you the best counsell that can be given and little deserve that outcry that is made against us Oh this is bitter preaching this man speakes not in love he would make us all despaire I thinke and Should not a Minister come with the spirit of meeknesse Yes but not meekenesse opposed to zeale meekenesse to the bruised reed or broken heart to others sharpnesse A corrosive for some is wholsomest some patients need lancing and all is well that ends well If our preaching bring you to an harvest of joy no matter though it compelled you to sow in teares And what wise man will thinke his estate either so holy or so safe as to reject teares for a womanish passion Use 2. If so Enemies help the joy of true Christians then it is a bootlesse thing to goe about to grieve or disquiet a godly Christian Thou makest him cry perhaps but to whom is it not to his father in secret who will put all his teares into his bottle and is there not a rich crop arising out of this sad and dripping seed-time A ridiculous conceit to thinke of drowning a fish in a faire and pleasant river it his owne element he is where he would bee Ridiculous also it is to attempt the making a true Christian unhappy or weary of his estate for even out of darknesse ariseth light to him out of teares joy one contrary out of another the omnipotent grace of God who promised will also doe it Indeed for carnall men you may so set them on weeping that they may dye upon it 2 Cor. 7.10 Worldly sorrow causeth death But with the godly it is not so God will ever hold them up by the chinne and lead them through all their waves to a safe and joyfull harbour Well may Julian and his fellowes mocke at this doctrine and tauntingly heape up more indignities upon the Saints but God will blesse them the more for their cursing stay but till the appointed weekes of harvest you shall see what it is to sow in teares Esteeme none by present grievances Use 3. If so then iudge not the state of whole Churches or particular members by present afflictions thinke them not presently miserable after the seed is cast into the ground it abides many a cold blast before harvest come 1 Cor. 15.36 It is not quickned except it dye much lesse multiplied in July or August you will see what is become of your Wheat and Rye In the day of judgement at farthest you will see the reward of true worshippers what confusion wil befall Papists Athiests scoffers hypocrites idolaters superstitious fooles persecutors Then yee shall returne and see a difference Mal 3.18 Now there is a difference but then it will appeare now the iudgement of God is according to truth but that is a day of the declaration of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2.5 Sow still though in teares Use 4. To urge perseverance in the good wayes of God notwithstanding discouragements What if thou sowest in teares to God and righteousnesse what if the whole season prove a cold wet blustering time as the poore husband-man sometime findeth it What if scarce a day goe over thy head but thou either weepest or sighest or meetest some bitternesse in thy life yet is this an hopefull weeping there is an harvest comming to make amends for all None shall abide with Christ in temptation Luk. 22.28 29 but Christ will appoint a Crowne unto him And as the mother goes through all her hard labour comfortably in hope of a childe to bee borne so must the Disciples of CHRIST through all tribulations Joh. 16.20 21 22. Faint not therefore that yee may reape in due time Be strong in the grace of Christ Feare not Rev. 2.10 Bee thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee a Crowne of life These are evill times for the discouraging of zeale and piety but remember this Text They that sow in teares shall reape in joy Use 5. Be patient in suffering for God A ground of patience in all suffering according to the will of God especially for the cause the service the faith the truth of God Seed cast into the earth is not cast away nor lost but will be improved to good advantage The husband-man willingly endures that cost adventures all to the blessing of God And such is thy sicknesse poverty trouble in the world other calamitie when thou hast made a good use of it A little patience will make thee gainer thirty fold sixty an hundred a thousand fold more if religion be the cause of thy trouble The Martyrs sowed in teares but because they carried forth precious seed they brought their sheaves backe with joy singing in the prisons and flames triumphing over their persecutors finding no ease to their mindes till they had recanted their recantations Losing their lives they saved them sowing to the spirit liberally they reaped life and immortality Comfort in death our own or friends 6. A ground of comfort against death both our owne and our friends Death is a kinde of sowing though in weaknesse mortality and dishonour 1 Cor. 15.36 Many teares are shed at the parting of friends of husband and wife of parents and children Joh. 18.14 of Pastors and people Death is the King of terrors it hath a sting and bitternesse but where Christ comes not only the sting is taken forth but the nature of it is altered there is a joyfull resurrection as a joyfull harvest to make the body rise in honour in power in livelinesse and immortality though sowne a weak and contemptible body Christianity therefore here must command moderation to our mourning Teares are naturall expressions of love and compassion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and good men they say are easily dissolved into teares But seeing religion tells of reaping in joy our hearts must thereby be fenced against immoderatenesse of grieving Be paineful in thy calling 7. If so let every one follow his particular calling painfully and faithfully though with teares Ministers in sowing the seed of eternall life in the hearts of their people Rich men in sowing upon the waters or obiects where they are never likely to finde their seed againe 2 Cor. 9.6 and poore men in praying abundantly for their Benefactors for their Preachers for their neighbours for the peace of Sion prayer is as seed cast into heaven and therefore must needs be fruitfull Therefore though praying preaching governing ordering of the family other duties be a sowing in teares accompanied with many difficulties thanklesse offices many times yet hold not thine hand morning nor evening observe not the winde nor raine he that doth shall neither sow nor reap in comfort Eccles 11.4 8. A motive it is to beginning and renewing our repentance Encouragement to repent of sinne First feare not the harshnesse of turning to God Say not a Lyon is in the way a Beare will meete me in the streets some trouble there is but soone to be overtaken with peace and joy trouble but with promise trouble but nothing to the trouble and misery which impenitent persons reserve themselves unto No sowing in teares no reaping in joy A lazie husband-man that flyes winde and weather must looke for no crop in harvest nor a lazie Christian 2. Be willing still to renew your repentance And to renew our repentance specially before the Sacrament this hath abundance of joy in it this bread strengthens mans heart and this wine makes it glad as Psal 104.15 this feast of fat and sweet things will in present make us reap in much joy though nothing to that which remaines for hereafter Presently faith is strengthened and the Joy of faith increased withall and the Christian that hath gone worthily shall walke in the strength of that banket holily and comfortably for many dayes afterward Therefore what if you sow a little in teares before-hand whilest you examine your estate be waile your unworthinesse confesse your sins sue for peace with God and to lay hold on eternall life What if due preparation cost you well the setting on endure all in hope of the harvest My brethren be awakened from security you finde your evidences for heaven somewhat muddy and that you had need renew your covenant with God and Oh that you could get the old feelings and the comforts that sometimes you had To do that renew your repentance sow a little more though in teares digest all well because you do all in hope and with a promise that they who sow in teares shall reap in joy FINIS
come in Can any man put good gold into a purse that is filled with stones before can the soule of a sinner entertaine Christ Iesus when it is full of lusts and they doe altogether possesse it No no Come out saith Christ and touch no uncleane thing that is bee not married unto it for that is the meaning of the words let thy affections be removed from all lusts and corruptions and then I will come and dwell with thee and walke with thee that is I will bountifully provide for thee for the consolation of thy soule here and hereafter It was the order of God Luke 3.5 when Iohn the Baptist was to make way for Christ marke here how he was levelling and undermining Every mountaine and hill shall bee brought low every valley shall be filled and the rough wayes made plaine and the crooked things straite And then all flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord. If you will have a mountaine before your salvation or goe into a ditch you shall never see salvation soundly and surely but if you purpose to see salvation downe with those mountaines of pride you must lay them flat to the ground you must be teachable stoope and bee conformable you must not lift up your selves against Christ you must not walke in your owne wayes No no downe with those mountaines downe with those stubborne and disobedient hearts for you shall never see salvation as long as these mountaines remaine but your soules must be made pliable to Christ and then you shall see the day of comfort approaching and drawing nigh unto you Doe you thinke it is fit if a man were to entertaine the King to put his servants in the chiefe roome and afford the King some out-roomes only and let him bee as a servant to his servants What a base and absurd thing is this that Christ should come into thy soule to be a servant as it were to thy base lusts They that have made their base lewd and wicked courses their gods one man in one kind and another in another kind let them as they love their owne soules bee perswaded to consider of this They that have thus set up any thing above God and before him when God at the great and dreadfull day of judgement shall come in flames of fire as the Apostle hath it 2 Thes 1.8 to take account of them whom they have served God will then send you home to your gods hee will say Goe to your gods that you have served the Divell and sinne and not mee you have cast off my yoke you have broken my law and transgressed my statutes goe then to your lusts and your sinnes you have so much hunted after let them save you now and shew mercie towards you for they were your gods and they shall save you if ever you have salvation Thinke of this and bee throughly perswaded of this and cut off that sinfull conceit that Christ and corruption will stand together and come on the sudden with one word speaking thinke not if you can say Lord have mercy upon me and receive the Sacrament from the hand of some factious Minister then Christ will presently come to your hearts No no you must have your hearts prepared before Christ Iesus will come into your soules the the heart must bee broken and the soule severed from sinne and corruption before Christ will come and take possession of it Take heed of this foolish and sottish conceit that Christ will come into your hearts all on the sudden Vse 2 The second Vse sheweth the wofull estate and miserable condition of those which entertaine their old courses and conversations A miserable estate to liue in the old sins It is a glory that men take unto themselues they are no changelings Oh poore fooles they must become changelings if ever they looke to be saved They glory in this what they were they are where you left them one yeere you may find them the next But mark what we may conclude here the condition of the man is marvellous miserable that never had his heart prepared never humbled never changed never fitted for the Lord Iesus for Christ will never come into that soule that is most certaine You that content your selves with this I never knew what it was to be humbled the precise Ministers indeed talke of preparation but I never knew what it meant Oh poore creatures they know now not what belongs to the Ministery of God in this kind but in the meane time be sure of this that if thou hast not the former thou canst not expect the latter if thy heart be not prepared for Christ there can be no receiuing of Christ Salvation is farre from the wicked because they keepe not thy lawes saith the Prophet David Thou that hast no care to walke with God dost thou dreame of salvation Alas alas it never came neere thy heart it is a hundred thousand miles of from thee it is not neere thy habitation thou art not prepared to entertaine the Lord Iesus and therfore thou canst not expect Christ and salvation by him Appeale to your owne consciences in this kind If a man should goe to a great house and see the best part of it stuffed with ordinary commodities and a great deale of it with base baggage and filthy trash he wil presently conclude the King will not come heere and why because there is no preparation for him there is therefore no expectation of his Maiesty in this place And it is a good argument when a man shall see the hearts and lives of men stuffed not onely with a great deale of ordinary trash but full of worldly affections full of the world in their hearts lives and conversations yea when a man shall see every place full in this kind as when the whole man is full of sin and of base corruptions will any thinke that this man shall be saved Can any man in common sense imagine that Christ wil come into that mans soule where there is no preparation for him Mountains must be levelled crooked things made straight and the rough wayes made smooth and all to make way for Christ before hee will come and therefore surely where there is no fitting of the heart this way there is no hope no expectation that Christ Iesus will come in thither Men prepare for the world continually and prepare onely how they may may shut out Christ Iesus One man prepares honours and his person that must have preferment another man provides for his ease and therefore he will make any shift that he may not endanger himself he will be content to make any shew of reason rather than he will come into office whereby his ease may be hindred another man will provide for his family that that may be comforted and sustained and though religion and a good conscience bee shaken he cares not he must make preparation for the maintenance of his family oh what will become of that Hee
is mine is it not lawfull for mee to doe what I will with them This tongue shall praise my name and shall never speake vainly and foolishly and this heart shall love me and this hand shall worke for mee I will dispose of all for the advantage of my great name Three wayes Christ disposeth the heart to himselfe This the Lord makes knowne in three particulars for wee keepe our selves to the generall that wee may not incroach upon those particular workes which are to follow I say there are three particular acts upon the soule First the Lord Iesus fits the soule for his seruice which otherwise is altogether unfit for any spirituall service the Lord Iesus puts those spirituall abilities into the soule which may make it fit for Gods turne so that it is now a fit patterne to expresse the riches of his grace in Christ Iesus As it is with a man that hath passed over some part of his possession into the hands of some prodigall sonne Simile or some naughty tenant and the land is out of heart when he taketh possession of it againe he will be sure to order it that it may be fit for use he will digge and dung and manure it that so hee may expect some fruit from it just so it is with every sinner he lies lay and that wretched heart of his never desired any good and his loose tongue never spake any good it lay fallow and it brought forth nothing but base practices but when sinne and Sathan hath driven the soule out of heart that it hath no power to doe any good then the Lord Christ comes and takes possession of the heart hee taketh it in from the common of the world and he manureth it with the grace of his spirit as it is in that phrase Rom. 11.16 Thou art partaker of the roote and fatnesse of the Olive tree Though it were a barren minde and a sinfull and corrupt heart and a wanton eye the Lord hath taken these parts of the body and soule and mannured them and convaieth such fatnes and grace that the soule becomes fit to doe him honour and to receiue comfort from him Secondly as the Lord fits the soule for his service so he maintains that fitnesse and that gracious disposition of soule and spirit wheresoever he hath bestowed it so that the soule if it be not negligent of its owne salvation cannot lose that fitnesse altogether and the Lord Iesus cannot lose that glory which hee expects from it as in Psal 16.5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my lot The Lord Iesus allowes a portion of grace to every soule that hee comes in and he maintaines that grace Lastly he doth improue that fitnesse for the praise of his great name the Lord Christ ever receives some in-come of service and obedience and that soule ever receives some comfort and consolation from him This is the difference betweene the first and second Adam the first Adam had grace but hee neither kept it nor improved it aright he did not improve that wisedome which God had given him to repell the temptations of Satan and he did not improue his strength and ability to keepe him from falling from God but when the Lord Iesus comes to take possession of a poore soule he will not onely keepe and maintaine the grace that hee hath given him but he will quicken it and provoke that soule to doe what hee should doe in all obedience and to receive what comfort the Lord hath in store for him See this in some passages of Scripture Ioh. 15. 1 2. I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Every poor Christian every poor woman and every poore Apprentice and little childe whom God hath called shall beare fruit hee purgeth them and so the Lord receives some improvement of his graces that he gives to those that he takes possession of So then let us gather up all If the Lord Iesus undertakes for the soule so that justice cannot proceed against him and if he doth dispose of the soule and fit it for his service and maintain that fitnesse and improue it for his glory then certainely hee doth take supreme possession of the soule and he that undertakes for the soule takes possession of the heart Vse 1 Vse 1. Reproofe of them that keepe Christ out of possession I cannot tell whether wee haue matter of lamentation or reproofe How few have given entertainment to the Lord Iesus Christ have we not cause to lament our condition that the Lord Iesus hath passed by all our coasts and is not regarded How often hath hee come to thy bed-side and besought thee to receive favour and to be reconciled to God and receive pardon from him how often hath he entreated thee to consider of that which was for thy peace how often hath he said Come to mee you rebellious children and Ah every one that will come and take of the water of life freely and live for ever Where is the man that can say Christ is come and that hee hath given entertainement to him as the man when hee had found the evidence of Gods love after much doubting Mr. Gloveâ— Martyr said He is come He is come Where shall a man finde the Lord Iesus Christ If a man should goe from house to house and from heart to heart who keepes possession doth Christ dwell in that heart and doth he rule in that soule Oh woe to us that we have suffered the Lord Iesus Christ to desire entertainement and yet would not receive him we have taken notice of him but wee would none of him Who rules in that heart The old Tyrant the old lust and corruption as pride and covetousnesse these beare rule every where both in the closet and at the table the husband and the wife and all are proud these will not out but retaine their hold there still And profanenes and contempt of God and his ordinances this is the tyrant that rules in many families and in every coast in our land The father swears and the child sweares the master reviles Gods Ministers and the servant knows the length of his Masters foot and hee railes too and the child heares it and followes the same course If these beare rule in you the Lord Iesus Christ is farre from you May I not complaine as sometime Ieremiah did Ier. 17.13 when the Lord was going from the people the holy prophet looks longly after him and saith O Lord the hope of Israel why art thou as a waifairing man So may wee not iustly complain and say Oh that Christ should come and offer himselfe and not be regarded When the Divell shall drag downe your soules to hell and destruction then you will cry after him and say Oh
Sam. 23.17 When Saul had made a cunning search for David and he was fled Jonathan comes to him and chears him saying I know that my father shall not prevaile against thee but that thou shalt be King over Israel and I shall be next thee Jonathan was Sauls Sonne and he might have said I am my fathers heire and why may not I bee his successor in the kingdome but he loved David and rejoiced in his good and therefore he said Thou shalt be King over Israel and I shall bee next unto thee As if hee should say I am more glad that the Crowne shall be set upon thy head than if it were set upon mine owne for my soule is thereby comforted and refreshed So it is with a good heart that loves Jesus Christ and his grace and his Gospel in truth the happinesse glory and the honour of the Lord Jesus is the greatest good that can befall him wherefore he saith If the Lord may be honoured though I am disgraced I care not it is enough to me if may stand to behold and see it Ioh. 3.26.29 When the Lord Christ began to set forth the frame and glory of the Gospel and to baptize the Disciples of John came to their Master and said Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest witnesse behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him they began to be troubled because the Lord Jesus baptized and the praise went from them as if they had said There is one come that carrieth the hearts of all men after him Now mark what John answered He that hath the Bride is the Bride-groome as if he should say The Lord Christ is the Bride-groome and I am onely the friend of the Bride-groome all my care was to prepare hearts for him and hath he now gotten those hearts and hath he prosperitie then have I enough if I heare that the case goes well with him I have enough let the Lord have the praise that is due to him and let me have whatsoever is due to me 2 Sam. 19.30 when Mephibosheth had been wrongfully accused to David and David had taken away the inheritance from him and was returned in safety so that he saw the Kings face againe David began to comfort him saying Thou and Siba divide the land but marke how he replies Yea saith he let him take all for as much as my Lord the King is come againe in peace It matters not for the inheritance and for my selfe and my life I passe not fith the King is returned in peace it is enough that I enjoy thy presence which is better to me than goods life and liberty So it is with a kinde-loving heart when hee is not able to indure to see Christs honour and glory lye in the dust but if his praise be advanced then he is glad this is a good and loving heart indeed which saith Lord I have enough that Christ is mine and that his honour and glory is magnified Let the world take all if I may have Christ and see him praised and magnified Labour to bring thy soule to this pitch a minister in his place and the master in his place and every Christian in his place let it be all our care not onely to honour God our selves but let it be our comfort if God may be better honoured by others than by our selves This is our basenesse of spirit we can bee content to lift up Christ upon our shoulders that we may lift up our selves by it this too much prevailes amongst all men But be content to lye in the dust that the Lord may be praised though thou be disgraced And though every mans heart goe opposite against thee yet let this content thee if the Lord Jesus may thrive and prosper yea if any of Gods people thrive and prosper more than thou let that be thy onely joy 5. Triall More more it desires union with Christ Lastly it is the nature of sound love to covet a neere union with the thing that is loved and to have a kinde of impatiency and to be restlesse till it doe attaine the greatest measure thereof This flowes directly from the nature of love especially of this love to Christ who is the greatest good love is of a linking and glewing nature will carry the soule with some kind of strength earnestness to injoy full possession and fellowship of the thing that is loved it cannot have enough of it and it is not satisfied with it upon any occasion As it is in reason with a childe Simile happely when the father entertaines him at the table hee gives him a little sweet-meat as some Conserve or the like which is so sweet that he can tast nothing but that and his minde is still upon it that he may receive more of it the father commends this and that and praiseth a third and extols a fourth dish but yet the childe cryes More of this because hee felt the sweetenesse of it So it is with a soule that truly loves Christ when it hath tasted how good the Lord is and hath had a good looke from heaven it covets union not so much with any thing as with that riches honours profits seeme as irksome as may be in regard of that the soul desires nothing so much as this and craves more of Christ more of that mercy and holinesse and grace and love that is in him let the wicked talke what they will of the world if he have that he hath enough Psal 73.25 when David had been doating upon the world and the vanities of it see what he sayth Whom have I in heaven but thee and whom on earth in comparison of thee and then see what followes hee bids adieu to the world and sayth in the last verse It is good for me to draw neere unto God as if he had said Let the ambitious belly-gods have their pleasure drinke and swill and goe downe to hell But oh let mee have that mercy and that good which God hath provided for and will bestow upon those that love him You shall observe it Joh. 20.15 16 17. Mary was a marvellous loving woman and therefore when Christ said to her Woman why weepest thou whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the Gardiner saith unto him Sir if thou hast borne him hence tell me where thou hast laid him I will take him away She would be content to have the dead body of her Saviour rather than none at all But when the Lord Jesus had revealed himselfe to her in the 16 verse shee said Rabboni and when she saw it was he she flies upon him and with marvellous violence embraceth him for so the text is to be conceived though hee forbad her to touch him because hee was not yet ascended saying Doe I once possesse thee againe I will never part with thee any more thus she held him by the feet till he checked her because shee
the soule more ready and fit to receive the evidence of Gods love to be exprest to the soule which thou canst not have so exprest to thee except thou have this godly sorrow 1 Joh. 1.9 If wee confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse he speaks there of them that now had faith yet shewes that before the Lord would seale to the man that hath faith the assurance of the pardon of his sinnes hee will make him humble and cry and sorrow for them and as to live comfortably so sorrowfully too as 1 King 8.38 2 Chron. 6.36 If the people returne to thee in the land of their captivitie and pray unto thee saying We have sinned we have done amisse and have dealt wickedly then heare thou in heaven c. When the Lord seeth their hearts humbled for their sinnes and sorrowfull for them then hee seales up the pardon of them So then the way to have this assurance is to have this frame of spirit here spoken of Thirdly this godly sorrow ought to bee continually in such as have this love of Christ that so our hearts may be carried with a more deadly hatred of sinne These are the benefits of godly sorrow and if a man sorrow not for sinne he will not sorrow for the wrong and dishonour done to God by other sinfull men as David Psal 119.136 Rivers of waters runne downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy law EZech. 9.4 The Lord sayd to the Angel Goe and set a marke upon the foreheads of all the men that sigh and that cry for all the abhominations that be done in the midst thereof Now how can a man mourn for the abhominations of others when he hath not the heart to mourne for it in his owne soule Ob. But some will say Must we never rejoyce in the Lord Ans I answer Yes I say sorrow daily for thy sinnes and yet daily rejoyce in thy Saviour and the more thy heart is broken for the one the more thou wilt be comforted by the other Thou that makest no matter of being sensible of the body of death that hangs upon thee and hast no care to bee sensible of thy owne failings take heed that the Lord give thee not up for ever to thy owne basenesse to be rushed headlong into some vile scandalous courses and so thou perish for ever as wee finde by experience many by this meanes have growne the most profane creatures that ever lived And this is the damnable heresie of the Familists The fourth sort is the vain-glorious hypocrite and hee is marvellous zealous for God and his truth in outward appearance That God may bee honoured and his Gospel advanced it is admirable what he will do he will hazzard himselfe his life his estate and all nay be content not to live if he may but leave a little vaine breath after him Wee know what vaine-glory doth amongst the Papists who that they may be canonized for Saints will endure any thing and suffer death it selfe this vain-glory is above life and all Simile As some great Courtiers will doe by a man that they meane to make a booty of they make him their onely favorite and expresse a great deale of kindnesse to him that hee may helpe them to more honour and glory So this wretch doth lift up the Gospel that the Gospel may advance him and fill his sailes full of winde therefore he will doe great matters for this end that hee may receive glory from it Even as the Stage-player that sets up a great stage that he may be above the people Another so it is with a vain-glorious wretch prayer is a good stage and fasting and hearing and preaching are very fine stages for him upon which he acts his part that others may see him that glory may come to him and not that the glory and grace of Christ may bee extolled hee would lift up himselfe to heaven and cast downe Christ to hell Such an one was Saul when Samuel gave him the left hand and would not go with him into the Citie 1 Sam. 15.30 He said I have sinned yet honour me I pray thee before the people and turne again with me that I may worship the Lord thy God Walke with me and then the people will say Oh what good friends they bee surely hee is a good man the Prophet goes with him It is a great honour to those that are wise because they are willing to joyne side with those that are holy and gracious so Saul will honour Samuel that Samuel may honour him and that he may stand upon his shoulders as it were that the people may say See how inward they are and what a good man hee is the Prophet goes on with him but the turne and the issue of the hypocrite is this it is meerly for himselfe which will appeare thus If once the winde begin to turne and the gale of honour grow somewhat cold and other men are a little lifted up so that he may not bee in the fore-front or if his profession will not carry him out with honour but his credit is laid in the dust and hee sees hee cannot get honour his heart dies in him and he saith It is as good to leave off all and if he cannot get glory from the Gospel either hee will grow desperately wicked and oppose the Gospell and joyne side with the wicked and helpe them or else he will flagge and die in a base carnall course and come to nothing and that 's the best of him This hath been the bane of many men who when they have missed of the glory that they lookt for from the Gospel they have become persecuters These men deal with Christ as the Inne-keeper doth with his guests If a man will pay the Ordinarie Simile he is welcome but if once his money faile hee turnes him out of doores so if Christ will pay his Ordinary and if hee may have credit and honour so as men may say he hath good parts and that he fasts more than the world knowes I say if the Gospel will give him this Ordinary it is welcome and he is carried on cheerfully but if Christ and the Gospel will not give him that which hee would have hee turnes his backe upon it The Lord Jesus convince your hearts of it I take this to be the state of a great many but a gracious heart is of another straine or temper Happely God hath given a man parts and gifts and credit and yet if the Lord withdraw himselfe a good soule saith as John did Joh. 3.40 Hee must encrease I must decrease so a good heart saith If another man deserve and have more than I yet let this proud heart licke the dust and never lift up it selfe if the Lord Jesus may encrease and have his honour and glory let me be trodden in the dust this is a heart worth gold
depended too much upon his outward presence Touch mee not saith the Text for I am not yet ascended thou shalt enjoy my presence before I part with thee but as yet be not so earnest so it is expressed 1 Cor. 7.1 This is a lively expression of that love and joy which many poore soules are possessed withall after they have waited long for mercie and God is pleased to refresh them therewith many times they begin to lose their sleepe and meat and begin to be lightened by it because they are ever holding of it till they almost overthrow themselves with it Simile As it is with parties that have lived long together in one house whose affections are linked together in the way of marriage they will ever desire to be talking together and ever to be drawing on to the marriage So it is with the soule that loves the Lord Jesus hath this holy affection kindled and his spirit enlarged therein when the Lord hath let in some glimpse of his love he thinks the houre sweet when hee prayeth to the Lord Christ and hath a great deale of sweet conference with his Saviour he thinks that Lords day marvellous sweet wherein God revealeth by the power of his holy ordinance any of that rich grace and mercy of his It is admirable to see how the heart will be delighted to reckon the time and place and meanes when and where the Lord did reveale it and the soule saith Oh this is good oh that I might ever be thus cheared and refreshed it cannot have enough of this if it might have what it would but as David Ps 84.2 3. saith My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Yea the sparrow hath found an house and the swallow a nest for her selfe where she may lay her young even thine Altars O Lord of Hosts my King and my God as if hee had said Goe you blessed birds you may build your nests by the Altar of my God and come into his house Lord am not I as good as birds His heart was marvellously inflamed with the want of that which he loved Nay in Luke 2.29 good old Simeon had his heart so enlarged to Christ that hee could have been content to depart this life so hee might have his fill of Christ The spouse that is contracted thinkes every day a yeare till she enjoy her beloved Oh sayth she would that day were come that I might injoy him and take full satisfaction to my soule in him so it is with a loving soul that hath been truly humbled and enlightned is now contracted to Jesus Christ how it longs after him Oh when will that day be saith it that I shall ever bee with him who is best of all it takes hold of every word it heares every promise that reveales any thing of Christ but oh when will that day bee that I shall ever bee with Christ This is the highest pitch of Saint Pauls speech Phil. 1.23 For I am in a straight betweene two having a desire to depart and to bee with Christ which is best of all as if hee had said that I may ever be with that mercy and grace and spirit that is in Christ and be filled with his fulnesse for ever and ever This is the frame of the soule that is in love with Christ yea this is the strong and glewing nature of love that it will make a man desire to be with the thing loved though hee must undergoe never so great misery to obtaine it as Gen. 37.35 when Jacobs sonnes brought the party-coloured coat to their father he sayd It is my sonnes coat an evill beast hath devoured him and he rent his cloaths and put sack-cloth upon his loines and mourned for his sonne many dayes And all his sonns and all his daughters rose up to comfort him but he refused to be comforted and he said For I will goe downe into the grave unto my sonne mourning he had rather be in the grave than not to be with his son Joseph If a womans husband be in prison it is her wonderfull griefe that it is so but most of all that she may not be with him there Thus also is it with the soule that entirely loves Christ it is content to goe to the prison with him and saith Let mee bee with Christ though hee bee persecuted It is his griefe that Christ is persecuted but it is a greater griefe that hee may not bee with him in persecution As the Spouse Cantic 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his and as the wife saith Husband let the world doe and say what they will thou art mine and I am thine So the soule saith mercy is mine and Christ is mine if I may have that I have enough but without it I cannot be quieted Secondly there is an holy impatience and restlessenesse of spirit when it cannot come to close with Christ Oh it is good to expresse the earnest desire of the soule to Christ though he seeme to hide his face away and to forbid the banes of asking Thus it appeares what it is to love the Lord Jesus Use 3. Now the pill is sugered Reproofe of them that love not Christ in truth it will go downe the better therefore now let us come to the use of reproofe and this is as a swift witnesse to accuse as a Judge to condemne many in the world this is sufficient to shake the heart and to make the hearts of most that live in the bosome of the Church to sinke at the very sight of their wofull condition in whose heart this blessed grace of God was never yet received I meane that never loved the Lord Jesus woe to their soules yea this is the greatest part of their woe that though they doe not love Christ yet they doe not thinke so nay they will not be perswaded to it This is the cunning that the Divell useth to deceive poore soules withall because these affections are secret and inward neither discover themselves evidently to the heart further than practise goes therefore they think others know them not and here they rest they lean upon a cōpany of sottish delusions which will faile them thus they and their hopes perish for ever Wicked men cannot but confesse their owne vilenesse that their communications are vaine and their fall scandalous but this is that which salves all they say their lives are so indeed but they love the Lord Jesus with all their hearts When these wretches have sworne by their Saviour and have torne his sacred body in sunder with their oathes and blasphemies yet they love Christ with their souls poore deluded sinfull men Now for the better convincing of these men first let me make it good that most men have not this love of Christ and so lay the inditement Secondly let me plead the inditement and shew who they are that have it not
Most in the Church love not Christ First most that are in the world yea that live in the bosome of the Church have not their hearts carried in love to God but in a hatred and desperate opposition to the Lord Jesus as in Joh. 1.3 4. In him was life and the life was the light of the world The Lord Jesus was the life and light of the promise and that promise of life was a way to lead men on to eternall happinesse this light shineth to the dark world but they comprehend it not as it is in vers 11. Hee came unto his owne and his owne received him not His owne by reason of their priviledges and the badge of the ordinances his owne because they by profession took his name upon them as the Churches of the Gentiles are Gods owne by the outward not the inward covenant of Sanctification or in the aime of Election We take up the profession of his Gospel and yet we will not take up the Lord Jesus Christ that he may make us Christians His owne received him not those that were baptized and had received the Sacrament The Lord Jesus comes and knockes at each mans doore but few entertaine him Nay I would not outspeake the truth for they are the words of sobriety and it grieveth me to speake it The most men upon earth hate Christ more than sinne I had almost said it and yet I had almost thought it unfit to be spoken though they are the words of our Saviour Wicked men hate the Lord Jesus more than either sinne or the Divel himselfe Good Lord be mercifull to us what a misery is this that ever any man should be created by him and receive mercy from him and yet love the Divel and sinne more than him But some will say as Hazael did to the Prophet 2 King 8.12 Doe you thinke we are such dogges that having received such mercy from the Lord Jesus we should doe so Yes for so saith Elisha to him I know the evill that thou wilt doe to the children of Israel their strong holds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt dash their children and rip up their women with child So I say and the Spirit knowes it is so in the hearts of most men this day You know it not you thinke it not but your hearts are more vile than you can imagine Wee know the greatest evill of all is sinne for the Divell himselfe is not to be loathed but for sinne and for it onely This is the condemnation saith our Saviour in John 3.19 that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather than light because their deeds were evill That men loved darknesse more than light and more than Christ nay more than mercy and grace that was tendered the case is cleare it was so and is so will be so I say it is most certaine that they love their lusts and corruptions more then Christ and the temptations and delusions of Satan more than the good motions of the Spirit Now we have laid the indictment therefore in the second place let us plead it And the severall sorts of them 2. Secondly who are they that hate Christ We must name the men therfore we refer them to three rankes First all open enemies to Christ Secondly all glozing Neuters of the world Thirdly all fawning hypocrites 1. First the open enemies of Christ and they are many such as Saint Steven spake of Act. 7.51 saying Yee stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart and cares ye doe alwaies resist the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe yee They that set their mouthes against heaven and stand in open defiance against the Lord Jesus and the power of his grace may be referred to two heads First those whom our Saviour mentions Mat. 21.34 speaking of the Vineyard Open enemies of Christs two sorts When the time of the fruit drew neere he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it And the husbandmen tooke his servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another But last of all he sent unto them his son saying They will reverence my sonne But when the husbandmen saw the sonne they said among themselves This is the heire come let us kill him This is an intimation of the Scribes and Pharisees The Church was the vineyard the servants sent out were the Ministers and Prophets and the Sonne is Christ Jesus now when Christ came they said with one consent and voice This is the heire come let us kill him Doe you thinke that these kind of men are all dead that have such a kind of spirit Surely no there are many Leaders of the Divels camp aswell Ministers as others But if you aske me what entertainement their lusts have I say they have all the welcome that can be occasions come not corruptions within their hearts stirre not and the Divels temptations allure not so soone but these miserable sinfull wretches give all the kinde welcome that can be unto them nay they invite their villanies they provide for them yea and seeke for all occasions that they may sinne the Adulterer loves the twilight and the coveteous man his money their mindes are ever puffing and their affections labouring to contrive all occasions that may give all possible contentment to their vile corruptions and it is no marvell though they have so long continued in their sins seeing they give such good entertainment to them But if you aske mee how they entertaine Christ Enmity against Christ shewed three wayes let me shew it by two things you shall see them up in armes and at deadly hate with him For first they oppose the word of God the ministry of the word is the ministery of the truth it would open the eyes and come home to the conscience and take away their sinnes but they contemne it and marke upon this what an uproare there is they take up armes striving to put out the light that would shew them their sinnes beating backe the truth and labouring that it may not rule their lives They are such as our Saviour speaks of Luk. 19.27 Bring hither those mine enemies that would not have me rule over them and slay them before my face They oppose themselves against that truth that would plucke the cup from the Drunkards mouth and the whore from the Adulterers armes their hearts swell for anger and they scorne to bee under the power thereof Nay they not onely withdraw themselves from yeelding obedience to the holinesse of the word but they will not so much as acknowledge the truth of it which the Divels themselves did Act. 16.16 17. when Paul and Silas were preaching the word of truth the Divels sayd These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation The Divels could doe all this yet these men will neither be informed