truths are revealed they give way to their owne proud scornfull hearts they know not the love of the truth God knoweth what a jewell the Truth is and since they despise it God giveth them up to believe lies and take heed practice what we know and love what we know entertaine it with a loving affection A loving affection is the Casket of this jewell if we entertain it not in love it removes from us its Station and being gone God will remove us into darknesse And remember it is God that taketh away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe And therefore make this use of it to make our Studies and Closets Oratories not to come to Divine Truths to out-wrastle the excellency of them with our owne wits but to pray to God as you have Psal 119. Open mine eyes and reveale thy truth And St. Paul prayeth for the Spirit of Revelation 1 Ephes 19. And so desire God to reveale and take away the vaile from us that he will open divine Truths to our soules that since he hath the Key of David that opens and no man shutteth that he would open our understandings to conceive things and our hearts to believe He hath the onely Key of the soule we can shut our souls but cannot open them againe so we can shut our hearts to divine Truths we can naturally doe this but open them without the help of the Spirit we cannot He can open our understandings as he did the Disciples He can open our Hearts to believe he can doe it and will do it If we seek to him he will not put back the humble desires of them that feare him And therefore for heavenly light and heavenly revelation all the teaching of the men of the world cannot do it If we know no more than wee can have by Bookes and men that teach us wee shall never come to Heaven but wee must have God teach the heart as well as the Braine hee must teach not onely the Truths themselves as they bee discovered but the love of them the faith in them the practice of them and hee onely can doe this hee only can teach the heart hee onely can discover the bent of the heart and Satans wiles that cast a cloud upon the understanding the Spirit onely can doe it and therefore in all our endeavours labour to get knowledge and joyne holinesse and divine grace and pray to God that he would reveale the mystery of salvation to us But how shall we know whether we have this heavenly light and revelation or no Whether the vaile be yet upon our hearts or no I will not be long in the point Wee may know it by this The Apostle Peterâ—aith â—aith to expresse the vertue of Gods power he hath called us out of darknesse to his marvelous light The soule that hath the vaile taken from it there is a marvelling at the goodnesse of God a wondering at the things of faith And the soule sets such a price upon divine things that all is dung and drosse in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ Wherefore is it that thou wilt reveale thy selfe to us and not unto the world as admiring the goodnesse of God What are we what am I that God should reveale these things to me and not to the world that many perish in darkensse and shadow of death though they heare of divine things yet they teaching rebellion and unbeleife are not moulded to them and so perish eternally There is a secret admiration of the goodnesse of God to the poore soule and a wonderment at spirituall things Oh how sweet is thy law saith David And teach me the wonders of thy law and joy unspeakable and glorious and peace that passeth understanding these things be high to the soule by the taste of what they have they wonder at that little and at that they looke for and are carried with desire still further and further which is a farther evidence they that have any spirituall knowledge they be carried to grow more and more and to enter further and further into the Kingdome Where there is not a desire still till they come to the full measure that is to be had in Jesus Christ there is no knowledge at all certainly a gracious soule when once it sees it desires still to feele the power and vertue of Christ in it as Paul counted all dung in comparison of this knowledge to know my selfe in Christ and feele the power of his death in dying to sin and vertue of his resurrection in raising me to newnesse of life it was Saint Pauls study to walk still to the high price of Gods calling and where that is not no grace is begun And againe where divine light is and the vaile taken away it is the sanctified meanes for God works by his owne instruments and meanes and they be able to justifie all courses of wisdome Wisdome is justified of her children By experience they be able to say the word is the word I have found it casting me downe and raising me up and searching the hidden corners of my heart I have found Gods Ordinances powerfull the word and Sacrament I have found my hope faith strength and spirituall comfort and therefore I can justifie them for I have found tasted and relished of these things which worketh that upon the soule which Christ did on the body I finde mine eyes I finde my deafe eares opened I can heare with another relish then before I finde a life and quickning to good things though it be weake I had no life at all to them before I find a relish which I knew not before So that there be spirituall senses whereby I am able to justifie that these things be the things of God So that they that have divine truths can justifie all the ordinances of God by their owne experience As Peter answered when Christ asked him will you be also gone be gone said Peter Whether should we goe thou hast the words of eternall life I have found thy words efficacious to comfort and strengthen and raise and shall I depart from thee who hast the words of eternall life And so take a soule that the spirit of God hath wrought upon aske whether they will be carelesse of meanes of salvation not to pray or heare or receive the Sacrament by these have I eternall life conveyed God hath let in by these comfort and strength and joy and shall I leave these things no I will not whether shall I goe thou hast the words of eternall life Are we able to justifie these things by the sweetnesse wee have found in them then certainly God hath shined upon the soule and together with strength and light conveyed sweetnesse to the soule A godly man seeth things with life his sight worketh upon him it is a transforming sight as the Apostle saith wee all behold the glory of God and are changed Sight of light
grace which shall bee finished and accomplished in glory to discerne that peace which passeth understanding c. What a marvellous sweetnesse are in these things They cannot be revealed to the knowledge spiritually but there is a Feast in the soule wherein the soule doth solace it selfe so both these goe together And therefore we should not rest in that revealing that doth not bring a savor with it to the soule undoubtedly that knowledge hath no solace and comfort for the soule that is not by divine Revelation of heavenly truths We see the dependence of these one upon another Then let us make this Use of all Since there is a vail over all men by nature the work of ignorance and unbeliefe and since God onely taketh it away by his Holy Spirit and since that onely those that be godly and sanctified have this taken off While this is there is a spirituall feast joy and comfort and strength then let us labour to have this vaile taken off let us labour to have the eyes of our understandings enlightned to have our hearts subdued to believe let us take notice of our naturall condition We are drowned and inwarpt in darknesse the best of us all It is not having knowledge what wee are by nature it is not any knowledge that can bring us to heaven there must be a revelation a taking away of the vaile How many content themselves with common light of Education and traditionary knowledge so they were bred and catechized and under such a Ministery but for spirituall knowledge of spirituall things how little is it cared for And yet this is necessary to salvation There is great occasion to presie this that we rest not in common knowledge If Religion be not knowne to purpose its like Lightning which directs not a man in his way but dazles him and puts him quite out of his way Many have flashes of knowledge that affect them a little but this affection is soon gone and directs them not a whit in the wayes of life and therefore labour that the will and affections may be subject Beg of God a fleshy heart an heart yeelding to the truth We know eare-truths will harden as none is harder than a common formall Christian A man had better fall into the hands of Papists than into the hands of a formall hypocriticall Christian Why they pride themselves in their profession No Persecuters worse than the Scribes and Pharisees that stood in their own light They were more cruell than Pilate And therefore if wee bee informed but not truly transformed to love the truth we know and hate the evill we know it maketh us worse And then it inrageth men the more The more they know the more they be enraged Men when truths be prest which they purpose not to obey they fret against the Ordinance and cast stones as it were in the face of truth When Physick doth raise humors but is not strong enough to carry them away they indanger the body And where light is not strong enough to dispell corruption when it raiseth corruption it inrageth it When men know Truth and are not moulded into it they first rage against it and then by little and little fall from it and grow extreme enemies to it It s a dangerous thing therefore to rest in naked knowledge Beg then of God that he would take away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe that light and life may goe together and so wee shall be fit to feast with the Lord. Now that we may have true saving knowledge first we must attend meekly upon Gods Ordinances which be sanctified to this end to let in light to the soule Will we know sinne and our state by nature and how to come out of it then together with this Revelation must come an heavenly strength into the soule a heavenly taste and relish and therefore attend upon the Ordinances And labour for an humble soule empty of our selves And doe not think to break into heavenly things with strength of parts God must reveal God must take away the vaile only by his holy Spirit in the Ordinance The vaile is taken away from the oject in opening of Truths but the vaile must bee taken away from the object and from the heart too there must bee knowledge of the object as well as an object the object must bee sanctified and fitted to the persons else divine Truths will never be understood divinely nor spirituall Truths spiritually Labour to be emptied of your selves In what measure we are emptied of our self-conceitednesse and understanding wee bee fill'd in divine things in what measure we are emptied of our selves we are filled with the Spirit of God and knowledge and grace As a vessell in what measure it is emptied in that measure it is fit to be fill'd with more supervenient liquor so in what measure we grow in self-denyall and humility in that measure wee are filled likewise with knowledge He will teach an humble soule that stands not in its own light what it is to repent to believe to love what it is to be patient under the Crosse what it is to live holily and dye comfortably The Spirit of God will teach an humble selfe-denying soule all these things and therefore labour for an humble empty soule and not to cast our selves too much into the sinnes and fashions of the times As the Apostle Rom. 12. Be not conformed to this world but be yee transformed by the renewing of your minde c. When a man casteth himselfe into the mould of the times and will live as the rest doe he shall never understand the secrets of God and the good pleasure of God for the world must be condemned The world goeth the broad way And therefore we must not consider what others doe but what God teacheth us to do And adde to this What we know let us labour to practise Iohn 7. 17. But he that doth the will of my Father shall know of every Doctrine whether it be of God or no. We must doe and we shall know But can wee doe before we know The meaning is this that we have first breeding and education and some light of the Spirit turneth it presently to practice by obedience to that knowledge And then you shall know more hee that doth these things hee shall know all They shall know that doe practice what they know already To him that hath shall be given That is to him that hath some knowledge and putteth in practice what he hath God will increase the talent of his knowledge hee shall know more and more till God revealeth himselfe fully in the world to come And therefore be faithfull to our selves and true to the knowledge we have love it and put it into practice when divine truths are discovered let the heart affect them lest God giveth us up to believe lies We have many given up to this sinne because when
midst of all their mirth of their mortality wich practise of the Heathens condemnes the ranting jollity of some loose professors in these times But here Christ serves in Deaths head as David the head of Goliah the head of a slaine and conquered death Our Sampson by his owne death hath destroied Death and hath thereby ransomed us from the hand of the grave and hath redeemed us from Death and the slavish feare of it All which is at large handled in these following Sermons for thy comfort and joy that thou maist triumph in his love through whom thou art more than Conqueror 4. Because it is a merry heart that makes a continuall feast and that this feast might be a Gaudy-day indeed unto thy soule Christ doth here promise to wipe away all tears from off the faces of his people The Gospel hath comforts enough to make glad the hearts of the Saints and people of God the light of Gods countenance will refresh them with joy unspeakable and glorious in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death A truely godly person can weep for his sinnes though the world smile never so much upon him and though hee be never so much afflicted in the world yet hee can and will rejoyce in the God of his salvation In these Sermons thou hast this Gospel-promise sweetly opened and applyed wherein thou shalt finde directions when and for what to mourne and weep and the blessednesse of all true mourners whose sorrow shall be turned into joy 5. In these Sermons you shall further finde that though Jesus Christ respect his people highly and entertaine them bountifully yet they have but course usage in the world who are wont to revile them as fooles and madmen as seditious Rebels troublers of Israel proud and hypocriticall persons But blessed are they that doe not stumble at this stone of offence that weare the reproaches of Christ as their Crowne and by well doing put to silence the ignorance of foolish men for let the world load them with all their revilings yet the spirit of glory rests upon them and in due time he will rowle away their reproach and bring forth their judgement as the light and their righteousnesse as the noon-day 6. And because a Christian here hath more in hope than in hand more in reversion than in possession walkes by faith rather than sense and lives by the Word of God and not by bread alone Thou shalt have here Christian Reader a sweet Discourse of the precious promises of Christ which hee hath left us here to stay the stomack of the soule till wee come to that feast of feasts in heaven that by this glimpse wee might in part know the greatnesse of that glory which shall be revealed that the first fruits might be a pawne of the Harvest and the earnest of the Spirit a pledge of that full reward wee shall have in heaven where we shall be brim-full of those pleasures that are at Gods right hand for ever Christ hath given us promises to uphold our faith and hope till faith be perfected in fruition and hope end in vision till Jesus Christ who is here the object of our faith be the reward of our faith for ever 7. Now because the comfort of the promises is grounded in the faithfulnesse of him that hath promised This godly and learned man hath strongly asserted the Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures proving that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are the very Word of God that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of all acceptation and beliefe for their owne sakes A truth very seasonable for these times to Antidote thee against the poysonfull errors of blasphemous Antiscripturists 8. Lastly because that God often takes a long day for performance of the promise thou shalt finde herein the Doctrine of waiting upon God excellently handled A duty which wee earnestly commend unto thy practice as suitable to these sad times Say Oh say with the Church In the way of thy judgements Oh Lord we have waited for thee and with the Prophet I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob and I will look for him And rest assured that none of the seed of Iacob shall seeke him in vaine he will not disappoint their hope nor make their faces ashamed that waite for him Thus we have given you a short prospect of the whole a briefe summe of that treasure which these Sermons containe Wee need say nothing of the Author his former labours sufficiently speak for him in the gates his memory is highly honoured amongst the godly-learned He that enjoyes the glory of heaven needs not the prayses of men upon earth If any should doubt of these Sermons as if they should not be truely his whose Name they beare let him but observe the stile and the excellent and spirituall matter herein contained and he will wee hope be fully satisfied Besides there are many Eare-witnesses yet living who can cleare them from any shadow of imposture They come forth without any Alteration save onely some repetitions which the Pulpit did well beare are here omitted The Lord make these and all other the labors of his Servants profitable to his Church And the Lord so destroy the vaile from off thy heart that thou maiest believe and by faith come to this Feast the joy and comfort whereof may swallow up all the slavish feare of death dry up thy teares and rowle away all reproach and the Lord give thee a waiting heart to stay thy soule upon the name of the Lord to believe his Word and his faithfull promises that in due time thou maist rejoyce in the God of thy salvation This is the earnest Prayer of London Apr. 19. 1650. ARTHVR JACKSON JAMES NALTON WILL TAYLOR AN Analyticall Table of the Princicipall Contents in these Sermons upon ISAIAH 26. 7 8 9. The TEXT Page Vers 6. ANd in this Mountain shal the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined 1 V. 7. And he will destroy in this mountaine the face of the covering cast over all People and the vaile that is spread over all Nations 33 V. 8. He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall hee take away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it 55 97. V. 9. And it shall be said in that day lo this is our God We have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation 111 Coherence between the judgements threatned in the former Chapter and the comforts promised in this Chapter 1 2 The Text opened 3 The Church is an
shall then enjoy it 151 3. God will have us have the best at last 251 As there is a time of our waiting so there will be a time of Gods performance 152 The present grace wee have is an earnest of what wee shall have 152 Incouragements to wait upon God 153 1. Gods time is best and it is set 154 2. God will effect the thing promised though by contraries 154 VVhat we should doe when God hath performed promise 1. Be thankefull to the Lord. 156 2. Be joyfull in the Lord. 158 159 Interest in God is the cause of all our joy 160 161 162 THE Marriage Feast BETWEEN CHRIST and his CHURCH ISAIAH 25. 6. In this Mountaine shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast of fat things a Feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of Marrow of Wine on the Lees well refined IN the former Chapter the holy Prophet having spoken of the miseries and desolation of the Church in many heavy sad and dolefull expressions as the Vine languisheth the earth is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Lawes changed the Ordinance and broken the everlasting Covenant therefore the earth shall be accursed and they that dwell therein shall not drink Wine with a Song c. Here you see all sweetnesse and rejoycing of heart is departed from them yet even in the middest of all these miseries God the God of comforts makes sweet and gracious promises to his Church to raise it out of its mournfull estate and condition And therefore the Prophet in the former part of this Chapter speakes of blessing God for the destruction of his Enemies and for his great love to his Church And when he had spoken of the ruine of the enemie hee presently breaks out with Thanksgiving breathing forth abundant praises to his God as it is the custome of holy men guided by the motion of the blessed Spirit of God upon all occasions but especially for benefits to his Church to praise his Name not out of ill affection at the destruction of the Adversaries but at the execution of Divine Justice for the fulfilling of the truth of his promise as in the first Verse of this Chapter O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy name for thou hast done wonderfull things thy Counsels of old are faithfulnesse and truth When the things that were promised of old were brought to passe the Church was ever ready to give God the glory of his Truth Therefore rejoyce not when thine enemies fall but when the enemies of the Lord are brought to desolation then we may nay we ought to sing Hallelujah to him that liveth for ever and ever I will now fall upon the very words of my Text. In this mountaine shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast of fat things c. These words they are Propheticall and cannot have a perfect performance all at once but they shall be performed gradually The promise of a new heaven and a new earth shall be performed The conversion of the Jewes and the bringing in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall gradually be brought to passe All the Promises that ever God hath made before the second comming of Christ to Judgement shall be accomplished God hath made his peace with us in the Gospell of peace and when all these Promises shall be fulfilled then all imperfection shall be done away and wee shall never be removed from our Rock but our joy shall then be full nay even in this life we have some degrees of perfection we have grace and the meanes of grace the Ordinances of Christ and a testimony of everlasting glory In this Mountaine will the Lord of Hosts make a Feast In these words yee have set downe a glorious and royall Feast and the place where this Feast is to be kept is Mount Syon the Feast-maker is the Lord of Hosts the parties invited are all people the issues of it and the provision for the Feast are fat things and wine of the best a Feast of the best of the best a Feast of the fat and of the Marrow a Feast of wine on the Lees well refined Here you may see that God doth veile heavenly things under earthly things and condiscends so low as to enter into the inward man by the outward man for our apprehensions are so weak and narrow that we cannot bee acquainted with spirituall things but by the inward working of the Spirit of the Almighty This mountaine is the place where this Feast is made even Mount Syon which is a type and figure of the Church called in Scripture the holy Mountaine for as Mountains are raised high above the earth so the Church of God is raised in excellency and dignity above all the sorts of man-kinde As much as men above Beasts so much is the Church raised above all men This Mountain is above all Mountaines the Mountaine of the Lord is above all other Mountaines whatsoever Thou O Mountaine shalt stand immoveable when all other Mountaines shall smoak if they are but touched this is the mountaine of Mountaines The Church of God is most excellent in glory and dignity as ye may see in the latter end of the former Chapter how the glory of the Church puts down all other glories whatsoever The Moon saith the Prophet shall be confounded and the Sunne ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall reigne in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem and before his Ancients gloriously So that the brightnesse of the Church shall put downe the glory of the Sunne and of the Moon Thus you see the Church of God is a Mountaine Reas First Because God hath established it upon a stronger Foundation than all the world besides It is founded upon the goodnesse and power and truth of God Mountaines of Brasse and Iron are not so firme as this Mountaine For what sustains the Church but the Word of God And being built upon his Word and Truth it may very well be called a Mountaine for it shall bee as Mount Syon which shall never be removed it may be moved but never removed Thus in regard of the firmnesse and stability thereof it may rightly bee termed a Mountain Again we may here speak in some sort of the visibility of the Church but here will arise a quarrell for the Papists who when they hear of this Mount they presently allude it to their Church Their Church say they is a Mount so saith the Scripture I answer 1. Wee confesse in some sort their Church to be a Mount though not this Mount for Babylon is built on seven Hills but if this prove her a Church it is the Antichristian Church Secondly That the Catholick Protestantiall Church had alwayes a being though sometimes invisible The Apostle writing to the Romans exhorts them not to bee high-minded but feare for saith hee if God hath broken off the naturall branches perhaps
of the former Verse I will now speak of the next that followeth And I will destroy in this Mountaine the face of covering cast over all people and the vaile spread over all nations to swallow up death in victory the Lord will wipe away teares from all faces and the rebukes of his people shall be taken from the earth for the Lord hath spoken it These depend one upon another being the severall Services of the Feast He promiseth a Feast in the sixth Verse And what be the severall Services He will destroy in this mountaine this Church the face of covering cast over all people c. Hee will take away the vaile of Ignorance and unbeliefe that they may have speciall sight of heavenly things without which they cannot relish heavenly things they can take no joy at this Feast And then because there can be no Feast where there is the greatest enemy in force and power he swallowes up death in victorie Death keeps us in feare all our life time that that swalloweth up all Kings and Monarchs the terror of the World Death shall bee and is swallowed up by our head Christ and shall be swallowed up by us in victory In the meane time we are subject to many sorrowes which cause teares for teares are but drops that issue from that cloud of sorrow And sorrow we have alwayes in this world either from our sinnes or miseries or simpathy in teares of that kinde Well the time will come that teares shall bee wiped away and the cause of teares all sorrow for our owne sinnes for our own misery and for simpathizing with the times wherein we live Our time shall bee hereafter at the day of the resurrection when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes God will performe that office of a mother to wipe the childrens eyes or of a Nurse to take away all cause of grief whatsoever else it cannot be a perfect feast I but there is reproaches cast upon Religion and religious persons it goeth under a vaile of reproach and the best things are not seene in their owne colours nor the worst things they go under vizards here But the time will come that the rebukes of his people shall be taken away The good things as they are best so shall they be knowne to bee so And sinne and base courses as they are bad and as they are from Hell so they shall be knowne to be every thing shall appear in its owne colours things shall not goe masked any longer And what is the seal of all this The seal of it is The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it truth it selfe hath spoken it and therefore it must needs be Jehovah that can give a being to all things he hath said it Wee have heard why the Church is called a Mountaine He will destroy or swallow up as the word may signifie the face of covering or the covering of the face the vaile which is the covering of the face and particularly exprest in that terme alwayes the vaile that is spread over all Nations God will take away the spirituall vaile that covers the Soules of his people that is between them and divine truths It hath allusion to that of Exodus 34 about Moses when he came from the Mount he had a vaile for the people could not behold him hee had a glory put upon his face that they could not look upon him with a direct eye and therefore he was faine to put a vail upon his face to shew that the Jews could not see as Paul interprets it 2 Cor. 3. 15. To this day saith hee when Moses is read there is a vaile put upon their hearts they could not see that the Law was a Schoole-master to bring to Christ the Ceremoniall Law and the Morall Law God had a blessed end by the curse of it to bring them to Christ They rested in the vaile their sight was terminated in the vaile they could not see through to the end and scope of it Neverthelesse when they shall turne to the Lord the vaile shall be taken away From the words consider first of all that naturally there is a vaile of ignorance upon the soule Secondly God doth take away his vaile and God by his Spirit onely can doe it Thirdly that this is onely in his Church And where this vaile of ignorance is taken off there is feasting with God and spirituall joy and delight in the best order And where it is taken off there is none of it First of all by nature there is a vaile of covering over all mens spirits To understand this better let us unfold the termes of vaile a little There is a vaile either upon the things themselves that are to bee seen or upon the soule which should behold them The vaile of things themselves is when they be hidden altogether or in part when we know part and are ignorant of part And this vaile upon the things ariseth from the weak apprehension of them when they are not represented in cleare expressions but in obscurity of words or in types When we see them onely in types or obscure phrases which hideth sometime the sight of the thing it selfe The manner of Speech sometimes casteth a vaile on things for our Saviour Christ spake in Parables which were like the cloud darke on the one side light on the other darke towards the Egyptians light towards the Israelites So some expressions of Scripture have a light side that onely the godly see and a darke side that other men good wit as naturall men see not Againe there is a vaile upon the Soule and upon the Sight if the things be vailed or the sight vailed there is no sight Now the soule is vailed when we be ignorant and unbeleeving when we are ignorant of what is spoken and revealed or when we know the termes of it and yet beleeve it not Now this vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe continueth in all unregenerate men untill grace takes away the vaile Besides before a thing can be seene the object must not onely be made cleare and the eye-sight too but there must be Lumen deferens a light to carry the object to the eye If that be not wee cannot see As the Egyptians in the three dayes of darknesse had their eyes but there wanted light to represent the object And therefore they could not goe neare one to another it is the light and not sight if there be sight and no light to carry and convey the object we cannot say there is sight That which answereth to this vaile is the vaile of Scripture whereby heavenly things are set out by a mistery a mistery is when something is openly shewed and something hidden When something is concealed as in the Sacrament they be mysteries we see the bread we see the wine but under the bread and wine other things are intended the breaking of the body of Christ and the shedding of his
and feeleth and knoweth divine truths there is a power and vertue in the sight and knowledge of a gracious man there is none in the knowledge of a carnall man The light of a candle hath a light in it but no vertue at all goeth with it but the light of the Sunne and the light of the starres they have a speciall vertue they have heate with them and they have an influence in a speciall kind on inferiour bodies working together with the light So it is with heavenly apprehension and knowledge it actually conveyeth light but with the light there is a blessed and gracious influence there is heate and efficacy with that light But though a carnall man know all the body of divinity yet it is a meere light without heat a light without influence It is not experimentall As a blind man can talke of colours if he be a Scholler and describe them better then he that hath his eyes he being not a Schollar but he that hath his eyes can can judge of colours a great deale better Oftentimes by booke a Schollar can tell you forraigne countries better than he that hath travelled yet the traveller that hath bin there can tell them more distinctly So he that is experienced in that kind though a stranger can measure another mans ground better then himselfe he can tell you here is so many Acres but he that possesseth them knowes the goodnesse of them the worth of them and improveth them to his owne good And so it is with many they can measure the points of Religion and define and divide them I but the poor Christian can taste can feele them can relish and improve them his knowledge is a knowledge with interest but other mens knowledge is a knowledge with no interest or experience at all So that there is naturally a vaile of ignorance on the heart of every naturall man Christianity is a mystery till conversion there is a mystery in every point of Religion none know what repentance is but a repentant sinner all the bookes in the world cannot informe the heart what sin is or what sorrow is A sicke man knoweth what a disease is better then all Physicians for he feeleth it no man knoweth what faith is but the true believer there is a mystery also in love Godlinesse is called a mystery not onely for the notionall but the practicall part of it why doe not men more solace themselves in the transcendent things of Religion which may ravish Angels Alas there is a vaile over their soule that they doe not know them or not experimentally they have no taste or feeling of them And so there is a vaile of unbeliefe there is no man without grace that believeth truly what he knoweth but he believeth in the generall onely he beleeveth things so farre forth as they crosse not his lusts But when particular truths are inforced on a carnall man his lusts doe overbeare all his knowledge and he hath a secret scorne arising in his heart whereby he derideth those truths and goeth against them and makes him thinke certainly these be not true and therefore he beleeveth them not If a man by nature beleeved the truths he saith he knoweth he would not goe directly against them But the ground of this is there is a mist of sinnefull lusts that are raised out of the soule that darkens the soule that at the present time the soule is atheisticall and full of unbeliefe for there is no sin but ignorance and unbeliefe breatheth it into the soule and maketh way for it For if a man knew what he were about and apprehended that God saw him and the danger of it he would never sinne There is no sinne without an error in judgement there is a vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe what creature will run into a pit when he seeth it open what creature will runne into the fire the most dull creature Man will not run into that danger that is open to the eye of the soule if there were not a vaile of ignorance at least unbeliefe at that time upon the soule All sinne supposeth error And this should make us hate sinne the more whensoever we sinne specially against our conscience there is atheisme in the soule at that time and there is unbeliefe we beleeve not truth it self no sinner but calleth truth into question when he sinneth he denieth it or questioneth it and therefore there is a vaile on every man naturally over his heart by ignorance and unbeliefe The truths themselves are cleare God is cleare and the Gospel is light Mens Lux you know they know things in the object but in us there is darkenesse in our understandings and therefore the Scripture saith not wee are darke onely but darknesse it selfe The clouds that arise are like the mists that doe interpose between our soules and divine things arising from our own hearts the love of sinfull things raise such a cloud that we know not or else believe not what is spoken To proceed God onely can reveale and take away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe from off the soule I will speake specially of this vaile The reason is there is such a naturall unsuitablenesse between the soule and heavenly light and heavenly truths that unlesse God opens the eye of the soule and puts a new eye into the soule it can never know or discerne of heavenly things there must be an eye suitable to the light else there will never be sight of it Now God can create a new spirituall eye to discerne of spirituall things which a naturall eye cannot who can see things invisible Divine things are invisible to naturall eyes there is no suitablenesse he that must reveale these and take away the vaile must create new light within as well as a light without now God and only God that created light out of darknesse can create light in the soule Let there be light Hee only can create a spirituall eye to see the things that to nature are visible There be four things in sight 1. The object to be beheld 2. The light that conveyeth it 3. The organ that receiveth it 4. And the light of the eye to meet the light without So it is in the soule together with divine truths there must be light to discover them for light is the first visible thing that discovers it selfe and all things else And then there must be a light in the soule to judge of them and this light must be suitable A carnall base spirit judgeth of spirituall things carnally like himselfe because he hath not light in his owne spirit The things are spirituall his eye is carnall he hath not a light in his eye suitable to the object and therefore he cannot judge of them for the Scripture saith plainly they are spiritually discerned Therefore a carnall person hath carnall conceptions of spirituall things as an holy man doth spiritualize
things by a spirituall conception of them There be degrees of discerning things The highest degree is to see things face to face as they be in heaven The next to that is to see them in a glasse for there I see the motion and true species of a man though not so clearly as when I see him face to face therefore We soone forget the species of it in a glasse Wee have more fixednesse of the other because there is more reality We see things put into Water and that is lesse but then there is a sight of man in Pictures which is lesse than the rest because we see not the motion It is even so a carnall man scarce sees the dead resemblance of things In Moses time they saw things in water as it were blindly though true but we see things in a glasse of truth as clearly as possibly we can in this world In heaven wee shall see face to face shall see him as he is And then will be the joy of this excellent Feast and the consummation of all sweet promises which here we can but have a taste of So that is the first reason of it that God is onely the taker away of the vaile which ariseth from the unsuitablenesse between the soule and divine Truths There is nothing in the heart of man but a contrariety to divine light The very naturall knowledge that is contrary naturall Conscience that onely checketh for grosse sinnes but not for spirituall sinnes Obedience and Civill life that makes a man full of pride and armeth him against selfe-denyall and against the righteousnesse of Christ and Justification There is nothing in the soule but without grace riseth against the soule in divine things Againe there is such disproportion between the soule being full of sinne and guiltinesse and heavenly things that are so great that the heart of man will not believe unlesse God convinceth the soule that God is so good and gracious though they be great and excellent yet God will bestow them upon our soules and therefore he sendeth the Spirit that over-powers the soule though it bee full of feare and guilt that sinne contracts Though we be never so unworthy he will magnifie his grace to poore sinners and without that the soule will never believe there is such an infinite disproportion betweene the soule and the things between the sinfull soule and the spirit so that God must over-power the soule to make it believe The Scripture is full of this As we are naturally ignorant and full of unbeliefe so God onely can over-power the soule and take away the vaile of Ignorance All the Angels in heaven and all the Creatures in the world the most skilfull men in the world cannot bring light into the soule they cannot bring light into the heart they can speake of divine things but they understand them little but to bring light into the heart that the heart may taste of them and yield obedience to believe that they cannot doe And therefore all Gods children they bee Theodidactoi taught of God God onely hath the privilege to teach the heart to bend and bow the heart to believe So that God onely by his Spirit takes away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe Now the third thing is that this is peculiar to the Church and to the Children of God to have the vaile taken off In this Mountaine saith the Scripture the vail of all Faces shall be swallowed up or taken away I partly shewed in the former point that it is peculiar to Gods Children to have the vaile taken off There is a vailin all things either the things be hid from them as amongst the Gentiles or if the things bee revealed there is a vaile upon the heart their lusts raise up a cloud which untill God subdue by the holy Spirit they bee darke yea darknesse it selfe Goshen was onely light when all Egypt was in darknesse so there is light onely in the Church and all other parts in the world are in darknesse And amongst men in the Church there is a darknesse upon the soule of unregenerate men that bee not sanctified and subdued by the Spirit of God And all godly men are lightsome nay they be lights in the world As wicked men are darknesse so gracious men by the Spirit of God are made lights of the world from him that is the true light Christ himselfe It is peculiar to the Church to know the greatest good and the greatest evill It is no where but in the Church who are the people of God None but Gods Elect can know the greatest evill that is sinne which the Spirit of God revealeth And the greatest good that is Gods mercy in Christ and sanctifying grace The same Spirit doth both As light doth discover foul things as well as faire so the same Spirit of God discovers the loathsomenesse of sinne and the sweetnesse of grace Where the one is there is never the other where there is not truely a deep discerning of sinne there is never knowledge of grace there is none but in the Church those that have the Spirit of illumination they have sanctification likewise We shall make use of all together You see then what naturally we are and that Gods grace must take away the vaile and this is from all them within the Church and in the Church those whom God is pleased to sanctifie In the fourth place Where this vaile is taken off from any there is with it spirituall joy and feasting as here he joyneth them both together I will make a feast of fat things and will take away the vaile The reason of the connexion of this is that same Spirit that is a Spirit of Revelations is a Spirit of Comfort And the same Spirit that is the Spirit of Comfort is a Spirit of Revelation All sweetnesse that the soule relisheth commeth from light and all light that is spirituall conveyeth sweetnesse both together Beloved there is a marvailous sweetnesse in divine Truths in Christ is all marrow and in Religion forgivenesse of sinnes and inward peace and joy and grace fitting us to be like to Christ and for heaven they be incredibly sweet they bee all marrow I but they are onely so to them that know them now Gods Spirit that revealeth these things to us doth breed a taste in the soule The Spirit of illumination of Gods Children is a Spirit of sanctification likewise and that sanctification alters the taste and relish of the will and affections that with discovery of these things there is a taste and relish of them It is sapida Scientia a savory knowledge they have And therefore where he maketh a Feast he taketh away the vaile and where hee takes away the vaile hee makes a Feast what a wonderfull satisfaction hath the soule when the vaile is taken off to see God in Christ reconciled to see sin pardoned to see the beginnings of
all controversies yea that that is the Judge of all and of himselfe the Word which is from the very mouth of God You will aske me how shall I know it is the Word of God if the Church tells us not A Carrier sheweth us these bee Letters from such a man but when wee open the Letter and see the hand and seale we know them to be his The Church knowes the Word and explaneth it and when wee see and feele the efficacy of the Word in it selfe then we believe it to be the Word for there is that in the Word that sheweth it to bee the Word the Majesty that is in it the matter that is mysterious forgivenesse of sinnes through a mystery forgivenesse of sinne victory over death life everlasting in the world to come great matters which eye hath not seen nor eare heard nor entred into the heart of man If it had not been revealed it could not have entred into the heart of Angels It containeth such glorious transcending mysteries And then againe the Word to all them that belong to God hath the Spirit of God by which it passeth rightly accompanying it witnessing to the soule of man that it is so and by a divine efficacy it is mighty in operation What doth it in the heart It warmeth the heart upon the hearing and speaking and discoursing of it As when the Disciples went to Emaus It hath a heat of Spirit going with it to affect the heart with heavenly joy and delight it hath power going with it by the Spirit to raise joy unspeakable and glorious It hath a power to pacifie the soule amidst all troubles When nothing will still the soule the Spirit of God in the Word will doe it by its divine power Yea it will change a man from a beastly or devillish temper to a higher and happier estate as you have it Isaiah 11. 6 7 8 9. It makes Lions Lambs Leopards Kids And what is the ground of all In that very place the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. The knowledge of God reconciled is such a powerfull knowledge that it hath a transforming vertue to alter mens dispositions What was Paul before Conversion and Zaccheus Therefore it is the Word because it hath divine operation to heat the soul and raise the soule and change the soule and cast downe the soule as low in a manner as hell in sense of its owne miserie It will make a Foelix to tremble a man that it doth not effectually worke upon The Truths of it are so moving that it will make a carnall man to quake When Paul spake of judgement to come of giving account of all that is done in the flesh when a possibility of it was apprehended it made Foelix to quake It makes mountains levell and it fills up the valleyes The Word can raise up the soule when man is as low as hell and looketh for nothing but damnation the Spirit with the Word will fetch him from thence as the Jaylor Acts 16. there was little between him and hell What shall I doe to be saved Why believe in the Lord Jesus And with these words there went out an efficacy he believed and he afterward was full of joy The first Gospell ever preached in pardon was by God himselfe never was any creature so neare damnation as our first Father Adam cast from the greatest happinesse Miserrimum est fuisse faelicem for he that enjoyed before communion with God and his Angells having sinn'd and having conscience of his sinne considering his great parts and apprehension of the state he had beene in this must needs affect him deeply and being in this condition the promise of the seed of the VVoman to breake the Serpents head revived him There is a strange efficacy in the Gospell The Roman Empire was the greatest enemy that the Church ever had The ten Persecutions you see what they were and yet notwithstanding the VVord grew upon them and never rested the spreading of the Gospell and the Spirit with it till the Crosse got above the Crown as it did in the time of Constantine and so it continueth And must not this be a divine word which hath this efficacy to revive comfort change cast downe raise up againe search secrets search the heart to the bottome A poore Ideot that comes to heare the word of God when he heares the secrets of his heart laid open by the word he concludes certainly God is in you and you are Gods Ministers The word divideth betweene the marrow and the bone it arraigneth the heart before Gods Tribunall Seat Those that are saved it hath these effects in them that I have named And if you ask how they know whether the word be the Word A man may answer I have found it to be so raising me up comforting me and strengthening mee I had perished in my affliction if the word had not raised mee Principles are proved you know from experience for they have nothing above them There is no other Principle to prove the word but experience from the working of it How know you the light to be the light but by it selfe and that fire is hot but by it selfe Principles prove themselves onely by experience And this Principle is so proved by it selfe that there is no child of God but can say by experience that the word is the word If a man might goe to reason one might bring that which could not be easily answered for the satisfaction of an Atheist Let him but grant there is a God hee will grant one thing in Religion or another But let him grant there is a God and a Reasonable Creature then there must be a service a Religion and this service must bee according to some Rules prescribed for the superior will not be served as the inferior pleaseth he must discover what good the superior intendeth and what duties he expects this must be revealed in some word God and the Reasonable Creature and Religion make a necessity of a word and that must be the word we have or another and what word in the world is probable to bee the word but this You will say it may be corrupt The Jewes looked to the old Testament that it should not be corrupted for they knew every sillable in it and preserved every letter It is one part of their superstition and God blesseth that superstition to take away all such cavills For the New Testament the Jewes cared not for but Hereticks on their side watch over it that there should be no corruption they will so observe one another But what are these reasons to those which the soule of a gracious Christian knoweth by the operation of the Word upon the heart And therefore let us regard it as the word of God hear it as the word of
God read it as the word of God A company of prophane wretches you shal have the scums and basest of the people that will discourse and to grace their Discourse they must have Scripture phrases but whose word is it it is the word of the great God Eglon was a Heathen King and yet when a Message came from God hee arose up and made obeysance Wee should never read the Word but with reverence considering whose book it is and that we must be judged by it another day If it be the word I beseech you consider what we say and know that God will make every part of it good there shall not a jot of it faile nothing of it shall miscarry God speaketh all these words And therefore if you be blasphemers you shall not carry it away guiltlesse God hath said it if you continue not to obey you are under Gods curse unlesse you repent you shall perish every threat God will make good you must repent and get into Christ else perish eternally God hath said it and we may confirme it in the unfolding and reading of it the time is comming for the execution of it and then God is peremptory Now God waiteth our leisure and intreateth us but if wee will not repent wee shall have that Arrow in our sides that will never be gotten out till we dye in hell whose sinnes are condemned in Scripture they are condemned by God and whom we shut heaven to by opening the Scriptures God will shut heaven to The opening of the Scriptures is the opening of heaven If the Scripture saith a man that liveth in such a sinne shall not be saved heaven shall be shut to him he is in a state of death he is strucken and remaineth in danger till he repenteth How many live in sins against Conscience that are under the guilt and danger of their sinnes they be wounded they be struck by the word there is a threat against their sinnes although it be not executed and they be as much in danger of eternall death as a condemned Traytor onely God suffers them to live that they may make their peace they have blessed times of visitation O make use of it it is the word of God and know that God will make every part of his word good in threats as well as in promises Take occasion from hence likewise to shame our selves for our infidelity in the promises when wee are in any disconsolate estate we are in Jobs case being in trouble the consolation of the Almighty seemed light to him These be the comforts of God When we come to comfort some though the sweet promises of the Gospell be opened yet they doe not consider them as being the word the consolations of the Almighty and therefore they seem light to them But it should not be so Consider they be the comforts of the word and therefore we should heare them with faith labour to affect them and shame our selves Is this Gods word that giveth this direction that giveth this comfort and shall I not regard it Is it the consolation of the Almighty and shall not I embrace it Therefore we should be ashamed not to be more affected with the heavenly sweet things promised of God than we are A man that refuseth heavenly Comforts to imbrace comforts below how should hee reflect upon himselfe with shame Hath God promised such things God that cannot lye and shall I lose my hope of all these glorious things for the enjoying of the pleasures of sin for a season I professe my selfe to be a Christian where is my faith where is my hope A man must acknowledge either I have no faith for if I had faith believing God speaking these excellent things I would not venture my losse of them to get the enjoyment of poor temporary things here for the good things promised in another world Labour therefore to bring mens hearts to believe the word and desire God to seale it to our soules that it is so I will give one direction Labour for the Spirit of God that writ the word that indited the word Beg of God to â—eale to our soules that it is the word and that he would sanctifie our hearts to be suitable to the word and never rest till wee can finde God by his Spirit seasoning our hearts so that the relish of our soules may suit to the relish of divine truths that when wee heare them we may relish the truth in them and may so feele the worke of Gods Spirit that we may bee able to say hee is our God And when we heare of any threatning we may tremble at it and any sinne discovered wee may hate it For unlesse wee by the Spirit of God have something wrought in us suitable to the word we shall never believe the word to bee the word And therefore pray the Lord by his Spirit to frame our hearts to be suitable to divine Truths and so frame them in our affections that we may find the word in our joy in our love in our patience that all may be seasoned with the word of God When there is a relish in the word and in the soule suitable to it then a man is a Christian indeed to purpose till then men will Apostatize turne Papist turne Atheist or any thing because there is a distance betweene the soule and the word the word is not ingraffed into the soule they doe not know the word to bee the word by arguments fetched from the word and therefore they fall from the power of the word But if we will not fall from divine truths get truth written in the heart and our hearts so seasoned by it and made so harmonious and suitable to it that we may imbrace it to death that we may live and dye in it To goe on In that day shall it be said loe this is our God we have waited for him Here is a gracious promise that shutteth up all spoken before He spake of great things before And now here is a promise of a day wherein hee will make all things promised good to the soule of every believing Christian In that day it shall be said this is our God wee have waited for him he will save us It is an excellent portion of Scripture to shew the gracious disposition that the Spirit of God will worke in all those that imbrace the gracious promises of God The time shall come when they shall say Loe this is our God wee have waited for him and now wee enjoy him The points considerable are these First of all by supposition that there bee glorious excellent things promised to the people of God Rich and precious promises of Feasting of taking away the vaile of conquest over death by victory of wiping away teares and removing rebukes great things if vve goe no farther than my Text. Secondly these have haâ— day vvhen they shall bee performed vvhich is not presently for
peculiar to the Church to know the greatest good and greatest evill 4 Obs Where the vaile is taken away there is spirituall joy and feasting Reason The same Spirit is a Spirit of Revelation and consolation Use 1. To labour to have this vaile taken off Meanes For this wee must attend on Ordinances Smile 3. Fashion not our selves after the times 4. Be carefull to practise what we know Quest Answ 5 Love what we know Use 2. Make our studies and closets Oratories for the getting of knowledge We can shut but not open our hearts to divine truths Quest How shall we know that we have heavenly light Answ 1. By a marvelling at the things of faith and the goodnesse of God in revealing them to us 2. By being carried with desire to know more and more 3. When the vaile is taken off by sanctified meanes which we can justifie by our owne experience of them Fourthly When our knowledge worketh upon us Application of this to the Sacrament Death is the great King of Kings Death spares none Death hath continued from the beginning let in by sin Sin armeth Death Hel the attendant of death Christ swallows up death in victory for himselfe and his Reas Because hee hath satisfied for sin A double kingdome of Christ 1. A kingdom of patience 2. A kingdom of power Christ conquereth for us and in us Death was conquered by Christ when he had given way to be under the power of it Use 1. First we see God gives way to his enemies for a time when he will give glorious victory Death is already swallowed up to faith Vse 2. Labour to be one with Christ crucified Vse 3. Be thankfull to God for this victory in Christ The benefits of death to a person that is in Christ Vse 4. Let those that are in Christ be ashamed of the feare of death Death terrible to the wicked They are fools that in a carnall bravery contemn death before disarmed in Christ Of Duellist Vs Of consolation to those that are in Christ Death is not only subdued but made a friend It s profitable to some to fal Satan hath advantage by our fearing death The worst the world can doe is to take away life and in that they doe the godly a pleasure Christ will draw his mysticall body to him into heaven Our comfort by Christ should make us fruitfull to Christ It s better to dye in the Lord than for the Lord. Prepare for death by getting into Christ Sin hath no Law in us to rule by * Good men easie to weepe Christ in heaven not without compassion * Psa 119. 136 * Phil. 3. 18 We have cause to weepe for the sinnes of others 1. From our love to God 2. From love to the Church and our brethren Simile Vse To condemne Stoicisme * Isa 1. 5. The best men aptest to grieve Vse 2. It s good wee doe grieve Avoid what hnders sensiblenesse The life of a Christian is a mixture of joy and sorrow Uses of joy in Christians We should picke matter of comfort out of griefe All causes of sorrow shall be removed The more teares here the more joy hereafter The Order First shed teares and then have them wiped away Reason 1. Our own necessity Simile Reason 2. For the increase of our comfort Simile Use 1. Take notice of the tender mercy of God in this that he will wipe away teares Judge not by sight for the godly here mourn most * 1 Cor. 15. 19. Be not discouraged for our own or Churches causes of griefe * Mat. 5. 4. Christians have more cause of joy than griefe and they ought to eye both This is comfortable while we live and when we die A carnall man is all joy or all sorrow The godly have a mixt condition and should have a mixt disposition Wayes are to be esteemed by their end Mat. 11. 19. Man since the fall subject to sorrow No sorrow in Paradise nor shall any be in heaven The greatest cause of the godlies mourning sin within him Rom. 7. 24. 1. A case about teares Psa 56. 8. God hath no bottle for some teares Marks of good teares 1. When their spring is the love of God 2. When wee weepe for our own sins and sins of others Truth of grace appeares more in grieving for others sins then our own 3. When our teares are shed in secret Jer. 13. 17. 4. When they tend to reformation of what they are shed for 2. Case How can a Christian joy and grieve together Phil. 4. 4. Gods people here are under rebuke and reproach Psal 137. Psal 22. 78. This text points at the conversion of the Jewes Reas There be two seeds in the world 1. Of the Serpent 2. Of the woman Carnall men would have all men thought of alike Men put a false vaile both on godlinesse and wickednesse Use 1. Take heed of laying scandal on religion Use 2. To study to be wise that wee be not misled by the misrepresentation of things The devill a lyar that he may be a murtherer Why it s the course of the world to slander Things shall be known to be as they arâ— Reason From Gods justice Revel 11. Use 1. To direct what course to take under disgrace and scandall 1. Labour to be innocent 2. To be patient 3. To be couragious 4 To be sincere 2 Cor. 5. 13. 14 2 Sam. 6. 20. 21. 5. Commend our credits to God by prayer Comfort your selfe in your own true worth 1 Cor. 4. 3. 1 Pet. 4 14. God putteth a glory upon his children under disgrace Mat. 5. 11. 12. Vse 2. For comfort to the godly their rebukes shall bee taken away God is the author of promises Use Consider God in the Promises to helpe our faith Quest How is it the the word of God sith Isaiah spake it Answ He did but write God did dictate Wee should not so much look on the Ministers as from whom they speak Quest 2. Whence hath the Scripture authority Answ From its selfe The Spirit of God in Scriptures Judge of all controversies Quest 3. How may wee know it is the Word of God but by the Chuâ—ch Answ As wee know a Letter from a friend Simile The word knowne to be of â—od 1. By its Majesty 2. Mysteriousnesse 3. Witnesse of the Spirit 4. Divine efficacy 1. In warming 2. Comforting 3. Changing 4. Casting down the soul Acts 16. 31. Adam nearest damnation 5. Searching b 1 Cor. 14 25. c Heb 4. 12. 5. The word proved to be of God from our experience 6. By reason Object The word may bee corrupted Answ The Jews lookt to the Old Testament Hereticks over the new Use 1. Let us regard heare Scriptures as the word of God Use 2. Know 1. God will make every part good Every threatning in it is ratified in heaven Use 3. Let us take shame to our selves for our infidelity in the promises Meanes To regard the word labour 〈◊〉 spirit that indited them Relishing the word makes a man a Christian indeed The points considerable Promises of God flow from Gods goodnesse Promises free and full Use Let us count promises our best treasure God taketh a long day for performance of promises Reas 1. To exercise our faith Reas 2. To waine from the creature Reas 3. To indear the things promised Reas 4. To fit us for injoyment Simile Simile A condition of waiting is a mixt condition of imperfection and perfection Wee have a taste here of what we shall have hereafter to support us Waiting is a grace whereby God sits us for an imperfect condition Waiting carrieth with it all graces 1. Patience 2. Long suffering 3. Contentment 4. Silence from murmuring 5. Watchfulnesse 6. Fruitfulnes Want of waiting the cause of wickednes Many rubs between us and heaven We are of unsetled dispositions It s hard to overcome tediousnesse of time All to be overcome by waiting God will performe promises to them that wait God keeps times and seasons in his own power There is a glorious day yet for Christians There be particular dayes of performance in this life Good to observe what dayes of performance God gives in A sight of God comparative here Absolute in heaven There 's an influence from the thing hoped for to uphold graces in waiting Simile Wee should look to the last end to fit us for it God will have us continue in a state of waiting Reas 1. It s his pleasure we should live by faith not by sight Reas 2. We are not yet fitted for sight of Glory Reas 3. Because God would have us enjoy the best at last Waiting not an empty thing Simile God fits heaven for us and us for heaven As there is a time of waiting so there will be a time of performing 1 Reas God is Jehovah Reas 2. God is faithfull Reas 3. He hath bowels of compassion towards his people Reas 4. Because the grace we have is but an earnest of what we shall have Our faith should answer Gods dealing Waiting the character of Gods people Directions to help waiting 1 Gods time is the best time 2 God will effect things though by contraries Times are in Gods hands There 's suitable action for every affection In performance of promises be much in thankfulnesse Experience of Gods performances should stir up waiting We ought to treasure up experiences God an inexhaust fountain Gods carriage towards his children is salvation Our joy and happinesse is in the enjoyment of God The joy of a Christian ends in glorying Begin to glory in God here Interest in God Christ is the ground of all rejoycing Therefore we are to make good that interest whilst we are here 1 By Union 2 By acquaintance with him The Church cannot be without Christ nor Christ without the Church In heaven nothing but in its admirable 1 Be not offended at the meanenesse of the Church 2 Nor offended with Religion for there 's a glory to come 3 Be not afraid to dye for heaven is our rest and center 4 Neither rest in any measure of grace or comfort here 5 Be not overmuch dejected for the desolation of the Church The fore taste of heaven is better than all worldly happinesse