true sound saving durable grace in their hearts the Lord grant Brethren this be not the case and condition of many a glorious professor among us our age hath given as large a testimony to this truth as ever time did Thirdly When the cry came and they went to trim their Lamps all of them the foolish Virgins Lamps were gone out verse 8. The wise their Lamps had need of triming as the Lamps of the Sanctuary were to be trimed every day every morning they gather some dross and filth which would dim the light but now the others they were quite gone out when they had most need of them they failed them And indeed such a thing is an empty profession it will not carry a man through all conditions as we shall have occasion to speak afterward O how sad a condition will every hypocrite be in when he falls under such a disappointment of his hope then which to a reasonable creature there cannot be a greater vexation he thought he was as fair for heaven as another and yet when all cometh to all in the hour of need the Lamps quite extinguished put out in obscure darkness the beginning of that utter darkness where their portion is like to be for ever Fourthly The foolish Virgins then are on the begging hand and the wise on the denying hand and they send them to buy of them that sell Here I know not that we are to press every particular as if the foolish were so foolish as to beg grace of the wise to have a part of others except the Papists who will have no other Church of Christ but themselves by no wise and then that to go to their Merit-mongers and Indulgencers and the Church-treasure for righteousness rather then to Jesus Christ Nor is it any harshness if the Saints deny them for alas brethren it is not in them to give lest they have not enough for themselves and them also there is no super-erogating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some say the speech is defective an ellipsis of the refusal and the reason only is here given others read it thus least there be not enough for you and us go to them that buy and so there is no such defect the sense is the same Who is it that selleth but Jesus Christ indeed and that without money and without price as you have it in that place of Isaiah But we may look upon this answer not as a monition or serious advice what to do but ataunt rather a derifion of them go to them that buy and so it suites wonderful well with the Papists now go to your Merit-mongers to buy So Eliah cry aloud he is a God either in a journey c. So the Prophet to Babylon threatning ruine upon her thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels let now thy Astrologers Star-gazers monethly prognosticators stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee That which is plainly and undenyably held forth to us therein is that the foolish Virgins are to seek their grace when they should use it then they see they have none whatever they deceived themselves with before the Lord grant this prove not our condition to any of us Fifthly that while they are thus unready for the appearing of Christ and go to buy the rest that had oyl that are ready enter into the joy of their Lord when once the time cometh there is no longer delay but as many as are ready he takes in with him and then the door is shut it is shut against all those that are unready have their work to do when their time is gone when they expect 〈◊〉 glory they want their grace when they would have the Crown they 〈…〉 begin their race Ah Brethren if this prove the condition of our selves sad will it be with us that others shall enter in that we thought in no better a condition then our selves and our selves shut out because we are not ready he will not then stay any longer he hath waited upon us long enough Sixthly Yet the foolish Virgins though they have no oyl and their Lamps be out they come and they cry Lord Lord they cry with earnestness to have the door opened Ah Brethren you that now content your selves with a meer formality and nothing will stir you up to be zealous and to amend then you will cry either at your death-bed at that summons or at the judgement O Lord Lord open to us the strange presumption and confidence in poor sinners hearts though they know they have no oyl yet will expect to enter into heaven though they know they have loytered and trifled away their time of getting grace yet they would have admittance they would have heaven in the end though they care not for working out their salvation with fear and trembling they leave that to others to do yet expect the salvation in the end as well as they And see how far hypocrites may go they come to the very gate and there they cry Lord Lord open to us but all in vain Seventhly The answer the Bridegroom giveth them Verily I say unto you I know you not there is need of an asseveration to press it upon them their confidence was so high that they should enter in with the Bridegroom What take all that pains to provide Lamps to take them to go forth to meet him to raise themselves up to trim them yea afterward to go out to get oyl and yet shut one this will hardly down with them Verily saith our Saviour whatever you may presume upon and vainly hold up your hearts with be assured I know you not O this is a word will kill the stâ—uâ—est hearted sinner when it cometh to the pitch and the most swel 〈…〉 g confident hypocrite in the world it will make his heart sink within him like a stone I know you not and therefore there is no reason I should let you in I never knew you though they had neglected to acquaint themselves inwardly with Christ to procure his favour for that is the knowledge Words of understanding with the hebrews are pregnant and carry or are big with affection also I know you not so as to approve you to favour you so 〈…〉 y as to admit you Yea I never thus knew you 〈◊〉 have I known saith the Prophet concerning Israel that is to say so known as acknowledge owned favoured Now I say the hypocrites will scrape acquaintance with Jesus Christ O they are the people and they have served him and worshipped him and kept Sabboths to him and Preached in his name and heard him preach and now not know them This how strange will it prove to many a poor creature Aâ—blessed souls that know the Lord Jesus or rather are known of him And sad is the condition of such as shall thus be shaken off by Jesus Christ and shaken into hell indeed You have the Parable though many more
as the soul is ready to say O O sure he will not look upon me such a one as I yea I will I will saith he yea notwithstanding all your mis-doings I will your unkindnesses I will your jealousies of me I will your back-sliding I will betroth thee to me 3. It is done with that wisdom and Council that it will never be overthrown Counsel is so called from a word signifying to Found because it is the foundation of actions that which is done rashly and unadvisedly many times men are fain to come off with a non putaram to retreat with shame or when through weakness they cannot see through things Now this is not to be thought of Jesus Christ Brethren for he is the wonderful Counseller the wise God a God of understanding and wisdom and by him actions are weighed yea his own actions are weighed his choice of some persons to life and glory it is the counsel of his will not onely his will but the counsel of his will he doth it with such wisdom as foreseeth all the events It was not a rash thing that God brought Israel into the Land of Canaan no he did it with Counsel and therefore he saith that he knew what they would do before hand Ah! may a poor soul think the Lord Jesus indeed hath made love to me but did he think I would be such a wretch under all this his love I would carry so unkindly towards him yea he knew this and considered it before hand He did sit down brethren from eternity consider what it would cost him the bringing of such sinners as thou art to glory that many a grief he must have many a slighting of his love many a kick in his very bowels Jerusalem would wax fat and kick against him he knew this and yet notwithstanding he resolved upon it he would go through with his work if he could not have born these things brethren and covered them he would not have made love to us if he could not have taken us with all our weakness and imperfections for he would undertake nothing that he could not bring to pass that were weakness therefore he is said to do it in judgement also 4. It is with that faithfulness that the Lord Jesus will not onely not c 〈…〉 st off when once he hath taken a soul so near him in this relation but his heart being once pitched it is never removed more it is not with him as it is with men for however when once we have betrothed persons we are ingaged by the Law of God to take them and our Consciences do bind us though it may be between the espousal and marriage though there be not a casting off yet there may something intervene that may carry away the heart so that the heart is not so towards her as before and the person could be content to be loose if it were not that he is intangled i such â—ands he cannot break but now it is otherwise with the Lord Jesus his heart if once pitched is never removed more if he loveth he loveth to the end It is for ever that he betrotheth when he betrotheth Alas there is little comfort or sweetness in injoyment of such near relations if their hearts be not towards one another It is true they may live together and do duties one toward another outwardly but if the heart be gone there is little comfort in it so it cannot be with Jesus Christ He may indeed sometimes suspend the outward acts if I may call it so and withhold himself sometimes and not give that free communion of himself to the soul but yet his heart all that while is never the further off his heart is never gone which is indeed all in all One of the Churches eyes at any time will ravish his heart that he cannot well hold longer from revealing himself again to the soul after he hath withdrawn 5. For after-sinnings there is also a treasury of pardoning mercy laid up there is a treasury of Merit which he hath expended to purchase mercy for us which is alway before the father not only for the sins past before we believed but for all after since the pardon is purchased already though it be not applyed nor the sins pardoned before they be committed yet there is forgiveness with God there it is and ready to be issued forth as occasion serveth And he himself at the right hand of the father continually i 〈…〉 eceding for the Application of it Whereby he is able to save us to the uttermost Brethren if we could say thus far or thus far he can help and save and there is forgiveness indeed our hearts might fail us but it is to the uttermost to all perfections or all end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet let not graceless sinners abuse this but rather fear him so much the more there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared not that we may wax wanton under it Againe on the other hand He maketh the soul also to close with him and give it self up considerately and in truth sincerely First Considerately and not rashly the soul giveth it self to Jesus Christ promiseth to be his the love of J. Christ Constraineth us because we thus judge if one dyed then were all dead It is the act of the judgement convinced that Jesus Christ is the chief of ten thousand that he is onely lovely altogether lovely of our necessity of him of his all-sufficiency to answer our wants and onely sufficiency his willingness to accept of us No depth of earth no judgement no rooting in it self Mat. 13. There is many a poor creature for a flash a sudden motion hath some velleities some wishings and wouldings but this is a serious and judicious closing with him promising to be his to take him for better for worse to go through with him in all conditions if he go to prison to go with him to death to go with him And he only can work up the heart to this Then secondly It is in sincerity as well as thus judiciously he loveth truth in the inward parts and therefore looks at the heart more then at the outward Alas how often did Israel turn to the Lord but fainedly not sincerely But now the Lord his people indeed give up themselves to him cordially though it be but weak yet it is in truth their resignation of themselves to him and taking him for theirs not for by-ends or reports but for himself not for riches honours a name any thing but for himself no not onely for peace but for himself who is the Prince of peace no nor meerly for the grace and glory which cometh by him but for himself To love a man and choose him meerly for his wealth or his honor which a woman shall have by him it is false and dissembling she loveth him not indeed no it is the person that she
ordinary that in things so much controverted as they are now a daies can in a few daies time be so tost with a wind of Doctrine as to take up a strange a contrary practise this easiness to forgo our principles argues we are childish and weak Secondly Are we grown in understanding you will find it by this thou wilt not be so ready so easie to take offence as heretofore thou hast been alas before men are acquainted with the waies of God at all you see they are offended at every thing they see the Jews were offended with the meanness of Jesus Christ his descent that he was the Carpenters Son he was not like to be the Messias alas it was the weakness of their understanding they did not consider those Scriptures where it is said there should be no beauty in him that we should desire him and that he should come meek and lowly riding upon an Ass and so they were offended at his Doctrine when he told them they must eat his flesh and drink his blood they could not conceive of it and many of his Disciples went backward and walked with him no more And so sinners O they stumble at every thing in the people of God when they consider them and pry into them and find they miss it and fall in their duties they are prejudiced strongly against the waies of God upon this score alas it is ignorance they know not that they have a corrupt principle within whereby they are laid open to sin when lust and temptation meeteth except the Lord do wonderfully keep them they expect they should be as the Angels in heaven altogether spotless and pure even while they are upon the earth and therefore they are offended And so a weak child of God that is newly come on to grace alas every little thing in the way they stumble at for this offending is nothing else but stumbling upon a thing so as to hurt themselves by it either by being drawn to sin thereby being encouraged to sin thereby or else by being grieved at it without cause you know a child cannot get over that which a man maketh nothing of but he stumbleth and falleth so the Apostle where he discusseth of the use of indifferent things saith he All men have not this knowledge that an Idol is nothing and therefore if some weak ones see a Brother that is strong eat of that which was offered to an Idol which he knoweth to be lawful for him to do he is offended at it this argues weakness now have we found it so that we have been apt to take offence at any thing at every thing in others almost and now we can bear it argues we see more clearly the grounds of such actions but thus much for this Secondly Another part of this growth upward I place in the will which is indeed the main the commanding faculty of the soul and indeed wherein the main of faith doth lie and of other graces as of tender-heartedness and the like dost thou find then that heretofore thy will was more unsettled and wavering being as I may say halting between two thou wast not able to come up so fully to such a resolution for God and for Christ as to trample all under-foot for them thou wouldst have them but either hadst some reservation in such a case thou wouldst be saved now thy resolution breaks through all whatsoever this is growth indeed A man of a weak resolution for Christ alas if a temptation come to deny him the allurements of the world he forsakes him with Demas and imbraceth the present world or the frowns of the world he draweth baâ—k to perdition or else is foiled with Peter or at least much abated in his zeal groweth to a more indifferency of Spirit would joyn Christ and Moses together with the temporizing Jews to keep themselves from being persecuted and as Peter himself afterward alas his resolution was not yet so strong as afterward for fear of the Jews he did forbear to walk with the Gentiles as before he had done and so was an offence to them Ah dear friends it may be some of us can tell the time when for fear of men we have sadly miscarried is it better with us now have we now more courage have we for fear of shame come to Christ with Nicodemus by night and now are we not ashamed of Christ nor of his Gospel As the Apostle he was not ashamed of it though it were persecuted and though his meanness of speech were despised his preaching in a suitable manner to the subject which is a great part of a Preachers duty he was not ashamed Well then now consider doth the Lord give thee such boldness such courage such resolution of heart as to hold fast the Word of his patience the suffering-suffering-truth it may be we may be tryed in this point if we be not grown we shall miscarry as heretofore we have done Alas Brethren a little touch with a finger a little blast will blow a c 〈…〉 d over and over but if we be grown we shall find greater resolutions against sin to avoid the occasions of it do you find Brethren O the yielding frame of your hearts to sin to weakness every day it is weaker then heretofore and done away that now you can peremptorily deny a lust deny a temptation O you may not do this and sin against God! then we are grown in the will indeed and the more strong we grow in these resolutions the more we grow in this respect but if we cannot cease to sin Brethren we are where we were it may be we may be sometimes affected a little with our sins upon a flash or pang but have no power nor strength to resist our wills our wills are as weak as water to any thing that is good and against sin we grow not Brethren Again as thus downward and upward so see how we grow in fruitfulness we have spoken at large to that subject that we must bring forth fruits or else we cannot escape the Axe now I speak of the measure of the growth therein a young tree of the first year cannot be expected to bear so much as when better grown no more a young Christian here I would only mind you of two things First that we bring forth more fruit that is that we do more for God then we have done and for his people and for our own souls it may be thou hast heretofore but now and then prayed to God dost thou now do it more often it may be three times a day with Daniel and David It may be heretofore thou gavest but little to the relief of the poor Saints and others in distress dost thou now give more and more proportionable to thy estate as the Lord hath blessed thee for that is the proportion which the Apostle maketh and so where heretofore thou didst speak but now and then a savory word now
indeed these are the sweet breathings of faith these are the near approaches of the soul to Christ this is to lay hold upon him though the soul feel little comfort for the present yet this is a coming to Christ So the Prodigal O make me but as one of thine hyred servants Fifthly and lastly it is a closing with Jesus Christ as he is offered not by the halves Christ is not divided as the Apostle saith his righteousness from his holiness nor his holiness from his righteousness therefore saith the Apostle as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him O here many are deceived they would have Christ but they will not be his what a strange unreasonable thing is this they would have the benefit of having him to be their Father and be heirs but they will not be subject as children they would have all the immunities and priviledges peace and prosperity of soul under him as a King but they will not submit themselves to him as King and Lord they would have him for an husband and yet will not obey O this is not a coming to Jesus Christ this is to serve our selves upon him but the Lord Jesus will search this out keep it as close as we can from others that they may think well of us yea from our selves also through the juglings of our hearts we cannot keep it from him he knoweth where there is a soul that takes the Lord Jesus without any reserve and equivocation Aug. Is non modo durus was no good sign of his condition at that time though afterward it was otherwise for we find he acknowledgeth it bewails it the Lord grant that the doom of Ananias and Saphira reach not to many of our souls for pretending to give up the whole to Jesus Christ and yet reserve part to our selves yea pretend to come to Jesus Christ and yet divide him Well you see Brethren what this coming to Jesus Christ is it is not then every one that saith Lord Lord nor cryeth out the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord that come to Christ it is not the having a few faint wishings and wouldings which like the untimely birth of a woman like a bable perish and never appear more that is a coming to Christ it is not your sucking sweetness from your own duties performances Ordinances priviledges any thing short of Christ that is coming to him Dear Lord Jesus how many of us loyter and take up our rest short of thee It is not a bare acknowledgement of our being sinners in the general and a Lord have mercy from the mouth without any sense of our condition upon our hearts that is a coming to Jesus Christ It is not a desire to be pardoned alone for then none of us should miscarry and O that it were so if the Lord see it good But it is the earnest breathings of a poor broken lost soul the moan of a poor wounded creature the pantings of a poor languishing heart after Jesus Christ a making him alone our stay a resigning our selves to him that is the coming to him here spoken of and such a soul he will not cast out Pardon me I know I am too slow for the acute and I wish I be not as much too swift for many of us that are dull of understanding slow of heart to understand and believe these things the condition of people now a daies I take it doth call upon us to speak oftner and more fully to beat it upon poor creatures the nature of this coming to Jesus Christ then any other thing as I find still in all the preachings of the Apostles they did endeavour to make good that truth most necessarily that Jesus was the Christ because that was most opposed in those daies so now this being granted by all and already that we are sinners the main work lies herein to undeceive poor creatures who think all is well enough with them and therefore I am the more large in this part and indeed much more large then I thought to be The second thing then is what is meant by this not casting out wherein lies the marrow and fatness and sweetness of this Scripture and indeed I think the whole Book of God doth not afford a more refreshing word a more establishing word to a poor weak creature then this is O then let us see what it is First he will not cast him out he will not cast him out of his heart that is the first not out of his love for we must know this all of us this day which may be a comfort to many a doubting trembling misgiving-misgiving-heart that if the Lord Jesus have done this in us and for us hath given us thus to come to him in truth for degrees of the things formerly spoken of I intend not them as to make up the nature of our duty it may be in a weaker and a stronger measure but if in truth it can be found that so we come know for thine everlasting comf 〈…〉 t as base thoughts as thou hast of thy self and of thy vileness and of thy unworthiness thy dear Saviour hath precious thoughts of thee thou art written in his heart thou wast in his heart when he wrought this work in thee and for thee yea long before this for the truth is were not he first as well as last in the work the Alpha as well as the Omega in that work of salvation we should never come to him nor should we abide with him O thy Law is in my heart saith he in Psal 44. 8. thy command I delight to do thy will and what was that that all that the Father hath given to him he should redeem and deliver and save and therefore if it be thus with us we were in his heart before as it was said of that Queen when she dyed That if her heart were opened they should find Calice there Ah Brethren surely the names of the choice of God which now appears and breaks out by this that is given to us to come to Jesus Christ all that the Father hath given shall come to me I say our names were then upon his heart and now are upon his heart as the Priest did bear the names of Israel before the Lord and therefore the Lord will not cast out such a poor soul out of his heart out of his love O my loving kindness I will never take from thee however he may chastise however he may with-hold comfort for a time yet believe it O that every poor weak creature might this day have it given from on high to believe that the Lord will not cast them out of his heart this is thy greatest fear poor soul lest thou shouldest lose him lest he should disown thee and say I will not have mercy on thee Alas it is as impossible as white to be black or black white hath he once owned thee and made manifest his
love in drawing thee bringing thee to come to him and will he now change his mind It is true if he were as man he might repent but the Lord is not as man O what comfort is here what encouragement is this Secondly He will not cast them out of his Church that is his Kingdom his Family his School his Vineyard he will not cast them out for if there be this coming to Jesus Christ there is faith and by that faith as we are made one with Jesus Christ so also with all his members so saith the Apostle we are members one of another ye are come saith the Apostle to Mount-Sion and to the assembly of the first-born that is to say you are gathered into the flock of Christ and out of this ye shall not be cast it may come to pass that through the ignorance of men they may be cast out of the visible Church or Churches of Christ and have little fellowship and communion with them and it cannot but be a burthen to a gracious spirit and oh that the Lord would so clear up his mind that we might not thus by mis-apprehension be a burden each to other but here is the comfort if we thus come to Jesus we are of the invisible Church and he that knoweth the heart knoweth his own image there his own hand-writing there every spark of his own kindling there and cannot be deceived and therefore there is no fear he will not cast away out of this Church the assembly of the first-born not out of this his family will a Parent cast out his child that he hath begotten in his own image because of some deformity it may be and imperfection that it doth not resemble the father in or because of its weakness in those parts which it hath even grace for grace we have from the Lord Jesus though weak and imperfect and will he cast out surely no. Thirdly He will not cast out that is to say he will not send away empty cast them out of his presence when they come to him neither at our first coming no nor our after-coming unto him Not at our first coming where is the soul that can say that he did thus come to Jesus Christ and was refused was sent away it may be thou camest full full of thy self not with such an empty hand to take him it may be thou camest with a false heart and then well might he cast thee cut for he knoweth how the heart stands towards him it may be thou wast troubled only with the smart of sin and not the filthiness the putrifaction of the wound and loathsom nature of it and wouldst have Christ only to have served thy turn and then wouldst have turned thy back upon him alas he knoweth this and therefore he resisteth the proud a man of a Pharisaical spirit a man of a Laodicean temper that is rich and needeth nothing cometh to Christ for a complement thou comest to him whole not sick nor wounded if thou didst and with such a heart as we have said I cannot believe that the Lord Jesus would have cast thee out no more then I can believe that be can lie who is truth it self O who would not venture upon this Jesus Christ be his condition never so sad he will not refuse if we come to him we perish for our not coming Secondly Even in our after-comings to him he will not cast out tell me when didst thou ever come before the Lord with a heart sensible of thy want of him with a renewing of the acts of self-denyal being nothing in thy self that thou weâ—test away empty did ever any hungering soul come to this Ordinance where we have the most royal dainties that ever it self affords in some degree even the flesh and blood of the Lord Jesus the strong wines of consolation and didst thou go away empty surely no he that cometh full goeth away empty but he that cometh empty goeth away filled with some refreshing Haply thou mayst be put to it to wait a little while for it but have it thou shalt If either the Lord Jesus wanted a fulness of mercy there were not room enough in his heart for us all it were something or if he wanted propensity and bowels it were something if he were not a merciful pittiful high-Priest or if he did not know our meanings by our very looks or if he did not know our hearts where they are upright it were something indeed there were some ground to be discouraged but who can suppose any of these O that we could more strongly close with these with what confidence should we then come to him and how full a recompence of reward should we find even in the first fruits here â—f there were no more Fourthly He will not cast them out of heaven for every child of God as I may say hath one foot in heaven already as an unbeliever hath one foot in hell already where our hope is there our hearts are O that I could â—ay they are there they should be there there is our Anchor in heaven there the Lord Jesus is our head is who hath taken possession for us and went to prepare a place for us and therefore the works of grace in the soul are called things that have salvation he will not cast them out no by no means two negatives do deny more veâ—emently some shall be cast out at the last day yea the Kingdoms children Members of the Church and such as have lived under the Ordinances as the Jews did strangers others any that hear and believe and obey the Lord Jesus shall be received in Now Brethren our hearts are so vain we can scarce settle upon it to think of the woful condition that will be to be cast out from the Lord Jesus but no man that cometh to Christ shall be cast out O then it is not greatness shall enter in nor riches nor beauty nor learning nor gifts nor any of all these but meerly the coming unto Jesus Christ he will never cast out such a soul You have seen already what it is to come to Jesus Christ in many particulars and what is necessarily presupposed and such he will not cast out no in no wise or sort whatsoever but alas the difficulty is to perswade poor creatures of this that are upon the turning pin many can say Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean but the willingness of Christ to accept of poor sinners is that we many times doubt very much of and it is not the tongue of men nor Angels that can perswade a man to this and well it is for us that it is so for then the Faith of poor creatures would consist in the wisdom of men and not in the power of God only let me lay before your hearts and my own a few considerations from Scripture which if the Lord be pleased to breath in them may be a support
there are in the heart of Jesus Christ towards a poor sinner as a Father that for a time to humble his child will make it strange to him O how full is his heart how much ado hath he to hold as Joseph to his Brethren O it is the rejoycing of Jesus Christ when poor sinners do come to him to see his seed to see his blood that was sowed and his Semen Ecclesiae to come up it is his rejoycing and will any Husband man in the world that sows precious seed when it puts forth beat it down again nip off the buds the tops of it it cannot be he is grieved when poor creatures will not be perswaded to come through hardness of heart and unbelief and waywardness we will not come to the fountain but sit down it may be some of us with Hagar weeping over our empty bottles and making sad moan and complaints for want of righteousness because of sin and yet come not to him this is a grief to him as it was among the Jews O did he ever in the daies of his flesh refuse any poor creature that came to him either for healing of soul or body which is the lesser yea when they came some of them for the healing of the body did he not heal the soul and all out of the abundant riches of his love to poor creatures O surely then now he is in heaven at the right hand of the Father being no less tender of his poor people if any come now he will in no wise cast them out Well the Lord write these arguments upon our hearts it may be some of us may have occasion or have at present need of them to perswade us of this truth We now come to the Application Vse 1. And first in the first Vse It may serve for a lamentation to lament the backwardness of our hearts to come to Jesus Christ for if our hearts were not backward to come to him what need all this ado to make poor creatures willing to come to Jesus Christ O what is the reason what a strange enmity is in our hearts against the Lord Jesus that we run away from him instead of coming yea though he follow with a Pardon in his hand purchased with his blood O I am Jesus who dyed for you turn unto me my heart is toward you turn unto me I delight not in your death turn unto me O why will ye die and yet poor creatures will not be perswaded to come to Jesus Christ O what is it what is it Brethren that can keep us off thus from Jesus Christ in our unwillingness to close with him to come unto him have not many of us many times clearly been convinced that our condition hath been slark naught that we stand guilty before God and he will by no means clear the guilty and convinced that in Jesus Christ there is a doing away of this guilt a bloting out of the hand-writings that are against us and contrary to us if we will but come to him No we are like sullen creatures will rather perish then come to Jesus Christ I do not believe but many of us are convinced and what shift can we make to smother our convictions I know not but it appears we come not to Jesus Christ As long as the Prodigal could have husks to fill his belly with he would not come home to his Father as long as ever the poor woman in the Gospel had any thing to spend upon the Physitians she came not to Jesus Christ as long as ever poor sinners can make a shift to daub over the breaches that sometimes the Word maketh upon their consciences they will not come O the fault lies in the Will Brethren Ye will not come unto me saith our Saviour that ye might have life how often would I have gathered you as a Hen doth her Chickens and ye would not they would rather perish then be healed by such an hand even the hand of Jesus Christ O the deadly enmity that is in every one of us by nature What we are not willing to part with sins and therefore we come not to Jesus Christ we are not willing to be healed wilt thou be made whole we are prophane and we would be so still proud and would be so still unclean and would be so still We know if we come to him put on Christ we must put off the lusts of our former conversation O wretched love to sin that preferreth it before the Lord Jesus before the salvation of our poor souls What are we loth through the pride of our hearts to take the shame of our iniquities Haply something of this nature kept off the Prodigal Is it not more shame to do sin then to acknowledge it when it is done what is it Brethren how strange a thing is it that men should take such pains to hew out broken Cisterns to themselves that will hold no water dig deep into the world to find some rest there exhaust their strength in duties in prayers and tears as many self-Saviours do specially the Papists and I wish there be none among us rather then they will come to Jesus Christ to accept of that righteousness that pardon which shall cost us nothing but acceptance O the pride of our hearts O the enmity of our hearts against the Lord Jesus and is there such an heart in every one of us Brethren Yea even in the best until he overcome us with his loving-kindness and is not this a thing worthy to be bewailed Yea if it were possible with tears of blood being such an aversion from the blood of Jesus Christ and the dearest love of our Saviour to poor creatures Or what is it Brethren is it the more love we find from Jesus Christ are our hearts the more averse from him if he did profess himself an enemy to us to destroy and slay us if we came near him to scatter us with the streams of flaming indignation issuing from his throne and presence we could do no more then run away from him as many of us now do O that we could lay it to heart The second Vse shall be to shew us the grievous nature of the sin of unbelief and haply this may make poor creatures afraid of straining curtesie with Christ and afraid to come to him because of their vileness c. to complement with him First Consider but the unreasonableness of the sin of unbelief above other sins indeed though all sin be unreasonable other sins they have some pretence of profit or pleasure but this hath nothing but wo and misery attending it condemnation But that I shall not insist upon for there is hardly any thing but Satan and a mans carnal reason will put a specious pretence upon it Therefore consider this unreasonableness First in respect of our selves that being plunged into such a depth of distraction and misery of sin and guilt and wrath that
heart puts his fear there yea and that Peace of God also placeth he as a pregnable garrison there that they shall never depart from him except the Lord could deny his Covenant for my part I see not how any soul that in truth is come on to Christ can finally apostatize though from some common grace they may withdraw which is true Grace though not of this kind which is saving But what then doth the Lord Jesus hold us to himself whether we will or no No Brethren But he maketh us willing in the day of his power so that we shall not any more be willing to leave him to depart from him nor is it an infringement of our liberty at all to be determined to one party either of the contradiction of contrariety as they use to distinguish them for God himself is determined to one part he cannot will any thing that is evil as evil nor the Angels in heaven established and confirmed and yet their liberty sure is much greater then ours well then the Lord Jesus he will never cast them out therefore they shall persevere when once they are in him in Covenant God hath put that principle into them that they shall never depart themselves he will not let loose any lust any temptation upon them that shall ruin them that were in effect in a moral sense a casting of them out in no wise whatsoever will he do it Vse 6. Sixthly Yet here let me put in a double Caution First Let sinners impenitent sinners that yet stand it out protract the time of their coming to Jesus Christ as Aug. O modo Domine take a warning word this day that is do not so abuse this sweet and pretious truth as to encourage themselves thereby in an evil way tush saith the drunkard the unclean person to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant it is time enough to repent Jesus Christ is so tender and so merciful to poor sinners that when ever we come to him he will not cast us out and though we do treasure up many bags and fill up the measure of sin fuller then others he hath made no limitation if we come to him he will not cast us out what a lamentable condition is that man in whose stomack turns an honey-comb into poyson to him here is the most precious cordial the very Spirits of the Gospel in this our Doctrine and see how sinners do turn it into a deadly potion to their souls what Spiders are we that can suck venom out of the sweetest flowers but suppose this be true that when ever thou comest to Jesus Christ thou shalt be received and not cast out in any wise is there any truth in the Hypothesis that lies hid which is either this that thou hast power to come of thy self at any time thy will at command if it be proper to say so of that which is the commanding faculty in the soul or else this that God will draw thee hereafter and give thee a will to come to Jesus Christ when thou hast lived a while longer in the pleasures of sin Ah poor soul thou little knowest the deceitfulness of sin and of thy own heart what is the reason that thou art not now willing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ is it not because thou art held so fast in the embraces of thy darling lusts O that sin that kils with its embraces poisons with its kisses and tell me is that the way to get looser from thy lusts and so more ready to come to Jesus Christ to go on in sin to satisfie and fulfill the lusts of the flesh surely no thou knowest not the deceitfulness of sin whereby the heart is more hardened every act then before It may please him out of the abundant riches of his Grace to draw such a presumptuous sinner to Christ but it is to be admired me thinks thou shouldst rather tremble when thou thinkest I now put off my coming to Christ untill a more convenient opportunity and what if this never come what if my soul be taken from me this night now the Arrows of God are scattered among our dwellings and what if I never have a heart nor some time to come and repent but go on still and grow more and more hard and desperate and sinning and so perish O that sinners would consider this that forget God that they abuse not this Grace of Jesus Christ When did Jesus Christ tell thee how long he would wait upon thee to be gracious doth he not say to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts you may possibly out-live your day of grace aâ—d Christ is waiting upon you and striving with you and then it had been better for you you had never been born Secondly Another caution shall be to them that have come to Jesus Christ and are found in him that they take heed they abuse not this grace to wantonness If we shall not in any wise be cast out of Christ what need so much ado O what viperous natures have we that are ready to turn all to poyson this principle is in every heart among us therefore watch over it The Doctrine is Christs a truth in Jesus and therefore in its own nature hath no tendency to such a froward walking before God there is nothing in its own nature doth more tend to kil sin then grace the abundance of grace in Jesus Christ truly if grace love will not do it nothing will do it nothing runs the old man to the heart so home as this unsearchable love of God in Christ that if we come to him he will in no wise cast us out It is a wretched graceless conclusion to say no more of it to continue in sin that grace might abound the Apostle was well taught in Christs School and both by Revelation from Christ and personal experience in his own case he knew the power of the love of God in Christ the exceeding abundance of his grace and how doth he argue from mercy to duty So our Saviour himself who best knoweth the end of his grace of which he is the Author and Finisher come to me c. and I will give you rest And what then may they sit still and take their ease never trouble themselves more concerning their souls never care how to walk in well-pleasing to Christ No the next words are take my yoak upon you for it is easie and it is light It is no great matter he expecteth of us in comparison of what he might expect and in respect of the recompence of reward a Belial is a Monster in the Church of Christ a man without yoak like a wild-Ass snuffing up the wind and doing according to his own hearts lust I will be bold to say let men pretend to what they will that man that hath drunk deepest of the love of God in Christ and is most firmly rooted
view beseeching the Father of Lights to bless and own it with like success and entertainment in the hearts of those that shall read it as he did when it was at first preached Remaining Christian Reader Thy friends in and for the Truths sake Samuel Winter Robert Chambers Christian Reader MY Design in these few lines to thee is not to commend the work that is here presented to thy view I suppose it will sufficiently commend it self And if it should be otherwise it is not I nor any other who by a bare testimony can add to the Merit of it For though I must ingenuously confess that since it was left with me I have not had time to read it exactly nor could I keep it longer in my hands to satisfie my self that way without some injury having been confined in my retaining of it with me to a certain time Yet so far as I read I have observed that with much satisfaction to my self which I judge may be acceptable to others both to instruct them as also to awaken quicken refresh comfort them so that those who are wise and will diligently observe what they read may be greatly edified thereby My intent is rather to speak of the man that precious servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Murcot who now is taken to his rest in that near Communion which he enjoyes with and in his blessed Head then of any particular work of his I first knew him when he lived in Wirral near Chester and there was reason that I should be familiarly acquainted with him at that time both because he was Preacher at a place and also to a people there to many of whom my self in former times stood related till the violence of the then prevailing Prelates expulsed me thence and also because he took to wife from among us Mrs. Hester Marsden well reputed of by us and who now survives him a serious Mourner under the heavy loss of him He was while he lived there the glory of that Countrey A very quick and lively and powerful Preacher he was and mighty in prayer Eminent for piety gravity and holy innocency warming and heating the hearts of the Saints by his doctrine and life a considerable part whereof he spent in holy Communion with them And over-awing and silencing the rest of men where he lived by his wise grave and harmless conversation Dearly loved he was by some and greatly reverenced by others But in Ireland especially in the chief City thereof Dublin to which place he went when he left Wirrall and where he ended his daies he became like Jonah his Gourd he sprung up as it were in a night his growth was wonderful in that place he filled that City I may say in some sense that Land with his shadow his fame went abroad through the whole Countrey and reached to many parts of this Nation also And when the Providence of the Lord carried me over thither which was about twelve moneths since and about six moneths after he had finished his course though my stay there was but for a little moment yet I met with the sweet savour of his precious name which was like an oyntment poured forth in all places where I travelled God was doubtless very remarkably with him for a great work was done by him in a short time as it is clearly witnessed by all good people that live there He spake the Word of God as one who was much with God and indeed he had alwaies much inward close Communion with God in secret before he revealed any thing of him or from him openly He studied the peoples distempers and found out that formality was the great epidemical disease among professors as indeed so it is every where in this declining age And he was wisely guided in the choice of such soul-searching Scriptures by which he might then separate the Sheep from the Goats the wise Virgins from the foolish which will be Christs work hereafter In a word for prolixity is not so suitable for one who now presents all upon report there being all the while he lived there a Sea betwixt him and me he was a most industrious vigilant Pastor and a most austere and self-observing Christian And this Crown of glory the Lord put upon him which few others have had the honour to wear he was like a rising Star ever to his death in a rising State increasing in spiritual height and stature every day and grew more eminent and excellent in his gifts graces labours usefulness and profitableness continually and he lived not to be at a stay much less to decline but when he was nearest heaven the Lord carried him thither He may be reckoned among the Lords Worthies of whom the world was not worthy The Lord hath taken him but his remembrance will not be so soon gone He will live while any that knew him shall live and afterwards also if the Lords blessing shall accompany the rehearsal of his life and death and his Sermons Printed in such sort as his blessing hath attended the passing and spending of his life and his dying and in the preaching of such Sermons All which were greatly sanctified to the people that beheld and heard them Now that it may be so shall be the earnest prayer of Thy real friend to serve thee in the Lord Sam. Eaton Christian READER I Never knew the Author of this Work in Person while he lived but being dead I know him by his Picture and that the Picture of his better and more noble part The first Part of this Book is formally so being a very exact draft of his whole Life and the image of his inner Man in all the Divine Colours Lights Lineaments and beauties of it Few men have found such a Penâ—il to draw them and few Pencils have found such a man to draw He was but a little while in the world but he lived long else he had never yielded true Materials for so long a History of his Life The following Parts of the Book are vertually so I mean the Picture of his better Part or the image of his mind in which though dead he yet speaketh and breatheth through every Page and Line Truth and Holiness Zeal for God and Compassion to the Souls of men his own Tasts that the Lord is Gracious and â—is longing Desires to make others partake of the same Grace which himself had tasted Read the Book and therein you have the Soul of a faithful Minister of the Gospel copied out It is an amazing Providence to see many unprofitable Drones Idol Shepherds blind Guides Men whose Graces are not at all discernable in their lives and whose gifts are sapless Spiritless and upon the matter useless in their Ministery live to old age and wither upon the Stalk while others of shining Graces of lively Gifts and of unwearied Industry in the Lords Vineyard are cropt off in the very blooming and as soon as shewed to the world called out of it
But who may say to God what dost thou He is in one mind and who can turn him and what his Soul desireth even that he doth He performeth the thing that is appointed for us and many such things are with him But though we have nothing to say to God the most wise God about this dispensation yet this saith much to Man This saith much to Ireland whither God sent this burning and shining light Have not they much cause to consider how they prized it how they improved it seeing God put it out so quickly and gave them so short a season to rejoyce in it That he preached so few years to them should be to them an everlasting Sermon And this question should come thick upon the heart of that Church there which was the Candlestick in which God placed this light why was it so why was it so why hath the Lord removed our Teacher into a Corner the very Grave so that our eyes cannot see our Teacher who was also a Pastor after his own heart any more Was he enough in our hearts or was he too much there We may forfeit our enjoyments by too high as well as by too low an esteem of them and by looking too much upon means provoke God to hide it from us But whatever moved the Lord to take him from you it well becomes you to be thankful that you had him though but for a short season in person among you and that so much of him this mant le which fell from him as he was ascending is gathered up and left with you and other Churches as his Monument and Memorial for ever Joseph Caryl Good Reader IT is often seen that good men die soonest our translation to heaven is delayed only till our fitness to enjoy heaven assoon as we are meet for that blessed inheritance we are gathered in like a shock of Corn in its season some ripen for heaven apace and are taken out of the world sooner then others now it is pitty that all their fruit should die with them Christ saith to his Apostles I have ordained you to bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain Intending I suppose not only their reward in heaven and the continuance of Believers begotten by them to God who in a very commodious sense are the surviving fruit of their labours but also their Doctrine consigned to the use of future ages by writing The writings of the Apostles I confess are more necessary then those of private men as making up the Canon and rule of Faith but yet the explications of ordinary Pastors and Teachers have their use and benefit and it is a commendable diligence in them that gather up the fragments of good men that nothing be lost It pleased God to call up this worthy servant of Jesus Christ to heaven betimes it were pitty that the Sermons coming from such a warm and affectionate spirit should die away with the breath in which they were uttered as his fruit remaineth I hope in the hearts of many that heard him so is it wrapt up in these papers by the diligence of his surviving friends to preserve it from perishing and forgetfulness It s an happiness though not to be hoped for yet to be wished for that none would write in this publick way but very holy or very learned men who either from their profounder knowledge of the mysteries of godliness or inward acquaintance with the workings of the Spirit are most likely to improve or keep alive the Doctrine of God in the Christian world this worthy instrument thou wilt find to be a man by no means of dispicable abilities but chiefly excelling in a gracious heart and much inward experience in the things of God and though deep speculations and luscious language is not here to be expected yet many wholsom and heart-warming truths delivered in a grave and unaffected stile which if my hopes deceive me not will be of great use to quicken this dull and carnal age to a greater study and vigour of holiness and therefore being desired I could not but recommend these Sermons to thy best acceptance I am Covent-Garden this 19. of Jan. 1656. Thine in the Lords work Tho. Manton De. Authore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per Tho. Gloverum Warwicensis Scholae Ludimagistrum De Eodem FAllor an ipse tuo Murcotte per omnia vives Saecula cum terris corpus inane jacet Dignus es aeterna qui laude feraris ad astra Cui novi terras vix peperisse parem Mortuus es Murcotte at saeva morte triumphas Quem non Lethaeis sors dare quivit aquis Membra licet jaceant tristi resupina sepulchro Facta tamen nolunt saecula sera mori Per Eundem CHristian come hither read and reading mind And thou shalt here a Directory find A light indeed but borrowed from heaven Which will direct to keep thy foot-steps even Whilest that a darksom wilderness we tread The fiery Pillar will us safely lead See here 's a Pillar on which who casts his sight Shall see a flame out-shining all false light Through which maugre the spight of mankinds foe He shall to the coelestial Canaan go Where that Star shines now in perfection Which sparkled here for Saints direction per me Tho. Glover Warwicensis Scholae Ludimagistrum The Table of the Scriptures opened and explained in this Volumn  Genesis  Chap. Ver. Page 4 7 120 17 12 487 25 8 329  Exodus  1 13 490 16 25 370 20 20 553 32 12 395 34 7 636  Leviticus  19 23 89 25 41 517  42 ibid.  44 487  45 530  46 ibid.  Joshua  1 5 430 18 3 296  2 Samuel  3 16 523 9 13 219  1 Kings  11 13 394 22 29 159  Nehemiah  8 10 341  Job  2 22 393 5 26 326 8 07 558 16 00 066 19 27 137 21 from 7 to 9 133 31 1 364  21 236 33 26 182  Psalms  1 3 245 4 3 091 18 23 235 36 08 340 40 6 532 51 17 281 75 8 344 76 5 193 84 7 561 92 12 560 94 7 402 111 10 p. 81 See this in the first subject Circumspect walking 119 59 76. See this in the first subject Circumspect walking c.  Proverbs  1 26 315 3 14 367 4 27 61 See this in the first subject Circumspect walking c. 9 1 353  2 ibid.  4 357 12 10 396 24 5 605 26 23 399  Eccles  2 9 558  Canticles  2 7 81 See this in the first subject Circumspect walking  11 419 4 10 350 5 1 ibid.  2 158 168 184  3 160 161  Isaiah  1 5 442 443  6 ibid. Â
of so great weight 7. But negligent in preparation to holy duties publike and private 8. How empty and vain in discourses and unprofitable 9. How distempered in hearing publikely and in conferences with the Church 10. Vile thoughts even in the time of reading and meditation which are deep hypocrisie 11. Yet back-slidden even since the last Lords Supper 12. Yet little pure love to the Saints as Saints 13. Yet not a sensible heart of the dishonour of Christ in these times 14. Yet not a tender nor believing heart in holding out the word of reconciliation 20. In preparation for the Supper-Ordinance he would bring himsels unto the Test and to say the truth was very clear in the discovering and making out of his own condition being well acquainted with the way of Gods dealing with the soul and with the way of the souls closing with Christ Instance April 3. 1653. upon search I find 1. My self an undone creature 2. That the Lord Jesus sufficiently satisfied as Mediator the Law for sin 3. That he is freely offered in the Gospel 4. So far as I know my own heart I do through mercy heartily consent that he only shall be my Saviour not my works or duties which I do only in obedience to him 5. If I know my heart I would be ruled by his word Spirit Behold in a few words the summe and substance of the Gospel 21. The Lord blessed his enquiries with gracious returns when he set himself seriously to clear up his interest in him Instance October 30. 1652. As I was questioning and searching whether I were a child of God or no me thought this was suddenly spoken in me or to me If I be not thy Father what am I then to thee Am I an enemy to thee which did much affect and melt my heart through much mercy In preparation for the Lords Supper Jan. 1. 1652. as I was upon the same Question within my self whether I was a child of God yea or no me thought this was suggested within me If I be not thy â—ather why dost thou follow me so hard and breath after me which also did much affect my heart at that time 22. He got ground on his corruptions and his grave-cloaths fell off apace while he was yet alive Several daies I find good recorded and no evil Instance Good Evil. In morning read a long Hebrew Chapter in closet-duty not altogether without his presence studied for my Sermons and the afternoon spent much what in preparation of my self for the Lords Supper and not altogether without his presence for blessed be his name he humbled me and melted me in the â—ight of my own vileness  About 7. weeks before his translation returning from London he found his Family in a languishing condition by reason of a feavourish distemper which had crept in among them It being the Lords wont to send some forerunning waves to dash against and wet us before he send that mountainous one with which he will overwhelm us His youngest child save one departs this life on Friday night being the 11. of Nov. 1654. How often are the little Lambs taken from the sides of their dams from whom they received life and carried to the place where they met with their deaths An hopeful branch must be lopt off before the Root it self dry up and wither Saturday morning that Chapter came to be read in course which contains Davids Fasting and mourning for his child whilst it lived c. Comparing his own condition with that of David he said Davids mourning went before but mine must follow after The duties of the Family being over he retires again into his study keeps the day as a Fast and being awakened by this affliction is put upon serious self-reflexions and searching endeavours to find out the cause of this smart-stroke of Gods hand an account whereof taken out of his Diary you have as follows God taking away my little babe Job November 11. 1654. Searching my waies c. 1. Not returning according to his multiplyed mercies to us not thankful enough the heart not endeared to him 2. More lax in watching over my thoughts 3. A foolish stupidity and security before this blow from the the Lord far from waiting for changes Jonah-like fast asleep 4. An unnatural heart to him and the rest insensible of his pains 5. Grown very slight in the Lords service though wofully distracted and dead in every duty almost yet not sensible of it nor humbled under it had lost of that spiritualness and heavenly-mindedness once I had through grace 6. Partial affection to the sons more then to the daughters therefore God took this away and smote the other His wife would have had the Funerals deferr'd till Munday but he would not give way saying I have other work to do tomorrow At even the people being come together he accompanied the Corps unto the grave into which he was observed to look very wishly as if he had been curiosly looking for a resting place for himself shortly to lye down in and had thus bespoken his dead child I shall shortly come to thee but thou shalt not return to me Coming home he was very raised and chearful and comforted his wife with this saying among many others Come love he has but got the start of us It being my work to track him and tread upon the print of his heels I must follow him even through the valley of the shadow of death which was not so frightful to him in its approach as to me uncomfortable in its description The time of his departure is at hand and no wonder He was ripe betimes and therefore gathered and taken into Gods Granary He had done his work and must therefore go to receive his wages and this I may be bold to say that he did God more service in a little time then many others whose line of life was twice as long as his He cannot be far off from his center because of the swiftness of his motion He was alwaies much upon the wing but towards his latter end he was wont to soar very high and took many a turn in Paradise every day and would be often hovering about the Casements of the Star-chamber which having delightfully peept and pryed into he came down again though not without much regret and grief yet solacing himself with this consideration that he should shortly meet the Lord in the air and then be ever with the Lord. During the time of his pilgrimage and abode in the Lords Vineyard he served his God and his Generation with all his might He ran faster then others and was therefore sooner out of breath He screwed up the peggs so high that the strings of his several faculties crack and can hold out no longer He did with so much vehemency and contention of spirit continually stir up himself to take hold on God and followed so hard after him that he sunk under the burden of his own
is a solitary duty and requires a calm and undisturbed retirement Now the curtains of a sick-bed are often opened and the languishing Patient seldom at rest The weeping wife lamenting children sorrowful servants busie Physitian condoling visitants must all be heeded and hearkened to and answers returned to their enquiries so that our time is taken up in meditating on our pain and relating it to others Doubtless health and a closet are most convenient for self-reflexions which if procrastinated till the last period of our lives are rarely attended with a real conversion and turning to God in truth and sincerity How seldom are dying men new-born and they added to the Church that are going out of the world The sins of departing souls come crouding and thronging in so thick upon them so that a distinct consideration of them cannot be taken and now mens former golden dreams of heaven and high-flown hopes of after-happiness vanish like smoak and leave behind them in their stead despair destraction confusion consternation and a certain fearful expectation and looking for of fiery indignation to devour O that men were wise that they would remember their latter ends and whilest the light shines provide for the daies of darkness for they are many The Devil hath a jealous eye upon all Engines that might probably batter his Kingdom loosen his hold and weaken his interest besides the flesh loves to be abundantly favoured and therefore I expect that objections against this course of calling our selves to account daily will be multiplied Object 1. The work seems to be attended with many thorny and inextricable difficulties hence mens loathness to take it up Answ 1. He that withdraws his neck from the yoak of Christ because of its pinching weight is unworthy of Christ In vain do men hope to be saved who provide for their own ease when Christ is calling upon them for service Never expect to look him with comfort in the face unless you resolve to be indefatigable in his work 2. Do not men upon a worldly score take abundance of pains in casting up their accounts Will not the practise of many merchants rise up in judgement against themselves and others at the last day They can rise early sit up late and immure themselves in their closets and counting-houses and there at large set down their receipts and disbursments Marriners when at Sea set down in their Diurnals every turn of the wind and when it began how many hours nay minutes the ship sailed such a point of the Compass and how many another yea though they sleep but half the night yet they must find time to do this because their lives lie at the stake and the safety of the whole is concerned How come souls trow to be at such a low and cheap rate that the safety and welfare of the Body should be preferred before them 3. It is better to take pains then to run the hazard of suffering eternal pains 4. The greatest part of the difficulty lies in the Porch when you are once entred into the House you will not repent of the pains you have taken but find encouragement to take more A clear discovery of a mans condition hath in it much of satisfaction Object 2. Multiplicity of unavoidable worldly occasions by some may be pretended for their omission of this duty they have not time and leisure enough to do as others do Answ 1. One thing only is necessary other things are but convenient It s necessary that you have grace and be saved not so that you be rich and advanced to an high degree in the world 2. Lessen your business and contract your occasions within a narrower compass Have less to do in the world that so you may have more time to spend in a devout retirement Believe it Christians Time is a precious Talent that must be reckoned for See therefore that you husband it to the best advantage Be sure you reserve the morning and evening for converse with God and communing with your own hearts not neglecting a watchful jealousie over your selves all the day Religion is not a little obstructed by unnecessary visits frothy discourses unsaint-like gaming 's and Paganish pastimes Take heed of being late abroad out of your own houses It becomes not those who profess they look for and hast unto the coming of the Lord to come stumbling home and to be groping for their doors at midnight when they should rather be in the secret chamber dressing and making themselves ready against the marriage-Supper of the Lamb. I am bold to affirm that reading the Scriptures instructing our families praying to God and singing praises to his name c. make sweeter musick in his ears then the ratling of Tables and the shuffling of Cards the bane of great mens houses and it were well if the infection had not diffused it self to multitudes of inferiour families The plain truth of it is men and women for the generality of them chuse not God for their chiefest good they make not him the object of their delight their rejoycing is not in Christ Jesus Religion is a sapless yea a sour thing unto them and hence it is that they turn aside to vain sports and sensible delights If you find your hearts averse to the practise of a Diary yet let me intreat and ingage you to make tryal of it for a few daies do not obstinately decline a course which you have no experience of But if you are resolved through grace to take up and persevere in the practise of the duty proposed beware that it do not degenerate into a customary and empty formality Rest not in the bare doing of the thing but prosecute the work in order to its ends which are spiritual and of unspeakable advantage FINIS CIRCVMSPECT Walking A Christians Wisdom Ephes 5. 15 16. See then that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Redeeming the time because the dayes are evil THE Apostle in this Chapter according to his manner doth build upon the faith in Christ Jesus to justification the Doctrine of good works and a holy conversation and matters of morality In this Chapter he devideth that his Doctrine as I may say into Ethicks and Oeconomicks rules more generally concerning the framing the conversations of all and rules more speciall and particular to Family ralations This he had begun in the former Chaprer ver 17. This I say therefore and testifie that ye walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind The Apostle descends to many Particulars in that Chapter and carrieth on the Exhortation in this Chapter wherein our Text is The general Proposition still being supposed That the Saints ought to be adorned with all manner of vertue and to keep themselves unspotted of the world he exhorts them to a freeness of pardoning one another wherein thy had the Example of God and it would declare them to be his dear children in the first verse of this
God would not have sadned God is exceeding tender of his peoples comfort and therefore he hath written somuch the scope of all which is that they might have consolation and their joy might be full and therefore if we by uneven walking grieve the hearts of the people of God surely we are like to smart for it it is a vexation to the righteous soul of Lot to behold the unclean conversation of the wicked but it is a grief and bitterness doubtless much more to the people of God to see the miscarriage of a David a Peter and to hear the reproach wherewith they reproach the way of Christ which fall upon them continually Secondly Not only good men but evil men are indangered to be scandalized by it and to be prejudiced against the ways of strictness and exact walking with God because they that profess it do so miserably miss it we should walk wisely towards them that are without left we fright them away from Christianity as the Papists by their Idolatry are an offence to the Iews to keep them off from coming in to Christ because they are exceeding tenacious now of the second Commandment God having purged that iniquity from them by a seventy years captivity and much longer since and so by their cruelty to the Gentiles where they go to convert them they are an offence to them and little doth a child of God know if he fall as David did how many may stumble upon him and fall head-long into hell never come to Jesus Christ upon this account Thirdly Because we have all of us erring hearts and naturally we love to wander and if the Lord have healed that affection that now it is wrought out of us yet we are apt to wander therefore so often compared to sheep I have gone astray like a lost sheep O seek thy servant c. We all like sheep have gone astray and therefore it is the more needful to be charged upon us home and deeply because we are so prone to turn a side it is a people that have alway erred in their hearts though they were his people in Covenant external yet they erred in heart who can say he doth not find many inclinations in the heart bent to backslide go out of the way and therefore it is needful to be prest upon us so much to walk exactly and see to it Fourthly because there are so many by-paths whereinto they may step awry truth is one but falshood is manifold there is error on the right hand and error on the left and but one straite path before them therefore it is two to one but they miss it and therefore they had need to use double diligence and be pressed to it to walk circumspectly to see they be exact in their ways Now for the Use then First it is to shew us that among the much profession of Chirst that is in the world there is very little power very little exact and circumspect walking men profess to walk with God but it is at a great distance they are strangers to him and he to them and no marvel The second Use and that I will a little insist upon shall be a word of Reproof and that of divers sorts and as the Lord beginneth his rebukes for sin at his own House Judgement beginneth at the house of God so will I first give the alarm to them a word of Reproof to them Alas how far short do the people of God come of this duty it is intollerable pride in the Papists that stand upon their tiptoes and talk of their works of Supererrogation as if they had done more then God had commanded and it is wretchless carelesness in us that we keep not nearer to what he hath commanded I speak not now of the many errors the most vigilant and close walking Christian will alas to his grief find himself guilty of when he maketh a diligent measuring of his actions by that rule but I speak of the carelesness of Christi ans walking wherein doubtless they might come up nearer to God if they did but stir up themselves ever and anon but we are idle we are idle and make many an idle complaint to God that wâ— are unable to do any thing which is true if we consider our selves apart from Christ Without me ye can do nothing but through him we may be able to do all things and if we be renewed in our inward man what is this but a powerful propensity of the Mind and Will towards God and that which is according to God It is not to be doubted but if Saints would but take more pains with their hearts they might have many a better frame to serve the Lord and they should not offer so many tattered sacrifices to him and if men would be but perswaded to the painful part of Christianity they may get their passions of lust more subdued which break out to the dishonour of God and shame of Christianity and therefore justly are we to be reproved if men would a little better cast their occasions and husband their time they need not be in such straits so often to neglect or slubber over their prayers And for civil things do you walk circumspectly as you might if you made it your work and study in things lawfull might not Christians have more regard then they have to the conveniency or inconveniency I am sure the Apostle had and therein he followed Christ and therein he is to be our pattern and so what is of good report and praise worthy me thinketh it is sad when there is no care unto our hearts of these things might not Christians walk at a closer scantling in point of offence the Apostle would deny his liberty in things lawful and haply we would think necessary too as the eating of flesh rather then offend his weak brother and we many times care not so we may have our wills how many we offend and so in natural things eating drinking sleeping Christians I doubt we generally too much indulge the flesh even to the loading of our minds and dulling our spirits for higher things how cometh it to pass Sabbaths are spent so sleepily but because some wil not allow themselves nor theirs competent rest the world incroacheth upon God or else they load themselves with the creatures so that they cannot hold up their heads either they are over-worked or over-charged with surfetting and drunkenness doubtless this is reducible to those great evils well the Lord reprove us for it for we are very guilty we walk very loosely in comparison of the examples of some of the Saints yea I do verily think there is many a poor blind Papist will rise up in judgement against many of us that are Professors that have more light then they 2. It is a word of Reproof of another sort that instead of walking exactly with God following him fully their hearts are devided some there are
have to do with either towards God or towards men or towards our selves but there are many temptations accompanying it and particular conditions have their particular temptations and if we be not very circumspect and exact it is a thousand to one but we miscarry we are snared and taken and carried away captive to some vain imagination to some high thought to some base lust and there kept in strong holds and it may cost us somewhat before we be released again the world was never more full of snares then now brethren for beside the ordinary snares in our trading profession or way of gaining Lord how many snares are there it would be an infinite work to trace them through in all our relations Snares they are apt to steal away our hearts if lovely and desirable or else to occasion much sin another way if otherwise in Reliligion never so many never more seandall by the falls of eminent Professors never were there more various pretences to the Truth more false ways and every one pretending to the Truth so that it is somewhat difficult to find a solution for that Question what is Truth never was the world more full of witcheries then now more powerful in its enticements then now it is hard to bear the frowns of it upon the truth but more hard to avoid the imbraces of it and the smiles upon error and falshood if they think it be the way to thrive to be of this or that opinion men to whom gain is godliness they will rather burn incense to the Queen of heaven and tell the Lord to his face that his Prophet is a lying Prophet to speak against their way of worship which brought them in so much they had their corn and wine and oyl then and therefore they would not be beaten off by a Thus saith the Lord to the contrary will the Silver Smiths let Diana go upon easie terms and will not men stickle for a way of falshood if thereby come in their gain and preferments and will not all the world follow that way almost had we not need to walk exactly then to take heed where we tread besides if there were nothing but our own hearts they are as snares and nets to us how easie is it for us to be intangled in the cords of our own sins our own pride and self-confidence and self-love doting upon our selves and a world of iniquities each of them being a snare Oh brethren if you did walk among pits and pits covered from your eys if men did walk upon a bog ready to sink every step how would they walk Suspenso gradu Secondly The necessity of it to the end if we would reach the end of our faith the salvation of our souls it must be by an exact walking it is not a little form of godliness without the power spreading it self through your lives will do it else those in the 7. of Matthew had had a sufficient plea for themselves else the Pharisees had not been much out when they under a pretence of long Prayers devoured widdows houses but they were miserably mistaken Dear friends be not deceived let no man deceive you with vain words and tell you the way to heaven is broder then it is it is a narrow way and it is up the hill and if you will come to heaven you must not think that any by-path will bring you to it that there is any nearer cut then the Lord hath made Many shall seek to enter and shall not be able and what if that prove any of our cases who never were sensible of such a duty in strict close exact circumspect walking how wâ—ful will our conditions be men seek to enter but they will not strive they will walk hand in hand with the people of God ' but they will not walk exactly they will take a liberty to their spirits though their souls perish by it Thirdly The difficulty of the way should put us upon exactness it is a narrow way there is a necessity you heard before if you miss it you sink and perish but men think it is easie to find and keep but this is ignorance our Savioâ—ur saith it is a straite way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an afflicted way or a way crushed close together a man cannot tell almost how to miss the way to hell he may wink and walk thither he needeth no light to his feet the way of the wicked is as darkness and while they are in that darkness they may be sure they are in the way to destruction and he that is but a fool bungler at the service of sin is not ingenuous may make a shift to come thither how easily to tumble down the hill but to recover a mans self to get up the hill this is the labour indeed It is narrow and then it is not such a beaten path and therefore not so easie found some track there is but it is not so beaten and beautified with the feet of the shining Saints as to be easily discerned but it is rather a way in the ayr and indeed none can see it untill he be in it and therefore there is a necessity of exactness circumspection in walking if a man have a hard way to find be upon a great plain or a waste howling Wilderness where there is no way beaten and among enemies in danger to be destroyed this man had need look well about him to walk exactly indeed A third Motive may be because Iniquity abounds the love of many waxeth cold and therefore from hence it is that there are so many offences so carelesly given and so easily taken if Peter and the men of Knowledge have no more love then to walk so offensively have no more tenderness of others what need had the weak then to walk wisely circumspectly lest you be drawn away with the dissimulation of a Peter as Barnabas was he looked not so well to his steps as he should as on the other hand if you slip and fall and walk not wisely if thy foot slip and thou stumble there are few that are so spiritual and full of love as with the spirit of meekness to restore thee again it is too too apparent even in the eminentest Saints they are rather ready to a withdrawing a casting off communion and fellowship and therefore thou hadst need who ever thou art to walk wisely and circumspectly else thou wilt be in danger of giving offence to some of the little ones and woe be to him by whom offences come or else thou maist be insnared and stumble upon others miscarriages and so thy soul be destroyed or in danger of it as the Apostle speaks will not that man walk warily that hath stumbling block upon stumbling block is in a rough way and if he tread aside is in danger to put out a joynt or break his bones so it is here Fourthly How much honour hath God by a
neither of them that are strong men and women in Christ nor yet of such as haply natural incapacity is a great hindrance to But were we not many of us much wanting to our selves in reading meditating on the word of truth we might be much more apprehensive then we are we are in a strait indeed for some are so acute that we can scarce touch lightly enough upon things least they nauseate others are so dull we cannot dwell long enough upon them almost to make them understand something Well this is the first Argument Secondly Because men are exceeding slow to believe things O fools saith our Saviour and slow of heart to believe the things which the Scriptures c. Concerning the Messiah how he must be rejected and cut off and rise again the third day Might he not upbraid our Congregations brethren in the like manner how often have we heard the same things and it may be given assent to the truth of the same but yet are slow to believe And this Argument will stand good against the acutest hearers though they may out-run the speaker haply in apprehension they may be slow-paced enough in believing Now it is true it is not all our inculcating and pressing the same truths upon men that can work their hearts to believe until the arm of the Lord be revealed to them yet we know not when and how far he may reveal his arm It may be a little at one time and a little at another Agrippa hearing Paul once discourse of Jesus Christ was almost perswaded haply if he had had another opportunity to hear the like things again it might have proved a through work Felix trembled at the first Sermon upon Judgement to come if he had heard it the second time who can tell how far it might have wrought This the second Thirdly Alas Brethren our memories are such leaking vessels we are full of chinks hac illac difluxerimus and therefore as from thence the Apostle infers we should give the more diligent heed to the things which are spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least we run out So should we also inculcate the same truths again who is there that hath not woful experience of this other things evil and vile they have such impression upon our memories O how much ado is it to raze them out injuries are graven upon us even as with the pen of a Diamond vain words wicked speeches we have heard long since we cannot forget but a thing that is good O how much ado there is to remember it had not a riddle need often to be put into the water it will hold nothing else be not forgetful hearers of the word saith the Apostle but doers of the same how many of us are even high-way seed hearers The word is gone from us before we are out of these doors or the most part of it So the fowls of the Aire the evil spirits they steal away the word from us so that we had as much need to hear it again as when we came O saith Peter as long as I live I will put you in remembrance To do good and to communicate forget not saith the Apostle no Question they had been taught that lesson again and again and yet they were apt to forget and therefore the Apostle goeth over it again to them to put them in remembrance Fourthly It is requisite because our affections are so dull they had need to be often quickned therefore whet the word upon your children It is not one whet that will edge a dull knife but over and over with it again and again as many times in Scripture a repetition of a thing in prayer in preaching speaks the affections of him that delivereth it so it stirs the affections of the hearers Phil. 4. 4. saith the Apostle rejoyce in the Lord alway and again I say rejoyce is that a tautology or a vain repetition no sure the Apostle was not guilty in that kind but it was needful to stir the affection to the duty our hearts indeed are like so many dead Seas and it is not a little breath once upon us that will move but when the wind passeth often and strongly over us then it may affect us haply the word is therefore compared to the words of the wise which are like goads not the words of fools who are no orators sensless and know not what belongs to the Art of speaking rightly but the words of the wise are like goads sharp and they are to be often used we are like oxen in duty creatures that will often need to be pricked up therefore the metaphor is used therefore saith the Apostle I put you in remembrance of the things you knew before and were established in even to stir you up there is need of quickening the affections a man may deliver the same truth haply more stirringly one time then another and the spirit may breath in it one time more then in another and then the affections are stirrd indeed to purpose that is a fourth Gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed saepe cadendo Fifthly because of the unconstancy of our hearts if we be a little affected with a truth at one time how long doth such a frame continue upon us David was sensible how fleeting the frame of our hearts are And therefore though himself and his people were in as sweet a frame as any we read of almost when they offered with a perfect heart willingly and so willingly as that David rejoyced in it and blessed the Lord for it that they had hearts so to do this was a precious frame indeed yea David rejoyced at the willingness of others not envied at it saith he that the Lord would keep this frame for ever Keep this upon the imagination or figments of their hearts for ever Alas if he keep it not it is gone presently now upon Eagles wings soring by and by with our bellies cleaving to the earth Psal 119. 24. thy testimonies are my delight and 25. v. my belly cleaveth to the dust And therefore the words of the wise they are as goads and nails nails to take hold and fasten things together that they may abide and if they be driven to the head yet how quickly may it be loosened again is there not need of the same hammer to fasten it again therefore saith the Apostle Peter though you be established in the present truth already yet I Judge it meet to stir you up by putting you in remembrance Sixthly because we are so slow to do what we know which indeed is the main thing we do but build Castles in the Aire Bretheren if we hear and do not and yet who is clear in this point yea how often may we hear a practical truth prest upon us before we practise it yea when we are convinced to do it and resolved we will and yet with the Son in the Gospel
doth grate upon It may be brethren to come a little nearer thou hast long heard of coming to Jesus Christ that thou mightest have life and thou hast been as much woed and intreated as many others and thou art even weary of this lesson What ado is here about coming to Christ what do we not come to him do we not follow him Ah dear friends It is the work of your whole lives and why may it not be the work of our whole lives yea it is to be feared thou with whom so sweet a word relisheth no better that thou hast never known the worth of it experimentally Be not deceived brethren you may be mistaken and far enough off from him when you think you come to him but suppose you are come to him may you not draw nearer then you are come have you not many back-slidings Do you not miss a stroke sometimes and are carryed down the stream the Lord knoweth how far and had you 〈◊〉 need of hearing then of coming to Christ renewing your acquaintance with him Alas Brethren if many of us had not had this truth beaten upon us often we had never come to him canst thou tell how often thou hadst in the Gospel a crucified Christ held out to thee before thou hadst a heart to look on him and mourn over him and over thy self whose hands have been imbrued in his blood here thou hast seen him here crucified and there crucified in this Sermon and that Sermon in this Sacrament and that Sacrament and yet alâ—s thy sullen heart would not bleed now if thou hadst never heard of him more it had not been prest upon thee any more what had become of thee if notwithstanding all this thou hadst been sealed up in hardness and unbelief for ever What narrow-mouth'd bottles are we receiving now a drop and then a drop though much be poured out many times little staies or if our heads fill our capacities being large apprehensions quick and memories strong how little is it that sinketh any further there is need of pressing and boring and unspeakable mercy it is if at last the passage between head and heart be opened that so what we have known long it may be yet now we may come to know after another manner even as we ought to know it not to be puffed but humbled to be warmed melted changed by it How often Brethren have we had the Doctrine of love pressed upon us even as John had nothing else in his mouth almost my little children love one another my little children love one another when he could not go as the story saith of him and can we hear it so often but there is somewhat yet to learn that we have not learned may we not grow in it abound in it more and more as the Apostle saith to them even the Thessalonians Ah where is a heart wherein it abounds love to Christ love to his people a little unlikeness to our selves in a thing of no great moment is able to quench our love so far it is from being as strong as death a little earthly enjoyments a house a wife a company of sweet children pretty taking vanities they have such a hold upon our hearts that they stifle our desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ O we see not nor have learned how far better it is to be with him is there not more to be learned by us all in this point And if we can or do love the Saints in whom the Image of Jesus Christ is alas may we not do it more fervently then we do if there be some fervor appearing may we not do it with a purer heart meerly because Christ hath loved them who is the beloved of our souls what meaneth else our having the faith of Christ with respect of persons what meanth else our loving men more for their gifts then for their graces for the common then the special inspiration of the spirit upon them Do we not know men after the flesh and yet haply are ready to be wearie of the Doctrine of love What needeth so much ado to press it upon men the Lord shew us our shortness and humble us under it But I will come a little nearer to the purpose in the Text and the thing in hand which lies before us the Ordinance to which some of us are now called for this of watching for the appearing of Jesus Christ I might have raised indeed a closer observation and more particular when I had finished this but I would not hold you too long upon this which is but the coherence of the words we shall likely meet with it before we have done with the Parable And that is the necessity of pressing this great duty of watching for the appearing of Christ much upon people for this is the thing here our Saviour so muchin sists upon and often in many other places What I say to you I say to all watch And so Luk. 12. 35. Surely there is somewhat more in it then ordinary The duty is more spiritual then ordinary and then our carnal hearts are as hardly drawn to it as a Bear to the stake It hath many a time I know been prest upon us all to get ready and stand ready to wait and watch for his appearing Have we done it How many of us brethren if Christ should come this day would be found sleeping some dead asleep upon the lap of the pleasures and honours and riches of this world and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be disturbed we never dream of his coming Would men think you if they had learned this lesson dare to multiply incumbrances in the world upon them and with so much diligence be casting out their roots in the world as if they would never be pluckt up as if their portion were here below how often have we been warned in the name of Jesus whos 's the warning is take heed your hearts be not over-charged with surfeting and drunkenness and cares of this life and that day take you at unawares hath this sunk with us have we made conscience any of us to ease our selves of any unnecessary incumbrances that we might wait upon him without distraction What day almost brethren goeth over any of our heads or what hour of the day wherein we shall be ready to open if he should knock for us Alas some of us brethren care not how long he defers his coming if he would never come we should be the better pleased for our hearts tell us it will be a woful day to us we have no oyl in our vessels we have no grace in our hearts nor any do we look after we know we are not in him nor are we solicitous to be found in him we are for our building and planting and rejoycing in our youthful vanities and leave these serious things to melancholly Spirits Ah dear friends had not this truth need to be prest upon you your danger is great
your souls Now this spirit works faith and that works by love and that never fails but is perfected in heaven so humility self-denyal and all those graces And not onely the graces of the spirit but this Spirit of grace dwelling in the Saints which continually supplyeth their wants so that the Lamp shall not go out forwant of oyl From the words thus understood this note will arise He that contents himself with a profession of Christ without the real saving work of grace upon his heart is a fool but he that looks to the main thing the getting grace in his heart as well as making a shew before men is a wise man Profession without the enjoyment of the Spirit of grace is but folly I will put them both together that contraries may the better illustrate one another juxta se posita and if either of them be proved both of them are proved for they will infer each other by the rule of contraries Nothing is more ordinary in Scripture then to call sinners fools sinners of all sorts are fools committing wickedness is committing folly in Israel but no fool to the wise fool wise in his own conceit there is more hope of a fool then of such a man and who are usually more wise in their own conceits then formal professors are he that hideth hatred with lying lips is a fool he that hideth hatred to God a rotten heart with lying lips whereby he professeth much love to him and carryeth a fair shew he is a fool in grain If we would know where wisdom beginneth or what the sum of wisdom is the wisest of men shall tell you the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom or the sum of wisdom some read it so And so Job who was no child in Christianity to man he saith to fear the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil that is understanding Mark you Whatever men place wisdom in or folly in this is the very sum of wisdom to fear God fear is put for all grace a manfearing God and eschewing evil was the highest character the Lord gave of Job It is indeed the root of all that good we do and evil we avoid and I will and but one Scripture in the â—hiddenarts thou shalt make me to know wisdom it is one thing to be wise headed and tongued and another to be wise hearted and therefore in Scripture nothing more ordinary then to set forth wisdom that is true indeed by the heart God himself is said to be wise of heart Foolish creatures Eph. a silly Dove without a heart They may have head enough notion enough flashing light appearing to others enough but they are without a heart they have not the great work there a new head and an old heart a full head and an empty heart a light and burning profession and a dark dead and cold heart he that takes up in such a condition is a fool an errant fool For the further clearing of this I shall enquire a little wherein the nature of wisdom and folly lyeth and then shew you how it is Applicable in truth unto this profession of Christ without the possession of him Wisdom then I conceive may consist of these three generals 1. In the obtaining what we want the good we want and therfore come short of happiness because we want it 2. In the keeping the good we have when once we have it And 3. In avoiding the evil we fear which would render us miserable in these three things I take it wisdom consists Now to speak a little to each of these and see how we may prove the formal professor by his defect and falling short in each them in all of them and for the first the obtaining of the good we want to make us happy Alas you know brethren we are all fallen short of the glory of God and by nature are without him and without Christ in the world and have not the things which accompany salvation neither he then is a wise man in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who knoweth those principles and ends which are universally necessary to a mans good his chiefest and most general good So that there are I conceive three things in this respect under this head and so proportionably under the other which go to the compleating of wisdom First there must be a knowledge of the end and a propounding of this end to a mans self an end you know is nothing but that which is good either really so or appearingly so for that is the object of the Will goodness as truth is the object of the Minde and understanding a man cannot appetere malum as it is malum and be a man to delight in evil as it is evil is diabâ—lical to delight in sâ—n or folly as it is pleasant as it is suitable to the corrupt nature to the soul the Will crooked and deprayed this is humane because though a man do thus pâ—opose sâ—n as his â—nd yet not as it evil but as it is good to his corrupt judgement and Will that is to say suitable and convenient to him An so sor suffering there is no man living can prevail with himself to be willing to be miserable they would be happy Well then it is good which is the end either real or apparent But now here in this spiritual wisdom and folly we must understand his end suitable that is to say understand it of the most supreme principle and ultimate good and that is God for what good else is there that can indeed make the soul happy but God in Christ for that good which must make blessed it must be commensurate to the soul so as to be able to fall and satisfie it else theâ—e will be somewhat wanting still and alas for all other goods below God it may be said that which is wanting cannot be numbred Now there are two things considerable in the soul of a man especially to which there must be an answerableness in the end which is to be followed unto injoyment else the soul cannot be happy The first is the vast capacity and comprehension of the soul to which there must be an answerable fulness in the object and the end else the soul cannot rest upon it as its Center and happiness and this we may take notice of especially in those two faculties of the Understanding and the Will the Affections they are but as it were the several motions of the Will a kind of Appendix to it Now to these two faculties in the supreme and ultimate end there must be an answerable ratio veri boni great enough to fill or satisfie the understanding or mind that hath for its object truth and not one truth or another but all truth it is not satisfyed with the partial discoveries of truth or here and there a little but it would have all now the Lord is the highest and the best in
conform to Gods Ordinances you have some knowledge and there is the light of the Lamp though it may be but little a Glow-worm or the Moon no heat in it no affections to Jesu Christ you never felt your hearts burn within you when he conversed with you never knew what it was to be sâ—ck of love for him to delight in him and yet you are secure and think all is well with you because you hear and read and keep the external part of Sabbaths though you know not what it is to sanctifie it in your hearts you think all is well Alas brethren I pray you consider did not Judas follow Christ up and down and did more then many of us have done yet at last appeared to others and himself to be but an hypocrite though I discommend not but encourage you to do these things and to abound in him yet let me tell you and O that God would speak it to your hearts you may do it and much more and yet be but Hypocrites God looks not so much at the multitude of your sacrifices as he doth at the frame of the heart the truth in the inward parts at the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit that is to say a heart made truly sensible of its own vileness and emptiness so that it expecteth nothing for it self but lies at Christs foot for healing and mercy and mourns after him Now I pray you brethren you that are so confident of the goodness of your condition in the midst of all your Sabbaths you keep and duties you perform have you ever found such a heart yea or no O that the Lord would awaken you yea are there not some that ground their confidence upon their own security because they never doubted never suspected themselves they can bless God for it they have alway had a good heart towards God and they never had cause to suspect their hearts and affections towards him and shall they begin now Brethren let me tell you this is a truth in Jesus that a notorious Hypocrite may go on long and never question his condition yea it is rather the sign of an Hypocrite that he never did question his condition Was Judas ever the better for his backwardness to question his condition because he was the last that we read put the question Lord Is it I Surely no he was a Judas the Lord pitty you for you know not the danger you are in poor confident secure Creatures You may take your selves to be sweet Christians and yet be in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity your Lamps may burn long and yet no oyl in the vessel and at last go out and then you will cry out with the foolish Virgins alas our Lamps are gone out our profession is gone it will stand us in no stead now 2. Another word shall be an Exhortation to us all then If it be thus that an Hypocrite may thus long lie hid from himself and yet at last be discovered and that when it is too late O how should this quicken us Brethren to work out our salvation with fear and trembling O be not high-minded but-fear You see these foolish Virgins they had a glorious profession and we may in our dayes come to the like pass and when discovered be made a Magor Missabeb O fear and tremble before the Lord lest this prove our own condition how should we be much in the great duty of self-exanimation and searching whether we have misgiving hearts or no yet let us search if we have misgiving of heart that it is not right with us O how inexcusable shall we be that we were so lazy we would rather venture our immortal precious souls then take a little pains to search and secure their condition Is there any man that suspects his estate that will think much of his pains to spend day after day and time after time to search into it and if it be possible to secure it Why what account do we make of our souls brethren that we can be so wretchedly careless of them do you believe you have souls do you believe they are immortal do you believe it brethren that they shall live for ever in the enjoyment of God or else in unexpressible misery do you believe brethren that hypocrites shall have the deepest damnation And do you suspect your selves to be hypocrites and yet will not be perswaded to be at a little pains with your deceitful hearts yea much pains and often to secure the eternal welfare of your poor and yet precious souls 2. Suppose you do supect your selves to be hypocrites how do you make a shift to quiet your consciences do they not trouble you are your hearts so desperately heardned that you have no disquietness seizing upon you can you enjoy your selves I believe you must needs then sometimes have a terrible apprehension of wrath approaching why will you not search It may be you may find your condition better then you expected and so may live more comfortably and sweetly then now you can while you have such a suspition of your selves your condition may be safe but cannot be comfortable and you cannot be satisfied without this comfort in respect of your outward condition Is that so great in your eyes and this so little O for sin and shame let us set a higher value upon these things be more afraid of losing our souls then of losing the world But then see if thou be confident of thy condition either this confidence is well grounded or groundless and whether soever it be there is great need of searching still If well grounded Brethren yet we must know that the renewed searching and discovery of the soundness of our confidence and the truth of our condition is that which will renew our joy in the Lord our thankfulness to him for the impressions of these things upon our hearts they are apt to wear away with time and therefore if we would keep them fresh upon our hearts the sweetness and safety of our condition that our hearts may be more enlarged toward the Lord then we must be often perusing our evidences and the grounds of our confidence Besides alas Brethren how much doth daily intervene which is enough to darken and cloud all if we do neglect this great work of searching it may be within a while our hearts will be so over-grown with weeds that we shall not discern the root of the matter within us so much ashes that we shall scarce find the fire O therefore keep up this inward difficult differencing duty of a diligent impartial search and trial of our selves And then if we be confident upon no good ground we had most need of all to search yea and how shall we come to know the grounds whereupon we are confident to discern them clearly except we search it may be thou maist upon the search find that thy condition is dangerous thou art but a
all as we have heard then no man surely hath any grace to spare For the Application then It is a reproving word to as many as are ready to think they have enough The Papists tell us of works of supererrogation and I believe that piece of Popery may cleave to some of us faster then we are aware but let us take heed of it when we begin to be so full as we think we run over and could spare any of what we have and we may therefore sit down and breath us Believe it this is the way to make the Cruse of oyl give over running as long as they had an empty vessel the Cruse ran but when all were full it gave over God will not in vain pour out this precious oyl of his Spirit to have it lost upon proud Creatures and bury the Glory of his Grace in an unthankful proud heart That Ancient could say and likely by experience Si dixisti sufficit periisti and may not many of us say so did we ever get good by it it is the ready way to go backward to tumble to the bottom again when we think we are got high enough higher then this or that Christian the Apostle saith God resists the proud but he gives Grace to the lowly The Heathen could say even Plato that a proud man is void of God without God God is far from his thoughts and he is far from the favour of God and indeed so it is God knoweth such a man afar off at a distance he shall have no close familiar communion with God Well the Lord reprove us as many as are guilty in this kind 2. It may serve then to press with the Apostle forward toward the mark of the prize c. O how lazy are most Professors who walk as if they never cared whether they reach perfection or the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ as if we were unwilling to grow too like heaven for fear we should be taken from this earth sooner then we are willing to depart O what earthly heavy drowsie spirits have we how slowly do we drive What is heaven nothing in our eye the enjoyment of Jesus Christ nothing to us that we make no more haste toward him O then as the Martyr said haste after as fast as we can Take heed of such a thought you have been diligent long enough you may now slack your pace you are pretty well for one believe it brethren nothing will sooner quench the spirit then this nothing will sooner damm up the fountain and shut out the light you can never have too much It may be you have through rich mercy what carrieth you in some measure through your present condition you know not what you shall meet with believe it before we die we shall have exercise for every degree of our Grace our Faith our Love we shall have nothing over It may be with thy measure which is less thou maist make a hard shift to get to heaven but why should we not all press after a more abundant entrance into Glory which will be much more for the Glory of his Grace and much more for the comfort of our souls Well then place that behind you brethren which we have attained as Jehu in his furions march caused the Messengers as he reached them to turn behind him still and so went on let not our eying what Grace we have received be any further then to thankfulness take heed of poring on them to pride for that is the way to decline who knoweth how much one thought of pride doth cast us behind hand if the Lord take the advantage for he resisteth the proud above all others cast them behind then stay not rest not until we come to the resurrection of the dead And then In the last place It may be an encouragement to some poor trembling hearts who it may be when they hear this word are ready to lament themselves If this be a truth that they that have most grace have none to spare what a condition then are such as I in who have so little If they have occasion to use all and little enough sometimes What will become of me who have so little like a grain of Mustard-seed If the Cedars of Lebanon have no strength over much but are ready to be blowed up by the roots all they can do is but to stand to the utmost What shall such a bruised reed as I do in the contrary winds of temptation and corruption First then do not judge amiss of thy condition thou thinkest such a one is so so eminent for grace an Oke of Bashan a Cedar God judgeth not as man judgeth thou mayst have more humility and more love to Jesus Christ there may be more sincerity truth in the inward parts in a poor creature that hath little parts or gifts to make a glittering to dazle the eyes of men Herein lies the strength or weakness of the soul indeed Look to this then and gaze not so much upon glorious outward appearances 2. Remember that thou are not accepted for the greatness of thy grace inherent God doth not give his Spirit and such graces in a greater and a smaller measure to some then to others and then accept accordingily he accepteth in Jesus Christ and every poor believing soul doth enjoy whole Christ his righteousness fully imputed to them Therefore this is your acceptance and herein you are alike blessed be the Lord that in this which is the main thing he maketh no difference between the strong and the weak though one man may more strongly and clearly apply him and have more of the comfort yet thou mayst with a trembling hand hold him as surely or rather he will hold thee if thou canst not hold him for the imbraces are mutual between Christ and a poor believing soul 3. If thou have not so much as another thou shalt not likely have so great tryals so great things to do with it thou shalt not be tryed above what he will enable to bear and he will make a way to escape also If his grace be sufficient for thee in all conditions what matter is it only press hard after more and more whatever thou hast reached too and at last thou shalt attain the end of thy hope the salvation of thy soul and in due time thou shalt reap if thou faint not Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HEre is the third part of the answer of the wise Virgins to the foolish Virgins question Which is not to be understood as a serious advice from the wise to the foolish directing them to the ready course to procure oyl to themselves except we could understand by them that sell Jesus Christ or Father Son and Spirit who selleth and would have us buy of him without money and without price Isa 55. 1. for the Bridegroom Jesus Christ seemeth to be distinguished here from them that sold
people that they did wander from mountain to hill expecting help here and there but forgot God their resting place The Raven would not return to the Ark if she could get a place to rest any where upon the earth though the Dove had no rest any where else but in the Ark. Ah what woful natures have we brethren so contrary to the God of love and fulness of bowels and compassions surely we can see nothing in him wherefore we should be so averse but the pride and rebellion of our own desperately wicked hearts how should this exceedingly humble us 2. Not only nature but it should seem they were accustomed to it also and that increased the natural inclination to it at first their sparks were of their own kindling they would have fire out of their own flint and oyl from within well this failed you so they went to the wise Virgins and were habituated in it it was a rooted evil and well watered and therefore no marvel if at the very last they thus go to them that sell Can the Ethyopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots no more can ye that are accustomed to do evil learn to do well here is a first nature and a second nature nature upon nature and what is harder to carnality then nature while it remaineth unchanged naturam expellas c. You may keep a Woolftame and train him up like a Dog to follow you but he will retain his woolfish nature still and if he have occasion will manifest it where a Creature hath been used to betake it self for refuge thither will it go in time of need the Chicken to the wing the Conies to the rocks the Fox to her holes and the Child of God to the rock what time I am afraid I will trust in thee as before and poor Hypocrite to the Creature this or that somewhat in himself or somewhat in some other as you see for this he is accustomed to to go to his prayers to the opinion of flattering persons c. 3. Another reason may be this in Professors that have long rested in a formality and now at last come to see their nakedness God plucks off their plumes letteth them see they are naked and yet they go not to Christ it may be because he holds their eyes hideth this wisdom from their eyes alas if the Lord shew us not the path of life brethren we can never find it out our selves we shall grope at noon-day though we have never so much glorious light about us and Christ be held out never so plainly to us we shall grope and wander and never have a heart to come to him as it is said of the Israelites God did not give you to this day a heart to understand O saith the Psalmist Teach me thy way and I will walk in thy truth Now God and Christ in a just displeasure against us in such a case may hide himself from us aâ—d will not be found either we shall not have an heart to seek him at all or else not an upright heart to seek him and therefore though we seek him he will not be found As this should teach us all to be humbled before the Lord for wickedness and averseness of our hearts to Christ that we will not come to him so long as we can get a drop out of our dry Bottle we will not come to the Fountain but wander up and down and weary our selves to seek rest anywhere then in Jesus Christ Hast thou been a Prodigal and hast thou known this by experience hast thou shifted and shuffled and lickâ— thy self whole as often as thou couldst and born it out by head and shoulders the Convictions thou hast had sometimes when thy Lamp hath been dying O how should this teach thee now if the Lord have notwithstanding this shewed thee the path of life shewed thee the Fountain the Olive whence the oyl is to be had indeed this should teach us I say to loath our selves Ah wretch wretch that I am that should carry such a heart toward Jesus Christ 2. It may serve to advance and magnifie the justice and mercy of the Lord on Hypocrites justice and severity that since they have loved to wander from Creature to Creature and would never come to Jesus Christ Now at the last when they must come to close with him or never he should be hidden from their eyes Is not this a righteous a severe hand are they not paid in their own coin the Lord grant we fall not any of us under this stroke of Divine justice to be left and given up to a wandring heart because we love to wander O methinks this severe hand of God upon them lying upon them to the very last should affright poor Formalists that have nothing else but a few broad leaves to be their refuge when these wither what will you do what must shadow you from everlasting burnings you will say Jesus Christ but do your hearts say so indeed and why do you not now make sure to close with him for if you wander thus up and down from Creature to Creature who knoweth whether he may not make you examples of his displeasure and suffer you yea give you up to wander as those foolish Virgins that you shall never be able to look after him because he will never look after you again And then it serveth to magnifie the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ that notwithstanding this be the natures all of us and we practise accordingly and have made many a poor shift likely to quiet a guilty accusing galled Conscience sometimes with one sometimes with another shift sometimes with a duty a prayer or tears O if we could but weep for our sins all would be well this would make a calm and we are at peace sometimes the opinion of others or sometimes our own opinion of holiness and our selves to which we have done all that we have done it may be Well that after all this now the Lord Iesus after so long being slighted and such forms and duties and fig-leaves and any broken Cisterns empty Bottles and husky vanities preferred before him that yet he should manifest himself to such to any of us and give us that true oyl of Grace in the heart whereby the sinfulness and emptiness of all our former shifts have been discovered to us O what shall we render to the Lord for his love behold what manner of love is this that will overcome all our slighting of him that will not let us alone under our fading gourds until he bring us under his own shadow and never suffer us to wander up and down from him any more have our souls tasted of this his love O bless him magnifie him make your boast in God let the humble hear thereof and be glad live his praises what can you do too much for him who hath thus loved you but so much for
their loins but not see them to keep up an esteem among them if they had made themselves too common haply and too cheap it might have weakened their authority So it is in this case sin and Satan will not be seen haply in the business they know if it should appear to a sinner he is in bondage to them it were a dangerous step to dethrone him and devest him of his commanding power over a poor sinner for who if he did see himself thralled to so base and bloody an enemy as Satan is would endure it long and therefore he keepeth them in darkness from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God therefore it is the first work of grace to open the eyes as in the case of Paul who art thou Lord he knew not nor did he know his persecution was a sin he was so far from it as that he thought verily he ought to do many things against that way And truly so it is with many a poor soul they think they are as far from bondage in sin as he that is furthest whereas they are altogether in bondage A man in errour if of a lesser or greater moment he is in the snare of the Devil and yet he thinks himself free specially before admonition else fundamentals are written so clearly that after the first and second admonition if administred with such clearness and tenderness as it ought Dear friends I doubt there are some of us that it never came into our hearts seriously to consider scarce to suspect that we were in bondage do not your hearts bear witness to this truth believe it such are in the greatest bondage of all others ordinarily I know it is true that even from the child-hood under gracious education which the Lord hath promised a blessing to as one of his Ordinances with it may be instilled so insensibly as that a man may scarse ever know how it came to pass but yet that he is free he may know as the blind man said but I speak of sinners that it is too apparent alas if they did or could but search and try and ponder their waies that they are in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity and yet think highly of themselves as Magus did that they are some body O this is a grievous deceit Thirdly There are some that because they part with some sin they think they are free it may be they were before drunkards or blasphemers now they are reformed and not guilty in this kind therefore they think they are free they have gone forth when alas they are held in the cords of another lust it may be run from one extreme to another reel from one pit to another and truly one chain upon the soul will hold it fast enough one foot in the snare holds it as well as if the whole body were restrained if Satan have but one cord about us he takes us alive at his pleasure Because that they pass one Gate in the Prison they think they are presently out no Brethren there are iron Gates and Bars yet to be opened there are more lusts yet to be shaked off before you can look upon your selves as free Sampson must have his Dalilah Herod his Herodias though he did many things Fourthly Some think they are free because it may be they forbear the outward acts of rebellion so be they can keep themselves unblamable and unreprovable of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they heed not what is within Brethren what is it the better to have the hand and the foot out of the snare and the heart be intangled a man may through fear slavish fear of God or else fear of men fear of shame or the like forbear to act and yet the heart love and like the sin well enough The Dog is not offended with his vomit though he bring it up he liketh it well enough it is only some pain at the stomack which he cannot brook So you may pluck away the iron from the Loadstone but it hath a lingering after it still and so Phaltiel when his Wife was taken from him he parted with her indeed because he durst not otherwise chuse for the dipleasure of the King would wax hot against him he might lose his liberty if not his life if he had refused but saith the Text He went mourning after her he did it with an unwilling heart So may a man part with sin the practice of it but yet his heart cleaveth to it still he may cast it away when the coal is fired but yet he could be content if the fire were out to put it into his bosom again Brethren Is it thus with us we dare not let down sin haply swallow it for fear it prove bitterin the belly but yet we will roul it under the tongue as a sweet morsel surely this is not to go forth to be set free from this bondage therefore do not mistake your selves it may be thou dost not gripe and oppress in bargain dealing hardly or over-reach but thy teeth water at it thou couldst digest it well enough thou durst thou dislikest it not because it is sin and displeasing to the Lord thou art not yet free Fifthly Some think they are free because loose Libertines promise them liberty when themselves are the servants of sin Truly Brethren if ever hell were broke loose now is the time the Devil never enjoyed more chain then now specially as an Angel of light it is come to that pass now adays that men think they are never free until they have broken the bands of Christ and cast away his cords from them until they have broken the yoke of Christ from off their necks sons of Belial that will not endure to he yoked though never so easie O these Ordinances and Duties and Services they are a bondage they are poor and beggerly rudiments to which they will not any more be in bondage they will not any more be Priest-rid den as they call it and as for Sabbaths and Prayers and Hearing and Reading and Meditating these are poor empty things and a burthen it is to bear them they are weary and snuff at it as in Malachy It is true they are empty to them that have not communion with Christ in them Else as David saith in the like case The soul may there be filled with marrow and fatness But now mind what saith the Apostle When themselves are the servants of sin I do observe it and it is worth the noting in the example of such as would not have their necks under the yoke of Christ his Ordinances but live above them have the yoke upon them usually they are persons under the command of their lusts and are these likely persons to teach men the way to liberty surely no. Sixthly Some think they are freed and delivered if they do but attain that knowledge which the Apostle speaks of in the
see it by experience in all things what low minds what poor and weak apprehensions they have that are exercised upon low objects never rise higher what heightens the mind of a Prince but the thoughts of a Kingdom What difference is there between the mind of the meanest Mechanick and the deepest Polititian Such difference must there needs be between the heart of a man that is poring alway upon low things and God is very little dwelt upon It is said of Moses that is the ground of it he waxed great saith the Text not only in body but in mind and Spirit he waxed strong in Spirit was a man of a great mind his eye was upon him that is invisible the great God Jehovah Elohim who giveth being to his promises keepeth Covenant with his people and is Mighty Almighty can do what he will do in heaven and earth and all deep places This made him so great therefore he was above the fears of the Kings wrath he cared not for it Before indeed he was afraid and fled he then had not had so much converse with God and contemplation of him and knowledge of him as afterward he had Well then you say your faith is weak you know not how to get it strengthened lift up your thoughts to this great object do but peruse his name a little now and then yea often the Lord the Lord God gracious and merciful c. See if there be not an abundance there to swallow up all thy doubts and fears O thou art a miserable creature it is true but he is a merciful God and thy misery is but the misery of a creature and his mercy is the mercy of a Creator a God and what are thy thoughts of thy misery when thou hast aggravated it to the height as much as can be they are but finite thoughts and his thoughts of pardon and mercy they are the thoughts of a God infinitely above thy thoughts either of misery or mercy if his thoughts of mercy and pardon were not more then ours we were in a sad condition for then they would never answer his thoughts of our misery which are infinitely above ours of our own misery Alas but I am the most vile unworthy wretch in the world O you know not what I am alas is it for such an one as I to believe Suppose so he is gracious O it is most free infinitely free what he giveth he looks for nothing at thy hands only acceptance O but sure I have wearied out his patience he hath waited upon me so long he is long suffering O but I have such an abundance of sin my heart is so full there is an abundance of goodness abundantly pardon in him yea and truth also c. Alas but I shall never hold out nor keep my heart with him I shall quickly back-slide But he it is that keepeth mercy for thousands O if our hearts were but much in meditation of God his name the Lord our righteousness and this name his works the great things that he hath done how would it raise our spirits to believe and how would it increase our love to him and our fear of him There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared we should find a very great influence upon all our Graces to increase them even from the greatness the fulness the riches of this Object O his Almighty Arm whereby he laid the foundations of the heavens and earth and hanged the earth upon nothing and what then though thou be nothing he can lay a foundation of eternal comfort and an heavenly Kingdom as well as the earth upon nothing and bestow his riches of Grace as well as his power and wisdom upon nothing therefore labour much to improve this great Object O it will take the heart much off these poor little nothing vanities of the world it will make us contented with our portion it will arm us against all the fears of men and lights of the world what will it not do if the Lord be pleased but to breath upon our endeavours in fixing our hearts upon this so high an Object Eighthly Another is to use the Society of growing Christians there is much in the communion of Saints which presupposeth an union maketh increase of the Body to the edifying of it self in love as the Fellowship of the Graces of the Spirit and their co-operation or working together doth help to strengthen the whole so the Fellowship of the Saints tends very much to building up So the Church When they continued together daily with one accord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one consent with one heart then the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved and not only so but hereby the hands of the people of God are strengthened and their spirits quickened the fire groweth to a flame when many brands are laid together if there be but one live coal and many dead ones lay them together and there will be an increase of the heat he that will walk alone and apart from the communion of Saints I do believe shall quickly know by his own spirit what the want of them is but now there are some that are move growing and grown then others are alas how many are under diseases the world or somewhat as bad that they are at a stand proced not or rather decline there is little to be got by the fellowship of such no no the people that we find are so full they are over flowing continually their lips feed many they are bringing out of the good treasury of their hearts things both new and old they are still telling what the Lord hath done for their souls or still they are stirring up others you shall receive something still if your own hearts be not out of frame to receive O how the example of a lively sensible diligent close-walking Christian will provoke us as the Apostle saith Your charity hath provoked many it will put us upon it to follow harder after God To do the same diligence with them to the full assurance of hope to the end wherefore else are the experiences and examples of the Saints in Scripture written what David found and Jacob found by experience of God in prayer wrestling with him and what their fallings cost them both but that they being dead might yet speak to us and with us and we might converse with their living examples though themselves be dead even as faithful Abel being dead yet speaketh and why should there not be such a Fellowship of Saints to communicate what they have found of God I do believe Brethren some of us may with thankful hearts bless the Lord that ever we saw the faces of some of his people that we have by their examples and by their words been much quickened much stirred up much provoked therefore if we would grow converse with such if thou be weak in faith find out some of the