it and require it Reade these words over and over I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words into his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him And it shall come to passe that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him Deut. 18.18 19. Coloss 1.18 He is the head of the body the Church SOmethings have a generall glory look upon a pearl when you will where you will and it shines and sparkles upon you so doth Christ Christ is looked upon before in reference to the world here in reference to such as are taken out of the world in the former he is looked upon with respect to the creation and here with respect to the Church and in both admired as great and glorious Christ wears a garment without seme a generall glory his working-day suit is all full of pearls Consider Christ under any notion in reference to this world and you consider him in his working suit in his countrey cloaths in his travelling apparell and yet in this shining earth heaven the Church is filled with his glory he is head in the one and in other Christ makes a similitude between the worlds between this and that above there he is all fair and so he is here condition suits as the sunne goes in the same height we and they above can see nothing but a perfection in the sunne that shines upon us and no lesse moves desire amongst us Man hath an exact eye though not an exact heart he will see much ere he will love a little Things must be very clean which you swallow persons must be very complete and without exception which we set over us whatever we be our selves which are to move under them The sunne shines in order to draw and gain Nature is full of art to cavill unlesse things have all glory they have no glory if there be any hole in the coat love goes out and gets gone there but there is none in Christs Criticks must be convinced and then they will stand still and consider perfection makes conviction in the most criticall spirit and till the soul can tell no longer how to take exception at others it will not begin to take exception at it self Use Sinners we proffer you gold that is tried gold that hath no drosse gold that is all gold Look upon Christ under any notion and make exception against him if you can look upon him in reference to his words and he shines in them all look upon Christ in reference to the old creation in reference to the new creation or in reference to heaven and what can you except against him nothing Why do you not love Christ then It must be because you will not or because you cannot Some persons are convinced of the worth of Christ yet maintain motion towards other things as dearer and will do this your will shall hang you the thing which you love better then Christ shall be the gallows Stubborn hearts find no compassion Christ will plead for no man that will not love him although he know him and have other encouragements to draw him on to him My people would none of me and I will none of them Persons which are overmastered with a bad heart and cannot do what they would find mercy from the Lord but others are let alone to live as they will and die in their shame complaining hearts Christ is perfect in glory would you love him Christ shines in the world and he shines in the Church in the Church militant and in the Church triumphant he is great every where would you love him Yes This is accepted Christ accepts according to that you have and out of this smoke shall come a flame Holy desires is Christ conceived in the wombe of the soul do but stay a little time and thou wilt feel the babe leap in the wombe doth it not now O how strongly doth that soul come to love Christ which would love him but cannot Coloss 1.18 He is the head of the body HOw God doth suit things is here considerable such a body and such a head Christ is the head os the body God doth nothing at randome divine dispensations are exactly proportioned one thing is fitted to another and this is the thing I would a little stand on The wayes of the Lord are equall mercy runnes into vessels of mercy I have set my king upon my holy hill of Sion Such a body such a head a holy people have a holy king my people have mine anointed over them I have set my king upon my holy hill The world is full of variety of condition so is divine action shaped every one hath as he is Iron hearts have an iron scepter to order them and hearts of a more noble mettall have a scepter of gold every one hath a suitable offendant Gods way in this world is nothing else but a tracing of man you eat but the fruit of your own way when 't is most bitter A people of wrath have a king in wrath there was dispensation exactly suited This is the carriage of God through out the world he doth not work at randome he squares action to the thing he works about and fits one thing to another I am sent to lost sheep saith the Saviour God directs a Saviour to lost man and a Physitian to sick man and to blind and hardned men which think they see Christ is sent to move in justice to them justice naturally suits all her actions to the subject about which she works as mercy doth I am come for judgemen into the world saith Christ to shape action to person to suit dispensation to condition The Deitie speaks out it self in apt action Some men cannot and others will not understand God in his word such must be dealt with another way men that will not reade words have apt works annexed to explain them Divine action suited to humane renders God as it were visible to men born blind let him that did cut off other limbs have his own cut off and be served just as he hath served others and he will see a righteous God presently which could not see it before and you will have him speak good divinity presently by virtue of such apt action annexed to the word which could not understand a word of divinity before As I have dealt with others so God hath requited me said Adonibezek it is a rare artist that can draw out himself and yet this is naturall to God by words and works together he will draw out himself so plain that any one shall runne and reade him God can cut and hew a block so by line so exact by the line of the word and the manners of men that you or any one else the very block it self shall tell who and what hand did it So God hath requited me
been driving this way and the Majesty and the justice of the Lord hath appeared and preyed upon them that would have preyed upon us fulfilling his word He shall breake in pieces the oppressor Psalm 72.4 As God remembers his word so we should remember him and write down his Noble acts upon our doore-posts bed-posts heart-posts to all which these beasts would have come for their prey These great acts of God prove mercies to men as laid to heart evill will returne and they which have beene so often driven back will be irresistible at length if he be forgotten which hath done all this for us COLOS. 1.24 For his bodies sake which is the Church ALL Christians in and under Heaven are related knit in one body by one soule to wit the same which breathes in God his holy Spirit Sacred society is glorious the Peers of all the world in a body robed and the great King of all the world in the midst of them such a fight as mortall eye never beheld His traine reaches from Earth to Heaven the foremost are in Heaven when the hindmost are here I helped you to a Scaffold to view the forepart the last day I would doe the like now to helpe you to view the latter that part of the traine which is going in at the everlasting doores but not yet quite in You may see a great deale of State at the doore of Heaven in the very hindmost soule of that company which are going in there That part which is gone in with the Bridegroome is mighty great so is that which is going in An innumerable company of believers conflicting with an innumerable company of enemies longing and waiting for the full redemption and liberty of the Sons of God The haires of our mysticall head grow not thin no not in this climate which is the most unhealthy they are thicke and bushy Can you number the haires of your head then may you number that company which Christ hath upon earth Can you number the Starres of Heaven Looke up to the Heavens saith God to Abraham and see if thou canst number the Starres so shall thy seed be which is fulfilled as appeares by the authour to the Hebrewes Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the Starres of the Skie in multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea shore innumerable Heb. 11.12 The haires of our mysticall head are many yet all of one colour blacke as a Raven that is beautifull and flourishing Gray haires are not here and there upon this head the Militant Church is for quantity great a Nation for quality holy the foundation of this Nation Christ the cement faith something above the revelation of reason something above the revelation of the best parts something above flesh and blood Peter there are strange carnall apprehensions of me in the world as if Christ had said how doest thou apprehend me My apprehension is vitall Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God Observe the reply of Christ Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona Bar is a Chalde word and the same with ben an Hebrew word which signifies a sonne and Jona signifies gracious and as some translate a Dove so that t is as if Christ had said in our language Blessed art thou Simon sonne of grace sonne of that same Dove which descended on mee flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Thou art Peter and upon this Rocke will I build my Church Matth. 16.18 Ben which is the Hebrew word for a sonne is as much as the word building with us because the sonne is the building of the family our Saviour interprets so much himselfe in his allusive words upon this Rocke will I build my Church and Jona signifying gracious the metaphor is the same in sense with the former that Christs building here below is a gracious building foundation gracious to wit himselfe every stone gracious Bar-Jona's an innumerable company of believers I John saw a great company which no man could number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all sealed the cement of this building holy to wit faith a holy faith a most holy faith as the Apostle cals it Jud. 20. Conflicting with an innumerable company of enemies The Sea is a big body yet tossed perpetually so is the Church of Christ upon earth t is a body very big and very good and yet t is not so big nor so good but it hath as big and as bad a body to encounter it We are here troubled with Frogs and devouring vermin and the pit out of which they come is bottomlesse The gates of Hell are wide open against the Church of Christ here though they cannot prevaile against it they that take away mens soules come forth freely in what numbers they will and goe what compasse they will here all this world over of an instant and get at which hand they will of the best people when about the best worke they will take the wall of the Noblest soules and when about the Noblest worke get at their right hand The Sonnes of God were assembled and Satan stood at their right hand The locusts below goe forth by Troopes they are so populous in that land of death My name is legion for we are many Though but one speake when a poore soule is tempted yet the traine that attends upon this one is many I believe this roome is full of infernall Spirits and that not a soule of you now present but have a legion of them at your right hand jogging of you though these gates of Hell are not suffered to prevaile If there were no intermixing of Satans family and Christs in this world if those evill spirits which he hath at home by him did never come abroad so farre as into this world yet those that are here resident and weare the same skinne and clothes which Christs family doe are very many They that persecute my soule are many saith the Psalmist And he speakes of incarnate devils devils resident in our flesh and in our earth A doore is open to me a great doore saith the Apostle and there be many enemies how many that he could not tell nor no body else but him that set them on worke One doore open and many devils at it to shut it againe many devils at one doore so at every doore of hope that a Christian hath open to him surely Satans strength is great here that he can begirt every holy person and every holy action upon earth and yet this is the condition of the Church militant Elishaes condition shadowes the state of the Church militant mentioned 2 Kings 6.15 An Host compassed the City with horses and chariots in so much that the servant of Elisha cried out Alasse Master how shall we doe we are begirt with innumerable companies of mortall enemies many thousand deaths waite for us at every doore and this is the state
of the best men upon earth This makes longing and panting for full redemption which is the property of the Church of God upon earth 't would be in Heaven There is a voice in Rama and t is all over Rama mourning and lamentation Rachel weeping bitterly if you aske her why She will tell you I have many sonnes and daughters sweet children all and yet not one but very hardly handled sore shot at by deadly archers many are slaine and are not and the rest abused and vilified as the off-scouring of all things torne with Lyons and little wormes gnawing and eating up the carcasse pulled downe by great ones and when down trod to death by base ones Rachel hath not a child but sits like the Shunamites in her armes sighing groaning and mourning because of one wound or other within or without and I cannot remedy any of this saith she and this cuts me to the heart my children are slaine in mine armes slaine with the breast at their mouthes yea ripped out of my wombe Would my children were all in my husbands armes saith Rachel then they would all be safe would he would send and fetch me and all mine out of this plundered countrey into his owne city then all would be well soule well yea and body well The world heares little of this noise t is so inward but t is the panting and beating of every good mans pulse and bowels in a degree We which have the first fruits of the Spirit where these fruits lie is the noise we groane within our selves waiting for the adoption For the adoption This they had already The meaning therefore is for the full fruition of what they were adopted to which is explained in the following words to wit the redemption of our body The soule goes first to the society above the body last all is perfect when this comes therefore is this onely mentioned which notes that the militant Church groanes and pants after a perfect state every one sighing and bleeding inwardly inwardly earnestly willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord 2 Corinth 5.8 This was shadowed by Davids ascent to Mount Oliver And David went up by the ascent of Mount Oliver and wept as he went up and be had his head covered and he went bare-foot and all the people that was with him covered every man his head and they went up weeping as they went up 2 Sam. 15.30 Christ which David typified and all his followers here below are going up sighing and panting and mourning to that mount above Vse We are come to speake of a Militant church in a Militant time surely our course is steered by a supreame hand for speciall good to some of you Christians lay to heart the state of that body whereof yet you are can you Jerusalem which is above above the world and above Satan is the mother of us all that body which Christ hath upon earth groaned travelled with you and brought you forth this wombe which bare you those pappes which gave you sucke are now wounded with a thousand wounds doe you see them The haire of your mother is torne her bowels ript up her blood runnes in every high way O all ye that passe by have ye observed it Dogs licke the blood of Jezabel yea the blood of Rachel the Sword of the wicked sheds the blood of many a gallant man England a great Parke full of deare soules the pales now plucked up the game of Christ shot at by every base person many a brave Hart falne onely a few Fawnes left women and children crying and ringing their hands for their husbands and fathers doe you heare them Mother where is my Father when will he come home Sir where is my husband when will he come home And a lasse for them he is at home already at his long home Heathens rage on one hand mothers children angry on t'other hand the Boare is abroad the Fox at home one puls off the tender Grapes t'other squeeses and suckes their blood the worke is one the tailes of all the wilde beasts in the Land are together though their faces seem to looke severall waies one shoots at the body t'other at the soule both poison their Bullets the venome whereof feeds that Divine justice which now fights against us all as if it were resolved to consume us all for ought any one amongst us all can yet see Is not the Church of Christ in England militant Men Devils yea a God fights against it for the pollution in it Christians you are witnesses of all this what doe you in secret doe you mourne for the tearings and rendings of Joseph can you doe it doe you move according to your condition Military fight with prayers and teares doe you finde any aptnesse this way I aske this because displeasure sinkes deepe sometimes and drinkes up all Divine moisture in the soule the wombe of prayers and teares closes withers and dries up God secretly saith pray not for this people and then good hearts pumpe and pompe and nothing will come Abraham had some such secret checke surely when hee broke off struggling so strangely for Sodome when God seemed to be upon such an yeelding veine secret providence certainely was in it that he might not yeeld so farre as to null peremptory resolution which was to make an end of a generation whose iniquity was full God felt Abraham holding him and cries let me alone but Abraham did not feels God holding him nor cried let me alone Lord let me plucke a brand out of the fire let me quench Hell fire once with my teares Christians I beseech you observe your spirits the welfare of all is in this point I am now upon and not in your great Armies abroad which you so much looke upon if you feele God tying up and straitning your soules in regard of a Sodome which you struggle for a Land that looks as if it were ripe in all wickednesse and farre worse in some circumstances then ever Sodome was cry Lord let me alone let me draw buckets let me make my Study my closet a Bokim a place of teares let me quench a fire that hath almost burnt a brave Kingdome to ashes let me save a Nation a populous Nation thousands and ten thousands thousands of thousands from swimming to hell in their owne blood If I shall not pray out yet let me chatter so in thine eares that fifteene yeeres may be added to the life of three Kingdomes to set themselves in order to goe hence to be pilgrims and wanderers to any other part where thou wilt Thus doe your duty and then submit We should be affected with our condition but not cast down A state of hardship generates discontent and now Satan hath set Heaven and Earth on fire A man may have a Heaven in his soule when a Hell in his body if submissive still to the will of God but when fightings without make fightings within repinings
Christ we may conclude full successe that is in the thing and in the circumstance of time Christ doth so much as God intends and in such a time in so many dayes he was to make the world and he did it to a punctum of time and rested with his Father and in so many years he is to make a new world First and second resurrection are timed in word so shall be in work the two beloved cities wil be built one after another in their predicted time and he will do it exact to a punctum of time and then give it up all to his Father and rest with him and his Church for ever Time is in Christs hand as well as the work of time the Father hath put all into his hand my times are in thy hand The great world may say to Christ My times was in thy hand in so many dayes didst thou bring me forth and so many years wilt thou uphold me And the new world may say My time is in thy hand in so many years thou wilt bring me forth You murmure that things go no faster on the time of the new world is in Christs hand and it should be rest enough to a saint in all troubles to look up and consider in whose hands worlds are transacted God moveth in one that answers his will exact that observeth his work and his time Lo I come as it is written in the volume of thy book Search how it is written concerning Christs creating this new world and you shall see that he will come and do it exactly Lo I come as it is written saith Christ but not as impatient spirits expect instruments must be blamed when they take not their time I mean instruments which we imploy for our good in this time of distresse but the heart must be quieted in this that Gods agent exactly keeps his time This is not all your consolation you may argue for the choisest mercies upon this ground that God is your Creatour in Christ Thy hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may live Psal 119.73 from such power you may argue to such love from great power you may argue for great love Thou didst create me in Christ according to such a noble being do thou new create me in Christ for the restauration of this being as if the Psalmist had so said this I think may be his meaning and the strength of his argument Many of you are weary of your being you do so sinne but you might have more comfort in your being if you did look up and consider who gave it and what obligement lies upon him by it he gave your being in Christ and he will restore this being in Christ if you plead it to him as David Thine hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may live Thus do thou say to God A child of God may argue love and compassion from any thing that Gods hand doth to him upon this very ground because he doth all that he doth to him in Christ To ungodly persons Sinners the Scripture pressetn obedience to Christ upon you from this point upon pain of death that all things are made in and by him how able is he to take away being from all which gave it to all Reade Proverbs 8.31.32 After that Christ is there mentioned in state as the Creatour of all this he inferreth upon it viz. Now therefore hearken unto me O ye children that is children by creation for blessed are they that keep my wayes Heare instruction and be wise and refuse it not He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul So he concludeth as Christ is complete to attract love the same will be his sufficiency and advantage to aggravate our sliding off him for thus Christ will say to sinners at the great day I am a first-born I am the Image of the Father I am a Redeemer I am a Creatour and yet though all these thou regardest me not all excellencies sleighted shall be turned into so many rods to lash your dead souls The sins you love will destroy your being and your being being destroyed you will fall into your Creatours hand again and what being do you think he will give you then God dealeth with you as you are you are naturall and he fetcheth argument against you from nature as what is more naturall to you then your being the lower God stoupes to stirre you and you yet unmoved the more obstinate you are you are no new creatures therefore God argueth with you simply as creatures and then you shew your selves blocks you use no art about a block but to burn it and so doth God when sinners become sots and blocks and understand not so much as the principall of their naturall being though opened and urged upon them by a God blockish souls think on this you will have a very hot sermon to warm you when you come to your place Coloss 1.16 And that are in earth BEing and disposition of being are from Christ he createth all and disposeth all You make creatures and then you place your creatures and preferre them as you think good and so doth Christ and he telleth you where some in Heaven and some in earth he suiteth place to person pure persons are placed in Heaven and impure in earth where we are placed is that which I am now come to tell you in earth for by him all things were created that are in Heaven and that are in earth c. What kind of room we live in here these words command me to set out unto you and then to ask you how you like it 1. Low 'T is a low room we are in here the earth is the lowest element lower then the aire lower then the water and yet as earth comprehendeth both these 't is but Gods footstool Swear not by the earth for 't is his footstool a footstool speaketh the lowest service such is the earth and all things in it of the lowest use to God 't is a kitchin below stairs to scour vessels in and 't is a conveyance for the filth that cometh off there is a gutter out of earth into hell to carry away all things that offend hell is the sink which belongeth to the earth God hath more noble service done in one moment in Heaven then in all the earth in all the age of it though it be now many thousand years old In this lower room wherein we are here is nothing done but kitchin work washing and scouring killing stripping and fleaing that which is fat Earth is the slaughter house that belongeth to hell hearts that are made fat are killed on earth and rosted in hell We dwell in Gods kitchin and the devils slaughter-house in earth this is low and this is the first thing earth speaketh a lower room 'T is common Lions and Bears Wolves and Men are all in one room in earth Frogs and
against providence because it doth not jut and jumpe with my will now all is slaine and not till now Heaven and Earth on fire body and soule killed with a canon from Hell and all the powers of darknesse crying victory Doe Serpents sting murmure not remember where Christs church is of which thou art yet a member t is in the Wildernesse yet and but going to Canaan and such places are full of hurtfull beasts Be not overcome of evill then misery dissolves it selfe into sinne then God is stung and thou wilt have secret blowes for this indeed where men cannot pinch thee thou wilt have salt throwne where the spring of unsoundnesse lies and then thy Spirit will burne within thee for something We should not onely be submissive to but joyfull under the crosse of our Lord Jesus You cannot tell how much mercy t is to be any of that body of which Christ is the soule if it be but a foot a bare foot and still in the dirt still upon prickes briers and thornes to be any of that company that is travelling to Heaven though the meanest the hindmost the most misused c. But you will know when you come there The crosse keepes off some from being of the Church militant they cannot militare they had rather die then fight and kill what they love more then Christ Sinne effeminates the soule love any lust more then Christ and you will die ten thousand deaths rather then strike a stroke in good earnest against it or discharge one Piece with a Bullet against that fort where your heart lies Satan deales by stratagem sinners looke to your soules he can kill none that take up Armes against him and stand to it he either betrayes affection with trifles and makes the soule yeeld and so stab conscience and sweare a damnable peace or else he terrifies the soule with corporall dangers and makes men flee and all that flee in spirituall warfare die every one are cut off eternally by the pursuer When there are fightings without there are feares within When I came into Macedonia my flesh had no rest troubles on every side fightings without and feares within Men now love their flesh Paul in this had no rest no neither in his spirit he had stood to it upon pure principles Hee wants fellowes in this age of the world wonderfully The Church of the Lord Jesus travels groanes dies for want of them This generation will have more then the advantage of truth to encourage them to set forth to wit the advantage of time quiet time Deluded soules when will this be you so dote upon your skin that you have quite forgotten the state of Christs church upon earth t is militant You will live in Egypt that you may see no warre that you may save your skin your pompe your wealth this your wisdome is your folly Egypt shall not save you the Sword shall follow you into Egypt into your Egyptian huts and coverings Read Jeremy 42.13 14 15. But if ye say We will not dwell in this Land c. No but we will goe into the Land of Egypt where we shall see no warre nor heare the sound of the Trumpet nor have hunger of bread and there will we dwell c. Then it shall come to passe that the Sword which ye feared shall overtake you there in the Land of Egypt and the famine whereof ye were afraid shall follow close after you in Egypt and there ye shall die COLOS. 1.24 For his bodies sake which is the Church THe word notes a company called out of this world and the scope according to which it is used here carries it in its full bredth to comprize all the blessed company both which are in Heaven and in earth this generall society was shadowed by the generall Assembly at Ierusalem and is called by that name by the Apostle Heb. 12.23 Ye are come to the generall Assembly the Church of the first-borne This Catholique company is great and farre divided some in Heaven some in Earth some in this part of the Earth some in that and yet all have but one spirit and therefore essentially the same and what is done for the good of one part necessarily redounds to the good and glory of all He is of a publique spirit that layes out for the good of a City of a Kingdome and the like thousands will blesse him generations yet not borne will blesse God for such instruments but he is of a publique spirit indeed that layes out his state or blood for the good of the Church of Christ many thousands in this Kingdome in other Kingdomes all the Earth over all Heaven over will blesse him This generall assembly comes all out of one loine and divide themselves into two bands one turnes to the everlasting Hills 'tother to the Plaines and Valleys of this world There is a Lilly of the Valleys and a Lilly of the Hils there is a Church on Earth and a Church in Heaven The great King whom we subject to hath a Chappell of ease a Church in his house the condition of this is farre different from that here below the Lilly of the Hils is another gets Lilly then that of the Valleys the pursuit of each shall be distinct which will demonstrate the condition how it differs The Church which Christ hath in his house is a society of perfect spirits in perfect rest triumphing with Christ over all enemies The Congregation above is very big thousands and thousands of thousands from all parts quarters and countries yet all perfect not one dwarfe in grace in Heaven not one Zacheus a person of a little stature there are no spirits of little stature in grace above though it be all our case here every one is as tall as Christ to any ones beholding I cannot tell else how to interpret that expression of the Apostles Eph. 4 Till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ They that are come to that unity and society above are all compleat their measure is the fulnesse of Christ their demensions his stature so tall so big limmed so faire and so accomplished to looke upon What a perfect man now is Christ in Heaven of what a brave stature in grace and in glory an Absolon without spot from the crowne of the head to the soule of the foot so are all that Noble society which are with him without spot or wrinkle and therefore called a glorious Church That he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing c. Ephes 5.27 the word here translated spot is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies such spots as are in garments by dashing and dirting outside spots they have no spots within nor without above not in their skin not in their clothes nor any such thing that is
great world over all the little world into every roome of the soule into joynts and marrow and set downe himselfe where he will in conscience in affection in what inward part he sees good in some one part or in all parts that is the greatest good in the world when truth is in the inward parts i. not in one faculty but in all not onely in the understanding but in the conscience in the affection in every faculty this Christ loves mightily and what hee loves hee can accomplish there is no torture upon him affection larger then power as t is usually with us All power is given to him to worke without to worke within in Earth in Heaven that is in the more internall and heavenly part Hee giveth wisdome to the heart I will give my Lawes into your mind By Lawes is meant all grace and yet all this made a gift and given into the soule that desires it Christ gives things into the hand yea into the heart all precious things and derives them into all parts and when all this is done in us and the like laboured for to be done by us in all others then is internall operation in power or then Christ workes in us mightily which terme pointing onely at a gradation in the same operation hath raveld out it selfe according to what is difficult in unfolding the former A concluding Speech WHich worketh in me mightily The concurrence of this power wee have had in our measure all along our labour which I would should be much acknowledged to Christ by vertue of which wee are now come to our period of this Verse and of the whole Chapter Our pace in this long journey hath been slow that you might all goe along with mee in the well understanding and imbracing of weighty things and yet how many notwithstanding our double industry are left behind in the blindnesse and mis-beliefe of their soules I know not If our Gospell be hid after all pains fully to lay it open such soules have great reason to feare themselves Child-bearing is no easie worke to any but doubly hard to some so that life out of death may that which comes forth betweene the legges be called This birth though but a hard-favoured child hath beene hard travell to us 'tas made many a sigh and groane many a heart pang and crying out to God What you will doe with the child now borne whither you will be a Pharaoh or a Pharoahs Daughter to it murther it or keepe it alive in your hearts I know not This I know that no man can spill all the blood of any child of God some will stick upon you doe what you can to tell the murtherer at the great day Sighes and groanes are the teares of the heart the heart venting it selfe at the mouth when it cannot at the eyes and other lesser pores every drop that hath fallen from our heart and head from our Eye-lids or Eye-brows shall be all gathered up and put as marginall notes along by all our labours and all put in one Volumne together and this volumne put in your hand at the great day and opened Leafe after Leafe and read distinctly and exactly to you and your soules made to attend regard and remember better then here many of you have done and when all is thus read over this booke shall be closed and this question solemnly put to you all now O soules what have you profitted by all Words Prayers Teares Sighes Groanes As Conscience can answer to this for nothing else may then speake so shall your sentence be and I shall be called out to give witnesse to the justice of it and say Amen Lord Jesus righteous is all that thou hast pronounced upon these soules Our labours lost if this were simply all truly 't were nothing but our labours lost and your soules are lost and yet what is losse to you shall be gaine to us for wee are a sweete savour to God both in them that are saved and in them that perish As wee dresse and as wee water Trees in the Lords Vinyard so shall wee have our wages and not as these Trees beare if Trees be dressed and watered well though they never beare well wee shall have a good Vintage You Londoners are Trees watered choisely indeede 'T is storied of the Plane Tree that at its first transplanting into Italie 't was watered with Wine to make it take and prosper in those parts of the World you are Trees watered with Wine I cannot say that you have beene so watered by mee I dare not but this I can humbly and truly say that if our choisest strength and spirits may bee nam'd in steade of Water Wine or if the blessing which hath gone along with these Waters at any time have turned them into Wine in vigour upon your soules then hath God by mee watered your Rootes with Wine and yet if after such costly watering you grow not nor beare not certainly such Trees are neere unto cursing which sad effect that my Ministey should be an instrument to hasten to this place or to any soule will make mee to continue mourning still in secret for you all and so spend and end my dayes * ⎠* FINIS TABLE MAn is in soule misery page 1 So naturally judicially universally p. 2 3 Whether sensible of soule misery moved and what demonstrates insensibility p. 3 4 5 Christ snatcheth soules out of Hell P. 7 Christ moves swiftly throughly preventingly ravishingly to save p. 7 8 9 Whom Christ hath snatcht out of Satans power p. 10 11 12 That power which workes irresistibly to save the soule with much ease can save our body p. 13 Ignorance makes prophanenesse p. 14 Ignorance pollutes will the practicke understanding the conscience and is the Divels element p. 15 16 The darke Church of England spoken to p. 16 17 Christ carries soules to Heaven p. 18 Christ saves laboriously fatherly surely p. 19 20 Satan carries soules to Hell and how p. 22 23 Demonstrations of Christs Kingdome in this world p. 25 26 Some not far from the Kingdome of God and yet never come there p. 30 31 Love gives forth preferment to all Gods children p. 32 God gives orderly purely solacingly p. 32 33 The folly of men that looke after humane favour to rise p. 34 35 The blessednesse of them which are beloved of God p. 36 37 What redemption meanes p. 38 39 40 41 Bodily bondage lookt after but not soule bondage p. 42 43 What a spirit of bondage and a state of bondage are p. 43 44 What men in bondage and those which are out of bondage should doe p. 45 46 The choicest mercies come through the greatest miseries p. 47 48 Grounds to give God the glory of his way let it be how t will p. 50 51 52 53 Great things comming to us in way of hardship exhorted to prepare for hardship p. 54 What sin meanes p. 55 56 What reconciliation notes p. 56 57 What