bee willing and obedient yee shall eat the good of the Land but if yee refuse and rebel yee shall bee slain with the sword the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it 3. Tenderness of the affections I shall instance onely in three viz. Love Fear Sorrow The tenderness of love is seen in its Benevolence Jealousie 1. In its benevolence Our goodness extends not to the Lord but our good will does Our love can add nothing to him can a man bee profitable to God Job 22. If thou bee righteous what givest thou to him chap. 35.7 Yet though it can adde nothing it would not that any thing be detracted from him whilest hee can have no more it would that hee should have his own all that is due his due praise his due honour and homage and worship and subjection from every creature it would have no abatement not the least spot or stain upon all his glory What 's an affront to God is an offence to love Love beareth all things saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. all things from God all things from men And yet there are two things the love of God cannot bear his dishonour his displeasure 1. His dishonour Love would have God to bee God to live in the glory of his Majesty in the hearts and eyes of all the world His reproach is grievous to him that loves for this is the cloud that takes God out of sight Hee loves and honours and would that God should bee loved and honoured of all hee fears and would that the whole world should fear him Hee would receive in his own breast every arrow that 's shot against his maker hee would that his own name and soul might stand betwixt his God and all reproach and dishonour Hee would bee vile so the Lord may bee glorious so God may increase he 's content to decrease Hee 's not so tender of his own heart and bowels as of the holiness of his God Hee would suffer and die and bee nothing rather than that God should not bee all in all Hee would rather never think nor speak nor bee rather then not bee in word and thought and life holiness to the Lord. But O what or where would hee bee rather than his own hand should bee lift up against him To see the Lord robb'd of his holiness wrong'd in his wisdome or his truth or his soveraignty to see sin that devil to see the world that Idol set up in the throne and the God of glory made to stand aside as insignificant to hear that blasphemy God is not worth this lust or not worthy this labour and what is said less in every sin is a sword in his breast The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon mee Love hath tasted of God it hath fed on his fulness it hath its nourishment from his sweetness it hath been warmed in his bosom all his goodness hath passed before it upon this it lives and feeds and having found and felt what the Lord is its impatient that all this goodness should be clouded or belyed Love kindled from heaven is keen and the keen is a tender edge the least touch of what offends will turn it Lam. 1.20 I am in distress my bowels are troubled mine heart is turned within mee for I have grievously rebelled Psal 42.3 My tears have been my meat continually while they daily say unto me where is thy God! Where is that care and help and that salvation of thy God thou trustedst in thy God is not such an one as thou boastedst him to bee when I remember when I hear such things my soul is poured out within mee Love is large hee that loves hath a large heart hee can never receive or do too much hee would have all hee can and he would give all hee hath to the Lord. Hee 's tender how any thing bee withheld that is due how any thing bee wasted elsewhere that might bee useful to the Lord. 2. His displeasure The displeasure of men it bears and rejoyces the wrath and rage of Sathan it bears and triumphs though all the world and hell to boot bee displeased and provoked so God smiles 't is well enough Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon mee and mine heart is glad Psal 4. Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30.7 Let him correct mee but O not in fury let him smite but not frown let him kill mee so hee will but love mee And though hee smite though hee kill mee yet will I love and trust in him O my God let mee rather die in thy love then live in thy displeasure there 's life in that death this life is death to me Let mee not be dead whilest alive turn away thine anger which kills my heart It is impatient of divine displeasure and thence 't is grievous to it that it does displease thence it quarrels with sin and falls so foul with it self for it Is this thy kindness to thy friend lovest thou God soul what and yet provokest him thus daily love and yet neglect to seek and follow thy God love and yet so lame and so slow and so heavy and so sparing in thy services to him Is this all thy love will do not deny thine ease or thy pleasure or thy liberty or thine appetite or thy companion for the sake of the Lord chuse rather to pleasure thy friend or thy flesh than to please God Is this thy love Is this thy kindness to thy friend O false heart O unworthy unworthy spirit how canst thou look thy God in the face how canst thou say I love thee when thine heart is no more with him 2. In its Jealousie Hee that loves the Lord is jealous and Jealousie hath a tender edge hee is Jealous not of but for the Lord not of his God but of himself least any thing should steal away his heart from God Love would bee chaste would not bestow it self elsewhere and yet is in great Jealousie it may bee enticed and drawn away Hee that loves the Lord there is not any thing whether Wife or Childe or Friend or Estate or Esteem that gets near his heart but hee 's jealous of them least they steal it away Get you down keep you lower this heart is neither yours nor mine O my God 't is thine 't is thine Lord take it wholly to thee keep it to thy self let no other Lovers bee sharers with thee 2. There 's a tenderness of fear The tender heart is a trembling heart the tenderness of fear is manifested in its Suspition Caution 1. In its Suspition the fearful are suspitious they look farther then they see hee that is in dread will bee in doubt what may befall him hee suspects a surprizal every bush is a theef every bait he doubts may have an hook under There is a foolish and a causeless fear and there is a prudent and an holy fear this fear is a principle of wisdome Psal 111.10
O the unsearchable Riches of Christ that hee that searcheth all things reveals unto the Saints O the hidden treasures they now discover in this deep Mine To you that beleeve hee is pretious a Praise an Honour all Fair all Glorious and you have seen his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Sonne of God full of Grace and Truth Again there are marvellous evils as well as good things that by this light are brought to light Sin with all the hidden things of darkness that lay below in those chambers of death the secrets of the evill heart of man Sin appears a wonder to the savingly enlightened soul Exceeding sinful a world of wickedness There 's Death and Hell and the Devil in every sin unkindness unthankfulness folly enmity rebellion spite and the blackness of darkness What once appeared as a pleasure a delight a beauty or at least if an evill yet but a trifle a matter of nothing is become a plague a terrour a burthen a bondage bitterness shame sorrow and such an high provocation that whereas once hee swell'd and murmur'd and cryed out of rigour feverity cruelty in the least punishment of it now hee wonders at the clemency and patience and forbearance of God that such an affront and provocation had not long since turned the whole earth into an Hell Christian thou complainest thou canst not see thou canst not feel thou canst not mourn thou canst not break under all the guilt that lies upon thee thine heart is hard thine eyes are dry not a tear not a groan scarce a sigh will all this evill fetch out from thee O this blinde and sottish minde O this dead and senseless heart what shall I do what would I not do to get mee a melting mourning broken spirit but I cannot I cannot I cannot see I cannot bleed nor break O beg the light of this Holy Spirit and if the sight that that will present thee with of this wonderfull evill do not rend thy heart and turn thy stomack and open all thy sluces and let out thy soul in sighs and groans in shame and sorrow thou mayest then well be a wonder to thy self But be nor discouraged bee not dismayed do not say this Rock will never break this Iron will never melt I may go sighing for sighs mourning after tears groaning after groans but all in vain it will never bee past feeling past feeling sorrow flies still from mee repentance is hid from mine eyes do not thus discourage thy self wait for this spirit open to it and thou shalt see flowing in such streames of self-shaming self-confounding light as shall flow forth in self-abasing self-abhorring streames of tears 3. These marvellous things are revealed with marvellous clearness That is in comparison of what they are to the purblinde world and in comparison of what they themselves once saw They come to see the glory and the beauty and the reality of the wonderful things of God Wee have seen his glory saith the Apostle Joh. 1. The kindness of God our Saviour appeared But we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor 3.18 Out of Zion hath hee appeared in perfect beauty It 's Prophesied Isa 53. of the unbeleeving world that when they should see Christ they should see no beauty in him Strange though hee were all beauty yet they should see him and yet see no beauty That is they shall see him and yet not see him They see not wood for trees What is thy Beloved more than other beloveds VVhat is Christ more than an ordinary man VVhat is the Gospel more than an ordinary Story VVhat is the Spirit What is Truth VVhat is there in this Faith and Love in this Holiness and Righteousness in this Peace of Conscience and Joy of the Holy Ghost VVhat substance is there in them VVhere 's the Glory and wherein is the Excellency of them Which way came the Spirit of the Lord from mee to thee Thou shalt know in that day when thou shalt call to the Mountains to fall on thee and the Rocks to hide thee from the face of God and the Lamb. Wee know whom wee have beleeved Wee know that wee know him Wee speak that which wee know and testify what wee have seen Wee have an Vnction from the Holy one wee know all things God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God Now wee have received not the spirit of this world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God VVee have a clear and certain sight VVee do not see men as Trees walking with our eyes half open wee see men as men Christ as Christ Truth as Truth in its naked lustre and evidence This wee have seen and do testify neither deceiving nor being deceived VVee thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes And as they see Truth and Holiness and Goodness in their wonderful Glory and Beauty so also Folly and Falshood and Sin in its wonderful uglâ—ness and deformiâ—y Sin appears to bee sin to them Rom. 7. Folly to bee folly falshood to bee falshood they see men as men Christ as Christ Truth as Truth Holiness as Holiness and they see beasts as beasts fools as fools sin as sin devils as devils hell as hell They see all things as they are temptations as they are delusions as they are they see what 's under them the hook under the bait the sting in the Locust's tail the warre in the Devils heart carried on under his fawning face Wee are not ignorant of his Devices Sinners cease your wondring at the Saints let them bee no longer for signs and for wonders in Israel cease your wondring at the Saints come and wonder with them Wonder not that they say not as you live not as you run not with you after the same follies and vanities Oh! if ye once come to see what they see you will bee a wonder to your selves Mock not at their blessedness Blessed are their eyes for they see The blinde envy but do not disdain the seeing Say not these men are in a dream or drunken or mad take heed blaspheme not the Holy Spirit call not his light darkneâ—s put not your darkness for light Would you know when these men testifie what they have seen and heard whether they are sober or beside themselves Come and see I say not stand and see you cannot see at that distance you stand come near come in and you shall see see your blindness first if ever you will see the light Oh! bewail your darkness and seek light seek and you shall see it Son of David have Mercy on mee Why what wilt thou man Lord that I may receive my sight Shall that bee thy cry O pitty thy blinde soul O pray
heart by thine hand Judge of thy light by thy love and thy love by thy life say not that God hath shined into thine heart unless thy light shine thy works shine before men The path of the just shineth Prov. 4. 'T is but a forme of Knowledge that brings forth but a forme of Godlinesse hee that holdeth the Truth in unrighteousness hath not the Truth in truth in him thou sayest thou knowest the Lord but what say thy waies do these speak the same things Action is the best Interpreter of the inner man feel the pulses of thy heart what watchfulness what holiness hath thy Knowledge brought forth hast thou received the spirit who yet walkest in the flesh what Heaven in thine heart and nought but Earth in thy hand Truth in thine heart and Lies in thy mouth Holiness in thy heart Glory in thine heart and in thy tongue nothing but filth or froth What an heart so full and a life so empty how can these things bee Hath the light in thine heart given laws only to thine heart or doth thine heart submit whilest thy tongue rebells and thou kickest with the heel Woe to us Christians that sinners should be so full and Saints to empty that they should speak what they have seen with their Father and we should speak no more what wee have seen with our Father that oaths and lyes and blasphemies and scoffs and cursing should be so rife in theirs and that truth and goodness and holiness blessings and praises should be no more in our mouths that there should be so much guile in theirs and so little grace in our lips that the shade should be more fruitful than the Sun that the good should be only the barren ground that their habitations should be so full of violence and oppression and wantonness and no more mercy and righteousness and sobriety in ours Woe to us that we know so much to so little purpose that we should be bushels to hide and not rather candlesticks to hold forth the candle of the Lord he hath lighted up in us Oh how many dark souls might our candle lead on to the Sun The light that is in Israel might do much to the turning Egypt into a Goshen speak Christians speak what you have seen and testifie what you have believed bring forth out of your treasure pitty the blinde world or at least be more helpful one to another Instruct as you have been instructed convince as you have been convinced comfort as you have been comforted of God Out-vie sinners let not their mouths be so full of cursing as yours of blessing whilest theirs are so full of blasphemies let it be said of you as of your Lord full of grace are their lips Good words are not wind you may reckon them not amongst the leaves but the fruit Whilest you are speaking of the things of God you are therein doing the will of God I confess the Proverb is true The greatest talkers are not alwaies the greatest doers But 't is true also he is seldome a great doer that hath nothing to say There is a speaking which is our doing There is a speaking in a way of boasting to magnifie and set up our selves beware of that and there is a speaking to the use of edifying to build up our brethren When we are thus speaking to instruct to convince to awaken and whet on our own and others spirits to our work wee are then in doing our work Speak Christians and speak often the things that you know onely let me adde let your lives speak also and not onely your lips If you would not bee vain-talkers bee all tongue let your lips speak and your hands speak and your feet speak let your works and your ways speak the wonderful things of God Bring forth what you have received hee that 's all inside and hee that 's all outside are equally nothing The one is a shadow without substance the others substance is but a shadow The one is a deceiver the other a deceived soul The one boasts himself the other thinks himself something but neither is any thing Christians bee full of good fruits and you will make full proof that your wisdome is from above If yee know these things happy are yee if yee do them Weakling Christian that knowest but little of God and callest that little nothing whilest thou doubtest the light hath not shined into thee dost thou walk in that little light thou hast dost thou shine as a light in the world dost thou know how to be holy and humble and harmless and honest dost thou live under the power of those truths thou knowest dost thou fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servants trust in the Lord and stay thy self on thy God thou art a childe of light though through thy trembling heart thou walkest in darkness Having not seen thou lovest and believing thou shalt rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 2. It s favour 2 Cor. 2.14 And maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place The Knowledge of God is sweet-sented it casts forth a fragrancy where it comes It hath a gratefulness to the heart leaves sweet impressious on the senses of the Saints They taste that the Lord is gracious As their breathings go up as sweet incense so his beams come down with like sweetness to them As 't was said of Christ so of God Cant. 1.3 The Name of the Lord is an ointment poured forth Why what is his Name Exod. 34.6 This is his Name The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Oh what a bundle of myrrhe what a garden of spices is here enclosed what a sweet smelling savour doth it send forth to them who have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil The Name of the Lord is a precious ointment and the knowledge of God is this ointment poured forth Where God is known in the soul there his sweet savour is shed abroad The thoughts of God are pretious the wayes of God are pleasant to them that understand them His fruit was sweet unto my taste O the ineffable pleasures of Religion the carnal world count it a jejune and insipid thing they cannot taste and no wonder for they do not see the things of God nor can they because they are spiritually discerned Let God be savingly known and then you will find what the savour of his Knowledge is This light is sweet it is a pleasant thing to behold this Sun O my soul let thy walks let thy dwellings bee in this garden of the Lord let the Sun shine and the smell of his spices shall flow forth unto thee O my Lord shed abroad thy sweet ointments let the smell of thy garments refresh my soul Let mee taste and see let me see and I shall taste that the Lord is gracious Vanish all yee
nothing but love to restrain us from sin and constrain and quicken us to duty Christians have wee but one thing to do in all wee do sometimes wee are busie in doing nothing Though there bee a Prayer in our mouths the praises of God in our mouths Christ heaven holiness glory a new heart a new life upon our tongues there 's nothing within no prayer no praise no Christ nor heaven what have we been often doing in the closet in the family in the congregation when wee seemed to have been praying nothing nothing but sowing wind and good words Sometimes we have too many things in our hearts what a world of carnal devices and fleshly projects have wee wrapt up in the garment of our Religion Peter's sheet had not a more heterogeneous miscellany of creatures four-footed beasts wilde beasts creeping things and fowls of the air than our religious duties have of designes and ends Wee have men to please our pride our bellies to offer sacrifice to wee bring our farms and our oxen and our trades before the Lord are not our hearts which should bee the houses of prayer the houses of merchandise are wee not talking or pursuing or in a journey or a sleep or driving bargains O Christians if wee were privy to one anothers hearts as God is privy to them what abominations should wee see brought into the holy places What monsters would our most sacred services appear VVhich whilst the out-side is onely viewed are applauded and admired Is this our singleness of heart Oh! for shame and blushing and confusion of face Oh! for a Vail to hide such hearts from the jealous eyes of the holy God a varnish a fair out-side hides all from men but nothing but a dark Vail of shame and sorrow and tears and repentance a Vail dipt in Blood in the blood of Christ will hide them from the eyes of the Lord. Oh how little plainness and singleness of heart is there in our ordinary course in our dealings and conversings in the VVorld how little faith or truth is there in us how little trust is there to us what doubling what deceitful dealing defrauding over-reaching undermining are wee guilty of how false are wee in our promises how insignificant are our words what an uncertain sound do they give our yea may often stand for nay and our nay for yea Psal 12.2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and a double heart do they speak trust yee not in a friend put not confidence in a guide Blessed bee God the Lord hath a Generation on whom this cannot bee charged Children that will not lye nor deceive though Satan and this evil world binde up all in a bundle they are all naught they are all false vain boasters and deceitful workers there 's none up-right no not one but thanks bee to God Satan is a lyer the accuser of the Brethren is a false accuser God hath his children that will not lye But woe bee to those professours by reason of whom the offence cometh Christians hath God promised to give you one heart Let it bee once said this day is this Scripture fulfilled O may you bee the accomplishment of this good word Hath God promised to give you one heart Do not you say but I will not take it two are better than one I have found so much the sweet of deceit that there 's no life like it Hath God said I will give one heart let not any one among you say But I fear he will not Make not the promise of God of none effect either by your impiety or unbelief Doth God promise to give this one heart hee that promised it doth also require it Bee thy self Christian Let it bee said thou art what thou art bee true bee but one have but one heart and let thy one heart have but one tongue but one face and but one thing to do Beware of hypocrisie beware of carnal policy make not thy God to serve thy flesh call not the serving of thy flesh a serving of God and make not thy serving of God to bee a serving of the flesh Bee not divided betwixt God and the World O how easie would our lives bee did we finde our whole souls running one way taking up w th God as the adequate object of all our powers the marke of all our motions and the reward of all our labours did all our streams empty themselves into this Ocean and all our lines meet in this one center Did God onely draw and allure our hearts and the sincerity of our hearts give motion to all our wheels Guide our eyes govern our tongues order our steps animate our duties direct and quicken us in all our goings Oh how sweet oh how beautiful were such a life the Sympathy betwixt our hearts and end there 's sweetness the harmony of our hearts and waies there 's beauty O how sweet are the drawings of love the free and full closure of our Spirits with God dissolving themselves into his Will acquiessing resting satisfyed in his goodness is a sweetness which no man knows but hee that tastes it the harmony of the power of the soul within its self of its motions and actions in the life there 's the beauty which will eclipse the glory of the world Christian bee it thus with thee and thou hast the blessing that covenant blessing which the Lord hath promised in saying I will give them one heart CHAP. XII An Heart of Flesh 4. AN Heart of Flesh Ezek. 36.26 I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an Heart of Flesh The old heart is a stone cold as a stone dead as a stone hard as a stone but I will take away the stone and give an heart of flesh An heart of flesh is a soft and tender heart Flesh can feel any thing that 's contrary to it puts it to pain Sin makes it smart it cannot kick but it is against the pricks by its rebellion and resistance against the Lord it receives a wound it cannot hit but it hurts it self A soft hand gets nothing by laying on on an hedge of thorns A soft heart when it hath been medling with sin is sure to smart for it It can neither escape the pain nor yet endure it and what it cannot bear 't will take warning to avoid it Flesh will bleed A soft heart will mourn and melt and grieve when hard hearts are moved at nothing Flesh will yield It s apt to receive impressions The power of God will awe it his justice fear it his mercy melt it his holiness humble it and leave the stamp and image of it upon it And as the Attributes so the Word and Works of God will make sign upon it Who sets a seal upon a stone or what print will it receive upon the wax the print will abide God speaks once and twice but man hardned man will not regard it Neither his
the Lord He that did this what can he not do His wrath is a dread Jer. 10.10 At his wrath the earth shall tremble and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation Yea his Holiness his Truth his Righteousness and all his Name Deut 28.58 That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearfull Name the Lord thy God The Lord God is a dreadful God 2. The Lord God hath put the dread of himself upon the hearts of all the earth Not the best onely but the worst of the sons of men I am a great King saith the Lord and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen This dread of the Lord breaks forth upon them 1. From the impress of God upon the natures of all men As the Law so the being of God is written in their hearts he hath his witness in their Consciences If the Atheists of the Earth could answer all the Arguments from without proving that there is a God yet they can never confute their own Consciences If the works of God do not their Reins shall instruct them If they will not see whether they will or no they shall feel that there is a God and where ever God is felt he is feared Even when their mouth speaketh proud things their heart shall meditate terror and when nothing else is they shall be a terror to themselves 2. It is increased by the great works of God his Wonders that he doth in the world his Thunder and his Hail his Wind and his Waves and his Earth-quakes make an Earth-quake in hearts 3. It s further heightned by his Judgments which he executeth on the Earth The Judgements of God are God revealing himself from Heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and do then strike most terror 1. When he smites suddenly and makes quick work with sinners as when Herod was smote by an Angel of God Nadab and Abihu consumed by fire from God immediately upon their sin Sudden strokes shake secure hearts 2. When he executes strange judgments makes a new thing as in the case of Korah and his company he made the Earth to open her mouth upon them and swallow them up so he made the flies and the froggs and the lice c. to be the Executioners of his Wrath on Pharaoh 3. When he executes great Wrath for little Sins as men account them as in the case of Uzzah whom he struck dead for but touching the Ark when it shook 4. When he exercises great severity on his own on those that are near him If he spareth not his Sons what will he do with his Enemies If these things be done on the green Tree what shall be done on the dry 4. Yet further By their Conscience of guilt and their binding over to the judgment to come The sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron with the point of a Diamond it is graven upon the tables of their heart The sin of Judah is written yea and the sin of the Gentile also Rom. 2.15 Their Conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing And where their sin is written there their judgment is written which even nature it self will teach doth inevitably follow upon sin and this is the great dread that is upon them The very mention of judgment to come made a Felix tremble at the face of a poor Prisoner This is the terror of the Lord mentioned by the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10,11 We must all appear before the Judgment-seat Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men Death is said to be the King of terrors and this is the terror of death after that the judgment All these the impress of God upon their hearts the wonders of God in the worâ—d the vengeance of God executed on sin the sence of guiâ—t and of a judgment to come do preach to the Consciences of sinners that It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God 3. Yet by sin the heart of man is much hardned from the fear of the Lord. Sin blinds the eye and hardens the heart brings into danger and puts out of fear Who in such danger and yet who so bold as the blind sinner When the understanding is darkned the next word we read is Past feeling Eph. 4.19 There is included in the very nature of sin a slighting of God and by once slighting we learn to slight him more Slight the Command and you will quickly slight the Curse Laugh at duty and 't will not be long ere you laugh at tear And when sin hath thus hardned God will also harden le ts the sinner alone suspends his judgments smites the sinner with judicial blindness and gives him up to a Reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 And when once they come to this then Hell is broke loose For what follows ver 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness malitiousness and what not Psal 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart there is no fear of God before his eyes Gen 20 When Abraham had such a thought Surely the fear of God is not in this place what thought he was there then Murther Adultery Rapes all manner of villany What sawest thou amongst us that thou hast done this thing What hurt what evill didst thou see among us What evill Evill enough to make me afraid I thought the fear of God was not here and there needs no more to make me afraid Say of any Person The fear of God is not in this man and you therein say The Devil is in him here dwels sin and all manner of wickedness Say of any place The fear of God is not in this place and if you find it an Egypt or Sodom for abominations you will not wonder Psal 19.9 The fear of the Lord is clean That is not only Formaliter but Effectivè it cleanseth Where this is not every unclean thing may dwell The reason why this world is such a world as 't is such a wicked world such a treacherous deceitful ungodly world why there is so little Faith or Truth or Mercy or Charity or Sobriety is because there is so little of the fear of God Sin hath cast out fear and this hath brought forth sin in abundance The Law is nothing Threatnings are nothing Conscience is nothing God is nothing to men because he is not their fear Wickedness is as righteousness villany as honesty prodigality debauchery as temperance and sobriety yea and hath gotten the start of it it faceth the Sun it lifts up the head it wears the Garland it paints it self Vertue Generosity Gallantry the beauty and ornament of the World where the fear of God is departed God may promise threaten command Hearken to my voice turn at my reproofs cast away your transgressions Awake from your wine be chaste sober be humble let your merriment be turned into mourning your jollity into heaviness Remember your Creator remember your souls why
eyes Eastward and Westward and Northward and Southward Have you not a worthy Portion a goodly heritage Can you cast up your riches or count your own happiness Can you fathom Immensitie or reach Omnipotency or comprehend Eternity All this is yours I will set open all my treasures to you I will keep back nothing from you He maketh over himself to us in all his Essential Perfections and Personal Relations All the Attributes in the Godhead and all the Persons in the Godhead do I hereby make over to you In all his Essential Perfections I will be yours in all my Essential Perfections and in all my Personal Relations In all mine Essential Perfections Mine Eternity shall be the date of your happiness His Eternity as the date of our happiness I am the Eternal God and while I am I will be life and blessedness to you l l Psal 90.1,2 with Psal 48.14 1 Tim. 1.17 with 1 Pet. 5.10 I will be a never failing Fountain of Joy and Peace and Bliss unto you m m Psal 36.7,8,9 and 16.11 Esay 35.10 I am the first and last that was and is and is to come and mine eternal Power and Godhead shall be bound to you n n Jer. 32.40 I will be your God your Father your Friend while I have any being o o Esay 9. Jer. 10.10 I have made mine everlasting choice in pitching upon you p p Psal 132.13,14 Hos 2.19 Fear not for the Eternal God is your Refuge and underneath are the everlasting Armes q q Deut. 33.27 My durable riches and righteousness shall be yours r r Prov. 8.18 Though all should forsake you yet will not I forsake you Å¿ Å¿ Heb. 13.5 Psal 27 10. When the world and all that is therein shall be burnt up I will be a standing Portion for you When you are forgotten among the dead with everlasting loving kindness will I remember you t t Esay 54.10 His unchangeableness as the rock of our rest Mine unchangeableness shall be the Rock of your rest u u Mal. 3.6 Psal 62.6,7 92.15 When all the world is like the tumbling Ocean round about you here you may fix and settle I am your resting place w w Jer. 50.6 2 Chr. 14.11 The immutability of my Nature and of my Counsel and of my Covenant are sure footing for your faith and a firm Foundation for your strong and everlasting consolation x x 2 Tim. 2.19 Heb. 6.17,18 When you are afflicted tossed with Tempests y y Esay 54.11 and not comforted put into me I am an Haven of Hope I am an Harbour of rest for you here cast your Anchors and you shall never be moved z z Jer. 17.13.17 Psal 46.1,2,5 and 125.1 His Omnipotency for our guard Mine Omnipotency shall be your Guard I am God Almighty your Almighty Protector your Almighty Benefactor a a Gen. 15.1 17.1 What though your enemies are many more are they that are with you then they that are against you for I am with you b b 2 Chr. 32.78 2 King 6.16 What though they are mighty they are not Almighty Your Father is greater then all and none shall pluck you pluck while they will out of my hands c c Ioh. 10.29 Who can hinder my power or obstruct my salvation d d Esay 43.13 Dan. 4.35 2 Pe. 2.9 Who is like unto the God of Ieshurun who rideth on the Heaven for your help and in his excellency on the skie I am the sword of your strength the shield of your excellency e e Deu. 33 26,29 I am your rock your fortress your deliverer your strength the horn of your salvation your buckler your high tower f f Psal 18.2 I will maintain you against all the power of the enemy You shall never sink if Omnipotency can support you g g 1 Pe. 1.5 Ex. 28.12 The gates of Hell shall not prevail against you h h Mat. 16.18 Your enemies shall find hard work of it They shall overcome victorie or enervate Omnipotencie or corrupt fidelitie or change immutabilitie or else they cannot finally prevail against you either they shall bow or break i i Rev. 3.9 Es 66.24 Though they should exalt themselves as the Eagle though they should set their nest among the stars even there will I bring them down saith the Lord. k k Oba 4. Ier. 49.16 His faithfulness for our security My faithfulness shall be your security l l Ps 89.33,34,35 my truth yea my oath shall fail if ever you come off losers by me m m Es 54.9,10 with Mark 10.29,30 I will make you to confess when you see the issue and upshot of all my providences that I was a God worthy to be trusted worthy to be believed worthy to be rested in and relied upon n n Psa 34.4,5,6,8 84.12 146.5 Ier. 17.7,8 Psa 22.4,5 If you walk not in my judgements you must look for my threats and frowns yea and blows too and you shall see that I am not in jâ—st with you nor will indulge you in your sins o o Psa 89.30,31,32 c. Am. 3.2 2 Sam. 12. to 15. 1 Pe. 4.17 Nevertheless my loving kindness will I never take from you nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips His mercies as our store My mercies shall be your store p p Es 54.7 63 7. Ps 119.41 I am the Father of mercies and such a Father I will be to you q q 2 Co. 1.3 I am the fountain of mercies and this fountain shall be ever open to you r r Ps 36.9 with Rev. 21 6. My mercies are very many and they shall be multiplied towards you Å¿ Å¿ Neh. 9.7 with Es 55.7 very great and they shall be magnified upon you t t 1 Ch. 21.13 with Gen. 19.19 very sure and they shall be for ever sure to you u u Es 55.3 very tender and they shall be infinitely tender of you w w Ps 119.156 with 103.4 Though the fig-tree do not blossom nor the vine bear nor the flock bring forth fear not for my compassions fail not x x Hab. 3.17 Lam. 3.22 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the daies of your lives y y Ps 23.6 Even to your old age I am he and even to hoar hairs will I carrie you I have made and I will bear even I will carrie and deliver you z z Es 46.4 I will make an everlasting Covenant with you that I will not turn away from you to do you good a a Ier. 32.40 I swear that I will shew you the kindness of God b b 1 Sam. 20.14,15,17 with Esay 54,9,10 I can as soon forget
mine own I have the Promises of this life and of that which is to come Oh what can I wish more How full a Charter is here Now my doubting Soul may boldly and believingly say with Thomas 1 Tim. 4.8 My Lord and my God! What need we any further witness We have heard his words He hath sworn by his Holiness that his Decree may not be changed and hath signed it with his own Signet Rejoyce ye Heavens strike up Celestial Quires Help Heaven and Earth Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his Bless the Lord O my Soul Oh had I the tongue of men and Angels all were too little for my single turn Had I as many tongues as hairs the whole Quire were not sufficient to utter my Creators praises Cant. 2.16 My Beloved is mine and I am His. The Grant is clear and my claim is firm Who durst deny it when God himself doth own it Is it an hard adventure to speak after Christ himself Why this is the Message that he hath sent me I ascend to my Father and your Father Joh. 20.17 my God and your God He hath put words into my mouth and bid me to say OUR FATHER I believe Lord help mine unbelief O my God and my Father I accept thee with all humble thankfulness and am bold to take hold of thee O my King and my God I subject my soul and all its Powers to thee O my Glory in thee will I boast all the day Oh my Rock on thee will I build all my confidence and my hopes Cant. 2.3 O staff of my life and strength of my heart the life of my joyes and joy of my life I will sit and sing under thy shadow and glory in thy holy Name O my Soul arise and take possession Inherit thy blessedness and cast up thy riches Thine is the Kingdome thine is the Glory and thine is the Victory The whole Trinity is thine All the Persons in the Godhead all the Attributes in the Godhead are thine And behold here is the Evidence and these are the writings by which all is made sure to thee for ever Psal 116.7 Psal 16.6 And now return to thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Say if thy Lines be not fallen to thee in a pleasant place and if this be not a goodly Heritage She quelleth Discontent and reasoneth down unbelief in Sequentib Oh Blasphemous Discontent How absurd and unreasonable an evill art thou whom all the fulness of the Godhead cannot satisfie because thou art denyed in a petty comfort or crost in thy vain expectations from the world O my unthankful Soul shall not a Trinity content thee Shall not Allsufficiency suffice thee Silence you murmuring thoughts for ever I have enough I abound and am full Infiniteness and Eternity is mine and what more can I ask The Assaults of unbelief 1. It questions the truth of the Promise But methinks I feel some secret Damps upon my joy and when I would soar aloft and triumph in the riches of my Portion a secret diffidence plucks me back as the string doth the Bird and unbelief whispers in mine ear Sure this is too good to be true The Triumph of Faith in the certainty of Gods Truth But who art thou that disputest against God The Lord hath spoken it and shall not I believe him Will he be angry if I give my assent and speak it confidently upon the credit of his word Esay 54.5 Hos 2.19 Jer. 3.19 Psal 50.7 2 Cor. 6.18 O my Lord suffer me to spread the writing before thee Hast not thou said Thy Maker is thy Husband I will betroth thee unto me Thou shalt call me My Father I pray thee O Lord was not this thy saying I am God even thy God I will be a Father unto you and ye my Sons and Daughters Why then should I doubt Is not the truth of the living God sure-footing for my faith Esay 31.3 Prov. 23.5 Silence then O quarrelling Unbelief I know in whom I have believed Not in Friends though numerous and potent for they are men and not God Psal 146.3,4 Not in Riches for they make themselves wings Not in Princes for their breath is in their Nostrils But let God be true and every man a Lyar. In God have I put my trust in his word do I hope Matt. 7.25 2 Tim. 2.19 Oh sure word Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot nor tittle of this I have not built upon the sand of mortality Let the rain descend and the floods come and the winds blow nevertheless the Foundation of God standeth sure His everlasting Counsel and everlasting Covenant are my stay I am built upon his Promises and let Hell and Earth do their worst to blow up this Foundation Now shall my Faith triumph and my heart be glad and my glory rejoyce 1 Kin. 18.39 Heb. 11.16 I will shout with the exulting Multitude The Lord he is the God and he is not ashamed to be called My God He is not ashamed of my Raggs nor Poverty of my Parrentage not Pedigree and since his infinite condescention will own me will he take it ill if I own him 1 Cor. 1.29,31 Though I have nothing of my own to glory in unless I should glory in my shame yet I will glory in the Lord and bless my self in him Deut. 33.26 For who is like unto the God of Jeshurun Bring forth your gods O ye Nations Lift up now your eyes and behold who hath created all these things Can any do for their Favourites as the Lord can Or if he be angry who is that God that shal deliver out of his hands Will you set Dagon before the Ark Or shal Mammon contend with the Holy One O ambitious Haman where is now thine Idol-honour O rich Glutton that madest a god of Pleasure where is now the god whom thou hast served O sensual worldling that knewest not where nor how to bestow thy Goods Do riches profit thee Could Mammon save thee Deceived souls Go now to the gods that you have chosen Alas they cannot for ever administer a drop of water to cool your tongues Jer. 10.16 Psa 90.2 But the Portion of Jacob is not like them From everlasting to everlasting he is God His Power is my confidence his Goodness is my maintenance his Truth is my shield and my buckler 2. It confounds the soul with amazing Greatness and difficulty of the things But my clamourous unbelief hath many wiles and afresh assaults me with the difficulty of the things promised and labours to nonplus and confound me with their amazing greatness The Triumph of Faith in Gods Omnipotency and Veracity But why should I stagger at the Promise through unbelief robbing at once my Master of his glory and my soul of her comfort It is my great sin to doubt and dispute and yet
conscience into thy Closet let it watch thee how thou behavest thy self there carry conscience into thy shop let it eye thee what thou dost there carry conscience into the fields into the market amongst thy friends amongst thine enemies let it observe how thou behavest thy self amongst them carry conscience with thee to thy recreation to thy bed to thy table whither ever thou goest there 's like to be but sad work if conscience be not with thee Commit the keeping of thy Covenant to conscience let it be the Ark in which the Tables of the Testimony are kept and preserved let it be the Executor of thy Testament Conscience is bound by thy Covenant the Covenant layes hold on it let it lay hold on thee Is thy conscience bound seek not to be loosed is thy conscience bound give it leave to bind thine whole man let it bind thy thoughts and bind thy will and bind thy affections and hind thy tongue and thy whole practice thou never livest as a man in Covenant longer then thou livest as a man of Conscience VVhat becomes of the Covenant when a breach is made upon Conscience Oh what is there in the world when conscience is not what faith or truth or peace is there left alive what are Vowes and Covenants and Promises what are our duties to the Lord our dealings with men when there is no conscience towards God Keep thy conscience and thou keepest thy soul keep thy Conscience and thou keepest thy Covenant keep thy Covenant and thou keepest thy Peace let that go and all 's lost Let conscience govern what God hath put under its power and let it resist all adverse Power Let it resist temptations When ever Satan and thy flesh fall upon thee and tempt thee Pity thy self spare thy self take thy liberty take thine ease take thy pleasure provide for thy safety what need is there of so much adoe Why canst not take the same liberty and allow thy self the same latitude as others do they have souls as well as thou and they have dangers as well as thou and they have hopes as well as thou and they have reasons and understandings to know what they do as well as thou and why canst thou not he content to do as they Why let this be thy answer But what conscience is there for it With what conscience can I be idle when I have said I will be doing With what conscience can I take mine ease when I have said I will take pains With what conscience can I serve my flesh when I have said I will crucifie it With what conscience can I love this world when I have said I will renounce it With what conscience can I walk at liberty when I have said I will walk circumspectly If all this were more then needs far be it from me to have such a thought till the serving my God and the saving my soul be more then needs But if it were more then needs yet is it any more then I am bound to Are there any such liberties put into my Indentures Was there any exception made of this duty or that duty was there any limitation made to this measure or that measure hitherto I will go and no further this little I will do and no more Was there any such proviso put in I will serve the Lord Provided I may with ease or with safety Have I not solemnly engaged to the Lord to obey him in all things to follow him fully to love him and serve him with all my heart with all my soul with all my strength and this to the death And Oh shal I lye unto God Is it more then needs to be righteous and to keep my faith Come O my soul come on thou hast opened thy mouth to the Lord and thou must not go back Be true be honest be honest though thou must swear for it be honest though thou suffer for it Remember what thy mouth hath spoken and see that thou fulfil it with thine hand Keep conscience pure It s the book in which all thy Records are written let no blot be upon thy Book Beware of sinning against conscience Every sin against conscience is a blot upon conscience and blots upon conscience are blots upon thy Covenant-evidence thou wilt not be able to read whether there be any thing written there for thee or not Ah foolish soul what art thou doing Dashing out all thy hopes with thine own hand Beware thou content not thy self with blotted evidences Christians forget not this counsel keep your Evidences clear He who hath his whole estate in bonds or writings how charily will he keep them If these be torn or lost or so blured that they cannot be read hee 's undone What ever else be lost if his money be gone if his goods be lost if his house be burnt yet if his writings be safe hee 's well enough Oh take heed and keep your writings safe and fair keep your Title to your God clear and you can never be poor or miserable Whatever earth or hell can do against you till they can tear the Covennnt of your God or make you blot out your own names they have left you abundantly enough even when they have left you nothing O how highly are we concern'd to be tender of conscience and yet how little care is there taken of it What 's become of the authority of conscience when thy thoughts and thy passions when thines eyes and thine ears and thine appetite and thy tongue are left unbridled and unconquered when every Servant is set up to be Master and bears rule in thee where is thy Conscience what 's become of its authority When thy s ul hath been no better kept what poverty and leanness is there grown upon it what a starveling is it become both in grace and peace eaten out with lust evaporated into vanity sunk into sensuality thy spirit even transubstantiated into flesh ready to perish and die away for want of good looking to When thy Soul hath been no better kept where is thy Conscience when thy covenant hath been no better kept when thy duties thou hast vowed to perform are so hastily and heedlesly shuffled over if not totally thrust aside when thy hours of prayer are such short hours thy Sabbaths such Winter dayes so short and so cold too when thy God is so shamefully neglected can never hear of thee but when thou hast nothing else to do no nor it may be then neither when thy spare hours are hardly spared for God when this earth thy corn and thy cattel and thy pleasures and thy friends which thou hast vowed to renounce are let in again upon thine heart and have stollen it away from Heaven where is thy Conscience When thou sleepest so and hast let the enemy come in and sowe his tares in thy field when thou art such a busie-body in other mens matters and thine own vineyard thou hast not kept but hast let it