater our burthen is heavie but God is lightning it glory be to his name The axe is to the roote of the tree which bare but leaves and they are cut downe apace If this side would but mend as fast as tother side end wee should be a very blessed people quickly The ripest fall first we shall not hang long after if our profession also be found hypocriticall COLOSSIANS 1.20 Through the bloud of his Crosse AS this expression speakes crueltie we pursued it in the last Exercise as it speakes the causalitie of divine friendship I purpose now to handle it Christ hath by his death accomplished the favour of God Having made peace through
man naught at heart is Gods enemy Neutrality hath the seeds of enmity there is the buddings of hatred where love is but cold to Christ Men that love not hate truth They that are not with me are against me saith Christ and all that are against Christ though never so gently neutrally and indifferently yet are his enemies Judas was an enemy when no hearty lover as well as when an actuall betrayer of Christ Enmity is sown deep it lies long under ground and puts up with a very little blade at first no body takes it for such a deadly weed as 't is it may be not the party in whose heart it lies but the Lord of the vineyard who knowes all grain in its first bud calls men and things as they are this is a Serpent by kinde though it do not sting yet he will do False love is true hatred Cinders will burn out anon when blown Christ is disobeyed when stubbornly opposed Some are fighters against God and will be so these are deadly enemies Deliver me from my deadly enemies saith David Psal 17.9 There is fighting against God within and fighting against God without strong art and industry to kill conscience in a mans self and others this is a bloody enemy Christ knocks at most mens doors though he can have entrance into few Not a soul where the Gospel comes but he strives and wrestles with it to gain it to God pravity cannot bear these conflicts something is taken to destroy conception vineger is used to prevent vomiting to stay and still the wambling stomack that it may hold what it hath acts of violence rushed upon to darken that light that troubles and any medium good that may but stupifie that faculty that stings when the soul chooseth his own way this is called resisting the Holy Ghost this is a fight under deck a murthering Christ in the cradle these are Christs bloody enemies Christ layes the axe to the root of some sinners and some sinners lay the axe to the root of Christ as soon as ever any word of Christ begins to take hold of the heart as soon as ever Christ begins to stir in the conscience or affection as if the soule were on fire on hell all means are used to quench the Spirit hell is sent for to keep out heaven many bad spirits to keep out one good there are sad issues of this men kill themselves sometimes rather then Christ should live in them Opposition hath rejection folded up in it this is distinguished from that as it carries despight against the spirit of grace makes the hand bloudy if need be as well as the heart and tongue with the bloud of Gods dearest ones these are Esaus red all over And the first came out red all over like an hairy garment and I called his name Esau Gen. 25.25 The summe of all is this An enemy is one that with resolution and delight disobeys the will of God Vse What is your state This is my errand from this point to you Are you enemies or friends to God Amongst Christians this may seeme a strange question yet needfull all are not Israel who are of Israel Christ hath enemies in his own house would we knew them would they knew themselves 'T is a time of much opposition party against party this side against that if wee should all be found opposite to Christ we are undone Heate transports so doth self-ends such persons doe they know not what and are they know not what themselves one while this and another while that constant in nothing but enemies to Christ being secretly sway'd by blind and base principles Say we not well that thou art so and so and hast a Devill Hypocrisie knowes every one but her self exactly knowes another to be a Devill an arch enemy to Christ but knowes not her selfe to be so To mistake others proves sometimes afflicting but to mistake our selves is damning O how should we beg to be delivered from this In a trying time wherein many prove rotten let us doe as Christs disciples lay our hand upon our own heart is it I Tell me O Christ is it I that am an enemy to thee A man that looks into his heart and then looks up to God he will know much He that tasketh himselfe but to know one will certainly finde him out but he that tasketh himselfe to know many and to call them by their names as hypocrites or the like will certainly mistake them or himselfe or both Truth and the heart compar'd speake out one another Christ puts us all upon an exact way to know the thing in question Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command A friend loves not onely in word but in deed what you are in action for Christ speakes out what you are in denomination whether friends or enemies Yee are my friends if yee doe c. Good talke is cheape hath a great many friends if this were it But what doe yee doe for Christ Action also must have its latitude or els doing is nothing neither The will of Christ runs forth into many precepts that 's obedience which excepts against none Then are yee my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you Truth is Homogeniall one precept sweet and all precepts are so when the heart is right the heart is naught the man an enemy to Christ that is partiall in his Law Yet this is the plague of most mens hearts Surely Christ hath more enemies a great many then we are aware of We are for dividing the living childe therefore are divisions and rumors amongst us it speakes stony hearts unnaturallnesse to Christ he answerably handles us the truths we scorne are the swords which kill us as Gods enemies as a generation of hypocrites Integrity hath a double universalitie in it all Gods precepts are obeyed alwayes a friend loves at all times it doth not divide Christ to day nor to morrow nor never will his bowels will not beare it all truth is of everlasting sweetnesse in a sound soule Christ is the bright morning Star a Star holds its glory 't is alwayes admirable a man admires it to day and admires to morrow and so as long as he liveth So is Christ in the eye of him which indeed seeth him The Land in which wee live is stony ground Love withers it doth so very frequently men that were friends fall off and become enemies Apostate are the worst enemies Christ hath yet how many doth this time make The Land is full of Apostates therefore it groanes God is avenging himselfe upon these enemies first fire goeth before him and burnes up these enemies round about Psal 97.3 The most notorious are made examplary amongst us 't is so in the proceedings of God All the adversaries of the Lord should tremble when some are executed and learne instruction by his judgements that wrath is kindled which will burne you all such of you as are not burnt here will be burnt
no man will say so much as before said in words but thousands say it in deeds say what we will what we can of justice of mercy of the latitude of these yet sinners will drive on in their own courses as long as liberty strength and life will give leave These hearts are dead in trespasses Let what Sun will shine upon the dead it warms them not these sinners are twice dead dead naturally and dead voluntary they have tasted of the sweet of their wayes and they get much wealth and pleasure by it and they are not children to part with a reality for a fancie These are whole and need not a Physician our work is quickly done about these Burthened souls you are the proper subject of mercy and of this discourse the call of this doctrine is to you Come every one of you to Christ and ye shall have ease he excludes none Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden A loded soul is self-condemn'd he cannot stand under the sense of sin and wrath alas who can A soul self-condemned hath a halter about his neck of his own making but do not hang thy self the King of Israel is very mercifull he hangs none that comes to him as thou dost with a halter about his neck hold a parly with him for thy life thou mayst bring him to what terms of mercy thou wilt almost Bid Christ make Propositions of peace Lord what wilt thou have me to do If he say that he wil have thee do this and do that deny thy self and follow him pluck out thy right eye and cut off thy right hand and the like tel him that through him thou canst do all things give me thy self and I will part with any thing lend me thine hand and I will rise draw me and I will run after thee Nothing is vile to me but that which thou forbiddest nothing dear but that which thou commandest only let me touch the hem of thy garment let me take hold of thy skirt and I shall accomplish thy will and mine own This request cannot be denied Make this conclusion and feed upon it under all desertion and temptation Christ is ingaged furnished yea about this very design to give himself to thee Christ is ingaged for thee by petition thou hast put up many petitions to him and he hath put them up all to God he could do no otherwise for he is by place an Advocate to mention and plead such cases as are moved to him Christ is furnished by concession for he is heard in all that he askes my Father heareth me always We ask many things and misse because we ask amisse Christ alwayes asketh well and speeds well therefore conclude of reliefe You that mourne after Christ he will send a Comforter The command of God is upon Christ he shall be a light to the Gentiles When Christ ingages himself by petition for any God doth alwayes ingage him by concession and by accomplishment for it See thou do this poor soul good my Son here is for him according to all that he needs let it be laid out upon him according to all thou sayest will make him happy Must he have my Spirit my comforting Spirit will no lesse nor no cheaper thing make him smile will not a little Saffron mixed with some spirituous liquid make him laugh No must he have my Spirit my Joyâ—s then here ' t is But be sure my Son that thou give it him The injunction of God is upon Christ He shall be a light to the Gentiles God doth trust no Doctor no Apothecary none but Christ himself about drouping souls and he puts into his hand cordials of infinite price and saith that he shall give them and his blessing with them that he shall be not only means of light but Light it self to dark souls that is the blessing of means as well as means That Christ is about and upon giving himself to thee O soul I will demonstrate to thee thus Christ hath looked upon thee this is the first thing a man doth when he intends to bestow himself upon any Abasuerus viewed the damosels first The Son hath looked upon thee that the Son hath looked upon thee is apparent for the beauty of his countenance hath taken thee and thou wouldest fain have his Image to wear in thy breast and if all thou hadst would buy it how willingly wouldst thou part with it the words which fall from Christs lips are as marrow and those which suit thy state as marrow and fatnesse Surely the King hath looked upon thee and more he hath a liking to thee Thou lovest him thou mayst conclude therefore that he loved thee first We love him because he loved us first the man makes love first Christ wooed thee long ere he thus far gained thee though thou take no notice of it Nay more then this Christ hath bestowed love-tokens upon thee surely he is bestowing himself to thee Christ hath given thee by us his messengers as Abrahams servant a golden eare-ring bracelets for thine hands by the word whch we preach he hath given thee his Spirit thou breathest as Christ doth very sweelty I do not smell it No one cannot smell his own breath when 't is sweet only when it stincks much but others smell it in every room where thou comest Would Christ were mine Is not this the period still of thy expression at the end of every discourse Such an one hath got so much and so much saith one to thee dost not thou reply would Christ were mine and then I had got more then he Dost thou not gaspe only after Christ when thou fetchest breath deepest That 's the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which makes sighs and groans which cannot be expressed he and thee sigh together one in another and one after another Love is mutually set the contract is made only 't is not published to the world some deliberate time is used about this 'T is a distinct thing from being Christs to know that I am his and that he hath bestowed himself upon me and all the wranglings quarrellings and gain-sayings of Satan and a mans own soul will not be quite dead till the soul be quite in the bosome of Christ When one argues from the beams of the Sun that there is a Sun me thinks the cavillingst spirit of unbelief that is should lie still Had no body ever taken notice of any ray of the Sun appearing in the soul to argue from only the word of grace pressed and the man that was al the dayes of his life a vile wretch beholding his own necessity and the riches of goodnesse and laying hold upon it he were bound to believe that Christ accepted of him and bestowed himself upon him I beseech you weak souls know two things and you cannot but be strong Know the riches of the Gospel and know the obligement of the Gospel it tenders mercy 1. freely and so it 2. must be owned
this in their heart their not obeying is a demonstration of it A sad temptation is strongly seized upon you if it hold you you are lost the fearfull of this sort are shut out There be troubles in every course under the Sunne dost thou find none in disobedience Then the more is to come Bloud and death and hell are at the end of thy way Sinner and yet darest thou to keepe on in it Surely thou art not so much fearfull as wilfull Instruction cures distemper when 't is but of meere weaknesse when the soule waits to turne in with Christ and yet cannot but where it is otherwise lay open as much danger in one way pleaded for as in another way pleaded against yet the man will hold on his course which speakes the soule ingaged by will and not so much overborne by weaknesse and then there is no entrance for right principles I would let these alone which have shut themselves up till Christ breake open doores upon them and speake to a generation more ingenuous Men that are candid love to doe things that will end well then set upon the workes of Christ If thou be a Minister preach Christ faithfully who ever oppose if thou be otherwise of any other ranke practise the will of Christ sincerely what ever thou suffer Things may goe harsh a time but Christ will bring about a season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now I rejoyce that ever I did this and that ever I did that for Christ If Christ doe not bring about such a time here he will above O how joyfull are they above that ever they had hearts to suffer for Christ here below Now I blesse God that I lay in such a prison what a mansion have I to make me amends Now I blesse God that ever I was hungry that ever I was naked for Christ what precious meate and what glorious apparell have I to make me amends 'T were enough if the now of a Christians joy did not come till after this life but shall a Christian have one here Let truth and conscience keepe company in stormes and I think I may assure any man a sweet calme here let men and devils doe all what they can but let these two be parted there will never be a season of joy reall joy the soule is betrayed that hath any other opinion or practice The righteousnesse of action should onely be eyed by us as for other things skin and bones and goods and such like lumber should be all ventured in this bottome I am for Christ if I mourne all the dayes of my life and have not one teare wiped off till I come to Heaven all is one so one should set out setting Heaven at the furthest distance that can be thought of and then a man meets with it often long before he accounted in this prison or in that dungeon where one would look for hell rather then heaven so did Paul Now I rejoyce c. COLOSS. 1.24 Now I rejoyce c. PAul was in prison when he spake these words so considered bravenesse of spirit sparkles in every syllable of the expression Now I am in the mouth of the Lion now I am in the belly of Hell now I am in the face of Devils now I own Christ and triumph in all that I undergoe for his Name Divine magnanimitie wee are to stand upon 't is a soule in all conditions openly very stout and very amiable in the pursuit of Gods will Disadvantages are many in a Christian course in none more magnanimitie knowes none 't is one that can make a Trumpet sound admirably where there is no eccho in a pit in a dungeon in his coffin in his grave he will sing and make his chaines Late-strings among the dead he is alive now I rejoyce You have a Latine Proverb of warre Mars communis warre is of various event sometimes against one sometimes with one so I may say of the warre of a Christian 't is Mars communis sometimes we come off well sometimes we are taken and chained sometimes the battaile is so hot that all run away Magnanimitie stands to it then fights alone shee is oft a prisoner but never a run-away one is enough to wit Christ though all else run away or how ever disadvantaged otherwise yet upon this advantage shee stands to it alone and fights with many yea fights and sings thunders and harpes you have the voice of great thunders and of harpes joyned together Revel 14.2 The servants of the Lord fighting and thundring against Antichrist and yet harping and singing Est virtus omnia ad gloriam ferens A vertue that mouldes and shapes all things good things bad things prisons chaines bloud all to divine triumph Magnanimitie is alwayes very stout but alwayes very amiable when shee breaths and collects spirits she doth not curve her brow frowne and fret and the like but smiles in the face of crueltie it selfe Michal scoffed David and stoned him with her mouth but David smiles and dances Paul in chaines at Rome rejoyceth now I joy In the belly of Hell Jonah prayes yea gives thankes I will sacrifice to the Lord with a voice of thankesgiving salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land Jonah 2.9 10. As the verses goe and are conjoyned one would thinke they did carry this brave sense that as soone as God did behold Jonah in this brave posture of spirit not onely big with prayer but with praises even in the belly of the Whale that then he spake to the Whale to give him up that then he spake to Hell to give up that person to Heaven whose spirit and action was there before There is an amiablenesse of person and an amiablenesse of action and Magnanimitie hath both shee sets the countenance right the eye right and the hand right when shee is stout 't is in the truth and for the truth shee pursues a noble game and abhorres all evill means to catch it to get Earth to get Heaven shee will not be bribed when there is any base carriage in a businesse none more ignorant of any such thing then a Christian truly magnanimous Christian magnanimitie is borne of humilitie and simplicitie and hunts after nothing more then the incouraging of the parents of which shee came but this shee pursues to the utmost Things that are of the truest and highest glory these doth a magnanimous Christian Nervis cunctis incumbere intend with every sinew all things that are simply sinfull or but of meane account come not into his thought 'T is virtus tendens ad maxima a Christian that struggles to be of all Christians the chiefe for humilitie for integritie for faith for love for fruition for emission for taking in of Christ for laying out for Christ A Christian indeed magnanimous is the greatest Merchant-venturer to the tother world that is he is mightie in stocke he hath many millions of
brave spirits in his bloud and trades them out all for Christ and Heaven in long voyages to come home rich he hath no hand but to good but to this he hath hand and heart and nothing can fetch off either Then answered I thus and said The God of Heaven will prosper us therefore we his servants will arise and build but you have no portion nor right nor memoriall in Jerusalem Nehem. 2.20 A Christian indeed magnanimous hath truth in one hand and life in the other and this is his Motto Take one take both This is his Motto every where in libertie in bonds and this he speakes and smiles now I joy Vse Wee are put by providence to speake upon a seasonable subject times call us to move bravely every one in our place Furie is abroad and furie is at home nothing but a brave spirit can now kisse Christ and smile in the face of both Greatnesse will over-bear and jostle a weak spirit though otherwise good as a childe from his father and make him cry and take on dolefully for want of that countenance which did smile upon him Power generates pride unlesse it sit in a very sweet breast the effects of this are bloudie and not a man can withstand to any purpose but he that is steele to the backe 'T is said of Vzziah that when he was strong that is externally strong that he was lifted up to his destruction This Prince after his great victories fell upon the worship of God and carried it by his owne greatnesse as he pleased which is a plague proper to pride to be spiritually and desperately wanton to creepe into the Temple and to confront God as highly as may be And the Text tells us of Azariah and fourscore brave Priests of the Lord that withstood him saying It pertaines not to thee O King to burne incense but to the Priests of the Lord which are consecrated goe out of the Sanctuarie thou hast trespassed and it shall not be for thine honour There were fourscore of these magnanimous spirits then would there were fourscore thousand of these now in the Christian world they are much needed to withstand violence against the worship of God against the priviledge of Ministers and people Blindnesse hardens men fooles will as soone strike with a club as with a twig as soone stab with a knife as with a straw every one that bowes not downe to the Idol of their fancie this is stoutnesse to destruction as the forecited Scripture speakes and 't is pitie it should destroy any but such as are guiltie of it and yet it will if not withstood What a dolefull condition would all have come to if those few brave spirits had given way to all that the King in the blindnesse of his heart would have done A Christian indeed magnanimous is he that stands in the gap in a time of wrath and none else this man is a Phinebat an Azariah one that stayes the plague the sword the wrath of God that eates upon us and would eate us out all unlesse some such brave spirits appeared abroad and at home in the field and in the Citie You can doe no service to quench the fire of jealousie that now burnes unlesse you get more fire in your hearts Life and death is in the ballance and the scales stand which scale will weigh downe we cannot tell onely this I can say this grace of Magnanimitie put in that scale where the life of the Kingdome lies would turne the beame presently and life should weigh downe death peace and prosperitie ruine and desolation 'T is pitie that brave spirits are no more smil'd upon some such buddings of hope are now and then but they are blasted againe men are alive a while and then dead Persons which are in such a condition that are pretie well one while and at deaths-dore againe another while men have still feare lest some vitals wast in such a state which is not yet discerned England if death should cure all thy diseases at last for want of a little life what a dolefull giving up the ghost will this be Whither wouldest thou carry thy cold off-spring that they might grow more warme To such and such plantations beyond the Seas Between thee and them is a great gulph and it may be they that would goe to them shall not they that thou wouldest should come to thee will not they that stay in the Citie famine may devoure they that goe to flie out a sword may cut off A Serpent a Lion or a Beare sword famine or plague may divide all between them within dore and without Surely England thy giving up if ever that sad day come which the Lord grant it may not will be with such ghastly groanes with such hideous shreechings with such tabering of breasts and tearing of haire with such weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth as scarce ever any eye saw or eare heard since wrath and desolation began among the Gentiles Wherefore call upon thy selfe O England and call upon thy Physicians for Christian magnanimitie tell them what death thou fearest and what grudgings of it thou feelest alreadie in severall parts Where there be palsies and such diseases which are by cold which be numbe and dead the parts there rubbing is good to fetch heat and agilitie Rub one another frequently exhort one another daily strike fire in one anothers breasts admonish reprove but doe all in love Passion generates passion wild-fire is not magnanimitie this burnes all it doth not save all Magnanimitie springs out of love 't is a stout spirit candid with the sweetnesse of Christ and made a Lamb and a Lion as Christ was a Lamb when among sheep to be led by them but a Lion when among Beares and Wolves to awe and lead them Magnanimitie is the perfectest temper of Christ in all this world 't is a Lion lying downe with a Lamb and doing it no hurt and a Lamb playing upon the hole of an Aspe and receiving no hurt it is one that can doe no hurt but can and will doe much good 't is one that fels himselfe like Christ at a very low rate to doe good to all COLOSSIANS 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SUfferings both externall and internall the word imports such stripes upon the flesh as did affect and afflict the spirit that did make passiones animi soule-passions There is such an affinite between the body and the soule that it is hard to separate them in suffering yet a divine hand of God who is father of spirit and flesh makes burthens pinch more upon the one then upon the other as pleaseth him Pauls cup was eminently proportion'd to Christs 't was to fill up that which was behind of the afflictions of Christ and Christs cup had those ingredients which made his soule heavie to death they did deeply affect not onely his flesh but his spirit Body and soule were
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a house and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to distribute Which makes the sense run thus according to that family distribution which God hath made to me The holy Ghost distinguisheth gifts into good and perfect both come downe from above but under a diverse notion the one as common to all the World the other as proper to his Family they are good gifts in themselves which bade men have their health their wealth their learning all good gifts but not perfect gifts they want one thing as our Saviour spake to the young man in this case and this one thing the maine of all to wit the speciall love of God fatherly mercy rapt up in them Family distribution is fatherly goodnesse speciall mercy a perfect gift Choyce indowment is mans blessednesse Doct. This God gives All the posterity of Jacob were blessed but Joseph was a Nazarite amongst his Brethren saith the Text i culled out by speciall providence from all the rest and choicely indowed and imploid the very creame of Love dished out to him The pretious fruits brought forth by the Sun and the pretious things which put forth by the Moone and the chiefe things of the ancient Mountaines c. And observe here the prime blessing is brought up in the Reare that which makes all other gifts perfect and the favourable acceptance of him that dwelt in the bramble the favour and love of God wrapt up in every thing wee have is that which makes them full mercies and this had Ioseph Deut. 83.16 he had top favours blessings came upon his head upon the top of him that was a Nazarite from his brethren This kind of providence died not with those persons and times but lives still in an Evangelicall sense Christ goes through this World and picks out here and there one from among his brethren and makes him a Nazarite indowes him with choyce mercies Family dispensations bespangles him with such Jewells as they weare above in his own Court riches of the body and riches of the minde and inlayes them all with the good will of him that dwelt in the Bramble This was prophecied then when the Patriarchs had their speciall indowments and touched in their kindnesse the Scepter shall not depart from Judah c. and unto him shall the gathering of the people be Gnammim peoples Gnammim binding his foale unto the Vine and his Asses colt unto the choyce Vine Gen. 49.11 Christ doth gather and select still even among the Gentiles As far as us Gentiles doe these words looke To him shall the gathering of the peoples bee Not one people to wit the Iewes but peoples Jewes and Gentiles A choyce Vine Christ findes out amongst us Trees of speciall vertue and noble blood and spirits above all Trees and ties his foale to these unites himselfe to this body by the same spirit by which he so indowed and ennobled that ancient people of the Iewes Choyce indowments being mans blessednesse and this sesable that which God gives now I would fasten this naile in the temple with a word of use Vse Content not your selves with common blessings covet the best gifts seeke family favours childrens mercies or you cannot be happy We place blessednesse here t is not here t was here but is not now t is risen t is above there must your industry lie Seeke those things which are above where Christ is at the right hand of God The mercies of Gods owne family make us and none else Such dispensations as have the speciall love of God wrapt up in them Let no man thinke this an unpossible thing to attaine the things that are above will come down to the conservation of the whole the naturall Heavens will descend the supernaturall will too Christ though at the right hand of God will come down and sit at your right hand and guide you and impart the things that are above to you clothe you in the habit and fashion of that countrey if sought to and desired But the plague is our hearts are carnall and lust onely after low things we place blessednesse in our belly and worship Dagon Dagan frumenti Deus a belly-god The Apostle alludes to this where he saith Whose God is their belly Red pottage lusted after the birth-right is nothing How affection workes is not heeded by you yet your life is in it and it goes to the heart of God to see how you lavish and lay it out for that which is not of any nobility or worth in order to such creatures as you are Wherefore doe you spend money for that which is not bread not white bread not living bread not that bread which came down from Heaven not such as the family above feede on You that feed on such mercies owe much to God I will touch this and conclude You that are like Joseph Nazarites among your brethren separated from thousands of your owne flesh and bone and made great endowed with Noble gifts and imployed in Noble workes to attend upon the great King of all the world as his onely favourites your should doe as Joseph Goe saith he haste ye to my father and tell him thus saith thy sonne Joseph God hath made me Lord of all Egypt come down to me tarry not Genes 45.9 divine mystery is in all this and it hints your duty goe haste you to Heaven and tell your father what honour is by the Lord Jesus bestowed on you that he hath made you Lords over all Egypt over all your lusts which did keepe you in bondage that he hath put his owne ring upon your hand and his owne Gold-chaine about your necke and made you secundi the next to him in all the world and onely in the Throne is greater then you t is a sweet thing to be going often to Heaven and telling there how much we feele of it upon earth Choice endowments call for choice duty as we are winged we should mount There were choice vowes under the old covenant Deut. 12.11 Some choice offerings that upon some choice mercies received they performed to God You have received choice mercies make choice vowes understand me Gospelly make sweet Gospell raptures of all Noble favours received Your Roman dames had some Jewels worth millions which they called uniones because they were incomparable and had none like them singulars such as had no fellowes and these they bequeathed when they died as an inheritance to posterity they were of so great worth God hath given unto you such precious Jewels uniones singular gifts such as cannot be fellowed in many of your brethren weare these Jewels every day though it was the fashion of the Roman dames to weare their uniones upon great daies hold forth all your choice gifts choicely to the great glory of Christ My Dove my undefiled is but one she is the onely one of her mother she is the choice one of her that bare her the daughters
saw her and blessed her yea the Queen and the core thines and they praised her The Church of Christ is here set forth as a choice one for all endowments and glory and as holding forth all this to the admiration of Christ and all beholders The daughters saw her and blessed her the Queens and Concubines praised her COLOS. 1.25 Which is given to me for you c. THere are two occult things in providence which when well apprehended make a serene sweet life to understand still wherefore God takes and wherefore he gives what bitter and sweet meane blindnesse in either loseth God God lost in his dealings the soule loseth it selfe a man knowes not in this case where he is nor what he is whether a Saint or an hypocrite a man or a beast In both these this servant of Christ was acute the perishing of the outward man the flourishing of the inward he could explaine both All things are for your sakes 2 Corinth 4.15 16. there he speakes of what misery he did beare here in the text I stand upon he speaks of what honour he did beare and he understood well the end of both both for the Church of Christ for you i. for the prosperity of Christ in the hearts of all believers Family distribution is with this designe that all the family may be the better for what any one hath An elder child that can tell how to hold a dish hath a great full messe that all the rest may sit round and eate out of his dish Wisdome folds up many things in one many vertues and influences in one Sunne for all the world such a Sunne is Christ set for the fall and rise of many We are in Christs stead and so the savour of life and death to many We are Ambassadours in Christs stead and present Jewels allowed us from our Master to any especially to his Spouse for you i. you that are married to the Lord Jesus Thus I thinke the expression imports As if the Apostle had said Great endowments and gifts are for the Church primarily for others secondarily and subordinately in order to the use and welfare of the Church some way or other Which way the heart of God bends is observable Christ doth peculiarly and principally apply himself to Saints the centre of divine donation is the heart of a Christian all that goes from God to any does but hover till it come here the marrow and juyce of every creature of every gift is squeesed out into this vessell If you see Angels sent forth those glorious gifted creatures you may stand still and prophesie where they will turne in to Abraham to Lot they may goe along by others but they turne in and host here The choice communcations which descend from Heaven they bed themselves in the brests of Gods people they may hang and hover in the braines of others but they enter into the hearts of none but these The life of Christ is the spring of all parts the gifts which you see shine in any they are but springs from this fountaine branches of this Vine and observe which way this Vine creepes about whose house sides it goes with its branches into whose bowles he squeeses their blood T is for you saith he this is the blood of the new Testament which was shed for you My beloved is gone down into his garden to the beds of spices to feed in the gardens and to gather Lillies Cant. 6.2 After Christ are we directed to goe to carry all excellencies we have where he doth and lay them down all where he is in you and therefore observe that clause Luke 10.6 And if the Sonne of peace be there then stay otherwise away and carry all away with you When things lie in suite and in petition before they come forth thus into actuall exhibitions you shall see the truth of the point in hand demonstrated which way the heart of God bends in all cases of this nature Christ doth especially and peculiarly apply himselfe to Saints Thou wilt make their heart to prepare and thine eare to intend Psal 10.17 speaking of the meeke and humble Observe how peculiarly Christ applies himselfe to some Thou wilt make their heart to prepare if their heart stand not fit to receive noble favours thou wilt make them stand fit if it be not humble enouh hungry enough depending enough thou wilt make it doe all these thou wilt overcome all unaptnesse in these soules yea all unaptnesse in thy selfe If sinne and basenesse in these creatures present themselves in thine eyes and make some impresse and influence upon thee against having to doe with them yet thou wilt make thy selfe to looke towards these yea to heed them intensly saith the originall Thou wilt make thy selfe to intend Mercy pleades with justice when God hath to doe with his and makes him come off yea come down and condescend to stoope and take a lame creature by the hand and lay his eare close to his head and speake incouraging words to put the soule in heart to speak and speed Hester what is thy request and what is thy desire come into my presence I have nothing but is for thee he lends her legs to stand upon countenance to looke upon him spirits and mouth and tongue to speake makes her to prepare and then makes himselfe to forget the confinement of himselfe to other things and to intend her Which is a brave demonstration of this thing I am upon that Christ doth peculiarly and transcendently apply himselfe to Saints You have a like place Psal 18.6 My prayers came into his face into his eares Other folkes prayers come but to Gods eares and there they vanish but the prayers of Gods people come into his eares The expression notes how the eare and heart of Christ are specially and peculiarly applied unto his people Vse Towards whom Christ doth thus apply himselfe t will be bad bending against them for any This generation is very unhappy men observe not which way Christ bends and bend after him but which way the times bend and so bend after these and so what parts and endowments God hath given them are imployed against the people of Christ and not for them One thing should by as us to wit the will of Christ but when this will not any thing will pride covetousnesse malice when a man hath lost his aime he kils a child a friend as soone as an enrmy The scope of divine distribution this should be every gifted mans aime from hence should we take our levell but we doe not Which way doth God looke To what point hath he set the compasse To what part hath he bound me and fraighted me for the Holy-land for Saints must all I have and all I can doe runne into their breasts and put in at their Haven Then thither I must steer and to no other port though greater gaine might be had if this I doe not I make shipwracke of faith and a
feated so it will abide if sinne be feated in the heart it will abide there till all the bloud of the man be spilt on the ground yea till all that which is ten thousand times more noble then this to wit the soule be lost I will tell you the property of the Word of God in order to such a foule as still keepes his sin t is though sweet in it selfe bitter to such searching piercing tormenting The word of God is quick and powerfull sharper then any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing of soule and spirit and this hee spake in order to them which abode in the stubbornesse of their heart and flighted the promise of perfect rest in that Canaan above The heart strongly ingaged to evill truth is very piercing he that so loves sinne that he slightes the rest above he shall have no rest here You cannot imagine the sad boutes and fearfull expectations that unsound soules have and yet this must continue because the breath of the Lord like a River of Brimstone keeps in this Hell as it doth that below The breath of Christ which you spurne against by your spurning lights a fire and shall serve to burne you though it will not to lead you Christ puts to the sword all they which yeeld not burnes and blowes up all that he cannot take Did not our hearts burne within us whilst he talked with us The breath of Christ is hot it burnes within men according to that degree of unbeliefe and resistance it findes in every one without respect of persons Did not our Hearts burne Sinners consider these things and repent sucke in the dying breath of Christ charge folly upon your selves Who is it that speakes to mee what would he have who is it within me that answers and what answers doth it make There are fleshly reasonings and carnall motions take heede of them Everybody will plead for it selfe the body of death will do so which is the death of the soule but methinks the Word of God should silence all If the voyee that speakes to us were considered as such a voyce surely it would In what posture your soules sit in an ordinance is all in all If you thinke I speake these things as a man as Paul saith that it is onely a mans word you will hush your soules asleepe againe as soone as gone from the presence of a man and yet ingenuity would honour mans voyce The beast that spake to Balaam that beast was honoured to speake with mans voyce and that was throwne in Balaams face that mans voyce from a beast would not calme his madnesse The dumb Asse spake with mans voyce But when man is honored to speak with Gods voyce and to forbid your sin and your madnesse therein will you on for all this how much more will this be throwne in your face Consider with what voyce we speak and for how little while this Oracle speakes in this earthen Tabernacle and see how it will worke To day if you will heare his voyce this Tabernacle in which his voyce is and speakes lasts but a day to day if you will heare his voyce sinners doe to morrow the tent will be removed the vaile will be drawne the Oracle will besilent his voyce and our own too will be gone out of our Mouthes and hid from your Eares COLOS. 1.26 Even the Mystery THe carryage of Christ since the fall is here hinted hee doth worke and speake above our reach when he goeth he maketh a path like a Ship in the Sea that no man can finde any thing after him not a step when hee speakes his words are a great deepe a Sea bottomlesse i of such vastnesse in all noble property that no man can mouth them nor utter them after him but stand dumb and silent they are as the title saith here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occludere shut up the Tongue and Lips of man that hee can say nothing Divine prerogative we are to stand upon There is a power opening and shuting things of eternall consequence in order to man in this life This power is purely spirituall action is used to close the Eyes of the dead but it is invissible mans doome is written in the wall and no hand seene nor caracter legible in order to the man concerned though all big and plaine and hee spelled and personated in them because Organs within enervated in which case man hath Eyes and sees not Eares and heares not They that see are made blind but do they know how action is used in this sad worke but can any one explaine it to sence for the time when it was done or for the thing it selfe that is done when went the spirit from me to thee The poore creatures eyes are out but when was it done did the man feele it can he tell the agent or the instrument that did it or what wheele in the Clock is crackt that the motion goes so false The nature of this spirituall occlusive act is this two spirits run their course at last one is finally left and so in the darke and able to see nothing according to the spirituall nature of it so as to stir any noble operation in the soule Faith a Ridle Selfe-deniall a Ridle Regeneration a Ridle a going into ones Mothers belly againe the death of the body of death the Resurrection and the Life all these great things of the Gospell strange things and like the talke of a son to a barren wombe laughed at The sâ—uting up or the opening of the Kingdome of God in order to any is a transaction onely by the spirit cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive but God hath revealed them to us by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things the deepe things of God There is an internall caelestiall vertue coacting with the soule the giving or the suspension of which is mans onely advantage or disadvantage to understand Gods Will the suspension of internall influence keepes the soule spiritually darke what ever other advantages it hath and shuts it out from the Kingdome of Heaven This spirituall occlusive power is feated in Christ For Judgement am I come into this World that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind Concerning spirituall judicature it is proper to me there is none good at this worke but I saith Christ to cast amist before the Eyes of the minde and to darken the light that is in men this onely I can doe to cast a mist before the Eyes of mens bodies this divells may doe and such men as give themselves to them but to cast a mist before the Eyes of mens soules and to darken the light that is in them and to make the things of eternall Life mysteries and meere ridles this is only Christs work Christ can put out the
Eyes of a Sampson darken the greatest lights and confound the greatest parts that is speake ridles and parables at every word things unexplicable to the most learned men he can carry a darke Lantherne betweene the Egyptians and the Israelites make a cloud to go betweene both and to be darke of one side and light of to'ther Christ was in the midst of that project 't is often said in the Booke of Moses that hee was in the midst of the cloud that is he was the onely author of that great mystery 't was no art of Moses nor Aron nor any man else but Christ Christ hath a Kingdome but t is not of this world t is of that little World within he hath the Keyes of every roome within you he and he only opens and shuts these everlasting doores and at what houre he will every wheele in that curious artifice within hath its motion or check from him the spirit wee speake is of his â—nction t is in fulnesse given to him to make every knee bow or breake every eye blind or seeing of things in Heaven of things in Earth and under the Earth This thing is better exprest by the Prophet then eye can The Key of the house of David will I lay open his shouldiers so hee shall open and none shall shut Isai 22.22 Revel 3.7 The donations of Christ are absolute not such as ours which may and often are overborne the Eyes hee closes none can ever open the Trees he curseth barren none can ever make fruitfull dung as long as they will the things hee hides from mens eyes they can never see more his spirituall occlusive power is as his power apertive absolute and above controule Hee is the onely absolute at opening or closing the Eyes of the dead Vse 'T were well if the right state of eternall actions and things were seriously considered what is in the power of Christ and what he can do and doth to a perverse Generation Suffering in the outward man is the least that Christ doth to testifie dislike of any mans course and yet this as poore sensuall creatures we onely Eye How doth God carry himselfe to the soule how neer to it or how far off from it is he how plainly and cleerly or how darkly and misteriously doth he move within thee Is not thy soule in darknesse Shut up under unbeliefe in the valie of a shadow of death fearing evill the destruction of all Darknesse makes feares the Oracle within speakes doubtfully and the best Life hangs in doubt the Malefactor hath his book and cannot reade for his best Life the caracters are so old and so mysterious this is a great wound in the spirit and it is a wonder to me that any one can beare this and beare up yet so remisse are men till things grow ragingly desperate and remedilesse nothing is considered Terrified sinners Christ hath tyed a handkercher about your Eyes you are upon the Ladder ready for execution can you read your neck verse or not Legit ut clericus vel non A Gospel sence of misery is the first step to remedy Light is made to shine out of darkenesse God closeth the Eyes and then opens them I am at the doore of Heaven neere the Kingdome of God my night will have a day according to the course of of the Sun it will be so Let faith thus work and thou wilt be blessed speedily God makes light to shine out of darknesse when he would make a shining State hee usually makes it very darke first very darke and very sad and then reveales light very cleere and makes a very shining bright Heaven The order of the Sun what course it goes what long nights it makes in some parts of the World and then what long and glorious dayes should be remembred and expected this way comes in our blessednesse here In a darke condition when one cannot do as wee would we must doe as we can make advantages of little things Sampson being darke and starke blind made advantage of a little boy do thou said he lead mee to this place or that to the pillar where the house beares so must you poore darke soules which are starke blind in the best things makes use of such little things as before mentioned to be led by till you come to finde Pillars great Pillars whereon the house beares to doe great exploits T is sweet to consider that sacred concealements are but for a time and this time set by wisdome Vision is but for an appointed time That is a secret and a mystery to us which to Christ is vision the vision is but c. and shall be so to us in his light wee see light and in cases of danger and extremity he doth hasten When we are in a chariot of our owne conceits a fiery Chariot and Satan running away with us Christ saith to his spirit go joyne thy selfe to that chariot and interpret and now behold a nation is borne in a day a World borne of a day a World of light a Heaven borne of a day of an hower 'T is yet more sweete yea most sweete to consider when we can do nothing at all for our reliefe neither the greater nor the lesser not make use of a Lad to lead when we cannot make the least motion toward the light it makes motion toward us the Sun findes out us it findes lost persons and lost comforts it bares it selfe about unto every one who doth draw the Sun to this place or that Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.19 you reade it a day Star the Latines rightly render it Lucifer because it doth lucem ferre Christ doth beare about light over the World to every one that sits in darknesse and needs it COLOS. 1.26 Which hath beene hid from Ages and from Generations THis expression meanes not totum but tantum not altogether hid but very much hid over what it is since the revelation of Christ in the flesh A full comment upon these words are those of the Apostles to the Ephesians cap. 3. v. 4 5. Whereby when you reade you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made knowne to the sonnes of men as it is now revealed to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the spirit Ceremonies were but a shaddow of good things to come as great a distance between their condition and ours as betweene shaddow and substance their fruit had much shell and little kirnells we have no shell yet the kirnell bigger and sweeter to The sensuall helps they had spake for the most part no farther then sence What all those carnall Ordinances did spiritually meane we have in expresse words and these words explained and applyed with greater power and glory then ever from the spirit of Christ Mercies have their demensions they differ in grouths The drops that fall from Heaven are of severall quantities Christ hath in his hand blessings of severall
sizes some bigger some lesser two talents five talents ten talents concerning the glory above t is disputed whether it be graduall but concerning the glory of a Christian here it is a resolved thing that it is graduall there is migration in our glory here going from glory to glory from strength to strength Milke and strong meate babes and full age crums and Flagons love and abounding in love Our Kingdome comes our Kingdome here is a comming Kingdome Mercies are all shaped by Love it is the property of Divine Love to higthen dispensation still till shee hath lifted the soule beloved fully into her bosome Grace t is in the beginning little a graiâ—â— of Mustardseed in progresse great in the end all to wit Heaven which is all now doth Love fully possesse her beloved and now she rests and not till now beyond Heaven there is no gradation no step higher Love hath got her full end which is the full possession of what shee makes out to and now rests Love shapes Mercy so as fully to bring about her end and that is to bring the soule shee loves into her bosome to the full fruition of her selfe of whatsoever shee is you may see this demonstrated in Christ the Father loves him and he gives him mercies greater and greater and never leaves till hee hath lifted him fully into his bosome to his right hand i the fruition of all John 5.20 The Father loveth the Sonne and showeth him all things that himselfe doth and hee will show him greater workes then these that yee may marveile My Father hath given me great things already but hee will give me greater for he loves mee and this will drop and drop till it hath dropped out all it will never rest till it hath brought mee into his bosome The love of God carries the same property and proportion to a Christian and this makes the grouth of a Christian necessarily as the grouth of a Crocadile of which it is written that hee groweth alwayes so doth a Christian till hee bee transplanted into Heaven Vse T is trying this point what truth is in you Your graces are not so great but you may have greater if this be not regarded as you taste not grace what tang it has so you understand not grace what order t 'as Spirituall fulnesse speakes a deluded heart hee that hath goods enough enough for many yeares enough to make his felicity for ever and therefore rests is a foole hee knowes not his state what hee has nor what he wants Blinde men 't is observed do not dreame so much as men that see because fancy in the day hath not so much nor so lively impressive imployment to set it at worke in the night but blinde soules dreame more a great deale then they that see This is one of their dreames among many I have enough grace to bring me to Heaven I hope and I care for no more I love not to be pragmaticall Some make a great deale of stir and run mad t is extreame naught this I like it not Answ this is one extreame but there are two extreames and vertue in the midst of them dost thou eye t'other extreame Some die with heate others die with cold Thou seest others too hot may'st not thou be too cold grace in the true knowledge of it is inviting 't is like some Liquids drinking makes thirstinesse and longing for more drinke every degree of grace possessed makes discovery of greater degrees not possessed One Chamber of Christ hath a window looking into another far bigger and more glorious Thou art entered into one thou sayest dost thou looke into another more glorious and long to enter into it if thou be a stranger to these things thou art a foolish Virgin that possibly hast knocked at the doore of Christs house a little but art yet indeed entered into no roome when Christ had opened the nature of spirituall bread unto his followers that they did indeed understand it they fell a longing presently for more what they had discovered much more behind which they wanted and therefore cryed Lord evermore give us of this Bread Vse This point is upbraiding the light which shines upon us is more glorious then that which shined upon our Fathers that which hath beene hid from Ages and from Generations we have made manifest to us wee have mercies according to externall communication of the biggest what have you according to internall communication this will be looked after This is a day of great things a time wherein Christ brings about great things to our doores our fathers day was a day of small things yet if they were judged for despising their day of small things how much more shall you be judged that despise the day of great things t is the Apostles argument to the Hebrewes and must be mine to you Despite is a spiritull act deliberate disaffection to the loveliest things The posture of our spirits wee least looke at and this Christs Eye is most of all fixed upon Externall carriages are all measured and titled from the heart God rules in the inside of his enemies hee unbowells this Generation and Christens it in blood according to its spirit We offer despite to the spirit of grace we tread under foot the bloud of the Lord Jesus can wee tell whether this iniquity will be blotted out till this Generation die The heart fired against truth abides so t is part of that unquenchable fire below God allowes Satan to bee fueler in such a soule till they both come to burne together in hell Love lost Christ cares not for the person let him be what he will if hee be the greatest man in the World he will burne to death in that fire which burnes in his breast against Christ Our love now to be least when greatest love is tendered can you imagine that this iniquity will be quickly forgotten great heare makes great thunders t is so now the Sun of love shines mighty hot and now wickednesse thunders and so will Justice and righteousnesse too believe it COLOS. 1.26 But now is made manifest c. THe word notes two things appareo et splendeo vision and shining vision that is according to Gospel speech still in the letter and in the spirit the understanding of words which one reads by workes which one feeles a voyce behind one interpreting that before one circumcision outward in the flesh and this explained by circumcision inward in the spirit There is a narrative and an operative light that which makes one talke well and that which makes one walke well that which enables one to produce bookes for his authority in discourse and that which enables one to produce his soule and his life for authority here is my soule and my life reade if it be not so as I say let men and Angells all the World reade if they will The Manifestation which our Apostle speakes of here is the latter for he speakes of such
creation was up in an outcry against him Man is the prime creature miserable and yet the prime creature cryd out upon to be more miserable man is not miserable enough yet let me overwhelme and drown all saith the Sea let me not leave a man alive saith the deepe Let me open my mouth and eate up all the men in the world saith the earth Let me breake forth and burne all saith the Heavens There is a strong propensity in all the creation to make an utter end of man without the least compassion towards him in any breast There is a joynt conspiracy in the creation just as there was in Noahs latter time to swallow up all and the creation shall obtaine its will upon all the wicked world at last and when that time comes you shall see what Gospell is in the creation not a dram of mercy shall any wicked soule finde so will Heaven and earth and the deepe conspire And as for the Law that is a Volume which heigthens all this cry and avers the justice of the creation in its cry and cries out for blood stronger then it Not a dram of any compassion to be found in the breast of any thing towards man no not scarce in man to man Acts 21.1 2. The Apostle after he had escaped shipwracke wondred to finde man-friendship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being cast upon the Island of Melita the inhabitants there saith he made a fire for us because of the raine and because of the cold and they shewed us no little man-friendship he wondred having escaped the Sea that the people of the Island had not eaten him up and therefore the words that follow are observable When we came to land then we knew the name of the Island Melita quasi Melifluae insula i. an Island flowing with honey because he had found flowing mercie double kindnesse by Sea and Land The Gospell holds out this man friendship t is a Volume full of compassion to man so doth the Apostle expresse it Titus 3.4 But after that the kindnesse of man-friendship of God our Saviour appeared expressing the Gospell The Gospell is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a volume that holds forth Christ not onely as compassionate but as very facile this way and that is riches of glory indeed Love and kindnesse in order to any but Christ are wrought things there is a great deale of art to make some persons smile and it is so generally in point of kindnesse and mercy there must be a great deale of art used to any but Christ to bring them to it men must be heated and warmed againe and againe to make them beath and bend strait to my purpose but Christ is facile this way Titus 3. But after the gentlenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or facilenesse of God our Saviour appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is gentle and facile towards man ready to be brought on to doe him good in the saddest state the word is so translated Galat. 5. The fruit of the Spirit is gentlenesse Christ gives and forgives very much and he doth it without much 〈◊〉 easily chearfully t is his meat and drinke to doe his Fathers will yea and t is his meat and drinke to doe our will so farre forth as it doth conduce to righteousnesse and unto holinesse t is his meat and drinke to give us meat and drinke although it be his body and blood Love comes from Christ just as showers from Heaven and not as water out of a pump I will come as the formes and the latter Raine saith the Prophet and every word of this Gospell and not such another word in any other Book to be found As the formes and the latter Raine i very naturally Love comes from Christ just as leafes out of a Tree those leafes you reade of in the Revelation which are good to heale bud out naturaly and that but an illustration how love comes from Christ it growes and buds out of it selfe where no body can by any art fetch it out and then when buded out smiles and lookes greene upon men truly this is riches of glory indeed and yet thus doe the greatest acts of mercy come from Christ to man The Apostle to the Hebrewes mentions a great act of mercy and he mentions this very circumstance with it to wit how facile it comes But God willing more abundantly to shew his love to man and immutability of his counsell did make an Oath To this great act of mercy solemne swearing to seale and establish man God comes off very willingly or with much strength of affection and so the word is reade sometimes hee was strongly carried this way to sweare to establish and make weake hearts strong God was in such a temper in this very act as he was when he gave up his life J have a sacrifice and O how I am prest together within my selfe till it be sacrificed which expression shewes the great willingnesse of Christ to drinke off that deadly Cup. You have the same word used where the Apostle sayes love constraines mee This is the riches of the glory of the Gospell it holds forth compassion with much strength i bowels sounding very loud The Apostle fastens upon this circumstance to no to the kindnesse that comes from God to be exceeding riches because it goes forth so facile Eph. 2.7 That in Ages to come he might shew the exceeding Riches of his grace in his gentlenesse or facilenesse towards us This doth note exceeding riches indeed that Christ should bee facile in kindnesse towards man that arch Rebell The Gospel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an expression used by the Father of his Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set forth that infinite rest he had in him for person and action as our Mediator t is a terme that notes such large affection as is competent onely to God such as is a Heaven to him The Gospel holds forth Christ in this very frame of love towards man even as one in Heaven when he thinks of bringing man thither which spirit is called a thing of highest glory Luke 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory in the highest things what are those highest things Peace in Earth And what next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest and solace in men which is a high thing indeed and may well be called one of the highest things of glory that God should finde rest in man As God speakes of Christ so doth hee of those that are in him this is my beloved Sonne in whom J 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solace my selfe have had my Heaven from all eternity And such a thing is it now for God to looke in Christ towards sinners it is a Heaven to him t is his rest to lie in the bosome of a sinner to lie in the place where his Sonne lies though in a Manger which is riches of glory indeed riches which make glory T is the pleasure and the grace of
spirit they were such that had not so much as that circumcision which was made with hands much lesse that circumcision which was made without hands by the spirit A Gentile in the spirit is one ignorant without God in the World that is without the knowledge of God it is explained so by another expression like this that at that time yee were without Christ being Aliens Eph. 2.12 And by another expression to them that are without the Law as without the Law 1 Cor. 9.21 that is such as had no knowledge of the Word of God nor did acknowledge any such thing as a rule of life but their own blind traditions and customes Gentilisme is a meere Chaos a little World lying all in confusion darkenesse upon the face of the deepe the understanding which is as the face of the soule blind not able to finde out God in his Word or Workes what in essence or what in existence what hee is or what he doth in Heaven in Earth in the soule of man nor what hee will doe though all these exprest and told of at large a Gentile in spirit is one that cannot see God nor feele after him that can use neither head nor hand no reason nor sense divinely one that fits in darkenesse and cannot stir any power internall or externall towards the true God One that fits in darknesse wich is an expression I thinke in allusion to the Egyptians who had thicke darkenesse such obscurity of darknesse as the originall saith that they saw not any man his brother neitheir rose any man from his place for three dayes mittacheaif de sub se not from under himselfe or not from off himselfe and these were Gentiles and in this I thinke the lively type of all Gentiles who are in such thick darkenesse spiritually that they sit stock still not one can arise from of himselfe to apprehend any thing out of himselfe and above himselfe that which hee worships is himselfe the imagination of his own brain his zeale is seated in blind principles and this is his God that he knowes no God As I passed by and beheld your devotion I found an Altar with this inscription to the unknowne God and these were Gentiles and this blind principle was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Innâ—itten or written in them for the Altar was but an emblem of their heart they did hold out by this what was in them to wit a God adored but no body could tell what no not they themselves any further then selfe some carnall fancies hotly pursued and after no other light would they search with braine or sense The Apostle reproves them in this scope though you have not the Word of God yet you have had the workes of God if you had pursued these as blind men that use their hands in stead of their eyes and make a good shift to finde their way you would certainly have found out God to better purpose then this inscription quotes and then relates the story of the Creation viz. who hath made of one bloud all Nations if happily they might feele after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word notes touching or groaping with the hand not able to imploy understanding nor sense about the Word or Workes of God to finde out God which is just the state of a brute and so are the Gentiles shadowed to be in Pauls vision there were all manner of Beasts in the sheet that was let downe to him but nothing else A Gentile in spirit is one blinde and obstinate he shuts his eyes against some things and none must open them opens his eyes to other things and none must shut them he loveth darknesse better then light and no body must stir nor wake his love till hee please this obstinacy is well exprest by Christ Mat. 18.17 if hee will not heare the Church let him be as a Heathen an Ethnick which is the same word with the Text I stand on if hee will not heare let him be accounted a Gentile a Gentile is a wilfull person Let a man be in Church-state and under-light yet if wilfull in sinne loving darknesse and against light hee is as a Heathen that is he is a Gentile in spirit hee is formerly and really a Gentile onely he is not outwardly called so he is not called so by men but he is so by God The Jewes the greatest amongst them the Scribes and Pharisees that instructed company although of the Jewish Church and eminent in Office yet as obstinate and raging opposers of Peter and his Ministery are cald by the Spirit of God Ethicks and in the second Psalme where the Prophet speakes of Heathenish great ones opposing Christ applied it to them as fulfilled in them Acts 4.25 when they were let goe they reported to their owne company that is to the rest of the Apostles and Disciples all that the chiefe Priests and Elders had said to them and when the Apostles heard it they lifted up their voice with one accord and said O God which hath made Heaven and Earth who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said Why doe the Heathen rage and so forth and there cals them Ethnicks Gentiles and because of this that they were wilfull and raging in their blindnesse and wickednesse against Christ This property also of stubbornnesse was lively shadowed in that Type of the Gentiles forementioned there were such and such kinds of beasts in the sheet that was let down to Paul and wild beasts saith the Text to note that this is one eminent property in an ethnicall spirit wildnesse headinesse obstinacy in his blinde course Spirituall gentilisme is opened have I not done two works at once opened the Doctrine and opened your condition are ye not Gentiles in heart though not so call'd truth should be own'd whether with us or against us or there is no remedy confession of sinne is a necessary Gospell requisite sinners can have no mercy without it if ye lay not open your sinne to God t will lay open you to God Angels and men and a soule laid open by the word is one found out in the fact when God hath found out and seised upon a sinner for him then to deny the fact or seeke to breake away from him as one that breakes bolts by being more boysterous in sin this man will die for it and not have pardon no not hope on 't hee 'l not have his booke there is not the least tender of grace to the soule whilst convictions are strangled but treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath to burne hornets in their nest seeing they will not come out convictions stifled is like Powder in a mine that when sprung it blowes up all and no fire so terrible as this stifled fire for renting and tearing the soule A mans soule discovered by truth God hath found out the man the effect will be this the man will now prove a deare friend or a desperate enemy to Christ the vision
of convictions make a man fall at the feet of Christ or flee in his face Hast thou found me O mine enemy Wounds that goe to the heart if they let not out corruption and pride they make men desperate and bleed them to death desperately a proud man stab'd to the heart by the word if it be not sanctified to let out his pride he will spet the blood of his soule in the face of him that wounded it Are you Gentiles in heart then be so in name doe not miscall yourselves T is a thousand pities that many are called Christians You doe onely but flatter them that flatter themselves enough and too much you helpe hug soules to death The name of a Christian given to such a one that hath not the nature of a Christian is satans chariot in which he hath carried thousands to hell asleepe Let persons and things be called as they are let us name things according to their nature let Divinity have its name Morality its name Barbarity its name You give men their severall distances as they stand ranked by a common providence one to another but we doe not give men their distance as they stand all rankt by speciall providence in order to God and the highest greatnesse Let us follow Christ in this say some are neere some are far off some are in the Kingdome of God The Kingdome of God is in you saith he to some t is neere you saith he to others t is far off from you saith he to others Let us give all persons and things their due distances in order to God as they discover themselves Doe not waste breath vainely to make a gale a pleasant gale to blow soules faster to hell Iitten gnatsabeth Prov. 10.10 which are sailing thither but too fast of themselves He that winks with his eye causeth sorrow saith Solomon dabit dolorem he will give sorrow he that puts out his owne eyes and others to he will give a great deale of sorrow to others and yet keep a great deale more for himselfe and yet this is common blind lead one another neither knowes whether Make not a bad condition hopelesse t is not so in it selfe here A Gentile simply as a Gentile was without hope because out of roade of God Enter not by the way of the Gentiles and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not Matth. 10.5 6. but goe rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel said Christ when he sent forth the word The preaching of the word is the meanes of life to whom this is denied death is concluded the people necessarily perish where this vision must not come This was our condition but t is not now the channell of love is turned toward us not from us life is come amongst us as the expression here is the riches of this mystery among the Gentiles or in them saith the originall The expression notes effectuall mercy is now revealed an efficacious proffer a light of life shines amongst us such as makes sight and makes blessednesse to us as much as to the Jewes so is this expression explained Matth. 4.16 t is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great light and that which they did see they which sat in darknesse saw great light Matth. 4.16 All this was shadowed in giving the promise to Abraham before Circumcision and before the Law to note that the Uncircumcision to wit the Gentiles should be partakers of the promise as well as the Circumcision And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached before the Gospell unto Abraham that is before the Law saying in thee and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blest Gentiles you that see your selves such Dogs Wolves Lyons effectuall mercy is tendred to you You that lie in the high way and villages blinde lame halt you are invited the others had their excuses some had bought Oxen others Farmes others had married wives the meaning is covetousnesse and voluptuousnesse carnality did cut off the carnall Jew and nothing but this will cut off you too Undervalue every thing in order to Christ which now invites you to him the creature hath our hearts which is a strange act a man stretching out himselfe for the grave The lust of the Gentiles spoyles them t was shadowed by the Prodigall if any of you be come to your selves like him to returne and looke after Christ you may finde grace and mercy as he did If you finde your hearts averse Christ will by his Word if you attend it perswade them And he reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath saith the Scriptures of Paul and perswaded the Jewes and the Greekes Acts 18.4 the Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of perswasion now to the Greekes that is to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewes Perswasion notes the power of the Word the Word carried to the heart and this Christ hath engaged himselfe to doe Hosea 2.14 Gnal libbah Therefore behold I will allure thee and bring her into the wildernesse and speake comfortably to her the word is to the heart I will allure her and speake to her heart God in them ingaged himselfe to us and stands obliged now to every poore soule that complains of his aversnesse to Christ to allure these soules and to speake to their heart COLOS. 1.27 Which is Christ in you AS there is an externall society body with body so there is an internall society spirit with spirit God is a spirit and sutes his society he moves about corporeals but holds communion and fellowship onely with spirits drawes out himselfe here his face and his heart that is communion where one drawes out his heart If any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels of mercy Phil. 2.1 the latter explaines the former what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the communion of the Spirit meanes to wit such an internall operation as whereby the spirit of man is made like the Spirit of God for bowels and mercies and so for all other Divine dispositions a drawing out his owne heart and his nature in ours partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a communion of the Spirit and a communion of the Divine nature I thinke the termes are expository and note the Spirit so effectually operating in the soule of man as imparting its owne nature to it such an operation or communication of Christ as this is called Christ in us because he leaves his Image and similitude in us as you say sometimes of children his fathers spirit is in him and this is spoken similitudinaliter not formaliter because of that similitude and onenesse of disposition that is between father and child God was in Christ that expression poynts not at the Divine essence nor cannot be proper speech so applied but at Divine existence noting how the persons in the Trinity doe act one in and by another
gnola an whole ascension holocautomata a whole burnt offering all ascending in a flame to Christ that did so for us to God Divine Light carries Energy with it all tooles and instruments whereby all faculties and organs are made answerable to the eyes it opens it makes not a blinde man open his eyes and lie still but opens eyes in order to legs and armes and all other joynts when God opens eyes he opens cares opens all David is a demonstration of this and Christ Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not Charitha but mine eares hast thou opened digged open Eyes were digged open and eares together when David knew what God would have his Light warmed and opened his heart and made that obedient unto it and so Christ if you apply the words to him when he opened his Commission at his journeys end when come into the flesh and into this world and unto offering age to Priestly maturty for that Office and saw what kinde of offering God expected not such offering as under the Law the bodies of beasts but his own body his Light inflamed his heart and he proclames his Commission what body he might offer a body hast thou prepared me and he longed to give it to its intended use when he knew the intention of God concerning it there is a proportion to this in all the revelations of the same light in our hearts Christ puts his honour here upon us as he doth above as we shall have what he has in heaven so we have in a degree what he had on earth his spirit and his peace his light and his life our life is said to be hid in him t is bravely typified I think Numbers 27.20 Put some of thy honour upon him saith God to Moses concerning Joshua their Unctions were communicative under the Law to shadow that so should Christs Unction under the Gospell be communicative unto us you will be a whole ascension which have a whole light and hee that ascends wholly to Heaven must needs have a sweet and blessed life on 't COLOS. 1.28 Warning every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word here used may be pursued strictly according to what it signifies as so compounded or it may be considered largely according to what it signifies as so in severall Scriptures used The composition of the word notes a putting of a thing into the mind from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the mind and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to put Divine words reach the heart they put themselves into the minde and into the soule This resolution of the Text makes resolution to that question Job 38.36 Who hath put wisdome into the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart The words of Christ doe this and nothing else these doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put things into the soule wisdome and understanding into the inward parts The words of God have the advantage of their matter they are pure Justice is of Majesty what shines with the beames of this is strongly impressive O how forcible are right words saith Job that is words made up of rightousnesse and thus are all Gods words necessarily his breath is as himselfe pure Breath is a very internall thing this stinking speakes something filthy in the inward parts God is light and in him is no darknesse Satan comes and finds nothing in me No impurity no unrighteousnesse in God he must needs therefore breath purely Purity is of great Majesty when Adam bore the Image of God his words were as thunder to all the creation his words yea his lookes went through and through Purity and Majesty be joynd together Cant. 6.10 Cleare as the Sunne terrible as an Army with Banners what is pure is of great power and Majesty The words of Christ have the advantage of their forme God opens his mouth in righteousnesse and in wisdom Some have good breath but not good braines and gutterals to shape it and utter it Children come to the birth cannot be delivered or else delivered too soon untimely births are not taking to looke upon none lodge such in their bosomes Indiscretion turnes the point and edge of things that otherwise are very penetrating The words of the wise are like goades and nailes they goe into the heart wisdome takes the utmost of all advantage which is very forcible she sits her down in the center of a businesse and takes into her bosome all the small lines that doe circumstance it and so makes her motion in every thing effectuall heart-reaching and heart-working The heart is put for wisdome in the old Testament and I thinke for this reason because wisdome is that which brings in all to the heart words workes that which makes every thing like goads and nayles piercing or like honey dewes so king melting Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any he is mighty in strength and wisdome Choach leb Iob 36.5 t is strength and heart or strength of heart Wisdome is that which brings in things in strength to the heart and so makes it strong upon the heart Strength and wisdome are joynd together here things that we say or doe are of strength as this conjunction is kept which is never separated in order to God No word of God no worke of God but uttered and wrought in wisdome which makes all his words like goads and nayles in entering The words of God have the advantage of their end They are spirit and life that is they are intended above all words to be spiritually forcible they are appointed to be the Sword of the Spirit that by which one spirit should reach another the Spirit of God the Spirit of man e contra And take unto you the Helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God The Sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith a critick that which fetcheth blood with delight that which joyes to goe into the veines and into the heart the seat of life Things move delightfully to their end to that scope and center to which they are appointed The center of the word is the soule of man the words of God sinke downe into the eares Let these words sinke downe into your eares saith Christ they are directed from one spirit to another they may knocke without but they will be restlesse till they get in into affection or else into conscience into the marrow and joynts which are the inmost things of man an in-roome they will have Spirit will to spirit the Spirit will use the Word which is to be a Sword according to Divine appointment being put into his hand as a sharpe weapon he will joyfully sheath it in the soule in one part or other of it how painfull soever it be to man hee will wound the spirit pricke the heart let it be never so deepe The words I speake saith Christ they are spirit and life that is they are so
instituted to be of spirituall interpretation and spirituall impression to pricke the heart yea to runne it through The weapon in the hand of the Spirit is suted and fitted to its end to its appointed worke t is very sharpe and very long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 romphaea so t is cald Revel 2.12 jaculum oblongum a very long dart to make through worke save or slay and therefore is this rod of Christs mouth cald a slaying weapon Esay 11.4 Vse T is not safe I see by this poynt to have to doe with sinne any way not to meddle with it in any part neither with hand nor heart there is no hiding place any where for sinne no not within you the word of God will get into you t will ransacke every corner of your soules and discover deepe things out of darknesse t wil strike fire with your bones and kindle a fire in the midst of you bigge enough to discover and lay open all the very secrets of your heart but I purpose not to drive this way That which I would stand on is this this point in hand mee thinks hath not yet demonstration enough I would have you lend me one demonstration more Doe you finde this by experience that the Word of God reacheth your hearts and puts it selfe into your minds and soules our condition is very dolorous t is darke night and yet no man can tell how our night goes away we cannot tell whether it be mid night yet or what I am afraid t is not neere day yet because every ones doores are shut and fast asleepe many ghosts walking which is very affrighting yea the holy Ghost walking and knocking much at mens hearts heads estates ready to knocke downe all and yet cannot get in where he would be England when wilt thou throughly let in the Word of God thy veines are very empty of blood now is there no place yet for truth Some consumptions make the stomacke nauceate as others make it voraminous though all parts be empty yet no desire to take any thing in to any purpose but onely sip a little which notwithstanding the consumption continues and the body decayes and sinkes apace t is so with a body politicke as it takes in Christ and his Word so is it in a languishing or a flourishing condition The civill State and the Divine doe as the soule and body sympathize as the one prospers so doth the other t was noted a great while agoe worthily by good Mr. Fox upon the burning of some Christians in Norwich the same yeere there followed such a fearfull fire as almost burnt downe the City where note saith he that according to the state of the Church so is the Common-wealth in adversity or prosperity burne Saints and Christ will burne Cities Countries Kingdomes t is considerable therefore to observe how we take in or cast out the Word of God The Word is nigh thee England t is very nigh thee t is in thee as that expression is Deut. 30.14 t is so nigh thee England that I may goe on to say to thee as he there doth to Israel The Word is not in Heaven that thou shouldest say who shall goe up for us to Heaven and bring it downe to us that we may heare it and doe it neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say who shall goe over the Sea and bring it to us that we may heare and doe it but the Word is very nigh thee so nigh thee that in a sence it may be said to be in thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst doe it that is formally t is in thee but not really ministerially but not magisterially according to naked aspect not according to energeticall inspect I will open this latter to you The Word of God gotten into the heart magisterially is the heart strong in love with the Word in love with the Word because the voyce of Christ the voyce of a husband The friend of a Bridegroome which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth greatly because of the Bridegroomes voice John 3.19 You may see under what notion Christ and his voice is taken as he is a Husband a Bridegroome and his Word as t is the voice of this Bridegroome The Word got within the heart marries the soule to Christ that is makes love to Christ above all and now ' tould heare more words from his mouth his first words are so sweet could ever heare his voyce and never be tired the friend of a Bridegroome standeth and heareth him No posture is painfull no continuance of time tiresome that is not of the Spirit though possibly it may be of the flesh t would heare him to day to morrow for ever rejoyceth greatly because of the Bridegroomes voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gaudio gaudet by joying or in joying he joyeth he is in good earnest his joy is a reall joy a joy that takes the whole heart The Greeke word also signifies to bid farewell the Word of Christ got into the heart the Bridgroomes voyce heard in the soule makes such a joy and such a delight that the soule bids farewell to all sinfull mirth and cals it madnesse yea it bids farewell to all other delights comparatively and cals them vanities empty things if not sinfull things vexing things and so polluting at second hand if not downe rightly naught and polluting at first hand as soone as ever toucht He that toucheth pitch is defiled with it some things are so naught as to touch them defiles to thinke of them or speake of them other things may be toucht and handled provided we goe no further but if hearted if they come into the soule they vex or bewitch and so will not out againe without becomming sinne The Word of Christ got into the heart bids farewell to all joyes fading to all joyes that will bid the soule farewell that doth not bid them farewell first it makes a joy transcending other joyes and so no need of them and not onely so but a joy sufficing such a vast being as the soule of man is for the soule doth not cast off old delights upon the meere excellency of some new found out that some of later invention doth something more content not upon this ground nakedly and simply doth the soule cast off old sinnes for there are returnes to the same filth unto mens old sinnes and yet going foreward to new too these two are consistent in a bad state the heart doth worsten it selfe still as it goes forth to any thing more carnally contenting and being made worse t will at last take up its vomit eate againe an old sinne by the strength and punishment of a new and so hold what he hath and goe backe and sinne over former sinnes againe with more senslesnesse and with more presumption than at first he did commit them and the reason is because in old and new delights he misses still something that he aimed at but the soule
doth cast off former delights utterly upon such a present excellency of delight and joy as doth suffice and fill up the soule now the Word of God got into the heart the voice of the Bridegroom heard in the soule or with the soule it makes a full joy such a joy as beside or beyond which the soule knowes none nor desires none John 3.29 This my joy therefore is fulfilled said John therefore is fulfilled Wherefore why that as a friend of the Bridegroome he could stand and heare the voice of the Bride spiritually heare Christ eare and heart his words take in and take downe the drops that fell from his mouth Though they are but drops that fall from Christs mouth here in comparison of what falls from his lips above yet they are so big that they fill the soule every Grape of this Vine ounce grapes There is a grape in forraigne parts which because of the greatnesse of it is call'd an ounce grape Every grape of this Vine to wit Christ is an ounce grape every drop from his mouth an ounce drop of so much juyce and liquor as fills the soule with joy and the soule filled once then it doth indeed bid farewell to all joyes and all delights parts with all parting things utterly If you finde that the Word is of no spirituall force that it doth not go into your soules Christ in this case must be move'd Divine institutions are not necessarily successefull all meanes are so ordered that the soule in the midst of them should looke up to Christ The word and Christ as well as the creatures and Christ are separable here below though not above and joyn'd together by faith and prayer Many brave things may be spoken to us from the word but we can receive in none unlesse we have a higher helpe then the meere Word which we heare There arose a question between Johns Disciples and the Jewes about purifying John answered the question briefly and pithily A man can receive nothing unlesse it be given him from heaven meaning not extraordinary graces and gifts for office nor ordinary as a Christian John 4.27 Receptions and takings in of divine things these are high things indeed gifts from heaven We may bring many brave things and lay them at your doore at your eares but the taking in of these into your heart this must be given you from heaven And blessed him that had the promises Heb. 7.6 't is more for a person to have the promises then to have meerly the Word preacht to him Abraham was one that had the promises and yet he needed a super-benediction to make all promises blessings to him something from heaven to make all the words he heard on earth heaven to him how much more need there a blessing from heaven attending men which have not the promise as Abraham had but onely the Word sounded to them The spring is in God still therefore let no man mistake himselfe when he looks upon the Trunke The Word is but a Pipe and conveyance of the Spirit All my strings are in thee To have springs in our soules to have words turned into works working words we must with the Spouse look up to God Thou that dwellest in the gardens the companions hearken to thy voice cause me to beare it Cant. 8.13 'T is the complaint of many poore soules that the Word is of no power in them that it gets within such and such and they are melted and delated and run out in strength of love to Christ Why tell your sad story to Christ as the Spouse doth the companions hearken to thy voice cause me to heare it such and such can eare and heart the Word cause me to doe so too COL 1.28 Teaching every man DIscipline is suted to the state of sinners some are obstinate unruly in thy filthinesse is lewdnesse Ezek. 24.13 to such belongs warning that is Blaming Warne the unruly saith the Apostle Obstinacy is not a first but a last growth of sinne it notes a sinner of so long standing a senior in sin one almost ripe for wrath The Word must be sharpe and keene when hearts are hard to make their owne way because the heart will not yeeld and give way Reprehension is not to goe alone without instruction whom we warne we are to teach Men are obstinate because ignorant as reprehension is proper to men as unruly so is instruction proper to them as ignorant the one doth but lop sinne the other doth grub it up by the rootes Christ aimes in the Discipline he uses at the rooting up of sinne he hath a double property in his breath he doth blast and then blesse blast by reprehension and then blesse by instruction by breathing in right principles The nature of a Christians cleansing I am to stand upon Gospell purification is full Doct. 1 Christ doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expurgare purge out filth filth is not detected and then cloakt and hid againe dust is not swept together and then laid behinde the doore but throwne out The eternall God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting armes and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say destroy Their enemies in Canaan shadowed the enemies in our heart which Christ did not onely detect but thrust out he saies to his Spirit and to ours thrust out sin purge out therefore the old Leaven kill and carry out the dead and 't is so Christs words are actions what he bids what he commands his Spirit and our spirits to do they doe opposition is strong between Christ and Satan and yet the spirit of Justice guides him in all that he doth to the most unjust and cursed things in the world Christ doth no other to Satan and sinne than they would doe to him they have killed Christ and thrust him out of the world out of the great world and they would doe so also to him in order to the little world they would kill him and thrust him out of the heart This and no lesse is in the nature of sinne and without possibility of any thing else and therefore compared to Thornes and in a type named children of Belial seeking to de-throne David yea to take away the life of David i. Christ and therefore are but justly served so themselves But the sons of Belial shall all of them as thornes be thrust away because they cannot be taken away with hands 2 Sam. 23.6 Belial signifies perversenesse sine jugo non ascendens things that are without yoak or things that will not ascend such things Christ do's make to descend Christ doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repurgare he doth purge out and then repeat this act for perfection sake 'T is in grace as t is in nature there is in nature an expulsive power and this can repeat it selfe till all that offend be throwne out and nature fully quiet and at rest Grace can doe thus it hath an expulsive power to throw
out sinne and it can repeat this act till all be throwne out and Christ quiet and at rest in the soule Veestroph therefore is Gospell cleansing called repurgation Esay 1.25 I will turne my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy filth The word is repurgabo I will purge and purge againe till I have taken away all filth and made all pure and therefore translated purely purging I will warne and warne againe warne and teach line upon line precept upon precept till all bee out that Christ dislikes and all in that Christ loves till darknesse be quite dispelled and the sonne of righteousnesse risen Righteousnesse for the nature of it is as the Sun pure and making the minde and the soule so and therefore doth the Apostle Peter use this phrase to stirre up your pure mindes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3.1 mindes as pure as the Sunne so the word signifies which is by much purging the widdowes childe that was brought to life neses seven times and Naaman the Leper he washt him seven times and their legall sprinklings were seven times all pointing at this that grace in its course doth double it selfe warne and teach make cleane and perfect work Christ doth purifie to and for himselfe this necessitates full purification when he takes any soule to refine the patterne to which he workes is himselfe Warning will not doe it to make us like such a patterne there must bee warning and teaching a throwing out of filth and a bringing in of grace single action will not make the soule like Christ The force of reprehension drives onely at negative grace warning catries the strength of prohibition forbids some evill when this is laid downe I am not like Christ hee was not onely negatively good but positively he had no guile in his mouth to be warned of but this was not all to say that his lips were not foule or were not sore will not expresse their glory they were as a thred of Scarlet as the expression in the Canticles is they had a positive glory and beauty Grace was powred into his lips Psal 45.2 And therefore not only warning but teaching also is necessary to sute our state to his to make us like him some acts to cast out and others to bring in we are cloathed with change of raiment 't is a brave expression Zach. 3.4 Iniquity is made to passe away and then something is brought in the stead of it and unto him he said behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will cloath thee with change of raiment Warning and Teaching are change of raiment they speak the complement of a Christian full purity sinne removed and grace in the place of it and this necessary because wee are shapt to such a patterne to wit Christ Wee are renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created us Col. 3.10 The mould according to which things are made spiritually new is the exactest of all Christs owne image was the patterne in the first creation and this is the patterne in the second creation if 't were any patterne else our purity might abate of fulnesse and yet answer the authors intention Christ doth purifie to and for himself but this later I will not touch Vse Saints are sad sinne is so lively deformity seen is humbling and this is good 't is also dejecting in some soules and this is bad I am so filthy I shall never be made cleane so black so ugly that God will not know me God knows who are his when they themselves do not Corruption in us destroyes not knowledge nor love in God he knows and bosomes a Lazarus a man regarded of none so diseased as curable by none yet hath both from Christ favour cure Christ can love where none else can heal where none else can nor will Power nor wil are not disproportionable in Christ though ought so in us in order to many particulars let one lead t'other followes alwayes Hath grace begun with thee 't will finish the love of God in order to such an end hath the power of God wrapt up in it to accomplish it the word of grace or the word making grace is the power of God till grace be perfected 't is the power of God to salvation as the least seed by divine concurrence hath a vertue in it that will carry it on to maturity Mourning hearts think of the nature of Gospel-purification 't is full but know how 't is carried on to this fulnesse by multiplication of acts warning and teaching and this multiplication continued warning and teaching Participles of the present tense which note continued acts there is purgatio and repurgatio a course of Physick purging and purging againe things are not refined presently fire must rise to such a strength and then continue such a length and this exactnesse of order to prevent miscarriage that the precious metall desired may be fully attained and not done to burn and consume it Is thy soule long a cleansing call it mercy not misery God tenders thy frailty and the preciousnesse of the mettle he is drawing out of the Ore he would lose neither thy person nor his work the refining fire is as hot as thou canst beare it thy purges are as strong and as oft repeated as thy strength will endure unlesse he should purge away life and all This you may be assured that how filthy soever you are your purification shall be full the unction shall bee as the conveighance through which it s made your spirits shall be as the Word of God that cleanseth it and what purer thing than the Word of God You shall be cleane through the Word and cleane as the Word pure as he is pure this is bravely set out in a Metaphor of gold by the Prophet Zachary the Pipe gold and the Oile conveighed in it gold too What be these two Olive branches which through the two golden Pipes empty the golden oyle out of themselves Zach. 4.12 Golden Pipes and these have golden oyle out of themselves that which Christ doth give out of himselfe out of his Word and out of his Spirit 't is as himselfe as pure and as glorious in the nature of it and at last in the degree of it according to externall view so as that the one is called by all that look upon it gold pure and glorious so shall the other This you may be further assured that this shall be done freely the utmost benefit not the least cost look to the wounded man saith Christ let all his wounds have Wine and Oyle warning and â—eaching cleansing and healing and I will pay all Josiah's filthy garments are taken away from him by another he is not at cost no nor at paines to doe it himselfe he gives nothing nor doth nothing Our doing in our cleansing is defiling if there do any thing appear in us tending to put away our filth 't is not of us 't is
not we but Christ in us that doth it he is all in all as well as all for all He bids this and that be done and 't is so his words wash us Take away the filthy garments from him set a faire Mitre on his head Zach. 3. Christ lays out all and demands nothing which is admirable Behold I have refined thee but not for silver Esay 48.10 I chose thee in the furnace of affliction c. If one referre this Text to Egypt or to Babylon 't is of much life When I did good to you in Egypt and owned you it could not be for gaine and wealth for yee had none 't was a furnace of affliction a state of oppression and bondage for my owne sake I saved you there and so I will in Babylon and so he doth every sinner that Christ doth good to any sinner purifie cleanse and cloath him cannot be for any thing in him because he chuseth us as the Text saith in a Furnace of affliction in a stript condition in a state of captivity Captives have not store of treasure to ransome themselves this well deserves a note of admiration in the front Behold I have refined thee but not for silver I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction Finally this may be assured thee that Christ will compleat thy purification speedily take speed as the Gospell doth The heart is deep nothing in the world like it things of depth are not emptied nor filled presently as men call presently but allow Christ the liberty of his own Idiome and dialect in speaking and so he is not slack nor long a consummating the acts of mercy no he is not long in consummating the acts of Justice though he be longer ere he accomplish this then that a great deale The Lord is not slack as men call slacknesse saith Peter and yet hee speaks there about wrath consuming wrath and yet he goes a great deale slower about this being as I may say unnaturall to him then about kindnes and mercy being things in which he delights If God be not slack as men count slacknesse in consumamting justice upon wicked men surely he is not slack as you poor sinners count slacknesse in consummating grace and mercy impatient Creatures think a little time a great while unbeleeving Saints do this as well as unbeleeving sinners Doe but allow God so much time in order to all thine enemies internall as Jerome of Prague did in order to all his enemies externall and I will assure thee in such a compasse of time thou shalt triumph over them all cito vos omnes vt respondeatis mihi post centum annos c. thy strongest enemy cannot live above an hundred yeares once in a hundred yeare men devils sins vos omnes as he speaks they shall all answer to you for all the inâ—ury they have done to you you shall judge and burne them which have burnt you so long COLOS. 1.28 Jn all Wisdome VVHat these expressions as conjoyned with the foregoing import and then the termes of it in themselves may both worthily fall under consideration that which they import as conjoyn'd with the former is that the heart of man is very hardly throughly wrought upon all variety of action warning teaching all duration of action warning teaching termes Participly exprest to note the continuation of those acts all art skill and exactnesse of action wisedome all wisdome all these used to reach the heart throughly and to bring a sinner home to Christ The soule of man is with much difficulty throughly brought home to Christ Doct. There be many devises in the heart of man as Solomon speakes which make this that I say I will note some of them Every thing hath its defence the heart hath many and all usefull by which it beares off the power of Divine things from seasing and taking hold of it the heart will carpe and catch at the Ministery of the Word this is one device by which the power of truth is destroyed the dish that holds the meat is not turn'd well and therefore the meate in it overturnd the braine crackt the minde triffles out it selfe 'tas no power to pitch and fix upon things of weight this habit lost toyes and trifles only sute and take up the heart divine ordinance toyed with their heart is pluckt out that which hath no heart cannot go to the heart if a sinner by any art and craft can pull out the heart of an Ordinance he will abide there is no doubt unstir'd in his sinne There is a spirituall frensy and madnesse is not easily cure'd the old man sits at Table and playes with his fingers hee can scarce see what meat is before him and yet every dish is out of order one speakes too quick another too slow one too plaine an nother too darke the stomack is poysoned a worme is under the tongue the eare itches therefore every thing preached is beside the Text no word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bene significans the soule doth haerere in cortice choke it selfe with a shell teares Sermons into particular sentences sentences into words words into sylables sylables into Letters strips expression starke naked from matter and then hunts a shadow to hell this expression is used Mark 12.13 they sent to Christ certaine of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch him in his words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hunt him his words so the word signifies that soule that hunts Christ and his Ministers in their words is hunted by the divill from the matter a criticall spirit hath as many dores to run away from Christ and the power of truth as there be words in the Greek Lexicon This brings mee to speake of another device of the heart the old man can evade he can catch others very nimbly and get loose himselfe as nimbly The Serpent that dealt with Eve could turne in and out bend to and againe wrigle every way at pleasure that Serpent is in our bosome it was an emblem of our heart which will turne twenty wayes to evade the power of truth that which hath such a property to bend every way is not easily broken things that will bend double will wave double and treble force ere they will breake The art of evasion that the heart hath to put by the sword of the spirit and to save the life of sinne is of great compasse and depth and runs it selfe into many branches which I cannot run after now summarily see a little of this art shadowed by the carriage of Saul 1 Sam. 19.16 Saul had heard that David was at his house and sent him to kill him there and Michal let him downe at a window and laid an image in the bed and told the messengers that came to search that David was sick and thus turned the messengers away and then they were sent againe to fetch David in his bed that Saul might kill him in his bed and by this time David was gone far
is this when Christ would perfect a soule in himselfe he turnes a man off and out of himselfe out of creatures of Gods making and out of creatures of the mans owne making out of his prayers and all his duties and this he doth sometime by letting the man fall into sin when proud of any parts or workes and sometimes in a more mild sweet way where nature is more meek and sweet and then when the soule is turn'd off and turnd out of all he that is indeed all presents himselfe to him and woes and wins the soule I will be a husband to thee saith Christ friends riches honours whatsoever can be desired to make one blessed the great world is han'gd upon nothing so is the little world to wit a Christian brought first to be nothing in understanding but a brute nothing in action but worse then a brute a devill very poore very poore in spirit and then blest with a Kingdom and now the soule that was nothing nor could do nothing for Christ or against sin can do all having regnum he hath proprium regni having a Kingdome he hath the proprium of that Kingdome which is dominion over all hee that is made a King and hath a Kingdom doth not rule in this Town only or that Town but over all parts in the Kingdom and this order Christ will move in towards you that desire it for this Kingdom and all belonging to it is a perfect gift COLOS. 1.29 Whereunto I also labour TO take soules from off themselves and to set them downe in Christ beares much by divine Ordinance upon our calling and makes our worke very hard which is noted in this terme labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies such actions and industrie as faints wastes and weares out all such a labour as Solomon speaks of Eccles 10.15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them because he knoweth not how to goe to the City This Emphasis of the word is held forth to the Thessalonians to worke them to a reverend esteem of their teachers We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which spend and waste themselves amongst you to take you off from sinne and selfe and to set you downe in Christ in whom onely soules are fully and perfectly blessed We are as Jonathans armour-bearer whither so ever our Master goes we are to goe after him though we creep upon all foure Your life is our death your fatning is our leaning your Raven-black haires are our milke white We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.2 Such as wax white with painfulnesse and watchfulnesse reading praing sighing mourning and groaning for your good Coaction with Christ is no idle imployment he doth not attempt small things neither is he of small strength to keep pace with such weak agents as we are 't is hard work to draw in yoke with one that is double and treble in strength above me We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 workers together with Christ he attempts the greatest things that are and the most desperate the taking of holds strong holds Canaanites Hittites c. which dwell in Towns which are walled up to heaven and founded downe to hell he attempts the bloud and death of all the conquest of this whole world the generall making such desperate attempts and taking onely Rams-hornes a sling and a stone such a fraile party as we are you may easily think our work to be desperate full of paine and perill Had man been set to fight with man one man with one man that had been painfull worke but man is drawn out to fight with beasts the fiercest beasts with Lions Beares Wolves Serpents Scorpions yea with devills there was never such a fight in the grand Circue at Rome We wrestle with such creatures as have no hold-fast to be taken of them which have no armes no legs no flesh nor bones we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesses in high places Ephes 6.12 We are drawne out to fight upon all the disadvantage in the world against creatures that are upon higher ground that have pitched field in high places that have no flesh to be wounded nor bloud to lose that can make ambushments at pleasure being the rulers of the darknesse of this world this is the Rhetorick of the Apostle We are Stewards of mysteries sentence is past upon us to dye according to the Law which we have broken onely we have the benefit of our book but this book is written as books of such nature usually are very mysteriously with an old strange Character our worke is to stand by and prompt soules concerning their neck verse which is very painfull and trembling worke the book in which sinners are to read for their life is written with bloud which is very inward and ominous inke The Characters and Syllables sutable when put together into words these words are spirit The words I speake saith Christ are spirit What is a more inward and hidden thing then this and yet this are we to interpret our worke is to be an interpreter betweene two of very remote parts that live as farre asunder as heaven and earth as heaven and hell I might say between Spirits the spirit of God and the spirit of man one whereof 't is more proper to say is in hell whilst out of heaven then in any middle place between Transactions between God and the soule are the deepest the weightiest the intricat'st things in the world A sinner is convicted sentenced carried to the place of execution his winding sheet wrapt about his shoulders his handkerchiffe tyed before his eyes his halter about his neck his sentence written upon his forehead in this shalt thou hang till thou bee dead and yet possibly no internall intention concurring or meaning the bloud of the soule Divining in this case at the foot of the Ladder what will become of him that is on the top on 't sitting trembling whether he will be turned off or fetcht downe with a pardon is extraordinary hard work to determine and yet beares not upon any extraordinary office no Angel is dispatcht from heaven to be an oracle in this difficult case but it lyes upon our shoulders by ordinance The Priests lips are to preserve knowledge If there be any divining in this extraordinary worke t is not by extraordinary but ordinary office there is not one from the dead to tell who shall dye next no one sent from hell to tell who is to come next thither Things belonging both to the death and life of the soule are made manifest by our ministration by our labour wee are the Heralds of Heaven the Trumpet of God in which he sounds Retreat and March fight and victory funerall and triumph we are to sound sad and dolefull sweet