iâ— sent into the World to reveal it to man We know not the mind of God but we have the mind of Christ 2. All other handles the Word deceitfully and is nothing but the teaching of the Serpent to draw man from God 3. He hath gone the way himself others have but seen it in a map 1. But there are manie false Teachers and Preachers in the World As Satan preacheth liberty unto sin the World riches and careing and fleshlie pleasures But these are not the Doctrine of the Christ 2. Others will be wise in heavenlie doctrine by fleshlie wisdom and so think by art and learning to compasse it and so transcend above Christ and lyes not low with him 3. Others teach Christ to be a Law-giver and so frame a righteousnesse in seeming obedience but knows not the power of his death and life 1. As the drunkard to wallow in pleasure and live like a beast at the stale didst thou learn this at Christ 2. The wordling carking caring gathering didst thou learn that at Christ who had not his kingdom here 3. The proud vain glorious that looks for respect did Christ teach thee that Who pulls down every high thought 4. The malicious striving contentious man did Christ so Nay the Doctrine of Christ was 1. To pull down man and lay him low and exalt God and the power of his truth 2. To Crosse the World and stablish Faith 3. To kill the Flesh and stablish patience to destroy Lust and stablish Love But we like noâ— this doctrine it gives no liberty to the Flesh hereby all false doctrine is detected For I am meek and lowly in heart so should you be So that Lowelie meek-minded men who are humbled in themselves and daily judge their own unworthinesse shall enjoy most rest unto their Souls Christ reviled not again Mat. 5. Blessed are the meekâ— And a meek and quiet Spirit is much set by He that humbles himself shall be exalted the whole Gospel runâ— on this string 1. For they are fitted to bear all estates 2. Nothing vexeth man but Pride and unquietnesse of his own mind when he looks for this and that and strives cares and frets and no rest 3. He lives by meer mercie having no good thought of himself 1. This is not a softnesse of nature fretting within 2. Nor a Pharisaical hanging down the head like a bul-rush as Isa 6.8 3. Nor a lurking like a dog under a cudgile But a true understanding of himself and his own vilenesse which brings down pride judgeth himself justifie others applyant mind readie to suffer all and passe by them SERMON IV. Luke 2.8 9 10. And there were in the same countrey shepherds abiding in the field and watching their flocks by night And the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone about them and they were sore afraid c. IN the former verses hath been laid down the birth of Christ and the manner thereof According to the prophesies gone of him before Here is laid down the manifestation hereof to the world It was the greatest message that ever was brought into the World and the most unliklie to be believed by the World That a poor infant born of poor Parents so disrespected in the World that they could not be admitted to come into the Inne but born in a stable and laid in a manger wrapped in a few cloaths And this now revealed to the poor shepherds in the fields and by them reported to the men of Bethlem When the Church being then in trouble and bondage looked for some great and glorious Messiah to come with great pompe and power to work deliverance for them and this must be the man raised up by the power of God to be the light of the Gentiles and the glorie of Israel We celebrate this Feast in remembrance of this great Savior and worker of deliverance Like that of Purim in Esther But we consecrate it to Bacchus not to Christ in Rioting and Drunkennesse in Chambring Wantonnesse c. And not in povertie of Spirit and humility with Christ but in pride and fullnesse of the World Our joy is not in communion with Christ in his birth and death but in liberty to the Flesh forgetting of all O if Christ should come as he will come and find us thus One swilling and drinking another carding and dicing another whoring And all under pretence of love to him Would he take it well O no! Christ was born in a time and manner little looked for by the World and yet in a time of great need For the Church was now grown to a low ebb From Ezraâ—s Nehemiahs time after the second Temple and one during the time of the Maccabees They suffered great persecution darknesse as Heb. 11. For now they had no more Prophesies but a very vaiting on the word of Promises Yea now according to Jacobs Prophesie the Scepter was departed from Judah and they Tributaries to the Romans And now was the time though not known to the World not expected yet now the fullnesse of time being come Christ is sent Thus God dealeth in the Kingdom of Christ So that God hath a time reserved in his own purpose for deliverance and redemption of man which he sends not when and how he lastingly expects but only to be waited one by lowly Faith in tâ—e word of Truth which shall come when man in Flesh and sense sees least reason and least expects it When thou brought again the captivity of Jacob or Sion we were as them that dream Hab. 2. The vision is for an appointed time and the prodigal little looked for intertainment 1. For so God deals in all that he may be magnified For to the wicked he comes in judgment when they are eating and drinking and cry peace peace and to believers in mercy when they cry woe and misery bondage and death 2. He hath given a sure Word of the Prophets to be attended on For the time he hath in his own power and that time is worth waiting on in Faith and Patience 3. It is not mans device and work that can haften his time Not going up to Heaven nor down to Hell but abiding in the word of truth being near even in our hearts Thus we would all fain hasten the time As in the Church there was great expectation yea Abraham desired to see this day So we all would know where when and how But the Kingdom of Christ comes not with observâ—tion 1. If we be in miserie we think too long and murmure Thy desire God sees but thy Impatience he likes not He will answer thy desires and longing but he will make thee First willing to bear his Indignation Yea and we no sooner begin to feel the smart of our guilt a little but we think Christ should presentlie come nay but we must pay tribute and be taxed and feel Repentance and the bitternesse thereof and wait in
Religion almost is but the fruit of maâ— witt and brain and not of a troubled heart but for aâ— end of mans self Gods mercy is simple and his work simple also but all Religion that hath an end in man heart towards man is not of God simple So man is busie in seeking and working to make himself rich searching knowing to become wise glorious Nay man labours to mortifie the flesh to get life thereby but mortification to dayly dying is life but to get life thereby is death for where man kills the flesh to quicken Life he loseth both for all mortification so much urged by Christ Paul is only that care diligence according to that Wisdom given to us that thereby the flesh and daily lust may be kept under that the heart harden not by fleshlie ease fulnesse and so grow wanton but not to give Life to the Soul and so are all wayes of mortification It is good to restrain appetite to keep out the World to walk temperatlie and soberlie and diligentlie in our calling These are good and honest wayes to be chosen to keep under the rebellious Flesh But to do these with an opinion of Life thereby is most base and double dealing for while we pretend to be humble 〈◊〉 inwardlie proud while we seem to mourn we laugh in our selves he that deals with Christ must deal with a single mind and shut all out at doors but Christ and thou and Christ argue the case What thou can plead for thy self and thou shalt see all reason dumb and nothing in thee but a poor prisoner praying daily for pardon and in nothing the freenesse of his grace more appear then in calling the Gentiles This is it which Christ saith They shall come from the east west c. And the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out So they are not happie whom man accounts but whom God accounts so What he did to those that knew nothing but gropping after goodnesse even sought it in man and so thought that the Souls of those excellent men ascended some into the Sun Moon and Stars became Gods persecuted Christ evermore even to those blind men he sent his speciallest messenger that even was to open their eyes and turn them from darknesse to light So that Whom God intends to make happie he sooner or latter calls and brings his heart by the Word of truth out of the World and himself and all to rest simply on him and believe as Matth 22. Psal 45. Hearken O daughter Sion thou must leave thy Fathers house and Abraham Gen. 12. c. For man is gone out into the World and himself else should we never have stood in need of this Word but it should have lived in us for ever but being gone from God he sends out his message saying Go carrie my will and promise to lost man and bid him behold me For this is the execution of his purpose this calling is outward inward Outward in the outward dispensation of the Gospel he layes before man his Will and Promise and so man understanding and fixing thereon sees a kind of good in it and approves of it Inward when through the inward power of the Truth he finds out mans heart and brings it to it self separating it from the World and its own devices in sorrow and misery and to attend on his Promise though man see nothing but death and misery S◠〈◊〉 this calling is not as most think a mending of this or that Action but a destruction of all and calling man from it not to make him wise to fulfill his own will but to lose it The Word is Evocare viz. Call out as out of Egypt have I called thee Woe then to them that are dayly sought and called and have not an ear to hear Like these Guests Matth. 22. Their minds are shut up they see not their own wants nor the beauty of the Brid-groom set before them God calls man to partake of his love but man saith I have another and so the righteous Wrath oâ— God lights on him For though some expound that 〈◊〉 Matth. 12. Calling those that were bidden That this bidding is the universal grace given to all and that callinâ— is a further grace added to the free-will Yet I take thaâ— addingâ— to be the Covenant made with the Jews tâ— whom he offers the light of the Gospel as Acts the 18 This calling abides still in the use of the Gospel as Firsâ— To dâ—lly Repentance 2. To believing 3. To do his Will in obedience of Love 4. To suffer in Patience To a Rebellious People Though they pretended Holinesse and the service of God yet they were grown Rebellious against his Will and Word So that There is in all men a Rebellious Will and Lust yea even in believers which it ever leads man from God into misery and bondage as in Adam and David And Paul complains of it Rom. 7. Gal. 5. This fights against the Spirit though the will and desire of man be natural qualities yet when they are set upon vain objects and come to rule and draw they ever bring into bondage For hereby is God more denied than by any for though they know him to be true they trust him not and as for a stranger to denie and distrust a man is nothing but for a Child it is Rebellion and Rebellion is as the sin of Witch-craft it denyes God and makes a Covenant with the Devil and workes through envie ever to destruction Thus unblief ever Rebells against God yea raiseth up arms against him When he would be a King no say they This man shal not rule over us but would reign as King themselves But believers most of all who dwell in the Kings House and professe alledgeance and service and yet underneath practise and labour that they may be King and wear the Crown and so are still drawn from God by Lust and fleshlie Wisdom And this may he say to our Land he hath stretched out his hand long over us but we still Rebel witnesse 1. That common trade of iniquitie as common as breathing 2. That hardnesse of heart under the Vail of the Gospel 3. That heartlesse dealing betwixt Religion and the World 4. That casting off the Word we professe believe not that to be true which we know c. This makes man an enemie to God this is it which makes thee cast the Son out of doors we walk in a way that is not good after our own thoughts So the Lord may say They have forsaken my Covenant They follow their own which leads into an ill way of Life So that When man forsakes the simple Word of God and cleaves to the devices and inventions of his own thoughts and follows them he forsakes the way of Life chuseth the way of Death which never prosper It was the Curse that lay on the Gentiles That he suffered everie one to walk in his
for he dwels there all things else only ease the flesh 2. All other things prosper according to his presence and not according to the power of the Creature 3. All other things are but miserable comforters but only a putting off for a time and forgetting it but it comes again with more violence like a sore ill healed 1. And yet how do we in any strait run to any thing rather than this For first The World saith Come to me and I will relieve thy want Be diligent apply thy mind to me seek and get me by violence or any way and I will ease thee and we run to it with love and confidence and yet never a whit eased or satisfied 2. The Flesh saith Come to me I will rejoyce thee and ligâ—ten thy heart and put away all thy sorrow I season all sadnesse with mirth and delight we follow 〈◊〉 and yet in the midst thereof the heart is sorrowful 3. Reason saith Come to me and I will guide thee â—nd let thee see Comfort Look at thy righteousnesse â—olinesse thy diligence and knowledge of the Word â—hou art so good and so good above others thou hast â—o reason to be heavy and yet man is never the better These are all the Promises of the god of this World 4. Nay saith Christ But turn thine eyes from them all come to me believe and wait and I will refresh thy heart pardon thy sin preserve thee in trouble and keep â—hee in death and this never deceives 2. And the reason why we come not after so many â—alls is because we are not weary or think to find ease else-where and so long we never come viz. till the Word have revealed such a misery to man of which he is now sensible that all things cannot remove For while man 's fleshlie hope remains he doth not respect Christ Christ hath nothing to do with any but sinful miserable man Therefore we come not because we are not burdened or but so as we think either the World shall help us or we shall be able to help our selves Mans burden may be reduced to four Heads 1. Temptations of Satan 2. Guilt of our own Hearts and Want of the Fathers Love 3. Rebellion of the Flesh Corruption of Nature 4. Want and Miserie and Affliction in the World Minde and we shall see that one of these is alwayes the burden under which we groan The three first properlie to Believers either entring the door of Faith or straying from the Faith received 1. Satans Temptations are a grievous burden and snare when he crosseth by Reason the Truth of God for so he possessed many in Christs time and now prevails with many also Sometimes with strong black Arguments vexing with fear doubting and distraction calling the Truth a lye 2. Guiltinesse of Sin by the Law lyes heavy urged also by Satan filling the Heart with fear and disruâ—â— the conscience unquiet and the heart not estabilished in Faith but still hath an eye to his own unrighteousness and thinks if he were more holy and righteous all should be well But the remedy is to accuse thy self still confesse the Lavv meet the curse and bear Indignation yet turniâ—g from these Arguments of Reason Tell the Devil thou never sinned against him but obeyed him but against Christ and that he hath taken to himself that all thy sins are now his and his righteousnesse thine Then begins a spark oâ— Faith to arise saying O that I could b lieve these groans are helped by the Spirit and then comes the feeling of joy and gladnesse 3. Rebellion of the flesh is a burden to Believers when he would do good Evil is present drawing unawares to vile courses still pricking him forvvard to tickling Lusts dravving still to look to the world and so darkning the light of Christ in him But see that it be a burden and whether it be not the strength of thy fleshly wiâ—l not yet subdued that it is a burden rather because thou canst not have thy own will than becâ—use thou canst not have thy will subdued Like a frovvard vvife vvhich saith She will be content and let her husband do what he vvill but withall frets and repines because the husband will not yield vvhich he must do or else she vvill never be quiet Here not the frowardnesse but the crossiâ—g of her vvill is her burden She is not a burden to her self but her husbands vvill is a burden to her and she unto him so with God But if it be a burden indeed no remedie but Christ Thâ—t thou let him see and knovv that it is thy greatest burdens and not trusting thy care diligence or watching nor fighting with fleshly vveapons but lay down all and wait on him vvho hath power and by vvhom only sin and lust is crucified 4. Want trouble and misery in the World lyes heavy on all For flesh vvould live in fulnesse and see somewhat a fore-hand and it may be thou art in want and persecution even for Christ no remedie but Christ and â—â—e Word of Truth For here thou seest the promise to any burden whatsoever Therefore doth sin in thy â—â—lf or want of comfort doth outward Crosses as a worldly husband froward wife bitter enemies sickâ—esse and provertie oppresse thee Sit still and say with â—onfidence and bind Christ to his Word Thou said â—ord thou vvould take away sin crucifie the flesh â—ind Satan bear all my weakness stand by and be acâ—used for me before Counsels Here I am thou knowest â—â—y burden that these ly heavie on me I am vveary â—o bear them I believe thy Word and vvait for thy â—elp 3. So that it is not because we are troubled thereâ—ore to think that he vvill ease us but by trouble being â—riven to him with cryes and faith for the trulie burâ—ened heart is a praying and believing Heart and so a â—ender and broken Heart that all the World cannot â—ure But these are hard But vve are at ease in Sion not â—roubled not weary and therefore have so little fellowship with Christ because we have so much fellowâ—hip with the flesh Take my yoke upon you To live with Christ then it â—s not to believe and live in pleasure case and wantonâ—esse of the Flesh but to bear his burden and yoke heaâ—ier than that of Rehoboams whose little finger was heaâ—ier than his Fathers hand For this is affliction of Spiâ—it killing of the Flesh losing of the World Life and â—ll and yet the believing heart stayed on God in hope â—nd Faith in his promise patiently suffering his will â—hall find rest therein to his Soul though he be pinched â—nd killed in the Flesh. So that Simple believing in Christ and vvalking vvith him â—n the patient willing bearing of his cross and quiet â—ubjection to his will in love is the only way of peace â—nd rest to mans restless heart Jer. 1. This is my burden â—nd I will bear it Lam. 3. It 's
Faith and then he shal be born unto us But man is loath to sit in darknesse and death yet the Kingdom of God never comes but to repenting hearts Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand 2. As also When we think because of this and that qualitie or diligence or repentance or humilitie he should come Nay he must not be bound by man nor to man by nothing but his own Word and he will thus crosse mans fleshly hopes when thou thinks thy fell the nearest thou art the farthest off and when thou findest thy self the farthest off then thou art the nearest And it is a thing to be noted That Christ came into the World when the Jewes went everie one to his own Citie to be taxed even when they went to acknowledge their bondage and captivitie under the Romans then was Christ born which is also to be observed spiritually viz. When everie man in his own heart lives in bondage fear and captivated by Satan and hath no power to redeem himself but confesseth his thraldom and lyes under it then is Christ born unto the heart for he came to deliver the Captives 4. As also that the Church was now at a great want for the Scepter was departed from Judah and no Prophet was left in Israel as Psal 74. None the guide or teach them nothing left but the word of Promise which seemed to be void and God to have forsaken them And now Christ comes and is born so it is with us And there were Shepherds in the Countrey Here Christs birth is manifested First obscurelie to poor Shepherds and these must carry the tydings of great Joy wherein note that vvonderful humility and lovv estate vvherein Christ appeared to the World though he vvas the great Lord of Heaven and Earth Wherein note Christs vvay viz. That the way of Christ from the first to the last in accomplishing Mans Redemption is in povertie lowlinesse and deep humilitie of Heart far separated from the World and the riches and glory thereof Phil. 2. He was equal with God c. yet took on him the form of a servant Isa 5.3 He hath neither form nor beauty nothing seen why we should desire him he was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and had experience of Infirmities we hid our faces from him and esteemed him not the rich of the world cared not for him The greâ— Doctors and wise of the World despised him he soughâ— not his own glory but the good of all he was still among the poor and halt and blind and beggars and had not whereon to lay his head his message was carried by fishers and ignorant men 1. This was the Wisdom of the Father that the eminence of the Parties nor the wisdom of man should not cause his Gospel to be believed but the Evidence of the Truth according to the ancient Prophesies He will not have the Gospel to be credited because of Man but Man for the Gospel 2. This he doth to keep man lowe that he may see nothing to lift him up in the World but the word of Truth 3. And to shew the difference betwixt his Kingdom and the Kingdom of the World who only seeks high things stands in glorie and outward respects but his in poverty and miserie Though in that low estate God manifested such a glorie and power as the World was not capable of For He was a greater Conquerour than Cesar Pompey or Alexander for they subdued a few Kingdoms and yet slaves to their own vain glory and lusts but he overcame the whole World and Hell too that he cared nor a rash for it and yet but lodged in a manger And this is the way that the mindly low that it rise not after the World but so raised by Faith that it tramples it under foot For as the Heathen man could say He is valiant not only who kills Lyons Bears and wilde beasts but he who overcomes his own passion so in Christ 4. For the daily life of man in himself is repentance or securitie and pride that he so live in himselâ— that Sin and the World is a burden to him Yea that have still that opinion of himself that the World had of Christ yea that as he was counted the greatest sinner of the World by the World that he was ignorant and a deceiver so that man see and feel the sins of all men in himself that he beheld no good in anything but in Christ nor no evil in any thing but in himself This keeps him in the manger and among poor Shepherds 1. How far then are we from Christs birth or way who only seek to be great in the World which all strive at it is not a manger or a stable that will fit them but like Lords of the Earth seek preheminence This poverty of Christ becomes a stone to them whom nothing can please but riches and greatnesse 2. Others who imagine themselves to be born of God because of this and that good quality and still strain at high things thereby to draw near to God But this way they are farther of for all Gods people are born in humility and live lowly and humblie even in the stable that is well pleased with any thing and so advanced by Gods free gift for which they praise him 3. What though we be base and fools in the eyes of the World and that we want the glory thereof it was so with Christ nay it is our freedom if we want it or having it care not for it Now as it was the Fathers will that Christ should be born in a Stable and published by Shepherds so it is his will that thou art poor and despised but he had a care of his Son he will also bring thee through it though with lesse pomp yet with as much ease and at death no difference but only that thou with Christ will willingly part with it and he with much grief and sorrow 4. We hear many say They would have succoured Christ better but thou hatest him in his members What good doest thou to them The Angel of the Lord came upon them He came to reveal this great mystery to shew the truth of all the promises now accomplished none able to do it but an Angel from Heaven viz. an heavenly messenger so that No understanding of the Mystery of Christ or seeing the truth of the Promise accomplished but as it is revealed and freely given from above Man in nature perceives not the things of God 1 Joh. 4. There is an anointing from above that teacheth all things and none can say that Jesus is the Christ but by the Holy Ghost though we think that Jesus is the Christ and Saviour Yet we think but after the flesh but his wonderful Love Truth Power bitternesse of Sufferings Victory over Hell and Death not known by comprehending but revealed to poor and miserable minds from above 1. For the Father hath hid all
themselves and kept all Truth off In the end he leaves them with a sharp nip But wisdom is justified of her Children viz. the Children of the Truth will justifie the Truth though against themselves and though all the world besides should reject it so that The Children of the Truth do in their hearts justifie and bear witnesse and clear the Word of Truth though it be to the condemning of themselves 1. Cor. 14. They fall down and say of a truth Christ is in this man so though the Law Rom. 7. condemned and killed Paul yet he justified it to be good holy just and spiritual but I am carnal So David Psal 51. That thou mayest be justified and clear c. So Abraham justified the promise which prevailed in him more than all reason to the contrary 1. For it leaves that impression in the heart which all the lyes and shapes of Satan cannot wipe out though they may cover and hide Yet this is more powerful in him than all 2. For this discovers the Intents of the heart and strikes the heart down whatever upheld it against which man is not able to stand but as the guilty fellon justifies the sentence of the Judge so he justifies the righteous sentence of the Truth 1. But we see that thousands which professe Christ yet justifieth not his Word Nay we judge the Word and are not judged by it We rule and comprehend the Word and are not comprehended and ruled by it We mince the Law and limite the promise and all to save our own skins because we would not be condemned by the Word 2. Yea such is this wise generation wherein we live that a man will now judge and limit God himself setting a Law to his Decree but he is justified to everie believing heart though reason not able to comprehend it Nay everie man labour to justifie himself rather than God and his Truth and everie thing on which man dependeth as 1. The worldling labours to justifie the world and the wayes thereof in his thoughts 2. Another justifies his own qualities of holinesse and righteousnesse 3. Another his knowledge and fleshly notions for they are the Children of these 4. Another labours to justifie the Truth by Arguments of Reason against others but not by faith against himself as a Malefactor justifieth the Law from his own guilt and not because he comprehendeth it 3. No surer sign of a true man than to justifie the truth for he sets to his seal That GOD is true when man even swears in his own heart to the truth of all the Word as that the Law is just he is guilty the promise is free for he is a sinner when the heart lyes bleeding under the power of the Word though he feel nothing but death in himself 4. But we see how we even deny the Word we professe we confesse that God will have mercy and preserve us and yet flie to the World and something else and that repentance and denying of our selves is the way to Heaven yet hope for it repent not at all The Pharisee desired him to eat with him He ever was to spy some advantage for further justifying of himself so that That under the profession of Love and Religion there lurks in most men base and filthy ends respects whereat they specially aim which poysons all proves their Love and Religion meerly nothing All the Pharisees guilty of this as Saul and Simon Mag us c. 1. For this is to frame Religion to serve our selves and not to serve God 2. This argues an unpurged heart which turns all meat to ill humours 3. Thus Religion is made a way to cover but not to crucifie the World and our fleshly Lusts Self-will 1. And this is plain in experience What is it that man doth in Religion but some base end is more powerful in him to produce it than the simple power of Christs love in him We run after the example of others for credit and approbation rather than out of simple love for our lost minds Others talk of Religion so must we that we may be known Others shew love so must we that we may be approved and nothing is said or done whereat we have not an end of our own We judge the Pharisees and justifie our selves and yet do the same thing 2. Hence we see what a vain and vile thing mans heart is that he meddles with nothing but he marâ—s it that though the thing be good and the word good yet in us it is ill 3 No simple and hearty Religion indeed but when man dwells in the simplicity of his own heart in the simple truth else like a huckster he makes Religion but as a Trade to gain by either from God or man Behold a woman which was a sinner both in the eye of the World and in her sell judged by both and condemned in her self So that None flies to Christ in deed and truth nor finds mercy with him but he that knows and feels himself dayly to be a sinner and through sin is a lost helplesse creature So the Prodigal and Publicane and Paul Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am c. and David Psal 51. 1. Joh. 1 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves 1. For then death and weaknesse wrath judgement lives in man presseth him down and forceth him to cry and to pray 2. For else man lyes covered from himself under some figleafe and so flies the judgement that he may preserve his fleshly life alive c. 3. This preserves humility and keeps down pride and prepares for mercy for to these only doth the Kingdom of God come Now this is not a seeing of this that action amiss but that he see and feel the Original fountain and guilt That though all actions were restrained yet he feels the Power and Inclination and sway of his mind against Gâ—d his Truth that though he be prevented by Gods Power and shall not taste of Judgement through grace yet he sees in himself such a power of corruption misguided passions that he cryes out for mercy daily so is faith daily preserved 1. But all men strive to appear both before God and themselves to be rich none would be found sinners Therefore when we have missed it in one action we mend it in the next that we may appear to be righteous As 1. The pure moral honesty among men though they have no great matters of Religion to boast of yet even that they offer to God as a Sacrifice for their sin 2. But the more devote men they think they have a heart full of good qualities and dispositions and so cloath themselves therewith for their repentance humility faith and love c. They look at as good qualities to cover sin withall but the only quality that Christ loves is when man comes a sinner to him 3. May others indeed have seen themselves
no faith the flesh Unlesse we be circumcised Christ cannot profit 1. Thus in all unbelieving hearts the Word of Christ is still cast off for first 1 It is foolishnesse to it that a man should forsake the World live by faith follow God with Abraham he knows not whither suffer the losse of my own Will nay of my Wit nay of my Life and all this is a foolish way 2. And it crosseth the heart of man which he will needs have for rather than he will want that he casts off Christ himself with him in Matth. 19. He went away sorrowfull So that mans infidelitie is still nourished by fleshlie Reason and fleshlie Lusts which fight against Faith 2. Thus the World trusts any thing rather than God and his Word For 1. The World saith Hearken unto me and seek me ply it and be diligent I will fill thee with fulnesse and thou shall not want 2. So lust calls Come I will fill thee with mirth and put away sadnesse delight thee with pleasures and yet the heart is sorrowful 3. So Reason I will lead thee the good and safe way behold thy Righteousnesse Wisdom c. What needs thou fear Thesâ— are the promises of God and of his Word 4. Nay saith Christ These will sail but come thou to me and I will ease thee and deliver thee and redeem thee from all bondage 3. Nay We that are traders in this Word yet how is the heart slant from the simplicitie of the Gospel and so gets no good thereby For 1 We gather conclusions from it by strength of Witt and Art We frame it to our conceits It begets strong opinions in us and we frame tricks and self-holie devices all out of it which are but the Froth of our fleshly brains But believing not from a broken heart tender relenting We call opinion believing and so as among men it is too true a complaint That plain dealing is gone So in Religion plain dealing is lost We professe the Word and trade in it and cast it off when we have done 2. Or we confound Law and Gospel because neither hath power in us We set one in the room of the other and make the Gospel effectual by the Law and not the Law fulfilled by the Gospel 3. Or we make the Word subordinate to man and not man to it laying a foundation in our selves of good qualities and building the promises thereon when it is free without condition We judge the Word and are masters of the Scriptures and are not guided governed with it 4. Or we seek a sign or a wonder that may confirm the word to us that we might feel some joy peace that we might know some assurance But he saith I have given thee a sure Word to believe that but in all we cast away God and his Word and hence it is we get so little good by it 5. But happy he that sticks to this God Promise it shall not fail speak the Word and my servant shall be whole What a mighty Faith that believed that Word and was healed 6. But this shall be a heavy VVord one day when the Son stands condemned at the Bar and the Father saith Now thou seest what is become of thy Rebellion I was thy Father and never wanting or did I ever fail thee I promised thou should not want and gave thee my Testimonies I sent my Son a man like thee he brought my Will to thee and my Promise but thou would have none of me but thou would have the VVorld and follow thine own VVill Thou trusted in thy own Power and VVisdom and Righteousnesse and Holinesse Now plead if thou can therefore not I but that VVord which thou hast cast off shall judge thee Then I gave them up to hardnesse VVhen mans heart is turned from the VVord of Truth he usually hardens in some fleshly way So that No greater judgement besals man nor surer sign of Gods destroying VVrath than when God ceaseth to call and worke with man but leaves him to the lust hardnesse of his own heart Thus to the old VVorld I will no longer strive with man Rom. 1. He gave them up to vile affections The Gentiles he suffered them to walk in their own VVayes and Counsels Joh. 17. I pray not for the World These he leaves if man have tasted the good VVord of God c. and fall from that VVord he is left impenitent Thus the VVorld when a man grows hardned that the Father can do no good then he casts him off Two things hardens above all First Fulnesse of the VVorld Secondly Knowledge of the VVord without the power thereof 1. VVhat may we then fear when all our former working hearts are turned into hardned knowledge presumption For First where is our weeping and mourning dayes where is that melting and trembling of heart before the VVord VVhere are those cryes prayers after Christ and his Truth Nay all is turned into secure talking or dead-hearted profession that now it is but a dead Letter God is not with the Word so that we may say as Deut. 5. I have heard all your Words But O! that there were such a heart we fear the plague sword tremble when it approacheth but no judgement like to this when God leaves us to all these and suffers man to walk in his own course to his destruction 2. But well-worth tender hearts whose minds are drawn from the World from all things of himself what ever he feels yea though but death and sorrow yet joy and peace shall come he will soon confound all enemies SERMON IX Exod. 12.21 22 c. Then Moses called all the Elders of the people of Israel and said Chuse you out and take for every house a Lamb and kill the Passeover And take a bunch of Hysop and dip it in the blood that is in the basons and strake the lintel and the two posts of the door with the blood c. VVHen God intended to bring Israel out of Egypt viz. Man out of the bondage of sin and Satan and bondage of corruption He sends Moses Aaron and the Prophets to guide them according to his will according to the promise made to Abraham and now to be accomplished by Moses First He sends him with assured confidence of his assistance 2. He hardens him against Pharaoh ceaseth not to plague Pharaoh till he make him yeild though against his will and so makes way for the deliverance of Israel Israel a figure of the Kingdom of Christ 1. As they lived in Goshen where was light and plenty yet in bondage under Pharaoh So we under the light of the Gospel yet bound in infidelity and lust of the World 1. Because we stick not to the Covenant or because the time is not yet come 2. Though the promise was made to Abraham and stood fast in him yet for the present saw little hope of deliverance so we though the
never hurts man but this perverts the mind 3 Nay this makes a man a slave to Satan lusts and to worldlie vanitie which he secures all his life and then dies and they forsake him Now this iniquitie above all was their Infidelitie and pride denying God and Christ 1. Thus are we all in miserie and bondage and sees it not nay account this our happinesse and rejoyce â—herein We feel want of the World riches honour but of the Word of Truth no want at all but that wherein we most delight shall be our overthrow 2. Thus hath he dealt with our Land Nation it hath swept away whole Families Towns yet we â—egard it not For it is this that sets all plagues on fire 3. We cry out under plague death O when will â—his ill weather cease But when wilt thou leave sinâ—ing against God SERMON XVIII â—sa 65 2 3.4 I was sought of them that asked not after me I was found of them that sought me not and I said Behold me Behold me to a Nation that called not upâ—n my Name IN this Chapter is laid down the calling of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jewes the freenesse of Gods mercy to the one and the righteousnesse of his judgements to the other Shewing the constant dealing of God in his Church calling in by the Word of Truth such as have been aliens and enemies thereto casting off such as have enjoyed it yet walks stubbornly in pride after their own wayes The Jewes were a people particularly chosen to God by a special Covenant and preserved by his power according to his promise But the Gentiles were Heathen aliens and Idolaters who walked every one after his own way that had nothing to do with the Covenant and special blessing Not that they were restrained from enjoying happinesse but that none should be blessed but that cleaveth to the God of Israel and became a Jew These were turned from their own wayes to Gods others fell from God to their own for they retained his Word and way before them yet did cleave to their own wits and wills and thereby would accomplish his righteousnesse The Gentiles enquired not after nor sought God till he sent his servants with the Word of Truth to them finding them in their Idolatry and vain wayes said Behold me Behold me For though some in all Ageâ— were called in because the Word light on them yet this was the general and ordinary work So that See by that wayâ— that seems most unlike to manâ— Wisdom and most opposite to mans carnal Judgementâ— doth God worke and stablish His Kingdom and manâ— happinesse that his Power and freenesse of his Gracâ— may appear For they were grafted in contrary to Nature so thaâ— all his Works are contrary to Nature for though he â—estroy not Nature from its being yet he destroyes the Lifâ— Kingdom that seeks in the creature without him Sâ— that so long as man runs after his natural Inclination as we all do he wanders from Gods way therein Foâ— what an unlikely way is it to reason that by dying wâ— shall live and by losing life we shall find it and by suffering get the victorie Not that by dying in our selves we shall live in our selves but in another How unlike that Abraham an Idolater should become the Father of the faithful For he sought nor nor enquired after him yet God called and he obeyed And Paul the great enemy of Christ yet was made the great Champion of Christ Christs way of suffering is a way few do willingly embrace We professe Christ and talks of Christ but we s eek other wayes to come by it and keep this only alive in conceit like a hâ—llow hearted friend who bears fair and speaks well but when it comes to it will part with nothing Thus Paul confounded all those reasonable wayes of the false Apostles and of their knowledge and righteousnesse c. and brings all to simplicity of Babes and helplesse hearts for they kept all alive in conceit but their hearts covered 1. Thus God makes man a depending creature to wait only on his Power and Grace 2. All the wayes of God are wonderful to a believing heart but whatever is within compasse of reason is not wonderful 3. This he doth that he may hide pride from man â—or so the Jews were grown haughtie when they had â—elt his way of Faith and wrought their own safety For that way that man thinks to get life by devising he â—hall not Man grows wise to believe by it and righteous to believe from it and humble that he may gain â—he promise But here simplicity of heart is lost This â—s not the way but by being a fool and sinner in himâ—elf then he is found Now this is abused by hardnesse of mens hearts who â—herefore cast off fear and saith God will find me if I â—eek him not and be merciful though I seek him not â—nd follow not so hard after him and so musled in seâ—uritie because he saith He can do nothing this is the â—lead of a senselesse heart in securitie he saith He can do nothing abusing his absolute power and freeness of â—is mercâ— But I may say Have they not heard Yes the sound is gone through the World so with thee Hath he not sought thee and called thee daily and yet thou hardens thy heart against him Thou hast not sought him but he thee and yet thou hidest thy self from him all thou canst Thus doth every believing heart that knows himself find in experience the wonderful power and mercy in Christ when thou wast wallowing in thy gored blood yea following the sway of thine own will yea feeding thy heart with fleshly pleasures then God knocketh at thy heart when thou little thinks of him nay ever since when thou felt nothing but guilt and death saw no other reason yet then he gave life Nay when thou had in strength of wisdom not from a troubled heart thought to establish thy thought of happinesse yet he beat thee down Yea when thou thought thy self in the likeliest way to become happie then proved it most cursed when thou seems most wretched it becomes ever best from him And all this God hath done that thou mightest for ever believe him who hath chosen and called thee one thou knowes most vile rebel lustful covetous unlikeliest of thousands This confounds all the reasonable wayes of fair projects which man hath framed to himself either out of the world or out of Religion to establish his thoughts of ease and happinesse for we see the offers of grace and his great works and then reasons à posteriore and thinks to ascend thence to happinesse But his grace is free out of our compasse it is to be attended on We would know a reason of God in all his works else we hold him not just But what reason is it thaâ— ever the Gentiles should believe but his mercy And thus all
Knowledge but a thief to God and his mercie most shut from him Whence God shall judge and say Thou of all others shouldest have trusted me thou profest my Name sat by my side but thou art the great thief of all for thou hast robbed me of my glorie thou ran from me in pride therefore thou of all others art the farthest off mercie See the wonderful love of God towards man that pities man that pities not himself When the sturdie Child hath run away yet having wrought his peace he calls him back by his Word and pardons him when the weak heart of man feels Danger and Wrath and feels no ease to comfort him when he is persecuted and knows not what to answer God puts a Word in his mouth What a fool then is man that hath such a pitiful Father attending for his good in all and yet runs to the World and flesh those cruel Tyrants and seeks help there So dayly mercie in God and miserie in man Faith in Gods Word is mans preservation Pray we then that the Truth of the Gospel Faith may be preached in the Church that man may have nothing to lean to but mercie but how hard is this new way to continue but we would stil have something to feel and lean to but not his mercie But they rebelled and vexed his Holie Spirit Such is the cursed nature and rebellious flesh of man So that Such is the rebellion of the fleshly nature of man that the more goodnesse and love God shews to man he is the more rebellious and wanton against God forgetful of himself to the losing of all Israel Jer. 2 David casts off God when his mountain was strong and Jude They turn the grace of God unto wantonnesse And I nourished a people and they have forsaken me they abused the Patience of God This is plain in experience though God hath given us all enough in the World that we see or may see his blessing who might have frustrated thy labour yet how lâ—the to depend on this blessing but would have all sure in the flesh by extremitie He hath verified and yet we have not trusted His Word but would have all in possession For the flâ—sh grows wanton by ease and fulnesse and it is the hardâ—st thing of all to enjoy fulnesse and yet the flesh not to be hardened thereby Tâ— keep Humilitie Repentance and Weaknesse a foot when we feel rest and peace but then man thinks it will never be night again Like a wanton child when he hath gotten what he would have casts off the father as the Prodigal till he had spent all How may we see it in children when parents have cockered them so that now they are the greatest vexation and they wish they were dead or had never been born For man dots on every thing that he quite forgets the fountain and makes it a foundation of future hopes Hence cometh so much looking at what we have seen and felt and reckoning up old store and thence arguing our present happinesse We are grown hardened and secure and it may be shal never taste the like again But what a cursed thing is the heart of man that God can do him no good but he turns it to evil as in all thou never prays nor seeks heartily to God but when need pincheth thee then thou cryes but if he ease thee thou casts Him off As Israel both in the wildernesse and Canaan to Dan and Beth-â—l and made agreement with the Canaanites and after led captive to killing of the Prophets and afterward to persecute Christ himself till they had lost all and all under a colour of Religion And so in the Worlding God hath given all it into his hand and he hath let into his heart made a god of it that World worldly mind as God he trusts it loves it above him saying This is it that must ease my heart so he grinds the poor and oppresseth the needy Others having tasted the goodnesse of God in Christ have cast off fear and thinks all is their own under pretence of Religion they are grown wanton and worlâ—ly out-right Others he hath pardoned a thousand times and they are grown wanton hardened and presumptuous to cast themselves down thinking but not believing that he will pardon what ever they have done Others have health and strength and do nothing but serve their own Lusts So that there is great danger in prosperitie there Satan traps man than man grows secure forgetful and wanton Watch for there is danger of the Devil shutting the heart in that fullnesse and so stops the currant of his grace No thriving in Religion but under the Crosse for man is never ought but then What a rebellions creature is man and untoward child that because God is good therefore he will be nought The Father cannot smile but the child grows way-ward but when God seems evil man is the best but do we provoke him to anger or our selves to our own destruction for he will say I did thee good and sent the Wealth Health Riches and would never have failed thee I sent my Spirit which thou grieved therefore thou must want the comfort thereof at need SERMON XX. Genesis 22.1 After these things God tempted Abraham and said Abraham Abraham and he said here am I. VVE have heard of Christs birth according to the Promise and the wonderful treasure of all good that was to be conveyed to the Church by him the Church conceived joy because they expected a Messiah was to come and great hope offered by him but no sooner was he come but he was hunted with miseries and never had rest in the flesh till death was conspired and accomplished that so mans faiâ—h might not be in the arm of flesh but in the power and mercie of God This we may plainly see in this storie figured than which not a more lively typ in the Scriptures for Isaac being born according to the Promise it could not be but Abraham rejoyced and might have great hope even in Reason that the Promise might go on but that God might purge this he takes Isaac away in the flesh that the puritie of Abrahams Faith might appear to all the World In this Chapter is laid down the Storie of Abraham and Isaac his Son 1. The offering of Isaac at Gods Commandment 2. The Confirmation of the Promise renewing of the Covenant 3. The posteritie of Nahor and familie of Rebecca in offering of Isaac note 1. The Purpose and Commandment of God as a tryal to Abraham 2. The expectation of the Commandment and Abrahams obedience in the Command 1. The Time after these things 2. The Author God said to Abraham 3 The scope that is to 〈◊〉 Abraham In AbrahaÌ„ we note 1. The expectation of the Commandment 2. His obedience against nature in both overcoming as 1. His great power of Faith against Reason 2 Flesh which assaulted in diverse circumstances
are established and made He is the Light Life of Man So that When the ministry of the Word is formed to the Image of Christ and that Word lives in man then enjoyes he all that good and freedom promised in that Word For look what Christ was and did actually and bodily in the World that he is and dâ—th spiritually in the heart of man He came by the will and promise of the Father he was born not of the will of the flesh He wrought miracles to the believing man so in us gives sight to the blind He taught and made known the Will Love and Purpose of the Father to the World So in us He was subject to live in love so in us â—he suffered freely so us he enables makes conquerors So it is plain that the birth of Christ is the beginning and Fountain of mans happinesse and freedâ—m the Life of Christ with the Father the life of happinesse and the Death of Christ the accomplishment of mans blessednesse and victorie See then how all the whole truth of God begins ends in one That which was promised to Adam and Abraham is Prophesied of Here is born in time and sent to everie believer thereâ—ore all our running about conceits buildings and thoughts and imaginaâ—ions and inventions are but vain blasts for here is all â—hat is substantial But who hath believed our report may Christ say for First We hear of Christ born baptized persecuted and â—rucified c. But not to us ray we know this Christ after the â—â—esh we think well of him and love the thoughts of â—im but not born to us Nay we frame a Christ and seem to worship him but not given to us nay we have a conceit that he hath done all for us but not born in us we defend him and plead for him we dispute of him we talk of him we read of him but not born to us This teacheth that Christ was promised of God and sent in fulnesse of time and then his spirit sent into the hearts of men So there is a waiting for the promise under the Law but in the fulnesse of time he shal be born and given For he came when man was out of hope for there was nothing but vexation under the Maccabees and the Romans and then came a deliverer and so to all men When Sarah was past age and without hope then Isaac is born So when thou art past hope and sees no Reasâ—n then shall Christ be born to thee for that is the fulnesse of time and till then the fulnesse of time is not come And we see that Christ is nothing to man till he be born in man that the living Word of the Father live rule in him beyond all Reason and Imagination of Flesh For no Reason can be given of Christ to be born of a Virgin nor that man should believe life in death or a guilty man to be delivered A Son is born Here is the promise of a Messiah this already accomplished both visibly to the World and spiritually to believers So that No power of the adversary or Flesh is able to makâ— void the Word of Truth and Promise nor shake thâ— heart of man stayed thereon by Faith As Abraham believed the Word against plain reasâ— So the Promise of Caanan Pharaoh on the one side and enemies in the way and fourtie Kings in Canaaâ— resisted yet thither they must Heaven and Earth muâ—â— passe away but not that Word of Truth 1. For this puritie of Faith under the Crosse whâ—â— all sights against it yet it stands 2. By this God is magnified and man hath assuranâ—â— of rest therein as when man believes Gods trutâ— though never so unlike God preserves that man For can any man stay a showre of Rain take heed of fighting against God 3 Be subject and stay here though thou see no likely-hood not striving what thou would have but waiting what and when God will do his Will 4. Here is the stay of believers though they see no rest yet they wait on God and know that in fulnesse of time the Child shall be born 5. But though we have a sure word we are lothe to stay the fulnesse of time but now man would be comforted and then eased but thou must be more weak thy Wisdom and Righteousnesse must be troden down that nothing but God and his Truth may live in thee A Son born Some will have this meant of Hezekiah or Isaiah but it agrees not with the Text but only of Christ the Word of the Father which took our nature that he might redeem us and let us see the subjection and losse of all to way of freedom These two natures joyned in Christ by an Hypostatical Union made a perfect Christ as flesh and spirit makes in Moria a Christian these not by confounding their natures but by right ordering of both yet remain distinct the power of the God-head shining through the Manhood Ordering and Ruling and Guiding in subjection to the Fathers Will So in us Religion or Christ born in man is not the confounding of nature in man as with most beginning in the Spirit but ending in the Flesh as First In our glorious notions not rising from Christ stirring up our present passions onlie flesh Mans freedom is not helped by Flesh at all but subjection onlie Manie Sons born to man but Ishmaels or Esaus few have Christ formed or born in them The government is upon his shoulders That is the whole Rule whereby his Kingdom is ordered is in him onlie Jâ—h 5. The Father hath given all government to the Son So that The whole power of governing and guiding man â—ests in Jesus Christ and is enjoyed by Faith in him All power is given to me both in Heaven and Earthâ— to him belongs dominion power and glorie 1. For why he is King and Head of the Church 2. By him only the power of Satan is subdued 3. He is the corner-stone of all buildings Now his power is not of the Flesh for that was kept weak in him and at last so dyeth in us His Kingdom is not of this World but Righteousnesse Peace Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. By righteousnesse of Faith and righteousnesse of Love as peace in the heart with subjection under the Crosse joy in assurance of the love and joy in tribulation But most are not governed by Christ but by their own Witt Will World and Flesh. Where then is the power of man whereby he thinks to obtain Life It remains in Christ onlie enjoyed by Faith from day to day else how doth Christ rule But most will have the government upon their own shoulders He rules all by the Word of Truth Psal 45. His Scepter is a right Scepter his Word returns not in vain he bears up all by his mighty Word He shall be called wonderful Here is his title and of admiration and to be referred to all his Wonders in his
Wisdom and Counsel in his Power Love Peace So that So the way of Christ in bringing man back from death to life is a wonderful way unknown to the World and Flesh only known by Christ in the Word of Truth Isa 55. 1. My wayes are not your wayes but look how far it is a wonderful way that he prescribes in Matth. 16. To denie our selves to take up his crosse lose our life It is called the mystery of the Kingdom for Genesis 3. He ordained that man should never by that way of the flesh enter into life but by another way that kills the flesh 2. The way of Christ is opposite to the way of the World that his glorie may appear For Israel by want of Faith stood in fear of the Armie of the Philistins but Jonathan and his Armour-bearer only discomfited by Faith a wonderful power of God 3. Thus God makes himself known in the earth by his great wonderful works now Christs way is wonderful not only in his birth in earth without a Father in Heaven without a Mother but also in his miracles which were great As in disputing at twelve years old and fasting fourtie dayes but also in his ministry that a silly man opposing the whole Hirarchie of the Pharisees and Jews yet spake with authority to the subduing of all so in his Apostles for the wonderful evidence of the Truth doth for the present dash all contrary power though afterward it rise again He is also wonderful in the administration of his Kingdom as he came to give us light that sat in darknesse and obscuritie 1. To give Life and yet he dyed himself and in Reason was overcome in death but that Faith believed the Resurrection 2. To make us Rich and yet he himself Poor 3. To make us free and himself bound 4. To comfort us and yet he himself cryed out for comfort My God my God why hast thou forsaken me It must needs be some wonderful way that Christ hath to worke a Redemption for me and this by an unspeakable power and love which is seen in all mans straits as in prayer and affliction temptation and death as 1. Man cryes and prayes to be eased like Paul for a prick in the flesh God hears by a secret power and grace and saith in Paul 2. In affliction he layes Load and yet preserves by feeling the Fathers love 3. In temptations justifies and yet we feel no killing of the flesh 4. Death comes and yet we live in him 1. Away then with that reasonable Religion Christs way is above that man hath a readie way of Religion to do well and know much and so hath an opinion in Flesh but not a stay to the Soul also a reason of love as his neighbour and friends but no reason to love Enemies It must be a wonderful power of Christ that must separate man from himself in reason it were likest that man should speed best that comes righteous to him but not so he that comes a sinner 2. We see then the necessitie of Faith and the nature of it that it is not a reasonable perswasion but a powerful cleaving to Christ no dealing with God but by Faith for Reason can make nothing of the wayes of Christ 3. Mâ—rvel then not though the World cannot away with it the Wisdom of the World counts it foolishnesse but Faith knows that Reason is a foolish counseller this is another title and propertie or declaration of the Wisdom of the Father that was with him he is the Counseller the Prophet of the Church to teach it Wisdom and guide it in the way of peace So that the Fountain of all wisdom and counsel is in Gâ—d and none wise in matter of Religion God but they that are wise in and truly know Christ In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge which are conveyed unto man as he believes waits for he is made of God to us wisdom and righteousnesse c. If any obey my will he shall know whether this Doctrine be of God 1. For he was in the bosom of the Father and sent out to counsel and advise deceived men to turn to God again 2. Man is blind even the wisest of the World the crosse of Christ is their greatest misery for it is foolishnesse to them and they cannot approve it but the World thinks not so for who are counted so wise as the children of this World who fight against God 1. So God hath shewed the way to prosper that is to believe trust and obey but the wicked say not buâ— cark care and oppresse but the way of life is a denial and losse of life and will But they say Save life and will for man will either find a way of his own oâ— help God in his way 2. Some are wise above the Gospel and Christ and will needs see into Gods Secrets with their fleshlie eyes as Arminius who will needs set rules and laws to God which neither Arminian or witty man can do it is the very quintessâ—nce of witt that under-propps man this more crosseth faith than anything the greatest Contemplatives the greatest Idolaters saith Luther 2. How lothe is man to be a fool but he would appear to be somewhat how he strains his Wit vents his conceits that he may appear to know Such a one knows more from curious searching and batâ—ing his brains than from Christ in the heart There is two Counsellers to man 1. Satan adviseth the Worldings to care deceive the Wanton to follow his pleasure the Drunkard his pots the Hypocâ—ite his righteousnesse yea as an Angel of light be shines as a false light to puff up himself 2. But Christ counselleth otherwise 1. To forsake the World and all 2. To believe in him alone 3. To love him 4. To love one another Wisdom without Christ can do nothing but fill the heads and that with conceits opinions but he is wise that is counselled by Christ yet attending on him in that blindnesse of his Soul by faith he shal be enlightned and know the will and secrets of the Lord but man will needs know these before the time An Exposition of some Verses of the fifth Chapter of Matthew the Quality Disposition of these that are Blessed BLessed are the pure in Spirit consisting in what state 1. The qualitie is pure in Spirit that is whose Spirits have nothing to rest on not comfort in it but worn out of all hope and stay in the Flesh is destitute of all help but waits onlie on relief on God So that He only whose heart is purged by the Word from all stayes and hopes in the Flesh is truly a Subject of mercy and shall be enriched and the only Guest at his Supper So the Prodigal we see the poor receives the Gospel the full stomack lotheth the honney-comb Isa 66. To him will I look that is of a contrite heart and humble
nor profit but only the maintenance of the Truth of the Gospel viz. Faith in Christ only and Love to all men So that this being their example Note that Faith in Christ and simple Love to Man is the very Summe of the Gospel and the Life of all Religion in the heart of Man Gal. 5. Faith works by love 1. Tim. 1. The end of the Commandment is love out of a pure heart a good Conscience and faith unfeigned all else ver 7. is dross and dung This is the summe of all Pauls Epistles This Paul to Tim calls the spirit of faith love and a sound mind Thus Paul thanks God for to the Col. the Faith and love to all Saints c. 1. For these destroy Self Righteousness and Self Confidence and Self Love which are the poyson of all Religion viz. Self Witt and Self Will these Adam got and therein opposed God 2. For by Faith he is made a Lord over all things that will suffer nothing to start up in the Church and in his Heart but Christ and by Love he is servant to all and plyable and servant to every one By the one he is freed with God and by the other amongst men 3. By Faith he that had thought to live in and by himself through the Law comes to dye in himself and to live in and by another 4. Nay all Religion without these is nothing but meer opinion and conceit whereby the heart is puffed up and so not fit for mercy and also tyed to himself and his own good Minde the Religion of Christ was it any thing but a denying of himself and cleaving to the Father and giving himself to the Church in love yea to his very Enemies Which Faith and Love is nothing else but a partaker so of himself and his own weaknesse Sin and Death thereby that he can believe and trust nothing in himself or the world but only the Word of God and in that weakness waits on Christ and meere Mercy and cut of that dislike of himself and love to that he sees in Christ loves all judgeth none but himself 1. How far are we then from Christs Religion when all our Religion is 1. Either in Fire of questions and disputations about this and that Opinion maintaining of our singular conceits wherein we seem to excel others in knowledge whereby true love is drowned quite 2. Or in some singular conceit of quality and disposition which we conceive in our selves and thereby grow proud and despise Christ and trample mercy under our feet 3. Or in high roveing conceits of the eternal Deity Majesty and Power and Secret Will and Purpose of God without Christ whereby the heart is hardened 4. Or in the Notion of the Gospel and Christ and faith without the power thereof gloriously vaunting of deep Mysteries But in all these the thing is wanting viz. an humble low believing and loving heart like unto Christ 1. Thus in all these man leaves his own heart and followes his heady opinion he forsakes Christ and pleaseth himself with his own qualities turnes from the word and followes vain speculations denyes the Faith and lives by the flesh 2. Know then that whatever would draw thee from Christ and his Truth is not the Doctrine of God whatever sets up man and makes him any thing but a Sinner is not the doctrine of Christ but of the Devil and Antichrist for it destroyes faith Pray we then that the Doctrine of the Gospel even of Faith and Love may be continued pure in the Church For Maus Wit and Reason will gather a thousand Errors out of Gods Truth viz. when it will not be content to become a fool but will needs comprehend a spiritual Truth and determine thereof according to its own Principles and Judgement Then it brings a world of absurdities for all errors have risen out of the Wit of fleshly minded men for the Spirit leads unto all Truth And I fear there will arise men of perverse minds to pervert the truth of the Gospel some to their carnal liberty some to the establishing of a righteousnesse and power in man without Christ bear we the Infirmities of men But take heed of false Doctrine in the Church for this is the worst of all And I pray God that many alive do not see that the Truth of the Gospel be turned into the Mysterie of Iniquitie and a greater Mysterie of spiritual wickednesse than yet we have seen Sed magna Veritas praevaletâ— Great is the Truth and prevaileth 4. But the kindly effect of the Gospel is to establish these two in the heart of man viz. to bring all things down in man by the Crosse of Christ and so lay him low under thee feet of all For the Gospel is a low thing Faith is a low thing though mighty in Christ and Love is a low thing Therefore all high flowen Chimical Divinity is the Doctrine of Satan and not of Christ And therefore if man be brought under the power hereof then will Christ be precious to him and his Word will be the Life and Treasure of his Soul because man hath nothing to stay him in his deep humility but only he And then will man love a man because he is a man and not because he is of my opinion or good to me or of my way or linage but loves as Christ did yea h s very Enemies As you have us for an example viz. Us in whom you see the Truth of the Gospel to rule and to walk according to the same who seek Christs Kingdom not ours So that He walks safely who truly feeling his own weaknesse and believes man for the Truths sake and not the Trâ—uâ—h for mans sake Follow me as I follow Christ But many were drawn away by the Error of the wicked For man having a good conceit of another is apt to believe what he saith for he believes that God is with him and so falls into odd opinionâ— 1. Better we should never preach than that the Gospel should be believed for our sakes Can we that are nothing buâ— error add to the Truth of God nay if God be not with us and guide us we shall tell a thousand lies for Truth 2. But woe be to that man who becomes by his example a perverter of the Brethren either for matter of Faith or Life or Liberty It had been better he had â—ever been born Take heed then how we depend on â—an there is one man for all even the man Christ Who is the way the truth and the life follow him in the way oâ— faith and love of whom I have told you often because of the danger thereof mans weaknesse So that Man is apt and weak of himself to be drawn into an â—vil way of error and hardly to believe the truth and â—tick thereto 1. For he is blind of understanding apt to believe any thing that may further his fleshly Kingdom â—oath to believe any thing that
makes for the destruction of it 1. Hence it follows that we fall into so many by-wayes and by-paths of error because we think we are able to know and we strain our wits to comprehend â—eck out a reason oâ— Gods matters which are only to be believed For though I cannot see a reason how God brings about his purpose and righteous will shall I therefore conclude that he is not righteous and not believe him nay Paul is glad to shut his eyes at that wisdom Rom 11. And cryes out Oh the height and depth and length of the wisdom of God 2. Nay nothing preserves the Truth to man but the Crosse for all things are tryed by the fire and that reveals it 3. That we may be guided in the way of Truth First depend on no man nor on the opinion of man 2. Stick to the Word of the Gospel 3. Pray instantly in humility and the Spirit shall lead us into all truth And now I tell you weeping see the loving affection of Paul First who wept partly for those men who hâ—d forsaken the Truth of the Gospel and turned to the World And 2. Partly for the danger of the Church So that A loving man is truly loving to all and truly mindeful of the good of the Church and advantage of Christs Kingdom in all 1 Paul sought not theirs but them and the care of all the Churches lay upon him 1. Away then with this partial affection when men reioyceth to see others misled that he may justifie himself and away with this judging and not pittying buâ— hating them They are enemies to the Crosse of Christ Men that professe Christ but deny him in his sufferings their minds is not prepared by faith and patience to bear the Crosse partly in doctrine they denyed it not understanding that mystery partly and especially in life for they lived in sensuallity and fleshly pleasures and yet professed the Gospel So that Manie in the Church professe Christ and the Truth of the Gospel which deny and are enemies to the Crosse of Christ and deny the power of the Gospel This is to denie him before men To the Jews and Gentiles the Doctrine of the Crosse was foolishnesse Paul when he was called before the Emperor they all denied him The false Apostles Gal. 6. strove against Paul and desired to have the Disciples circumcised because they would not suffer persecution The Lawyer Matth 19. and the Stony ground 1. For they would have Christ and the World also which cannot be 2. They were never brought to see their own desert and to justifie God for then if so they would bear the Crosse willingly as in Micah 7. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him 3 They turn the grace of God into wantonnesse and dream only of ease and peace and understand not the mystery of the Kingdom but would make advantage of Christ to the satisfying of the flesh Now this Croâ—â—e whereto they are enemies is indeed that sore affliction whereby man is past all helps and hope in himself or the World In Christ you see it was First He bare the iniquity of us all so to us when man bears iniquity in daily repertance 2. He bare the Fathers wrath so we judgement and wrath in our selves 3. He suffered all indignity and losse of life so we patiently And to be enemies hereto is 1. To put off sin and bear it through hardnesse of heart 2. To pacifie wrath by self holinesse in our own conceit only 3. And for the World to keep it alive in our hearts and cherish it under Christs wings 1. And how many of us are such we all believe and like well of the Gospel and to hear of sitting at Christs right hand but to drink of his Cup none hath a minde It is good believing when we have the Gospel before us and the World about us but to suffer want of all viz. the Fathers wrath none like to this The Child can bear any thing better we all like Gospel but we will loose nothing for it which argues we have little confidence in the truth thereof and little joy therein 2. But we can talk of the Crosse and sufferings but we talk of it with light and merry hearts we make but a play-game of it for we seek not the bitternesse of Christs agony nor the smart of the Crosse and so we dally with all truth we boast with Peter that we will die with him but before the Cock crow we deny him thrice 3. A fearful thing to forsake Christ and his Crosse so that it is not so light a thing to be a Christian which must suffer willingly the spoyliâ—g oâ— goods and soul all and be a friend of the Cross Yea he is the safest whom God keeps under for hereby is the truth of the Gospel revealed indeed to man 4. And happy is he that is guided by Christ in this way and that his eyes are kept waking all night and feels the terrors of the Almighty for he is safe from securitie It is not the dreaming of a power and free-will in man by use whereof securitie is prevented but it is the Crosse of Christ on man that keeps him waking for Peter and the rest fell a sleep notwithstanding Christs warning given to them so often only because they dreamed of such a power as Peter boasted but not sensible of the Crosse that lyed on Christ Nay all errors have sprung in the Church for want of this for while men were kept within themselves and their own miserie their pride was kept under but when they had lost themselves and begun to be strong men of knowledge in conceit then they began to be masters and run into a thousand opinions from truth and these are the enemies to Christs Crosse First Those that live in ease and pleasure under profession and knowledge of the Gospel and seed on the World as their dainty dish Secondly Those which bear out sin through hardnesse of heart he bare the sin of all but these bear it not as a burden but as a pleasure and delyte Thirdly Which put of wrath and judgement through self righteousnesse and qualities and so with Christ bear not the indignation of the Lord Fourthlie Which are lifted up in knowledge of Christ but walk not in that denying humble and believing way of Christ And it is a fearfull thing to stumble at this stone and to frame a Christ to our selves but on whomsoever it shall fall it will crush all those to pieces and bring down their pride whose god is their belly Those who were professors and teachers of the Gospel and yet under pretence thereof served their own lusts and appetites they went talking of Religion and thereby got good cheare labour not in their calling but made advantage of the Gospel to the satisfying of their lusts These he gives warning of as eâ—emies So that It is a fearful thing and dangerous
even to Babes that his mercy and love mighâ— appear 1. He gives thanks for confounding the wisdom of Man and revealing it to the Ignorant 2. A limitation of that knowledge only to the Power of God in Christ 3. An Invitation to all poor and desolâ—te souls with a promise of help 4. An Exâ—ortation to Patience in bearing the cross after his example with a promise of rest therein First He thanks God for confounding the wisdom of the wise not that he rejoyced in their blindnesse but wished rather that all might be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth but he rejoyceth that seing flâ—shly wisdom shuts its eyes against the truth that yet he reveals it to others wherein he shewes whose eyes are only open to the truth viz. He that in conceit of his own wisdom is lifted up above the simplicity of the Gospel understands the least of the Mystery and Life of the Gospel but he that lyes low in himself seeking to be guided by another shall understand all None of the Doctors received his message not many wise Cor. 1. c. If any man seem to be wise let him become a fool Christ choose not the wise Scribes but poor Fishers to know his Truâ—h 1. For the Gospel is not understood by wisdom but by that Spirit whereby it is revealed to the Faith of a Believer that is blind in himself and seeks wisdom from God 2. Faith only sees things not seen if they be seen and comprehended by man they are not of Faith 3. The Son that 's grown wise through pride casts off the Father but the little Child walks in his hands 4 Conceit of Knowledge makes man unteachable and hard hearted as a man that sits on high looks down to the dungeon can see nothing there but sitting in the dungeon looking up sees light of Sun So a man sitting above and looking down to the Gospel as a thing under him sees nothing But he that sits in darknesse of his own heart and looks up to the Sun sees all waiting still for the Sun to shine Though man know all the Mysteries of Life to be in Christ yet without Christ he knows nothing that he dare trust to Object To what end then should Man labour for Knowledge Answ Yes This condemns not Knowledge but that a Man should seek it at Christ and enjoy it in him In whom it is hid from the flesh in all the treasures thereof But not that man should store it up thereby to comprehend God but to know that when he thinks he knowes all he knows nothing as he ought to know 2. That he may maintain Truth in the Church of God 3. That he may guide himself wisely and soberly before men 1. Where then are the wise where is the Scribe c. All the wisdom of this World is but foolishnesse yet these count the Truth of God foolishnesse These of all think most basely of the Gospel 2. Yea what a fool is Aristotle himself and all humane knowledge in the matter of Jesus Christ 3 Be content to be counted a fool with the wise of the world Thou thinks that he is a fool that follows Christ but he knows that thou art a fool that followes the World 4. Who would think that many wise men should be so ignorant in Christs matters as they are and that many ignorants should know him 5. Well worth low and Child like minds that dare not trust their own wit or strength but wait upon the Father It is so O Father because thy pleasure was such Here he shows the ground and prime cause that Babes and not Wise Men understand the Gospel Not any Power or Worth in Man but the good will of God which is not only his absolute Will but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free love and good will of God toward man without any respect of his worth so that The good will of God and his good pleasure is the only cause of all good to man when man believes it and becomes subject thereto James 1. Of his own good will begat he us Eph. 1. Our Election is from this ground God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world was laid who hath predestinated us to be adopted in Christ Jesus according to the good pleasure of his will not according to our works but according to his grace he saved us so he chose Israel Who can give a reason in himself why God doth any good to man but his good will and pleasure 1. For its God that moves man and sets him a working not man God 2. Hereby doth he take away all bâ—asting from man and layes him low to depend upon another aâ—d live by meer grace 3. For he is absolute Lord over all no resisting of his Will to which man is never brought to be subject But 1. When he feels nothing but weaknesse sorrow bondage and misery and no power to get out but lyes under quietly and commits himself to his good pleasure in faith tears and sighs and groans This is his case for now he bears wrath patientlie 2. And then finding help in God according to his word and joy and peace and freedom he seeth that it came not by any wit or power in himself but it was only his good pleasure so that 1. Hereby he is enlarged to praise God freely with admiration 2. And also to believe and vvait on that vvord of Faith though he feel nothing yet Gods will and pleasure is instead of all to him 1. Thus from the Doctrine of free mercy doth the Kingdom of God thrive in man and grovv vigorous Nothing brings down but this for vvant of subjection and believing of this good pleasure of God man still seeks a cause in himself as this and that good quality and so never trusts his good pleasure Man would still know a reason of his good vvill vvhich he will not suffer For Christ doth not here curiously seek out a reason of the Fathers vvill but gives thanks that God hath revealed it by the Gospel To teach us that we do not rashly presume to search his Counsels but wait upon his good pleasure in his vvord 2. What place then hath free Will which depends only on Gods good pleasure and not on thy right use of free vvill For there is no more vvillingnesse in thee than in others that never obeyed the truth but it vvas only his good pleasure to thee For by nature Man fights against God and would have rest any way rather than this and loath to commit himself to his good pleasure but still vvould havâ— a laâ—d in his own safety and so share in the glory But Christ takes all boasting away that Faith may live and Man thereby that Gods pleasure may stand and Man subject thereto that his grace may be communicated and Man praise his goodnesse But this Doctrine of free will destroyes Faith sets his pleasure aside and binds God lifts up
of natural wit to know the good will pleasure of God or the Mistery of Christ so as man shall find life theteby or certainty therein but as the Father makes himself known in Christ by his Word power of his Spirit unto the faith of man believing his truth 1. Cor. 2. The natural man understandeth not the things of God Christ saith I am the light that enlightens all that comes after me Joh. 1 He is the light of the world Joh. 1.4 There is anoynting that teacheth all things 1. Joh. 5. None can say that Jesus is the Christ but by the Holy Ghost Though we think that That Jesus we read of was the Christ and Saviour yet the flesh thinks but of him after the flesh but his mightie Power his wonderful Truth unspeakable Love to Man the bitternesse of his Sufferings the Joy in the Fathers will the Victory over Hell and Death the joy at the Fathers right hand none knowes it but he that believes it out of blinnnesse and misery 1. For the Father hath hid the treasures of wisdom in him hidden them from the world found not by curious searching but by humble crying believing found not in man but in Christ there to be enjoyed for he is made our Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 2. Adam had thought to have known God in the Creatures and himself and the evil also without God but knew no good till God revealed Christ in the promise So until we be brought by the truth of Christ to know no good in any thing but in God nor no evil in any thing but in our selves we know nothing at all but we seek to see a good in every thing and in our selves especially and would see no evil and so are lifted up and know nothing as we ought 3. And this Christ prayes that his Elect may know that thou art in me and I in thee and that thou hast sent me And I speak not of any self but they are the words of my Father that sent me for of my self I can do nothing 4. And note that this great Mystery was revealed after Christs death for then he sent the Comforter to lead into all truth and not till then Before this the Disciples had a thousand imaginations of Christ but now they knew that he was the Son of the Father Head of the Church So we have a world of fancies toâ—câ—ing God and Christ but never know him until the Crosse reveal him for till then we only tâ—ink him to be such and such and another thought crosseth that But this makes the weaknesse and vanity to appear his power preserves for every mans work shall be revealed by Fire How wonderful are the blind conceits that man hath of God and Christ as 1. When we will needs comprehend God vvithout Christ in his Essence Properties Attributes Eternity Omnipotencie c. What a foolishnesse is this to think to compasse in our thoughts Omnipotence c. 2. Others that frame a knowledge of Christ in comprehending the Story of his Life and Death Works c Thus vve know him by Relation as we do other Countries where we never were but never vvalk on foot with him in his death and miserie None knowes him whose miserable heart is not delivered from Death by him who believes his truth above all then this truth makes him free 3. We see then that all Knowledge comes by Faitht as suppose a man a Stranger promise to ransome me a captive I believe he will but I know not that he will but only vvait in faith nor hovv he vvil do it nor vvhy he vvill but when he makes good his word then I know his love vvhich he revealed to me and I not able to conceive in my self So with Christ he promiseth that he vvill redeem me but I know not that he vvill onlie I believe and wait in miserie yet by that Faith I am preserved through the Word though I feel nothing but death and bâ—ndage Wouldst thou know the Love of God that passeth Knovvledge vvait on Christ by Faith believing his Word and he will reveal the Love of the Father For though vve know not the mind of Gâ—d yet vve have the mind of Christ So that thou must knovv nothing but in him abide in him â—nd his Word abide in thee and he will reveal all things unto thee So that our curious and busie Wit so hun ing to knovv and straining out the Wit to understand leads to many fancies But knovv that his wayes are insearchable but vvait and attend and he vvill reveal Christ and the Father if thâ—u fit under the burden of thine ovvn ignorance and content for the time to knovv nothing but thy ovvn vilenesse Here we see that Christ is both God and Man A Mâ—n in vvhom the fulnesse of the God head dvvells to vvhom all is given that knovvs the mind of the Father and reveals iâ— to us This is the only God on Earth that mans mind maâ— be fixed here not gade abroad neither ascend into Heaven nor descend down into Hell c. Where then is the free vvill and power of Man vvithout Christ living in him and leading into all Truth dravving the vvill of Man to vvait on God in subjection All else is but trusting to the Wit of Nature vvhich is alvvayes blind It follovveth in the 28. verse SERMON III. Matth 11.28 Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Take my yoke upon you learn of me for I am meek lowly in heart HEre is his Invitation upon the former relation of his fulnesse viz. You see where all help is 〈◊〉 then you want help in any strait that lyes on you as a burden Come to me viz. to my Word Promise for there he dwells I will ease you So that There is no certain way or means to a burdened heart to free his guilt ease his burden or rid in him ouâ— of the Snare of Satan but the simple fleeing of the mind from all to Christ in his Word of Truth and there to stick and abide in life and death He was of old ordained to break the Serpents head and prophesied of to bind up the broken hearted He was the refuge of Job in all his afflictions I know that my Redeemer liveth He was sealed and appointed thereto by the purpose of the Father This himself witnesseth by word and work By word I am come to save the World I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live By works How many poor lame blind did he help which he was after to do spiritually to heal the blind c. The afflicted he comforted as the Publicane Mary c. And this Paul found in himself and taught unto others That there is none other Name under Heaven c. 1. For nothing can free the spirit of man but he
wisdom in Christ from the wise of the World and it is to be found in him not in us 2. Christ prayes to the Father to reveal this to them That they may know that thou hast sent me 3 And this was promised of Christ that after his deâ—th he would send a Comforter that should lead them into all truth 1. What a world of conceits have we of Christ and yet know him not because we think we know 1. Some know the Historie of Christ and moved with natural passions by the consideration of his passion 2. Some strive to know the Mysterie of Christ after the flesh 2. We see that all knowledge comes by faith and is revealed from heaven as a man that promiseth to free me being a captive I believe him but I know not that he will till he reveal his will to me 3. Where then is the power of man in the use of this general gift of knowledge to come to know Christ None knows the Son but the Father nor the Father but the Son 4. Wouldest thou know the wonderful Mysterie of Christ Sit in thy own ignorance mourning in blindnesse and wait in the word of Truth till the light shine and thou shalt understand though not the mind of God yet the mind of Christ And they were sore afraid The glory astonished them the message brought fear to humble them so in all so that The proper and kindly operation of the whole Word and Message of the Gospel in the mouth of Christ is to bring man down and the foundation of Christs Kingdom is laid in fear to lay man low that he may be exalted in Christ To deny our selves to become fools and lost as Paul I was alive but when the Law came I was dead all our Righteousnesse as filthy rags the weapons of our warfare are mighty to bring down all the whole Scripture to man as he is man speaks negatively and basely onlie exalts Jesus Christ as the Law-giver in thunder to shake the heart of man the Gospel and the Promise made without any respect of any righteousnesse in man and the povver whereby this becomes effectual is from another and not from our selves Thus was Paul brought to his knees 1. For it ever brings man to fear and weaknesse before it bring faith and preserves fear that he may still rest on Christ for when any Land hath been conquered First they weaken them and bring them into fear and then they yield so doth Christ 2. For the Word opening to man the Book of his own heart as Acts 2. discovers such a miserie guilt and weaknesse that he cryes What should I do And as often as it opens mans mind it discovers such a dungeon so thâ—t hereby he is driven from himself and all boasting is taken away But man stores himself with better qualities and better conceits and starts from himself but if Adams eyes be opened he shall see nothing but nakednesse and the Grosse shall weare out all these fig leaves 3. Everie man is grown proud and wise and high in knowledge against Christ and hath gotten either the Wâ—rld or knovvledge or righteousnesse or something that bears him up therefore it must be a mighty word that must make all these nothing to man perswade him that the world hath no good in it nor no wisdom nor in all creatures no life but in another 1. But vve all pervert this vvord to our destruction when we vvill needs comprehend it but are not comprehended by it vve judge it and are not judged by it and so vve keep off fear for vve are made vvise and righteous according to the form thereof and becomes men of high thoughts but not men of low minds and thereby rejects the simplicity of the Gospel The word known after the flesh and not believed lifts up and hardens more than any thing but the Word believed brings down and layes low in weaknesse and preserves fear makes man nothing that Christ may be exalted but we believe not the thousand part of that we know 2. So that the Word of Truth is a mighty Word it layes all low before it none is able to stand before it but Christ not the holiest Pharisee for this shall judge the World and cast out all the fictions of man and all the pride and glory of the World and shall be a terrible Word to all that believe not when everie tittle thereof shal be verified on man O that we were all stricken with fear and sensible of our weaknesse for as we fear so we believe But man hath gotten so many coverings that he runs from one to another to hide himself from his own heart Some by the Worlds fulnesse but that shall vanish Some by knowledge and righteousness after the Law and bardened therein but these shall not stand no nothing shall remain indeed but Christ and the Gospel Be not afraid So that Christ and the Gospel only belongs to fearful and weak men that first see death and danger and no help in themselves to escape and sigh and cry and pray and see no deliverance Then in time the Angel from God bringing the message of the Gospel frees them that the gates of hell shal not prevail It is not possible that the heart of man should be preferved from fear but by Christ only 1. All the World is not able to free a worldly heart from fear 2. All knowledge leaves the heart fearfull though secure for a time 3. All holinesse and qualities and sacrifice not able to purge the conscience but only the blood of Christ and man fixed thereon And this only shall turn fear unto Faith c. 1. So that the Gospel I fear belongs but to few of us for fear is banished weaknesse is grown strong and gotten up again Sorrow is turned into lightnesse sighing and praying into vaunting and boasting so that we need not say we be afraid But O man look into that dead and rotten heart of thine observe that crooked faithlesse and worldly path and be astonished for the kingdom of Christ was come near thee But seing thou despisest it lo we turn to the Gentiles for fearless and careless estate is fallen upon all and under the cover of Religion without Religion Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy viz. The accomplishment of the Promise in the birth of Christ therefore seek no shifts to escape turn hither and behold great joy and freedom against all sorrows So that The only ground of all joy freedom to a troubled heart is only Christ made known unto man in the truth of the Gospel Paul rejoyced only in the Crosse of Christ and counted all things else but dung and had no confidence in the Flesh by our rejoycing that I have in Christ Jesus I die daily all other things died unto him and being justified by Christ we rejoyce in tribulation How was the mourning of Mary turned into peace and joy by Christ Isa
They rejoyced as men in harvest and that divides the spoil and they that sow in tears shall reap in joy 1. For all joy but this is nothing but mistakings like a man that laughs in Sleep for want of understanding in himself and feeding himself with shadows and tidings that Satan brings to him 2. All oâ— eâ—joy is but rejoicing in the Flesh. He only comforts the Spirit when Flesh mourns 3. All other joyes ends in sorrow but this sorrow in joy What is all the joy the World can give to man even as the cracking of Thorns under a pot Thou art rich and full of wealth yet a carefull heart in the midst thereof Thou joyes to day and mourns to morrow So the vvanton vvhat cause of joy while his Soul is more fettered and guilt increased Joy passeth guilt remaineth and yet none so merrie Thus Satan hath messengers to rejoice man being sad 1. The World brings tidings or wealth and honour c. 2. The Flesh of pleasure joy and freedom c. 3 Reason from self-righteousnesse and wisdom c. But Christ from the love of the Father that is worth all Now this never springs but from mourning in our selves like that of Paul at his conversion to Christ So then the difference of these are 1. First One rejoyceth to gain the World another to be freed from it 2. One to have his ovvn will and another to lose iâ— 3. One to have all things and suffer nothing another to suffer all things and to have nothing but Christ 2. We see that all joy that we conceive that ariseth out of Religion and not hence is but a fondation layed in man which will die with him But as the Child is merry in his Fathers love though he knovv nothing vvhat shall be done to it and not because he is heir and must be advanced to a great portion so it is vvith us not from any quality in our selves but in another For unto you is born So that Christ truely born unto man is the only fountain of Life unto man in all distresses In the Citie of David Mic. 4. So that nothing shall disannul the truth of the Word of God nor shake the heart that is stayed thereon A Savior You and the World seemes to be lost condemned but behold here is a Saviour at hand even a Saviour sent to you So that The only stay and rest unto the restlesse heart of man is assurance of a Saviour confidence of heart in him As Simeon Mine eyes have seen thy salvation Zach. That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies c. And hast raised up for us a mighty Salvation And he shall save the people from their sins Such a Saviour was figured in Moses and Joshua And thus prophesied by the Angel Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save my people 1. For man is a lost and condemned creature the word of truth hath judged him his own heart hath given sentence against him For this hath the Spirit of man sought since Adams fall some in the World some in themselves but never found but by Christ The very Heathens sought it and we make many Saviours but all faile save this It is not with us as it was with the Disciples we have found the Lord Christ We go a seeking and enquiring but we have not found the Lord. He saves us out of the hand of our enemies viz. 1. From the guilt of our Souls and temptation of Satan 2. From the corruption of our Nature and bondage of corruption 3. From affliction and sorrow and crosses and want 4. From death and hell and judgement at the last 1. See those miserable Saviours that we frame as the world or wisdom or self-righteousnesse these vve get but yet we are in the hand of our enemies our heart 's full of fear and death 's a terror to us 2. This Saviour is born and given to none but condemned men like a murtherer that can find no way to escape goes to the King and confesseth and cryes for mercie the King pardons for his own glory c. 3. But know that our Salvation stands in another not in our selves though we store our selves and provide great and strong arguments against that day yet all will fail and only bearing indignation of the Lord committing to free mercy must be our salvation 1. Pardoning of Sin 2. In preserving the heart in Faith by the Word to live and dye with Christ and go through all in Patience not as most who think themselves the likeliest to procure a Saviour is to come with their own righteousness and holiness c. But that we come sinners and condemned not bringing righteousnesse but to obtain righteousnesse not to offer sacrifice but to obtain a sacrifice even Jesus Christ Christ the Lord viz The anointed Lord who was figured in that of the Israelites who had the holie Oyle reserved in the Temple sanctified by Moses wherewith their Kings and Priests were anointed Now the Rabbins say that this Oyle ceased in the second Temple till Christ came who was to be anointed with the holie Ghost So that God the Father according to his eternal purpose hath anointed Christ to be Lord and King of his Church to rule in the heart of man that God and his power may he magnified and man made happie in him He hath given all judgement to the Son All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth all things are given in me to my Father he hath hid all treasures in him and hath laid help on one that 's mighty as Psal 4.8 This is manifested in his Word never man spake like this man and his miracles hath it been said that a man opened the eyes of one that was born blind This the Father did by an eternal purpose for the salvation of man that seing man could not comprehend Gods purpose he sent one in our room to whom he hath given power because that we could not ascend to Heaven we might have a God on Earth His Kingdom is righteousnesse joy in the Holy Ghost 1. But we have other Lords the World rules as Lord and we obey it the Flesh commands and we are subject to it 2. Where is that power of man whereof he boasts We would all be Lords and rule according to our own will SERMON V. Luk. 7.36 37 38. c. And one of the Pharisees desired that he would eat with him And Jesus went into the Pharisees house and sat down to meat and behold a woman in the City which was a sinner c. AFter that Christ had preached to the People concerning John Baptist and that many of the People and Publicanes believed and were baptized He upbraids the hardnesse of the Pharisees which neither believed John nor him but rejected the Truth and neither believed John to see their misery and repent nor him that they might receive mercy but trusted in
sinners but now righteous and holy and their repenting dayes are forgotten so mercy lost saith fails For as it was sin that by accident brought Christ into the World so it is sin in mans heart that brings a Saviour unto man 4. Others see in themselves weaknesse and want of Power that they cannot come to that pitch of knowledge righteousnesse that they aim at which if they could all would be well But their rebellious Will Lust and Pride and Worldlinesse are hid from them So that it is the hardest thing to make a man a sinner and to keep him to a daily sense of his own weaknesse 2. But sin in man and mercy in God infidelity in man and faith in Christ layes a right foundation of Religion and is the dayly continuance of the life of all Religion in man for thereby Prayer humilitie â—nd saith are preserved 3 So that the word never prospers but when it lights amongst sinful men The self-righteous have a covering yea all are grown cunning to put off the evil day make a covenant with hell for no sooner doth sin prick look out at them but they have a sore knowledge of a Saviour and so cure the wound before it be made When the heard that Jesus was at meat She being now brought into misery within her self and all her sweet pleasures turned into gall and worm wood she seeks for case and rest so it will fall out to all So that That all the pleasures of joy and peace that man now enjoyes in the world and the flesh will sooner or later be turned into sorrow want and misery for death and judgement will lay all in the dust Where was the confidence that Paul had in the flesh when he was stricken down in the way to Damascus Where is all the power of Pharaoh Pompey of Dives and wealth of all worldlings Luk. 12. Yea Pompey and Alexander are laid in the dust Luke 6. Woe be to you that now laugh for you shall mourn Isa 28. I will make void your Covenant with death 15 For there is a way that seems good but the issues thereof are death 2. Else man should insult over God and Christ his Word become a lye 3. Thus doth God make way for his mercy and love that man may be capable thereof 4. All joy and life of Adam must be destroyed that Christ may live in us 1. Woe to the merry deceived wordling who rejoyceth in his wealth friends pleasure respect as this woman did but behold She is now brought to weeping cheare So we make our selves merry promise many happy dayes but sure fear and sorrow weaknesse and misery must first come before man be established in Peace Freedom for this will not last We think ease good while it lasts and so we put off the evil that we must taste for we have eaten sowre grapes our teeth must be set on edge Nay all our labour care is to put away sorrow fear therefore we gather riches power c. that vve might sit above and see no evil Man would do evil but would not see it rebell but not take notice Did ever any rebell against his Prince but he smarted for it in the end And though the King of meer grace would pardon yet was he a lost man in his own eyes and his pride was laid down in the dungeon so with us for sin in man will cause smart to man first or last For 1. Though we may put it off through blind presumption not regarding what shall follow 2. Or cover our selves and close up our hearts under the bewitching of wordly profits 3. Or to drink down sorrow like unto beasts for a while 4. Or cover our selves from the Word of Truth and simplicity of our minds by our opinions of knowledge self-righteousnesse and the world underneath 1. Yet either will the Lord find us out by his Word and discover such a wretchednesse to man as shall make him cry out Woe and alace that ever I was born and that my mothers Womb had been my grave or that I had been strangled assoon as I saw the light and so cursing his birth day as Job 1. Or man runing on to his course to the end of his Shadows Pleasures and fools Paradice at last falls into the Pit where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth weeping and howling for the dayes of their vanity that are past and cannot be recalled For the guilt of his Soul presseth him down and cannot be eased when man is entred into Eternal misery which shall never be ended Then alace shall we see that Husband and Wife or Children were but silly fading Earth on which we so doted that Gold and Silver were but Drosse which we so served and now all taken from us and our Life too never to be restored 1. No misery like to the misery of man for no creature on earth hath so rebelled against God as he Did not this woman account any creature happier than she and yet we sport our selves above all and feel no smart because that we are so hardened in the flesh that the Spirit is lost O then that God would give us hearts to see that misery that we might mouâ—n in time and break off sin by repentance For what a folly is it for a man to run on in a course still that he knowes will bring sorrow like the thief who bewitched with present sweet and seeding himself with hope to escape becomes hardned and never believes nor sees the sorrowing of his hanging day 4. And that men in the dayes of mirth would think of the time of mourning every one seeing himself even â—ing on his death-bed and bidding farewell to all worldly delights look for it even the best For Christs heavy day was his lâ—st day even before his entrance into glory so know there is yet a more heavy day to come then thou hast hitherto felt When she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees house Notwithstanding her own unworthinesse Christs holinesse the Pharisees hard opinion of her Yet such was the miserie that she felt and desire that she had to the Word of Christ that she saw that there was nothing that could ease her but he only so that Christ and his Word are only sweet and desired of troubled hearts and wearied minds but to others it is wearisome and little regarded as Psal 119. I had fainted in my affliction but that thy word stayed me The poor receive the Gospel and the halt and blind came willingly at the voice of the Gospel and how dear was the Word to the Martyrs in trouble that one of Pauls Epistles was a treasure from hand to hand And what a wonderful power had it amongst those sick blind men that he but spake the Word and they were made whole 1. For there is nothing left to a wearie mind that hath any life but Christ and
betterness than before that because of this good qualitie c. judgeth well which only shews the goodnesse of God to man and not of man towards God and so it is this proud opinion that maâ—s all 3. See what a proud thing man is that though a begger yet will needs be on horse-back Hast thou any thing that first thou hast not received it and then why boastest thou as though thou hadst not received it 2. Hast thou any thing properly thine or in thine own power but in the hand of another or canst thou stand one hour thereby 3. Dost thou not marr every thing that thou meddles withall as the Word Prayer c. though good yet in thee nought 4. Dost thou not dissemble with God thy self withall that when thou Professest to trust God and seek his glory dost thou not chiefly trust Wisdom Righteousnesse c. and seekest thy self when alace I all mans dayes are repenting dayes that the Kingdom of God may be daily built up in us 4. And the deceits of mans heart are endlesse For fâ—rst when he thinks best of himself then he is the worst 2. When it is the World indeed that gives all Life He hath a cunning shift so to carrie the matter that Christ shall bear the Name 3. And what ever is revealed and wrought by Christ himself in his man hath a cunning tricke to shape the like in conceit only the one hath them in his head and the other in his heart 5. It is not Christs Religion that puffs man up but that pulls down that Christ may Live in him 1. One sets up the World himself and casts Christ off 2. Another sets up Christ and casts himself down 6. So that truely to know our selves and not to be beguiled is a great mistery not deserved but by him that knows the secrets of the heart For with man he goes for current when God accounts abominable He would have known who and what this Woman had been Here together with his pride in regard of himself he goes a censuring of others even of Christ himself and he judged him because according unto their Tradition he did not cast her off Even indeed because he was merciful to poor sinners So that He that out of Ignorance hath a good opinion of himself hath never a good conceit but a hard sensuring of others and hath pity and compassion on none he that is not partaker of mercy never shews mercy to any but judgeth all even Christ himself Thus the Pharisees justified themselves and condemned all else not like the Publican Isa 65. Stand by I am holier than thou Col. 2. Touch not taste not c. And thus they accused Christ why eats your Master with Publicans therefore not a holy man The elder Brother of the Prodigal I have obeyed thy command but this my Brother hath wasted all with whoors and harlots 1. For pity and compassion to others ariseth even out of feeling and knowing of misery and weaknesse in our selves 2. Comparative righteousnesse is a great plea and argument to a rotten heart nay man never arrogates any things to himself but he judgeth hardly others Nor judgeth others but hath an approving of himself or else why judgest thou another when thou doest the same or a worse thing 3. For those men live by Sacrifice and not by mercy and therefore will have Sacrifice and not mercie for it But Christ will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Sinners not Righteous And this arised out of meer blindnesse in mans self which hath covered his filthinesse with fig-leaves and so tyes Religion to some certain qualities and actions which whoso wants he judgeth and sin in man and mercie in God which is the foundation of all he feels not 1. This shews there is more Pharisees than Publicans in the Church and more that live by sacrifice than by mercy when every one hath a stone to cast at another preying into everie failing judging out of their own rotten hearts that to be a fleshly libertie which flows out of meer love as here in Jesus Christ Nay this we all fall into in casting off or secretly judging every one that is not of the same way with us aggravating the fails and slips of others But I demand What seest thou amisse in them that is not in thee thou thinks Judas a traitor and art not thou the same how often hast thou sold and forsaken Christ for lesse and caused him to be reproached and slandered crucified even for the satisfying of some base lust but thou shalt see when thou feels either his free mercie or thy own misery that thou wilt judge none 2. Hence ariseth all Sects Contentions in the Church even because every one hath a good opinion of himself and judgeth all that are not like him Thus everie Sect condemns others But Christ came not to condemn the world but to save it 3. Nay And this corruption lives in us all how apt is man to forget himself and fall upon others not only to judge their way to be evil but their very estates with God If God bring us before his judgement seat who is able to abide 4. And thus we judge Christ and his Word and are not judged by it we frame it to our own mould are not framed by it as the Pharisees judged Christ prophane because he was not more severe against her would have had Christ to have been a man of wrath judgement and not a mediator for Sinners 5. But Christs Religion is a humble pitiful merciful Religion which indeed is the life of it For this man had Knowledge and also Righteousnesse but no mercy nor love which proved all to be nothing Then said Jesus unto him Simon Simon Here he first convinceth the secret hypocrisie of the Pharisee So that Though man walk unblemeably in the eyes of all and religiously and holily in his own eyes yet in the highest perfection of man God hath somewhat to say unto him As the young man Thou yet lakest one thing and to Saul What meaneth the bleating of the Sheep The Pharisees thought themselves safe but Christ had still somewhat to say 1. For the Word of Truth searcheth the secrets of the heart 2. God judgeth and condemns that which man approves Yea he will bring all to judgement conclude all under sin that no flesh may glory for all mouths must be stopped and none able to justifie himself 1. So that all our secret hidings and coâ—ers will not serve God hath still something to say to us though we strive to make all so sure that he might not accuse us yet all in vain for we know that when we have hardened our hearts in security yet God either by secret Testimonies of guilt or by his Word and Truth is still pulling by the slieve though we slip away yet he will discover at last Two things keeps all men out of Christ under a kind of
cover 1. Either Beastly or Epicurian securitie Or 2. A Pharisaical pride either man is drowned in the World or Prided in conceits and hardened in both 2. But know God will bring to light every secret thing though we put off and care not to meddle with him though we flatter think to please him though we be righteous and think to stand before him yet he hath somewhat to say A certain man had two debtors Here under a Parable he shews tâ—e state of all men in Adam and in Ch ist The first in the two debtors that are not able to pay and so bound over to death and bondage The second in free grace forgiving both with the effect of love thereupon Two debtors the one owing five hundred pence the other fifty This difference he speaks according to Simons judgement for he justified himself before her as much as five hundred differs from fifty though in respect of God and Original guilt all are alike Yet in the eye of the World and by multiplying actual transgression increased the guilt bondage and so did differ but both debtors as all men are So that All men yea every Son of Adam through Original sin guilt of everie heart are debtors to God and bound over to death and destruction which we must pay and suffer unlesse Gods mercy and free grace in Christ do free us Rom. 3. We have all sinned and are equally deprived of the glory of God Eph. 2. We are all by nature the children of Wrath. Rom. 13.2 There is a law of Sin and Death from which we are fred only by the Law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. And to Adam In the day that thou eats thereof thou shalt die Rom. 14.1 The wages of sin is death And see it in the Prodigal 1. The Law of righteousnesse which God cannot forsake requires it that he that will not live in God shall have no life as to Adam Much more he that would in his heart pull God out of his Throne and sit there himself as Absolom 2. All men in Adam are so estranged from God in the ground of their hearts that they are direct fighters against God in all things for when we should trust love fear obey him mans heart forsakes him and runs to every thing rather 3. For if there were not a debt and poverty to be suffered there needed no forgivenesse But we pray daily forgive us our debts O Lord. 4. Nay all men know this and therefore flie from God and his judgement as the debtor from his creditor who though for the present he is quiet and hath enough yet debt and fear lyes on him for future times because he knows a reckoning day will come so we Yea the very Heathen fear this that believe the mortalitie of the Soul and labour by moral righteousnesse to pay the debt but all in vain 1. And know that this debt and death his not this or that misguided action but the very original springing fountain of rebellion guilt in the heart whence spring all these little streams from that great and filthy Fountain For all actual sins are properly against men which may be discharged As if I wrong any man I may restore and make a mends c. But by this a mans heart fights against God daily as when he saith he is just powerful fears not but thinks to shift it that he is merciful we need it not but shall live in freedom and will mend the matter and pay him his own But the believing heart that knows himself is still a debtor because that he feels that although he guide well be prevented from many actual Rebellions and be partaker of Gods grace that he shall not taste of judgement yet he feels such a spring of Rebellions mis guided passions that he is still a debtor and daily cryâ—s for mercie and so Repentance and Faith are preserved O! What a vile and miserable thing is man and yet dreams of no such thing Other creatures owe debt to man and daily live in service and subjection and pay it and when they die all is discharged But man lives in joy freedom when he dies all is to pay and he cast into utter darknesse to pay the uttermost farthing 2. Whence then is all this pride and vain boasting whence is all this Sleepinesse Security and Peace in the World whence is this judging and censuring of others whence is this boasting and high thoughts of our gifts and abilities Is not bondage our daily burden and death and misery the portion that we look for fear Did not Paul cry out for deliverance from the body of this death and yet we live in life and seeks no deliverance Was not he a dead man in himself and Christ lived in him and yet we alive to our selves and Christ dead to us Therefore till man believe and know this not by discourse but believing the word of Truth and finding it in himself he believes nothing at all if man believe this it would lay him as the dust in himself and dash all toyes and joyes in the World make him pitiful to others 3. But alace man turns all believing into Fleshly knowing thereby keeps off his own misery like a drunken man that besots himself that he may ease himself a while of the fear of that debt he cannot pay For this fore-knowing of man prevents believing and ever lifts up man never pulls him down makes him righteous in himself not a sinner hardens the heart but never humbles it 4. But know that man must know feel this one day when it will be too late when he shall know nothing but misery like a debtor in the Guoile who runs his mis-pent time must not see his friends nor walk abroad but pine to death sorrow so with us at death And when they had nothing to pay Here comes greater misery viz. That there is left to no man power to free himself So that No power nor possibility in man by any witty invention high speculation or highest holinesse to free his mind of guilt to ease his bondage to flie misery o escape death but in the sense of all weaknesse miserie to cry daily for mercy and wait for deliverance in another We are redeemed not with corruptible things c. So the Prodigal And because there was no power in man he laid help on one that was mighty among the People wherefore else came Christ into the World but because there was none else able to tread the Wine presse of his wrath 1. For the wisdom of man is foolishnesse his strength weaknesse his righteousnesse as a filthy rag His sacrifice abominable Israel was not able to help themselves at the Read-Sea 2. Nay the promise runs upon such as have no money or heavy laden blind and poor in
Spirit 3. For Till man have nothing in himsâ—lf Christ hath nothing for him 4. Then is grace and God magnified his Word believed but while man hath any possibility in himself or hope in any creature mercie is little set by 1. Away then with all those s ilts of man to put off the evil day as 1. One with the full World he will drown all misery in the Earth but when the Earth shall be taken away where then is his portion 2. Another with moral honesty thinks it will do something 3. The more devote offers fat sacrifices of Righteousnesse to purge sin 4. Another thinks the time was when he had nothing but now he hath somewhat viz. Faith Knowledge Righteousness c. And these he thinks will go far but Repentance is hid from his eyes and Faith Mercie shut up 5. Another takes time promiseth to pay hereafter 6. Another payes old and takes new as new fashions in Religion Thus man loath to live in weaknesse and have hold of nothing but feeds securitie with some hope or other and looking at himself hopes that all that is something and commits not to free mercie This is the hardest of all 2. But when man lives in his own miserie indeed and sees no way to get out it brings him to wait for mercie onely Like the debtor brought on his knees commits himself to the mercy of the creditor So that indeed mans weaknesse is his strength the Crosse his Freedom Suffering his victorie Death his Life 3. Where then is the power of man that we so much talk off Is it in man a talent given to man to pay his own debt Nay to manifest his grace and it shews how mercy in God is the dayly life of man and not in himself and our help in another Yea and it magnifies his mercie that takes a Wife of fornication that hath no good qualitie as this Woman and to such vile and weak Rebels shews favour that the glory may be his alone He forgave them both Here is the Gospel and free Grace of God unto miserable man that had no way to turn him but falls down confesseth the debt for he exacts nothing at them nor enters into judgement Which of them will love him most Here he propones the question to convince him in himself So that Till man be convinced in himself truely to see his own vilenesse wretchednesse all truth is but as a shadow without substance While the Pharisees stood justified in themselves the Gospel was in vain Christ came to reprove the World and so to make way for the Gospel The Word is profitable to convince and reprove 1 For the first thing it works it brings man into himself as it did this Woman 2. The Gospel is given to none but to miserable men For though others conceive talk and dispute of it only these do believe it 3. Then man cloaths himself with it and hides under it but is not brought under the power of it to yeild and lay his hand on his mouth For he is wise above the Word 1. And hence it is that the Word is so lightly passed over every man is wise to keep off the blow though it enters his head yet he keeps out of his heart will not be guilty unlesse for fashion And so for an lowly lost mind we have a thousand wise and secure hearts hardned through knowledge For we have gotten a foreknowing of all Truth and keeps off repentance that when ever the wound of sin is discovered we have readie a plaister by fore knowing before the wound be made and so Religion is made a meer matter of Complement For they see a remedie before the sore 2. And hence see that if mans heart believingly answer the Word of Truth it will put all men to silence none is able to stand before it or to argue against it It leaves all men guilty and none righteous But when man gets upperhand of the Word and gets it under his witt it makes all righteous in conceit none sinners as 1 by Christ 1. Who cares for the sparrows and lillies doth not the heavenly Father Why then do you care saying what shall we eat c. Here all men are guilty none able to say his heart is clean 2. Is Christ the Son of God and hath Christ done that which never man did and no man spake like this man Why then do we not believe but he believes every lye of Satan So that out of our own mouth and heart he will judge us 3 So that one word believed with a simple heart prevails more than the whole Bible only known of a hard and fleshly wise mind Which will love him most Or he to whom he forgave most So that Look what Christ is to man even the same is man to Christ to others and nothing else We love him because he loved us First the love of Christ constraineth us For Christ lives in me So that he only gives life in all things 1. For if Christ dwell but in mans fancie then he hath only a fancie and an opinion of Love Righteousnesse c. For what ever rules in the mind all the whole powers run thither 2. For what a man is or doth of himself he is and doth for himself and it is meer nothing though he gave his body to be burned 3. Thus Christ shews his Power in man mortifies man to the World c. And man as an instrument to do his will as in everie Officer of the Kingdom commands by the King 1. Where then is that power and that wisdom to order mans heart to rule his passions to frame his mind to the will of God to mortifie Lust Is it in mans good husbandrie no It is in mans lying dead in himself wearie of himself waiting for help and finding help in another is losed at the bottome and loves Christ and all men not out of any good qualitie in nature or mortified mind through his diligence but that unknown power of the love of God ruling in man which separates man from himself and his own glorie 2. But this discovers a main want of lively Religion harty Love when in every thing a man meddles with he still hath an eye to himself his own ends makes him forward his own power wisdom guides him his own good he looks at Nay when Christ hath freed the mind how soon returns man to himself and begins the good thereby to himself 3. And this shews that Christ lives in few when we see that cankered malice covetousnesse pride envy and whole brood of lusts fighting in man See He that loves Father or Mother more than me c. 4. Yea All mens hearts without Christ are like to this mans a cold complemental courtesie esteeming well of Christ but better of himself a reserved affection without life for neither do they stand in need of him nor feel any goodnesse by him
the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus 5. None knows the Power of Religion in deed but he that hath it not in himself as a quality but in Christ by faith 6. All Religion is nothing where the Fountain is shut no matter what we know if we know not Christ from a troubled heart SERMON VI. Luke 8.4 And when much people were gathered together and were come of every Citie he spake by a Parable A sower went out to sowe his seed c. AFter that Christ had cast off the Pharisee in the preceeding Chapter received the Woman whereby he manifested the freenesse of Gods grace without any respect unto man Great multitudes flocked to him out of all Cities and he lets them see by a Parable that all hearers prove not Christians Wherein note 1. The occasion much people met him 2. The Parable it self 3. The Exposition thereof Much people were gathered together Partly by his Miracles partly the power of his word partly for custome but all came and yet after you see fall off So that The voice of the Gospel and the publishing of it gets many friends and followers at the first which afterwards fall off forsake it Joh. 6. When all was gone his disciples began to slink and he said Will you also go away It was great heart burning to the Priests and Elders that the whole world went after Christ yet at the end all forsooke him and he trode the wine-presse alone So Paul had many Children and Churches Gal. 4. You would have plucked out your own eyes but they all forsooke him and turns to the false Apostles thus beginning in the Spirit and ending in the Flesh. 1. For Est natura hominum novitatis avida but when they have tryed it and find not that sweet they expected but that it crosseth their lusts and wordly Kingdom and suits not with their ease and rest they forsake it 2 Many embrace and approve of it for company and moe forsake it for company it may be the example of many will draw one to it but the example of one will draw many from it 3. Though man think that a Nation is born at once yet few truly proves good ground and sticks to the end for he that endures to the end is saved 1. This is too plain in experience What zeal and forwardnesse what diligence and care is now dead and ended in nothing and though once we wanted nothing but Christ yet now have forsaken him in the way of his cross and ease our selves in the world and our own devices So that the life of the Gospel continues but a time for after a while security takes hold of some opinions and heresies of others and the world takes hold of all and so the Lord takes it away and sends it elsewhere 2. To shew the perverse nature of man who is never wearie of the world in the ways of the flesh and yet how soon weary of this He spake by a Parable Not in high and abstruse termes or wittie and unknown Language but in plain parables as of plowing sowing of salt and three pecks of meal of lost sheep of debtors and creditors things well known unto men cast this simple seed amongst them where see the nature of the Gospel So that That it is plain low simple wants nothing but believing hearts to make it known yet not understood of any but such as stand truly in need thereof Many great Doctors were ignorant of these Parables the Parable was plain but the mysteries was hid Many wise men conceive truly of it defended it but only miserable men knew the power of it 1. For Christ came not to set men at disputing about opinions but about themselves to draw them to believe 1. So that divinity stands not in curious searching of hidden things but in plain evidence of truth to pierce the heart 2. And hence we see what good doth all those disputes of high knowledge of contemplative men viz. The greatest Idolaters that ever was in the Church for they frame steps and stairs to ascend to high Mysteries and frame a God at the top and yet ly in pride and base lusts God gives us low and humble hearts then a Parable will fet the Gospel will be precious and if ever God bring us to see the need of Christ one simple word of truth will bring more joy than a thousand witty discourses A sower went forth to sow And this seed is the Word of God which prospers in some better in some worse and Christ therein ranks all men according to that power the word hath in them so that Every man is with God as the word is to him Joh. 15 If you abide in me and my word abide in you c. Saul cast away the Word of the Lord therefore the Lord cast him away and all the complaints against Israel was still because they hearkned not to my Word they disobeyed my Word and all the Plagues that ever came on man even from Adam till now is because our own wills and lusts rules us not his Word we believe not but David lived thereby And this is that frees man thy Word of Truth 1. For God and his Word are one such as his Word is to us such is God in every thing for not one jote of his Word shall fail 2. And all the Word is nothing else but a Declaration of the Fathers will in Christ as the Law that we should have no Saviour but him and the Gospel that he is a perfect Saviour all our sin is but a transgression of this Word by making to our selves in conceit other Saviours than him This is the Word that was given to Adam Abraham c. and this is a mighty Word for by it all things were made and preserved As with man how deadly is the Word of a King in wrath that it hath ever strucken a man with death and so of mercy And the sowing of this seed is nothing else but the faithful Declaration of Gods Will concerning Man and Christ that man may see the deceits of Satan by that Word so be brought to repentance may see the truth of the Word in Christ that the Kingdom of God may come And yet Christ may say Who hath believed our report when we see this seed to perish not regarded but cast off as a fable We believe fear the Word of Man and the Word of a Father prevails with a Son but God calls cries and we regard not He threatens and we fear not He promiseth and we believe not But let the World threaten we fear or promise and we rejoice and so comes man to be of a worldly heart Doth not the Father cast out the Son that regarded not his Word Mark and we shall see that the whole ear is stopt to this Word and he is but a dead hearted man But know that God hath punished more
of the Father 3. So that all Knowledge all Passions with a hard heart are nothing and nothing more hardens than that 4. And all things prosper according to the disposition of the Heart learning c. are the works of man but saith and a broken heart the gift of God only This Word may and doth worke many Passions a light belief in many and yet never partaker of Christ therein as Ezek. 33. They heard and shewed love And Herod did many things for the Knowledge thereof is glorious and the evidence of the Truth convinceth man to make him inexcusable But these are but First Stirring of natural passions Second Or informing Reason more clearly Many such Passions we see stirr'd up and all nothing So that fits passions lights and easements come and go but misery in man and mercy in God remains ever And the life of faith is not any strength or quality in man but a tender heart open ear to hear believe Gods Word live thereby SERMON VII Isai 57.10 Thou hast wearied thy self in the greatnesse of thy way Yet saidest not There is no hope Thou hast found the life of thy hand therefore thou was not grieved IN this Chapter the Prophet first bewails the losse of the Righteous of Israel which was not laid to heart but they presumed still of their own strength without God Then he calls the Rebellious to a reckoning to convince them of their Idolatry and carnal confidence and to see the vanity of their way and their misery and captivity ensuing And all by a Metaphor of Adulterers that have forsaken their Husbands that would have been a safeguard unto them and joyning themselves unto others which would be their downfal As first that they had joyned themselves to another than to him and had made a covenant with them and sed themselves with beastly pleasures in satisfying of their Lusts sometimes covertly behind the door Sometimes lifted up in their conceits as upon a high Mountain Then their carnal confidence in the arm of flesh in going to the King of Assyria and then when he failed to the King of Babylon and so concludes they have sought all wayes of wearinesse and yet returned not to God Wherein he shewes 1. The frowardnesse of Mans Heart and his many devices to nourish his fleshly hope and put evil from his thoughts 2. The ground of all tâ—is vain confidence is because he find the life of his hands for the present therefore not grieved Thou hast wearied or toiled thy self viz. Sought out all devices and wayes to nourish hope even unto wearinesse and yet saw not thy miserie So that All mans toil in the Flesh wherein he wearies himself is only to feed his hope of safetie without God to keep evil from his heart and eyes yet all in vain for evil shall over take him in the end Yea though man daily see the wearinesse and vanitie of his own wayes that they prevaile not to the satisfying of his own lust desire yet he still seeds his hope thinks he shall put the evil from his heart As Israel though they saw they prospered not in their designs by their fleshlie power yet still sought to the arm of Flesh trusted it Pharaoh though God wearied him with his judgements yet he was still hardened against him The Pharisees though they saw they prevailed not against Christ yet ceased not to fight against his Kingdâ—m The Wordling though he toile in wearinesse yet still at a want yet he cannot cast off care but hopes to gain satisfaction And Balack Balaam Isâ— 62. They will nâ—t sâ—t but they shall see For man hath mâ—re confideâ—ce in the World in the Flesh than in God more ground and reason to believe it than God For thought the World have sailed him a thousand times yet still he believes it will help him But if God seem to defer his help a while he runs to his old friend Mammon again as Israel did to Egypt against Aissria contra For man is loath to see any evil towards himself or the down-fall of his Fleshlie Kingdom though it doth fail in his sense and feeling yet he holds it up in his conceits and hopes And so would still have somewhat to look at that he might believe For nothing can destroy the hope of man but God by the power of his Truth and sensible Wrath in mans heart man can shufle and shift off any thing else 1. For if guilt be revealed yet there is hope For he will mend his course falter Moses and so hope for mercie 2. If affliction and crosse come yet he will be more warry and diligent and so prevent or recover it 3. If Death come yet he puts it off as long as he can and saith While there is yet Life there is hope of mends 4. For there is such a sure covenant betwixt the World and mans Fleshlie Heart that if one faill he runs to another and if one conceit hold not he gets another 1. Hic labor hoc opus Thus doth the Wordlie heart of man wear out his dayes in wearinesse and still feeds his vain hopes How hath the youthful mind wearied himself in one vanitie after another that now they are wearinesse to him and if the old man were kept to those youthfull dallyance it would be a burden And yet though there was hope in riches and how hath the rich Worldling fed his hopes with pulling down and building and yet he is too short Nay there is nothing but is wearinesse in all our wayes and yet we follow them as though in the end whe should gain rest So lothe is man to leave the pursuit of his fleshlie hopes so little heart to bear the want thereof That he will trye the utmost of his strength before he yeeld 2. Nay See the wearie passages man hath in Religion and yet will not denie himself he hath gained knowledge wrought righteousnesse changed his course and all to beget a Faith and yet his heart is fearful and distrustful and thinks by a new device or degree to gain it Nay how often hath God confounded thy self-opinions and conceits that thou saw it would not serve the turn and yet hast set a fresh upon a new one 3. Nay how often hath God frustrate the fleshlie conceits of believers and yet they have not learned to trust him 4. Thus the Flesh still deceives for the witt of man shews him many great wayes of thriving all proves wearie great wayes of believing and yet proves vain opinion Man will have hold of something that his hope may be preserved Thus is he still bewitched will not understand the fear of the Lord. 5. But know when thou hast wearied thy self and worn out thy dayes all thy hopes shall die with theâ— and thou shalt see the Truth of that thou wilt not now believe 1. When the World shall passe away from thee or thou from
thus with many they were sinners and God received them to mercy But now these worke it out beginning in the Spirit but â—nding in the Flesh. Alace Is sin lesse burdensome â—â—an before oâ— thou lesse guilty or is God more beholden to thee than formerly Or hast thou some store wherebâ— thou lives no as this was the first so it must be the daily food to live by even this promise never to depart from us But that man still seeing and feeling the burden of his rebellious heart and thence cry and pray and he shall be delivered 2. It is not preying pratting or talking or soaring high into the air or storing Manna or lusting after Quails but to attend on his hand who brought us out and will deliver us if we be not lifted up above him nor drawn from him but with Caleb and Josuah rest constant in his Covenant Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it As I have been a God of mercy so I will be still Ask and I will give thee renewing the promise that they may still believe and cleave to him commanding them without any condition on their part for his promise is free that neither sin nor weaknesse nor failings but open wide and I will fill all thâ—se wants So that There is an endlesse riches of love truth all goodnesse in God to satisfie all needs and desires of man which shall never be wanting to open and praying hearts With thee is the Fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light Isa 55. Come buy Wine and milk without money c. and let your soul delight it self in fatnesse Every one that thirsteth Come drink of the Well of the Water of Life freely Luk 2. He fills the hungry with good things Psal 63 David prayed and he filled his soul as with marrow 1. For he fills all things with his fulnesse With him is fulnesse of joy he sends rain to the dry ground he seeds the ravens he cloathes the Earth with herbs all things flow from him Nay he hath so filled the treasures of Nature that there is not nor can be a vocation much more there cannot be an emptie Soul with whom he had nearer Communion than with all creatures Buâ— if it be not filled with the Word or something else he fills it 2. For all things live by him take away his power and man dies his blessing man wants his Wisdom and man wanders But our mouths and hearts are straitned We cry not unlesse to the World there we open wide saying Give me riches or I die c. So that the mouth of Lust is like the grave never satisfied But to him we seek not we are full and our hearts are straitned We are like a man shut up in little ease where he finds no rest and the Wall so thick his cryes are not heard and so none pities him So we in the World our hearts are pinched there and yet the Walls of the World so thick that the cryes of the Spirit is not heard When a man wants Bread how plentifully doth hâ— crye with an open heart in true necessity and yet like sleeping men we dream of store and beg not 1. We are all knowing wise righteous devote men but not praying hearts O! the heart of man that hath his senses so bound up and benummed as with opinion that he is fallen asleep and prayer not nor wants nothing but to satisfie the Flesh for if ever the heart were open cryed indeed it should be heard 2. But know that the time will come when we shall cry and call knock and weep and not be heard Like the foolish Virgins and Israel here No they were wise and rich and righteous and they cryed not 3. What ever then straitens the heart towards God and stops the cryes of the Spirit is a work of Satan though the fairest gift that ever we received But alace praying dayes are gone the time was when thou went mourning and praying in thy Spirit all the day and in thy verie dreams and now thy verie prayers are but dreams and all thy store is but windie emptinesse Alace hast thou not as much need of his grace as ever is not thy pride and false knowledge as great a snare as ever was thy wanton sins yes sure as odious to God But my people would not hear my voice Here is his upbraiding of Israel for their securitie and hardnesse appearing chiefly herein that they cast off his Word and would not hear Nay cast him off and would none of him This is a fearful hardnesse that casts off God and his Word and sought other inventions So that When man casts off the Word of Christ all blessings and joyes is shut up from the Soul of man and when he casts off God from being his God death destruction must needs follow So to Adam and Saul and this is complained of by the Prophets more than all Psal 50. What hast thou to do to take my Word into thy mouth and hast cast my Word behind thee And this was a fearful sign alwayes of the hardnesse of the Jews That they would none of Christ nor his VVord as Joh. 10. I told you but you believed not nor they would not receive his Testimonie Nay Joh. 1. The VVord of the Father was sent a light into the VVorld and to his own but they received it not And here Israel believed not his promise that God would do thus to them nor have God to be the ground of their rest 1. For when man casts off his Word Christ he is put to other shifts seeks other inventions walks in darknesse and knows not whither he goes Like an unfaithful Son who dare not trust the truth and love of his Father that hath brought him up but layes up a portion in secret and gets friends abroad and after a while being thereby hardened casts off the Father quite 2. For the life of the soul is hid laid up in this Word Ps 3.5 Our life is hid with God in Christ Forsake this forsake life It is the treasure of the Kingdom all good is promised here the Soul hath no certaintie nor foundation but in this promise in Christ 3. For God hath sent his Word Christ into the World to seek our the forlorn spirit of man that is misled by the flesh and covered under the vail of the World saying Go seek find out that desolat stranger Thus he offers life if it will return But in steps the blind Reason Wit and Flesh of Man secretly whispering Now this is a blind way First lay a good foundation get the World and something to look at then trust so also be circumcised and keep the Law and then believe Still the Soul a little enlightened by the truth saith But sure this is not the way me think I hear see fair way opened and that is Christ is only the way of Life
promise be revealed in Christ yet to our unbelieving hearts little hope of deliverance But still in bondage under Sin and Guilt the World 3. When they were past hope after four hundred years bondage God sent Moses to deliver them by an unlikely way even nothing but the Word of God So when we see least likely-hood in the flesh God sends a mighty VVord to destroy sin and to restore us to freedom 4. After he had laid manie judgements upon Pharaoh still lesse hope for Israel because he hardened grew more raging So with us after the Word hath discovered man to himself he sees no hope but burden bondage doubled 5. Yet after they were brought out of Egypt yet far from the Land of rest because they walked not in the life of the Covenant but after their own lusts So we have much to be suffered and our Will and the World to be crucified But when he intended to bring Israel indeed out of Egypt then he destroyed the first-born even the strenght of Egypt in whom their name and power was to be continued and so he dealeth with us viz. When he intends to deliver the captive Soul of man out of the hand of Satan he destroyes the first-born viz. Our infidelitie and all that power strength which Satan reared up in man and so brings Pharaoh low So that God never delivers his people and brings them into rest and libertie till he hath first made them weak and brought down their strength and laid them low in lamentation and woe Psal 107.12 He brought down their hearts with heavinesse So with the Prodigal and with Paul He struck him blind to the earth and took from him all his Pharisaical strength as Phil. 3. Yea Davids high mountain must be taken away that he may seek to God and be delivered 1. For all that which is born of the flesh is flesh must be destroyed else how can the Spirit live and be free all that strength we have whether of confidence assurance joy c. arising from Riches Wisdom Power and other gifts and qualitâ—s of nature are but power whereby Satan rules in man Pharaoh was Gods creature but perverted against God and thought to keep Israel by strong hand So all the riches wisdom c. are his gifts but perverted when we think to live and stand by them Therefore must down 2. Yea Pharaoh and his hoste must be drowned in the Sea even in that hearty sorrow deep humilitie that will drown all Pride and self-righteousnesse or what ever else lifts up man 3. Thus doth God bring man to trust him by making void all other strength to trust to 4. For all divinity power and strength is affirmative or positive in Christ only negative in us In denying in forsaking in crucifying c. So that Christ may live â—â—sitivelie in us which cannot be till the chief of all our strength be subdued 1. But do we not with Pharaoh still harden our hearts and will not yeeld though God send Famine yet we recover and harden thereupon Though Plague we escape live we depend thereon We see and taste sore plagues but the World or something creeps in and shuts us up in bondage and darknesse Nay though we feel smart and want Yet we Pharaoh Satan Mammon lives in us and we cleave thereto for Pharaohs hardnesse is in us all in the Root 2. Well were we if our First-born even all our fleshlie power and conceit thereof were slain and that we were brought low enough in the flesh that Israel the elect soul of man might passe on towards rest according to the promise 3. But the worst of all is we feel no bondage nay we fear our first-born should die The World is no burden but a pleasure Sin no sorrow but delight We like so well in Egypt that we dream not off nor despare not a departure 4. But if God mean us good he will kill the first-born of Pharaoh in us and that by his only Woâ—d and Messenger Moses asilly man and yet God performed everie Word that he spake so we fight against the power of darknesse in youâ— else were it more pleasure to us to tell you of Life and Freedom But it is not our message We must first destroy Pharaoh then Israel the poor bond Spirit of man shall flie and be saved 5. There will come a destroying night to all men Then Moses called the Elders of Israel Now before Israel was to depart He ordains the Passeover that seing there should be such a destruction lest Israel should therefore doubt of the promise he gives them a sign or token of safetie As Christ did When the Shepherd should be smitten and desolation sâ—en in the Earth and that Christ was to leave them then he gave them the Sacrifice of his death to assure them though he should die and they suffer afterwards yet this should be a sign and seal of their deliverance from death and hell Therefore he 1. gives a command to keep the Passeover ver 21. 2. He prescribes the manner Take the blood c. 3. He adds the promise For when I see the Blood I will passeover 4. The stablishing of this as a perpetual ordinance to Israel In the first he layes down the matter of the Sacrifice the latter how to be celebrated This ordinance was called the Passeover of the Lamb the other was called the feast of the Passeover This was to be eaten in their private houses the fourteenth day of the first moneth Nisan the other was to be kept seven days and was called the feast of the Passeover or unleavened bread So that this is properly the Passeover the other the Feast This is the sacrifice of their deliverance that night the other a Feast of rejoycing for that deliverance Wherein their was a holy convocation the first and last day viz. A rememberance of the Lords mercie to them and a teaching it to their Children 1. The matter of the Sacrifice was a Lamb of the first year figuring Christ a Lamb without spot 2. The taking of the Blood and sprinkling it was a figure of his Death So that all this was but to lead Israel to Christ and to wait on the Promise made to Abraham That though they should hear a cry throughout all Egypt for the death that was among them Yet that they should stick to that Word behold this sign that they shâ—uld be preserved So that The whole Word of God and all the Sacrifices given to the Church are given to lead man from all things to Christ and the stedfast sticking to his Word and Promise whereby they shall be preserved in all extremities Isa 55. Behold I have given him for a ensign or witnesse to the people 1. Cor. He is our wisdom Righteousnesse c. Joh. 14. I am the way the truth and the life My servant whom I have chosen My beloved in him whom my Soul delighteth All the
also and carry them to Babylon to be a prey and servants unto them In the Words note two things 1. His heavy message to Hezekiah 2. Hezekiahs free subjection to the will of God and justifying his Word First He shewes that all the riches and store wherein he glories shall be taken from him yea and his posterity for whom he had gathered them shold be carried Captives and nothing left that he might return to his God As if he shâ—uld say Thâ—u hast shewed all thy store to the King of Babylon and sent the newes of all thy wealth thither Even all this shall be carried away to Babylon and thy children also Thus doth God to destroy the hope of man So that There is a day coming to man that will turn all his riches and glory and pleasures wherein he trusteth and rejoyceth into want sorrow and misery and death doom will sooner or latter lay all in the dust Where is now the glory and pleasure of the Old World or the Power of Pharaoh the Wealâ—h of Job or the Pleasure of Dives the riches of the rich fool or righteousnesse of Paul all laid in the dust For woe to them that now laugh c. 1. For there is a way that seems good to man but the issues thereof are the issues of death 2. For God will take away from man all stayes in the flesh that he may see and know that there is no rest but in him for the life of the first Adam must be lost that we may live by the second 3. Thus God makes way for the manifestation of his mercy and the delivering of Man out of Satans snare 1 Woe to the deceived and bewitched heart of Man whom Satan hath beguiled with the Lustre of the world and drawn from his God who blesseth himself in his present portion and pleasure and thinks he shall see no evil but enjoy many a merry day but sees not the black day when all shall be taken away Nay man thinks to joyn a perpetuity here by joyning house to house and laying a foundation in the earth and then he saith Is not this great Babel that I have built And so shews his Wealth to the world or at least feeds on it himself saith Is not this a goodly portion a loving wife obedient and fine children a good stock and portion a certain estate and never a fâ—iling way of increase what hurt can come to me Even like the thief who blesseth himself in his stolen riches and never thinks of his hanging-day But know though we may put off the evil day a while and first either bury it in forgetfulnesse or drink down fear like beasts or cover it with the righteousnesse of the Law Yet God will either sooner or later strip up our hearts and either first 1. By the Word discover that misery that all our fulnesse cannot remove as before to Hezekiah that with Job we shal curse the day of our birth and with we had never been born 2. Or if he suffer us to run out the course of our vanities with the Prodigal yet there will come a day that will lay all in the dust and darknesse when we shal be cast into the pit and death comes and will not be resisted and then nothing but wailing and gnashing of teeth Wailing for the Time of vanity mispent for Guilt of heart not to be eased for darling with the World that was so esteemed and our friends so dear to part with Then shal we see that Wife and Children Gold and Silver that we see doted on are but Drosse When the Babylonians have ransaked our treasure as now to the Germans and life taken away not to be restored 1. Are not the fair and admired beauties now defaced with rottennesse and consumed with worms that were as smooth ruddy neat and trim as thou art 2 Are not the rich worldlings laid low in a poor sheet and turned to dust 3. Is not the wise-man dead as the fool and all the counsels of his heart perished 4. Are not drunkards and wicked destroyed and their name and posterity forgotten and rotten upon earth 2. Hence we see then whatever man establisheth in his heart and fixeth his mind on but Christ must down and nothing must be left We all desire to learn something and to have something to look at we will trust God but we will have something else to look at some sign and token thus man is lothe to part with all but still he reservs some portion some hope some good quality some righteousnesse to look at no there must be nothing left but the Brazen Serpent Nothing but Christ to look at for all else must to Babylon 3. Nay we see how he takes away all excuses we think to establish our posterity and gather for our children that each may have so much though we fear not our own portion but even these shal be servants we feed them with a coal stollen from the Altar we leave them the fruits of our covetous hearts and so brings them into the snare for an hours pleasure they also must into the land of darknesse commit them to God with any portion for if they may enjoy any small pittance it is enough for thou shalt not know whether they shall come to honour or low degree Let all look for this in the day of fulnesse look for want misery for it will come see thy self taking leave with all thy Friends and Riches for Pompey Alexander are now conquered that conquered all the World Yea the best must taste of this for Christs last day was his heavie day when Wrath Death lay upon Him So that there is a more heavie day to be endured only mans rest in this day is with Hezekiah to cleave to the Word of the Lord in subjection When the Prophet had delivered his message we see how Hezekiah takes it First He acknowledgeth the Power and Goodnesse of the Word of God 2. He submits himself thereto in confidence and assurance that according to the Word Truth and Peace should be in his dayes So that The Word of the Lord is ever good to man and his only treasure on earth and mans subjection thereto his only freedom and rest Isa How sweet upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth glad tydings of Peace It is the joyful tydings of Salvation the Word of Life and the Message of the Kingdom and that wherein David found more joy than in all riches or great spoils The Law is spiritual and good the Gospel is the message of Mercy and Life Wisdom is justified of her Children And Eli's subjection to the word of Samuel was his only hearts ease 1. For though it fight against the World and Lust of mans heart yet it is for the freeing of Man from them 2. For this Word must stand though it sight against Man and mans subjection must be his Rest For the Word cannot be changed nor
fail 3. For hereby is made known the Love of the Father which whâ—le the Child hath he fears nothing 4. Herein iâ— more certainty than if ten thousands had sworn it 5. And our Subjection is our present denying our selves and partaking with Christ in his Death 1. This carries the heart above all that he sees or feels though he see nothing but death as here yet hereby he knows that he shal be relieved as a man having committed murther prays for pardon at the Kings hand which being granted how good is that word of the King to him 2. And yet we see the carnal heart of Man sees no good in this delights in any frivolous story more than this believes any word rather than this yet what footing hath mans heart in any thing but this By this we shal be judged and by this we shal be freed 3. And yet we are all found fighters against this as in Christs time the whole world opposed him so when God by His Word that the Worldings and Hypocrites shall not find rest they tush at it and will Evah think they shal have merry dayes when he saith All thy high looks must down and thy great portion must be lost nay saith man But I will make them sure and so he trusts every thought of his heart rather than his word 4. But know the day will come when this will be more worth than all and happy he that so esteems it now And for our subjection every man hath a will and way of his own which he labours to uphold and rather desires that his Word rather than his own will might be altered Yet God saith We must forsake Father and Mother and all But man saith no. God saith Be content with thy portion man covets more So that None loves the Word or Gods will but he that is prepared to bear the Crosse that man seeing his own guilt and weaknesse may submit in humility and look for mercy then shall Peace be established in his heart though war and trouble without And truth shall preserve his soul when all the World seems a lye to him yea though God seems his enemy yet this truth becomes a friend SERMON XII Matth. 1.1 The Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ the Son of David the Son of Abraham Abraham begat Isaac and Isaac begat Jacob c. THis Chapter and these Words contain the beginning of the Gospel the very sum thereof When Adam had miserably fallen through rebellion and become guilty of death it was promised though obscurely that a man should rise of the seed of the Woman whom Satan had deceived that should overthrow his Kingdom and deliver man out of his hands whereby Adam and the faithful was upheld until Noahs time then the promise was renewed and the Rain-bow given to testifie that still God would be good to man till Abrahams time Then did God more clearly renew the same promise In thy seed shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed From that time the Prophets prophesied most clearly of this Saviour and with strong prayers and desires longed after this Christ and so from Abraham till David it was more manifest both in the promise to him Thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers but I will set up thy seed after thee and stablish his Kingdom and I will be his Father and he shall be my Son Psal 132. God hath made a faithful oath to David of the fruit of thy body shall I set upon thy seat Psal 45. Thy throne O God endureth for ever the scepter of thy Kingdom is a scepter of righteousnesse Whereby he sheweth that a King shall arise out of the root of Jesse and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder Now here is the Book of the Generation of this King and Christ so long foretold off which shewes the wonderful consent of the Scripture So that The whole Word of God declares nothing else but the fall and daily falling death and condemnation by Adam and restoring by Christ both which being believed become effectual to mans good and happinesse This Paul Rom. 6. Gal. 1. The first is renewed again in the Law and shewed in all the rebellions and wanderings of men that so man may see himself and be ashamed and the other a wonderful and incredible thing that man curst and condemned should be restored by the birth of one man Here needs faith as much as to believe that the Word was made of nothing 1. These are the two Principles of all Religion that man see his dailie falling in Adam and daily rebellion against God and his Word daylie forsaking God and setting up something besides Christ which unlesse it be seen and believed and felt no Saviour to man For Christ was promised to fallen man 2. This workes death in the heart and in this death and dayly falling is man directed to the Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ No believing of this wonder but in death that mans meer want and misery force him to believe this Saviour For no reason can perswade a dead and cursed man but the mighty word of God which man may not argue how like or unlike it is but that is the Truth of God for ever But these are two Principles that are least minded or believed We frame a Religion of high thoughts and make a trade of many devices so that the simplicity of the Truth is hid by the witt and device of man And herein we trade for our praise and gain But to believe the Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ this too law for their deep judgements No they have learned this long since they have seen their misery but they are healed they were wounded by the Word but they have cured and covered it So that now the Word cannot fasten on them They are wise and foreknow all things and so able to awarde the blow And for this book of the Generation of Jesus Christ they know it and can comprehend it and dispute and prate of it and have mangled and cut added and diminished but live not by it and so full of opinion and windie conceits of all Truth but believe it not that this Christ is the Redemption of man only and now joyn other books to this We dare not rest on this without something else to under-prope Hence came in Circumcision Mans Righteousnesse and Riches of the World through Reason but to believe this Book as to commit soul and life and all to this promise even when sin and death bites is the great power of God to believe Christ to be the Saviour of the World So that the whole Summe of Religion is truly to know what man is and what Christ is truely to know sin and righteousnesse the one read in the Book of our own hearts we need go no further the other read in the Generation of Jesus Christ When man utters forth but the frothe of his own roâ—ving mind and thoughts the
fleshly mind is tickled but no certainty but the book of Jesus Christ is the Word of Truth and assurance forever O that we had hearts prepared to embrace this mystery Here is the Fountain of Life Here is the Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ before prophesied now accomplished Here note the Truth and Certainty of Gods Promise So that No certainty to mans heart in any thing but in the living word of God and the truth of the promise believed this abides all things else will fail Psal 26. Thy mercy reacheth to the Heavens and thy truth into the clouds Abraham had no hold left but this and David no comfort in affliction but this Word that sustained him We have a sure word of the Prophets which though the Fathers in reason might deny because they saw nothing of Christs coming yet they were to attend till the day dawn and then the Book of the Generation of Christ shall come and his star shall appear in the East So though man feel not the comfort of this Christ yet attending in that death on the sure Word of Prophesie the day star shall arise in his heart But man would feel and believe nothing and so casts off the Word and flies to many inventions 1. For all things have their turns and changes according to their uncertain natures and disposition and alter with fulness and emptiness with want riches according to the Worlds uncertainty but nothing can change or disannul the promise not the power of Pharaoh nor the malice of the Jewes nor the treason of Judas nor length of time or alteration of Kingdoms but at the fulnesse of time Christ must be born suffer and die c. So in man 2. This gives certainty of the Fathers Will Love to wretched man and he being stayed by this endures the time of Tutors and Governours of banishment persecution yea of torment and wrath within tyranny of Satan yet waits in patience the revelation of the Gospel How powerful is the word of a King that even by his word wrath hath stricken a man dead 1. How vain theÌ„ is the heart of man that seeks certainty in every thing but this Hath not Satan promised joy peace and loe at death all is gone and man helplesse Doth not the World promise certainty in its full portion and sure possession to thee and thine And yet thou seest or still fearest a decay in all Doth not the Law promise life and peace and yet when thou hast done thy utmost thou art still guilty Yea doth not God make void the counsel of the flesh and when man dies all perish and yet man will not learn nor read in this book which is life Now the word is certain in it self and so to man when the truth thereof is believed and written in his heart deeper than all reason or fleshly speculations 2. And as this book is the book of a Saviour to believers so of death to unbelievers that have cast off this and followed vain inventions For both Moses in whom they trust shall judge them and Christ in whom they trusted not shall condemn them for God shall judge all by his Gospel Then shall God say I promised to Adam Abraham and David c. and they found life therein I fore told by my Prophets And in fulnesse of time I sent my Son declared in the Book of this generations But him ye believed not counted him a deceiver I would have performed all to the full he saved all that came to me him by but you were rich wise in the World and trusted that you were rich and devote in your conceit and despised him Therefore out of your own hearts I judge you Nay without this there is such a certainty of death and curse that nothing in wealth or witt no qualities or righteousnesse can wipe out but it sticks fast in the bottom till the Book of the Generation of Christ give certainty of Redemption by him Happy he who sticks to this foundation that is neither lifted up by high wisdom nor drawn down by base lusts that judgeth not but is judged by the Word of Christ We read this story O That we had hearts to read and delight in this Book or Word of Truth We professe this Christ and we celebrate this Feast in rememberance thereof But anone every man runs to his vanity soon weary of this as though he either stood no need of this Book or had it wrote in our hearts We rejoyce and play but it is not in this nay how little is this Book looked on or minded or read in our houses or embraced in our hearts When that beastly drinking liker liker Swine than Men that unmanly custome of Cards sitter for Childrens Bables than to be the exercise of Wise and Reasonable men which the good Moral Heathens could not suffer their Schollers or Children for making them too effeminate in their minds and yet we foolishly make them our meat and drink and let Christ stand behind the door Well this Book of the Generation of Christ will stand by man to his joy when those shall be all witnesses of vanity lusts of our hearts against us The Son of David Now he comes to his Generation David is here first mentioned before Abraham because the promise was most in him and Christ most usually promised by the Name of the seed of David And so he goes on from Abraham to Christ In which Genealogy note That most of the Men and Kings that are reckoned and of whom Christ came were wicked men and Idolaters as appears in the Book of the Kings Yet Christ was born of them and the women mentioned all wicked and sinners save Ruth who was a Gentile and hated as a Dog of the Jewes But Thamar Rhab Bathseba all Adulterers So that The promise is made and so effectual Christ born and sent by the Wisdom and Will of the Father only to and for sinful lost wretched and condemned men and none else I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance â—â—e leaves the ninety and nine and seeks the sheep that is â—st When Adam was lost then Christ was promised Moses was sent to deliver afflicted Israel and Joshua 〈◊〉 bring the wanderers to rest So Christ was sent to the â—ost sheep of the house of Israel And this he verified in his â—ourse Publicans and Sinners were objects of his mercie the Poor Weak Halt Lame and Blind he was still among And the Rich he sent empty away and the righteous Pharisees he regarded not 1. For if Sin should hinder the coming of Christ he had never been born if Sin should hinder the comfort of Christ from man no Flesh should be saved 2 Nay Therefore came Christ to take away sin which by no other means could be overcome 3. Hereby is the love and grace of God magnified That he came to save Sinners When for a righteous man scarce
then he was strong Great Knowledge devote Holinesse and high Thoughts chooke Faith only humilitie preserveth it The one lives by opinion as light as wind but the other by Faith and mercie he feels nothing but weaknesse and guilt 3. Well-worth weak and repenting hearts that weep with Peter We deny him often but repent seldom What ever knowledge or other thing they have yet if this be kept lively Faith shall not fail though it be seemingly lost and he turned his back and he sees no way to peace Yet wait a while and light will spring out of darknesse and well-worth Crosse that preserves Repentance in man when he sees his own beastly guilt how he hath forsaken God and run from him and sees how all fails then he returns So it is hard to preserve Faith lively in prosperitie It is a great point of simplicitie to enjoy all gifts and yet look at none We see then whereby man is preserved in all straits viz a praying and believing heart all else vanish 4. But praying dayes are gone We have wept but now rejoyce We were weak but now strong in our selves Strengthen thy Brethren Pitie not me nor weep for me but weep for thy self and pitie thy Brâ—thren So that As the life of Faith is in Christ only see the practice of Faith is in love to the Brethren David Psal 16. My goodness is nothing unto thee but to the Saints that are in the Earth Thus all rules of practice after Faith that are stablished by Paul are such like as help the weak admonish the un-ruly c. and Christ left this his last Law Love one another and Faith works by love This was Christs practice all his dayes in doing good this is a free disposition of a Redeemed Spirit the flesh seeks its own but love doth not 1. Thus is the Fathers Love spread abroad and the Truth of the Gospel and the Church increased and herein is the Communion of Saints 1. But we all walk in the thearick knowledge of Faith and Christ and nourish our thoughts therein but we foresake the practice of Faith for self-Love and Pride hath drowned all hearty Religion Do we help the poor and relieve them nay we spoil them do we bear with the Weak nay we judge them do we cover the sins of others nay we spread them Do we love our Enemies nay We hate them 2. I wish we had lesse Knowledge so we had more Faith and Love Is it not a shame to see how Drunkards are linkt together and every Sect as one man yet we that professe to believe in Christ lead everie man to his own gain So we thrive we care not who losse who grieves and bears the burden of others I will go with thee though all forsake thee Pride of heart and over-weaning conceit of our own power because of some singular gift above others is the readie way to fall before all so it s in the Jews Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Lucifer So that There is a presumptuous and proud carlesse confidence from the arm of flesh which goes under the name of Faith and lifts man up in securitie a while but will fail in the end Thus David Psal 30. And his numbering the people SERMON XV. Dan. 3.16.19 Then Shedrach Meshach and Abednegâ— answered and said to the King O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter IN the former Chapter Daniel had interpreted the Kings Dream concerning the Image of Gold Silver Brasse Iron and Clay and the destruction of several Monarchies by the Stone hewed out of the Mountain without hands that is to say The power of Christ whose Kingdom should overcome all the rest and be everlasting never to be destroyed by which the King was convinced to acknowledge the great Power and Wisdom of the God of Daniel and sell into admiration but understood not the Mysterie of Christ therein nor the downfal of his Kingdom therefore presently returns to his old Idolatrie So that The Word of God from God and the great work of his power doth for the present put man to silence and convinceth him yet where the heart remains hardened and that the mysterie of Christ is hid from man he soon returns to his old vanitie and Idolatrie of his own heart Thus they are often convinced by the great Works of God Psal 16. Yet forgot how they were brought out of Egypt and walked not in the Covenant but returned tâ— their Lusts And the Pharisees in Christs time often put to silence but soon grew wise again to maintain there own Kingdom Yea how manie of his followers who saw his greaâ— Workes and confessed never man spake like him or did the like spake with such power and assurance and yet forsooke him see the stony ground and those of Judea 1. For ease and peace and prosperitie being offered and a man lothe to live without them they choak the VVord 2. The Knowledge of the Gospel without the power of Christ and his death hardens above all none such enemies to the simplicitie thereof 3. For if the Truth and Power of God be revealed yet if God keep not the Promise of Repentance by the Crosse so bring man under the power of that Word he soon starts up and becomes Wise and Righteous in himself not in Christ in the flesh not in Faith 4. Though for the present it dash man and convince him that he confesseth and sweareth that it is the truth yet when it both crosseth his present ease and libertie brings no life but death for the present he grows wearie unlesse the great power and love of God pursue his Soul by his Word and Crosse Hence comes so much back-sliding in the church that men admire the great Power of God yet not living in Repentance under the Crosse Every thing starts up and so they turn to the old way or a new device of their own but do not believe the down-fal of their Kingdom for the present For most men when they have talked and shewed abroad their Wisdom Righteousnesse and increased their Glorie they are the old men again The World is welcome and sweet Sin as light themselves at ease secure as they had never known such a thing 1. And yet they know their ease and securitie ariseth not out of simple confidence of Faith but hardnesse of heart and clothed under a vail of Religion 2. So it is a fearful thing to grow hardened after truth revealed that man joyn hands with the World that sin become lesse sinful in conceit This is a meer securitie and not Faith for if a man flie off and that the Word cease to judge man arraigned at Gods judgement seat For Christ hath two judgements in mans heart viz Judgement and Mercie so it is said Man must give an account of what he hath done Yea of every â—dle Word which is true in mans heart for they are judged and man tormented untill he apply to
in another viz. in Christ who is made our Righteousnesse through Grace For take Him away and there rests nothing but Death â—or the Law doth not make man righteous but sinners â—nd lost men Now Righteousnesse is two-fold Politia divina Morale divinum The first is that the Philosophers treat of which is a Righteousnesse of just and equal disposition of mind and carriage of our actions towards others doing right to all That is called in Scripture the Righteousnesse of the Law which is the righteous work of it in man but that is nothing before God for it is not wrought by God nor for him but man attributes it to himself and thinks God should be pleased therewith also Now this is good sweet amongst men but if man bring this before God it is abominable But the righteousnesse of Faith is another thing viz. the righteousnesse of Christ made ours standing in free remission of sins and the free grace of God Therefore it is that Christ is our Righteousnesse as a thing out of mans self in another 1. How far off from life are they then which well unrighteously in all things both towards God and man 2. Also those that hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse which acknowledge the Truth of the Gospel but submits not to the righteousnesse thereof but run out after their own unrighteousnesse and will never regard Goâ— nor his word of promise 3. And such as makes themselves righteous anâ— stablish a righteousnesse of their own and thence seek a ground of believing 4. Others fall off from the Faith with the Galatians and when God through His love hath made theâ— sometimes obedient in love 1. Fix their eyes upon that and imagine themselveâ— something that now they being made subject aâ— obedient do look for a blessing theâ—â—upon when alaâ—â— it is not one good thought of twenty 2. But know that all our Righteousnesse is in another that man see no good thing in himself but Sin 〈◊〉 Rebellion and Death c. but all good in Christ Whâ— is made our Righteousnesse For if man turn from Hiâ— he fails if he abide in Him he lives Therefore aâ— Paul saith I live not but Christ lives in me 3. But most lives by conceit of Christ not Christ living in them so that our power over sin death hell is not in our selves but in Christ who dayly crucifies the world not any qualitie or disposition that we are brought to but living in the sense of our own unrighteousnesse and flying from our selves and so becomes Righteous in Christ 4. Hence we see that Faith and all good is preserved to man in dayly and deep humilitie when he dayly lives in the life of Repentance and is weak and unrighteous and unthankful but daily waits for mercy But when man becomes righteous in his own eyes either because of that qualitie of Faith or of Love or Righteousnesse then he is lifted up and it becomes his own righteousnesse and therefore filthie nothing 5. Walk in Righteousnesse but take heed of looking at it let it extend to man that thou mayest justifie thy self before them else all the world shall condemn that and the Gospel be slandered but in respect of God who is of pure eyes bring nothing but Christ and his mercy and then shall we see the Righteousnesse of God upon us And we all do fade as a leaf All our Righteousnesse being but hypocritical and so we with it doth fall to nothing So that Where the Grace and Love of God by Faith is not continued to man there Faith and all Religion fades where Religion fades there all joy and peace and happinesse is lost and comes to nothing as Heb. 6 They tasted of the good Word of God but yet fell away in the end and Hymeneus Phletus and those in Jude Ephesus Laodicea Revel 2.3 1. For it is God only that both by his grace both guides preserves faith in man As the tree planted by the Rivers of water Psal 1. 2. When this fades man daparts from God as Israel in the Wildernesse and so never comes into the the land of rest 3. All things have a passage through man and he gets a taste of good in them but they fade in time only Gods love and mercy endures for ever 4. When man returns into himself or the World he soon grows weary as the leaf when the sap is descended into the root in the earth so we when the sap of God is descended 1. Hence it is that so much fair shining Religion comes to nought in the end being but the work of man it fades and dies in man but that of God abides for ever Thus have we seen much Religion dye What zeal and sorrow of heart What love affection to the truth it self and now all is drowned up with a fleshly speculation of these things but the life is gone 1. Love is forcible which if it rise but out of a strong stirring of natural affection it is soon lost but if from real miserie and distrust of himself it abides with God though clouded but the foundation abides in God 2. And even so will all our joy and peace freedom fade Where is that joy and sweet rest we have had that earnest hunger and desire after Christ Nay it is gone and we grown proud in knowledge and for the simplicity of believing turned it into an opinion of knowing edifying one enother in love into fleshlie honour seeking it one of another or censuring each other or love and liking of the Word of Truth into a judging and despising of the same our love to each other into self-love our love to Religion into the love of the World So that hence it is that our joy is departed from us because we are departed from Christ We joy in our fulnesse power or knowledge c. yet will all fade as a leafe and we also shall in the â—nd fade with it we see it Where is the glorie and pleasure fulnesse of our neighbours is it not faded away turned into want and sorrow and death it self the youth and suckling strong and aged mother and child are all fallen into the dust and it will be our portion if righteousnesse and religion lye in the streets despised as it is And our Iniquities like the wind hath taken us away When we thought under a colour of righteousnesse to go on in the wayes of vanitie and enjoy the World yet at last our Iniquities have prevailed and taken us away So that It is sin and rebellion against God which is the onlie way and cause of the destruction of man and nothing but sin undoes man Your Iniquities have separated betwixt God you Thus he complains against Israel in all the Prophets because they sinned against me and yet they sinned more and more they are a stiff necked generation for nothing makes God our enemie but our running from him 2. Losse and want
of us all from David his high mountain 1. Thus God keeps his Children weak and poor in the Flesh that they may seek to him be strengthened by his power and Spirit 2. Thus he makes way for believing for while man hath any thing to look at his eyes are turned from God nor doth he purelie believe in him 3. O! This promise is onlie open to the weak and poor as Matth. 5. For none tastes of Wrath that fears it nor none fails through weaknesse that feels it The sturdie Oaks are shaken with the storm when the bending Reed escape through yeilding 4. Though God have given Isaac yet Abraham must not trust to him so God gives joy and Peace according to the Promise yet may we not leave the Promise and trust to these nor tye the Promise to them 1. Vain then is the stay of them that have no other foundation but what Flesh yeilds which is nothing but shame as also those that tye God and limit him to these and believe only because of these as the Worldling because of Riches the Pharisee because of Righteousnesse and Believers which turn from the Promise and fix on these onlie are deceived For God gives these at his pleasure but his Truth must rest as mans Foundation 2. But how will man do when Isaac must be slain all thy hopes in the Flesh taken away As thy Riches Libertie Joy Peace c. Where wil thy rest be then as it was with the Martyrs 3. Thus we see how God in crossing man blesseth him by causing the outward man to perish so the inner man is renewed 4. Happie he that enjoyes all things in the Flesh but fix on nothing but enjoy as not enjoying rejoyceth as not rejoycing useth as not using But if man fix on any thing after the Flesh it is the readie way to lose it as to the Jewes Temple and Davids high Mountain Abraham went three dayes journey And all this while he shewed not the place that Reason and Affliction might worke their utmost spite in tryal of Faith So that So doth God with man he often defers deliverance to man and hides from him a long time the purpose of his Love that man may wait in Faith be weakned in flesh and in waiting be delivered Thus he made Israel to wait four hundred years the Church waitâ—d long for the Promise of the Messiah God hath put timâ—â— and seasons in his own power and the Jews for a Messiah to come with worldly power but God sent his Son in povertie and weaknesse This made Mordecai so confident that if Esther refuseth God would send deliverance some other way For the vision is for an appointed time Hâ—b 2. 1. This he doth to hide Pride from mans heart and to make the World a fool that when man most expects it he defers it 2 God hath a revealed will which man is to believe but a secret will man is to wait on 3. God first workes all things down in man separats the heart from them before he comes 4. For God hath an end and man hath need of sore afflictions and when these are brought about then will God come Thus the husband man waits for the harvest First it is buried in the earth a long time then appears a little but subject to manie frosts blasts and disasters yet he waits thus 1. Man draws on his miserie by anticipating God his thoughts We think now and now with David O! when shall I come and appear before thee and mine eyes sail with waiting and yet he withholdeth For thou art not yet subject when thou sees the Wisdom and Righteousnesse of God that thou can as willingly lye under as wisht to be delivered then shal thou be freed but so long as there remains a Will of thy own crossing his this must first be brought under For God sends light in darknesse life in death therefore because we are not yet dead nor in darknesse the Promise is deferred it is not enough that thou hast a foundation of Truth but thou wild needs have a sign and assurance in flesh for the Spirit to rest on 2. God hath given his Word and Promise that man is to wait on but we are loth to travel three dayes and stay till God shew it God hath said I will deliver thee but we would see some sign of it he sayes I will deliver thee but we would have some other assurance than his Word of Truth that is Man would have some other stay beside Christ 3. Wait then thou wearie Soul on God though thou see no means for deliverance will come the weakling cryes out because he is not now delivered he is quite forsaken but God knows thou hast a wanton wit and rebellious will to be subdued 4. Nay when God shews nothing but death and to the eye of man that life is farthest off then is it the nearest Abraham might be wearie but God stayed him but patience with hope preserved him Man is wearie of Gods hand even almost before he feel it dreams of nothing but deliverance even like an impatient man that feeling the biting Corassue would have the plaister taken of but the Wise Surgeon knowed that the rotten flesh must be eaten out so God will have the Flesh to be quiet the Spirit strengthened before he remove his Rod. For a whole burnt offering By which he was to be consumed that there should be no memorial left for so was the laws of the burnt-offerings So that Gods will is to be believed and obeyed of man without reservation and the Flesh and World to be crucified without sparing any part thereof of all these that would rest in God He will be loved with all the heart and we must have no God but him For this is the great Commandement Israel must not leave a hoof behind in Egypt he will be loved above Father or Mother 1. For look what a man reserves to himself he draws from God and denieth him acknowledging some other Gods besides him and so the mind runs after it as Adam did and so we halt betwixt two opinions 2. If it be spared a little presentlie it gets strength will arise again and so is a halting betwixt two 3. Man spairs and reserves but that wherein he thinks there is a good besides God and so the heart runs after it and so destroyes Faith 1. Some indeed wholly spare Isaac the World and cannot abide to be touched 2. Others offer their refuse with Cain but reserve Isaac nay believers will still have some hold in the flesh some reservation so hard a thing is it to sacrifice all they would have part of the World some ease peace freedom some assurance of Life and Gospel but all these must be sacrificed 4. Religion that is true is then a simple thing and cannot mix it self with any thing like quick-silver or the turtle-dove 5. Then the obedience of Gods Children if it be simple it
excuses as here in Saul when wâ— seem to condemn our selves then we justifie our selveâ— and hope because of our confession to find mercie Iâ— is a great point of simplicity to do good and not tâ— have an eye to it but still here ariseth a thought oâ— being something because of that everyone is approvinâ— of the good but thinks none of the evil in themselves 〈◊〉 so imagins a power in themselves which destroy Faith It is but a poor comfort that man gets by his obedience to the Law nay God will find out manie 〈◊〉 blaiting Lust Iniquitie in thy heart as hereafter What meaneth then Here Samuel discovers his Hypocrisie for he discovers wherein he had failed So that When man hath justified himself and hid himself in the depth of his own counsel yet there remains in man a Legion of Rebellion which hinders his peace and which God will find out in the end as to Adam and the Young Man and the Rich Fool. 1. For mans pride ariseth from ignorance in himself 2. Adam slips over these easily with little notice 3. After Faith and a desire to obey God yet there remains a rebellious flesh and ease and peace which he would preserve Thus we all keep up a conceit of our selves but then what means this following of the World this envie hatred these wringings pinchings covetousnesse What means then Saul seeking to justifie himself Samuel discovers his Hypocrisie And that by bringing before him the spoil that he had reserved underneath as in Saul so in us Saul had done something but there rested a whole herd to be destroyed So that When a man hath tasted of Gods love and mercie and it may be hath inclined to do Gods will yet there is a troup of rebellious lusts and affections underneath which both darkens the light of Faith and keeps mans Soul in bondage and either they or we must be destroyed Thus to the young man Matth. 19. The rich fool and Adam 1. For all men like Israel think they should have rest so soon as they are passed the Red-Sea when alace there are bitter waters to drink hunger thirst to be endured and the Amalakites to be slain Here is the dayly exercise and power of Faith and of Christ in man in subduing these enemies under foot to the perfecting of our freedom and establishing everlasting Righteousnesse That man daily feeling these Rebells within him may see his Weaknesse and Rebellion may flee daily from himself to God for victorie For he that partakes of Christs death once through Faith to his Redemption by the power of the same death dyes daily that so hâ— may live into God Thus deal Hypocrites when looking upon theâ— own righteousnesse grow high minded and strongly presumptuous not feeling these base filthly lusts beâ— lye underneath nay thus we imagine to our selves aâ— opinion more by a thousand times than we enjoy indeed Thus are those deceived who tasting somâ— sweetnesse of Faith and Gods love sit down thinâ— all things is done and Heaven obtained when indeeâ— they then shrink from God and themselves too anâ— then arise a Legion of Lusts that are unkilled There is then a beginning of stedfastnesse in going on in Religion these beginnings may utterly faâ— where the others follows not there is a believing 〈◊〉 Righteousnesse but there must be a believing by thâ— same faith and a daily feeding on Gods goodnesse and truth 1. And hereby appears how apt man is to flatter himself without cause thinking all is well when it is nothing so When the Prophet comes and by the Word of Truth divides betwixt the marrow and the bone For thou sayest Thou believest God and thy confidence is in Christ and that he is and will be a Father unto thee but what means the leaning to and looking at the works of thy hand or qualitie of heart and increase of confidence thereby Why then is there such seeking for and trusting to thine own power why art thoâ— then so vexed for want joy peace and fulnesse Why then dost thou so dote upon the World so lifted up it fulnesse cast down in want Thou sayest Thou lover God and Christ and his Word what means then this self-love wherein thou hast alwayes a self aim 2. This casting off Christ and seeking ease in the flesh What means then this little respect to the Gospel and so careful for all things else 3. What means this censuring and judging condemning others this opening their shame and this preying into their faults this back-bitting insulting â—his hardnesse of heart and unmercifulnesse to them in â—ant this pinching and grudging and grinding their â—aces this contention and unwillingnesse to forgive â—hou sayest thou hatest the World Sin and Lust but â—hy then is thy willing serving of it and this rejoycing 〈◊〉 it and mourning for want and this total imployment about it and these burning lusts and fierie maâ—ice Thou sayest Thou wilt suffer any thing for Christ as Peter but what meaneth then thy swearing â—nd fore-swearing for these great vexations for these â—arthly crosses and this fear of losse and danger of Death So that it is not as we imagine when the Word of Truth comes O! that men would cleave to this Word of Truth in Spirit it would either hew Agag in pieces or else Saul should be cut off thereby O! that we lived daily in the true understanding of our selves this would destroy vain glory and pride We think because we have now a good motion and â—hen a sweet joy and feeling that God must needs love for these but we see not the lowing and roaring rebellions of the heart that fight against Christ And thus most men deal with Saul by halfs in Religion because they begin to look with Flesh at the conquest that they have gotten when thousands are behind verse 15. We have brought then from the Amalekits Here Saul again excuseth himself and pleads their intent to offer Sacrifice as afterward verse 21. So that So thus in all men not mortified through Faith would still have both Joy and Faith and a Will and Word of his own So with Adam so with Peter He would have had case in the Flesh and Christs companie too so the young man Matth. 19. see all unmortified For till by the power of God in the crosse the Flesh be subdued it seeks to live as well as the spirit save it self For there is a self-confidence a wisdom and a love which would turn all to its own advantage which indeed should know or effect nothing at all and so draws the mind after it Thus we dally with God in the way of Faith by sparing things that are profitable pleasures And thus man excuseth this or this I do to follow the World that I may be better sitted to serve God to do good to others and so it appears that it is the end indeed nay thus we dissemble with God For
when we say We would live in freedom and joy that in that joy we might better praise God our maker but the end indeed is for the good and ease of our selves the flesh especially in things that perfect our ease and peace though the mind be thereby insnared we yet deal easily with it and thus we still reserve our fat things and deal favourably with them and these are our greatest enemies Then Samuel said When thou wast little in thine own eyes This is Gods message wherein he reckons up his favours to him and secondly his rebellion against those I raised thee up of nothing why didst thou fall on the prey as though I would not have rewarded thee This Message and Word was to convince Saul of his disobedience and 1. He shews the door of mercie 2. The way of Life So that The free grace of God is the fountain of life to man and when man is vile and nothing in himself then is the power of God most shown He that humbleth himself shall be exalted He hath filled the hungry and sent the Rich emptie away For so is man capable of grace and the power of God is magnified in weaknesse What is it that stops thee free grace of God to man that is that strength and worth of man that thinks he hath for were man little enough he would pray cry and believe and fear all mischief enters in at the door of pride or rather this is the door that shuts our Christ we still muse what we are but not what God is Then in this little and low condition to wait on God in the Word of Truth and by Faith to walk in his power shal destroy all enemies but when we fight with our power and so cut carve to please the flesh and when we depart from the Word of Truth we never prosper not that man by thinking basely shall procure peace but when simplie he is so so God is and will be with him but mans perverse way is to turn from his God and fall upon his prey So that the daily way of miserie to man is his disobedience and forsaking the way of Faith and turning to the prey So Adam so David Paul to his Revelations so the Prodigal would have the prey so Demas turned to the prey nay almost all have been caught in this snare For such is the force of sensual lust imagination that where God doth not mightilie preserve man still turns hither For the Word of Truth is the Life of man which while it lives in man it suffers nothing else to live in him but when man turns from this in comes a Legion of lusts and base affections and imaginations but this layes all low Thus we fall on the prey of the World which ensnared all men even believers themselves thus God bids flee the filthinesse that 's in the World through lust and promiseth that he will be with us but this we forsake and gather Mammon before hand and fall on the prey and this choaks all So believers dots also on the libertie of the Gospel and turns it to wantonnesse turns to the prey yea whatever God doth to man man turns to it simplicitie of Faith is foresaken But see our safetie God being our portion freedom his Word our Life so shall we live for ever verse 20 And Saul said I have obeyed Here is Sauls second excuse wherein he defends himself that he had done the Commandement of God which indeed he had done in part for he had killed many of the Amalekits but yet with reserving part of the Spoil to himself 1. He sought honour of Samuel Therefore he brought Agag alive and slew him not 2. The Riches in sparing the Cattel under the pretence of sacrifice so it is with all double hearts in Religion So that Man by the light of the Law shining into him and working fear by the light of the Gospel manifested working freedom may restrain and rectifie many things with a seeming obedience yet still with a reservation to himself and some gain to be gotten which mars all As the young man Matth. 19. Had done much with a reservation of false confidence Ezzra 3.3 Their hearts ran after covetousnesse so those Libertines 1. Pet. They promised libertie they had great swelling Words c. Satan is as a Saphira Acts 5. For nothing goes through flesh but Faith in God and the power of God in man this purifies all but flesh would still have something and that makes our obedience not simple For man is seldom so separate from himself in pure love unto God but some self-love there is that is to his fleshly will sticking to him and purloyning something into his pouch to feed flesh with all For mans natural power being enlightned by the evidence of Truth discovering both the happinesse of believers and the miserie of the rest doth produce in man an obedience according to his apprehension and so far as the blind light workes upon him but he never c mes to a real and actual denyal of himself but there is a building up of his hope thereby not to a simple heartie believing and so living but still with a reservation of believing his own work and love of himself and such is the Religion of the most We spare the King and far of the Flock for there is a reservation almost in all For when man would belâ—eve and lieve for ever and with all their hearts see what a reservation hangs on Righteousnesse Reason self-Conceit so we believe God but neither because we are such and such So there is a stop in our Faith we still have an eye to something else in our Faith And so for love we love God but with this limitation not so much because it is good in it self truly manifest to us and that it is good to us and so mans self still comes in for want of mortification For hardly do we any thing wherein we have not some respect to our selves And for the Word we see Religion is the only way and God the only good but still there sticks in us a great lyking of the World we hope for a good in it find a marvelous sweet therein So that none hath any reason to be proud in Religion though he have obtained and done that which many have not done yet there is still more that he knows not loves not does not it may be thou hast a little Faith and now and then trusts God but for the most part denies him and trusts thy self and arm of flesh or trusts him for this or that reason so a little love to God but a full love to the World and thy self And here we see that in all Religion two things poisons all viz. vain glorie and a beloved World for First we still would have it therefore we limite all to this onlie for we have so many reservations for the World as a care
time love delight c. Yet God is shut out of all yea after experience of Gods love how freely do we return to the World again Religion then is an absolute yeelding our selves to God and his grace without reservation of thoughts â—hat Agag that great Captain of michief even Infideâ—itie and fleshly Confidence wherein Amalekite â—rusted yea the Infant and Suckling in broad Lusts â—pen these outward objects must be slain and that by 〈◊〉 pure believing and loving obedience to the Fathers â—ill here we see that all coverings will not serve the turn For when Samuel comes all is destroyed well-worth him that is open-hearted to confesse and live by mercie See the difference of mens double hearts that are still building up and excusing and alwayes on their own side to build up man But Faith sets a man against himself and alwayes on Gods side pulls him down and all things in man For often greatest noughtinesse is covered and hatched under pretence of Religion as that of Jezabel to Naboth See in the World what covering of lust and oppression what greedinesse when man thinks that for Religion he should be respected but Faith and Love teacheth no such thing Then Samuel said to Saul Hath the Lord as great delight So Samuel pursued him still by the Word of the Lord out of all holds and yet by the Word of the Lord opposeth his good seeming intent layed down by a question that Saul might make answer and be convinced in himself 1. He casts out all conceits of a Sacrifice to please God while the heart is not subject 2. He illustrats it by way of comparison of these two that is Obedience is better than Sacrifice 3. He amplifies it by the contraries for Rebellion is as the sin of Witch craft 4. He denounceth Gods righteous judgements against Saul wherein the cause is in Saul to declare the qualitie thereof The judgement it self hath rejected thee c. First note how Samuel pursues him till he make him yeeld at last to the judgement So that This the proper effect of the Gospel viz. The proper and kindly working of Gods Truth in man is still to bring man down and all things in him to lay him low in himself that he may be exalted through mercie iâ— Christ Let man denie himself and become a Fool saying In me dwells no good thing I am not able to think anâ— good thought all our Righteousnesse is as a filthy clout Phil. 3. All these are but drosse Thus the Word brings all Sacrifice to nought the Law given in Thunder to shake mans heart the Promise made freely without any respect of mans Righteousnesse that man may purely believe Nay and the power whereby all is accomplished is in God not in man that man liâ—e a begger daily may wait there Thus it brought Paul to his knees First brings man to fear and weaknesse before it bring him to Faith and it keeps him in fear that he may rest in God For man is grown proud and wise against God else he had never stood need of his Word for it should have been a living Word in his heart for ever as Paul The weapons of our warfare are mighty to bring down strong holds But see the very truth is perverted by man for though Samuel come to beat Saul of his hold yet he still finds other shifts l ke a wilie Fox So men grow wise and cunning and are listed up thereby yea most yeeld fleshly obedience to this spiritual truth and thereby becomes holie in conceit Others conceiving gloriously of Christ and thence grow high minded for knowledge puffs up and so becomes a man of high thoughts but that man in whom the Word lives and man by it keeps the eye inward towards himself and keeps down all high thoughts in a quiet sense of their own Weaknesse and Vanitie to attend with a crying and praying heart for mercie which is sweetly enjoy'd and not lifted up but man freed and not hardened thereby but out of feeling of himself is pitiful towards all judgeth none but himself This shews the wonderful power of Gods truth that it will make Saul to bow so of any man even Pharisees for the present though afterward they get up again Now it is not Sacrifice that he looks for but a believing loving heart So that All Service and Sacrifice that men seem to offer to God not flowing from a loving heart are nothing with him These are like the cutting off a dogs neck Isa 1. Who required these things at thy hand Psal 50 I reprove thee not because of thy Sacrifice wherewith shall I appear c. For he stands not need of thee neither can he be moved by them unlesse we think as Balaam with his seven Bollocks and Rams These are born of the flesh Children of the bond Woman and not of God nor by promise Righteousnesse is nothing when we make it away to Faith but when it is an expression of a believing heart then it is sweet Now it is not Sacrifice that he condemns but the cursed opinion that goes with it Like that in the Law a daily singing a daily sacrifice so with us when we do it with an evil intent and not out of a simple mind But we have one sacrifice that is Christ only who hath sacrificed life and all and that is it that pleaseth God Thus it is with us also our obedience is but to sacrifice to our God at Gilgall that is to purge sin and to please God that we may get an opinion that God is well pleased for that but this opinion maâ—s all it is not our obedience that is any thing to God in the Work but our yeelding heart For most have looking to that which they have done some looking at it as Pharaoh This crosseth the free sacrifice of love it is a great point of simplicitie in the hight of our obedience still to be more vile and this is the power of Faith for it shews from whence we had it not by our own power Nay when even in our own selves we are opposit to God he hath vouchsafed his grace The only sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart sacrifice thy self and it is in stead of all thy lusts desires case peace life and all and when thou hast done that thou shall have as Christ had victory over all a Resurrection a Freedom and a Glory and so shall sit at Christs right hand by Faith till all be subdued to thee and then man offers sacrifice of praise confessing his name not to purge sin but in expression of Gods love and manifestation and that in love and mercie and not in sacrifice Obedience is better than Sacrifice So that That which is accepted is an obedient heart subject to the Fathers will in love is the Life of all Religion and better then a thousand Sacrifices Isa 50. God opened mine ear and I was not disobedient and Samuel said Speak Lord
for thy Servant heareth Christ yeelded himself to the Father Also David the will of the Lord be done and Christ to the Pharisees Ye tithe mint annise and cummin c. Psal 8. If my people had hearkened For God is the sole Lord over all and man a silly creature and as the life of a subject is in obedience to a Prince so here is mans happinesse in yeelding to Gods will for that must stand whether man be obedient or not for disobedience was that which cast off Adam and Israel that is because man will needs be God Now obedience is two-fold of Faith and Love Obedience of Faith is when the clear evidence of the Truth of the Promise and mans Reason and Wisdom â—eelds to that Truth as Moses at the Red-Sea and Abraham When man sees no reason in himself that God should or will keep promise but the contrary he seeing nothing but rebellion and iniquitie yet stickâ— to that where all reasonable wayes of the World and all threats of Satan are overcome though the World threaten want yet he believes fulnesse for this is the will of God that ye believe But most believe not but rebell in this for though God hath promised yet we obey not believe not but give the promise the lye and say That God will not do and therefore fear So that infidelitie is the great Rebel that strikes at the Truth of God which a man cannot endure This Faith also mars not obedience in neither limiting God a time but waiting nor a measure but believing that it shall be our rest Obedience of love is the end of the Law where the love of Christ enforceth man and this is a sweet and free yeelding up of a mans life unto God as a Sacrifice Rom. 12. Which cannot be till our bodies and flesh be sacrificed and then in the Spirit of our minds we are revived according to the will of God This is not to be a foundation of Faith but a necessary expression of the love and goodnesse of God to man This flows from Faith naturally there is nothing but rebellion and lust if Faith fail to wait on God God doth this obedience and man fleeth and man seeketh shifts or some device The intent is doing what he commands not because the Law forceth so many thievish hearts are bound to be true but not from the heart And warms of Gods love in the heart to suffer for his sake what ever befalls as the Martyrs did but this shews the little obedience in man For indeed neither will ye yeeld but the old contention remains whether shall be God Faith and Love is the obedience life of man and when man lives in 〈◊〉 yeelding temper nothing can vexe him let impossibility come and he is obedient and suffers And so was Christ obedient unto the death of the Crosse But while man hath a will and love of himself he is never freely obedient but would frame Gods will to his and to hearken to Satans voice raither than Gods So that An open ear to hear and a heart to believe and obey the voice of God and the Word of Truth is better than all seeming sacrifice a man can offer Isa 45. Incline your ears c. Then shall ye hear the voice of God and he that hears shall live He opened mine ear and I was not disobedient So to that end God hath given his Word to man that thereby he might be called back again to God Therefore God saith cry aloud to man and bid him return and come and live for ever and so he that hath an ear to hear let him hear When God sets his love and mercie and truth to or beâ—ore man and when man attends and meets God here then is that Word accomplished to man But Christ may still say Who hath believed our report as to Israel but Israel would not hear for man hath two Preachers before him still 1. Satan who by his Ministers the World and the Flesh daily whispers and calls man to obey as to Christ Satan saith I will give thee all those the World calls here is Riches the flesh calls here is peace ease and honour God calls and saith Here is all in me Now look whose voice takes place and is believed so man prospers Man hears as God manifests and herein is a reasonable mystery and spiritual power by the one man growes wise and by the other faithful and obedient For rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft Man through rebellion of his own heart and stubbornesse of his own will runs away from God forsakes the Covenant of peace casts off obedience and himself to misery in the end as Pharaoh and Saul here SERMON XXIII 1. Sam 4.3.4.5 So when the people were come into the Camp the Elders of Israel said Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us this day before the Philistins VVHen God had governed Israel by Judges for many years and manifested his power and truth by his Priests and Prophets in bringing them into the Land of Promise according to the Covenant and given them many victories over their enemies Israel grew secure and presumptuous yea the Egyptian Priest himself grew so carelesse of the Lords sacrifice yea even Ely himself committed them into the hands of his Sons who filled their bellies and lusts and that without reproof Whereupon the Lord intended to destroy that vain confidence and to proceed against the house of Ely which he fore-tells in the second Chapter by a man of God and in the third by Samuel which in the fourth Chapter he brings to passe First by giving Israel into the hands of their enemies once again and then delivering the Ark into the hands of the Philistins destroying Ely and his two sons After Israel had received the overthrow at the hands of the Philistins they make way for a second by running further from God So that This is the way of man for man by every affliction is either brought nearer to God or else driven farther from him and so makes way for greater evils to befall him As David who to hide his shame ran into murther so Adam having sinned to hide his shame hides himself from God so Saul to the Witch of Endor like a child that grows more cunning after the whip more wâ—lly but not more wise And this through stubborness and hardness and pride of wit But Joshua when they fâ—ll before Ai never ceased till he had found out the curse from God cast out the execrable thing Many things light upon man that touch not his heart but is so blinded with lust and self-love that the light of the truth leads him not out but his wit will needs guide him God doth nothing in vain If man regard not Processe or any hatchment that is coming he shall see that a writ of Rebellion is coming and if he regard not that than a Bailiff comes and to prison he must and that God by the righteousnesse of
own way is here They would fight Gods battels but would not attend on him at Shilo his own place But would draw him from thence to them so we would have God with not but not wait on him we would have the promise fulfilled but not wait the time So that The sure way is to wait on God in his way though we see no way out of Reason Abraham abode in Canaan as a stranger Moses and Joshua at Jordan c. For the vision is for an appointed time Thus man workes his own woe when he either invents a way of his own and will not stay or joyns fleshly Wisdom for the furtherance of Gods will or impatience of delay appoints a time Take heed of preserving any thing before God and his Work and Promise Many are never well unlesse the Father be still playing with them That it may save us Here is self-confidence not that they thought the Ark could save them but because if they had the Ark with them God would save them This is not simple believing but with relation to something else than God So that Such is carnall confidence in man it is a snare of Saâ—an wherein he intangles men to draw the heart to look at some Work or Gift of God and so to believe because of that and not for his simple truth and providence So David thought that because of the thousands of Israel he should preserve himself and Israel in Aarons time These are thy Gods O Israel Psal 30. Thou hast made my Mountain strong it shall never be removed The Pharisees they were righteous For this is to build a house on the sand for there is no cause that moves God to do good or man to believe God but his simple Word and Truth though God shine and manifest himself in all things yet when the Soul is turned from God to them they become snares as the brasen Serpent for the mind must have something to rest on So that when God is wanting Satan the God of this World brings in the fulnesse of the World and the certainty thereof and presents them to man 1. Fulnesse of Riches and Friends will supplie 2 Self-righteousnesse and many lusts and failings of love saying They will preserve thee 3. Or a carnal beholding of Christ as here to the Ark 4. Yea believers are thus drawn when Christ lives not in them they suffer with him but in all there is a bottom darknesse and fear of hardnesse and self-pride Here Satan layes the foundation of all iniquities for why doth man covet oppresse deceive but that the World may be his stay and his confidence as 1. Either a blind securitie from little medling or a blind presumption because he hath this or that more than others yet no more certain nor better satisfied Thus the blind World is deceived everie man staying his mind by looking at something that he hath or labours to get something that he hath not that it may save him as the rich fool nay were it for thy riches and friends where were thy believing Thus all things become snares when the mind is fixed on them and man tyes God to them which is not a believing of God but of that portion We should worke Righteousnesse but not look at that Righteousnesse attend on the Ark but believe not in it but rejoyce in it with God Adam might use all creatures but not see a good in them it is a great point of simplicitie to enjoy all and not to depend on it but rejoyce in it with God and thereby to see the Fountain from whence it flowed and the weaknesse of man Nay such is the deceit thereof that it lifts man up above him self man shouts before the victorie But there will come a day of mourning to Israel this Ark and Riches shall be taken away SERMON XXIV 1. Samuel 5.1 2 3 4. Then the Philistins took the Ark of God and carried it to Ashdod from Eben-ezer THus we see the fall of Israel for trusting in their inventions and forsaking the power and truth of God The Ark is now taken from them and Hophnie and Phinias the Priests also and now they are lest desolate for Eli is now dead according to the Word of the Lord which we see must stand So that No power or device of man shall be able to dissannul or make void the Word of God but it shall stand be accomplished both to believers against the wicked though man fight against it and seek to escape it He hath spoken and shall he not perform it Yea Heaven and Earth shall passe away but his Word shall not passe He hath said That Saul shall be cut off all the World cannot uphold him He hath promised to Abraham nothing shall hinder neither four hundred and thirtie years time nor the power of Pharaoh nor difficulties in the Wildernesse nor fourtie Kings in Canaan Hath he said That Messiah shal come he shal be born in the fulnesse of time Hath he said He wil preserve David all the power of Saul or Goliah shall not kill him Hath he promised Life to believers then though Satan rebel and rage yet the promise shall be Yea Amen For he is not man that he should lie God shall justifie his righteous judgements that he hath done nothing to man but he hath told it to man before Hereby appears the puritie of Faith and power of God under the crosse that though man think to shift it yet judgement shall come And though man see no Reason nor help yet abiding by the Word of God he shall finde help and be delivered For David saith Psal 15. An honest man will keep his Word though to his hinderance much more God For there is nothing to hinder him He rules man and not man him But man fights against this and rather strives to make the Truth of God a lie than to yeeld and be subject God hath said He will destroy that man that runs on in wickednesse and that the wicked that forget God shall be turned into hell and yet these men believe it not but make God a lyer as the Serpent did to Eve and say Tuâ—h God regardeth not good or evil or that he is not that he is or doth not that which he hath spoken So the stubborn casts off his Fathers threats till he be cast out of doors Others think they shall devise some way hereafter to escape they take any course rather than believe him and yet we have seen it with our eyes Did he not say He would cut off Saul and destroy Jerusalem cast off the Jews and call in the Gentiles Remove his Candlâ—stick and take away his Kingdom and hath he not done these Nay hath he not said That the drunkard shall come to povertie and shame and doth he not say That the userers and oppressors shall not prosper to the third generation and that the generation of the just shall be blessed do we not see
it well Know then though thou make a mock of it of us poor silly flesh as thou art and cast it off and thinks to escape Yet be sure it will meet with thee He should not be a God of truth if thou perish not holding on thy course but thou wilt reply Doth he not say also That this brings a heart that cannot repent and thou more unpat than before But he did not excuse his Word to the Ninevites yet for the condition of Repentance was understood his general promise If he return and forsake his way he will have mercie So that the alteration was in the Ninevites not in God Nay how often doth believers start from this believe rather their own devices than God hath he not said That nothing but Faith and Love avails yet we fix our eyes and hearts on something else Nay we believe the truth because of something else and not all things for the truths sake neither because of this or that raither than because the truth hath spoken Sâ— that the way of safety is to believe God in faithfulnesse shall he speak and not man regard Therefore if thou have never so likely means to uphold thee in the flesh yet if thy heart run from God therein it will not prosper and though thou see no way of safetie yet abide patiently by the Word and wait not what thou would have done but what he saith For the vision is for an appointed time but though we have a sure Word we are to stay the appointed time for we would be now eased then comforted yet rest thou hast a sure foundation and it may be thou must become yet more weak Thy Wisdom Righteousness and Power must yet be more troden down that so nothing may live in thee but truth only As with Abraham when there was nothing but the truth of the Promise left The Philistins took the Ark of God The fear of the God of Israel was upon all Nations as upon the Philistins here in these Words 1. The Philistins taking the Ark carreing it to Ashdod one of their chief Cities 2. Their setting it up by Dagon their God the fall of Dagon at the presence of the Ark. 3 Their repairing and setting up again 4. The second fall with the losse of his head and hands First the Ark was taken away for Israel was grown secure because of Samuels words The Ark and Eli the Priest they were proud and fat in their own conceit and so had turned Faith into a blind presumption and securitie therefore it was taken away So that When Man by reason of any gift or priviledges grows proud and secure in himself not sensible of his own weaknesse and power and the promise of God this is the way to lose it When David was lifted up in his high mountain he was soon brought low and when Paul was lifted up in aboundance he had a prick in the flesh When Israel made a Covenant with death God disannul'd it If Nebuchadnezzer be lifted up upon his Babels he must be brought down amongst the Beasts The Jews being a people alwayes boasting they came to be no people 1 So thus we forsake God and cleave to the creature 2. Hereby simplicitie of believing is lost changed into vain and fleshly confidence 3. This is the way to purge the old heart and to bring in the heart to God or else would man never return to him if he should prosper 4. Nothing more opposit to the grace of God than the pride of man This was the sin of the Angels being so proud and doting upon their own excellencies they despised God in whom they should have been preserved And yet this is the snare we all fall into we enjoy nothing but the mind is fixed on it and grows proud of it and imagines our selves to be strong and safe because of it when it is only in the hand of God to be given and taken at his will and pleasure all gifts are to be rejoyced in but not to be proud of while we rejoyce only the mind is kept humble seeing the fountain and feeling his weaknesse but pride hardens and makes secure Nay what gift is it we look not at and think our selves the better for it and that our Faith and Hope is nourished by these as much as Gods truth and love is enjoyed Hath not the rich man more confidence that he shall not want than the poor man hath not the righteous man more confidence his state is good than the desolate wretch and yet his righteousnesse as his own brings no ground to believe but only Gods free grace Is this any thing but Pride and Securitie making the arm of flesh his stay Yea thus are believers drawn take we heed that this be not the way for our Land to lose all we shall bragg of our peace till we lose it and of our pride till we be subdued yea of our wealth till we have lost all yea of the Gospel till it be taken from us as here they did the Ark. But it is Gods goodnesse to crosse all his in that wherein they are misled that man may see what a weak creature he is and what a weak staff he hath trusted to as the World and now is gone as knowledge and now as he had neither known God nor himself But know there will come a parting day from thy dearest object thy careful Father tender Mother dearest Infants loving Brother Sister all because thou dotâ—st on them The way of safetie is to enjoy all in God but trust nothing else and forget all behind They brought the Aâ—k and set it by Dagon They thought the God of Israel was a terrible God and all Nations stood in fear of him therefore they set him by Dagon thinking now they should be sure to overcome This Dagon was their Idol from the navel downward like a fish and upward like a man but this prospered not them to win God and Dagon to trust to the World and conceive on this God as they did on Dagon it would not serve So that No joyning of the Ark and Dagon in our house nor God and Mammon in our heart nor fleshly Wit nor Gods Truth cannot sute together in Gods Kingdom Christ saith Ye cannot serve two masters God and Mammon Christ and Bellial Christ Antichrist if God be God serve him Rom. 5.6 Know you not to whom ye give your selves Servants his Servants you are This is putting new wine into old bottels Christ gives the Reason either he will love the one and hate the other or else forsake the one and stick to the other The Soul cannot intend two objects at once For look what respect we have to the one it draws from the other God is a spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth trusted and loved with the spirit of our minds else no communion with him For as a man hath a Garment a Bodie and a
Soul So Religion the garment is the outward form of Actions Righteousness Holinesse the body is Truth Righteousnesse revealed to the Church apprehended by man but the Soul of it is the Spirit even God himself as the Garment and Body without the Soul are but dead Corps and so this without God So Paul distinguished man into Soul Body and Spirit by the Body the outward Masse of flesh the Soul the vital power and sensitive appetites and natural understanding by the Spirit the immortal or inward part in right disposing of which stands mans peace and happinesse For if the Bodie be in health and the Soul in Life amidst the fulnesse of its natural objects yet no rest unlesse the Spirit be satisfied also now when the Spirit of our minds is drawn by sensual power to bodily objects it wants Life But leaving all these being guided to and joyned to God and Christ it is then satisfied and the body cannot be nourished with the pleasure of the Soul without food nor the Soul with the food of the Body without its objects neither can the Spirit without them both without its proper objects food So that the confounding of these is the confusion unrest of the Soul And yet alace it is thus in the World men will needs joyn God and Dagon Christ and Mammon without any trust or thought of God at all like beasts Others keep a form of God after the flesh as they acknowledge his power and see his justice fear worship him with a far off worship but the heart bowes to Mammon loves and cleaves to him above all Nay believers joyn these together some put confidence in God but more in the World yea how soon after God hath shewed himself to man by his truth and love doth he joyn heart and hands with the World again So that indeed this eats out all Religion amongst us And for fleshly Wisdom how doth this draw from simple believing asking a reason disputing with him joyning the power of man the power of God so making mans free-will a worker with God So that it is that man believes not God True it is that man is the subject in whom God workes yet the life and power of believing working is in God and given to man by Faith according to the Promise and though Paul say They are workers together yet it is in regard of manifestation not of any power they had over the hearts of men Nay let this God of Israel be our only stay and lay Sauls Armour aside so man abiding in his simple and naked heart full of weaknesse like a Child waiting on Gods simple truth the Father will come but when man thinks to help God he mars all Neither is this a way to securitie but onlie unto those that pervert all truth unto their own destruction For this is not a secure resting at all adventures as though the forlorn child could sit down at all adventures and say It cannot help my self my Father must come or I must be lost but not sensible of his own misery and forlorn estate As the Prodigal seeks and cryes and prayes till he come this keeps him froâ— sleeping so with us So that Religion is a simple thing and cannot mix it self with any thing like the Truth that joynes to none till death but simply waits on God with Faith and Love But when man brings in Dagon and sets him up the Soul of man abhors it or is joyned to it or is deceived Then no bringing in of Religion into a fleshly mind but first Dagon must down then Religion will stand If ever it be offered to a Worldly mind it is not an unwelcome guesse for the Life of that Soul is elsewhere It is in the World and pleasures thereof but the Spirit is dead within them Dagon was fallen Thus the power of God destroyes the Idol So that Thus the Truth of God prevails against the Idol and will not suffer any thing to stand equal with God in mans heart Paul destroyed circumcision from Christ and Christ the young man his weapons taken from him his high thoughts pulled down And thus Gods warriours pulls down groves and destroyes Idols That God may thereby let man see the weaknesse of all power in the creatures This is the proper work of the Word to pull down high imaginations and lay them low as the valyes This truth discovers the vanitie of all the rest but we with the Philistins are still building up Dagon nay the Ark is not yet come to us because Dagon is yet standing But know that it must down So that mans happinesse is in the fall of the flesh and all the power thereof SERMON XXV Mark 14.27 I will smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered CHrist by his death hath brough life this death was spoken of by the Prophets and often foretold by Christ and spoken of more at large and now is come by suffering to lose all that he may gain all after that he had comforted His Disciples and left them the pledge of his Love he Prophesies of the trouble that shall come to them hereby that they may now begin to suffer with him 1. Grievous wants and persecutions to the offending of all 2. That man shall not stand at that day by any power at all in man In the same he lets them see that this is the way they must still follow This is a sacrifice of his death whereby the same through Faith is confirmed to us He shews what shal become of the head and that they should be offended So that Though we live in the light of the Gospel and Sun-shine of Gods blessing yet there will come a day that will dash all and lay it in the dust So to David Abraham and the Rich Fool. For life gotten by the creature must be laid away Christ is the common stock of believers Woe to the World for all high mountains must down thy dearest object and thou must part When Israel was boasting of the Temple then was the Lord removing it from Shilo or destroying that new Jerusalem might come from heaven See how thou wilt do when this night comes we provide light fire and houses against cold and night but forget this night Let believers look for it in their greatest fulnesse and prosperitie for then will God take away these that he may be perfected in God I will smite the shepherd Yea Christ in the flesh that he may rest solely and simply in God Abraham and the Prodigal Paul I know none after the flesh by taking away fuel from it So that This is the way to bring man to God to purifie Faith to subdue the World and make Gods power known This he doth 1. In that great tribulation that lyes all on heaps 2. By his love that kills all at the heart but then we grow wise in the flesh to separate the confused heap 3. By the crosse
acquire As some of our late well approv'd Divines Have testified in their new extant lines Why should it so incredibly be thought That men should into such a case be brought As both we finde the Scripture doth avow And good mens past experience too allow And who art thou darst scoff at or deny That for sincerity thou ne're didst try Nay canst thou do it tell me by the way That its impossible I do not say Since grace there is and grace its face doth show Why judgest thou the heart thou dost not know I grant thou may est upon the parties where Some answerable fruits do not appear Pronounce that they but rotten branches be And no sound members of the living tree But therewithall beware that thou good seed Do not pluck up together with the weed Give me a man that can himself set free From imputations of Hypocrisie For still more labour he bestoweth in it More cunningly men thinks he strives to spin it Since this is so what means hast thou to spy it More probably then th' other to deny it So then where thou good signs sees how much lesse Canst thou these Parties charge with doublenesse Not that but Maskers by contempt awateing Those apeish Juglers and their counterfeiting Who having not the heat of Grace within A superficial self wrought web begin Self wrought I say for where true grace is seen The Parties Patients more than Actors been Still understand me not in any case The means hereby I lessen or debase Since commonly God in and by the means Bestows on his this rich and happy gains But to return mistakings I confesse In Christians one another sort no lesse That Hypocrites I willingly let passe Who counterfeiting what he never was As one who doth the praise of goodnesse favour The thing it self yet nev'r the rather savour Who by his seeking how to be accounted ' Mongst such as to some pitch of grace are mounted And outwardly the businesse undertaking Quite â—ars the matter in the very making These I let pass being such defigured mates As makes themselves unbid associats Of them I nothing say but of dear brothers Of mis-conceits 'twixt Christians one and others But out Alace will no man undertake 'Twixt Paul and Barnabas accord to make Must I the man so far unfit be he Somewhat to say or nothing said must be Or is the one part so obstinately bent It may be counted labour vainly spent Or have the other eyes and do not see Nor can with meekness they restored be Or if not so do brethren quite give over To labour so their brethren to restore Or do their Conscience testifie that ever They thereto have imploy'd their best endeavour Or is the one part willing and the other Backward unto the dutie of a Brother Or would in meeting still more jarrs arise And cause the one part th' other to despise Raising an heap of doubts and quarrels more Than ever came in question yet before Or is' t in vain to strive that inward light That some decernes to paint to others sight Would some disdain to hear or to be told Of mysteries that meaner men behold Or think they should be thereby much despis'd At least accounted not so well advis'd Or hath the one part cause of jealousie That th' other deals not in sinceritie Is any side with prejudice so led Words may not rightly be interpreted Is any side say I must taking parts Remain where should be Harmonie of hearts Or is their main truths left undescried Or are men carnal or is Christ devided But O! what means and parties might be found To search out these things to the very ground For as for me I am a silly man Unable and unsit these things to scan To whom it may be said look thine own eye Before thou fault in others dost espye But 't is no spying faults where what 's amiss Through misconceits one labours to redresse And lo how Sion droups love lyes along Even like to dye who then can hold his tongue Then somewhat will I say and somewhat must Though sin say no and I lye in the dust And if that any these my words despise Say he hath met with one more bold then wise And if he listeth let him add this too Who can more boldly then blind byard do And if he think a Mediator still Should be a man discreet of place and skill Of good desert who needs not be asham'd To finde a fault where faults are to be blam'd To either part indifferent or at least One who on all sides hath some interest And he that judgeth me to be none such Well fare his heart I will not blame him much For I am greatly conscious to my self Of indiscretion ignorance and pelf Yea sin and weakness insomuch that I At all disdain not to be said so by Yet thus much say I for apologie I take not on me this or that to be Nor seek I the preheminence and state To be some dooms-man things to arbitrate But leave to each man as he thinketh best To censure it and me even as he list Praying that Gods not mans regard may be In chiefest honour and respect with me Not that I light esteem mans love or hate But would to Gods keep mans subordinate And for my taking parts my answers this I see not where a real difference is For this I count as none where men accord In substance though some difference be in word But had there been and I had therein rankt me I know not who would for my Work have thankt me Nor seek I for 't for that nor for this stuff Which though perhaps it now endure a snuff Some honest heart may yet when I am dead Vouchsafe to Read and think not evil said And howsoe're the manner I may misse I 'm sure I know what min intention is In fine let this serve for a period here If ill I say let all men witnesse bear For difference then I say I do not see In these Garboils a main one yet to be If men by rule of Charitie be led That things may rightly be interpreted For as I grant some worthie to be checkt Because dark speech they do too much affect So by mis-understanding answer me May not some hearers too blame worthy be Far bâ— it from me here in any wise For dark and doubtful speech t' apologize Much lesse for that accursed worthie hating Dam'd Romish practice of Equivocating The which though by Nature all men lyers be Who willingly maintains accursed he Nor do I judge of Charity as blind But say it s no sharp censurer by kind Whiles Christ and his Apostles plainly spake Did their true sense each hearer undertake Nay who 'l deny God doth to some unfold That others cannot see though they be told No though thou spell them in the plainest ways Withall the best words thou canst once devise For what sees flesh or man regenerate too So far as
blind corruption hath to do Which may a reason be why this man brands That for obscure himself not understands Like him that cry'd the candle gives no light When as poor man the want was in his sight That man whose speech is out of feeling spun Thinks it perspicuous as the mid-day Sun Not that I here do go about to blame Some who at others landlie though exclaim With such like words O these are they that see That which to us is but a Mysterie Nor that I point out or exemple sie For eminence this or that man I Nor yet the other for deffect in grace Once aim at or indeavour to debase But say who scorn that other should discern More then himself this lesson well must learn Take heed of thinking he doth somewhat know Least he know nothing as he ought to do I speak to them too who disdains at such As simpler he and know not yet so much And whereas there be more or less degrees Of spiritual insight each one sees I lay this ground more grace one hath still he Thinks other better than himself to be For why in others man th' effects but knows Within we see sin in the very cause And that is plain in this that in their hearts Such are more vext than all their other parts Nor say I now that Nature cannot see In humane learning difference of degree And as is said Grace hath for other eyes And Wisdom to discern too none denyes Yet one main property of clearly seeing Is not to much to eye ones own well being But with good Job to listen too not scorn His Maids admonishment though basely born I oft have heard a godly man confesse Himself beholding for his skill no lesse And spiritual insight how to bare the face And secret passages 'twixt sin and grace To some one poor distressed Soul that lyes With bleeding and with sore and blubber'd eyes Who never a letter know can on the Book Nor dare for sin scarce up to Heaven look Then all his Studies or his humane guides Books or what other humane help besides And good cause why such folk have so clear fight For God sets in the Soul his candle light Yea makes it even a Holy School wherein His Spirit and Satan strong disputants been The Soul mean while yea oft the Bodie walking The hands at work the tongue imploy'd in talking The eyes at view I almost said even sleeping Hear these two talk their acts in earnest keeping Which needs must be a passing way to fill That simplest Soul with wondrous spiritual skill And this made David too a good practiser Then all his learned teachers so far wiser As to speak truth how should it other be But such must practise of necessitie So deep impressions both of love and fear Stampt in their Souls of things that toucht so near And this hath made some speak how much they found Themselves to Prayer and Temptation bound For finding out of that hid Scripture sense They ne're could gain by labour nor expence Learning and Arts as handmaids unto Grace My meaning is by no means to debase For where these two have both their proper site That man must needs prove rarely exquisite But that 's where Grace the other closs doth lay Down under hatches from the light of day For ken it self once nere so little stronger It will be Mistresse but the Maid no longer A cause why those who lay as chiefest ground Bare Eloquence doth yeild so harsh a sound And burden so a sanctified ear With such a weight as grievous is to bear True Eloquence I blame not but such froth As all in sounds out from the speaker goeth The base-born Imp whose pedigree's derived From spurious Seed of learning wrongly wived Blame-worthy most when as in holy writ Affected Humane Flowers varnish it True Eloquence is in its splendor where Fullnesse of matter words doth overbear Setting the heart of such a large extent Like a full Vessel that must needs have vent Or well-charg'd Piece whose bullet fircely drives So violent that it with lightning strives The chief intention which one hath in hand Being how to make his hearer understand As best content when he th' impression leaves And clearest sight of what himself conceives Unlike that Souldier who more cares in fight Fair to discharge then where his bullets light Still Gentlemen fair and farr off de shoot Missing the Paper and sometimes the Butt But the good Archer who the Game would win Cares not how fairly but how near the pin Accordingly things are to hearers brought As they before are in the speakers wrought For what man gives another of a store Which himself hath not in some sort before A cause why such whose heart and tongue agree So wonderous powerful in their preaching be And those who teach not by experience so So little profit by their preaching do What use hath eloquence but to impart To other men the language of the heart Wherein the plainest words that wit can finde Will come far short to model out the minde So almost infinite and ne're divine Words rather seem its language to confine Whereto yet all that may most fitly sort The speakers thoughts most lively to import Whereby more light to hearers may accrue Yea though it seem ne're so strange and new Are commendable yea necessary too Though most men think its but too much ado And plain another thing than words high born Where wind instead of Substance doth adorn Which Sermons stuft with eloquence and phrase Ne're pierce means hearts but sets the wits at gaze The Preacher's like the neat spruse Citie Dame Who when an hungred from a feast she came And asked by her Maid and therewith chidden Why she eat not with others that were bidden Said fool the cause I feasts frequent I trow Is not for meat but manners there to show Now for new words some men as error-breeders Condemn and tearm them fruits of fancie-feeders To this I say and hope I say aright Some words tearm'd new oft gives a greater light Into the Spirits meaning of the Word Then otherwise a sentence will afford Alwayes foreseen they do not disagree With that sound touch stone of all veritie Nay of absurditie nor error sound Which if they do then cast them to the ground Because mans wit subject to falsitie And thereto prone by Nature as we see Doth catch an error sooner from a word Then credit to long tales of Truth afford In which respect our words we well must scan As is observed by a worthy man New words must too be moulded in a mind Inlarg'd by grace and helpt by natures kind For Nature here a hand-maid we exclude not So she into her mistris room intrude not Since Grace must somewhat have to worke upon No Seeds takes rooting on a naked stone Grace yeelding oft accordingly improvements As Nature doth fit or unfit indowments For to the well-tun'd Lute the oaten quill Yields for
else the outward action little gains Which blessing yet I cannot look to finde Unless my self closs to the means I binde Yea when I feel my heart most backward bent Then most of all it needeth sore constraint As 〈◊〉 hardened 〈◊〉 and much unfittnesse In stocking duties bear me woeful witnesse Fâ—r things in me are not yet brought about That th'inner man can bear the other out But still need unto all good means to presse As freely to Gods glorie I confesse But if that any as it may be some Conceives he is to such perfection come As that his life a holy Sabbath is Though he task work and time set dutie miss Yet mid'st of all his worldly vocation His heart is up in pray'r and meditation And that good thoughts in ordinary greet him Upon occassions still as any meet him So that his actions yea his thoughts and words Glory to God and good to men affords As in some measure novices in grace On others God may banquet for a space I say in measure for I do not hold Perfection here as I before have told I envy not his case happie man he Let him rejoyce in God and pittie me And were it not that men are bound to fear And reverence to Gods ordinance bear And might a Christian dangerlesse dispence With other Christians welfare or offence For ought I see I should go nere it I To think himself he might so edifie And with set times and duties to be bold And by his inward strength firm footing hold But seeing as aforesaid flesh is frail And cannot look at Heaven but through a vail Gods brightnesse being clearer than the light Which seen in strength would quite put out the sight That Rudiments much like our bonnets brim Will help our eye-sight though themselves be dim I dare not for a world of gold advise Men to forbear the least least exercise That any help or furtherance may afford To God-word and hath warrand from his Word No though they lived in the clearest light That ever yet enjoyed earthlie wight For were there no cause else Gods ordinance tho Neglect thereof no man could answer to The simplenesse whereof none may despise Since by those foolish things God daunts the wise There may be in Gods child I grant sometimes As in the top-branch of his first love-primes Feeling himself deep in Gods graces dyed His Soul in Gods pure streams well satisfied Through much conversing in that spiritual businesse In Bodyly lesse care and more remissness I call this Bodily the Churches order In things that Christian libertie afford her Set forms of duties yea the outward Letter Time person place all Rudiments the better There 's difference twixt bare actions as to live Or well or ill which form to actions give I only mean herein I do professe That very form which men call outwardnesse An accident which to the Subject clings And not the solid substance of the things Nor outwardness as 't is Hypocrisie For so it is an evil qualitie And everie act so qualified is sin Which I would no man should be fostered in But I mean that for which in every nature Its Subject doth receive its form and feature Which is the baser portion of the two That in Gods service here on earth we do Herein if any misse themselves shall finde it When deadnesse after shall give breath to mind it Which here I 'le not condemn nor commend it Let them who stir the controversie end it Only I say as I have said before Were we spiritual wholly then no more But instantlie these Rudiments withal Would of themselves even by their nature fall The Soul then from these outward things be freer Whereby it might enjoy its God th'nigher For to the Soul things earthly are a let Made Rudiments to serve our weaknesse yet This may be cause why in our spiritual home Our bodies too shall spiritual ones become Now of Gods presence what 's obtain'd below I take not on me to expresse it no. And whether or how far one may remit Or what in each degree is meet and fit Yet this I say if I in some man see Shew of more grace then e're was yet in me Whose life and carriage I cannot detect The same apparently to contradict For I 'le not plead for all who do professe By goodly words their own much holiness So be 't he climb no more but what the Word Saith God to his both may and do afford Do others as they please I dar not I That this their shew may be in truth deny For though Hypocrisie oft spins a threed Good corn can hardly be descern'd from weed Yet mark what way a man his cariage bends 'T will give good light whether his journey tends Captains love Camps Schollers attend the Schools Husbands the ground babâ—es please babes fools This world was but King Alexanders walk Kingdoms and Crowns the subject of his talk Niggards do love to talk of niggardize And liberal men of liberal things devise Weak archers shoot but at a litle length For as the man's so likewise is his strength God hath his Davids from whose breast there springs Thoughts of great hearts like the sons of kings Of whom let this a special token be That their own worths they least of all do see I undertake not here to know or name Particular examples of the same Though whiles I see my self quite overrun VVith sundrie novices but new begun And thinks by them what more 't is like there be VVell grounded ones and of antiquity VVhereof some samples not to me unknown Have been who now do reap what they have sown VVhose testimony I dare well believe VVhich by occasion I have heard them give That they some late years of their hâ—râ— abode Sweet comfort joy and fellowship with God Did constantly or for the most part keep Wherewith I doubt not but they fell asleep Of whose both life and death to testifie Let all who knew them speak as well as I. I say whiles that some such as these I knew I finde good cause to hope there are â—nâ—â—gh But who of this thing would yet further know Gen. 5.22 Luke 4.6 Let him to Gods word and experience goe More yet I say who makes the King a feast And seeds him with the dish he loveth best Though in the mean time somewhat serviceable Be through that care neglected in the stable It shall not be so blam'd if blam'd at all As if it toucht the presence or the hall And Ordinances so in themselves accord That each to others time and turn afford Now 't may well be the spiritual mouth doth rest From chewing whilest the stomack doth digest Nature in man corrupt and finite too Cannot with all things have at once to do As for example hear and read and pray One me suffice to bear the mind away Since there is still as saith the wisest King A seasonable time for every thing The use whereof
thy friends at all That can relieve or ransom thee from thrall I tell thee true as sure as I do live Thou shalt not dye for for thee I will give My only son and he shâ—ll pay the prize Of all thy debt I swear it to thee thrice For rather then that thou in this thy state Should dye and from my love stâ—nd separate I will perform that which before all time Was wiâ—h me then and in my love did shine My word is past to thee it shall appear Which shall thy nature once again up rear By assuming it to my self wherein I will a living life to thee begin For I to death in that same nature thine Will subject lye that then the God-head mine May there appear to be that mighty one The which shall trush like to a mighty stone Thine Enemies and captive lead them all And thee redeem out of thy sinful fall For I will that decayed natuâ—â— thine Assume unto my word the God-head mine Wherein I must perform my Fathers will And andergoe his mighty wrath untill It satisfied be for every one And thus thy debt I will discharge alone And when thy sin and death and hell and grave Hath got on me whatever they could crave Then I 'le triumph and captive lead them all And free thy Nature from thy former fall And in the same I will triumphant ride Unto my Father there I will abide At his right hand there I will reign so long Till sin and death and all that darknesse strong Stand subdued among my people all And then the Kingdom to my Fathers shall Be resigned that so for evermore He may be all in all as heretofore THE SOVLS ANSWER NOw Lord what lets that this thy love to me Doth not yet shine unto my heart so free To make me know and fully understand My happiness which yet is in thy hand Wilt thou not now at this same present time Declare thy Kingdom to this sense of mine I fain would know how thou thy love to me Would so confirm that I may cleave to thee THE LORDS REPLY O Stay a while that way I 'le from thee go And thou after thy flesh and sense also Shall not me know for I will far ascend Above those thoughts yet I an ear will lend Unto thy cry yet is it fit for thee Thou still attend in thy humility The time and season that the Father hath Kept to himself for so the Scripture saith I tell thee true this way thou looks for me I will not come but that way will leave thee Which when I go it shall thy sense so try That down shall fall that which thou lifted by And this is fit it should be done to thee Or else the Comforter thou shalt not see Let not thy heart at this be so agast As though it should for ever with thee last I 'le come again according to that life Of holy Ghost so that no evil strife Shall shut thee out from my dear love wherein I will a living life to thee begin Then let not sorrow fill thy heart so fore As though that thou should meet with me no more Wait but a while in that Jerusalem And thou shall see again that blessed Stem Jerusalem thy heart that now lyes desolate Which of my presence makes so high a rate As by the flesh a Tabernacle there Might builded be to keep thee out of fear It matters not though from thy sense I go I will not leave thee now and alwayes so For when thou thinks that I am gone for ay Wait thou that while for then 's the time I say That I 'le appear my sp'rit it shall descend Into thy heart and thee it shall defend From all thy foes which do encamp thy soul And bring thee where thou shalt without controulâ— Received be into that lasting peace Which shall abide and in thee never cease For then I will give thee my sp'rit which shall Seal thee to me in that true love withall My tokens true which shall not thee beguile Shall be within thy heart and mind and I 'le So charactere my love therein that none Of all thy foes shall hurt thee for that stone That I have cut out of my mountain great Shall fill thy heart and unto dust shall beat Thine enemies all and in thy heart I 'le write Again my Law that first I did indite And therein shall my spirit freely move Which shall be witness of my dearest love And in thy heart there shall my temple be There will I dwell so I assure it thee And thou in me shall be thy resting place From all thy sins in this my day of grace And live in me by my own life alone And thou in me and I in thee be one This is my word from me to thee it s gone And shall prevail as that chief corner stone That shall be lay'd within thy heart so low That death and hell shall never overthrow THE SOULS ANSWER NOw Lord what have I more to thee to say This breaks my heart I can it not deny That golden chain that 's ty'd about my neck That word of thine that gave my foes the check Hath wounded me and win my heart that so From thee and from thy Word I cannot goe Here will I dwell my heritage doth stand On thee alone and builded by thy hand And I will feed by that same water-side That floweth from thee and I will abide Within thy house thy praises forth to tell Thy house my heart there will I with thee dwell For there I shall behold thy wonders all Thy lovely works freeing my soul from thral That pierceing word that made my heart to bow And all my Forces for to overthrow That pure truth that made me naked lye And bair'd my heart before thy seeing eye As in that day in Edens garden I Did eat and drink of the forbidden Tree That living Word wherein thy footsteps shine In love to me in purest streams divine Of thy true light that now my heart so free Of thee shall boast of that same libertie Where I shall stand in that same truest vine And root of life whereout in me may shine Thine own life streams for ever to declare Thy loving wonders in me great and rare And that I may Lord grant me still mine aid Thy Spirits life as unto me thou said Whereby thou mayest within my heart indite Thy living Word That Lord I pray thee write In Table of this meek'ned heart of mine That there thy Image once again may shine In living power and lively streams again From thence may run in such a heavenly strain As I may live and in such union dwell With love divine as may again I 'le tell Reduce my soul from all duallitie And set me fast in perfect unity From whence as from a perfect fountain fair May spring in me these lively graces rare Whereby I may in those same lively streams Preserved be and by those
goe And that is where we think men are astray We range as far the quite contrary way Thinking we shall by setting these to these Our adverse part at least wise counterpoise When oft like him that fear'd his house would fall We prop so hard it overturneth all There was upon a time a question stirred What was the testimony of the spirit One answered he held it to be this When by Gods spirit one assured is By reason out of Scripture of his case Another said That same an error was For that the Spirit withnesseth quoth he To speak in proper tearms immediately Yet he in fine concluded so to do Was one kind of his testimonie too The answerer by this conceav'd he smelt Th'opposers moving and his pulses felt That either he mistook himself oppos'd When he conceits th'answer for peace was choos'd When as immediat is so harsh to many As t is not almost yeilded to by any Or else perhaps some over by conceite Espyed in answerer he down would beat This was in 't self good and perhaps did need And well may such endeavours ever speed Thus for because the godlinesse of such And gravity thereto induce me much Since learning and experience ought no lesse Then draw respect and reverence I confess Thus I expound him but n're lesse I think He did not sleep though he then did wink But let me never put the Sail-cloath to That I may better by the Ruther do For how this wrought I say not this I wot It brought forth an effect some wished not But leave we this where men do chiefly set Themselves ' gainst error and prophanness yet Their hearts run right give everie man his due Th' affections godly so the ground be true Which doubt I do not meddle to decide But leaves to better judgements to be try'd For I disclaime my self a judge to make To controvert or parts herein to take But hereto cheifly my endeavours bent To gain accord and prejudice prevent How'ere I have been deemed heretofore A partial censure if yet no more If any say the Bonito and I Do now live in the Sea now in the Sky Whom both the Sea disclaimeth for a fish And Butchers Shambles for a Yeaster Dish Whom fowles pursue when he the sky doth scour And falling fishes eagerly devour I answer I still wish I may as best In God and Conscience testimony rest If I well do no matter who hath ey'd it If I ill do no forge from whom I hide it Whiles Conscience knows my sins recorded be Before a Judge from whom I cannot flye If I the worlds applause and favour gain If he accuse their praises are but vain Fame sometimes may a false allarum send The conscience never but of this an end Then thus I say Who for Gods honor sight Let them go on yet in the spirits might But from Gods Church foul rancour keep thee hence And every spot of hellish virulence Let zeal and knowledge evermore agree And ne're let strife but on just causes be Which is the end whereat Gods people ayme And to their knowledge will pursue the same More striving how to cause men truth to know Then how to give their skill the overthrow Wherein I no mans practice do accuse So nor himself nor others he abuse How ever haply some of pregnant witt With some such weening may their fancies fit Or else on my dejected state they ment To give their ready witt and will the vent Let me propound for resolutions sake So will I doe for no disputes I 'le make Only I say If any list be stirring He 's Master of his Speech I of my hearing If it be true as sound Divines consent Faith most oppos'd is then most eminent And by th'Apostle tearm'd the Evidence Of things not now discerned by the sense So call'd when weak as when in strongest plight For it s exprest by term indefinite To witt to each one who in truth believe An Evidence sound and demonstrative Yea that which doth Gods Childrens hearts uphold In Crosses and Temptations manifold Yea in their doubtings and afflictions so As they despair not as the wicked do Whereon it follows of necessitie It must be active and inherent be And if it be injustice to detract From what one Brother doth well say or act Nay if too sharp a censure be but laid On what 's apparently ill done or said And thus to judge he carelesly doth miss When yet through ignorance perhaps it is Or this sin was deliberatly done When rashnesse might his reason overcome â—his on presumption when as yet he may â—pon infirmity be drawn away â—hat of ill conscience or of hate to me â—hen want of heed or other cause might be â—ea if we must still make the best we can â—f th'words and actions of another man So he be upright hearted and his Word â—r Act a good construction may afford â—f these be so from hence then doth the doubt â—hich I would be resolv'd on issue out â—ut e're I speak let me of one great cryme Wherein I have been charged in any a time â—o wit with too much bolstering indulgence â—f words that savour error and offence â—cquit my self if words so do it can â—nd that clear me which may another man â—f not my case shall so much lesser grieve me â—ecause I know yet one that will relieve me 〈◊〉 say I have been warie as I could â—s for my self that I no error hold 〈◊〉 ever since this variance did arise â—he same in others not to Patronize â—or any man wherein I found him savour â—f new fond Phrases did I therein savour 〈◊〉 â—ould then do no lesse though I had smarted Where I conceive man to be upright hearted â—â—d while such speeches from their mouth I hear 〈◊〉 fitly may a good construction bear â—t them interpret in the better sense â—hich I might do I trust without offence â—â—d help them what I could too to expresse â—heir true intent for I could do no lesse â—t labour others might their meaning see â—hom I perceive misunderstood to be â—is might be done yet none such overflow Charity as some have tearm'd it tho â—hiefly since conscience tells me I did never â—t what I judg'd the speaker meant deliver Racking no strayned sense from any word But what the same might pregnantly afford Which practice I should rather deem a mean Not error to confirm but to reclaim Whiles erring judgements be so men reduce And words ill plac't from error and abuse Unto the Touch-stone that it may agree With God and good men in the veritie Which to my simple skill I still shall pray I may endeavour to my dying day Yet God forbid thou Lord of Heaven should That I the least incouragement should yeild To any one to hold what is not sound And in Gods word hath not a setled ground How far that 's from my will O Lord thou knows Though I therefore all earthlie hopes should loss Let ne're such
venime in my secrets lodge Wherein let Christians charitably judge Nor would I willing ought a triflie call Which may to Truth be prejudicial In least least measure for I this can finde That Moses might not leave a hoove behind And if I herein any hinderance be T is Lord thou knowest that I do not see For well I wot Gods truth is all so dear That one smal titles loss he cannot bear In all this speech I do not undertake All that are taxt with error clear to make Nor free the best that they do never misse For who in earth so sound of judgement is But things amisse and presently retracted And not with willfull obstinacie backed There I must judge men teachable to be And dar not brand them with inconstancie Nor yet all such erronious judgements call Lest my reproof too large a compasse fall Nor that the man time past misled of late Reforming judgement doth equivocat Unless I know him commonly to use Thus his own tongue and others cares t' abuse But I deny not I have found some wrong Wherein if I accorded to their song Or to my skill have such a different lay I leave it unto other men to say Or did I ought unblamed pretermit T' was that whereof I either doubted yet Or fit occasions served not thereto Which in reproofs must be observ'd you know Yea many lessons theretoo needful are Easie to misse unless one be aware Which might be cause sometimes perhaps wherefore I kept me silent and reproof forbore Yet ne're so to my knowledge as for stay I gave to error any willing way For therein first Gods word must be the ground Next we thereto by calling should be bound Then see if others might not better do it Also whose ears thou makest witness to it Lest to the mans lesse credit with his friends Or more discredit with his foes it tends Though in some cases we I grant it true Pauls rule against Saint Peter must pursue Now furnisht as is said set in Gods place Then must one next put on th' offenders case That as his sin he may not spare to blame For love to him and zeal to Gods great Name Yet must he with such self passion presse As not to seem too much compassionlesse The heart then setled right for zeal and love Calling from God assistance from above Before one speak in speaking for his grace And for a blessing for the after-space Go on a Gods Name in Gods ordinance And hope hee 'l thereto give his furtherance Now I 'le not say that thus my self still do But where I misse I am blame-worthie too Nor hold I me excus'd to stand aloose Though all these be not and forbear reproof To every partie as occasion serves And the condition of his case deserves For he who doth not yet would variance end ' Gainst everie let in either parties bend Wrongs both himself and others and sure he Who sorts with all shall not my dayes-man be True charitie will never presuppose Men use sharp language only to their foes Shall I in sight where one my blow diverts Conclude he needs must with my foes take parts As though where brethren jar brother with brother Curbing the one I needs must spare the other Who sees in me or deems say so some faults And deals not plainly with my Soul but halts The which reproof may be in Charitie According as our Saviours speeches be It s no friends part to cease or speak or do To either part as one finds reason too Unless perhaps some partie think him free From all reproofs such one shall go for me If in the matter he deserve no blame Nor in his ends nor carriage of the same I 'le noâ— excuse my self for my part neither But I may joyn in missing too with either For should as God forbid ones spiritual eye Not keep its proper site but stand awray Then though the same be ne're so clear and bright That man the whiles shall never see aright Whom with the Eunuch one might thus demand What thou condemnest dost thou understand Saint Peter saith some men there be who do Rashly condemn the thing they do not know The cause is where a beam doth blind the eye Through a false glasse those other do espye The Crab perswads sin fish they wrongly swime Because they go not backward way with him Lord still presâ—erve me that I never may Of good things which I know not evil say I trust I shall under thy guidance go My eyes and heart may be not tainted so I grant that passion doth sometimes prevail To cause me greatly in my carriage fail Yet doth my conscience testimonie give me My zeal did ne're unlesse my heart deceive me In those Garboyes on th' other object but But on the door of reconcilement shut For as I saw strife to a period tend Accordingly my passion drew to end Now let me go on forward with my task And resolution to my question ask Whether the whiles Gods Children doth despair Their faith than lying on the lowest stair Resisting unbelief though in their will So as it can the Soul not wholly spill Or keeping sin at least un-interessed That so the whole is no thereof possessed And so as it was at first stark dead in sin Before God did his work of grace begin So some small head and real difference yeilding Between those hearts that have want that shielding Whereby men do not in that wearie Day Back slide for ever and fall quite away Whether this Faith in case as now you hear May yea or no name of assurance bear And whether this may not in right good sense Comparative be spoke without offence If thou the same from some Divine should hear Who well reputed for his soundnesse were How these are thought on who so tearmed it The question wholly I will pretermit Nor ask I this cause some gain-say the same For that I them thus covertly would blame Nor to give way for weaklings more to languish Who are already in distresse and anguish The whiles they want sense of assurance then T'exclude themselves from all believing men But say their weaknesse must be well regarded And such tearms us'd as Satans blows be warded As Paul the Corinthes warns ' gainst his devices Not ignorant of his flie interprises Wherein a faithful Teacher ever treads That tryed way which Christian wisdom leads But woe is me what might I frame to say Is there no means to lavish strife away I ask but this sad question that do I Mens hearts ay me somewhat to qualifie As I could do to diverse others moe Of such like sort if it were needful so Not to crosse any for it is now no season Nor I fit man to pro and contra reason Since in my Soul I love and reverence bear To all the parties meant or mention'd here Or if t' were any failing be herein For by respects I hate it as my sin As judging