Divine Drops Diſtilled from the FOUNTAIN OF Holy Scriptures: Delivered in ſeveral Exerciſes before SERMONS, upon Twenty and three Texts of Scripture.
By that worthy Goſpel Preacher Gual•er Cradock, Late Preacher at All-Hallows Great in London.
London, Printed by R. W. for Rapha Harford, at the Bible in Queens Head Alley, neer Pater-noſter Row. 1650.
THou art here preſented with a little Work, intituled, Divine Drops: Drops indeed they may be called, being but ſmall in quantity; but Divine and Spiritual for their quality, as thou ſhalt eaſily perceive, if thou peruſe them with a ſpiritual eye. They were ſeveral ſhort Exerciſes of the worthy Author, delivered in publike before his Sermons; wherein thou ſhalt finde many Goſpel Truths, which may not onely tend to thy ſpiritual profit, but delight, the work being interwoven with variety of ſubjects. It is like a pleaſant Garden, wherein thou mayeſt gather choice of ſpiritual flowers: In one Bed thou ſhalt finde the juſt anger of God provoked by ſin, in another, the confidence of the Saints in God their refuge; in another, the Hypocrite diſcovered; in another, the comfort of Gods people proclaimed; in another, (if I may ſo ſpeak without offence) the ſpiritual fondneſs between God and his Saints deſcribed; and in all, that which may by the help of Gods Spirit, tend to thy comfort and edification.
I had ſpared my pains in prefacing, but being informed, that ſome (though very unworthily) have incenſed the Author againſt the publiſhing of theſe things: For the Vindication of it, and my ſelf, I have adventured theſe few lines. The work was not gotten out of my hands, without the importunity of divers godly men; who having formerly enjoyed the miniſtery of this Reverend Preacher; and now being deprived of it by his abſence, ſince they could not enjoy him as they would, deſired to have him preſent, as they might, namely, in the peruſal of ſome of his works; and I hope that ſhall not offend him, that may do ſo many good. Good is of a diffuſive nature, and the better the good, the more it is communicated. Some petty good things may be impropriated in the hands of a few, but the beſt, even natural good things (without which Creatures cannot ſubſist) are common to all, as the Sun, and the Air, &c. Good actions of good men (eſpecially that are intended for the publike) are like the motion of the water, wherein a ſtone is caſt; there appears firſt a little circle, which grows greater and greater, till it have overſpred the whole. And though theſe precious Truths were at firſt delivered in publike, yet the Walls of one Church could not contain many hundreds; whereas now by this means, the benefit may reach many thouſands. And as Iob ſpeaks of corporal food, the loyns of the poor bleſſed him for it; ſo I doubtJob 31. 20. not, but the ſouls of many poor Chriſtians may have cauſe to bleſs the Author for theſe ſpiritual Viands, who never ſaw his face; and being written for the Generation to come, the people whichPſal. 102 18. ſhall be created ſhall praiſe the Lord.
It is true, the Word of God in the hearing of it, is like milk immediately drawn from the breſt, that hath more ſtrength, and ſpirits in it, then after it hath ſtood in the veſſel; yet hearing is tranſient, and the memory trecherous and frail, and apt to let good things ſlip: Therefore, though the Prieſts and Levites had the Book of the Law, yet God commands the King to write him out a copy of it, that he mightDeut. 17. 18. have recourſe to it all the days of his life. Many excellent Proverbs of Solomon, it is likely, had been loſt (as ſome other of his Works are) had not the men of Hezekiah, King of Judah,Prov. 25. 1. copied them out. And I am ſure, of late days, the Works of many worthy Men**Dr. Preſton, Dr. Sibbs, Mr. Shute, Mr. Ramſden, &c. , had been drowned in oblivion, had they not floated in ſuch an Ark as this; and for ought I know, the Truths here preſented, had been uſeful to none, but thoſe that heard them, had they not been preſerved this way. And if for our unfruitfulneſs, our Halcion days ſhould be turned into ſuch as were the Marian times; who knows what ſweetneſs may ſecretly be ſucked from ſuch breſts of conſolation? Iſal. 66. 11.
I confeſs, had the Author publiſhed the things himſelf, it is likely they might have been more exactly adorned for circumſtance; but it is his own expreſsion, That Goſpel ſpiritual Truths have that ſelf excellency, that they have no more need of the Embroidery of humane learning, then a ſuite of Skarlet to be laid with Copper Lace. The things are ſubſtantial, ſolid, and ſerious, ſet forth in the Authors own Language and Phraſe, without alteration, only repetitions omitted, and not them neither, where they are emphatical: And I am confident, whoever heard them delivered, ſhall finde his very veſtigia in the reading of them, as many have acknowledged, that in reading his former Book publiſhed, they called to minde what they had heard, though there were the diſtance of ſome yeers between.
I have not (not ever did, in any mans works) taken the boldneſs to adde one piece of a ſentence, or to diminiſh ought. The Leſſons are wholſom and cordial; thou ſhalt herein finde no lethal Gourd, that any ſhould cry out, There is2 King 4 40. death in the Pot. If there be any material error, I deſire to bear the blame; if there be any literal faults, let the Printer own them; if neither, let them blame themſelves, who (without cauſe) have endevored to prejudice the Work.
For my own particular, had I aymed at private gain, I could have imployed my time and pains with advantage that way in other things; but he who knoweth the heart, knoweth I intended the publike good in it; and if a Chriſtian muſt forgive his brother to ſeventyMat. 18. 22. times ſeven times, when perhaps ſometimes he may wilfully offend, I hope I ſhall eaſily obtain pardon, who if I have offended, it is in that, wherein I expected encouragement; and if I be evil ſpoken of for this, it is for that, for which2 Cor. 10. 3. I give thanks. I ſhall detain thee no longer from the matter, but commend it to thy ſerious and judicious Conſideration; and it, and thee, to the bleſsing of him, who onely can give increaſe to all good endevors, and reſt
MY intention is not to expound this Scripture, but onely at this time to take occaſion from the main drift of it, to inſtruct you a little in that we are about. The main drift of it, is this, That here the Lord by the Prophet threatens many, and grievous judgments that ſhould come upon this people; you ſhall ſee who they are in the Chapter. I ſay they were many, and they were ſore and grievous: And the Lord doth begin (as his uſual maner is) with ſome firſt, and with the leaſt; and when the people would not turn to him that ſmote them, then the Lord would ſend another plague on them: For that is the meaning of that phraſe, His hand is ſtretched out ſtill. They went on2 in wickedneſs, and then the Lord ſends another plague, His hand is ſtretched out ſtill. The ſtretching out of Gods hand is the executing of judgment upon wicked people uſually: So that he goes on with very fore judgments, as here in this Chapter it is ſaid, A man ſhall eat the fleſh of his own arm, and yet the hand of the Lord is ſtretched out ſtill. A man would think that were the ſoreſt that could be; a man would think that were enough, yet notwithſtanding the hand of the Lord is ſtretched out ſtill.
It is the maner of God throughout the Scripture,The maner of Gods proceeding to, and in judgments. to defer judgments a long while before they come, and when they come, he ſends them by degrees; but when they come, uſually they are many, and ſore; and it is uncertain when they will end, as we ſee in Levit. 26. Amos 4. Iſai. 5. And here, and in ſome of the Chapters following, His hand is ſtretched out ſtill.
Juſt ſo (beloved) it is with us at this time, as I ſhallApplication to our times. ſhew you briefly, (for I told you I would not expound, but take a word to quicken your hearts, and mine, that we may ſpeak unto the Lord more adviſedly.) You know, a little while agone, we thought that the Lord was coming to end the wars. The Lord gave us victory upon victory, after many corrections, and judgments before; and we thought they were now over, but we were deceived, as we were many times before. You know God hath been many times about to end our miſeries, but he hath ſent back for his mercies, and ſo he hath done now; he hath very ſtrangely called back his mercies, and loving kindneſs, and hath ſtretched out his hand many ways againſt us. 3God begins to raiſe up enemies again, and to ſtrengthen them; he ſuffers the enemy to break in among us, beſides all expectation: And how long, or how far God will ſtretch out his hand that way, who knoweth?
Let me deal plainly with you: For this day weThe cauſe of Gods judgment to be ſought in our ſelves. ſhould deal plainly with God, and our own ſouls; and however through the week we look for Reaſons and Cauſes of things in a natural way, who followed, and who were the Commanders, and what were the Forces, and the like: yet it ſhould be the buſineſs of this day to judg of things ſpiritually, to ſee ſpiritual Reaſons.
And here we ſee in this Chapter, and many ſuch, That God ſtretcheth out his hand, while there is ſome continuation of ſins, or ſome new provocation againſt the Lord; therefore, (it may be God hath many more ends in it, as doubtleſs he hath, but) certainly there is ſome ſtrange provocation of God among us, that the Lord deals ſo with us again. And all this, that we may now ſee, that the miſeries that are beginning to riſe, they are but the ſtretching out of Gods hand: It is GodsThoſe are wilful, provoking ſins. hand; and as of private perſons, ſo of publike Nations; it is not common frailties that grieve the Spirit, but ſome wilful wickedneſs. When a man hath ſin at the ſlaves end, and yet lets it come in to his boſome, and when he ſees ſin through the Key-hole, and yet opens the door, and lets it come in: So in a Nation it is not frailties and weakneſs; there will be whoredom, and drunkenneſs (though theſe provoke God.) It is not ſo much this, as ſome wicked provocations of God that are among us. Therefore4 in a word give me leave a little to tell you what I conceive, what I fear rather, what is the reaſon why God afreſh and anew ſtretcheth out his arme, when we thought his ſword was half put up, yet now it comes out again, and God knows how far it will go, or how long it will continue.
Beloved, we ſhould be born with in ſearching our ſelves, and beholding and confeſsing our ſins, and the ſins of thoſe that are among us, eſpecially in ſuch days as theſe, unleſſe we will deale hypocritically with God, and proclaim a faſt day, and come to humble your ſouls, and no man look after his own ſins, and men not be allowed to bewaile the common ſins. I was conſidering, that the Saints before, confeſſed their own ſins, and the ſins of others, of their Princes, and Magiſtrates, and great ones; and the true prophets were bold to tell them alſo of their ſins. Therefore though I delight not (God he knoweth) of any thing to ſpeak of mens ſins; and if I do, the Lord he knoweth, I am more willing thorow hisWhat they are among us. grace to ſee my own then any mans ſins, and to ſpeak of them and bewaile them. Therefore I ſay, I hope you will bear with me if I tell you my heart (if I now were on my death-bed) what I think (according to this bleſſed book) provokes the Lord that now ſo terribly he threatneth us again when we thought his anger was over. Therefore I pray hear me, I ſhall be brief.
The firſt thing that I fear highly provokes God among1. A formal practice of penltential duties. us (and as long as we ſtretch out this line of ſin, he will ſtretch out the line of wrath) That is, our formall humiliation, and repentance, and faſting and ſuch5 like things. I do not ſpeak (neither can any man that hath charity think I ſpeak) againſt humiliation, or repentance, or faſting, I deſire to practiſe it: but our humiliation, and faſting, and praying, and repentance, and theſe things, they grow every day more formall then other, that truly there is almoſt nothing but formality in the eye of ſpirituall Chriſtians, and they begin to loath it, how much more the Lord who is a pure Spirit, whoſe eyes are brighter then the Sun? In Iſay 1. you ſhall read that the Lord puniſhed, and chaſtiſed the people, that there was no whole part in them from the crown of the head to the ſole of the foot. Juſt as you do with an untoward childe, one while you ſtrike him on the head, another while you whip him, another while you cudgell him on the ſhoulders, till at laſt the childe be all bruiſed and wounded: ſo the Lord ſent for the Aſſyrians, he ſent ſickneſſe and famine, that the Lord had not left an inch whole, and the people were very devout for all that; they faſted, and prayed, and the Lord ſixteen times in that Chapter ſaith, I will none of them, away with them, they are an abomination to me, they are iniquity. They were ſo far from being reconciled to God by this kinde of faſting and humiliation, and the like, that doubtleſſe they provoke God as much, if not more then any other way. Therefore bleſſed is that man or woman that mournes for this, not onely on this day, but ſecretly before the Lord, this formality. I fear the Lord may ſay to us as to thoſe people in Iſay 65. this people take upon them to be holy, I am holier then thou, yet they are like ſmoke in my noſtrills all the day long. I fear our faſt dayes are the moſt ſmoky dayes in Gods noſtrills of6 all the dayes of the yeer. Therefore the Lord open our eyes, and the Lord finde a way to deliver us from formality in theſe things: If not, I fear the hand of God will be ſtretched out more and more. That is one thing that in my ſerious thoughts I think God is offended with.
Secondly, as our formall humiliation, ſo our feigned reformation. It is the ſcriptures word as Calvin ſhews,2 A feigned reformation. of reformation, It is that you have in Ierem. 3. 10. ſaith the Lord, I corrected Iſrael, yet for all this her treacherous ſiſte Iudah did not turn to me with her whole heart, but feignedly. Here is a great deal of ſtirre about reformation, here is a great deal of cry, but a little reality. Look to our congregations, to our ordinances, to every thing among us, you may put all in a little piece of paper; There is a great deal of ſtirre about the Sacrament, and the mixed multitude, and the Service ▪ book, and I know not what. We muſt ſpeak plainly before the Lord this day, there is a great deal of ſtirre, and abundance of people ſlain in the world, and ruined, and plundered, and Towns burnt, and all for reformation, and people think there is a glorious reformation, but God knows where it is, only there is a great ſtirre about it: therefore I ſay let every honeſt heart mourne before the Lord, we have ſhed reall blood, we have paid reall money we have taken reall paines, and brought upon people a world of miſerie, they have need to have ſome reall reformation, that they may have ſome reality. I ſpeak but a word, I deſire you even before the Lord that ye would think more of this then I ſpeak.
The third thing among us that I fear draws out3. Vices of miniſters.7 Gods hand ſtill, it is the flattery, and pride, and covetouſneſs, and apoſtaſy of divers miniſters, Their flattery, that is, divers now are grown ſo wiſe and ſo diſcreet now in ſuch a time as this, when the Lord would teach us to ſee our ſins with a maul as we ſay, yet we will not ſpeak, we will not deal plainly, we will not tell men of their ſins: We have opportunity to tell Magiſtrates, and great ones, they would be told, and be thankfull: but we are apt to ſooth them, and to flatter them, and if they humour us as we would have them, they are brave men, zealous men, Oh, it is a ſad thing! Then the pride and height of miniſters every day growing more and more, eſpecially after a little victory, there is a deal of preaching, and ſtatelineſs. I have no pleaſure to ſpeak of theſe things, but I deſire that we ſhould be wiſer.
And ſuch covetouſneſs, ſuch ſhifting wayes to multipliy livings, and to get eſtates in the world; theſe are too palpable.
Then the apoſtaſy of miniſters, There are diverſe miniſters that were comforts to Gods people before in the Biſhops times, that would preach the will of God, and comfort poor people: now there is nothing left but railing againſt Gods people, calling them Hereticks, and ſchiſmaticks, that it is a wonder to think. God ſees this grow more and more, and if he ſhould end our war and give us peace, we were undone. God will keep it up to help to pull down the pride, and covetouſneſs, and ambition of Miniſters, to bring them down low to love their brethren, and to love honeſt hearts as before. The Lord do it, or elſe this war will never end, or the end will be as bad as if it had never ended.
8Another thing I fear, that there is a generall (put4. Hardneſs of heart. me in if you will: for I may put in my ſelf) hardneſs of heart, that grows on us againſt reproof; people even Chriſtians are grown ſo peeviſh that no body muſt reprove, or admoniſh one another for matter of judgement or life; none muſt tell another his fault, if he do, they will quarrell preſently, he thatPro. 29. 1. hardeneth his neek, being oft reprooved, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy. When men will not be told, magiſtrates, and miniſters, and people when they harden themſelves daily that it is enough to impriſon a man with ſome kinde of people in the moſt loving, and ſincere way in the world to tell them of their faults. This is the time when a man is made an offender for a word, This is a miſerie: the Lord give us hearts like the bleeding heart of Ieremiah, Jer. 9. that we may weep and mourne in ſecret for it.
Then fiftly, that that provokes God highly (I fear)5. The vices of Officers. is the covetouſneſs, and ſelf-ſeeking, and perfidiouſneſs, among Commanders, and Officers, That provokes God; as in reaſon it drew on the war, as in Germanie, the Mercinary ſouldiers; ſo alſo in a ſpirituall ſenſe. And it is to be feared that men grow to make a trade of war, and he that can get a good place, the longer the war holds the better it is, and ſo they have deviſes to make good his eſtate while he is in; and people learn every day to make a miſerable vertue of neceſſity, to make a ſweet, and fine life of our miſeries, and when they come to the work, then ſuch a one betrayed ſuch a Town, and ſuch a one betrayed ſuch a Caſtle, and ſuch a one ran away from the Field, that coſt ten thouſand pounds before he came there. As it troubles us in9 ſenſe, and reaſon, ſo it provokes God; and Gods end to keep on the war may be to diſcover theſe wretches more and more, and to bring them to ruine. Therefore if there be any Officer, or Committee man, or Souldier here, whatſoever thou art, thou art a curſed man if thy heart delight in riches, and wealth that thou getteſt when they poor brethren and ſiſters are ready to periſh in this time of need. Take heed, it provokes God, and draws out the hand of God anew, and God knowes how far it will be drawn out.
Then alſo there is another thing that I fear (for I6. Breaches and diviſions among the Saints. ſpeak of great things, not of ordinary frailties) that is the tuchineſs, and diviſions among the Saints, that daily multiply and increaſe, and are no way cloſed, and ſome talk, but there are few that take a ſerious courſe to cloſe them in any meaſure. Now theſe diviſions, and wranglings among the Saints, (whereas the Saints ſhould be at peace, and by being ſo honour Chriſt by their union) by theſe open diviſions, many turn ſeekers, and many down right atheiſts. The Lord will not bear this, he will whip them together, Wo to thee that art a profeſſor, that delighteſt in having any thing to diſſent from thy brethren: ſome people are never well, but when they have crotchets wherein they diſſent from their brethren with delight: wo to thee, thou haſt a foul curſed heart; and though it be a truth and thou muſt needs diſſent from them, yet it would be a ſorrow to diſſent if thou hadſt a godly heart.
Seventhly, ſuch a deal of blaſphemy, ſuch hereſies, for7. Hereſy & blaſphemy. I may call them ſo (if any thing) ſuch errours, and groſſe ones increaſe daily, and hugely increaſe among10 thoſe that ſeemed to be godly once and profeſſors, as denying the ſcriptures, denying Chriſt Ieſus, denying the reſurrection, calling God every thing, and every thing God, confounding God and the creature together, and abundance of ſuch hideous blaſphemous things, and they grow on wofully, eſpecially in our City: theſe things highly provoke God, the Lord give us hearts, to mourne for them.
Then there is another thing all along, I fear, that provo•s God, that is, the oppreſsion of the poor Saints8 Oppreſſion. both in ſoul and body: that throughout this Kingdom as far as ever I could ſee or hear, in all theſe wars in any Town or City, if there be half a dozen poor Saints, they pay as much as the Malignants to our men, and the other ſide come, and ruine them; I never heard that they paid leſs, but more, beſide loanes, and contributions. Theſe things go high, and though we take no notice of it, there is one that takes notice of the cry of the oppreſſed, and the widdow.
And then our ſelf-love, and hardneſſe of heart againſt the poor Saints in their diſtreſs, that every one thinks9. Self-love and hard ▪ heartedneſſe. they have help too little for themſelves, and their families. Indeed we did help one another a little in the beginning of theſe troubles; but now the miſeries are ſo many, and ſo many are in diſtreſs, that we do not look after them, but let them do as they can. And this is too rife in this city, that we have not a conſtant care of thoſe poor people among us that are either ſtrangers or inhabitants that are ready to periſh with want in theſe times. And it is the generall diſpoſition of people in this City, that if they can get the enemy three or fourſcore miles off, if they can keep the enemy at11 Newark, or in Wales, or in the Weſt in Cornwall, they care not, they lay it not to heart: but if he come to Hertford-ſhire, or Cambridge ▪ ſhire, then they will do any thing, they will lend or give. There is a great deal of ſelf-love, and of hardneſſe to poore people. Why ſhould we not pity the poor Saints in the North, as thoſe in Hertfordſhire? There are many, and many poor children. We have not bowels of compaſſion, and in my apprehenſion that little there is, is ſhutting up more and more.
There is another thing, and ſo let me draw to an10. Prevarication in calling evill good and è contrario. end, and that is a thing that grows among us wofully, it amazeth me, and in my conſcience it would amaze me if I were a carnall man, if I were as once I was in the ſtate of nature. What is that? you have learned a way to pervert, to call evill good, and good evil, both for things and perſons, againſt light and conſcience. This is grown ordinary, as it is ſaid in Iſaiah, ſaith he, therefore Gods hand is ſtretched out, why ſo? They call evill good, and good evil. We are as he ſaid Rome was, let a man ſtay in Rome that knowes how to turn black to white and white to black: ſo, many times people raile at things that in their conſcience are the wayes, and the will, and the things of God. And ſuch a perſon; becauſe he is not favored in the world, when they come in company, and ſee every body raile at him, they will do ſo too. There are few people that in all places, and companies, ſpeak as they think. The truth and right is, this grows wofully, therefore the hand of the Lord muſt be ſtretchedout ſtill.
There is one thing more that I will not nor11. Apoſtaſy.12 cannot ſay poſitively it is ſo, but if it ſhould be ſo, I am ſure it provokes God highly, that is, a kind of a generall apoſtaſy (I fear) in the City of London, examine your ſelves. The City of London a few yeers ago was famous over the world for their zeale, and readineſs. What a deal a do there was to get Arms, and to lend Plate, and if there were a Malignant, you had him to juſtice: then the zeal of the City of London quickened up the Parliament: but now the zeal of the Parliament may rather quicken the City of London, that is my thoughts and my fear. Therefore I wiſh that you would not make a mocking work of this, when you talk of humiliation, and faſting, and keep people from their trading; let us deal really with our ſelves, and if it be thus, let us deſire the Lord to help us to our firſt works, and our firſt love, and zeale for God and his people.
IN the Chapter before, you ſhall read,The coherence of the words. That the Prophet did pronounce ſore judgments againſt the enemies of God and his people; to wit, againſt Moab. And the judgment ſhould be ſo ſore; that the Lord ſaith, He will come forth againſt them, juſt as a man ſpreds his arms abroad to ſwim: So God would open his arms (as it were) to ſmite them; and he would tread them down like ſtraw for the Dung-hill.
And in this Chapter, the Prophet comforts the Saints, the believers: he gives them ſome comfort to ſupport their Spirits, when the Lord ſhould come in judgment againſt the wicked.
In that day ſhall this ſong be ſung in the Land of Judah; we have a ſtrong City, &c.
God will do two things for his people in the day of his wrath, againſt his enemies.
Firſt, he will make them to ſing: In that day ſhall14 this ſong be ſung in the Land of Judah. The world oft ſing, when the Saints mourn; and therefore the world ſhall mourn, when the Saints ſhall ſing.
And another thing is, In that day, when the Lord ſhall open his arms as a ſwimmer for judgment: The Saints ſhall have a ſtrong City, or Gariſon, or Refuge to go to, where they ſhall be ſafe. We have a ſtrong City (that ſhall be their ſong) Salvation will God appoint for Walls, and for Bulwarks.
Now, it ſhall not be an outward City, or an outward Gariſon; but the Lord will give them a ſpiritual Gariſon: The ſalvation of the Lord ſhall be to them as Walls, and Bulwarks. So that beloved, in few words, this is the leſſon that I would learn thorowly, and would have you to learn from this Verſe, that
In all the troubles, and calamities that are in this world,Obſervation. God a ſweet refuge. the people of God have a ſweet Refuge, or a ſafe Gariſon to go into.
Let the judgments of God be out upon the earth, upon the wicked and unbelievers never ſo much; and let the Kingdoms be never ſo miſerable, yet the Saints have a Gariſon; they have a ſweet place of ſhelter, of retreat, and refuge, and ſafety, in the worſt of times that can be in this world. You ſhall ſee a bleſſed place to this purpoſe, Heb. 12. 25, 26, &c. See that you do not turn away from him that ſpeaketh from Heaven (ſaith the Apoſtle) whoſe voice then ſhock the earth, but now he hath promiſed, ſaying, Yet once more will I ſhake, not the earth onely, but alſo heaven. And this word, yet once more, ſignifieth the removing of thoſe things that are ſhaken, as of things that are made, that thoſe things which cannot be ſhaken, may remain: Wherefore we receiving15 a Kingdom, that cannot be ſhaken, or moved; let us have grace, whereby we may ſerve God acceptably. Beloved, not to open the whole place, this is that onely I would obſerve from it, That there are times in the latter end of the world, wherein the very heaven and earth ſhall once more be ſhaken: That is, there ſhall be ſuch troubles, and calamities now in the latter end of the world, that men ſhall think that God is ſhaking, not onely Kingdoms and Nations, but Heaven and Earth, the whole Ʋniverſe, and is ready to pull it down. There will be ſuch times ſaith the Apoſtle, yet ſaith he, We receive a Kingdom which cannot be ſhaken. It is a bleſſed place, when all the Kingdoms in the world ſhall be ſhaken, all the Earth, and all the Heavens (as it were) ſhall be ſhaken too; yet we have received a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken. The Saints are in a Gariſon, or Kingdom, that though all the world about them were ſhaken, and totter, they are ſafe, and ſtand ſtill.
Truly, I have oft thought in my own apprehenſions, that the Saints differ as much from other men, as if you could ſuppoſe a man to live in the middle Region, where there is no wind, nor ſtorms, nor tempeſt: And you know here in all the ſublunary world, there is nothing but clouds, and rain, and ſtorms, and all weathers. If one were above in the middle Region, lot it rain, or thunder, or hail, or be what it will here, he is ſafe, and quiet. Juſt ſo it is with the Saints, they are in the middle Region, in a Kingdom; that though all the Kingdoms of the world ſhake, yet they receive a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken.
But, you will ſay, Where is this Gariſon, that14 we may go into it? Where is this Kingdom?
Salvation (ſaith the Prophet) the Lord ſhall appoint us for walls and bulwarks.
That is, this Kingdom is not outwardly to be found, it is not an earthly gariſon; but it is a figurative ſpeech, that they do finde in the Lord by the holy Spirit, ſuch ſecurity, and ſuch ſafety, as if they were in a gariſon that cannot be aſſaulted or taken.
But you will ſay, How can that be? This is a meer Idea, or Notion, which no body can underſtand.
I ſhall ſhew preſently, how it can be, by the help of God. The troubles of a man, the real troubles of a man, are in his minde, and ſoul, and affections. Now if you could finde a way to keep a mans minde, and ſoul, and heart, it were eaſie to keep the whole man: For our trouble is not a little impriſonment, or poverty: Paul, or Sylas, were in priſon, and were to be hanged the next day, for ought they knew; yet they could ſing. The man is as his minde is; if we can finde a way to fortifie, and gariſon the ſoul and minde, and affections, it will be eaſie to gariſon the whole man.
But now, how ſhall we gariſon the minde, or ſoul,How a man may be ſaid to be ſecure and impregnable. or heart and affections? to uſe no critical diſtinctions, how ſhall we gariſon the heart of man?
You ſhall ſee that in Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding, ſhall keep your hearts and mindes, through Chriſt Jeſus. There is (ſaith the Apoſtle) a peace of God that ſhall keep you, or as the word in the Greek is, gariſon you, ſhall ſet up a gariſon in your hearts, and mindes through Jeſus Chriſt.
17What peace is that?
You ſhall ſee, if you compare it with the Goſpel of John: When our Lord Chriſt was going to Heaven, he told his Diſciples, I will ſend the ComforterJohn 14. 7. among you, and, My peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. My peace I give unto you, not as the peace of the world. It is a legacy that we have in the New Teſtament from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt that is now in heaven; by the Holy Ghoſt there is a kinde of peace that comes into the hearts of the Saints, that paſſeth underſtanding, not onely the underſtanding of wicked men, that they know it not, and apprehend it not, but it paſſeth the underſtanding of a godly man that hath it. As we ſee in Iſaiah, there is a peace that comes, and quiets, and ſecures his ſoul; ſuch a peace as he never underſtood, or did ſuppoſe could come into his ſoul, according to that, Neither eye hath ſeen, nor ear heard, nor hath entredIſai 64. 4. into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that wait for him. That is, God ſends this peace, (and many other bleſſings.) Such a peace as a man never conceived in his heart; and this peace comes in, and keeps the heart like a Caſtle, or ſets up a gariſon in the heart, it keeps the heart and minde through Jeſus Chriſt.
Therefore from that briefly you may learn a leſſon or two, that ſo I may proceed to that which remains.
Ʋſe. Firſt, Learn, I deſire, and beſeech you, that profeſs your ſelves to be Saints; that you would makeTo repair to this refuge. towards this refuge, or this gariſon here in all your troubles.
18I am aſhamed, and troubled, and have been truly, many yeers, to ſee Saints, and godly people, when troubles come on them, to ſpend their wits, and beat their brains, in finding refuge in outward things. O, if I were here, or there, in ſuch a Town, in ſuch an Iland, in ſuch a Country, in ſuch a place, I ſhould have it. Beloved, our ſong ſhould be, Salvation God will appoint us for walls and bulwarks. Our way is, when all the Kingdoms of the world are ſhaken, to ſeek to get into that Kingdom that ſhakes not: That is, let England, and all the world ſhake, I care not, ſo I have the Spirit of Chriſt, the comforter, to bring peace to my ſoul, that may ſet up a gariſon there, that nothing may aſſault and trouble me. Then let all the world, let heaven and earth ſhake, I am ſure, I am ſafe; this is the way.
It is a common ſaying of many particular perſons, Let a man not ſeek himſelf any where without, in the opinion of men: So let not Saints ſeek refuge, and ſhelter, and ſalvation, in outward helps; but if they ſhould ſee the Kingdom of England (which God forbid) involved in more miſeries and troubles, and deſolations, &c. Lay this down alway by thee; there is a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken. England, and Scotland, and Ireland are ſhaken; but there is a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken. Such a gariſon is beſieged, ſuch a Town is in danger, ſuch a place is ſtormed; but there is a gariſon, that the Lord hath put into the hearts of his Saints, that cannot be ſtormed or aſſaulted. Therefore ply the Lord Jeſus Chriſt by the Spirit of the New Teſtament, by his holy comforter, that he would gariſon thy ſoul, and put peace there. And then what19 ſhall be the iſſue? I will tell thee, that thou with a holy joy, and complacency, and delight of Spirit, when thou ſeeſt the very pillars of heaven ſhaken (as it were) ſhalt ſollace thy ſelf in thy own gariſon, and walk in the ſtreets of it, and be ſafe; thou ſhalt triumph over all ſtorms and troubles, and all that is here.
Not becauſe that a Saint is able to encounter thoſe things that are here: For a Saint is not able to anſwer, if you ask what he conceives will be the end of theſe things? he cannot anſwer theſe things; but onely he retreats to the middle Region, as a bird, he flies above ſublunary things; he can ſay, I cannot tell what ſhall become of England, or Scotland, or Ireland, but I am ſure I know a back door that leads into a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken, to go into the middle Region, where no ſtorms of the Air ſhall trouble me; and there I can reſt my ſpirit.
I alway, for my part (with ſubmiſſion to the wiſe) apprehend it as a thing too carnal, and too low for Saints to think to finde a reſting place in this world; any place is heaven; in ſuch an Iland, in ſuch a Plantation, and ſuch a place, let it be what it will. But a Saint that hath this gariſon in his heart and minde, he is at peace. This gariſon David had, when his enemies compaſſed him, and he had no walls, when there were 10000 about him, he lay and ſlept: For thou Lord ſuſtainedſt me, ſaith he; The ſalvation of God was walls and bulwarks about him.
If this peace of God be above underſtanding, how can it be otherwiſe, then be above expreſſion? We can therefore give but a hint of it; but ſuch a thing there is. The Saints walk in a green meadow by the20 rivers of waters, Pſal. 23. in the ſpring all the day, and all the night long, in beholding the love of God, and the Covenant of God made in Ieſus Chriſt; the full forgiveneſſe of all their ſins, the everlaſting union between them and Chriſt, and through Chriſt between them and God; and beholding the Spirit in its working within them, and beholding the glory that ſhall be revealed at the laſt day, the Crown that Chriſt ſhall bring with him: they walk ſafely and ſweetly, and ſecurely, though all the Kingdoms of the world, and the pillars of heaven be ſhaken. As the heathen ſaid, If the world break about his ears, he would undergo it without trouble. Not becauſe he can anſwer theſe things, but withdrawing himſelf to his place from them; I cannot tell whether the Kingdom ſhall ſtand, but I can go to the middle Region, to Ieſus Chriſt, where there is no ſtorme. Learn that, and lay aſide your great projects, like the men of the world, of building Caſtles in the air, for Gariſons: but labour to get into this Gariſon. Salvation will God appoint for walls and Bulwarks; Open ye the gates that the righteous Nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
This is a ſpeech juſt alluding to a Gariſon; they uſe there to open the gates, and to ſhut them; and when any body comes they bid them ſtand, and ask them who they are for? What are they? One ſaith he is a friend, and then they bid open the gates, and let him come in; if not, to ſhut the gates againſt him.
Open ye the gates, ſaith the Lord:
But none muſt come in but a friend; but who is this friend? It is,
21The righteous Nation which keep the truth, they ſhall enter in.
The word in the Originall, it is Truth, not Truth, not one, or two, or three, or four truths, but the righteousWho have a right to Gods protection. Nation that keepeth the truths, let them enter in. That is the word, if you will paſſe this Court of Guard, he that ſhall come into this Gariſon, is he that keepeth truth with a good conſcience, notwithſtanding all the troubles that befall him in this world, he ſhall enter into this Gariſon.
Therefore I beſeech you look to your ſelves. Truly it is unconceiveable, and unutterable, what the joy, the comfort, the worth of that Gariſon is, where it is ſet up in the ſoul; yet there are no hypocrites, no partiall obeyers of Ieſus Chriſt, and his laws, that ſhall enter into it. Therefore if I ſpeak Hebrew, or Greek (as it were) to you, that you underſtand not what I mean by this Gariſon, look to your ſelves, it may be you have not the word, and therefore you cannot get in. It may be you walk not uprightly, you are not of the upright Nation, and people, you keep not the truths. It may be you pick one truth here, and another there that pleaſeth you, that ſuits with your reaſon, or your luſts, and corruptions, or with the ſtream of the world; you honor and reſpect that, and for the reſt of the truth, let you neighbours take it if they will, you will none of it, if it bring ſhame, and perſecution, and reproch. That is the reaſon, when troubles come, you are at your wits end, you know not where to go, becauſe you have not the word, you keep not the truth of God. The righteous Nation that keep the truth, let them come in, ſhut the reſt out of doors, 2 Pet. 2. there are a22 people that are cleanſed from their ſins by the knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt, and yet after turn from the holy commandment. Beloved, there are common, generall commandments (as I may ſpeak) and holy, preciſe commandmens: Religion in every age hath ſomething in it that is feaſable to carnall men: and in every age it hath ſome nicities, and preciſeneſs in it; there is ſomewhat ſuperfluous in the eye of the world in every age from the beginning. Now it may be it is ordinary with thee to look to truths that the world acknowledgeth; to deal honeſtly in thy ſhop for the moſt part; to come to Church, and repeat a little of the word, or the like: theſe things the world commends; thou obſerveſt faſt dayes, or thankſgiving dayes, or the like. But there are other truths that are more preciſe and ſpirituall, that worldly men do not apprehend, and theſe thou leaveſt as nicities. And that is the reaſon many times when thou apprehendeſt miſeries coming upon thy family, or thy ſelf, or the Kingdom, thou art at thy wits end, and knoweſt not where to go; God ſhuts the gate againſt thee, thou haſt not the word, thou art not a man or woman that hath kept all the truths of God.
Therefore will you now labour to be a righteous Nation to be upright? It is a word that hath ran much in my minde; ſaith God to Abraham, I am alſufficient God, walk before me, and be upright. I did not think there had been ſo much crookedneſs in the world as now I ſee. The world is like the word Iſa. 7. young Saplings, as the wind goes this way, they go this way, and when the wind goeth the other way, they go the the other way. It grieveth my ſoul to ſee how23 unupright people are; even profeſſors: what a deal of daubing, calling darkneſs light, and good evil, that think one thing, and ſpeak another, and go againſt their conſcience; it cuts my ſoul unexpreſſibly. Therefore it is juſt with God to leave thoſe daubing people; they go with the ſtronger ſide, and ſay as the world ſaith, and do as the world doth, though it be contrary to their underſtanding, and conſcience: be ſure, they ſhall never be admitted to paſſe the Court of guard to come to this Gariſon.
And for their comfort, thoſe that come not to this Court, or Gariſon in this world, they ſhall never come to that in the world to come; if they come not into this little Court of guard, they ſhall never come to the great one. It is a miſerable thing for a man to be left without the works: a carnall man is left without the works, and ſin, and the devill, and men may come, and undo him. Therefore labour to be upright.
It is a principle in Religion that Chriſtians ſhould obſerve (and a principle, that is a generall grand rule) to call things as they are, to call a Spade a Spade: but men, they call evill good, and good evill, and frame their diſcourſes according to the world, they ſpeak according to the world though it be quite contrary to their underſtanding, and in ſpight of conſcience.
I am alſufficient God, walk before me, and be upright. What is that? Do not turn aſide to the right hand, or to the left; If thou will be my ſervant, thou muſt neither be driven with fear, or drawn with favour a hairs breadth out of my Commandments. This is uprightneſſe,24 lay all the preferments, and honors in the world on the one ſide, you ſhall neither draw them an ace from the truth of Chriſt; and lay all the terrors, on the other ſide, you ſhall not drive them an ace: Why ſo? Becauſe God is alſufficient, there is the reaſon; as the holy man Doctor Preſton hath at large well ſhewed. Why ſhould I be upright? Becauſe God is an alſufficient God. What is that? Men naturally bargaine for gain, it is a principle, and God expects not that it ſhould be otherwiſe; if any man offer me any thing to turn aſide the breadth of a haire out of Gods wayes, honour, or preferment or the like, more then God will give, I had reaſon to turn aſide, and God would not be angry: but I am alſufficient, keep in my wayes, I will give thee more honour, and wealth, and riches, and preferment, then all the world can. On the other ſide, could any creature do us more hurt then God, we had reaſon to fear that creature: but God is the beſt friend, and the worſt foe, he can deſtroy body and ſoul as Chriſt ſaith; therefore walk before me, and be perfect.
There is a ſweet place in Eccleſ. 3. 14. I know that whatſoever God doth, it ſhall be for ever; nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it, and God doth it, that men might fear before him. I know that what God doth, ſhall be for ever, nothing can be added to it, or taken from it: that is, if God have a deſign to make you happy, all the world ſhall not take a dram of that happineſſe from you; and if God have a deſigne to make you miſerable, all the world ſhall not take one jot of that miſery from you.
That men might feare before him,
25That is, before him onely: for if the creature could do me any meaſure of good or hurt, it were but reaſon that I ſhould fear the creature, and God too, but whatſoever God doth is for ever, nothing can be put to it, or taken from it, that men might feare before him. All the world cannot do me a farthing worth of good or harme; God onely can, and he is alſufficient, therefore, let us be upright before him. Theſe are the two words I would have you remember, Pray the Lord to ſtabliſh your hearts in his love, in his Gariſon, that you may be able to triumph over the world, That you may be able to ſay, Though all the Kingdoms in the world be ſhaken, yet I am in a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken. And when you walk in the ſtreets, and ſee ſuch factions of men, and there is not a man of a thouſand but he temporizeth, and wil ſay this week as the world ſaith, and the next week another way; Do not do ſo: walk wiſely, and ſpeak what you ſhould, and as you ſhould, but call not good evil, and evil good: but walk uprightly before the Lord, approve of that which is good in the eyes of the Lord: Walk in the truthes of God, and then God in diſtreſſe will bid open the gates; there is a man was upright in all the changes of the world, he called not good evil, nor evil good; Open the gates that the upright Nation may come in.
In that day the Lord with his ſore, and great, and ſtrong Sword, ſhall puniſh Leviathan, the piercing Serpent, even Leviathan, that crooked Serpent, and he ſhall ſlay the Dragon that is in the Sea.
In that day ſing ye unto her, A vineyard of Red Wine.
I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment, leaſt any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.
Fury is not in me: who would ſet the bryars, and thorns againſt me in battel? I would go through them, I would burn them together.
Or let him take hold of my ſtrength, that he may make peace with me, and he ſhall make peace with me, &c.
I Shal endevor briefly to pick a leſſon or two out of this Chapter. In the Chapter before, we have many bleſſed promiſes that God hath made to his people, and that in the times of trouble: And many threatnings of the wicked, How God will come27 out againſt them, as he ſaith, Chap. 25. And ſpred his hands in the midſt of them, as he that ſpredeth his hands to ſwim. That is, God will extend his wrath and power to deſtroy the wicked; and in the latter end of Chapter 26. The Lord cometh out of his place, &c.
Now the beginning of this Chapter is but an enlargement and illuſtration of that. The Lord will come with his ſore, and great, and ſtrong Sword, to puniſh Leviathan the crooked Serpent, and to ſtay the Dragon in the Sea.
This Leviathan, whatſoever it is (which is ſcarce known) onely we read in Job of Leviathan, one of the terribleſt creatures that God hath made. It is conceived to be the Whale, but it is uncertain; whatſoever it is, it is a terrible creature.
The wicked that perſecute the Saints, are called Leviathan, the piercing, crooked Serpent: That is, thoſeGods vengeance againſt the wicked great enemies of Gods people, thoſe venemous, cruel enemies, thoſe crooked, deceitful enemies of Gods people; he will come with his great, and ſore, and ſtrong ſword to deſtroy them. So we ſee, be the enemies of God never ſo great, never ſo cruel, or never ſo cunning, the Lord will deſtroy them. He hath a great, ſtrong, ſore ſword. He hath a great ſword, in oppoſition to their greatneſs; he hath a ſtrong ſword in oppoſition to their ſtrength, and he hath a ſore ſword, in oppoſition to their cruelty.
Therefore, O that God would teach you this leſſon! A ground of our confidence.Let your confidence get above the greateſt enemies in this world. What though men be wiſe, and crooked? as Solomon ſaith; there were three things that he knew not; one was, The way of a Serpent upon a Rock: Though men be ſo cunning to betray the Church, that28 they cannot be traced, no more then a ſhip in the Sea; or a crooked Serpent on a Rock; yet let your faith get on the top of them. Say not, they are great, but there is a greater then they. God will bring them down, and bring them to confuſion. That is one thing.
In that day, ſing to her, A vineyard of Red Wine, I the Lord will keep it; I will water it every moment, I will keep it night and day.
This vineyard is the Church, and people of God. I will not ſtand upon it, why it is called a vineyard. He calls it ſo principally, becauſe the people of God are a fruitful people. One ſinner deſtroyeth much good, and one Saint doth much good. Were it not for a few Saints, you may let all your Armies, and Courts, and every thing go: There is no good in the world beſides; there are a few Saints, and they are fruitful.
And alſo, becauſe God preſerves them, and keeps them; becauſe of the Lords care, I the Lord keep it, I water it every moment, leaſt any ſhould hurt it, I keep it night and day.
See how God expreſſeth his tenderneſs, and care of his (bleſſed art thou, and I, if we be of them!) The Lord keeps, and preſerves them; and he will do it with all care. The Lord keeps not his Vineyard, as we keep his Commandments, and Ordinances, and the things that belong to him. The Lord expreſſeth his care of his Vineyard, by the greateſt expreſſions of care that any creature hath; therefore he ſaith, he keeps them as the apple of his eye. That made David boldly ask, Lord, keep me as the apple of thine eye. And the Prophet Iſai h ſaith, He keeps them as a little bird that ſits over her young. A Bird is a fearful creature, and yet if you29 come to take away her young ones, ſhe will flie in your face.
Beloved, though we think the Lord mindes us not, yet he hath a wonderful, tender, unſpeakable care, in preſerving us.
Vineyards are hot, and muſt be watered, or elſe they will be ſcorched by the Sun: So, our ſouls unleſs they were watered continually, they would be ſcorched up.
What is this water?
The Holy Spirit. I will pour water upon the dry ground: That is, I will pour my Spirit upon your ſouls. We are ſo apt to waſt our graces every day, unleſs God give us a new ſtock. And the earth in Spain, and Italy, and thoſe hot Countries, is not apter to drink water, then our hearts are to devour, and make havock of all the grace of God. And were it not for the bleſſed, conſtant ſupply that God gives of his Spirit, the beſt Saint in twenty four hours, would be as bad as a carnal man. It may be thou haſt a little quickening of God in thy ſoul, but yet God muſt water them every moment.
Fury is not in me: who would ſet the bryars, and the thorns againſt me in battel? I would goe through them, &c.
God expreſſeth his goodneſs to his people. One would think it was a wonder God did not deſtroy them: No, ſaith God, Anger is not in me; For who would ſet bryars and thorns againſt me in battel? I would go through them. This is the reaſon that God doth not deſtroy thee and me; not becauſe we are not ſinful,30 but becauſe we are ſo wretched; if he ſhould contend with us, he would deſtroy us preſently. Saith God, All the imaginations of mans heart are evil; therefore I will deſtroy the earth no more. It is the nobleneſs of Gods nature; that nobleneſs that is in us, is but a poor thing, it is but a reſemblance of that at the beſt; it is the nobleneſs of Gods nature, he will not deſtroy a creature that is too weak, and too ſmall for him. Therefore of Niniveh, God ſaith, There were ſo many that knew not their right hand from their left, therefore he would not deſtroy them. So our littleneſs moves the Lord to ſpare us, when our wickedneſs would make him to deſtroy us. The Lord is a conſuming fire. Put a little ſtubble, or thorns, and bryars, before the fire, and it will conſume them. O bleſſed God! that takes any argument to ſave his creature: And O wretched Creatures we! that will take no argument to ſerve, and obey him. If there be any good in us, he makes that an argument; if that be not there, yet from our littleneſs, and weakneſs, any thing he will draw arguments of his goodneſs from: Yet many times we are of ſuch a temper, that we will not draw one argument to move us to do that which is pleaſing in his eyes. Well, he is a glorious God, and we are like our ſelves.
Let him lay hold on my ſtrength.
Let the poor bramble go, and lay hold upon the wall, I have ſtrength enough to deſtroy, and devour them, but I wiſh that they would lay hold of my ſtrength. There is a way, that all the ſtrength that is in God, thou mayeſt make it for thee, on thy ſide. All the power and ſtrength that is in God, is againſt31 wicked men that receive not Chriſt; but there is a way that thou mayeſt make that party on thy ſide, thou mayeſt make God on thy ſide, Take hold on him, that is, receive Chriſt, and then thou art in the Covenant, and all belongs to thee upon that, and all the power whereby he made heaven and earth, and rules the ſea, and every thing, is thy power, it is for thee.
And make peace with me, and they ſhall make peace.
It is like the expreſſion of ſome people that are wondrouſly given to love, and peace, and though other people deſire to quarrell, yet they will not quarrell, but they will be freinds: there is no neighbour ſo miſchievous, but they will be friends with them in ſpight of their heart; ſo ſayth God, Let them make peace with me, and they ſhall make peace. It is like that expreſſion of God, I will put my ſpirit in their hearts, and they ſhall keep my ſtatutes. That thy ſoul could creep along upon this bleſſed wall and make peace with him, and lay hold of his promiſe and he ſaith, thou ſhalt make peace!
He ſhall cauſe them that come of Iacob to take root, &c.
You ſee how ſweet God is in afflicting his Saints, how he preſerves them, and hears them in whipping them. Here he ſhewes three great differences betweenThree differences in the afflictions of the godly and wicked. the afflictions of the godly, and of the wicked.
The firſt is this, ſaith he, have I ſmitten him, as I ſmote thoſe that ſmote him? Or is he ſlain according to the ſlaughter of them that are ſlain by him? That is, the Lord doth not lay ſuch a weight of affliction upon his children as he doth upon wicked people, that is one thing, therefore he ſtays his rough wind in the day of the eaſt wind. No eaſt wind blowes on the Saints:32 for in Scripture language that is the wrath of God. All the other winds are growing, but the Eaſt wind, is cutting, and chilling.
Secondly, it is ſaid, God will debate with them, that is, beſotted carnall men, as Pharaoh, and others, he layes afflictions upon afflictions upon them, and they never know why, it makes him a ſot, and he brayes him as a fool in a Morter: but I will debate with him, ſaith God, I will reaſon the caſe, As a father when he whips his childe, will you do ſo again? ſaith he, And, is this handſome? The Lord never whips his childe, but he debates with him.
Thirdly, the iſſue, and fruit of it, All the fruit is, he doth it to take away ſin, he will make all the ſtones of the Altar as Chalk-ſtones; he will beat them to pieces, that is, they ſhall pull down their Groves, and their Altars, as you do Chalk-ſtones when you burne them, and beat them in pieces.
This ſhould make us ſweeten our thoughts of God; he is ſweet in his providence; in his Ordinances, in his corrections, we ſee what a good God he is, how he draws water out of the Flint, he draws arguments of grace, and mercy, and goodneſſe, to ſave wretched creatures any way, in ſuch a way that if we were Judges we would condemn our ſelves. The Lord ſweeten your hearts, and raiſe up your ſouls to apprehend his mercy.
NOt that they ſaid ſo: but God brings in their thoughts, as in Iob, Depart from us, we deſire not the knowledge of thy laws. That is the difference between Gods book and mens books; men write books according to the words of men, but the word of God is according to their thoughts,
Here are four or five things noted of wicked men. Four things obſerved of wicked men. 1. Their v. in conceits.
Firſt, we have made (ſay they) a covenant with death, and with hell we are at an agreement.
The meaning is not, that they did draw writings between them, and hell: for hell will make no agreement, but the meaning is, they were aſſured in their conceits that they ſhould be delivered from hell, and death, and miſery. As a man that hath made a Covenant for his land, &c. and hath got witneſſes to it, he hath made ſure, he hath it in black and white: ſo there was a fooliſh confidence in them; they aſſured themſelves34 that they ſhould eſcape, as if death and hell had given them an acquittance, and had ſealed it, and there had been Covenants drawn between them and the Devill. That is one thing.
But, ſaith God,
Your Covenant with death ſhall be diſannulled, and your agreement with hell ſhall not ſtand.
That is, you ſhall ſee that all thoſe conceits are but vaine. Juſt as if a man ſhould go, and make a Covenant with his neighbour, and buy his land, and he ſhould never tell his neighbour that he would ſell it, this agreement would be broken, and the Covenant would not ſtand. So, you build Caſtles in the aire, you make a Covenant, and agreement in your conceits, that you are ſafe, and you hope the beſt, and God is mercifull, but the day will come when all this will be done away, As Iob ſaith, it is juſt as a Spiders web, that is, a fine thing that ſhe hath been working all the week, and then the Maide comes to make clean the houſe, and all is taken away with one ſtroak of a bruſh.
Another thing is, the Lord compares them here toIlluſtrated in two compariſons.Compa ∣ riſon. 1people that would hide themſelves by the ſea ſide, where the tide comes up. As you ſee ſometimes when the tide is low, there are green medows, and buſhes before it be high ſpring; and there they hide themſelves, and the water comes and overflowes their hiding place. If they ſtay there a while, and it may be are aſleep, the tide comes and drowns them all. Do ye not think a man were mad that ſhould go and hide himſelf in a hole of a bridge, and ſleep when the tide was low, and then the tide come in and overwhelm him: So it will be with thee, if thou receive not Ieſus Chriſt.
35We have made lies our refuge, and under falſhood have we hid our ſelves.
Mr. Calvin ſaith, they may be compared to little chickens, or partridges, that run their heads in a buſh, that hide their heads from the Hawk; the Hawk ſees all their bodies, onely in a conceit they hide themſelves thus, that is, they hide their own eyes that they may not ſee the Hawk: but they do not hide their bodies that the Hawk may not ſee them. So men ſhut their eyes, and have many conceits (O the Lord deliver us from it) this is the hope of wicked men, drunkards, and whoremongers, and ſottiſh creatures, that come not up to take Chriſt.
The Lord after compares them to little childrenCompa ∣ riſon. 2in bed.
The bed is ſhorter then that a man can ſtretch himſelf on it.
As little children, when they hear thunder, they run under the ſheets and blankets, and think they are very ſafe: ſo we conceive that we ſhall be delivered. But truly all the ſhifts thou haſt, ſhall be no more to keep thee when the Lord comes on thee for a drunkard, or an unbeliever, or a perſecutor, then the ſheets, and blankets can keep them from a thunderbolt if God ſend it.
I, but theſe were but compariſons, and the people were ready to mock the prophet for it: Saith he, Mock not, leaſt your bands be made ſtrong, for I have heard from the Lord a conſumption determined upon the whole earth.
Give ear, and hear my voice, hearken to my ſpeech. Doth the plowman plow all day to ſow, &c.
36This is the manner of the prophet Iſaiah, eſpecially when he ſpeaks of the miſeries, and judgements, that ſhall come upon people, he mingles comfort for the poor Saints. This he refers to the Saints that were upright. And to comfort them, he takes a compariſon from the Husbandman that plows the field. For the creatures are Gods Characters: God hath written his will in his word at large, and he hath written a copy of it (as it were) in the creatures, that by the one we might be enabled to underſtand the other. For we underſtand not one line of this bleſſed book any further then we are taught. Now God hath ſo caſt things in this world, not only for the uſe and good of man, but he hath caſt things by his creation and providence, in ſuch a way, as that every thing might reſemble heavenly things. Therefore it is ſaid, God hath given diſcretion to the Husbandman to do this: the Lord hath ordered the earth ſo to be plowed, and managed, and the corn ſo to be threſhed, that thereby we might have a ſhadow of ſpirituall things, comparing it with the bleſſed word.
Doth the plow man, plow all day? God deals diverſly with weak and ſtrong Saints.
What is the meaning of that? It is thus, you poor Saints, God plows you, and harrows you, and if the Lord follow you with one affliction after another (that whoſoever eſcapes, you ſuffer, if not without, yet within, and ſometimes you have both) you think God deals wonderfull ſtrangely with you, Sayth he, look on the plowman; if ever you ſee one plow, you will ſay, yonder man doth but plow, and harrow the land, and make it fit to ſow, Barly, or Oats, or Wheat, he hath ſome end in it: they are the common heaths that lie unplowed:37 but where there is good ground they plow it, and when he hath plowed, it is his diſcretion to ſow. So it is, that when the Lord continues his afflictions upon thee, thou ſhouldeſt conſider that God, that is thy good father, hath ſome gracious deſigne to ſow Barly, or Wheat, or Rye, to ſow ſome grace more: And what though he plow thee, or me, or another more then other men or women? Some lands are plowed thrice, ſome four times beſides the ſowing, they are ſo tough, and dogged. So ſome natures muſt be ofter, and deeper, and longer plowed.
Therefore ſtare not ſo much upon the affliction, but conſider the gracious deſigne, and purpoſe of God to ſow thee, and to do thee good. Thou, and I have barren hearts, and there is little corn that is pleaſing to him there: therefore he meanes by the afflictions that he layes on thee, by ſuch a ſickneſſe, by ſuch a perverſe husband, by ſuch an ungracious childe, or loſſe of eſtate, the Lord means to ſow thy barren heart; and then bleſſed be his name. If the Lord do that, thou mayeſt well ſuffer him to plow, and harrow thee any way, with any inſtrument as he pleaſeth.
Then he takes another compariſon from threſhing.
The Fitches are not threſhed with a threſhing inſtrument, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the Cummin, &c.
That is, the afflictions of the Saints, are alſo like the threſhing of corn: as there is no land that bears corn without plowing, no more can we enjoy it without threſhing, ſome more, ſome leſſe, ſome one way, ſome another. Now (ſaith he) in the38 manner of afflictions you may obſerve two things from the threſhing of men; which was in another manner in thoſe countries then with us: It was trod out with the Oxe, and they did bring a wheel, and horſmen to ride upon their corne in thoſe dry countries, And ſome was beaten with a ſtaff, and ſmall corne they did whip out with a rod. So ſaith he, there are two things to be obſerved in the manner of Gods dealing, you that are weak people, weak Chriſtians, the Lord ſees that you are little Fitches: Fitches is a little graine, and Cummin eſpecially, Chriſt calls them little things; yet little and weak Chriſtians are like Cummin and Fitches, God will not bring a Cart wheele over them that ſhall bruiſe them to pieces, and make them worth nothing, but he will beat them with a ſtaffe, and the Cummin with a rod; that is, where there is a little, weak Saint, the Lord will take a little wand, a rod, a ſmall, light affliction.
But bread corn is bruiſed becauſe he will not ever be threſhing it, not break it with the wheel, &c.
That is, ſometimes alſo God meanes to lay all the afflictions (as it were) at once upon his childe, where he ſees a ſtrong Saint many times he brings his horſemen, and his cartwheel, as he did with Iob; you know Iob had but a bout, and ſo he goes over, and ſome of his days before and his days after were comfortable, God brings ſtrong afflictions upon his children.
The reaſon is, becauſe God will not alway be threſhing, he will not alway afflict, for then the ſpirit of man would fail before him.
If thy afflictions be light, ſay, I am a little Fitch, or Cummin, if they be heavy, ſay, they will be ſhort; for39 the Husbandman, though he deal more courſly with his Corn then with his Fitches, yet he takes it into his Barne, and laies it up ſafe: ſo though thy afflictions be ſore, thou maiſt from the practice of the Husbandman ſay, they will be ſhort: therefore indeavor to learn a little from afflictions, and how to carry and behave thy ſelf like a Saint, wait patiently upon God, to know Gods deſign and meaning.
This alſo cometh forth from the Lord of Hoſts, which is wonderful in counſel, and excellent in working.
What is the meaning of that? That that made the Prophet cry out, that the Lord was wonderful in Counſel, and mighty in working it, was this, to ſee the harmony between Gods Works in his Books, and in his Creatures: O who would think when a man is plowing, that there were ſuch a myſtery there! that he ſhould fetch a glorious myſtery in afflicting his Saints, from a little Cummin. This alſo is from the Lord of Hoſts, which is wonderfull in counſell, and excellent in working, that he reveales his bleſſed will in his book, and gives ſuch a glorious copy of it in the creatures, that we may underſtand the one by the other. Thus have I ſhewed you a little of the meaning of the word of God in this Chapter, as I underſtand.
YOu ſhall finde that in the Scriptures, eſpeciallyConſolation a duty. in the New Teſtament, we are commanded to comfort one another, as much as to exhort, and more then to reprove: It is very ordinary, Comfort one another. Though the other duties to the Saints in the New Teſtament are full of conſolation: The Apoſtle from every argument, would have us draw comfort from the coming of Chriſt, and every thing almoſt.
There are theſe four things that I ſhall ſpeak of,Four things, hinder Conſolation. that hinder the conſolation that might be in your ſouls. If I take away thoſe hinderances, it is as much as if I did poſitively comfort.
Im ∣ pediment. FirſtThe firſt is, (I will not ſay you want faith, but) you have a faith of the Law, and not of the Goſpel: You believe in God, but not in Chriſt. My meaning is this, your ſaith is begotten, and bred, according to the doctrine, and principles of the Old Teſtament. It is good, and true, but it is bred, and nouriſhed, according to the principles, and ſtrain of the Old Teſtament: which (old) Teſtament (ſaith the Apoſtle) is done41 away. You need not ſtumble, you know my meaning, your faith is not yet come clearly, according to the ſtrain, and courſe, and frame of the New Teſtament.
You will ſay, There is but little difference between the old, and the New Teſtament.
Look how they be oppoſed, 2 Cor. 3. Gal. 2. and in the Hebrews; that is the main buſineſs to ſhew the difference between the old, and New Teſtament.
Now that your faith is ſo, it will appear three ways. Which appears three ways.Firſt, there is a Heatheniſh deſire of ſanctification, of holineſs. Holineſs is a bleſſed thing, and there are none deſire more earneſtly, ſincerely to be holy, then the Saints in the New Teſtament: Holineſs is upon the bridles of the horſes of the Church; yet there is a deſire of holineſs in the ſoul, that is, legal faith; that by the earneſt deſire of holineſs, a man may ſee the frame of his faith to be legal. There may be a thirſt that ariſeth from a Feaveriſh diſtemper of body, that is not good. Therefore truly, a man may deſire holineſs, more then happineſs (as you are wont to expreſs it.) He may deſire holineſs, and to avoyd ſin, more then Hell it ſelf, and any thing in the world. He may ſay, he would not for a world, but overcome his luſts; and O that I could overcome my frowardneſs, and my pride, and yet it may be a Heatheniſh kinde of thirſt. I have known people that have gone every day to hear, and have wept, and deſired holineſs, and yet out of a Heatheniſh deſire of holineſs.
Why; what is the meaning of this? how comes this about?
The ſoul reſolving to be juſtified, and to finde favor42 with God; partly by the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and partly by ſome grace; not that it hath, but that it hopes to have: Therefore the ſoul, as a Feaveriſh man reacheth out, and layes down this concluſion, I muſt be holy; and there are ſome things, if I could reach them, then I ſhould be well; and ſo the Feaver grows higher and higher. And God croſſeth him; for it is againſt the way of the Goſpel. God will do no good to us, if we go contrary to his glory: Therefore if we weep our hearts out, we ſhall not have it, for it is a deſigne of our own, ſaith God, You will not be content with the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, but you will have ſomething to make it up; you will believe, and be holy, but you ſhall go my way or not at all.
Now a Saint that is according to Gods minde, firſt upon believing in Jeſus Chriſt, and his righteouſneſs, his ſoul is fully ſatisfied, and he is at peace; He ſaith, Lord, whether I be holy, or not, I ſee a full righteouſneſs in Jeſus Chriſt to juſtifie me, and to ſanctifie me, and pacifie my conſcience. And Lord here I am, Thou knoweſt that I have nothing but my old nature; thou art wiſe; all my ſins are done away, do with me what thou wilt: If thou wilt put me to pain, or into poverty, or into Hell, or ſuffer me to go in rags, all my life long, do ſo: As a godly man ſaid, If pride, and frowardneſs muſt have its work, though I had rather go to Hell for the time; yet here I am, I rejoyce in my ſpirit, becauſe I am accepted of thee. So, here is a deſire of holineſs, but it is not Heatheniſh; as if a man could have no aſſurance, and comfort in his ſoul, till he had gotten ſuch a degree of grace. Theſe are Feaveriſh deſires.
43Secondly, It appears to me, that your comfort is not right, that your faith is not according to the Goſpel, becauſe of the ſtartlings in your conſcience after ſin. That when God ſuffers the ſoul to be overtaken, and to fall, the ſoul ſtartles; that is, horror ſeizeth preſently upon the conſcience, and hardneſs upon the heart; there is a ſtartling, that makes a man that he cannot go on in his calling, that makes all his neighbors take notice of him, as if he were not his own man. (Take it as a general rule, the moſt, and the greateſt dangers, or the moſt dangerous errors, border neareſt on the moſt glorious light.) It is bleſſed to ſtartle at ſin, and to deſire holineſs; but I ſay, there is a Heatheniſh deſire of holineſs, and ſtartling at ſin, that argues, That the conſcience is not quieted in Chriſt.
Object. You will ſay, when a Saint falls into ſin, ſhall he take no notice of it?
Anſw. Yes, and have no peace till he have poured out his ſoul to God: But yet as a Son to a Father, and his aſſurance is whole ſtill. Thou art my beloved father, and all that is befaln me; thou haſt ſuffered it, and haſt a hand in it. I confeſs Father, I am an unhappy childe; there is never a member of thy Son Chriſt, that thou haſt more trouble with, then with me, there is none of them ſo vile, and ſo the heart is all wholly poured out freely, and fully to the Lord. The other cannot; but he is hardened, and ſtartles at every thing, as a man going among wilde Beaſts.
Thirdly, It appears to me, that your faith is not come to be right, by the defilements you have from the creatures: Your faith is not according to the Goſpel. When men are defiled with lawful things. Nay, ſo44 much, that ſome men cannot eat, or go to bed; one while they muſt eat of one diſh, and not of two (though ſobriety be a Goſpel grace.) And one while they muſt eat one meal a day, another while one meal in two days. I have known one eat but one meal in a week; and let them eat little or much, they defile their conſciences. One while they muſt go ſo in their apparel with lace, and after that, lace damneth them. Though ſobriety be good, in cloaths, and diet, yet this ſhews that they are defiled; for to a good man every thing is pure, but to others every thing is impure, becauſe his conſcience is impure; that is, His conſcience is defiled, and ſo he is taken priſoner; his conſcience is not ſprinkled, and waſhed through the blood of Chriſt; therefore in theſe things, he is tangled endleſly. Now if ever you will have comfort in your ſouls, that is true and ſolid: for there may be comforts according to the Law, but they will not laſt, they will be out upon the leaſt breach; but if the Lord frame your faith according to the Goſpel, your comfort will be ſolid and laſting.
Im ∣ pediment. SecondThe ſecond thing is, having faith according to the Goſpel, labor to live by faith. Many of you have a little faith, and true Goſpel faith; but you do not live by it, you live by ſence. It is a proverb in Scripture, The juſt ſhall live by faith. I ſhall have occaſion to open that when I have more time, and therefore I proceed.
Im ∣ pediment. ThirdA third thing that makes your comfort ſhort, is the ſlow coming of grace into your ſouls. You finde grace come in but ſlowly; you believe, and labor to believe according to the Goſpel, and yet grace comes but ſlowly and poorly; you have been ſo many yeers, and have ſcarce any grace.
39For your comfort, this is one thing; thou that haſt but little grace coming in ſo many yeers: I tell thee, God ſaith that grace is like the ſpringing of the ſea; or the ſpringing of the yeer. Now in the ſpringing of the ſea, when men would have a tide for their paſſage, a man is glad to ſee a little turning of the water firſt, it is ſo much the nearer: then he obſerves, and is glad to ſee the Sea riſe, and cover a few ſtones or marks, though it be little: but ſtay till it be almoſt full Sea, when it is high tide, then every thing almoſt is covered on a ſudden, the tide over-runs all. Take it in the ſpring of the yeer (for we ſhould learn ſomething from the creatures) about February, you are glad to ſee the buds of Haw thorn; you look a week together, and it grows a little, and you ſee no other, it is a ſigne that Summer is coming. In the beginning of March it may be there are two or three things more, and they come ſlowly, and you are glad to ſee them, and look on them every day. In Aprill or May, the Gardens are full of Flowers, and the fields full of graſs; you know not what to obſerve. So it is in experience, in the beginning the Lord makes a Saint glad of a Primroſe, of a little turning of the water, that the blood, that the ſtream is turned; if he begin to hear the word, that hated it, and to rejoyce in the company of good neighbours, that hated it, two or three little Primroſes. But grace comes as the tide; ſtay a while, and thou ſhalt ſee ſuch a flowing of grace in thy ſoul, that thou knoweſt not where to look; ſuch a tide of love, and joy, and knowledge, ſuch innumerable leſſons, that thou knoweſt not where to look; Therefore wait upon the Lord, & thou ſhalt ſee grace come in as the tide.
46impedi ∣ ment. LaſtLaſtly, thou doſt not (it may be) make uſe of the experiences thou haſt had of God. Thou haſt had abundance of experience of the Lord; and we are apt to forget: As Chriſt ſaith, do you not remember the loaves the other day, and do you now doubt whether you have bread? O yea of little faith! Truly the very creatures will riſe in judgement againſt us, that having had ſo many experiments of God, we are ſo ſhie of truſting God, and thinking well of God. Didſt thou ever ſee a Dog (let me inſtance in that vile creature) (for God would have us learn from the creatures, and God hath caſt them ſo that they ſhould not be onely for our uſe, but every thing in reference to his Goſpel, that we may not only occaſionally draw ſuch things that hap hazzard fall out, but to obſerve their nature, and qualities, and learn ſomewhat from them) you ſee in a Dog, when he hath abuſed you, it may be againſt his will, and it may be you have beat him; he runs away, or he comes with fear, and is very ſhie, and will hardly come to you: but take him in your arms, and ſtroak him, and all his fear it gone; when you ſmile, he thinks you mean him no hurt, he hath no thought of your former anger. So we come many times to the Lord, and are ſhie, and tremble, and fear, and think he means to hurt us, and what are his thoughts? How oft hath God taken us in his arms and ſtroaked us, and laid us down again, and yet we fear again, and are worſe in many reſpects then the bruit creatures. When the Maſter hath the Dog, he may kill him if he will; but he ſtroaks him, and the Dog thinks his maſter means well to him: ſo, many times God might kill us, and throw us into Hell, and catch us at advantage,47 yet in ſtead of that he loves us, and imbraceth us, and layes us down again; and yet we are ſo ſhie, we fear, and diſtruſt him. We have not that plainneſſe of heart as that old Martyr ſaid, I have lived eighty yeers, and he never did me any hurt: So God many times hath had advantage to have thrown us into hell, yet he hath kiſſed, and ſtroaked us. Why ſhould we be ſo fearfull, when afflictions, and troubles come upon us? Theſe things procure ſadneſſe, becauſe we do not truſt in that God, that in our extremity hath been friendly, and fatherly to us. The Lord help you to lay up theſe few broken words in your hearts.
I have ſpread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good: after their own thoughts, &c.
Which ſay, Stand by thy ſelf, come not near to me, for I am holier then thou: theſe are a ſmoak in my noſe, a fire that burneth all the day.
THe Lord doth here reprove, or rather ſhew his indignation againſt hypocrites. Here is their deſcription, they ſay, ſtand by thy ſelf, come not near to me, for I am holier then thou, yet they were a rebellious people, as we ſee before, the Lord ſpread out his hands to them all the day long, and they walked in their own wayes, after their own thoughts. The thing I drive at, is, to acquaint you with this;
How hatefull, how abominable hypocriſie is to God.
Their hypocriſie was, that they thought, and they ſaidHypocriſie a hatefull thing to God. to their brethren, ſtand off, I am holier then thou, come not near me, &c. yet it was but outward holineſſe, and49 the Lord ſaith, they are a ſmoake in my noſtrills all the day long. The meaning is not, as if God had noſtrills, though uſually where you read of the anger, and wrath of God in the Hebrew, It is ſaid, Gods noſe, God tooke this to his noſe, when he was angry. But when he ſaith, they are a ſmoake in my noſtrills, God takes the compariſon from man, as it is oft in the proverbs, a ſloathfull meſſenger is as vinegar to the teeth, and ſmoak to the eyes, that is, very ſore. So God ſaith, hypocrites are as a ſmoak in his noſtrills all the day long, that is as ſmoak in a Kiln, or in a ſmoaky houſe where there is a bad chimney, it is a wondrous troubleſome thing, eſpecially if a man be driven to continue all the day, a man is not able to bear it, the ſmoak will fill his eyes, and his noſe. God takes the expreſſion from men, to ſhew his indignation, and diſpleaſure a gainſt hypocriſy. My aime is to make you ſenſible, how diſpleaſing to God hypocriſy is.
Hypocriſy, take it in the groſſeſt ſenſe (though there be a hundred degrees of it) is when men ſeeme and are not, when you ſay, and do not, as ſome expreſſe it; when you pretend to be that you are not, or pretend to be more then you are; for ſo it is here, I am more holy then thou. That is hypocriſy, when you ſeem what you are not, or in degree more then you are; yet that leſſe degree is as a ſmoak in Gods noſtrills all the day long. It is abominable to God; and that is the reaſon that Chriſt eight times in the ſame Chapter, Mat. 23. pronounceth Wo to you hypocrites, Wo to you hypocrites. It may be the Lord may call an hypocrite: for an hypocrite is but a ſinner though he be the worſt of ſinners: but hypocriſy is abominable to God.
50The reaſon is, becauſe ſuch a man Idolizeth everyProved from two reaſons. 1. The hypocrite honours the creature above God. creature, and makes every creature more then God, he honours every creature more then God. For he knows that God deales with his heart, he knowes that God deals with his heart, he knows that God ſees his heart, and men, and children, and every thing, ſees his outward life: now he is more carefull to pleaſe men and creatures, and to carry himſelf religiouſly, and devoutly, as a Saint before men, then he cares how to carry his heart before the Lord, which is as if he ſhould ſay, I do more honour, and reſpect every creature that ſeeth my outſide; then the Lord God that views, and ſees my heart. What can more provoke God, when God is put below every creature, and every creature is advanced above him? That is one reaſon.
Another reaſon is this, becauſe that the name of God is more diſhonoured, and his Goſpell, and his Kingdome2. Hypocriſy contributes moſt to Gods diſhonour. more ſcandaliſed by them, then by all the world beſides. The Saints ſometimes diſhonour God by weakneſſe: but carnall men uſually know in their conſciences that it is but weakneſſe in ſuch a Saint, looking on the courſe of his life, and the frame of his ſpirit: but hypocrites, the world ſeeing ſometimes their baſe doings, are ready to curſe them; Here are the men that go to ſuch Lectures, and ſuch Sermons, and thus they cozen, and over-reach, and all their Religion is of the ſame ſtamp; they are all hypocrites, as this ſanctified brother, cheaters they are. This doth transfigere nomen Jehovah (as blaſphemy ſignifies) it makes men pierce through the name of God, and of Chriſt, God hath ſo faſtned it on my heart how abominable it is, that it cannot out of my thoughts: therefore God may have51 an end in it, to reach ſome of you at this time, though you have been as a ſmoak in his noſtrills, though you have kept God no a kilne (as it were) by your villany, by ſeeming what you are not; or to be far more then you are. For take it from God, for it is from him in a ſpeciall manner, let us all look to our ſelves, let us all conſider our wayes, and let all take heed that we ſeem, and pretend not to be any thing in Religion more then we are in our cloſets; That we may be able to ſay, O Lord, if I were at thy tribunall, this is true, I deſire thy glory, I ſeek thine honour, and the welfare and advancement of thy people, and ſo whether I be well, or ill, or live or die, I care not. Look to it, and wo, wo, wo, to thoſe among us whoſoever they are, let them be Magiſtrates, or Miniſters (I leave them to the Lord to point them out) that drive on Ieſuiticall deſigns under the pretence of Religion; They talk of Reformation, and I know not what, and a blind man almoſt may ſee their covetouſneſſe, and ſelf-ſeeking, and oppreſſion of the Saints. Whoſoever thou art, thou haſt the worſt end of the ſtaff, be ſure. The hearts of the Saints are touched with the ſame loadſtone as the heart of God, they judge as he judgeth, and as God ſaith, ſuch people are a ſmoak in his noſtrills, ſo they are in the eyes of the Saints, they curſe ſuch. They pity wicked men when blindly they go againſt the Saints: but when thou putteſt the beſt ſide outward, and pretendeſt to be holy, and thou knoweſt, thou couldſt eat all the Saints of God, and throw down the Worſhip of Chriſt, O there are many prayers againſt thee, and there is a harmony between the hearts of the Saints, and the heart of God. God ſaith, ye are a ſmoak in his52 noſtrills, and ſo ſay the Saints. It grieves me more at the Jeſuiticall deſignes of ſome, then all the proceedings of the Cavaliers. Wo be unto them: there is nothing done in ſecret, but it ſhall be open, there is nothing ſpoken in the ear, but it ſhall be publiſhed on the houſe top; all their villany ſhall come out.
And ſo in trading, a man muſt take heed of many profeſſors (I hope the generation of the Saints ſhall not ſuffer by it) in buying, and ſelling; a man were better deal with carnall men, then with ſome profeſſors in the City that I have knowen.
I ſpeak this to thy comfort that art ſuch a one, though thou be the very heir of hell, Mat. 24. they ſhall have their portion with hypocrites, as if hell were their inheritance, Yet for thy comfort know that an hypocrite is but a ſinner, though he be as far from heaven as any. For there is that that magnifies Chriſts love, he came to die for ſinners, and thy conſcience tells thee, I am the man that the miniſter meant, my trading is ſo, I know what accompts I keep, and what wares I ſell: though thou be, yet I truſt God means thee ſo well as to bring thee to Chriſt, and when thou art as bad as thou canſt be, think yet thou art but a ſinner, the Lord doth but rank thee among ſinners, learn this ſhort word, to ſee how hatefull hypocriſy is.
THe prophet in this Chapter ſpeaks of the calling of the Gentiles by the Iews; what glorious times the laſt times ſhould be when the Iews that were the eldeſt ſiſter, as the Gentiles are called the little ſiſter in Scripture; we have a little ſiſter and ſhe hath no breaſts; when this eldeſt ſiſter ſhould go and carry the youngeſt, when they ſhould go and call in the Gentiles, and feed them and cheriſh them, as the eldeſt children uſe to do the youngeſt. They ſhall bear them upon their ſides, and dandle them upon their knees; as we ſee children nouriſh one another, eſpecially the elder do the younger. So they ſhould be tendered, they ſhould bring all their brethren as an offering to the Lord; they ſhould bring them upon Mules, and upon ſwift beaſts, and when they could not go on foot, they ſhould put45 them on horſ-back, and if they could not ride, they ſhould put them in charets; and if that were too harſh they ſhould put them in litters, that is, they ſhould do any thing to nouriſh them, and to bring them up. We may well reaſon, if the children be ſo fond one of another, as that they ſhould carry them, and let them hang on their ſides, and dandle them on their knees, much more fond will the Lord be to thoſe children: Therefore in the next verſe he ſaith, As one whom his mother comforteth, ſo will I comfort you. God ſhews the dearneſsGod and the Saints fond of each other of his love, by thoſe little ſparks of love in the children of God one towards another. But his love is very high, a kinde of fondneſſe, he will dandle them on the knee. Why? Cannot he do them good but he muſt dandle them in the lap? There is a holy ſpirituall fondneſs between God and his people. He is fond of them, and they are fond of him.
It is not every Saint that is ſo; thou mayeſt be a Saint, and yet be a ſtranger to all that I am to ſpeak of from this text, But there is ſuch a thing. Becauſe a Saint, if he be a right Saint, you cannot put before him any pitch of grace and holineſſe, but he ſeeks to attaine it. As when Chriſts Diſciples came into the companie of the Diſciples of John, and Johns diſciples knew how to pray, and they did not, ſay they, Lord teach us to pray. So you need but put a higher degree of grace before a right-hearted Saint, and he will be ſick, and never be well till he hath it. Therefore I will preſent you with ſuch a temper that is in ſome Saints, that they are fond of God, with a holy, not with a ſinfull fondneſſe: as your children, they are fond of you ſometimes with a great deal of ſin; but this is a holy fondneſſe.
55Firſt I will ſhew you that it is ſo.
Secondly, I will ſhew you which way God makes his children fond of himſelf.
The firſt thing is this, that a fond childe will neverProved in five particulars. ſuffer his father to go out of his ſight. Beloved, one may be a Saint, and yet may ſee his father, but as a childe at nurſe, once a quarter, or ſo. It is ordinary with the Saints, they ſee their father it may be at ſuch a Sermon, or at ſuch an ordinance, or in ſuch a private chamber, where they have examined their ſoules; and it may be they do not ſee him in a fortnight after: and they make ſhift with grace received, with the impreſſion of Gods love (when they ſaw it) and with a little help of the creature, and the comforts of the world, to hold up till they ſee him again: this is the life of moſt Saints. But there is ſuch a temper of a Saint, he is ſo fond of God that he will never let God go a moment out of his ſight, but he will cry after him. My meaning in a word is this, that there is ſuch a temper, if thou and I had attained it, that God can never go out of ken, but I alwayes behold him, and ſee him alwayes beholding me in the face of Jeſus Chriſt; I am alwayes with him. See it in the Saints, David was a fond Child; Thou ſceſt my thoughts, ſaith he, and my ſpeech, when I ſit down and when I riſe up, thou knoweſt all, and whether ſhall I go from thy preſence? It was not in a hypocriticall way that he might flee from God: but when I awake I am alway with thee, When I walk abroad, I have ſet God on my right hand that I might not ſin, when a man is alwayes in view; when Gods eye is alwayes on him, and his eye alwayes on God, what a bleſſed thing is it! Such a Saint, let God but hide his face, and56 he is troubled, let God go but one hour from ſuch a ſoul, and he is ready to cry out his heart, as we ſee in a fond childe. That is the reaſon there is ſo much carnalneſſe in the Saints, that they have ſo many unſaint-like tricks, like the men of the world; Why? They go behind Gods back, they think God is a ſleep a while, and they may diſpatch their buſineſſe; whereas Joſeph ſaid, how ſhall I do this thing and ſin againſt God? God was in the view of him, when he was with that wretched woman: ſo a man would ſay, how ſhall I pretend my office is for the good of the publike, and for the glory of God, when it is to in rich my family? God may be out of ſight, and ken, and yet you may be Saints: but there is a more glorious life, when a man always walks in Gods ſight, God ſeeing him, and he ſeeing God. Theſe things are not for the head, but the heart. Now talk with thy heart a little, and ſee what is thy temper, and thy way, and if thou finde it not thus, tell God; the miniſter ſaid that there be Saints that live gloriouſly, that are fond of God, that are alway with him, ſleeping, and waking, at bed, and board, they are never out of his ſight. Lord make me ſuch.
Another thing is, that a Saint that is grown fond of God, he will never be ſtill or ſatisfied with any creature. A childe that is not fond, you may give him twenty baubles whiles his mother goes to market, or doth other things, but if he be grown fond, a thouſand of thoſe will not ſatisfie him. So a true Saint hath much of God, and little of the creature; a man may be a true Saint, and be much upon the creature, but when the ſoul grows fond of God, no creatures,49 or rattles will ſerve, if God put the creature into his hand, he is glad, but if God be away nothing wil ſerve him: As a childe that is fond of his mother, give him a Rattle or a Cake while he is in her hand, he is glad, but nothing will ſtill him without her.
A third thing is this, there is an exceeding boldneſs in a fond childe to ask any thing of his father, truly ſuch a boldneſs as were rude in a ſtranger; a childe will ſit in the lap of his mother, and ſnatch a thing out of her hand: So people may talk of forms how people ſhould pray, and ſtand half an hour confeſſing of ſins, and ſo come on by degrees, but one that is fond of God with an holy fondneſs, he knows he may leap into his fathers lap at any time, and fall into his arms, and ask any thing without courting, and complement.
There are ſome Saints that cannot at any time get to God, and ask any thing, but they have much ado to ſet their hearts, and to get off the guilt that is between them and God as a cloud; they have much ado to get a little adoption to call God Father, and to lay hold on the promiſes: but there is ſuch a temper of holy fondneſs, that there needs not all, or any of this: God and the ſoul are ſo well acquainted, and always together, that as ſoon as ever he comes he can ask any thing, and in a holy boldneſs ſnatch it: for the Kingdom of heaven is taken by violence, therefore ſaith God concerning my ſons and daughters, Command ye me. A childe can command his father, and ſay, I muſt have a new coat, I muſt have a new book, or I muſt have a ball to play with: ſo a Saint can ſay, Father, there is a covenant, thou art my Father, and I am thy childe, it58 cannot ſtand with thy Truth, thou wert not juſt if thou ſhouldeſt deny me any thing that is good: O this is a holy boldneſs! As a childe can creep into his mothers breaſt, and pull it out with his hand, yet becauſe there is an inward love, ſhe bears with it, and ſmiles in his face. It argues a great deal of neerneſs to God when one is always in a readineſs to ask any thing. I have obſerved that ſouls that are far from God, they muſt always go upon their knees, but a ſoul that is neer can pray ſtanding, or walking, or talking, as that good man that you read of in the Book of Ezra, he can pray with his hat on, he can pray in his bed, or where you will, when he is is communion with God. It is a moſt glorious thing, and a grace that I have ſeen in ſome Saints, and it hath made my ſoul ſick to have it, to have a ſoul alway in ſuch a temper, they can ſpeak a ſpiritual word at any time, as it is ſaid of Bradford, to have a heart ſo familiar with God, that it can ſpeak in a moment: A weak Profeſſor prays, and he is put to it to the utmoſt for his duty in the morning, and he gos behind Gods back all the day till night, and unleſs he ſet aſide all his work, and go upon his knees, he cannot pray as he buys, and ſells, and trades.
Fourthly, there is in a fond childe a holie careleſneſs, of caſting himſelf, bodie, and ſoul, and familie, and buſines, and affairs and all upon God, Be carefull for nothing. It is not to make careleſs Chriſtians: but it is true in one ſenſe, when in a holie careleſnes, a man caſts himſelf upon God. It is your weakneſs, much of your diſpute, concerning grace, and ſalvation, and juſtification; a fond Childe of God ſmiles at59 it; he can come near his father, and catch him, and hold him, and ſay, I know whom I have truſted, on whom I have layd my ſoul; As a man that puts his eſtate in another hands, can ſay, I know whom I have truſted, A weak ſaint thinks little of, and cares little for the ſervice of God; but he cares much for his owne ſafetie, and ſecurity, and ſalvation: a ſtrong, fond ſaint takes leſs care for his owne ſalvation, but he cares much for the ſervice of Ieſus Chriſt. For (thinks he) let the Lord Ieſus look to that; he hath taken on him to die for my ſoul, and he hath promiſed to receive it; and he hath ſayd he will not caſt away them that come to him, I have caſt my ſoul on him, ſink or ſwim, I will not trouble my head with that, but all my thought, and care ſhall be how I may pleaſe Ieſus Chriſt, and love and glorifie him. It is a bleſſed pitch of grace when a ſaint can come to that careleſſnes, that a man is not thoughtfull for his ſoul, when he hath brought it to Chriſt, leave it there, and think not of it, but think of the work and will of Chriſt, and how to honour him. As ſuppoſe you meet in the way as you travell, an enemy, a man that (it may be) ſtands there to deſtroy you, though you meet him you know not his purpoſe, if you did, you would go another way; now when you meet the man, there is one of theſe two things to be done, either concerning your ſafetie, or your carriage to Chriſt. Now a ſaint is apt to take Chriſts work, and lay aſide his own; another man doth not care in that caſe, how he is pleaſing to Chriſt, and carries himſelf to him; but his care is how he may get off from his enemy, that he may not kill him, and take away his life: that is our errour; we ſhould52 leave that to Chriſt, he hath put an enemy before me, and he cannot kill me without Chriſt give him power: but my care ſhould be, how to be pleaſing to God, and ſo to ſpeak, and think, and do. As for outward things, and for the body; ſo for the ſoul, my care ſhould not be ſo much whether I ſhall be damned, or ſaved: I know into whoſe hands I have put it; but my care ſhould be, how to walk more holily and pleaſing to Chriſt, and for the edification of his Church and kingdome; this a childe that is fond of God will do.
Fiftly, a Saint that is fond of God in Ieſus Chriſt, he ſeeth ſomething of God in every thing. As they ſay of love, one that is in love, ſees nothing with her eyes, nor hears nothing with her ears but love: ſo a Saint that is fond of God, bring him meat, he ſees the love of God in Chriſt in it; bring him cloathes, or any thing, his eye is faſtened more upon the love of God in Chriſt, then upon the thing. As the ſpouſe in the Canticles (for the Canticles is a book of fondneſſe between Chriſt and his people) ſhe hears one talk, I warrant you (ſaith ſhe) this is the voice of my beloved; ſhe is ſo fond of him, that ſhe could not hear one talk, but ſhe ſaith, It is my beloved, when ſhe looks on the gallery, and the lattice, I warrant you (ſaith ſhe) my beloved looks thorow that grate, and when ſhe ſleeps, her heart waketh. It is a bleſſed thing when we do not eye things in themſelves, but ſo as we are able to ſee God in them.
And you ſhall know it by the various tempers of your ſouls: for ſometimes you are more ſpirituall, and ſometimes more carnall: when you are carnall, you uſe more of the creature, and never ſee God at all; but53 when you are ſpirituall, you ſee God, and his love in Chriſt in every thing.
I ſhall now ſhew you how God brings his childrenThis fondneſs wrought four wayes. to this holy fondneſſe, and I would leave you longing for it; and I truſt in God to leave ſome ſouls ſick, till God work, and bring up their ſouls to that; I will name but onely four.
The firſt thing is, that God utterly convinceth a Saint1. By diſabling all the Creation to this end. of the vanity of every creature, and of every condition, he will never be fond till then: God lets him ſuck one creature after another, and then he ſees the vanity of them. God puts him into one condition after another: O, ſaith a Saint, when he is ſick, if I were well, I ſhould rejoyce, and glorifie God: God gives him health, and then he is in a worſe temper. When he is poor, ſaith he, If I had to pay my debts, and to ſet up handſomly, then I ſhould ſerve God; God ſets him up, and lets his heart go after covetouſneſſe, and ſaith to him, Doſt thou not ſee that thou art worſe then thou wert before? So God chaſeth him from one creature to another, and from one condition to another. If he would be in the Country, God convinceth him that he will be worſe then in the Town; At laſt he ſaith, Lord, I have tried, and hunted all, and I ſee they are a company of vanities. And ſometime when he is ſick in body, and ſhaken in ſoul, God appears gloriouſly, and makes the worſt condition better then the beſt: ſo God follows, and traſeth, and chaſeth him from one to another, till he bring him to ſee every creature vanity, and every condition; and, ſaith a Saint, I do not much care what condition, whether he put me in priſon, or at liberty, whether I be rich or poor; well or ſick, ſo he reveal himſelf to my ſoul. You will never62 be fond till you come to that, till God convince you of all conditions, and of the uſe of all creatures, and tire thee that thy ſoul may ſay, God is all in all; I am indifferent what creatures I have, or want, or what condition I am in: for I have ſeen God to be all in all, I have ſeen nothing in riches, and in liberty, but as God comes into a condition, or is abſent, ſo it is ſweet or bitter, good, or bad. People that are profeſſors in theſe ſad times, they would not be ſo reaching, and griping and undermining, for offices, and places, and preferments, and I know not what, if they did ſee this.
Another way it this, that the Lord ſheds his love into their hearts, Rom, 5. he poures it out, as you would2 By Gods pouring forth his love in their heart pour out a Paile, or a Bucket of water; God ſo overpowers the heart with his love, that there is no guilt, no hardneſs, no fear, no ſpirit of bondage at all left in the ſoul. Beloved; why are not we more fond of God? why is not he more deare to us? The reaſon is, becauſe we have many hard thoughts of him, that he may be an enemy as well as a friend, and I know not what he means: I look upon him at a catch, as with a ſtaffe in his hand to ſtrike me. There are abundance of thoſe thoughts in the ſoul, eſpecially in affliction; ſome profeſſors are ready to ſay, God hath found me out as an hypocrite, and plagueth me. In afflictions, ordinary profeſſors looſe more, though they talk of getting. But the Lord comes to ſome of his children, and ſo overpowers their hearts with his love, that there is not one thought nor imagination in their hearts, but onely of love to him, and then they will be fond: for when they ſee pure love in God, and nothing but a principle of pure love in them to God; what ſhould hinder but63 they ſhould be fond one of another? There is a homely compariſon, a woman that hath butter in a diſh, ſhe melts ſome of the butter; but if ſhe take it too ſoon from the fire, there will be a core, a knob in the diſh left, and being taken from the fire it grows bigger, till all be hard. So a weak Saint, by ſtudying the promiſes of God, and the love of God, it diſſolves much of the knobbineſse, yet there are ſome hard thoughts, and Iealouſies, and ſuſpitions: but God comes at laſt, and melts all the butter together, all the knobbineſſ that is in the heart, every thought, and imagination, of terrour, and guilt, and fear, that there is a clear, and pure principle of love to God, and then the ſoul is fond of him.
The Lord takes a great deal of delight to train and bring up his childe to be more in love with him: God will ſo traine and bring him up, that if he throw him into the worſt condition that can be for body, or ſoul, and ſhall ſay, what thinkeſt thou of me now? haſt thou any hard thoughts of me? ſaith God: No, ſaith the ſoul, all is Love. As for inſtance, I will tell you a thing, the worſt on this ſide hell, I ſpeake not of impriſonment ▪ or ſhame, but God may take him, and leave him to ſin, and then the ſoul awakes, and thinks, good Lord where am I? O what a hell have I in me! for there is a hell in the heart, if God take off the vail of grace, if he draw the Curtain, there is nothing but hell in the ſoul: There are many ſins that thou haſt committed, that there is not a ſoul in the world that hath committed worſe. This is true, ſaith a Saint, and doſt thou not think, ſaith God, that thou art an hypocrite? and that I ſhall damn thee for this? No, ſaith the ſoul, I know I have nothing in me but of thy56 Grace, and if thou draw the Curtain, all is hell; but there is nothing but love, even then after ſin, there is not one hard thought, it makes the ſoul more fond: he ſaith, it is true, I am ſo, and there is no devil that hath worſe thoughts, but the more need I have to go to my Father, for I am thy ſon, I am ſure of that; and ſeeing that I am weaker then I was, I have the more need to betake me to thy lap, and into thy arms, and ſo he grows more fond of God by ſin it ſelf.
Nay, I will tell you a greater then that. What can that be? There is one greater, and yet all this cannot quench the love and fondneſs that is between the ſoul and God, that is, when God corrects his childe with one ſin for another: It may be for his fault he lets him run to covet Places and Offices, &c. and the next day after, the Lord ſuffers another luſt to carry him as in a Chariot to hell, that this may make him take heed how he looks after ſuch things. This is the worſt between this and hell ſaith God: Should I not now come, and break thee in pieces as a villain? No, ſaith the ſoul, this is a wiſe deſign of thy love, and there is nothing but love in thee to me, and there ſhall be nothing but pure love in me to thee.
Learn theſe things, beloved, There are many that come to hear, and all that I can ſee from them, is, that if there be controverſal, they diſpute of that when they come home, but lay theſe things to heart, as it is ſaid of Mary, and beg of the Lord to ſcrew up your ſouls to that heavenly, bleſſed Life, that you may attain in this world. 3. Aſſurance of conqueſt over all kinde of enemies.
The third thing, before which a Saint will never be fond, is, God will convince him of an abſolute, perfect65 conqueſt over all his enemies. A childe of God will never be fond till he be ſecure, and he will never be ſo till God ſhew him by his Spirit, that he is more then conqueror over moſt of his enemies, and that he is a certaine conquerour over all. And this is by faith: for by ſenſe ſin prevails over us, and if we ſay we have ſin, we do not ſay true. But by faith, when Satan is moſt ſevere, he is conquered, and ſin when it is moſt violent, he looks on it as a vaſſall at his foot, intreating pardon. It is ſaid in Daniel, that Chriſt came to bring in everlaſting righteouſneſs, and make an end of ſin. A Saint by faith ſees ſin ended, as hell, and damnation, and wrath, and the curſe is ſo, ſin ſhall be out of doors. There is no damnation to them that are in Chriſt. He hath redeemed us out of the hands of our enemies, that we might ſerve him without fear, as Zechary ſaith, from all our enemies: and he ſhall (as Malachy ſaith) tread his enemies as aſhes under his feet.
This is that that keeps a Saint under, he cannot come to the height of love to God; becauſe there is ſome enemy that over-tops him. This day, when he hears that our ſouls are over ſin, he is cheary: but when he comes home, there comes a ſin or a temptation, and breaks all, and he is at a loſs. Now when faith is ſcrued ſo high, as to tread on all enemies, on ſin, which is the ſtrongeſt: ſay it be a ſtrong temptation of covetouſneſſe, thou ſtudieſt to purchaſe and to enlarge thine inheritance: ſuppoſe there be ſuch a thing in thy ſoul, and it is violent, and thou haſt offered to reſiſt it, and thou canſt not: thou mayſt ſay, Sin, though thou be ſtrong, and I cannot put thee cut, thou haſt bolted the door, but thou art my ſlave, and in the blood of66 Chriſt, I am thy conquerour; thou thinkeſt to conquer me, but thou art my vaſſall and my ſlave. And much more may he ſay ſo of Satan; Thou moleſteſt me, but thou art condemned, I am made Lord over thee in the blood of Chriſt. Grace, and ſin will mount as the bird and the Hawk, and the one ſeek to out-mount the other: the bird for ſafety, the Hawk for prey: ſo grace and ſin get one above another. O, ſaith grace, I would be holy: ſaith ſin, thou ſhalt be covetous. I will pray, ſaith grace; but I will make thee my poſſeſsion, ſaith ſin. When the ſoul out-mounts ſin, to the place where dwelleth righteouſneſſe, that Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken; that I ſee all my enemies beneath: and when they are moſt ſtrong, and imperious over me, I look on them with a peaceable & quiet ſpirit
Laſt of all, and ſo I have done with this; notwithſtanding all this the ſoul could not be fond of God, but4. By a ſpirituall ad heſion to the new Covenant. as God gives him a ſpirituall underſtanding of the new Covenant; the enemies will over-mount the ſoul elſe. As for inſtance, to give you but one illuſtration, there are ſuch pangs, and ſuch a temper in the ſoul of a Saint, as that ſometimes, nothing in the world can give him ſatisfaction; there is ſin, and temptation, and it may be paine in body: and where is God, and the ſpirit, and any thing to help? God can help, but who knows whether he will or no? now I am in the hands of mine enemies: In comes the Covenant, O (ſaith the ſoul) it is true, I am in the hands of mine enemies, and God may chuſe whether he will reſcue me. He might have done, but now he is bound in an everlaſting Covenant, that (with reverence) God muſt help: time was when God might have caſt me to hell, and he was not bound to67 ſave me, but the caſe is altered, God is bound to ſave me. Therefore ſaith David, Though my houſe be not ſo with God, yet there is a Covenant, this is my deſire, and joy. Many times, the ſoul is ſo that nothing can relieve it but the Covenant that God is bound, that God cannot though he would deſert him.
If you examine, what this Covenant is; and whereto it is? The Lord knows we are apt to meaſure him by our ſelves, and ſo we do in every thing: we think our thoughts, as Gods thoughts, and his thoughts as ours: therefore God is willing to condeſcend unto us in our own way: for that God that contrived a way of ſalvation before the world was, we may not fear but that that love will carry us thorow: but God would come in our way, and take that way that one man doth with another: becauſe we are apt to meaſure God by our ſelves, therefore he comes and ſaith, and if that ſerve not, he ſwears, and if that will not ſerve, he brings a ſeal, and a Covenant, and then with men a man is ſafe enough: So, Gods word had been enough; but becauſe we ſhould have ſtrong conſolation, that muſt be conveyed according to our apprehenſions, and thoughts: there God ſaith, and ſwears, and makes a Covenant, and binds himſelf, that we may ſee him bound. Therefore ſaith the Apoſtle in the Galatians, If it be but a mans Covenant, none can diſſanull it. As if he ſhould ſay, I made this for your ſakes, or elſe I have one, and none can alter it: but foryour ſakes I came down, and made a Covenant like men; and There are three that bear witneſs, and that is enough among men: therefore think my love will be conſtant to the end. So when a Chriſtian is at a dead lift, this relieves him, not that68 God can ſave him if he will, but that God muſt, he is bound to ſave him.
It is a pitifull thing, when a man is in the hands of a thouſand enemies; and then can only ſay, peradventure God will ſave me and reſcue me, but when the ſoul ſees that God muſt reſcue it, and there is a Covenant made, and ſealed with the blood of Chriſt, and it is not poſſible to be broken, Gods Covenant is to ſave me, and preſerve me to his everlaſting Kingdom. Thus I have briefly ſhewed you that fondneſſe that is between a Saint, and God; and the book of Canticles is (as I told you) nothing but a book of fondneſſe (as I may ſay) between Chriſt and the Saints. Therefore you ſhould aime at the good of your ſouls, and ſeeing there is ſuch a condition, that there are Saints that are ſo, deſire the Lord to make you ſuch.
Now therefore hearken, O Iſrael, unto the ſtatutes and judgements, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in, and poſſeſſe the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.
Ye ſhall not add unto the word which I command you, neither ſhall you diminiſh ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Your eyes have ſeen what the Lord did becauſe of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath deſtroyed them from among you.
But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day, &c.
I Shall not go about to expound this whole Chapter unto you, you ſee it is very long, and therefore I will not abridge my ſelf or you of time for that which is to follow: but onely briefly take notice of a few things in70 this Chapter which I ſhall touch upon: for they are ſweet, and very ſerious words that Moſes ſpeaks to the people of Iſrael. One thing is in the fourth verſe, ſaith Moſes, Your eyes have ſeen what the Lord did becauſe of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath deſtroyed them from among you.
But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God, are alive every one of you to this day.
You ſhall read in Num. 25. 4. and in Num. 30. 15. that by the counſell of Balaam the people of Iſrael were brought to commit Idolatry at Baal-peor, Iſrael joyned himſelf to Baal-peor; and the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael. They were brought firſt to whordom, and then to Idolatry, as we may ſee in that Chapter, for which God cut off men and women about ſome twenty four thouſand. And yet in this great temptation, ſome of them did cleave to the Lord, and thoſe the Lord kept alive and deſtroyed them not: ye that did cleave to the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day.
So that,
It is a bleſſed and happy thing when people ſhallObſervation cleave to the Lord.
The word is taken ſometimes to ſtick, my belly cleaves or ſticks to the duſt. And ſo truly the word ſhould ſtick a little upon our thoughts. Cleaving, it implies or ſignifies two things.
It ſignifies, firſt to glew, to unite two things together into one, and ſo you ſhall have it, Gen. 2. 24. TheyCleaving to, implies two things. 1. A neer conjunction. two ſhall be joyned, and made one fleſh, they ſhall be glewed (as it were) together. So you have it in Epheſ. 5. 71And there is in that word, as that reverend Doctor Preſton, I remember, obſerves, it ſignifies a greater union th••any other in the world. Indeed, there is a great union between two boards glewed together: for I have heard Joyners ſay, it is ſometimes ſtronger then the board it ſelf, as a broken bone is ſtronger when it is knit, then before ever it was broken. It is an union more then marriage, more then between man and wife, yet that is the greateſt in the whole creation. Beloved, ſuch a union ſhould be between our ſouls and Ieſus Chriſt; we ſhould not hang looſe upon Ieſus Chriſt, we ſhould be united to him as a man to his wife, yea ſomething more then that: And therefore ſaith David when he found a looſnes in his heart, O knit my heart to thee, that I may fear thy name. Knit my heart; as Ionathans heart was knit to David. Will you learn this now? For our work is as Moſes ſaid in another kind, I have laid before you this day life and death, and (ſaith he) at another time, I have laid before you judgements and ſtatutes: ſo our work is to lay before you the will of the Lord; now this is one part of it, that there ſhould be ſuch a union between our ſouls, and Ieſus Chriſt. And therefore learn this, when thou goeſt home, if thou finde a looſneſſe between thee and Chriſt, remember this word, thou ſhouldeſt learn to cleave to the Lord, and pray the Lord to knit thy heart to him. When there is a looſneſſe, that is, when many times, other things run between thy heart and God, ſometimes thy husband, ſometimes thy wife, ſometimes thy money, thy wealth, thy caſh hath thy heart: O pray the Lord to knit thy heart more and more to him.
72But cleaving alſo is taken more uſually, for ſitting2. A relative permanency with or abiding in the Lord, when others do leave him. It is a relative kinde of word, it is not ſimply••iting to God, or knitting to him: but when other things are in competition with God, when (it may be) others follow other things, and when both are laid before mine eyes, that I may follow the one or the other, then when I abide with God, this is called cleaving to the Lord. As I could give you diverſe inſtances. Gen. 2. 24. A woman is to forſake her father and mother, and to cleave to her husband: that is, a woman when ſhe is married, ſhe hath two ſweet objects before her eyes, her fathers houſe, her father and mother, and ſiſters and brothers, on the one ſide, and her husband on the other ſide, and his friends and relations: now when a woman leaves the one, and ſticks to the other, this is properly called cleaving. You ſhall read alſo in 2 Sam. 20. 2. the people of Iſrael, every man of Iſrael, went up from after David. The people of Iſrael there, in a peeviſh humor, left David their King, and followed Sheba the ſon of Bichri, but the men of Iudah did cleave to their King from Iordan to Ieruſalem. There the people were divided, Iſrael followed Sheba, but Iudah clave to David. In ſtead of many I will give you but one more, that is in the book of Ruth, you ſhall have there a good woman that had two daughters in law, her ſons were both dead, and ſo ſhe was going to return to her country, ſhe was in a ſtrange country with them, and ſhe takes her leave of her two daughters, Chap. 2. 8. Naomi ſaid to her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mothers houſe, the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with73 me; that is, they had been kind to her ſons and to her, for they lived in a ſtrange country, now Farwell, The Lord grant that you may finde reſt, each of you in the houſe of her husband: Then ſhe kiſſed them, &c. And they ſaid, ſurely we will return with thee to thy people, we will go along, we will not leave thee, No, daughters (ſaith ſhe) do not ſo, for I cannot bear other children for you to marry, as the law was then. If I ſhould lie to night with an husband, and have children, you would not ſtay ſo long, therefore I pray abide, and go not. And it is ſaid, Orpah kiſſed her mother in law, and lift up her voice, and wept, and left her, but Ruth clave unto her. Orpah was perſwaded, and wept, and took her leave, but Ruth clave to her, and ſaid, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whether thou goeſt I will go, and where thou lodgeſt I will lodge, thy people ſhall be my people, and thy God my God, Where thou dyeſt will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do ſo to me and more alſo, if ought but death part thee and me. So I ſay you ſee here, that when there was a competition, a kind of parting, then Ruth abiding with Naomi, that is called cleaving.
It is a glorious thing, that when the ſeeming ſervantsThe honour of cleaving to Chriſt. of Ieſus Chriſt ſhall depart from him, when there is a diviſion among profeſſors, then to be able to cleave to Ieſus Chriſt. That you may underſtand it, conceive that in the wayes of Ieſus Chriſt, many times there are ſuch times that abundance of hypocrites as well as Saints abide with him, they are ſometimes ſtill, like the waters of Shilo, there is no perſecution or trouble in them, it may be there is a great deal of honour, and wealth, and riches with them, and many times a great party of the world74 ſticks to him; but there is a little tripp, and ſtep in the ways of godlines, when there is a parting, when hypocrites like Orpah, ſhall weep, and repent, and ſo ſhall go with Chriſt no longer: if they do, one ſhall looſe his friends, another his trade, another his wife, and ſhall lift up their voices and weep, and take their leaves; then is the beautie of Chriſtianity and the bleſſedneſſe of a Chriſtian, to be able to cleave to the Lord in ſuch a time as this is. This was the exhortation of the good man Barnabas, that he gave to the people, as you ſhall read Acts 11. 22, 23. When he was come, and had ſeen the grace of God, he was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpoſe of heart, they ſhould cleave to the Lord. I have oft marvailed with my ſelf, why Barnabas, that is ſaid to be a good man, and full of the Holy Ghoſt, coming as a ſtranger to a congregation of good people, where he ſaw the grace of God among them; why he ſhould chooſe this and no more, but onely pitch upon this exhortation, that ſeeing they were godly, and had received the grace of God, he ſhould ſay; I have no more to ſay but this one word, underſtand it well, that is, that with full purpoſe of heart you cleave to the Lord.
Indeed the reaſon was (as I conceive) if you compare it with Chap. 14. 22. Barnabas was a man to whom God had diſcovered much of the doctrine of Tribulation, and perſecution that belonged to the Goſpell. For take notice of it by the bye, I look on the people of God, li•e the ſervants of God that did go to build the Temple, ſome were appointed to hew ſtone, ſome to digge them up, and ſome to carry them home, ſome to build them up, ſome to caſt accounts and to keep reckoning. So the Lord Ieſus in his Kingdom (no man75 knows the reaſon why) he cuts out diſtinct parcells of work to his people, and thereupon ſupplies them with his ſpirit, and reveales truthes to his people, ſome to manage ſuch a thing, no man knows the reaſon. God faſtens the doctrine of juſtification upon ſome, that they cannot reſt night nor day, and one that may be unwilling to die for another point, but not for that: Another about Church-government, Another upon ſanctification, none knowes why; but God fits them for their work by his Spirit, according to his bleſſed will.
Therefore we ſhould not cenſure or ſleight godly men becauſe our maſter doth not imploy them about ſuch a work, as he doth us. It may be my thoughts are upon ſanctification, anothers upon juſtification. So God cuts out the work as it pleaſeth him. Now this Barnabas it ſeemes did not ſpeak much as we read of, but he had a mighty apprehenſion of perſecutions and tribulations that the Saints ſhould ſuffer in this world. Therefore in Acts 14. 22. he and Paul confirm the ſouls of the Diſciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we muſt through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. In every Sermon (as we may ſay) Barnabas had ſomething to ſtrengthen the ſouls of the people to go thorow tribulation, and affliction, It may be another Apoſtle had his Spirit upon another work. It may be in reference to this he gave them this exhortation, deſiring them with full purpoſe of heart to cleave to the Lord, As if he had ſaid, Now you are in proſperity (for ſo they were) and are all ready to hear the Goſpell, and receive it. O (ſaith he) but there is a time a coming,76 to trie you, and you muſt not think to run to heaven between two feather-beds: but as all the Saints before had their ſhare, ſo every one that will live in Chriſt Ieſus muſt ſuffer perſecution. As there is a Statute in heaven for all men once to die; ſo if you be Saints, you muſt live in tribulation, and perſecution, and that is the way; as Chriſt was made perfect by ſufferings, ſo you muſt come to ſalvation. Therefore when thoſe things come, I have not much to ſay to you, but O then remember to cleave to the Lord: for then you ſhall ſee hypocrites in droves going away from Ieſus Chriſt, and leaving him, one ſtumbling at this, another at that; one is offended at the Croſſe, that it takes away his credit, another for his profit, another his liberty, another his trading: but brethren, I beſeech you with full purpoſe of heart to cleave to the Lord. See how a company in Iohn 6. with one word ſpeaking went all away from Chriſt, If they had been called to fire from Chriſt, it had been ſomething; but he ſaith no more, but you muſt eat my fleſh and drink my blood, and they all went away. Yet the Diſciples (there was twelve then) ſaith Chriſt, Will ye go away alſo? Lord, whether ſhall we go? ſaith Peter, thou haſt the words of eternall life: ſo they abode with him, and clave to him.
Saith Barnabas, with full purpoſe of heart, that is, you muſt not cleave as Iudas: for Iudas did then cleave to Chriſt, when all but the Apoſtles left him, that we read of, but with full purpoſe of heart, the Greek word ſignifies with full decree of heart, ſuch as the Medes and Perſians had, when they decreed to caſt Daniel into priſon, though the King were otherwiſe minded, and77 had ſeen his errour, yet they told him a decree of the Medes and Perſians cannot be broken, it muſt be kept; the Apoſtle alludes to that, there muſt be ſuch a decree in the ſoul, of ſticking to Chriſt, and cleaving to God, notwithſtanding all tribulations, and perſecutions, and ſhame, and reproach, and trouble whatſoever that befalls, that you may as ſoon break the lawes of the Medes and Perſians, as bring the ſoul from that decree, As one ſaid of old, they might as ſoon ſtop the Sun in the firmament, as hinder that godly man in his courſe of holineſſe, So let me intreat, and exhort you in the exhortation of Barnabas that you would cleave to the Lord with full purpoſe of heart.
There are two great times in generall when people2. Speciall times of cleaving to God. 1. In a generall deluge of ſin. leave God, and then you muſt be ſure to cleave to him, that is,
Firſt, when a generall time of ſin comes up among you, as this of Baal peor, there were twenty four thouſand ſlaine, for their ſin at Baal-peor; ſin when it comes up once, is like a ſtreame; truly the courſe of the world is but the ſtreame of ſin in the world, and worldly men. Therefore you ſhall ſee that ſins in Nations, though they begin from little, ſee how men are carried away with them when once they are grown ſtrong! when once people begin to be proud and high, and ſet themſelves up, every one ſhall be ſo. I ſhall be laughed at if I do not ſpend my money in vaine things to maintaine my ſervants, my coate, my garb, and Coach, and the like. This pride is grown to a ſtreame in the world: and ſo for ſwearing, and ſo for drunkenneſse, and every other ſin. Now I ſay, when ſin doth in this manner break out, and thou ſeeſt others carried with78 it more and more, then take heed, then be ſure thou cleave to God. Nay, there are more ſpirituall ſins then theſe, as it is ſaid, Barnabas was carried away with the diſsimulation. When thou ſeeſt generall diſsimulation in a Kingdom, to call darkneſſe light, and light darkneſſe, and good evil, and evil good, to call good men treacherous, and treacherous men good, to call blinde, baſe, ſuperſtitious men Orthodox, and Orthodox men ſuperſtitious, take heed then that thou cleave to the Lord.
Then ſecondly, when perſecutions, and ſufferings2. In times of perſecution. come, few men make account of it, we cannot make people ſenſible of it, what they muſt ſuffer, they have falſe hopes; they think that though people ſuffered in Queen Maryes time, and others may after, yet they ſhall go in peace. We muſt ſuffer: talk of Reformation, and what you will; all honeſt hearts inevitably ſhall have tribulation. Therefore let this word abide with you, that it be your ſtudy, and earneſt prayer to the Lord, when you ſee others run into ſin and are carried away for fear of this trouble, and that croſſe, and the other ſhame, that then you abide with the Lord as Iudah, Though Iſrael play the harlot, yet let Iudah be faithfull with his God. Though ſuch a man diſſemble, yet why ſhould I do ſo? though ſuch a one go againſt his own light, and conſcience, yet why ſhould not I cleave to Chriſt? That is one exhortation, that you would cleave to the Lord.
1 Keep not thou ſilence O God, hold not thy peace, and be not ſtill, O God.
2 For lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have liſt up the head &c.
THis Pſalm containes in it a grievous complaint of the prophet to God, againſt the enemies of his Son, and of his people. Some do conceive that it was not the prophet David, but Iſaiah, or ſome of the prophets in the time of Hezekiah, when Zenecharib, and other Nations that were confederate with him were coming up againſt Iſrael. But however, a confederacie there was of the wicked againſt the godly; and the prophet whoſoever he was here, complaines to God; and doth as it were
Firſt, awaken God to hearken to his complaint,The parts of the Pſalm. Keep not ſilence O God, hold not thy peace, and be not ſtill.
Secondly, he layes down the matter of the complaint which was the crafty counſell, and the conſpiracie81 of divers wicked people, yea of Nations, ſome ten Nations, againſt the people of God, the Iſraelites, and he lays down in particular who they were.
Then thirdly, he doth pray, or propheſie: for moſt of the prayers of the prophets were propheſies alſo: he not onely prayed that it might be ſo, but propheſied that it ſhould be ſo: that they ſhould be as a wheel, that they ſhould be as fire in the wood, or as a flame of fire upon the mountains.
Laſtly, he lays down the end, why he ſo prayed or prepheſied, to wit, that his enemies might be filled with ſhame, that they might ſeek the name of the Lord, that they might be brought home to God. Or if they will go on and periſh, that others may know the name of the Lord, that they may know that thou whoſe name is Iehovah, art moſt high over all the earth. And though their faces being filled with ſhame, they will not fear the Lord, yet doubtleſſe others will; and when God ſhall bring confuſion on his enemies, others will acknewledge the name of the Lord Iehovah, and that there is no other in the whole earth. This is the ſum and ſubſtance of the Pſalm. I ſhall endeavour to open the meaning of it a little in particular.
Firſt, concerning the prophets complaint, the prophets waking of God as it were in thoſe his complaints.
Keep not ſilence O God, hold not thy peace, be not ſtill.
Or as the Septuagint renders it, O Lord (ſay they) who is like to thee? keep not ſilence, O God, hold not thy peace, be not ſtill.
And you muſt take notice, and it is worth obſerving, that when the prophet ſaith here, O God, he means Ieſus Chriſt. That whereas ordinarily in the old Teſtament,81 eſpecially in the book of Pſalms when you hear the prophet mention God, or Iehovah, or the Lord, you think of God naturally, out of Chriſt, whereas he uſually means Ieſus Chriſt; as I could fully cleare it if I had time. Let me give you one inſtance; In the laſt verſe of the former Pſalm: Ariſe, O God, judge the earth, for thou ſhalt inherit all nations. That is clearly meant of Chriſt: for we know that God inherits all Nations; he made the world, and he had the command and poſſeſſion of it: but to God in Ieſus Chriſt, there is a time when God hath promiſed that he ſhall inherit the nations, from the uttermoſt ends of the earth. And therefore here by God is meant Ieſus Chriſt.
For indeed, ordinarily, and naturally you ſhall not finde a people conſpiring againſt God properly: you ſhall ſee no wicked man but in ſome ſort or other he will ſpeak honourably of God: but God in Chriſt, God in the mediator, God in the Goſpell, God in his Saints, God in Goſpell ordinances, and the like: hence are all the tumults in the world, and all the conſpiracies againſt God, and his Saints. Therefore if you compare this place, Thine enemies make a tumult againſt thee, with Pſal. 2. Why do the heathen rage? Or why do they make a tumult? (as ſome read it) and why do the people imagine a vaine thing? the Kings of the earth take counſell againſt the Lord, and againſt his anointed. That is meerly meant of Ieſus Chriſt. So take notice of that, that carnall men ordinarily do not ſpeak or think evil of God abſolutely conſidered, but the worſt of men ſpeak well of him, when he gives them wealth they thank him, when he gives them faire weather, they bleſſe him; when he gives them peace and preſerves them in their82 journeys and wayes, every one ſpeaks well of God: but God in Ieſus Chriſt, God manifeſt in the fleſh; God in the mediator; God in his Saints, God in his ordinances, God in his commands, and the like: then the men of the world uſe to make tumults, then they take crafty counſell together, and conſpire againſt the Lord, and againſt his apointed.
Keep not thou ſilence, O God, hold not thy peace, be not ſtill.
You ſee the prophet looks upon God as one that in the midſt of theſe conſpiracies, did keep ſilence, and hold his peace, and ſit ſtill; Not that God doth uſe to ſpeak, or to ſtir properly as we men do: but the meaning is this, that many times when his ſon Ieſus Chriſt, and his laws; and his ordinances are moſt conſpired againſt, God (as it were) doth keep ſilence, I meane Ieſus Chriſt, God in Chriſt, when his people, and ordinances are conſpired againſt, he keeps ſilence, and ſits ſtill, as though he would let his enemies do what they would, and what they liſt; as though God did not ſee or heed which end did go forward. The Lord oft doth this.
Keep not ſilent O God.
I remember that place in Iſaiah 40. 27. Why ſayeſt thou O Iacob, and ſpeakeſt O Iſrael, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is paſſed over from my God? The meaning of it is this, that when the enemies of God, as we ſee, Chap. 39. did oppreſſe this people, they did pray to him, and looked for aſsiſtance from him, but he was ſilent (as it were) or aſleep: therefore they begin to ſay in their heart, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is paſſed over from my God: that83 is, Surely it is impoſſible that God ſhould eye, and ſee my wayes, and how men deal with me while I am believing, and waiting, and praying, and humbling my ſoul; no, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is paſſed over from my God; that is, my God hath forgotten to give ear to me. Beloved, there is a time when the Lord (as it were) gives cauſe to his people ſo to think; that he is (as it were) aſleep, and lets their enemies go on, and none contradict them. I was thinking out of ſcripture that there are three Reaſons3. Reaſons of Gods ſilence in the danger of the Saints. 1. To try their faith. why the Lord keeps ſilence when his people are in danger, and ſits ſtill when there is moſt need to give help and aſſiſtance.
One is, the Lord doth it to trie their faith, as we ſee clearly, Matthew, 8. 23. where it is ſaid that our Lord Chriſt was aſleep, There aroſe a great tempeſt, inſomuch as the ſhip was covered with waves, but he was aſleep; and his diſciples came and awaked him, ſaying, Lord ſave us, we periſh. We read more fully in Mark. 4. & Luk. 8. he left them, when the ſhip was covered with waves, and they were rowing for their lives, their Lord was aſleep the while, and he ſaid to them, Why are ye fearfull, O ye of little faith? Then he aroſe, and rebuked the wind, and the ſea, and there was a great calm. Truly, the Lord will not ſuffer his people to be overwhelmed, that is certain, but he will ſuffer them to come very near, that the waves cover them, and fear and horrour ſhall cover their ſouls, and all to try their faith. For faith is the evidence of things not ſeen, take it in all ſenſes, take faith for the ſoul or faith for the body; and we live not here by ſenſe but by faith; and as the Apoſtle ſaith of hope, ſo we may ſay of faith, If we ſee, why do we yet84 hope? If we did ſee God preſent ſtriking of wicked men when they conſult againſt his children, this were ſenſe; men would ſee that it were better to ſtick to God then otherwiſe, and there would be a world of hypocrites as Doct. Preſton ſaith: for every man would be a profeſſor. But God ſeems to ſleep ſometimes and keeps ſilence, and leaves his people as he did this poor fiſhing boat here, to ſee if when they ſee nothing they will keep faith to him.
I do find another reaſon in Iſaiah 59, and that is, the2. To try their uprightneſs. Lord doth keep ſilence in the midſt of the troubles of his people, as to trie mens faith, ſo to trie mens uprightneſſe, who will ſtick to God: as to ſee who will ſtick to God by faith, ſo, who will ſtick to his cauſe, or his people out of uprightneſse of heart. For if God ſhould alwayes appear for his cauſe, God and his cauſe ſhould have many favourites and friends: but ſometimes God leaves his cauſe, and leaves his people; and leaves his Goſpell, and his ordinances to the wide world, to ſee who will plead for it, and ſtick to it. As you ſee in that place of Iſaiah. Tranſgreſsions are multiplied ſaith the prophet) in tranſgreſsing, and lying againſt the Lord, departing from our God, and uttering words of falſhood, judgement is turned back, and juſtice ſtandeth afar off, truth is fallen in the ſtreet, and equity cannot enter, Yea, truth faileth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himſelf a prey. And the Lord ſaw it, God was as it were aſleep, but he looked through the lattice, the Lord beheld it, and he ſaw that there was no man, and he wondred that there was no interceſſor. That is, God ſuffered all this truth to faile, and Juſtice to fall back, and every thing to go to wrack and ruine: God would ſee if any man85 would intercede, any man among our Magiſtrates or Miniſters, or Citizens, if any man would plead for God, and for his people, and for his truth, but he ſaw none and wondered. Truly God wonders, and men may wonder to ſee what abundance of people follow God, and good lives in the time of proſperity, and when adverſity comes, and wicked men, and al the powers of hell conſpire againſt godlineſſe, to ſee how few ſhew themſelves for God, God wonders at it. Therefore his arm brought ſalvation unto him, and his righteouſneſſe, it ſuſtained him: he put on righteouſneſſe as a breaſt-plate, and an helmet of ſalvation upon his head, and he put on the garments of vengeance for cloathing, and was clad with Zeale as a cloak. The Lord comes and Arms himſelf, juſt as valiant ſouldiers in the wars: when a party is gone forth, they ſtand to ſee what they do, how they come off: but if there be none that will ſtick to it, but run away, they buckle on their armour: So the Lord ſtands to ſee where is the man that will ſtick to it in theſe caſes, and if there be any, God rejoyceth in it, if there be none, God himſelf comes in.
Therefore be ſure of this, when the Lord ſuffers his Son, or any thing that belongs to him to come to theſe low conditions, when truth failes in the ſtreet, and equity is perverted; it is not that God means to ſuffer the wicked to have their wills, for God hath ſworn that Chriſt ſhall reign, but to trie us a little ſpace, whether we will couragiouſly ſtick to God and his cauſe, or baſely for fear of men comply with the world. 3. For the compendious deſtrution of the it enemies.
There is a third reaſon; God (as it were) keeps ſilence; and holds his peace in the middſt of the greateſt86 troubles to this end, that God may (as it were) gather the wicked into one fagot, into one bundle that they may be deſtroyed together. There is a great deal of ado to gather the Saints in this world; and truly there is ſome ado togather the wicked. So God withdraws himſelf from his people, yet he hath a hook in their hearts, he holds them up ſecretly by his Spirit, that they ſhall not leave him; yet the world ſhall not ſee but that God hath quite left them, and all their Ordinances and his Goſpell, and every thing: and then the wicked come together and inſult, whereby God may come upon them at once, and deſtroy them, as we finde ten Nations in this Pſalm. And ſo in Geneſis, God ſtirs up the Nations againſt Abraham, and his poſterity, and there are ten Nations that God promiſeth to cut off before Abraham at once, the Perrezites, and the Iebuſites, and the Canaanites, &c. So God heaps them together, and burns them like ſtubble. Thoſe that burn ſtubble have rakes, and they gather it to heaps, and then they fire it. This is the way of Gods keeping ſilence among his people, and ſitting ſtill in the midſt of their miſeries, thus God gathers their enemies on heaps as ſtubble, that he may burn them together.
Therefore from this that I have ſaid, I have three words to ſay to you, and to my own ſoul.
Vſe 1The firſt of all is, that if the Lord ſhould take any ſuch courſe in our dayes, that you would learn hence to awake God, to call upon his Name, to be earneſt with him. Truly, there are a generation of people now, I leave them to the Lord to judge them (as I ſhall alway) for we have all one maſter; but there is a people that throw away the ordinance of prayer, and they87 profeſſe to live immediately upon God without ordinances, without prayer, and without all the reſt. I do not know what their perfections may be, therefore I cannot judge; but this I know as far as ever I had experience, that the chiefeſt way of communion with God is ſpirituall prayer; Build up one another on your holy faith, and Pray in the Holy Ghoſt, ſaith Iude. And therefore, though you be ancient Chriſtians, and grow ſpirituall, and ſee a great deal of formality in your prayers, as ſome pray ſo many times a day, and that out of forme; not that they ſhould not pray ſo oft in a day, that is well; take heed that out of any pretence you be not remiſs: for truly, it is the readieſt way to heaven, and to attaine happineſs, and the cleareſt conduite to bring grace to the ſoul, and the love of God, and the ſhining of his face, that I have yet known: I yet know no better; therefore take heed of the temptations of Satan, that you do not upon any pretence either throw away prayer or be remiſſe in it.
Vſe 2Secondly, if the Lord ſhould leave his Church, and people, as we know not what he will do; it may be God is going to take a napp; let me warne you from the Lord, and his word (for that is the excellencie of the word; by it thy ſervant is forewarned) take heed of diſtruſt,, and unbelief, and impatience towards God: God doth take a napp ſometimes; it is for his glory, and for your good; but yet cleave to him; ſay as it is here in the Pſalm. O Lord, who is like unto thee? Do not think that the Lord will leave his people: for God hath (you know) made a Covenant with his Son that he ſhall inherit all nations, he ſhall ſubdue all his enemies.88 under his feet. All the enemies hitherto that have riſen againſt his Church, God hath ſubdued them, and either our Goſpell is vaine, and our preaching vaine, and our faith vaine, and all vaine, or elſe God will exalt his Son, and his people, and Saints, and ordinances, maugre all enemies: though ten Nations, as it is in this Pſalm, fight againſt them, nay though ten thouſand, if there were ſo many in the world, God will awake, and ſubdue them, and if there be no man in the world that will plead their cauſe, God will do it. Therefore live by faith, and not by ſenſe, take heed of living by ſenſe, there is nothing that more poyſons, and imbitters our hearts, and ſpirits, and lives, then the beholding of things by ſenſe, that as one good man ſpeaks, I wiſh (ſaith he) ſometimes that I were quite bereft of reaſon that I might exerciſe faith. We are uſed to ſenſe, and ſuch a man doth this and this, and here is conſpiring in this and that place, and all to overthrow Chriſt, and the power of the Goſpell. What of all this? Look by faith what God hath ſaid, and Covenanted, and promiſed, and keep up your ſpirits by faith.
Vſe 3Then laſtly, I would admoniſh all in the bowels of Ieſus Chriſt, to take heed of betraying Gods cauſe or people, or your own ſalvation by your fleſhlineſſe; I mean, take heed you that have thought well of God, and his people, and have ſpoken well of him, that when you ſee God ſleep a little while, and ſeems not to owne them, take heed that you help not the children of Lot; go not with the Moabites and the Tabernacles of Edom, and with wicked men to conſpire againſt the godly: if you do, know that if there be a God in89 heaven, and if there be truth in this book, you are under Gods wrath, to be gathered on heaps for the fire; There appears no fire yet, but be ſure you ſhall feel it hereafter; therefore take heed. The Lord will come (ſaith the prophet) as a bear bereaved of her whelps. If a man take away the whelps of a Bear when ſhe is aſleep, and go away; when the Bear awakens you know what caſe that man will be in, when the Bear ſees him, and her whelps in his arms. So God takes upon him to ſleep, and if he ſee his little ones oppreſſed, and abuſed, when he awakes he will be as a Bear robbed of her whelps. So much concerning that.
Now the prophet having ſpoken to God, and deſire him to awake, he begins to tell him how the caſe ſtood.
For loe thine enemies make a tumult, and they that hate thee lift up their heads, they have taken crafty counſell, &c.
The complaint was this in generall, that they began to make a tumult. Why a tumlt? The whole world is but like an Army, a Brigade of men (as it were) under a Generall; and God is the Lord of Hoaſts, that is the Lord of his Armies: now when there is a tumult in an Army, they complaine to the officers, to the Generall eſpecially; and he muſt come and ſuppreſſe them. Therefore (ſaith he) thou Lord of Hoaſts, that art Generall of the world; lo there is a tumult in the world, a mutinie; what is it?
They that hate thee, have lifted up their heads.
That is, they are waxen proud, and high.
And take crafty counſell together againſt thy people, and conſult againſt thy hidden ones.
You ſee here the property of wicked people, when God90 doth not reſtraine them to conſult, and conſpire againſt the godly: for by the hidden ones are meant the godly. So the Septuagint reads it, thy Saints, or holy ones.
They are called hidden ones, or ſecret ones (as ſome read it) becauſe they are precious: as in Exodus GodThe Saints Gods hidden ones. calls them his treaſure, my peculiar people, my treaſure. And you know our treaſure and riches, we hide it, and keep it ſecret.
And they are called hidden ones likewiſe, becauſe the Lord uſeth to hide his people in the time of trouble, hide me in the hollow of thy hand (ſaith David) and hide me under the ſhadow of thy wings, in another place.
They are called hidden ones (I think) principally, becauſe the world knowes them not; becauſe the Devill alway hath ſome vail upon the eyes of the wicked, that they are not able to know the Saints as Saints. 1 Ioh. 3. Now we are the ſons of God, and the world knowes us not. It is the cleareſt note of a man truly carnall, that hath nothing of God in him, he will tell you that he knows not who are Gods children and Saints, and who are not, the Devill hath ſo many wayes, and nick-names; as to call them Lollards, and Schiſmaticks, and Puritans, and now there are more nick-names then ever. So God hath his Saints, and people, they are his treaſure, and peculiar ones, but he hides them from the world: for it is not in the apprehenſion of wicked men to perſecute the Saints as Saints, but they perſecute them as Schiſmaticks, or hereticks one way or other; yet it may be they may be Gods hidden ones. Therefore what you do againſt Gods hidden ones, you do againſt him. I beſeech you take heed how you conſult, and conſpire againſt people that91 make any profeſsion of Religion, though you think they be hereticall, or Schiſmaticks, and it may be they are ſo, and it may be they are Gods hidden ones: it may be becauſe of my fleſhlineſs I think him to be an heretick or a Schiſmatick, and it may be he is a Saint, and childe of God, and one of his hidden ones.
In the next verſe he layes down the conſpiracie, what it was that they craftily conſulted of.
Ver. 4. Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation, that the name of Iſrael may be no more in remembrance.
The deſires of the wicked are not to ſuppreſs one, or two, or a few of the Saints (though indeed they light upon a few, and God never ſuffers them to touch all)The maine deſign of perſecutors. but the maine deſign is wholly to root out godlines, and the people of God, that they may not be a Nation.
For if you conſider the ground of perſecution, it is not any one particular thing in a perſon: but the deſigne of Satan (whoſe part they act, who is the old ſerpent) is to overthrow the whole Kingdome of God to deſtroy the ſeed of the woman: therefore whoſoever ſets himſelf againſt one, his aime is (if he obſerve his own heart) if he could to deſtroy all. And in the times before, when men durſt ſpeak the language of their hearts, Bonner would ſay, I wiſh that all the hereticks were in a ſack in the midſt of the Sea. And many Biſhops among us have gloried, that they had not one Puritan left in their Dioceſs. And ſome of late have bragged that they hoped their would not be roome for one puritan in England; before thoſe ſcurvie names that are rife among us now came up. It may be if we obſerve we ſhall hear ſome of the ſame phraſes ſtill, though the words be altered the deſigne is the ſame. 92Come, let us cut them off from being a Nation.
You ſee that Satan is not willing to have one Saint on earth, not one ordinance, or one Goſpell-ſermon. It is too low a deſigne for Satan to aime at a particular perſon. Juſt as it was with Haman in the book of Heſter; he might have puniſhed Mordecai if he would, but it was too low a thing, he would cut of the whole ſeed of the Iews, that there ſhould not be one left. That is the reaſon that Pareus, a learned man gives, why the Saints are ſaid to be a people that are not, 1 Cor. 1. becauſe the people of the world wiſh that they were not; the world deſires that they were not nor any thing that belongs to them.
Therefore I beſeech you take this caveat from the Lord, that you would take heed how you carry your ſelves againſt the Saints, though they be but ſome few particular perſons; though it may be there may be ſome weakneſs in them that may provoke your corruptions: for if you once begin to fall on perſecuting, to oppoſe Chriſt Ieſus or his people, though you begin with a few, firſt one, and then another, you will unawares fall into the tide, into the ſtreame; to ſet on the whole deſigne of the Devill, that is, to cut off the people of God from being a Nation, that the name of Iſrael may be no more remembred. It is an eaſie thing to fall into the ſtreame of perſecution. There is no man that ſets himſelf againſt the whole Generation of Saints at once; but firſt he quarrells with this profeſſor, and then with that; and it may be there is a reaſon to diſlike this, and pretended reaſon to diſlike the wayes of that, till at laſt he come to be an abſolute perſecuter of all godlineſſe.
93The prophet tells the Lord what the deſigne is, and then doth preſs God forward; in verſe 5. he tells him of their conſultation again: he had ſpoken it three times before, and here again. They have conſulted together with one conſent, they are confederate againſt thee.
The prophet would have God hearken to him, and take notice of his complaint from two arguments.
The one is from the depth of their conſpiracies, and their diligent and earneſt conſultation.
And the other was, becauſe whatſoever they did againſt his hidden ones, he tells God it was againſt him. God perſecuted in the Saints.So that (beloved) it is a great argument with God to awaken and ſtir him up againſt the wicked, and to help his people; when the wicked conſult, and plot together. It is a ſore thing when men occaſionally and accidentally, and Ignorantly fall into the ſtreame of the wicked, to do things againſt the Saints: but it is more grievous when they conſult, and are confederate, and aſſociat themſelves together, and beat their heads, and brains together, and lay ſnare upon ſnare, and deſigne upon deſigne, againſt the hidden ones of God.
Know beloved, and be ſure that there is no conſultation ſo ſecret but God knowes it; there is nothing ſo hidden, but it is open to the backbone before him, as it is Heb. 4. It is a thing of jealouſie that God will not ſuffer, when people conſult together againſt God and his people. It is enough, and too much that oft times ignorantly, and raſhly we ſpeak and do againſt the Saints (as a man out of frailty may do) but if we go to conſult once, there are thouſands of Saints that will awaken God, and wiſh God to come to the conſultation. 94Therefore whatſoever we do of ignorance, God may pardon, and pity: but take heed of all conſpiring, and conſulting againſt the Saints. And remember that I warne you this day, that if you hear that there is any meeting againſt the Saints, that there is a deſigne going on to root them out in this, or that notion: for I love not thoſe names, nor plead for this or that way, but when it is againſt the Saints, as a blind man may ſee in ſuch wayes as the world uſeth. I beſeech you that come here to hear God, Take warning; have nothing to do with their conſpiracies and plottings: for God will not brook that.
They are confederate againſt thee.
It is an old common truth, commonly known to the Saints, and to the world too; whatſoever you do againſt the Saints, you do againſt God, he that toucheth you (ſaith God) toucheth the apple of mine eye. In all their afflictions he is afflicted, and (ſaith the Lord Chriſt) the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me; in another caſe. And that known place Acts 9. when Paul was going on a deſigne to Damaſcus to perſecute the Saints, the Lord Chriſt met him by the way; and ſaid, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? He doth not ſay, why doſt thou go to Damaſcus, and arm wicked people to deſtroy my children? He ſpeaks not ſuch a word: but he ſaith; Thou perſecuteſt me. For the poor Saints they are under covert, they are married to Chriſt, and we cannot defend our ſelves, but we are married to one that will defend our ſuit, and what is done, he takes it as done to himſelf, and will accordingly judge them that do it.
Whatſoever good you do to the Saints, the Lord95 takes it as done to him; and whatſoever evill you do to the Saints, the Lord takes it as done to him; Mat. 25. When I was hungry you fed me, when I was naked ye cloathed me, when I was in priſon you viſited me, And they ſhall ſay, Lord, when did we ſee thee hungry, or naked, or in priſon? In as much as you did it to one of theſe little ones, you did it to me. Whereupon Calvin ſaith, that God, and his Saints, God, and the people of God are one. We are too ſubject to forget Chriſt in his members; we think not that we offend Chriſt, when out of imperiouſneſs, or out of heat or the like, we offend a poor Saint: and we think not that we help Chriſt Ieſus directly when we help a poor Saint, if we did, we would be more wary in the one, and more ready and forward in the other.
The prophet having entred his ſuit, and complaint in generall, he comes to particulars, and tells God who they are that had done this. God might ſay, Who are theſe that conſpire againſt me, and againſt my people, and hidden ones? Lord (ſaith the prophet) I will tell thee who they are.
The Tabernacles of Edom, and the Iſhmalities: of MoabThe particulars of the complaint opened. and the Hagarens; Geball, and Amon, and Amalok, the Philiſtines and them that dwell at Tyre.
He names ſome ten Nations, that joyned together againſt one poor Iſrael. It is a thing you ſhould obſerve that when the people of God are conſpired againſt, God reſts not in generall complaints, but he will know who they are. As I told you, he is the Lord of Hoaſts, the great Generall. When there is a mutiny the Generall asks, what Officer, or what Corporall, or what Sergeant, or who did begin the mutiny? and it is a96 fearfull thing when a poore perſecuted Saint ſhall bring thy name as a perſecutor before the God of heaven. When a poor Saint ſhall go home and ſay, There is a confederacie in London, a conſpiracie againſt the Saints of God; and when a poor Saint ſhall ſay, ſuch a Magiſtrate, ſuch a Miniſter, ſuch a man in ſuch a ſtreet, ſuch a woman ſet her husband againſt the Saints, and againſt thine ordinances: it is a fearfull thing. Therefore I remember a bleſſed woman, if it be true that is reported of her in the book of Martyrs, that when the wicked abuſed her, and reproached her, and oppreſſed her, ſhe would ſay no more but this, I will go home, and tell my father: give over, or elſe I willNotebring your names before God, and tell him: there was all, and that was enough: for he would preſently take it up. A man may better bear a pound of dirt on his feet, then a graine of dirt in his eye; the Saints are the Apple of Gods eye. And a poor Saint he need ſay no more, but there is ſuch a man delights in nothing but confederacie againſt the people of God; he delights in nothing but to have them oppreſt; he need ſay no more.
But let us a little view theſe Nations that were joyned together; they were very numerous, very many. The beſt place in the world will afford company enough if a man will conſpire, and plot againſt the Saints. It is no argument for a man to ſay, Such a Gentleman, and ſuch a Magiſtrate is in, and ſuch a one hath put his hand to it, and they plead for it; that is not enough, here are ten Nations, people enough, A man muſt not go with a multitude to do evil. It is rather an argument that the thing is evil when there is a97 multitude, eſpecially when it is a multitude of people that are ſet upon no good, that the moſt are whoremongers, or drunkards, or covetous men; when there are a multitude of ſuch, then the multitude is an argument rather that the deſigne is naught, though they be not thorowly acquainted what it is.
But let us look upon them in particular.
Firſt, The Tabernacles of Edom were there, they are firſt ſet down. Now who this people of Edom were, you ſhall ſee Deut. 2. They were the ſeed of Eſau, God had forbid the children of Iſrael when they were going up to Canaan, they that ſhould not diſtreſs Moab, and Edom, but ſhould buy every thing for their money; they ſhould not plunder (as we uſe to ſay) nor do any thing unrighteouſly; becauſe God had given Mount Seir to Edom, a people that had received abundance of kindneſses from Iſrael, and when they paſſed thorow their country, though they were a wicked people, yet they paid money for their very water, as it is in the beginning of Deuteronomie. And the Holy Ghoſt put them in the forefront, that Edom of all others ſhould do it.
The Tabernacles of Edom.
That is, the Souldiers that lived in tabernacles, or tents: for they uſed tents in their Armies, as we ſee clearly, Iudg. 7. There was a cake comes, and throwes down their tents. The Tabernacles of Edom; that is, the Souldiery, part of Edom, they were they that did this.
Beloved, they of all others the Lord takes notice of in conſpiring againſt the Saints, who have received kindneſs from the Saints.
How many men have we ſeen in England, that98 have received many courteſies in their wants of the people of God, and when they have been in diſtreſs otherwiſe; yet after all their purpoſes, they have come to cut their throats, God takes notice of them more then others, Therefore 2 Chron. 20. 11. you ſhall read of Moab, and Amon, and thoſe of Mount Seir, they were coming to fight againſt Iehoſaphat: Iehoſaphat enters the ſuit to God; he ſets himſelf to ſeek the Lord, and among the reſt of his arguments, this is one, behold (ſaith he) how they reward us, to come to caſt us out of the poſeſsion that thou haſt given us to inherit, you ſhall read in ver. 10. And now behold the children of Ammon, and Moab, and Mount Seir, whom thou wouldſt not let Iſrael invade, when they came out of the Land of Egypt, but they turned from them and deſtroyed them not. (ſaith Iehoſaphat) When we came out of Egypt, thou commandedſt us that we ſhould not deſtroy them, and that we ſhould pay for every thing we took; and behold how they requite us. There are few wicked people, but they receive courteſies from the Saints: but when they turn perſecutors (it is a pittifull thing, conſider of it) in the black roll of the accuſations of the Saints, the Lord will have them put in the firſt place. The Tabernacles of Edom.
That is, the ſeed of Iſhmael, that preſecuted his brother Iſaac, and jeered him, and laughed at him.
Moab was one of the children of Lot.
That is, thoſe that came from Hagar: for though they were the ſame people, ſometimes they are called99 Iſhmalites from their father, or Hagarens from their Grand mother Hagar.
Geball, they ſay, was a Nation near Zidon where Solomon ſent to fetch gold.
Ammon, was one of the ſons of Lot by inceſt.
Was one of thoſe that firſt fought againſt Iſrael, Exod. 17. that God ſware ſhould be cut off, and God ſent Saul to do it, and he did it not, and he after was cut off by an Amalekite.
We read of the Philiſtines often.
Tyre was a rich City ſpoken of by the prophets on the Sea-ſide.
Aſhur, that is, the Aſſyrians that came from Aſer one of the children of Seth.
That is, they have holpen Moab, and Ammon, they have ſtrengthened their Arms againſt Iſrael.
That is, take notice. Of what? that they were numerous, that did it, and that they were in the firſt place that had received kindneſſes of God people. And take notice that thoſe that acted moſt in it were the ſeed of godly men, they have holpen the children of Lot. Many times the children of Gods people the chiefeſt perſecutors.
Beloved you ſee by experience many times the children of Godly people are the feirceſt perſecutors. All the reſt, Geball, and thoſe inhabitants of Tyre, they were100 prophane people, they did but help the children of Lot, it was they that ſet it on foot, and carried the deſigne, a kinde of rotten profeſſors, that are perſecuters of godly people.
I have oft thought, if thou be the childe of a godly man or woman; though thou have many priviledges that others have not, thou haſt more cauſe to fear then others have: for uſually it comes to paſſe, that that Religion that was in power in the parents, is onely in forme in the children: they learn their fathers Religion by head, that they had by heart; they pray as their fathers did, but there is not that Spirit; and they can hear Sermons, but there is not the heart of their fathers, and mothers: ſo, for a time they keep a forme of godlineſs that will not laſt, and then on a ſudden they fall into the ſtream of perſccution; and then all that head ▪ knowledge that they have, ſerves them for no other ſtead, but to make them more deſperate, and skilfull in perſecuting, and oppoſing, the people, and the ways of God. Thus you have the Nations ſet down that do this.
Now the prophet come to pray unto the Lord further, or to propheſie: for the prayers of the prophets were propheſies uſually.
Do unto them, as unto the Midianites, as to Siſera, as to Jabin at the brook Kiſon, which periſhed at Endor, they became as dung for the earth, &c.
The prophet prayes, or propheſies againſt them two ways.
Firſt, he deſires God that he would puniſh them according to thoſe patterns and examples of juſtice that he had ſhewed in former times.
You ſhall read of them in Iudg. 7. The Midiantes were as Graſhoppers for number, and Gidion with an hundred men, that had Trumpets in their hands, comes upon them, and makes them all flee, and as they were fleeing, God put every mans ſword againſt his fellow, and ſo they ſlew one another. Do unto them, as unto the Midianites, that is, daſh their heads together, make their policies to croſſe one another. As we have ſeen in our dayes, all the conſpiracies of the wicked turn to the ruine of themſelves. Thus the Biſhops came to ruine, God put them one againſt another, that their own plots and policies did overthrow them.
You ſhall read of him in Iudge 4. he had nine hundred Chariots of Iron going into the field, and all his men were defeated, and he fleeing for his life; Iaell, a poore woman, as he was aſleep in the tent, comes, and nailes him in the Temples, and kills him. Do unto them, as unto Siſera, that is, be they never ſo ſtrong, and have Chariots of Iron, thou canſt make ſmall meanes, a naile in the hand of a ſilly woman to be their overthrow.
That is, they were ſo contemptible, that they were left as a heap of dung upon the earth, and no man to bury them; and this I ſay is not a meer prayer, but a propheſie what the end of ſuch people will be.
Thoſe were princes of the Midianites; you ſhall read in Iudge 7. how they were deſtroyed.
Thoſe were two great Princes that were ſlaine by Gedeon, Iudg. 8.
Who ſaid, Let us take to our ſelves the houſes of God in poſſeſsion.
Thoſe wicked men that would deſtroy the people of God; and rule in the houſe of God; that would take the houſes of God in poſſeſſion, and ruine them, do to them as to Zebah, and Zalmunna.
Then he comes and ſpeaks more plainly, and deſires God to puniſh them, or to let his judgements fall upon them, and thoſe judgements he ſets out by three compariſons.
The firſt is, O my God (ſaith the prophet) make them like a wheele.
And make them as the ſtubble before the wind.
And make them as the fire that burneth the wood, and as the flame that ſetteth the mountains on fire, &c.
Some conceive, the meaning is, make them as a wheele going down a hill, that give it but half a turne, and every motion will add ſtrength to its courſe, the longer it runs down, the ſtronger; ſo the meaning is, let their own deviſes; and deſignes, tumble them further and further into miſery; let every thing they do, help to throw them down to hell. That is true: but I rather follow the Hebrew word that ſignifies any round, uncertaine, or light thing: for all do not read it as a wheel. So the meaning is, O my God, let them never ſolidly be able to conclude any thing, but let them be ſo unſtable that they may do, and undo, and ſay, and unſay; let them not proſper in any thing, but do thou daſh all that they do, let it be as a feather or a light thing; toſſed up and103 down in the aire. That is a thing that we ſee God many times doth, he makes the counſells of the wicked though they have wiſe heads, learned heads, and number enough, yet all produce but a feather, and all vapours into aire.
That makes me think that the word wheele is ſo to be underſtood becauſe of this expreſſion: he doth not ſay, Make them as ſtubble before the fire (though that be true, and it is ſo expreſt in another place) but as ſtubble before the wind. And all do not read it ſtubble, but conceive it many be meant chaffe or any light thing. I adhere to theſe rather; and ſo it comes to the ſame thing, Make them, and all their deſignes, and plots as chaffe before the wind; let them not go on in a ſteady reſolution, and courſe; but daſh and confound all their projects and policies, and bring them to nothing.
As the fire that burneth the wood, and as the flame that ſetteth the mountains on fire.
That is terrible: the meaning of it is, as we ſee in the verſe following; Lord, let thy tempeſt and ſtorm make them afraid: Let thy judgement come on them and devour them, as the fire doth Goſs, or Heath, or Fearne, or furrs, that one would think a whole mountaine were burning when a childe doth but ſet fire on Fures; ſo let thoſe terrible judgements and ſtorms of thine take them. And whereto? Two ends of Gods judgements on the wicked. 1. To work ſhame in them.
There are two ends for it.
Firſt, that it may fill their faces with ſhame, that they may ſeek thy name. There are no people ſo wickedly, and miſchievouſly bent againſt the Saints, that they104 ſhould deſire God to ruine, and deſtroy them; onely, they may deſire God to ſend his tempeſt, and ſtorme on them, that they may learn to be afraid, and ſeek the name of the Lord. As Steven, when Saul, and the reſt ſtoned him, ſaith he, Lord lay it not to their charge. There is nothing more improper and unbecoming a Saint, then revenge; and a Saint that hath been a ſlave, and is redeemed, and kept from the pit by the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, he ſhould not deſire the deſtruction of any creature; he hath had mercy by the Goſpell, therefore he ſhould have mercy on every creature. And truly a man that knows his own deſert, and his nature, and his wayes, and knows how much grace and mercy God ſhewes to his ſoul, he ſhould not deſire the worſt man to go to hell, and periſh. Therefore take heed leaſt there be any ſpirit of revenge in any of Gods people, though the wicked conſpire never ſo much: but deſire that the Lord would make all ſtubble that they do, as a wheele, as a vain thing; or if he will ſend a little fire of affliction upon them, to make them ſeek his face; this is the utmoſt we ſhould deſire.
And if God will not do this, that they may be bettered, yet
That men may know that thou, whoſe name alone is Iehovah, art the moſt high, over all the earth. 2 To work amendment in others.
Some underſtand it, as though it were meant of the ſame people; for the word Men is not in the originall; that they may know that thou, whoſe name is Iehovah. But that is not allowed, and approved by the generality: but they take it in generall, and the originall will bear it better; that the name of Iehovah may be known, though they will not know it: it may be God may105 blaſt their counſells, and they will be at it again; and God may caſt fire among them, and they will not be aſhamed: yet others will, they will take notice how wicked people conſpired againſt the people of God at ſuch a time and in ſuch a place, and God made it as a bubble, and plagued, and puniſhed them, and ſent the Peſtilence into their Cities, and families; they will not learn; but there are other people that will worſhip Iehovah, that will fear the Lord by ſeeing his judgements on others. As David ſaith, When the wicked are taken away as droſſe, my fleſh trembleth for fear of thee, I am afraid of thy judgements. When he ſaw the wicked took away as droſſe, with the fire of Gods judgements, he feared. Therefore learn not to deſire their death, onely to pray for them, and to believe that all their plottings againſt the Saints will be as ſtubble, and as chaff, they will come to nothing. And if the wicked will not learn by ſeeing God to croſſe them; as he hath croſſed all their deſignes in our age (bleſſed be his name) yet do thou take notice how God went againſt ſuch people, and ſuch a Nation that roſe againſt God; God croſt, and blaſted them: and be ſure that God will do ſo to the end, to all that riſe againſt him and his people. Only take notice of Gods ways in the world, to fear him, and truſt in him, and to wait for him to come and do what thy ſoul deſireth.
I love the Lord becauſe he hath heard my prayer, and my ſupplications:
Becauſe he hath enclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
The ſorrows of death compaſſed me, &c.
I Promiſed if the Lord would give me ſtrength, to ſpeak a word unto you this afternoone, concerning the mercies of God unto us in the victories of Scotland, but eſpecially of Briſtoll, becauſe we have more knowledg of it, and more relation to it, the moſt of us. And therefore I would briefly from this Pſalm, take occaſion or ground of what I have to ſpeak to you. Two things briefly I ſee here laid down in this Pſalm.
The firſt is, the Pſalmiſt doth expreſſe the great mercie of God to him, in ſome ſpeciall deliverance. And that he doth illuſtrate by the miſery he was in: for he was in a very low condition, full of tears, and prayers,107 and ſorrows, and his feet were ready to fall, ſo the Lord heard his prayer, and delivered him out of his troubles, whatſoever they were. That is one thing, he takes notice of the great mercie of God to him.
The ſecond is, he doth conſider, what he ſhould do to God: now God having delivered him, what is his duty? For it is a known leſson among us, that the mercies of God require ſomewhat from us (though all be by his grace) And thoſe are here laid down in the Pſalm, they are various, I will love the Lord, I will call upon him while I live, I will walk before him in the land of the living, and diverſe ſuch duties he lays upon himſelf in conſideration of Gods great mercy to him. Now I have not time and ſtrength to go over all, which are many in the Pſalm, and therefore I will onely tell you a few thoughts that I have concerning Gods mercie in beſtowing Briſtoll upon us again, and that according to Davids method here, which is the moſt naturall, and the moſt uſuall by the Saints.
Firſt, to take notice of Gods goodneſs in that mercy.
And ſecondly to conſider what is our duty.
Concerning the firſt, there are abundance of mercies and kindneſſes, couched, and wrapped up together in that. It was not only the taking of a Garriſon, but there are abundance of mercies in it, and mingled with it, youGods mercy in the taking in of Briſtoll conſidered in five reſpects. 1. In regard of the potent oppoſition. eſpecially that are concerned in it, and are godly, you know: but in my eye theſe are the chiefe that I ſee, and am affected with.
The firſt is. I look upon the greatneſſe of the mercie, I ſee that all were great things in, and about it, there was no meane, inconſiderable thing in it. I know it is a great City, the ſecond in the Kingdom; and I know108 alſo, there were great works to keep it, I know there were great, and ſtrong, and numerous ſouldiers in it. There were great reſolutions in thoſe ſouldiers, And I am ſure too, there was great miſerie in the City among the poor people, and round about the City, & hath been theſe two yeers, the plague, ſcarſity of proviſion, and other things. And no man doubts but it is of great conſequence, if the Lord make it a bleſſing to us, if the Lord ſanctifie it, it will be of great conſequence, not only to thoſe parts (being the chiefe City in that part of the Kingdom) but to this City and to the whole State, and Kingdom, I ſee nothing in it but great things.
And therefore me thinks that he that ſhould do this for us, ſurely he muſt needs be a great God, that pulled down the great pride of that City, and the gariſon in it, that muſt throw down thoſe Bulwarks (as it were) And therefore, let us exalt God, let us conceive of God according to his greatneſſe: for ſurely, he that did that work there, no man will doubt, or deny that it was God, and that God that did it, any man that will ſeriouſly conſider of the work, will ſay he is a great God: therefore let us glorifie him in his greatneſſe.
Another thing very obſervable that we ſhould take2. In regard of the hazard in ſtorming. notice of, is, that the Lord hath there preſerved our friends, preſerved our Army in ſuch a wonderfull manner in ſtorming that City. I have no skill in war, but I think there are no people that go about ſtorming, but they reſolve to loſe many a man, therefore they will do any thing rather then ſtorme, if it may be gotten otherwiſe, and to ſtorme ſuch a City, ſuch Forts, ſuch ſtrength, ſuch a Caſtle, double lined in ſome parts, and to do it by no very great Army neither, and that the Lord109 ſhould pleaſe to preſerve them, that ſo few ſhould be ſlaine or wounded, it is a wonderfull mercy. For truly (beloved) when there were but a few in the City, when the other ſide ſought it, they had it not ſo cheap, it coſt them the lives of many hundreds of them: but this was the Lords goodneſſe to his poor people, and truly we may ſay as David doth here, he hath inclined his ear to us, and heard our prayer.
Then a third bleſſing, that I take notice of in it, is,3. In preſerving it from the Peſtilence. that God ſhould preſerve our friends from the peſtilence. We alway conceived that if they had that City, they knew not what to do with it, becauſe of the peſtilence, that might ruine, and deſtroy the Army after they had took it: and as we hear, though they be in the ſame houſes, and quarter where the ſickneſſe was, and have lain in the beds where men have been ſick, yet we hear little or nothing of the infection coming among them. Surely, this can be no other but the finger of God, conſidering how hot, and violent it was.
Then I look upon it further, as to conſider what4. In that this ſucceeded a ſeries of mercies. mercies there had gone in a ſtreight line before, and how this comes after, mercy upon mercy, God adding alway greater to the leſſe. This hath not been Gods way with us hitherto, but if God heard us in one mercy, he gave us a correction preſently, if we did get one garriſon, we loſt another, if we have one victory, we loſe another. Now that God, that is a Zealous God, ſhould go on, and not ſee iniquity in his people, and paſſe by their infirmities, and ſhould go from on Fort to another, and from one garriſon to another, and bring in this great City to the reſt. I ſpeak of it, becauſe the chief thing in this City is to deſire to ſee the glory of God as Moſes110 did, to deſire above all things to ſee God, perfect God. We know God is perfect, and uſeth not to work by halves: but God hath hidden that attribute in a great meaſure among us. He gave us many overtures of mercie, but he called for them back again, and ſo preſently turned our joy, into ſorrow. It hath been familiar in all his diſpenſations to us, for theſe two, or three yeers; Now that the Lord ſhould go on from one thing to another, without interruption, and caſt nothing in by the way to imbitter our mercies, and to go from leſſe to greater in this manner, me thinks the Lord hath ſhewed himſelf a perfect God, as he did to our fathers before, and that is a glorious attribute.
Beſides, it is not a little mercie that the Lord hath5. In reſpect of a confiding Governour. inclined the Parliament to beſtow a governour upon that City that they may confide in: that is a greater mercy, then we can now ſpeak of.
And truly if you will give me leave to tell you what I think (for we may haply judge of Gods mercie in this, becauſe of our concernment further then ſome of you) it is a great mercie in our apprehenſion, that the Lord hath cleared his people that came thence. For when they came up, I remember well, of all people that came from any part of the Kingdom, as I apprehend (pardon me if I miſapprehend) the Briſtoll people, and thoſe parts (though they received much kindneſſe from this City, which they are bound with thankfulneſſe ever to acknowledg, yet) they lay under a blurr, becauſe they were looked on as faulty, and defective, and negligent, that they loſt the City, and endangered the Kingdom. That truly beſides their loſſes, and ſufferings that you cannot imagine unleſſe you had111 ſuffered with them) this was not a ſmall affliction, to ſee ſo many frown on them, and to add affliction to affliction, as though if they had been more valiant, and couragious, they might have kept the City, and have ſaved it, &c. I meddle not with the commanders, and governours; but I ſpeak of you that are here, and the good people of Briſtoll that uſe to be here: I ſay the Lord hath reſtored the poor people, to their home at leaſt (though that be naked enough for them) and hath taken away their reproach, for though we ſaid before, that we did what we could to ſave the City, and ſtood out, yet it was generally thought, that we might have done more: but now it appears to the world, that now there were many more then we had, at leaſt three for one, and there were two yeers works, forts, and lines built more then there was then, and we kept them out three dayes in ſtorming, and I hear not that they did one. As ſoon as we loſt the City we capitulated, ſo did they as ſoon as they loſt it. I ſay not but that we had weakneſſes, and (it may be) from the greateſt to the leaſt wanted skill in mannaging it: but I know (and I ſhould know as much as one•that the people of Briſtoll were valiant from the leaſt to the greateſt. The Lord hath taken away the reproach: for whereas all others in the Kingdome were pitied, many frowned upon Briſtoll men after all their ſufferings. There are many other things that are not now expedient to inſiſt upon. I leave it to your ſerious conſideration.
And what the goodneſſe of God is to us in the victory in Scotland, no man (though we know it but in generall) can be ignorant, how that Kingdom being ſubdued, the enemy would have been over us, and all the112 three Kingdoms would have been gone in the eye of reaſon: but God hath ſent them ſeaſonable reliefe beyond all expectation: A great mercie!
Now from all this, I will tell you my thoughts, what you, and I ſhould learn.
Firſt, for ever hereafter we ſhould learn patiently to wait upon the Lord, when we have made our prayers to him, and he hath made his promiſes to us. We had many promiſes in our eye, and we made our prayers, but when the Lord gave the City into their hands, we thought the promiſes, and our prayers were loſt; neither did we ſee, or could underſtand, how any thing ſhould become of them but onely ſhame, and reproach. For we boaſted of God in the Pulpits, and in the ſtreets, and at our work, that the Lord was our God, and would help us, and yet the Lord turned it againſt us, and there were few of us that had ſo much grace as to wait patiently on him, and to know that though nothing appeared the viſion would ſpeak and would not lie. But now we are convinced of our folly, and we ſee that God hath fully anſwered thoſe prayers of Briſtoll. For thoſe prayers I believe did ſpeak loudeſt, of all the prayers in England, in getting that City, And I value one of thoſe prayers more then an hundred now, for they are old prayers in ſtore, ſtale prayers are good. And they were prayers from broken, afflicted ſpirits, and believing hearts. And now you ſee how the Lord hath graciouſly provided food, and raiment for his people, and done the ſouls of many of them much good, and in due ſeaſon reſtored their dwellings, and habitations to them. Therefore there is a word in Rom. 10. that I did think to open. The Apoſtle there comparing the righteouſneſſe113 together, he ſaith, ver. 5. that the righteouſneſſe of the law is thus deſcribed by Moſes, The man that doth theſe things, ſhall live in them. That is the language of the law, he that doth theſe things, he that keeps the law ſhall be ſaved. But the righteouſneſſe of faith (the way of faith, as the Apoſtle calls it, Gal. 3. or the way of the Goſpell) ſpeaketh on this wiſe, it hath another kinde of language, ſay not in thine heart, who ſhall aſcend into heaven? or who ſhall deſcend into the deep? But what ſaith it? The word is nigh thee, the word of faith which we Preach. That is, this is the language of faith, that Jeſus Chriſt hath fulfilled all righteouſneſſe for us. And how do we come to know this? Here is the word, and then the Spirit of faith; this is the language; this is the way of the Goſpell, the way of faith.
But you will ſay, What is that word of Faith that this is grounded on?
The Apoſtle chooſeth one Scripture, verſe 11. in ſtead of all other as there are abundance of Scriptures ſetting forth the Goſpell way: but he takes this as one of the chief among the reſt) whoſoever believeth on him ſhall not be aſhamed. He takes it out of Iſaiah 28. whoſoever believeth on him ſhall not be aſhamed. He takes (I ſay) that as one of the chief Scriptures of Goſpell, that is to be the foundation of the way of faith: and though you may apply it for the ſoul, and principally ſo; yet you may for every thing elſe, that this is a generall and ſure rule, he that believeth on God ſhall not be aſhamed. So the Lord hath removed our reproach. We heard with our ears jeering of God, and Preachers, and Preaching, but now bleſſed le God we need not bluſh, we may own our prayers, and ſtand to our preaching, and114 glory in the promiſes of God: he that believeth ſhall not be aſhamed.
Therefore, hereafter, though God doth delay a long while, (as this was about two years, and a monety) yet notwithſtanding learn to believe in God ſtill, wait upon God patiently, and either the whole Goſpell will not hold, or elſe this will: for this is the pillar of it; he that believeth ſhall not be aſhamed. The patient abiding of the meeke ſhall not be aſhamed. If God ſee a man meekly, and patiently wait for him, his waiting ſhall not be in vain, and though it be long in our eyes, yet a thouſand yeers with God are as one day, and one day as a thouſand yeers. And the delay of a thouſand yeers is as it were but a day, yet he brings about all his promiſes of mercies ſweetly for his glory, and the good of his people.
Therefore, whatſoever we would have for his glory, and the good of his people, let us follow God, and reſt on his word. Remember that Goſpell pillar (I ſay not promiſe, but pillar) he that believeth ſhall not be aſhamed. That is one thing.
Another is this, that we ſhould (but God knows when we will learn it: for people are further, and further from learning it every day) me thinks learn hence a little in due order and manner to honour the Saints, and people of God. A man would think ſo: but blinde men cannot ſee. We know that there is an Army, the generality (I hope I may ſay ſo of them) being godly people: an Army (I think truly, I may ſay without diſparagement to any other fearing God, and ſeeking his honour, as much as any Army under the cope of heaven theſe five hundred yeers. Bleſſed be God that put it in your hearts to reform them, if there be any evill115 among them, it is one of the moſt glorious works that ever you did. Now it is no diſparagement to God, that under God, and in God we honour his people. Therefore wo to them that call light darkneſſe, of which to this day the ſtreets are full all the week long, notwithſtanding the humility, the love, and unity, the ſelf-deniall, and all the graces that are to be ſeen as cleare as the ſun in the firmament in this Army, yet you ſhall have people, and many that would be called profeſſors to reproach them, and raile, and ſay,A ſcandalous aſperſion upon the Army, that when they had got the power they intended to rule both King and Parliament. The admirable graces obſerved in the Army by the Author long ſince. they fight for their own ends, they ſeek themſelves, they are no friends to the Parliament; they meane to get a little power, and then to rule King, and Parliament too. O blaſphemous ſpeeches! Beloved, for my part, I have not been there oft, but I ſaw more grace, in that ſmall Army (poor wretches) then in all the Kingdom beſides.
Firſt, I ſee more love there, their love is true love, and it is love to one another as they are Saints, as they are honeſt men; and not as ſuch a one holds a faction this way, or that way. If one man be wounded, they will all venture their lives to fetch him off; and if one be ſick, every one contributes to his wants; there is abundance of ſweet love: There is unity: here is biting, ſuch a one is a Presbyterian; another is an Independent, another is an Anabaptiſt: there is no ſuch biting there: They look not in mens mouthes, as men do in horſes mouthes, and ſay is he a Presbyterian, or an Independent? but is he an honeſt man, a godly man? if he be, he is a companion for any godly man.
We are the moſt miſerable men in the world, this poor City: if a man had as much grace as Paul had, if ſome Independent ſee him, and ſay he is inclining to116 Presbytery, or if a Presbyterian ſee him, and ſay, he is inclining to Independencie, then let him go, and cut his throat. The Lord pity you, that ſo Chriſt Ieſus in the ſouls of people may be the object of your love. Is there grace and Chriſt there? be there what there will if there be not that, I have nothing to do. Now if one that is carnall joyn with me, or another, or a third man in faction, we take him. The Lord pity us; it is not ſo in the Army, It would do you good to go among them twenty four hours to ſee the unity that is among them. I ſay, learn to honour the Saints.
Then there is a ſpirituality there, there is a thing that may be called ſpirituality in the Army. There is not onely a profeſsion, and duties, &c. as we have here, but a kind of flower of godlineſse, ſome ſparklings of their graces; there is not onely grace, but grace flying. As when I was in the Army, I ſaw ſome glory ſhine in their graces, that would dazle a mans eyes almoſt as the Sun, an excellencie of grace, the ſpirituality of grace. We ſtrive about low, carnall things, about this and that, but they, about the myſteries of the Kingdom of God, you may ſee it gloriouſly.
And then what ſelf-deniall is there! Who lives there by plundering, and ſtealing, as many have done; and do? And then, when honour is got, how doth every one ſtudy to caſt honour on his brother, and not on himſelf! and ſtudies ſilence not to have his name mentioned, but that God may have glory, O it is a glorious thing.
And then what fidelity! If there were nothing in them of all thoſe things in that flaming manner, yet117 me thinks their fidelity as ſubjects ſhould make them honourable,
How?
I will tell you how; becauſe that having no encouragment almoſt, but railing, and ſcoffing, and contemning of them, and raiſing reproaches on them, &c. and the liberty of their conſcience threatned day by day, and impaired very much every day by thoſe that ſtay at home here, and eat the fat the while; yet notwithſtanding they do not (as diverſe have done) lay down their Armes, and ſay, I ſee my conſcience will be in ſlavery when all is done, and I have ventured my life: therefore I will go beyond Sea, as many godly men have done: but they reſolve, I will die for the Parliament, let them take away my liberty, and make me a ſlave, yet we will do it, all the reproaches cannot diſcourage them; it is the joy of their ſouls, when they hear of a skirmiſh, or a fight, they leap. What a glorious ſpirit is on Engliſh men!
Therefore (I beſeech you) take heed of calling light darkneſſe, there is nothing that provokes God more: take heed of raiſing, and nouriſhing a curſed reproach againſt the Saints. I ſay not againſt Independents, or Presbyterians, or Anabaptiſts, but I ſay againſt godly men: I will ſtand to it, there is the hatred againſt Chriſt, and godlineſse in them, and then they put it upon Antinomians, and Presbyterians, and Anabaptiſts, and Independents: but they are blind wretches that hate godly men, and ſeek to ruine the Kingdom, and to cut the throats of them. Therefore take heed, honour thoſe that God honours, If God have honoured them, and they118 honour God, and love God, let us in and for God give them honour alſo.
Shall I teach you another word (and ſo I have done) Learn hence by experience (though it be not the beſt miſtreſs) to ſet forward godly men (as much as you can) to the work. It is not a dallying time; the Kingdom is almoſt ſunk, and we have made experiments of men, and things to try concluſions, till we have almoſt ruined the Kingdom, though we ſee it not here. It is not a time to dally when the Kingdom gaſps, you know there is a party of wicked men at Oxford: here was a great company of treacherous men choſen for the Parliament that went to the King: Then we have had experience of all Committees, what things are done by men that are not right, that are not godly, I meane, not that are not of this or that faction, but that are not godly.
O Learn, and O that God would teach England and London, and all to be wiſe at laſt, that now in all places, and Offices, and occaſions of war, and at home, and in Committees and any thing. Look not how I may pleaſe my Landlord, or how I may pleaſe ſuch a Gentleman, but if he be a faithfull godly man, O ſet him forward. That is the way to ſave this poor Kingdom, you will never ſave it as long as you ſay, I have ſuch a kinſman, and he ſhall be a Colonel, and I have ſuch a Coſen-German, and he ſhall be a Committee man, you will never do good ſo. Therefore if God would, and O that he would put it into the hearts of the Parliament to imploy godly men in this Army, that lay idle before, and did nothing: you ſee how the Lord hath wonderfully bleſſed them, you ſee things done that have not119 been done in our age before, ſuch ſucceſsions of victory, and worthy actions. Therefore imploy godly men, faithfull men, Presbyterians, or Independents, look not at that, but ſee if they be godly men. Let us pray to the Lord that God may do it, that God may put it into the hearts of all ſo to do.
I ſhall ſay two or three words more, and ſo I have done.
One is, from this of Briſtol, learn to believe that the ſtrongeſt afflictions will work for our good. We know this was a ſtrong affliction, a ſore affliction that had confounded. There was not a man of us when we came out of Briſtol, that could render a reaſon, what God did mean in ſhaming our prayers, and our preaching, and in ſcattering the poor Saints: it amazed us, we knew not what it meant, yet now we ſee plainly that God did mean to do our ſouls good; God hath done the ſouls of many of his people good, and God will do their bodies good, and every thing ſhall be for the beſt; and we hope alſo, that they now knowing what the cruelty and oppreſsion of the Enemy is, it will make them more carefull to ſave the City, whereas before, all the world could not make the generality confident to the Parliament: but now we ſee God was wiſer then we, therefore if God bring ſtrong afflictions on our ſelves, or our wives, or children, that we know not what to make of them, let us learn to be quiet and patient, and to ſee that God means us well, and that it ſhall turn to our good.
Another thing is this, that you may learn a little for your ſouls from it, to reaſon from the greater to the leaſt, and from the leaſt to the greater, it is the ordinary120 way of Scripture, If God hath given us his Son, ſhall he not with him give us all things? So, I ſay, thus me thinks you and I may reaſon, that the Lord that hath battered thoſe Forts, thoſe Caſtles, or done as good as broken them, that all their preparations theſe two years could not keep them, but God hath thrown them down; why ſhould I not hope that God will batter down the bulwark in my heart? I prayed, and you prayed that God would deliver that Caſtle and Forts and thoſe things to our Forces, and they were ſtrong and mighty, and God did it, and ſhall not the Forts and Bulwarks that Sin and Satan hath in my heart be thrown down? Truly, that ſhould help our faith a little to follow God to throw down the one as he hath the other. Thoſe ſtrong hodls, thoſe ſtrong luſts that are there, unbelief and worldlineſs, and pride, and wantonneſs, and ſuch like things that are in the ſouls of people variouſly. Methinks this might increaſe our confidence, and ſtir up our more earneſt prayers to God, that he would be pleaſed to throw down theſe, as he did the Works of Briſtol, and to make way for the King of glory to come into them.
And I could wiſh laſtly, that you would help poor Briſtol people a little, as much as you can to ſettle them comfortably in their habitations according as the Parliament gave order, for they will finde naked walls there; and if there be any thing, the Plague having been there, it may be they dare not go in. Therefore incourage them, pray for them, and if it be in your power any way, help them a little, for they are but a few that are here, and weak. Pray for them that they may have good Officers, and good Common-Counſel-men,121 and good Miniſters, and the like, you have more friends that live here, and it may be more underſtanding then they have, and now is the time if you can do any thing, help them a little in that: otherwiſe for them to go home, among a company of carnal Aldermen, and carnal Common Counſelmen, and carnal Miniſters, what help ſhall they have? Therefore pray for them, and help them, as God ſhall give you opportunity.
But in the laſt dayes it ſhall come to paſſe that the mountaine of the houſe of the Lord ſhall be eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountains, and it ſhall be exalted above the hills, and the people ſhall flow unto it.
And many Nations ſhall come and ſay, Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the houſe of the God of Iacob, and he will teach us of his wayes, and we will walk in his paths: for the Law ſhall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Ieruſalem.
And he ſhall judge among many people, and rebuke ſtrong Nations afar off; and they ſhall beat their ſwords into plow-ſhares, and their ſpeares into pruning-hooks: Nation ſhall not lift up a ſword againſt Nation, neither ſhall they learn war any more.
But they ſhall ſit every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree, and none ſhall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hoſts hath ſpoken it.
For all people will walk every one in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever, and ever.
HEre are four or five things that the LordThe bleſſings of the later times. promiſeth in the latter times.
One is, that the mountaine of the houſe of the Lord ſhall be eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountains, and ſhall be exalted. That is, the Church and123 people of God and the things of God ſhall be exalted in this world above all other things. You know now that the power of Chriſt is beneath all other powers, and the Kingdom of Chriſt is beneath all other Kingdomes, and the people of Chriſt are beneath all other people, and the Ordinances of Chriſt are beneath all other ordinances: but in the latter times, the Mountain of the houſe of the Lord ſhall be eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountains. The time ſhall come when God ſhall raiſe his Church, and people, and his laws and ordinances, and every thing of his, above the world, that the Saints ſhall be more glorious, and more reſpected then all the people in the world beſides.
And therefore you that are Saints: be not troubled to ſee Chriſt ſo low in the world, it grieves them to ſee how every baſe thing gets over Chriſt, to ſee how Chriſt and his things are trampled on in the world. Chriſt is as a Worm, thou worm Jacob, every childe may put his foot upon the head of a Worm: ſo are all the things of God, and have been hitherto, but in times to come the Lord ſhall raiſe his Mountain above all other mountains.
Another thing promiſed is, that in the laſt times, Many Nations ſhall come and ſay, Come let us go up to the Houſe of the Lord, and to the Mountain of the God of Jacob, &c. that is, when Chriſt and his Laws, and Ordinances ſhall be exalted, there will be a greater Harveſt among the people then ever there was before.
Firſt, In reſpect of the extent of it, Many Nations ſhall come and ſay. Whereas now, moſt of the Nations of the world are ignorant of, or enemies to the things124 of Jeſus Chriſt: there are few Nations that hear of the Name of Chriſt: but then many Nations ſhall come, many Nations that lye in Paganiſm, and Heatheniſm, and darkneſs, God will finde a way to ſpread the ſavor of the Goſpel to them.
Secondly, then there ſhall be a great deal of willingneſs to come to Chriſt in his holy Ordinances, they ſhall ſay, Come let us go up to the mountain of the Houſe of the Lord, and they ſhal flow to it. Now you know what a deal of preaching there is to bring home one ſoul to God; a man may preach, and preach, and ſearce ever a one brought home to God; the Lord pours but a little of his Spirit with preaching, we are to bleſs his Name for any, but the time ſhall come, that as ſoon as the people hear they ſhall obey.
The people ſhall flow unto,
The word is taken from the Tide: there are two things meant by it,
Firſt, That then abundance of people ſhall come in to the Lord, for the Tide comes in with waves, and abundance of water, it comes not with a little water, but with multitudes.
Then it comes with ſtrength and power, that goes through all oppoſition. We ſee now it is not ſo, the Lord gives but little of his Spirit, and therefore there are but few that come in to God, and of thoſe few, many of them, every little thing turns them off, one is afraid of perſecution, another of the loſs of his eſtate, another of the loſs of friends, another of the loſs of his grace, but then they ſhall flow.
Another thing in this Promiſe of this glorious Harveſt is this: as they ſhall flow, ſo alſo they ſhall be inabled,125 their hearts ſhall be inlarged to learn abundance of the Will of God, and moulded to a willingneſs to obey it. This is not accompliſhed yet, They ſhall then ſay, Come, let us go to the houſe of the God of Jacob.
Now you know there is but little teaching. Indeed God teacheth ſome few wondrouſly, more aboundantly then we can teach, but yet there be many, though we ſpeak much, and though they live under the Ordinances, yet they learn little; and then that little that they do learn, there is very little power that goes along to frame their hearts to do it, but then they ſhall ſay,
There will be a power, that when the Saints hear the word from God, they ſhall not be alway wiſhing, and woulding, and ſay I would I could do ſo: but there ſhall be a power with the word, whereby they ſhall be enabled to do it.
Another thing promiſed in the laſt times is, that,
The Lord will end theſe wars that are among the Nations, that make the lives of people and of the Saints uncomfortable. And eſpecially (as I take it with ſubmiſſion to the people of God that are wiſe) that the wars here principally meant are wars for Religion, as appears by the verſes following, they ſhal be at their ſwords into plow-ſhares, and their ſpears into pruning hooks. They ſhall then give over wars, and live peaceably together; whereas you know now moſt of the wars in the world are about Religion. The Turk would come, and ſubdue126 Chriſtendom to ſet up the worſhip of his Mahomet, the Pope would deſtroy him to ſet up his Religion; and ſo all over the world there is a diſpoſition, that with fire, and fagot, and ſword, and ſpear; we would bring men to worſhip God, every man according to his own fancie, But (ſaith he) then there ſhall be no ſuch wars, every man ſhall ſit under his own vine, and under his own figtree, and none ſhall make them afraid, The mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it. Then they ſhall be quiet, there ſhall not be ſuch perſecuting in the world.
For all people will walk, every〈◊〉in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for evermore.
That is the reaſon why I think it is meant of wars about Religion: becauſe it is ſaid, all people will walk every one in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of our God alſo. That is, people ſhall not be forced to worſhip this or that God, or this way, or that way, with ſword, and ſpear, but they ſhall all ſit under their own vines: that ſhall be the fruit of that abundance of teaching that there will be, every Nation will walk in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever.
Not (beloved) but that the Lord Ieſus hath left, and doth ſtill continue to the end of the world a way of ſpirituall cenſure, and puniſhments for people that ſin againſt him. It is not meant that people in the laſt times ſhall go where they will, and do what they liſt; no, we have ordinances in the Church given by Chriſt for the correction of thoſe that walk inordinately; we are to deliver our ſelves from them, and to deliver them up to Satan. But in reſpect of the main courſe that127 the world hath been in, and is to this day, they ſhall not then be under cenſures for thoſe nifles, and trifles, as hitherto the way hath been by fire, and fagot, and ſword: but (ſaith the Holy Ghoſt) it ſhall not be ſo then, every one ſhall walk in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for evermore.
Then here is another mercie.
In that day ſaith the Lord will I aſſemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted, and I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was caſt afar off a ſtrong Nation, and the Lord ſhall reign over them in Mount Zion, from henceforth even for ever.
That is, we may know the worth of mercies, by the preſence of miſeries; we ſee now ſome halting, ſome runing into errours, and blaſphemies, and we know not what to do: but then the Lord will make them that halt a remnant; the Lord will gather the people that halt and go aſide, and he will ſettle, and confirm them in the truth. Theſe are the thoughts of the Lord, and the counſells of God concerning the laſt dayes. Therefore we are the while to wait patiently for the Lord, and to pray earneſtly that God would make good his promiſe to us: and not to looſe our ſelves (as we are apt) to ſee the diſorders and confuſions of Churches and Common-wealths in theſe days. But as people that are in a ſtorm, we ſhould look when the cloud will be over, that the Lord will give fairer weather, and remove all theſe things, when the laſt, and bleſſed, and beſt dayes ſhall come. And this is the chief thing that the prophet here aimes at.
I Will not ſtand now to ſhew you what a juſt man is. Only in a word take notice that the juſt man here meant, is not a man that is juſt in his own ſight or in his own perſonall righteouſneſſe, or juſt in the eſteeme of the world: though men be ſo called, and not improperly: he is a juſt man that deales juſtly: but the juſt man in the Goſpell language, is a man that though he be not greatly eſteemed in the world; and though he hath many things that make him ſeem leſs juſt then many morall men that ſeem juſt, yet according to the law of God he is juſt, we are to declare him ſo, the Goſpell declares him juſt, becauſe God hath received a righteouſneſs whereby he calls him juſt; he calls him juſt, becauſe Ieſus Chriſt isThe juſt man lives by faith four wayes. 1. In reſpect of juſtification. made righteouſneſs to him. Now the juſt man lives by his faith four wayes.
He lives by faith, firſt in reſpect of juſtification; there is a light that the Saints have, that whereas, as ſinners129 they were dead before in treſpaſses, and ſins, they now ſee themſelves acquitted of all their debts, they ſee Gods juſtice ſatisfied and his law fulfilled, and they ſee themſelves juſt men: whereas they were dead in law before, now, in law (or in Goſpell as it were) they are alive again. For ſo it is, that every man, and woman among us, though he be never ſo honeſt, or civill, or faithfull in holy duties, &c. yet if he be not juſtified by the righteouſneſse of Ieſus Chriſt, he is a dead man in the language of God, and according to the law of God. Juſt as a man at the barr that is condemned to die, he is a dead man in law, though the ſentence, as Solomon ſaith, be ſometimes delayed, and put off, and not executed: he may be reprived a little, from one yeer to another, but he is a dead man, that is, he is an unjuſtified man: ſo if God hath not given thee the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and a heart to lay hold of that, be what thou wilt in thy ſelf, and do what thou canſt of thy ſelf, yet thou art a dead man, and thoſe that lay hold of that righteouſneſſe are living men. This life is much ſpoken of Rom. 5. how we are dead by the firſt Adam, and alive by the ſecond Adam, that life is our juſtification, verſ. 17. By one mans offence, death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteouſneſſe, ſhall reign in life by one, Ieſus Chriſt.
There is ſecondly, a life of ſanctification, Epheſ. 4. they were ſtrangers from the life of God; that is, the life2. In reſpect of ſanctification. of holineſse, and their hearts were heardned, and carried away with laſciviouſneſſe, &c. Thus a man comes to live by faith: for all that thou doſt, though thou account it holineſſe, and the world may account thee a holy man, yet if every graine of thy grace, and holineſſe130 do not come from Chriſt by the power of faith, thou art but a dead man, and all thy works are but dead works.
Then thirdly, the Saints live by faith, that is, the life3. Faith is their aſſurance. of aſſurance (as I may ſo call it) the Saints they hold their aſſurance of the former by the power of faith (not by ſenſe) for a while at leaſt: they know they are Saints, how do they know it? by faith: they know they are juſtified, how do they know it? By Faith.
True it is, when God gives them the knowledge of ſenſe, they muſt not ſhut their eyes one day that they have it, but our eyes are ſo dim that we are ready to miſtake; ſo that the maine courſe of a mans life is by faith from Gods love in Chriſt in the free Covenant, which Covenant conſiſts in ſuch promiſes, which promiſes ſpeak to me by ſuch ordinances as this, and the Lords Supper, &c. This is a third way.
Fourthly, and laſtly, the Saints live by faith, that is, in all afflictions they do bear up their ſpirits, and are ſupported4. It is their ſupport in afflictions. by the power of faith upon the word, though there be nothing ſeen, and appear. A naturall man cannot hold up, but ſink, further then there is ſome ſenſible, viſible thing to hold him up: but the juſt, thoſe that are Saints, they have an art, a myſticall art, whereby when they ſee nothing, but have a word, wherein God hath promiſed to do this, or that for them, they can bear up themſelves, and ſo go on as chearfully as if they did enjoy, or as if they did ſee their deliverance. Thus Habakkuk, we read, this proverb. verſe 1, 2, 3. The viſion is for an appointed time, in the end it will ſpeak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, becauſe it will ſurely131 come, it will not tary, Behold, his ſoul which is lifted up, is not upright in him; but the juſt ſhall live by his faith.
There was a viſion that did promiſe good to this people, but this viſion muſt tarry a little, it muſt not be performed preſently: but they might ſay, how ſhall we do in the mean while? The juſt ſhall live by his faith. Though there be nothing ſeen, yet notwithſtanding they ſhall bear themſelves, and carry themſelves chearfully, and comfortably, and contentedly by beholding the truth of the buſines, and the ſweet expectation they have of it, as if it were come already. You have the proverb repeated by the Apoſtle in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, in this ſenſe, yet a little while, and he that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry. You have need of patience, ſaith the Apoſtle. They were in great afflictions, there was a promiſe that God would help them, but what ſhall we do in the meane while, while the graſſe grows? In the meane while the juſt ſhall live by his faith; he ſhall drive on and carry on the work, and bear up himſelf, and his ſpirit, and his comfort, and all on the word of the Lord, and he ſhall do all this by his faith. So that this being the leſſon ſhortly (though I be not able yet to clear this fully to you: for truly this is a leſſon wherein we ſtill ſhall want light, we are not able to ſee it perfectly, it is from faith to faith, ſaith the Apoſtle. That is, we come from one degree of faith to another to live by faith: there are many kinds, many degrees of living by faith) Now this is it that I would commend to you, and exhort you to, that you would ſeek the Lord, and ſtudy the Scriptures, that you might come to this, that you may live by faith.
132Firſt of all, in the groſſer part of it, concerning ſanctification (that is an eaſie thing to be underſtood) that you would not regard, or weigh any thing in all your profeſsion, but what doth come from Ieſus Chriſt by faith. Truly, much of our Religion, is a naturall kinde of Religion, and much of that which is like good in us, doth not ſpring from Ieſus Chriſt, and whatſoever is not from him, will never be accepted by him. We have many morall vertues from old Adam, that we gild over, and account them graces, but God loaths them. We have many duties that we have taken up in the imitation of others, by good education or the power of the letter Preached to us, and yet this is not the life of faith, it is not holineſse by faith.
And therefore, let us not (like many profeſſors) ſtudy the muchneſſe of Religion, or the plauſibleneſſe of it without; as that I am able to preach, as other preachers do, and you are able to pray in a day of humiliation as other profeſſors do, this is nothing: but let us labour that that little holineſse that is in us, may clearly proceed from the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. One had better have a Garden of a few true, and pleaſant Flowers, though there be but a few, then to have a Garden with ſome Flowers, and a world of traſh like Flowers, there is no pleaſure in it. Now, I fear that much of thy beſt duties ſpring from old Adam, much of thy beſt prayers, and much (it may be) of that Religion whereby thou art accounted a profeſſor: much of it, I fear, is nothing but old Adam, and his ruines ſcrewed up, and varniſhed, or gilded, and not from the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
And therefore remember this, that as drunkenneſſe,133 and whoredom, and thoſe groſſe, and ſcandalous works of darkneſſe, are called dead works, ſo every graine, every ſtamp of good in thee, if it be not from the new Adam, it is but a dead work. I could ſhew you how you ſhall know the one from the other, but that the time is ſhort, and I muſt not hinder other occaſions; Therefore I leave that upon your thoughts that you may pray to the Lord: Lord; I do not care how men conceive of me, I care not though I be among the leaſt of all Saints, as Paul ſaith, if I be reckoned the leaſt of all Saints, ſo that that little Saint-ſhip, and holineſſe that is in me flow from Chriſt, that it be a grace from his grace, and light from his light.
But the other truth is wondrous hard to expreſſe, that we ſhould in reſpect of juſtification, and aſſurance learn the Art of living by faith, that when the Lord ſhall take away all comfortable objects of ſight, and ſenſe, that we can ſee nothing, we cannot pray at all; we ſee corruption upon corruption, and waves of temptations one upon another, and no working within to relieve us, that I am able then to live by faith; that is, to ſee a righteouſneſſe in Ieſus Chriſt, and to build upon his word, and Covenant, to hold my ſelf, and my aſſurance ſtill, I am a ſon ſtill, everlaſting life belongs to me ſtill, though I feele, and ſee nothing, but hell, and ſomething worſe if it may be, yet notwithſtanding I am a Saint, and I am righteous, and juſt, and the Lord is my father, and hath reſerved everlaſting life for me.
Beloved, the life that Chriſtians ordinarily do live, it is a life mingled with faith, and ſenſe: for if God give me free grace, why ſhould not I rejoyce in it? If I clearly ſee the firſt fruits of the Kingdom of heaven,134 why ſhould I exclude my reaſon not to conclude that there is more grace behind?
But there are other Saints that have a mixture of faith and ſenſe, that take away ſenſe, and their faith is gone, their faith is grounded upon ſenſe. And I have oft times looked in to my ſoul, and thought why the Lord ſuffered me to be carryed away with corruptions, and to be overwhelmed with temptations, whereas he hates theſe things, and I hate them, and I weary him, and they weary me, and he can help it, and I cannot; why he ſhould do thus, to ſuffer me to pray, and I cannot overcome? There are many reaſons the Lord hath given in to my ſoul from time to time: but of all reaſons this is the chief, that the Lord thereby would inure us to live by faith. The Lord comes many times when we are compaſſed about with grace, and holineſſe, and can go as you do into your Gardens, and take now one Flower, and then another, and make a poſie of grace, I behold my love to the Saints, and my delight in God, and my uprightneſse in my calling, and I make a poſie of them, God comes and daſhes it all, every jot, and what ſhall I ſay now? Now for a man to be able to take up a promiſe that the juſt ſhall live by his faith, that is, I am ſtill as juſt as ever I was, and I am aſſured of it (in a ſort) as much as ever, without the leaſt graine of any thing felt or ſeen, and I bear up my profeſſion, and all my works, as if I had thoſe views of graces that once I had, now all is gone. Whereas, ordinarily when God daſheth all this way, what is the fruit of it? Then a man concludes, I am an hypocrite, I am a damned creature, I135 cannot believe, then I muſt ſit in a holy moping, why? becauſe ſenſe is gone, faith is gone almoſt, faith ſtays no longer then ſenſe, and that is a ſigne that you alway lived by ſenſe: God takes occaſion many times to daſh all that ever is in us, and that ever hath been done by us; God will write hypocriſie upon it, he will make us read ſo at leaſt, doſt thou ſee what thou art? There is no creature more carnall; and in that thou haſt done, there is this crookedneſſe, and that hypocriſie, there is this guile, and that, all is naught. Then the Lord by this teaches one to go a high-lone, without crutches; one of theſe faintings teacheth one to go without a ſtaffe, alone. And therein alſo is the glory of God, that is glorious in all his works of creation, and providence, glorious in war, knapping the ſpear aſunder: but his glory in the Goſpell is more, that uſually when God hath ſhewed a Saint his confuſion and wickedneſſe, to magnifie his grace the more, then ordinarily, God takes theſe times to do more for a poor ſoul, then ever he did at any time: the Lord will then give a new ſeal of the pardon of ſins, and new diſcoveries of the myſteries of the Goſpell, and of Ieſus Chriſt in the midſt of theſe confuſions. But it is the hardeſt thing in the world, to live clearly by faith when ſenſe is gone; there is that I drive at all this while. I ſee poor creatures moping every where, and when ſenſe is out, then their candle is out, as Iob ſaith, How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? So, that Saint that lives by ſenſe, his comfort is no longer then he ſees, and feels grace, he hath aſſurance of Gods love no longer136 then he feels grace. So there are but few of you that have a root of faith, that in all the ebbings, and flowings of grace, your comfort, and ſtrength, and aſſurance by Faith goes on in its courſe as before. Now deſire the Lord to bring you to this clearely, that according to this bleſſed proverb you may live by faith.
THe occaſion of this ſpeech of our Saviour was, there was a young man, a very rich young man that came to Chriſt, and would learn the way to heaven of him. And our Lord he cuts him out a task too hard for his carnall heart, among the reſt, to give all that he had to the poor. The young man was very ſad, and went away, becauſe he was very rich, It may be a poor man might have done it: but the more riches men have, the more loath they are to part with it. Whereupon, ſaith our Lord, you may ſee how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven, A Camell may go thorow the eye of a needle as ſoone. Whereupon his Diſciples replied in a vanting way, crowing over the man, Maſter, what ſhall we have? we have done gallantly, we have forſaken all that we have, and have followed thee; what ſhall we have therefore? Saith our Lord Chriſt, You ſhall have a large reward I confeſſe, I ſay unto you. Ye138 which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man ſhall ſit in the Throne of his glory, ye alſo ſhall ſit upon twelve Thrones. And every one that hath forſaken houſes, or land, or children, or father, or mother, or wife for my names ſake; ſhall receive an hundred fold here, and ſhall inherit everlaſting life. For, ſaith he (he puts this correction upon it) here is a large reward, as if he ſhould ſay, if the young man had followed my advice he had been no loſer, nor you ſhall not, but many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt. As if he ſhould ſay, I would not have you to be proud, and to crow over that poor man that is run from me, becauſe you are old Diſciples; it may be that man may come back again to me, and be my beſt ſervant when you may run away: for many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt. And thereupon our Lord in the next Chapter, on purpoſe to this end to bring down their ſpirits, he expreſſeth himſelf in a whole parable of a man that hired ſervants, and he that came at the laſt hour received as much as he that came at the beginning of the day; he takes down their ſpirits from being too high over poor ſinners. So that is the leſſon that I deſire you ſeriouſly to conſider of, the text it ſelf ſhall be the Doctrine, that
I ſay, many ſinners, and ſlow profeſſors, ſhall be firſt, and formoſt in the ways of godlines; and many old profeſſors that have been once zealous, ſhall be laſt, and loweſt in the formes of Religion and godlineſſe.
I need not tell you that there are ſeverall formes of godlineſſe. There are (as Iohn ſaith) fathers, and young men, and children; there is the weak, and the ſtrong,139 the ſpirituall, and the carnall. Now God (I ſay) hath caſt it ſo that ordinarily the weak ſhall outrun the ſtrong, the childe ſhall go before his father, the young, green, ſlow profeſſors; ſhall be in heaven, and the way to heaven before the old profeſſor, and they that were firſt ſhall be laſt, and they that were laſt ſhall now be firſt. For the opening of it, it is to be underſtood two ways.
Firſt of all you are to underſtand this, that the firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt firſt, not as an univerſall, generall rule, that every young profeſſor ſhall outſtrip an old: but the way to Heaven is ſo narrow, that in the profeſſion of Religion, abundance of them do fall away. And few men fall away at the firſt: but when the tryall comes, when the Sun ariſeth, as our Lord ſaith. So a learned expoſiter upon it ſaith, that it may be thirty, or fourty, or fifty, or ſixty yeers among profeſſors, there may be many hypocrites, and there are more that have but a common work of the ſpirit of God: thereupon our Lord ſpeaking onely to profeſſors ſuch as they were, Matt. 13. where he ſaith three of the four were rotten, and come to nothing, and the fourth only hold out. Some mens ſins are open before (ſaith Paul) and ſome follow after. We ſee it by ſome men ſetting out in Religion, they never come to any thing: but ſome mens ſins follow after. Some men go far, and walk gloriouſly, and afterward are diſcovered. And truly, it is a rule among the beſt of our miniſters, that ſeldome or never, hypocrites go out of this world undiſcovered: And hence it comes to paſſe by the falls of hypocrites, and thoſe that have not a ſaving work of grace, that great ones fall away, and little, low ones outſtrip them.
140Secondly, it comes to paſſe that the firſt are laſt, and the laſt firſt, becauſe the Lord for reaſons beſt known to himſelf for the moſt part ſo caſts it, that even among true profeſſors, true Saints, the moſt part of them when they grow ancient (in Religion eſpecially) they take a napp before they go hence. They go as travellers in the way, that go out betime in the morning, but take a baite of two or three hours in the way, and ſo ſlow travellers get before them. There is not one in ten ordinarily, but hath a ſhrewd napp when he is ancient in Religion, before he go hence. Thereupon we ſee the ten Virgins, Matt. 25. The wiſe Virgins ſlept as well as the fooliſh, they all ſlept: but the wiſe Virgins awaked in time, and got up again, and the fooliſh ſlept it out. And while they are napping and ſleeping, the firſt becomes laſt, and the laſt firſt. For we may not think that all ſuch ancient profeſſors, that they have no grace. We ſee now, are there not ſome Magiſtrates, and many Miniſters, old non-conformiſts, that are now generally napping, and ſleeping, that you would think there were nothing of God in them? we may not think that they belong not to the Lord, and that they have no grace. This is the time when many ſimple ſouls get into Chriſt, and the knowledg of Chriſt, and have further enjoyments of ſpirit, and communion of ſpirit with him, then thoſe grave Miniſters, and Common-wealths men, that before held out Religion more then others: yet we are not to think that they have no grace.
Therefore of this briefly, there are theſe four or five practicall leſſons that we ſhould learn.
The firſt is, that all you that are ancient Chriſtians,1. Vſe to avoid ſecurity.141 ancient profeſſors, if ye ſtand, to take heed leaſt ye fall. How ſhould this me thinks make an ancient Saint watch? how ſhould he avoid ſecurity, when it is ordinary for old Chriſtians to take a napp, and ſo not to be higher in Heaven; they loſe much of their glory in Heaven; nay they loſe their honour here, ye ſome men think them to be hypocrites. Therefore ſtand on your guard: ſay not, we have been profeſſors, twenty, or thirty, or fourty yeers, as ordinary profeſſors bragg of their ſtanding in Religion. No, but remember this leſſon, there are many firſt that ſhall be laſt: therefore walk watchfully, and circumſpectly. Think with your ſelves, and O that the Lord would open the eyes of ancient Chriſtians in this City, to ſee poor ſouls of a yeer, or half a yeers ſtanding, ſtart up, that have more of Chriſt in them, and more clear knowledge of the Goſpell, and love him more, and his Saints, and do more for him then they do. O look about thee, and conſider with thy ſelf that though thou be ancient, and before that man or woman in Chriſt, yet thou mayſt come a great while after him to heaven for all that. Therefore, ſaith Paul, I preſs hard to that which is before. It is a comparriſon from men that run in a race. As the heathen Poet ſaith, when a man runs in a race, he never looks on the horſes that are behind him, but if there be one before him he looks to that. Beloved, look that if thou be before others, take heed that thou come not to the goale after them.
Secondly, let ancient profeſſors, ancient Chriſtians2. Not to contemn others. learn not to deſpiſe, and contemn weak Saints, young beginners, nay not ſinners themſelves: I have obſerved it to the grief of my ſoul, with the bleeding of142 my heart, a great deal of contempt, and diſdaine in the brows of ſome ancient Chriſtians againſt ſome weak Saints: take heed of it: for though thou be firſt, and great now, thou art honoured now as an excellent Prayer in London, as one excellent in a day of humiliation; who knows whether thou that art firſt mayſt not be laſt? Therefore contemn not weak Saints. No, nor ſinners, there is many a man that may be in the Ale-houſe, a drinking, and ſwearing, and whoring, and his quean with him, that may be in heaven before thee, therefore be tender to ſinners, eſpecially if it be a Saint that hath any thing of God in him, conſider he that is firſt may be laſt, and the laſt may be firſt.
Thirdly, let weak Saints, and young beginners, learn3. Weak ones not to bear themſelves unreverently hence alſo, as on the one ſide (that I may put in that caveat) not to behave themſelves unreverently toward the ancient. I would not have old Saints to crow over the young, muchleſſe the young over the ancient: Saith Paul, rebuke not an elder, but rather exhort him. If we in preaching muſt not ſpeak ſo ſharply to ancient Chriſtians, whether elders in Office, or rather in Religion (as I believe it is) we muſt not rebuke him, but ſpeak with reverence, ſo much more young Chriſtians muſt ſpeak reverently, of ancient Chriſtians, and not ſay, there goes ſuch an old profeſsor, and ſuch a one ſaith, the firſt ſhall be laſt; and ſo deſpiſe him. No, but as God hath put the law of nature that the young ſhall obſerve the elder, and the junior ſhall reſpect the ſenior: ſo in grace and Religion, people muſt obſerve their duty. Therefore young women muſt learn of the old, and old women ſhould be teachers of good things to young women, not given to wine, &c. beware143 of petulant, wanton carriage towards old profeſſors.
So, on the other ſide, be not diſcouraged by ſeeing theNeither to be diſcouraged. graces in ancient, ſtrong Chriſtians. It is an ordinary thing for weak Saints to be more diſcouraged at the graces of ſtrong Saints then at any thing elſe. As a weak eye that looks on the Sun can ſee juſt nothing; ſo many a weak ſoul hath the teſtimony of Gods ſpirit, that he walks uprightly in his family before the Lord: but if he fall into the company of ſpirituall Chriſtians that are full of the Spirit, full of the Holy Ghoſt, he comes home, proclaiming himſelf an hypocrite all the way as he goes. Do not that; for God hath caſt it ſo, that the firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt: therefore though I be weak, who knows but that God may make me equall to that glorious Saint? Therefore as he is not to be ſecure and proud, ſo I am not to be diſcouraged.
Fourthly: learn alſo this leſſon (for it is of eſpeciall uſe in theſe times: for this is the age when old profeſſors4. Not to judge others. ſet themſelves to ſleep) learn hence, not to judg of Chriſtians, old Chriſtians, old profeſſors to be hypocrites, becauſe that they have taken a napp. I may not think that that man whom I have known to be the firſt man for Religion, of all the Iuſtices of the Peace, of all the Gentlemen in the country, of all the miniſters in the County: becauſe he is now the leaſt and laſt of all the gentry, or miniſtery, or the like, I may not (a•the ordinary faſhion of men is) conclude that there is no grace in him. It is an ordinary thing among us, you have inſtances every where in this caſe: but rather conclude this, that many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and144 the laſt ſhall be firſt, God hath put the one againſt the other, that we ſhould finde nothing after him.
God delights in variety of works, and he hath caſt it ſo, that ordinarily profeſſors ſhould be like the Angels or Iacobs ladder, ſome up, and ſome down, the young going before the old, and the old coming behinde the young, and as ſouldiers in training, wheele about, and go behinde one another. God in wiſdom hath done ſo; therefore I wil not ſay, ſuch a Magiſtrate, or ſuch a miniſter, or ſuch a Gentleman doth not belong to God, becauſe he is not ſo good as he hath been, he was once the beſt, and now he is the leaſt, he may be the Lords notwithſtanding all this. We muſt remember this, or elſe we ſhall make hypocrites of all the world: for there is no Chriſtian but hath his failings, and if we conclude ſo, then God will have no Saints. It is a bleſſed meanes of meekning the heart towards napping Chriſtians.
Then laſtly; let there be a kind of equality, and ſpirituall5. To preſerve a correſpondencie and equality. correſpondencie between all Saints (O that God would have it ſo) that as the younger ſhould not carry themſelves unreverently to the elder, ſo the elder ſhould not deſpiſe the younger: but as there was an equality in their gathering of Mannah, they that had much, had nothing to ſpare, and they that had little had no want: ſo the Lord delights in equality among the Saints, God hates to ſee Chriſtians, that have much knowledge, to brow-beat weak Saints, God hates it. Let us love a kinde of equality, and ſpirituall correſpondencie: For we are all one body, and have all one head: the greateſt member cannot ſay to the toe, I have no need of thee: the greateſt Chriſtian; if he be as an eye145 in the head, he cannot ſay that he hath not need of the weakeſt Saint: there is ſomething that may do him good, if he could ſee it.
To end this, I will give you the expreſſion of Calvin on Rom. 16. 16. Salute one another with an holy kiſs, the Churches of Chriſt ſalute you. The obſervation of Maſter Calvin upon this place is this, that the Apoſtle had before ſaluted a great many ſtrong Saints by name, and commended them for ſome excellencies, one for one thing, another for another, Priſcilla, and Aquila as helpers in Chriſt, and ſuch a one for ſuch a thing he gives commendation; now becauſe he names not all, leaſt the weak ſhould be offended, therefore, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſalute one another with a holy kiſſe. It was their manner before their ſupper, they had feaſts of love, and before their feaſts of love, they did alway ſalute one another with an holy kiſſe; they kiſſed one another, and it was a Ceremony that God appointed to this end, to ſhew that there was a kinde of equality between all the Saints, that the pooreſt could not be kept at a diſtance from the rich, and the youngeſt Saint that the other day was a drunkard, or whoremonger, was not to be deſpiſed, but was kiſsed of the old. So that kiſs linked them together, that though there was difference, yet this kiſſe levelled them.
Beloved, how far, this ceremony ſhould be practiſed by us, or we are bound to it, is more then I can tell, or any that I know: but that is ſignified by it holds, that there ſhould be a bleſſed correſpondencie between all the Saints, and ſome kinde of way, whereby a man that is in Chriſt, be he never ſo weak, may know that146 Chriſt accepts him, that the greateſt Saint, and moſt glorious on earth, accepts him alſo. And not as the factious cuſtome of diſputing profeſſors is; that never take notice of, but ſcorn hundreds of poor Saints, that have not thoſe gifts, that cannot talk ſwelling, proud words, as Iude ſaith. All that are Chriſts ſhould be dear to us as they are dear to Chriſt, he loves them alike, he paid as much for them as he did for us; and God is their father. And Chriſt provided foreſeeing the diſpoſition of men in latter times, that of all Saints we ſhould take care of the weakeſt: therefore ſaith Chriſt to Peter, Peter, loveſt thou me? loveſt thou me? loveſt thou me? Lord, thou knoweſt all things, Well, I ſee thou loveſt me, as thou loveſt me feed my lambs. We are to feed the ſheep too: for Peter was a Sheperd, but we are to feed the lambs of Chriſt eſpecially. In Mat. 18. you know what care Chriſt takes of his little ones, he compares young profeſsors to little Children, and if any offend one of them, it were better that a Milſtone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the Sea. If you ſhould ſee a man in the midſt of the Sea with a Milſtone about his neck, it were a miſerable condition: ſo it is a ſad condition of high, and lofty profeſſors, that brow-beat weak Saints, that will not correſpond, or condeſcend to them of the lower ſort, O, ſaith Paul, who is weak and I am not offended? who is offended and I burn not? I will ſay no more of that, remember many that are firſt ſhall be laſt.
I Do finde beloved that now a days the devil hath wondrous deſignes in the world, and truly one of the greateſt that I know among us is this, that he indeavours to cheat us of the ordinances of God, and to bring us from them one by one by degrees. He hath brought us from repetition of the word, and from ſinging of Pſalms, and many from baptizing of the infants of the godly, and divers from the ſupper of the Lord, and from hearing the word of God preached; and now he comes and begins to bring people from praying, or calling upon the name of the Lord: therefore let us do as Rehoboam did, when he had loſt Ten Tribes, he went and ſtrengthened the two that remained. Beloved there are but a few ordinances that remaine, and they are almoſt gone too, therefore let us do our beſt to keep thoſe. One is praying, or calling upon God;148 which our Lord Chriſt divers ways, by precept; and example, and parables, &c. doth exhort his Diſciples to, to pray alway, and not to faint. So that this is it that you ſhould do well to conſider, that
Prayer, or calling upon the name of God in Chriſt, is an ordinance, and a perpetuall ordinance of God.
And though (it may be) many of you do not doubt of it, and therefore you think why ſhould I ſpeak of it? Truly, no more did not I doubt of it, yet I have had many thoughts of it: and though we doubt not of it, yet the conſidering of it out of the word may ſtir us up to do it more then we do: for I am afraid, though many of you doubt not of it, yet many of you are ſlack; and though you believe not what the others ſay, yet you hearken ſo much to them as to ſlacken of what the old Saints did, and of what your ſelves did before, you do not ſet your ſelves ſo earneſtly, and ſo frequently, and follow God ſo hard in prayer as you have done: this I greatly fear.
For I find many times that the devill plays a double game, that when he comes to take away an ordinance from people, to cheat them of it, he knowes that ſome are ſo giddy, that he can gull, and cheat them clearly, and he knows this that thoſe that he cannot cheat yet he can caſt them into a kinde of remiſneſſe. As for inſtance, he hath taken away from many, ſinging of Pſalms, praſing God according to that manner that the Saints have had for divers ages, whereas there is no particular manner in the ſcriptures for the outward thing: now as he hath brought many that they will not ſing at all, ſo there are many that are indifferent; and ſo for baptiſing the infants of the godly, and ſo for149 hearing the Word; and ſo for praying. The devil hath a dilemma, if you will do ſo, ſo it is, or elſe do this; ſo I ſay while ſome giddy heads, or hearts are throwing away the Ordinance of prayer. I am afraid there is a general remiſneſs, or careleſneſs growing upon your hearts, therefore I ſhall ſhew theſe two things concerning prayer.
Firſt, I ſhall ſhew you that it is an Ordinance of God,Prayer an Ordinance of God. Prayer a perpetual duty. that it is a duty, that it is the duty of a Saint.
Secondly, I ſhall ſhew you that it is a laſting duty, a duty to be performed in all ages untill the coming of Chriſt, and that briefly and plainly.
For the firſt, That it is a duty, conſider any duty in the world, and whatſoever you would have to prove it a duty, I dare ſay it is clear in the Word concerning this duty of Prayer, that, and much more, you cannot name any duty in the Book of God, any external duty that is underpropped, that hath ſuch foundations, ſuch clear ground-works for it as the duty of Prayer.
There are four main grounds of duty, and one ofFour main grounds of dutie. them many times is a ſufficient ground for any one, as
Firſt, that it is a thing that the law of Nature hath1. The〈◊〉of Nature. written in the heart of man, to call upon God, it was written in the Creation. There are many duties among us that are not ſo, under the Goſpel, eſpecially. Now that you ſee in all ages, all kinde of people call upon the name of their God. As in the ſhip where Jonah was; the Heathens by the dictates of Nature, they awake Ionah to call on his God, and they were calling on their god: it is a thing in the law of Nature. And (by the By) that is the reaſon why we may pray with150 carnal men, though we may not receive the Lords Supper, becauſe the Supper of the Lord is an Ordinance by inſtitution, the other is a natural Ordinance or duty. Now when a man doth a Natural duty, it is ſuppoſed that it is in the heart of a wicked man, and he doth but what he ought when he doth it. A carnal man when he prays he ſins, not in that he prays, much leſs do I ſin in doing the duty with him, in doing what he ought: But wherein doth he ſin? In the maner, that he prays without faith, it is his fault and not mine; and ſo an hypocrite that prayeth without faith: when I do the duty, I look that the thing be good, but for the maner of his heart, and ſpirit, that is for him to look to. So a man may pray with carnal people, though he may not receive the Supper of the Lord, becauſe that is an Ordinance by inſtitution, and is onely for the Saints. That by the by.
Secondly, There is this ground for it, for prayer2. Command of the Word. we have more precepts then for any other dutie, Chriſt Jeſus ſaith here, Pray always, And the Apoſtle, 1 Theſ. 5. he bids us pray evermore, pray alway, I need not ſtand to prove this.
Then you have alſo preſidents for it, almoſt in every3. Preſident and Example. Saint in the Book of God; you ſeldom hear of a Saint, but he was a praying Saint. And let me tell you this, that Saints, and Churches, or Aſſemblies, (for ſo the Greek word is indifferently) and people that call on God ▪ with a pure heart, they are Synonomies. Sometimes Paul ſaith, Grace, mercy, and peace to the Saints, ſometimes to the Churches, and ſometimes to thoſe that pray, and call on the name of the Lord Ieſus, 1 Cor. 1. 1. It is a thing ſo proper to a Saint, that it is151 uſually taken for the deſcription of a Saint. Therefore in Zech. 12. where there is a Propheſie concerning the converſion of the Iews; ſaith God, I will poure on them the Spirit of Grace and Supplication. What is that? That is, they ſhall be converted. To have a ſpirit of Supplication, a praying heart is the ſame as converſion: to convert the Iews is to give them a ſpirit of Grace and Supplication: As ſoon as Paul was converted, Act. 9. when Ananias inquired of him, he was praying, therefore you have examples enow. 4. Promiſes entailed on it. Pſalm 50.
And then you have Precepts for it, and Promiſes to it, all along in the Book of God; Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will deliver thee; So in the new Teſtament, Iohn 14. And in the Epiſtles of Iohn; If we call upon God, he will hear our prayers, and grant our petitions, and if you ask any thing in the name of Chriſt, you ſhall have it. You know theſe things; onely I minde you, as Peter, and the reſt of the Apoſtles often minded them of what they knew already, leaſt they ſhould be carried away with the error of the wicked. That is one thing; it is an Ordinance, you ſee four great pillars under it, it hath the Law of Nature, there are Precepts, and Examples, and Promiſes to perform what we pray for: And there are threatnings to thoſe that do it not, Curſe the Families that call not on thy Name.
Secondly, I ſaid it was an everlaſting Ordinance or duty, and you may ſee that three ways.
Firſt, If you look upon the old Teſtament, you ſhall ſee there all the people of God, they practiſed it, I need not inſtance in any one place.
And ſecondly, you will eaſily grant, that if you152 look upon the times of the new Teſtament, the dawning of it in Chriſts time, (for that was the dawning of the new Teſtament) there you ſee Chriſt prayed whole nights, and before day he was on the mountain ſeeking God; and there are many Parables, one in Luke 11. and another here, wherein he exhorts his diſciples to be earneſt with God, and though God as it were ſeem as if he had no minde otherwiſe to do it, yet by the very importunity of prayer (for that is the drift of that Parable in Luke 11. and of this) the Lord will be intreated. Then come after to the times that the new Teſtament was fully ſet up; you ſee when Chriſt was gone to the Holy of Holies, there they prayed, and called on God continually, all thoſe Churches did call upon God, there is nothing more clear.
Nay, thirdly, (for there is the main hint of it) in the laſt times, in theſe times, and in later times then theſe (though theſe be called the laſt times) the glorious times that ſhall be juſt at the end of the world, the people of God will be a praying people in thoſe days. I will give you but one place, Zach. 12. that is clear concerning the converſion of the Iews in the laſt times, that they ſhall look on him whom they have pierced, and ſhall mourn every family apart. Now the Iews are not yet come in, neither are thoſe glorious times yet come to the Iews and Gentiles that ſhall follow upon their coming, yet it is ſaid when they ſhall come in, praying ſhall be in ſuch requeſt in thoſe days that even the converſation of the Iews is called a pouring on them the ſpirit of grace and ſupplication.
Therefore ſay not now, the laſt times are come, and theſe are glorious times, and we can live immediatly153 upon God without Ordinances, &c. No, thoſe times are not come, and yet when that time is come, they ſhall have a ſpirit of grace and ſupplication to call upon God. And therefore I beſeech you, let not the devil ſteal away any of your Ordinances, for I tell you again, and again, he drives on a wonderful deſign among you in that reſpect. And of all Ordinances, labour to keep Prayer: for caſt off Prayer, and caſt off Saintſhip; for to be a Saint, and to call on the name of the Lord with a true heart, are the ſame. I will call thee no longer a Saint then thou calleſt on God. Therefore notwithſtanding all pretences look to that. Some object, God knows our wants, and what need we pray? Saith our Saviour, Mat. 5. Your heavenly Father knows what you have need of, and yet Chriſt taught them to pray. We muſt manifeſt our obedience notwithſtanding that God will do one thing when we pray for another: that is a fooliſh objection, becauſe we know not what is good for us, neither how to pray according to the minde of God: but if it be according to his minde, and for our good, God will not deny it to us.
But the maine Engin that the devil hath to cheat us of this Ordinance, is, that there were times when there was neede of Ordinances, and theſe beggerly rudiments, (this is the language of ſome) theſe carnall Ordinances, it is true they were good in the times of the Apoſtles, and thoſe former times, but now glorious times are come for Saints to live immediately on God, and therefore there is no need of them.
I told you that when the Iews ſhall be called154 there will be need of theſe Ordinances; and though as we grow more perfect in glory, ſo we have leſs need of them; therefore as we are more glorious, and have more of the Spirit of Glory in the new Teſtament then they had in the old, ſo we have fewer Ordinances then they; and when we ſhall come to heaven, when ſhe ſhall be full of glory, we ſhall have no Ordinances for ought I know: but yet we have infirmities, and the Lord knows what is beſt for us, and we have a great deal of fleſh, and carnalneſs, and we ſhall have in a great meaſure till we be in heaven: therefore God in mercy affords us theſe Ordinances, and helps to deal with him, and to keep our Communion with him, and to live in, and from him: Therefore I pray you without partiality and prejudice weigh the Word of God, whether this be not the Will of God, and then take heed how the Devil cheat you of this bleſſed Ordinance; for truly I may ſay, as Chriſt ſaid, Now is the Ax laid to the root, to the root of Prayer, and if the Devil take away that, thou art no more a Saint, my life for thine, if thou once throw away calling on God. Therefore learn that word, and endeavor to keep up the Ordinances of God: and you that do not, but are grown into remiſneſs by the Opinions that are abroad concerning this duty, I beſeech you renew your care and diligence every one of you in publick and private to ſeek the Lord.
And conſider with your ſelves whether there be not a greater remiſneſs on your ſpirits then before, did you not ſet your ſelves oftner and more earneſtly apart to ſeek God before, then you do155 now? If it be ſo, in the name of God, ſay as David, O how ſweet is thy Word! by it thy ſervant is warned. Now this is the goodneſs of God, the ſweetneſs of his Word that hath warned thee when thou wert going to undo thy ſelf, and to throw thy ſelf away: Therefore ſet thy ſelf to it, and let not the ſin of others in throwing away of Ordinances, make you remiſs in uſing them, either throw them away quite, or uſe them as the Ordinances of God, for the careleſs uſe of Ordinances is abominable to God.
FOr ye are not under the Law.
There are three things in which a Chriſtian is ſubject to be under the law, and ſo to be ſcourged by it, and if he can get himſelf in thoſe three thingsSaints under the Law in three reſpects out from it, then he is wholy clear. The Saints are under it partly, either
For their perſons, that is, we do conceive that we do1. As to their perſons deal with God in ſome meaſure according to his law, we think that God doth deal with us according to his law, and that we deal with God in ſome meaſure according to his law. Whereas we ſhould conceive that God doth not look on me, or ſpeak to me, or deal with me at all according to the law (Chriſt having fulfilled it, and I being dead to it) but only in reference to grace, ſo I157 deal with God as he is my Father, as he is revealed to me in grace in the Doctrine of the Goſpel: ſo that if we could conceive that our perſons are fully juſtified, that all my weakneſſes thoughout the day, or week, or year do not make me according to his Law one jot more unjuſt nor all my good doth not make me more juſt, for Chriſt Jeſus his Death and Reſurrection doth that wholly, therefore my perſon for ever is freed from the power of the Law, and if I ſin, grace may call me to account for it, and whip and ſcourge me with his Ferula: but for the Law, what have I to do with that? what have I to do with a husband that is dead and buried? what have I to do with the Covenant of works that Jeſus Chriſt hath fulfilled and cancelled?
Therefore get your perſons clear of the Law; for that is it that evidenceth many times that you are not, becauſe when you ſin againſt God, then there ariſeth ſtorms within you that were once without you, on Mount Sinai, that blackneſs and darkneſs, then you fear you are hypocrites, then you finde wrath in your conſciences: as oft as you finde wrath, (that is the work of the Law, for the Law worketh wrath) it ſhews clearly that your perſons are not quite freed from the Law, for though there ſhould be ſorrow, and more kindly, and abundant ſorrow then ever you felt before, and care, and other things, yet even that wrath, and horror, and hardneſs of heart, and riſings of ſpirit againſt God, will teſtifie that in ſome meaſure your perſons are under the Law.
Ye are not under the Law.
Secondly, Your actions I (ſay) ſhould not be under2 In reſpect of their actions.158 the Law, for as one ſaith, as our perſons are juſtified fully by Chriſt, ſo are our actions; that is, whatſoever action I do, or commit, however that action may not be pleaſing to God according to Grace or the Goſpel, it may not be an acceptable ſacrifice, as all our actions ſhould be, yet notwithſtanding we ſhould not conceive that our actions are to be ſquared and meaſured according to the rule and life of the Law, which is the Covenant of works. As for Inſtance, when a man is under the Law, whoſe actions are under the Law, he labors all the day long to pleaſe God, to ſerve, and obey him, but if he fail but once or twice that day in his duty, there is ſome confuſion whiſpered in his ſoul that all is loſt, there is more trouble for that one failing, then he hath comfort for all that he hath done that day; that is juſt the Law, for the Law ſaith, if he fail in one he is guilty of all. Now if a man be under grace, he rejoyceth in his ſincere indeavor to honor God, and he rejoyceth in the paſſages of that day, that he hath had communion with God, and where there is weakneſs, there would be a ſweet, clear mourning for it in reference to God as a Father, and not to have the heart eſtranged from God, and ſtraitned. Our actions in a great meaſure are under the Law. Our actions are freed from the Law in this life, but we know not our freedom. They are freed thus, all ariſe either from fleſh or ſpirit; for thoſe are the two beginnings, the two firſt beeings of all. Now thoſe of the fleſh (for a Chriſtian may do an action that is purely fleſh, that hath no good in it, then) that is a ſin, Chriſt Jeſus hath done it away. Now if it be an action that ariſeth from his holy Spirit, that flows159 from the principle of Ieſus Chriſt that is in him, the Lord accepts of it, that is done already, if he were able to do it, yet it comes too late; but onely he doth it as the honeſt upright indeavor of a loving childe to a dear father. So, could we meaſure our actions according to that rule, our lives would be more holy, and more ſweet and comfortable.
Thirdly, our afflictions, or ſufferings, (it were well3 Relating to their afflictions. if we could get out from under the laſh of the Law in all theſe) there we are deeply under it; as ſoon as ever we are whipped, then we ſay, God hath found me out, and it is true, God may whip me for it, becauſe I will not take notice of it: though God will not hide his countenance, and his ſmiles from his childe, one jot further then he muſt needs do it for fear of cockering him: therefore I know if God frown, and hide his face, that God loves me, and he would ſhew it: but I have a baſe heart, that at ſuch times as that would like ſome ſin, and be wanton, otherwiſe, God hath no delight to hide his face a moment. Now all my afflictions, and ſufferings, I am not to look on them under the Law, that is, as though God in reference to theſe had a purpoſe to ſatisfie himſelf, and his vengeance, and to let his wrath fall upon me, (that is clearly to fruſtrate the death of Chriſt) but I am to look on that as fully ſatisfied, and done by Chriſt, and God is more faithful then to be paid twice: but I am to look upon all my afflictions, as proceeding from the love of a dear father, and I can take notice of many ſins that diſpleaſe him, and he hath many Goſpel-ends to do me good: therefore in afflictions I admit not one hard thought of God, but160 love him more for his favor in the Goſpel. If we ſee afflictions under grace aright, then afflictions do exceedingly kindle love to God, and increaſe our communion with him; and whereas they make us run from God, they would make us run to him, and delight in him, but we are under the Law, and that makes our perſons and actions, and afflictions to be a burthen. O that the Lord would help us to get clear of it, that every one would labour to get his ſpirit, his perſon, his actions, and his corrections, and all clear of that, and dead to that.
Grace in this place (as I conceive) hath a very large extent, and is not taken onely for that favor of God, as it is uſually in Scripture, but there is ſomething meant by it, that ſhall be equivalent (in all reſpects to a Chriſtian) to the Law, for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace: they are oppoſites.
Now what that is that is meant by it, I conceive, and can give divers Scriptures alſo if I had time, that by Grace here is meant the whole Doctrine of the Goſpel. Indeed the ſubſtance of the Law is contained in it; for the ſubſtance of the Law is one and the ſame for ever. I ſay the whole Doctrine of the Goſpel, that is called Grace; becauſe it is a gracious Doctrine, it is a Doctrine full of Grace. The ſtream, and the maine thing of our Preaching, is, or ſhould be the Grace of God, the love of God, and the goodneſs of God. If it be taken for the whole Doctrine, as that in Tit. 2. The grace of God hath appeared to all men, teaching us to deny ungodlineſs, and worldly luſts, and to live holily and ſoberly, &c. Grace, that is, the161 Doctrine of Grace or the Doctrine of the Goſpel, 2 Cor. 6. I beſeech you receive not the grace of God in vain, that is, the Doctrine of the Goſpel, which hath in it grace and mercy, and life and ſalvation, and the like. Grace and the Law are oppoſites, as we ſee Iohn 1. The Law came by Moſes, but grace and truth came by Ieſus Chriſt. So grace in this place is to be underſtood in a large ſenſe.
That is, not onely you are freed from the Law, and you are now in a condition wherein God will have mercy on you, and ſave you, but far more then that. For beloved, as the Law hath Precepts, and Commands, and Teaching: ſo Grace hath its Precepts alſo, and commands as well as Promiſes: therefore he ſaith, The grace of God teacheth us. He ſaith not the grace of God tells us, and promiſeth us, or the like, but it teacheth us. Grace hath a School, as the Law had: the Law had a School, and thoſe that lived under it, according to its method it did train and teach them: ſo a Chriſtian now in the School of Grace, under grace, he hath all that was good, or neceſſary in the Law, and much more, that it is ſufficient in all reſpects. For a Chriſtian if he be under grace, there he ſhall have Precepts and Promiſes, and Directions, and Comforts, any thing that is neceſſary for him. So that it were well if you would indeavor to conceive, that the onely maſter you have is Grace, the onely rule by which you walk is Grace, it is the Goſpel, which implies in it all the ſubſtantiall Precepts of the Law: ſo in that reſpect we are bound to the Law, and the Law is of uſe, and will be to the end of the world.
162Now then I would conclude with this, to ſhew you a little concerning this Argument, Sin ſhall not have dominion over you, becauſe ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. There are three main ReaſonsSin hath leſs power over thoſe under grace upon three reaſons. why a man that is under Grace, that is, clearly freed from the Law, why ſin ſhould have leſs power over him, then when he was under the Law: for thoſe that live under Grace, though they be not perfect, yet they are eminently holy in compariſon of what they were, and of what others are that are under the Law.
One reaſon is, becauſe that Grace hath clearer and more ſpiritual inſtructions, and directions to holineſs then the Law hath. It hath what the Law hath, but it teacheth a great deal of exactneſs that cannot be expreſt: for what the Law teacheth, we may expreſs it by natural underſtanding, and you by natural underſtanding may comprehend it; and if you miſs it, we may by natural underſtanding convince you of the breach of the Law: but the precepts of the Goſpel are ſpiritual, and cannot be conceived by natural underſtanding. I ſay, the courſe of a Chriſtian, the main walk of a Chriſtian under grace is ſuch, that a natural man cannot ſee, or underſtand which way he goeth, becauſe a natural man conceives not the things of God. By the Law a man may convince, and ſhew it clearly; but the precepts of Grace are ſo ſublime, and ſpiritual, that they muſt be underſtood ſpiritually. And thereupon, being that the Precepts, and Inſtructions, and Directions of Grace, being clearer and brighter, and higher, that is the reaſon why a man under Grace is brought into fuller obedience163 to a freer ſervice then a man under the Law.
Beſides, Secondly, when a man is under grace, there is a kinde of ingenuity, a Spiritual ingenuity of the heart, yet though it may be there are not ſo many Covenants, and Reſolutions, and Vows, and the like, yet there is a kinde of ingenuity, that underſtanding the grace of God, he cannot ſin as another doth that is under the Law, and that is the meaning of thoſe Phraſes of the Apoſtle, how abhorrent ſuch a thing would be: As for inſtance, Shall we continue in ſin that Grace may abound? God forbid. As if he ſhould ſay, our hearts are againſt it, we cannot endure to render an anſwer of all Gods grace and goodneſs in ſuch a manner as that; and ſo in 2 Cor. 5. whether we be mad or ſober, The love of God conſtraineth us: for we thus judg, that if one died, then all were dead, that we ſhould not henceforth live to our ſelves but to him that died for us, That is, this is, our reaſon, we have a kinde of ingenuity in us that makes us thus reaſon, that if one man did come, and die, and purchaſe everlaſting life, we cannot but live to him that died for us.
That is the reaſon why a man under the Law, that it may be is a Swearer, a Drunkard, a Spendthrift, and this conſumes his ſoul, and body, and family, and all; and he knows this, yet notwithſtanding he goes on, he cannot help it, why? becauſe he is under the Law, becauſe when he hath had his pleaſure all day, the Law whips him at night, and thereupon he hardens his heart, and it grows more and more againſt God, and his Commandments: Now if God would let it into his ſoul to ſee what Chriſt hath done for164 him, and how righteouſly the Law is fulfilled through Chriſt, and thereupon he is freed from Satan, and ſin, and death. If God would ſhew him the hope of his calling, and the glorious condition that he ſtands in, there would be ſuch an ingenuity that he could not do it, he need not make Vows and Promiſes that he would be drunk no more, but he would abhor to do ſo baſely and unworthily to ſo gracious a God that had done ſo wondrouſly and incomprehenſibly for his ſoul.
Laſtly, There is a power in grace. The Law, was a voyce of words; it did teach juſt as the Commandments upon a wall; a poor man may come in and read them, but his heart is not the warmer, there is no diſpoſition to obſerve the Law: but Grace comes, and in ſome meaſure gives a bleſſed power and ſtrength to do that it teacheth, therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, Sin ſhall not have dominion over you, becauſe ye are not under the Law but under Grace.
THe Apoſtle ends his Prayer for the Epheſians in a general manner, with a kinde of Thankſgiving. Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly according to the power that worketh in us.
According to the power that worketh in us.
There is a mighty power that worketh in the Saints; and you ſhall ſee that power Epheſ. 1. 19. ſaith he, I deſire that you may know what is the exceeding greatneſs of his power to us-ward that believe, according to the working of his mighty power. It is not weakneſs, but power, and not a ſmall power, but a mighty power, a great power, an exceeding great mighty power. That worketh in you. The Saints are ſtrong creatures. If you ask, what this power is? you ſhall ſee in the verſe following;166 The power which wrought in Chriſt when he raiſed him from the dead, and ſet him at his own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers, &c. That is, the power of his holy Spirit that dwells in us; greater is he that dwelleth in us, then he that dwelleth in the world. We have a greater power in us, then can be from the world, or hell againſt us. And that power is illuſtrated here by the raiſing of Ieſus from the dead, and ſetting him up in heavenly places. There was no active power that ever God expreſſed, that can be compared to that of raiſing Chriſt from the dead; It was a power, and a great power, and Gods power too to make this world, and it is a power to preſerve it: but that power is not comparable to this, when Jeſus Chriſt was dead, under the curſe of the Law, and under the wrath of God, and under all our ſins, under the malice of men, and under a great ſtone that was rowled on him, and for a dead man to be raiſed up through all thoſe oppoſitions of heaven, and earth, and hell, and to be ſet in peace at the right hand of glory, and majeſtie on high. It muſt be an exceeding great power.
The Saints do not conſider what ſtrength they have, If thou didſt conſider what ſtrength thou haſt in thee, thou wouldeſt not be afraid to hear a Croſs, thou wouldſt not be diſcouraged to attempt any work for God, thou wouldeſt not be diſmaied at the threatnings of men, no, nor at the temptations of the devil: there is ſuch an exceeding great and mighty power that works in them that believe.
This power, is the power of the Spirit of God; for that is the power of the moſt High; the holy Ghoſt ſhall167 overſhadow thee, and the power of the moſt High ſhall come upon thee. The holy Ghoſt is the power of God which dwelleth in the Saints. And therefore my aime is to faſten that word on you, and to ſhew you how you come ſhort of that life, and ſtrength, and grace, that otherwiſe you might have, for want of magnifying, and exalting the Spirit of God, which is the Conduit, the Intelligencer, that which brings light, and life, and ſtrength to our ſouls from God. The Spirit of God is lightly eſteemed, therefore we have little grace: a low eſteem of the Spirit will keep a Saint low all his days.
I thought to have inſtanced in a few things wherein you undervalue the Spirit. One is, that you do not hearken enough, nor regard, and obſerve enough the teaching of the Spirit of God; and that is one cauſe why we are left to our ſelves, and do ſo often miſs the will of God. For I know not (according to the Covenant of Grace) why a Saint ſhould at any time miſs the will of God, but that he doth not obſerve his Leader; For I will give you the Spirit (ſaith Chriſt) that ſhall lead you into all truth: Now if you obſerve not this Leader, this Teacher, it is very juſt that you ſhould be left to wander, and go out of the way.
If a Chriſtian would obſerve his way, and obſerve his leader, a Chriſtian might eaſily finde when he is in, and when he is out; for truly, if a man would ask himſelf, Why did I miſs the will of God ſo often, ſince I have ſuch a Teacher promiſed me, and given me by Chriſt? he muſt needs ſay, that oftentimes I did not obſerve him, I did not hearken to him, I hearkened only to men, and not to the Spirit of God. And ſo he would168 eaſily finde, when he began to give over harkning where he left the teaching of the Spirit; for in my apprehenſion a Saint follows the holy Ghoſt with a kinde of ſagacity (if I may compare it with reverence) juſt as we ſee the Dog follow the Hare: there is ſomething in Nature that the Dog knows which way the Hare went, when a wiſer creature knows not: ſo, there is ſomething in a poor Saint, that when all the wiſe men in the world know not which way God went, a Saint can tell: Onely the Dog may hunt upon a cold ſent, and think the Hare went that way, and it grows colder and colder, and he miſſeth: So a Saint ſhall finde when he miſſeth the will of God, that the Spirit of God hath not left him, unleſs it be very rare, as the Spirit left Chriſt to be tempted in the wilderneſs, ſo he may leave thee to pull down thy pride, and to humble thee, Iſay, that is rare: but ordinarily, the Spirit leaves not thee, but thou letteſt goe thy leader, and thou goeſt all the while on a cold ſent. A Saint, though he headlong follows this, or that conceit, yet notwithſtanding he may know when he comes to look upon himſelf; ſurely I went upon a cold ſent in thoſe things: though I followed them headlong, and giddily, it was not of the Spirit, it was not the ſame teaching that I had ordinarily. Therefore obſerve your leader, hearken to the Spirit of God: If God give you him as a maſter, he expects that his children ſhould learn, and ſee when you go in the way of the Spirit of God, and you may eaſily finde that, if you will avoid headlongneſs, and giddineſs, and raſhneſs.
I ſpeak not this as if the Spirit were contrary to the Word, as ſome men to advance the Spirit, ſet the169 Word and Spirit by the ears; but the Spirit leads by the Word.
That which I chiefly intended to ſhew you, wasThe power of the Spirit ſet out in four things. to give you a few inſtances, that you may have a little light, to ſee the exceeding greatneſs of the power of the Spirit working in you. I ſhall not ſhew in all reſpects, nor in many, as I might, but onely in a few. I will inſtance in theſe three or four things. As firſt,1. In dictating a world of prayers to us. that you may ſee the greatneſs of his power, what a world of prayers doth the Spirit of God put into thy heart, that thou art never able to utter with thy mouth? All the wiſdom in the world cannot make one ſpiritual petition; we may make forms of Prayer; but now the Spirit of God, that knoweth the minde of God (as the Apoſtle ſaith) that maketh prayers according to the will of God, and he prayes with ſighs and groans unutterable. I ſpeak to them that know the working of the Spirit: how many thouſand prayers doth God put into thy heart that it is impoſſible for thee to utter with thy mouth? Thou canſt not ſpeak to God one petition of fourty that the Spirit puts into thy heart. That ſome conceive to be the meaning of that in Rom. 8. The Spirit prays with ſighes unutterable, not becauſe of our weakneſs, but becauſe of their ſtrength, and they are ſo numerous, they are ſo many, that when a poor Saint goes to pray, one petition ſtops another, and throngs it out that he cannot utter it.
If the Lord ſhould hear only thoſe prayers that thou makeſt with thy mouth, thou wouldeſt be but a poor man, but the Lord reſpects the prayers of the heart: Therefore I ſay, to have power to make one prayer,170 and to have ſuch innumerable ſighes and groans in the ſoul too, it muſt be an exceeding great power.
Secondly, conſider this, how much the Spirit of2. In ſupplying us when we pray not. God doth for thee, and in thee, that thou never prayedſt for, nor never couldeſt pray for, no, not ſo much as in heart. If the Lord did anſwer all the prayers of heart and tongue, that we make throughout all the year, a man would think that were a great matter; but ſurely they are ſo few, conſidering our wants, and they are ſo confuſed and blinde, that I am confident, if God ſhould deal with thy ſoul and mine, according to our prayers all the year, we ſhould be miſerable creatures all our lives. God exerciſeth us to pray, and many of them he anſwers in their kinde, and he is pleaſed with our obedience in every thing: but ſurely, God hath a higher rule of doing us good, and the Spirit of God works in a more methodicall, and wiſe, and merciful, and bleſſed way, then we can pray. I have ſometimes wondred that God hath made promiſes to anſwer many prayers that we make; but I wonder more that God ſhould grant things that we pray not for. This is the exceeding greatneſs of his power.
Thirdly, conſider the exceeding greatneſs of his3. By teaching us inwardly ▪ power in this reſpect, in his teaching, how the Spirit of God teacheth his people and ſervants, he teacheth them above what they are taught outwardly by men. As thus, Caſt with thy ſelf, ſuppoſe thou hadſt every Sermon that thou haſt heard in thy life, and every Lecture that thou haſt heard on the week days, and on the Lords day, that thou hadſt them in order and method, ſuppoſe they were written in thy heart, and freſh in thy memory, that thou didſt underſtanding171 and remember every Sermon that thou haſt heard (which no man doth) a man would think ſuch a one to be a very knowing man. Truly if thou hadſt it ſo, thou mighteſt be a miſerable, confuſed, blinde man for all that, for all that ever thou haſt heard preached, thou mighteſt be a blinde creature: for alas! our teaching comes with ſo much weakneſs and droſs with it, and one ſaith, and another unſaith; and if we conſider it in a natural way we ſhall never be made knowing men by all outward teaching in the world. But now the Spirit of God comes in, and he is pleaſed indeed to make uſe of it, that we ſhall teach outwardly; but alas! the Spirit of God reads ſuch a Lecture in the heart of a Saint, and clears things, and orders things, and aſſures things, and ſettles things that are right, and diſcovers things that are not, and inlargeth, and ſweetens, and quickens them, that it may be a man in hearing one Sermon of an hour long, may be taught more, then another man in hearing Sermons ſeven years together. This is the exceeding greatneſs of the power of the Spirit of God; that truly (beloved) I have often thought with my ſelf (I ſpeak not to diſparage our teaching, and your hearing, but) our coming to teach, and you to hear, it is as your ſending your little children to School, to keep their cloaths clean, and to keep them from play, they learn nothing (in a manner) for your money, onely they are obedient to their Parents, and are quiet, and are in the School where teaching is. So you come to hear, and we to teach; but all our teaching in a manner is by the Spirit of God. Therefore it is a wonderful thing to ſee how quickly the Spirit of God will172 make a Schollar ripe; how in a quarter of a year, nay, in a moneth almoſt the Spirit of God will fill him with all ſpirituall learning, whereas the beſt preacher in the world, let him Preach conciſely and exactly in a natural way, he ſhall not teach him the tenth part: Nay, we reach you, we preach it may be four or five Sermons, and we open it as well we can, poor earthen creatures, and when we come to look on it a quarter of a year after, we finde that thoſe notions that it may be were ſo confuſed and poor while we were teaching you, that there is a glorious piece made in your ſouls, by the Spirit of God, though our Notes when they were done, were ſcarce worth the burning, we are ſo poor and frail in teaching, and you in your outward hearing, therefore there is an exceeding great power that works in you that believe.
Fourthly, and laſtly, (for I ſpeak this to inhaunce, and4 By working our works in and for us. advance the Spirit of God, as Paul ſaith, we are not debters to the fleſh, but to the Spirit, you ow more to the Spirit then you are aware of, conſider in all the good that you do, in all the good works that you do, how wonderful paſsive you are in the doing of them. We have a ſaying, It holds true, I gainſay it not in a ſort, that a man in converſion is paſſive, and afterwards he is active, that is, God in a mans converſion works on a man as a dead creature, only he is rational, but he ſuffers and works not with God, but when he is converted, then a man hath a principle of life. God works, and man works, man works with God, and it is a true compariſon, we were then paſsive, now we are active. But in reſpect of the principle, by which we move, and walk: truely a Chriſtian may ſay, I am altogether173 paſsive in a manner in all that I do. God carries a mans tongue to ſpeak, and his hands to work, and his feet to walk, God carries a man in good many times, and glorifies himſelf many times, and a man knows not how in the world he comes to do it, or why he did it, or how he came about it; ſo God doth many glorioous things by us, and we are not aware, This is the Lord, this is the greatneſs of his power.
God in ſome actions, he either carries a man, and doth his work by a man, without a man (as it were) or elſe he doth it above him. There is no good almoſt that thou doeſt, but thou ſhalt clearly ſee that it is above thee, that it is God, thou wert never able to ſpeak, or to do or to go through any ſuch thing, but the Lord went through with it. It may be ſome of you underſtand not what it is to do a thing without you, it is too ſpiritual; but there are Chriſtians that may, and can ſay, God did it without me, I was as a block, I know not how, I was ſcarce active with God, God did all. O great and glorious is that power, look which way you will, what that power is in changing thy nature, in deſtroying old Adam, what that power is in reſiſting temptations, what that power is in wreſtling, and prevailing with God, what that power is to uphold thee in the wicked world, and to preſerve thee to the laſt day. Conſider it every way: it is great, wondrous, glorious, and mighty, and exceeding mighty is that power that works in them that believe, even the power of the Spirit of God.
The Spirit is called power, Power it ſelf (as it were) not that I deny the perſon of the Spirit thereby, as if the Spirit were nothing but the energy or working of174 God, that is not the meaning; but he is called power, becauſe (as it were) he is nothing but power, whatſoever he doth, he doth powerfully, and gloriouſly, and effectually; Angels work in little, common, outward things; marke the difference between the aſſiſtance of the Spirit, and of Angels. The Angels are miniſtring ſpirits ſent out to wait upon the Saints. How do Angels work for us? Angels make not prayers in us, Angels never ſubdue one ſin in me, they can never bring peace to my conſcience, and ſoul; Angels converſe not in ſpiritual things, but in outward things; Angels keep thee that thou daſh not thy foot againſt a ſtone, they keep thee from breaking thy neck, they keep fire from thine houſe; but ſpiritual things are done by the Spirit of God: the exceeding greatneſs of power is by the Spirit. Therefore conſider of this word, be not ſuch poor, low-hearted creatures, to be afraid of every ill, and to be diſcouraged from going about any good thing. I ſay, conſider the power that dwels in you, and indeavor to give glory to God, to magnify the bleſſed Spirit, that works in you, to admire it, for the more you admire the Spirit, the more vile you will be in your ſelves, and the viler you are in your ſelves that you attribute all to the Spirit, the more glory God ſhall have, and then things will be as they ſhould be, in the beſt order for God and man.
THe Apoſtle in this Chapter, and eſpecially in that going before, exhorts the Saints to walk worthy of their calling, that is, to walk humbly and meekly, &c. towards God and men; and there he ſhews ſometimes the good they ſhould follow, and the evil they ſhould leave, promiſcuouſly, which is meant by walking worthy of their calling. And here in this firſt verſe, ſaith he, I beſeech you be followers of God as dear children. He puts in this motive to all the holineſs he ſpeaks of before, and after; that as dear children of a bleſſed father, they would hearken to him, that they would hate all the evil, and cleave to all the good he had propoſed to them, ſo that the Leſſon is this, That
The Do ∣ ctrine. Our ſpiritual priviledges ſhould as much ingage us to holineſs, as they ſhould help on our comfort.
176My meaning is this; you know in this wicked world wherein we are, this is one Goſpel way, that we uſe and practiſe, and have been taught, that whenſoever we came near the Lord (eſpecially then) we ſhould indeavor to raiſe up our ſouls, by the conſideration of our Goſpel-priviledges, and the relations between us and God. When you and I come to pray, we ſtudy as much as we can to look on him as a father (and we do well) and to look on our ſelves as ſons and daughters, as thoſe that are in Chriſt, as thoſe that have their ſins pardoned and covered in him: to look on our ſelves as the Spouſe and Wife of Chriſt. And all the relations we can make out, and all the priviledges that are laid down in Scripture, we ſeek to own them whereby to get up our ſouls to ſome joy and comfort before the Lord, and this is a good and bleſſed thing when we do ſo; for the Lord would have his children, as to live holily, ſo he delights to ſee them live comfortably: The Lord takes delight in the proſperity of his people. But here now, you and I miſs, we do this out of a kinde of Self-love, becauſe we would have comfort we make uſe of our priviledges, and plead our relations, but we ſhould alſo make uſe of them to move us to holineſs, and to reſiſt ſin and evil, as well as to raiſe us to comfort and conſolation: And thence it is that we are ſo oft foyled with ſin, becauſe we walk as men, as the children of men, as the Scripture ſaith; we forget in what a ſtation God hath put us, in what grace and glory we ſtand through Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore when we are walking, and converſing in the world, we look on our ſelves as men, we think of our neighbours what they177 would have done in ſuch a caſe, and it may be we thinke of natural reaſon, it may be of corrupt reaſon; but we do not ſtate our ſelves all the day as ſons and daughters of God.
Man naturally doth not love to reflect upon himſelf, which (ſaith Dr. Preſton) is the difference between a man and a beaſt: take two or three children, it may be one is a Lords ſon, and another the ſon of a Begger, they reflect upon themſelves, you ſhall ſee by their carriage; the poor childe carries himſelf reſpectively to the other, the other carries himſelf diſdainfully to him. So all people, every one hath a kinde of concluſion upon himſelf from natural conſiderations. Such a one carries himſelf high, he reflects ſo upon himſelf. Why? he thinks he is a man of ſuch parts, of ſuch fortunes, and breeding and feature, and the like, and he carries himſelf accordingly: It is ſo with all mankinde. Now if we would have the Spirit of God ſhine upon our ſouls, and draw ſuch concluſions alway that lie in our breaſts, that I am a ſon, a daughter of God, one in Chriſt, married to Chriſt, bone of his bone, and fleſh of his fleſh, that I may walk all the day thus cloathed with theſe reflexions: then when we come to ſin, when temptation is offered, it may be the devil will ſay, ſuch a one did it that is wiſer then thou, and ſuch a one that is a fellow, of the ſame calling, then, this poſitive actual reflexion upon the ſoul that thou art in Chriſt; this would make thee ſay, O, but how ſhall I do it? Jeſus Chriſt died for me, Jeſus Chriſt hath waſhed me in his blood, I am one with him. What if the children of darkneſs do ſo, is it fit for a childe of light? what if ſinners do ſo, is it fit for a178 man that God hath called out of ſin, and out of the world, is it fit for him to do ſo?
We ſeldome carry thoſe reflexions about us whenThe Saints ſhould reflect upon their high condition. we go abroad among the ſnares of the world, therefore we fall into ſin: for the older we are in grace, the more full of ſnares the world is. I could ſhew that you can name no place in the new Teſtament, where our priviledges, and relations are mentioned: but as the holy Ghoſt mentions them to raiſe up the ſoul for comfort, ſo expreſly to ſtir us up to holineſs, 1 John 3. 1. Behold what manner of love God hath beſtowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the ſons of God! I am perſwaded that the Primitive Saints in the new Teſtament, did generally look upon themſelves, diſtinct as a Common wealth, and a people redeemed out of the world, and in the light of that they did ſo walk, they did alway ſpeak ſo of themſelves, We are the firſt fruits of the ſpirit, we are the ſons of God, we are redeemed and bought with a price. We are the ſons of God, but it doth not appear what we ſhall be, but when he ſhall come, we ſhall be like him; O this gives comfort; but what then? what follows? He that hath this hope purifieth himſelf as he is pure. This hope is ſomewhat like that reflexion I am ſpeaking of, when there is an actual hope in the ſoul of being with the Lord, and an actuall poſitive perſwaſion that I am the Lords, then a man will purify himſelf as God is pure. I might mention a hundred places in the new Teſtament, 2 Cor. 6. Come out from among them, ſeperate your ſelves, and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you, and I will be your father, and you ſhall be my ſons and daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty. This is very comfortable, that we ſhall179 be his ſons and daughters, and that he will be our Father. What then? In the beginning of the next Chapter, Having therefore theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God. If we be the ſons and daughters of God, and he be our Father, therefore we ſhould be holy in ſoul, and body, and ſpirit. I remember a little Story of a great Monarch (though I do not much trouble you with them, but it doth a little illuſtrate what we ſpeak of) walking with his ſon, a Prince; the great Emperor ſeeing little poor children to play and tumble in the dirt, he ſaid to his ſon, Why doſt not thou go and play with them? Saith he, I would, if I did ſee any Kings and Princes children play with them, he reflected upon himſelf that he was a Prince, a Kings ſon, and it was not fit for them to tumble in the dirt. So you may ſay, when you ſee Drunkards, and Whoremongers, and Extortioners, if the devil tempt you in your hearts, and ſay, Why doſt not thou do ſo? why doſt not thou get money as yonder man doth? or labor to be great in the world? O, ſay, do the ſons of God uſe to do ſo? to cozen, and cheat, and be drunk, and lie? If the Saints did ſo, then it were another thing, but ſhall I that am a Prince, that am a ſon of God, ſhall I be a Scullion, and wallow in the dirt? Therefore I ſay it is enough to an honeſt heart to propoſe a pitch that is above him, that he never attained, and what will he do? he will ſeek, and not give over till God have wrought it: God wrought it in moſt of the Saints of old: therefore let us labor with the Lord, that we may have ſuch conſiderations alway about us.
180O how gloriouſly ſhould we walk, if we had ſtill actuall conſiderations, I am a ſon, I am a daughter of God! How humbly ſhould we walk towards our brethren? how weaned from this world? what Pilgrims would we be here upon earth? doubtleſs we run, and lanch into the world by forgetting of our relations and ſtations; ſo that as in Gen. 6. The ſons of God married the daughters of men. We walk as the ſons of men, and miſcarry as the ſons and daughters of mem. If we did alway walk, and look upon our ſelves as the ſons and daughters of God, we ſhould in ſome poor meaſure expreſs ſomething of the ſons and daughters of God in every word, and carriage, and action towards God and men, &c.
If there be therefore any conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort of love, if any fellowſhip of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies;
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the ſame love, being of one accord, of one minde.
Let nothing be done through ſtrife or vaine glory, but in lowlineſs of minde, let each eſteem other better then themſelves.
THe Leſſon that the Lord gave you and me lately to conſider of, and to do, was rightly to love the Saints, to loveSaints ought to love though they be not beloved. our brethren, and the way, you remember was, that we ſhould not make that the ground of our love to our brethren, becauſe they love us, but becauſe we are beloved of God; we ſhould love, though we be not beloved of men.
He that will not love his brethren, till he be loved of182 them, nor no further, nor no longer then he is beloved, he ſhall never love them much, nor love them rightly at all, becauſe all goes upon a wrong ground, and by a falſe rule: And therefore we ſhould ſet upon the practice of that duty in theſe times of diviſion, that whatſoever man I look on as a Saint, or ſee the Image of God in him, I ſhould indeavor to bring my heart to love him: If he love not me, let him look to that, I ſhall not anſwer for that, that ſhall be laid on his ſcore: but if I love not my brother, that ſhall be laid on my ſcore, and as my account, ſo my comfort, I mean true ſpiritual comfort, both here and hereafter, it is not in this, that I am much beloved, but that I love much. I ſpake to you of that more at large then, and I hope you will indeavor to bring your ſouls to be doers of this bleſſed truth, as well as hearers.
There is one thing more which is here laid down in this Scripture that we muſt indeavor to do, though when I ſpeak of doing, when we teach you any ſpiritual, Goſpel duty, you muſt underſtand it in a Goſpel way; not as though (I ſay) we can do this or that, but we through the grace of Chriſt may do any thing that is commanded in the Goſpel. Therefore go not home, and ſay, we are dead, and can do nothing, &c. To what end are all theſe precepts laid on us, but that we by the power of the holy Ghoſt may do them? Therefore I ſay, there is one thing more for us to do before we can come rightly to love the brethren: truly, there are many things, but that that I am now upon, is the foundation; (what is for the building of us up I meddle not with now) for till we come to do this, we cannot love at all, we cannot go one ſtep in this183 bleſſed work; and that is it I ſhall indeavor to tell you now, ſaith the Apoſtle, Fulfil my joy, and be like minded, If there be any conſolation in Chriſt, or any comfort of love, if there be any fellowſhip of the Spirit, if there be any bowels and mercies. The meaning is, the Apoſtle exhorts them to theſe duties upon theſe motives, to the following duties upon the foregoing motives, As if he ſhould ſay, for the conſolation ſake that you feel in Chriſt Jeſus, that is ſweet and dear: for the comforts ſake that you feel, when you love, how ful your ſouls are of comfort! for the ſake of that ſweetneſs and pleaſure that you have in the fellowſhip of the Spirit: If there be any bowels of mercy in you, any ſweetneſs of the mercy of God in your ſouls, or any workings of mercy, or pity, or affections in you, grant me one deſire, at which I ſhall exceedingly rejoyce, that is, be like minded, and have the ſame love, &c.
The Apoſtle doth here, as it is uſually his manner, when he exhorts to any thing, he tells them not, Do this, or you ſhall be damned, do this or elſe you are hypocrites, or elſe the curſe of God will fall on you: for he carries that clearly in all his Epiſtles that there is no damnation to them that are in Chriſt, and you are are not appointed unto wrath, ſaith he, but he preſſeth them unto it out of the ſweetneſs, and dearneſs of ſpiritual things that they apprehended. Indeed to preſs them from arguments of hell or the curſe, that would have faſtned a ſpirit of bondage on them. To preſs them from worldly things, thoſe vanities would never have moved them, therefore he takes the choiſeſt things always, as Iob ſaith, I ſpake to my ſervants,184 and to my wife, and ſhe anſwered not, though I beſought her for the children of my body, that is the deareſt thing between man and wife: ſo the Apoſtle deſires them by ſuch things as theſe, by the coming of the Lord Jeſus, that is the ſweeteſt thing to a Saint; ſaith he, by theſe ſweet and dear things. I talk not of hell, and it is in vain to talk of worldly motives: but for the ſweetneſs that is in ſpiritual things, and for that price ſake, and the dearneſs that is of them, and in them, I beſeech you grant me this requeſt, that is, that ye
That is, mutual love each to other, and be of one accord, and of one minde. This is the Motive that IMutual love enjoyned. ſhall open.
But how ſhall we come to love one another, or to love mutually? O (ſaith he) Let nothing be done throughThe means to attain it. ſtrife or vain glory, but in lowlineſs of minde, let each eſteem other better then themſelves. I told you, a man is to lay this as the foundation of his love, to love becauſe God loves him, not becauſe he is beloved of men. Now that he may do ſo, he muſt lay this alſo as a general rule in his ſoul by the grace of Chriſt, that he account himſelf, and lookt on himſelf as leſs then any other of the Saints, every man muſt account another better then himſelf. A man muſt look upon himſelf, nay, I ſay more, he muſt be content that others look upon him as the leaſt Saint, or elſe he will never love his brethren aright. Beloved, this above all things, I finde (it may be you finde more) to be the greateſt enemy to love, high-mindedneſs, that you look upon your ſelves, either as the greateſt of Saints, you think you are ſome body: or elſe you look upon your ſelves185 as of the ſecond form, near to the greateſt. Therefore you ſhall obſerve by experience, that when you come to love any Saint, if you finde that though he love you, yet if he love another better, and account more of the Image of God in••other then in you; you alway account that love no better then hatred: you ſay, ſuch a man hates you, why ſo? becauſe he loves three or four better then you. This is pride of heart in a man, he had as lieve a man ſhould hate him, as love one Saint in the world better or before him, it is a ſign of a devilliſh heart: If there be a Saint or two in the Family, or a woman, or a ſervant in the Congregation that is more reſpected then he, he thinks ſuch a one doth not love him, he concludes, I am not beloved. There is ſuch a deſperate pride, (as pride is a deſperate thing alway in ſpiritual, and in earthly things) in the heart of man, that makes him ſo deſperate, that if he be not loved to the height above all others, that he accounts all love hatred.
You will not be right till you come to this, that Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 15. I am the leaſt of all Saints, ſaith he; and 1 Tim. 1. 7. I am the greateſt of all ſinners; you will never be in a right frame, in a Goſpel frame to love your brethren, till when you look on ſinners, you account your ſelves the greateſt, and when you look on Saints, you reckon your ſelves the leaſt. Therefore this is a plain, ſhort Leſſon. I mean not to ſpeak much of it, but truly it needs a large comment on your hearts, it needs a great deal of ſetting home upon your ſpirits.
Therefore let us every one look to our ſelves in this, let us conſider our condition, my condition that186 I ſtand in, and yours where you are. Is not this the frame of my ſoul, and the diſpoſition of your ſouls, that you never love another, nor never eſteem anothers love (for both go together in a proud heart) unleſs he look principally upon you•••ve all others. Beloved, it is much for thee and me, if we underſtand our ſelves, what we are, and rightly judge of our ſelves, and our courſe, and how things are really in us, and before the eyes of him that ſearcheth the hearts; it is much for me if the pooreſt Saint give me but a ſmile, or a good look, yet this is our diſpoſition, if the Saints do not obſerve us, if one go by and do not obſerve us in the ſtreet, and put not off his hat, and ſpeak, and give us idle viſitations when he knows not what to do, he loves us not. It is a great deal if a Saint do but come over the threſhold, or look upon me in the ſtreet.
This is that that breeds endleſs quarrels (for they are here put together, Strife and Vain glory, and the like) for thou wilt be alway like the Salamander feeding upon ſome quarrel, for every man naturally hath ſome one thing that he feeds on principally; children feed on one cate more then another, and ſo do men, ſome upon Husbandry, ſome upon Navigation, ſome upon Policy, every one upon one thing or other. All men have ſome one thing that carries the ſtream of their hearts; ſome Profeſſors, the very ſtream of their ſpirits goes in quarrelling with others, they no ſooner end a quarrel with one Saint; but they begin another, they can no more live without jangling and quarrelling, and ſtrife, then the Salamander can live without fire. This is the reaſon, a proud heart therefore187 can never cloſe with the Saints, it cannot be content with a little meaſure of love from the Saints. A Saint if he be as he ſhould be, can love though he be not loved, and can rejoyce wonderfully if he have the leaſt meaſure of love from others. The Lord make this ſhort word ſpiritual, and powerful to thee, and me: If this leſſon were rightly learned, a world of diviſion among the Saints would ceaſe.
For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackneſs and darkneſs and tempeſt.
And the ſound of a trumpet, and the voyce of words, which voyce they that heard intreated that the word ſhould not be ſpoken to them any more.
(For they could not endure that which was commanded, and if ſo much as a beaſt touch the mountaine, it ſhall be ſtoned, or thruſt through with a dart.
And ſo terrible was the ſight, that Moſes ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake.)
But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Ieruſalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels.
To the general aſſembly, and Church of the firſt born, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect.
And to Jeſus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of ſprinkling that ſpeaketh better things then that of Abel.
See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh; for if they eſcaped not, who refuſed him that ſpake on earth, much more ſhall not we eſcape if we turn away from him that ſpeaketh from heaven.
THe Apoſtle in theſe words doth compareThe old and new Teſtament compared. the old Teſtament, the old Covenant with the new: or (if you will) the eſtate of the Saints under the old Covenant of Sinai, with the glorious eſtate of the Saints under the new189 Covenant. Therefore he tells them, Ye are not come to that mountaine that burned with fire, that mountain that might be touched, you are not ſet under the old Covenant that was terrible, in which there was nothing but that that was terrible, that brought horror upon all that feared God in it: but ye are Come to mount Sion, to the glorious ſtate in the new Teſtament; and there is nothing but what is amiable, and what is beautiful: for that is it that I mean to pitch on: you ſhall obſerve in the deſcription of the Saints in the old Teſtament, under the old Covenant (I mean not the Books of the old Teſtament, I ſuppoſe you know what I mean in that Propoſition) I ſay there was nothing in all Gods adminiſtration with them, but it was full of terror, it was terrible, it begat horror in them; and there is nothing in the ſtate of a Saint that is rightly ſetled in the Goſpel, but what is throughly amiable and beautiful: and therefore you ſhall ſee how the Apoſtle reckons them: Firſt, for the old, he ſaith, they were come but to a Mount that might be touched, that is, an earthly mountain, a mountain or hill, as one of our hills. And that burned with fire, that was terrible. And there was blackneſs and darkneſs, and ſtorm, and tempeſt, covering the heavens and the hill, this was terrible. And there was the ſound of a Trumpet, you know that ſignifies war. And there was a terrible voyce of words alſo, and ſo terrible, that they that heard it, intreated that they might hear it no more. And the Lord was ſo ſtrict, that if but a beaſt touch but the hill that was black and dark, he was to be ſtoned, or thruſt through with a dart, he was to be killed; nay, Moſes himſelf that was to be the Mediator of the190 people in that Teſtament, he did exceedingly fear and quake. So that there is nothing in that old Covenant of works, that God ſaith, is done away, Heb. 8. there was nothing in the old Teſtament, but what was terrible and full of horror. To come a little more particular; there is nothing in the ſtate of a Profeſſor who is yet on Mount Sinai, as many Profeſſors are who are not yet dead, but alive to the Law: they are not free-men, they are not ſons and daughters, they have not the principles of the Goſpel clearly wrought in them; I ſay thoſe people, take them in the bulk, and frame of their profeſsion, there is nothing in their whole life, in all the courſe of their profeſsion but what is ful of horror, and terror. If they look upon God, they ſee him more or leſs as an angry Iudg, ready to ſtand at the catch to conſume them. If they look on grace in them, that is ſo little, that they continually conclude that they are hypocrites. If they look on ſin, they look every moment when God will be avenged on them becauſe of it. If they look on affliction, they ſay, Now God hath found me out, I knew it would be ſo that the wrath of God would be on me. If they look on Chriſt, ſaith he, He doth not belong to me, and the Promiſes are not mine. A man that is a Profeſſor on Mount Sinai, as far as he walks in the Covenant of works, or as it were by the Covenant of works, ſo far of neceſſity his ſoul within is as Mount Sinai was without, that is, full of blackneſs, and darkneſs, and ſtorms, and tempeſt; inevitably, and unavoidably, it will be ſo.
Therefore clearly, this is the reaſon of all the troubles, and horrors, and terrors, and uncomfortableneſs191 of your ſpirits, becauſe you have one foot on Mount Sinai, you are not come up to Pauls pitch, I through the Law am dead to the Law; you are not dead to the Law, you are not delivered from it, I mean the Law as it is a Covenant of works, and no otherwiſe, for I know this, no trouble, nothing can befall a Saint that is rightly principled according to the Goſpel, but it is exceeding amiable: If there be ſorrow for ſin, or any thing that you account bitter in it ſelf, if it fall on ſuch a ſoul that is indued with ſuch a principle, that is as ſweet as any thing elſe. I may ſay, (though it be Nonſence to carnal ears) his ſorrow is as ſweet as his joy, his ſorrow for ſin is as ſweet as his joy for mercies, if he be one that is rightly tranſplanted from Mount Sinai to Mount Sion: Therefore ſee how the Apoſtle lays it down, look on it, and you ſhall ſee nothing but what is truly amiable.
Now Mount Sion was a beautiful place, ſaith the holy Ghoſt, the beautifulleſt place in all Ieruſalem, where the Kings houſe was; Davids houſe covered with gold; Therefore, beautiful things in Scripture are laid down by the name of Sion; and uſually it is called the Virgin Sion, for fairneſs and beauty. Ye are come to Mount Sion.
What is that?
Not to the old Ieruſalem that was ſubject to be taken, and to be burned, and ſubject to peſtilence, and famine, and ſword, but to the heavenly Ieruſalem, the Ieruſalem that comes down from heaven.
You are come now to the place where there are Myriads of Angels. In the ſtate of the Saints in the new Teſtament, there are innumerable companies of Angels that God hath ordered to waite on them, to protect, and preſerve, and to ſave them. In the old Teſtament we read of one Angel here, and another there; one Angel was ſent to Sennacheribs Camp to deſtroy it, but here is an innumerable company of Angels; this is the ſtate of the Church in the new Teſtament.
I cannot go over all the particulars, but if you readAll things amiable to a man rightly built upon Chriſt. them over, you ſhall ſee that there is no object but what is throughly amiable, and that is the onely thing I would commend to you. Let him be a man that is rightly laid upon Jeſus Chriſt, and hath the right knowledg of him according to the Goſpel, by his holy Spirit: I do not ſay that there is a little, but there is nothing that he can conceive or imagine, but it is ſweet and amiable, and pleaſant to him, as
For inſtance, look which way you will, if he behold God, there he ſeeth infinite ſweetneſs, how he is his Father, reconciled to him, and ful of eternal bowels of affection towards him before the world was, one that loves him infinitely, and takes care of him perpetually. If he look on Jeſus Chriſt, he ſees that he is his husband, he is one with him, as Chriſt is one with the Father. If he look upon the Ordinances, he ſees them as bleſſed pipes, that have many ſweet promiſes to convey more of the love of God, and of his Spirit to his ſoul; If he look upon the creatures, he ſees the glory of God upon them in creating them, and the goodneſs of God in193 providing them for him, and he taſts the love of God in them. If he look on afflictions, he ſees them as ſweet, wiſe, and ſeaſonable corrections from his heavenly Father to bring him nearer to him. If he look on ſin, as ſin is the tranſgreſsion of the Moral Law, he ſees all forgiven by the righteouſneſs that is in Chriſt, and all nailed to his Croſs, and he knows that ſin in him ſhall work for the beſt, that it may make him prize the grace of God more, and come nearer to God. If he look on perſecution, and the plotting of wicked people againſt the Church; a Saint that is rightly ſet in the new Teſtament, he ſees nothing but what is beautiful, and amiable.
Not but that there are objects that in themſelves are not amiable; as ſin is not amiable in it ſelf properly conſidered, neither is affliction, but he hath ſuch a glaſs, the Lord caſts ſuch a light in him through which he ſees every thing, the light of the Goſpel, through the holy Spirit, that there is nothing but joy and comfort. That is the reaſon that the Apoſtle commands, which is a ſtrange command, Rejoyce, ſaith he, in the midſt of afflictions, rejoyce when ye fall into divers temptations. And rejoyce, and again rejoyce, Phil. 4. And preſently after, Let your patience and moderation be known unto all men. As if he had ſaid, Ye are in great afflictions, yet rejoyce evermore. If theſe Philippians had been as we are, and had had thoſe principles of Mount Sinai in them, they would never have rejoyced in thoſe great afflictions: but having clearly the love of God in them, and juſtification rightly placed on Chriſt, and the principles of the Goſpel rightly planted in them, there was no affliction or temptation whatſoever, but they could rejoyce in it: Rejoyce194 evermore. I do not know whether you yet fully underſtand it: the Lord teach you, that you may know what is the hope of you calling, what a glorious condition God hath called you to.
I will conclude with three or four words of Exhortation to you from this Leſſon, that every object that a Saint that is in the new Ieruſalem can behold, is altogether amiable. The uſes are here mentioned in the Chapter before.
Then in the firſt place learn not to faint under afflictions:1. Uſe Not to faint in afflictions. for that is the reaſon the Apoſtle brings this in, do not ſo much ſtrive, or ſtruggle how to get out of afflictions, as to get more Goſpel light to ſee afflictions, for that is all one, nay, better then the other. Therefore if the Lord do but give you a little Eyeſalve, that is, his Spirit to look on them, you ſhall ſee no gall, nor taſte, nor ſee any miſery or evil in them at all. That is the Uſe that is here ſpoken of. Therefore what ever thy afflictions be, labor to underſtand rightly their nature, and thy ſtation in the new Teſtament, and no doubt but thou ſhalt bear them through.
Another Uſe that the Apoſtle teacheth us is this,2. Not to undervalue the glorious condition of Saintſhip. and me thinks in my apprehenſion it is a very conſiderable word, Beware leaſt there be any fornicator, or prophane perſon among you, as Eſau, that for one morſel of meat ſold his Birthright: for, ſaith he, we are not come to the Mount that might be touched. I apprehend the meaning to be this, that this being ſo, the eſtate of a Saint being ſo glorious, then beware you that are Profeſſors, leaſt any of you be ſo prophane as to ſell your birth-right, that is, all your glorious priviledges, and195 unconceiveable happineſs in your condition for a meſs of pottage ▪ that is, that you do not relinquiſh baſely theſe mercies, to forſake your own mercies, as Ionah ſaith, to imbrace ſome luſt or other, either to imbrace the world, or to fall to wantonneſs, or drunkenneſs, or any thing elſe; and ſo to bargain as Eſau, that ſold all his bleſſed title in the new Teſtament, and in Jeſus Chriſt for a meſs of pottage: Beware of that prophaneneſs, for prophaneneſs is not onely when men commit groſs evils (as we ſay) but this is a prophane man, though he be a Profeſſor, and walk civilly, that (though but in his heart) is willing to exchange the bleſſed eſtate that God hath called him to for the beſt happineſs in the world. There are many prophane, men that are not whoremongers and drunkards, but are ready every day if the devil come to cheapen to give up their birthright for a meſs of pottage. Take heed you ſell it not, if you did underſtand it rightly, you would not ſell it for ten thouſand worlds, that condition and happineſs that God hath called you to. All the things in the world that can be preſented to you, are nothing to the peace of the Kingdom of heaven, be they what they will in themſelves, and yet you han•er after ambition, or luſts, or ſomewhat, and go ſell your birthright for a root of bitterneſs, for a meſs of pottage: for baſe things, I ſay, (and I am ſure there is no Saint here that knows what the happineſs of a Chriſtian in the new Teſtament is, but will ſay ſo) that all the glory, and riches, and happineſs in the world is no more in compariſon of the riches and happineſs of a man eſtated in Chriſt in the new Teſtament, then a meſs of pottage is compared with an inheritance. Therefore beware of it; deſire196 the Lord to deliver you from a prophane heart.
Thirdly, here is another Uſe that the Apoſtle3. To encourage weaklings. makes of it, therefore this ſhould encourage poor, weak Profeſſors, that are every day ready to faint, Wherefore (ſaith he) lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and make ſtrait ſteps to your pathes, leaſt that which is lame go out of the way. The meaning is poor ſouls that are beaten out (as it were) as a ſhip in the ſea, all the week with temptations, and afflictions, and injuries, and reproaches, and threatnings, and perſecutions, that their hands almoſt fall, that they are ready to ſay as David, I have waſhed my hands in innocencie in vain. This is the way to keep up thy ſpirit: Labor, as Paul prays, Phil. 1. to know the riches of thy calling, to underſtand the glorious condition that God hath called thee to here. I ſpeak not of that in heaven hereafter, but the glorious eſtate here, if thou hadſt eyes to ſee it, and a heart to judg of it, then you would not be ſo tormented all the week long with a few temptations and afflictions, and ſo be ready to give up, as David ſaid, I ſhall one day periſh by the hands of Saul, ſo, I ſhall one of theſe ſhort days prove an hypocrite, a prophane man, I am ſo haunted with temptations, and ſo followed with ſins and luſts. No, beloved, ſtudy that bleſſed eſtate, what Mount Sion, what the heavenly Ieruſalem is, that City of the living God; that God hath called you to, and that will ſupport thee.
Then, that I may conclude, Laſtly, this is the uſe4. To ſtudy peaceableneſs. the Apoſtle would have us make of it, to follow peace with all men, and holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee ſee God. That is, if you do underſtand aright your197 ſpiritual condition, the happineſs of it, which is unſpeakable, then ſurely you will be peaceable people, you will be at peace with all men; for this is a general truth to me, that our frowardneſs doth generally ariſe from ſome diſtemper of our own ſouls within, I mean, when a man ſees that God is angry with him, he is angry with others: that is certain alway, if God look ſtrangely upon him, he will look ſtrangely upon others, if God quarrel with him, he will quarrel with others: but if God ſmile upon the ſoul, and ſhed his love into the heart, and ſet his love upon him, he will not be angry with any that are without (I mean with a carnal anger) that is the reaſon that when a mans ways pleaſe God, the ſtones of the ſtreet ſhall be at peace with him. Did you ever ſee the ſtones of the ſtreet angry with you? but the meaning is, when a mans ways are croſs with God, and he hath a guilty conſcience, a guilty ſoul hath no true peace, he is ready almoſt to fall out with the ſtones in the ſtreet, he quarrels with his ſervant, with his horſe, with every thing, becauſe he hath an unquiet ſpirit within, when a man pleaſeth God, the ſtones ſhall be at peace with him, that is, he ſhall be at peace with every thing. Why ſo? becauſe there is an infinite, unſpeakable quiet in his own ſoul.
That is the reaſon we have ſo many Profeſſors among us that are ſo bitter and cruel, to others, ſome they call Presbyters, and ſome Independents, and divers other Profeſſors, you may pick them out in every Congregation that are ſo ſharp and terrible to others, if they croſs them, or diſſent from them never ſo little What is the reaſon? becauſe there are abundance198 of Profeſſors that have one foot on Mount Sinai, they walk by the Covenant of Works, they have patched a feined rotten peace in them with God in Chriſt, and ſo many times there is blackneſs and darkneſs within, therefore they are ready to wrangle and quarrel with others without.
But God hath called us to Mount Sion, where is that? where the ſwords are turned into Pruning hooks, and the ſpeares into Ploughſhares, ſighing and ſorrow is gone away, and there is no ravenous beaſt there, meaning the glorious eſtate of the Saints in the purity of the light of the Goſpel; all our ravenous ſpirits ſhall be taken away, for it is impoſſible, that ſoul that hath the love of God ſhed into it, and the peace of God rightly planted in it, it is impoſſible but that ſoul ſhould be milde, and calm, and meek, and merciful, and loving, and courteous to all, and be at peace with all, and peaceable to all.
And for holineſs, Follow holineſs, ſaith the Apoſtle, this would make you holy, if you did underſtand your condition rightly: O, if you were perſwaded that God did love you from eteruity, and that his Son did die for you, and that you and he are as really one as he is one with his Father, and that all the treaſures that are in Chriſt are yours, &c. this would inevitably work in us a holy frame of heart, and diſpoſition. Therefore the Apoſtle uſually calls on us to be holy from ſuch motives, I beſeech you by the mercies of God, and by the conſolations of the Spirit do this and that, and leave that and the other evil. That is the reaſon we are lame in holineſs, becauſe our principles are ſo confounded, and the Goſpel of Chriſt is not ſpiritually, and rightly, and199 orderly, and diſtinctly planted in us, or elſe we would be more holy, and look on ſin in another manner then ever, and hate the appearance of it, and cleave to that which is good.
Theſe were the Leſſons that I thought of from this Scripture. Deſire God to inlarge them when you come home, for Truths uſe to breed in the ſoul. Therefore the Spirit of God is compared to a Bird, the Spirit ſate on the waters, as the Bird doth on the neſt to hatch her yong. The Spirit of God (with reverence) will hatch ſuch truths as this in the hearts of his children, that though it be confuſed, and rude in the beginning, yet the Lord by his holy Spirit may break it out to a glorious, and powerful light to our ſouls.
Receiving the end of your faith, even the ſalvation of your ſouls.
Of which ſalvation the prophets have enquired, and ſearched diligently, &c.
Which things the Angels deſire to look into.
THe Apoſtle ſpeaks of the ſalvation that Godhath given unto us, and Chriſt hath purchaſed for us in the New Teſtament; and he ſaith it is ſuch a glorious ſalvation that all the prophets in old time, they have been groping after it; they have ſpoken much of it, but underſtood little of what they ſaid, but ſpake for our ſakes, that is, principally for us: and the very Angels deſire to look into that ſalvation. The Apoſtle ſets out the glory of that ſalvation thus: the prophets inquired after it, and the angels deſire to look into it. So the word then briefly is this, that
201The very angels of God, they doe earneſtly deſire to know, and underſtand the myſteries of the Goſpell, the ſalvation that God hath given to ſinners by the Goſpell.
The Angels are wondrouſly taken with the knowledgThe deſire of the Angels after the myſteries of the Goſpel. of the glorious myſteries of the Goſpell. True it is, for themſelves, they are not more ſaved after the manner as men are; but yet the glory of it is ſo great, and the glory of God by it, that the very angels deſire to look into it, the Angels ſtudy it.
Now, how do they ſtudy it?
Compare this with that Epheſ. 3. 8, 9, 10. Vnto me (ſaith the Apoſtle) God hath given this grace that I ſhould preach among the Gentiles the unſearchable riches of Chriſt; And to make all men ſee what is the fellowſhip of the myſtery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, &c. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be made known by the Church the manifold wiſdom of God. The Angels no doubt know that that we cannot comprehend, and they have a great deal of that intuitive knowledg, as we ſay; but this I would teach you, that the Angels are willing by the Church, that is, by Goſpell preaching, by the ordinances of God ſet up in the Church, they are willing to learn, and by the help of them to prie into the glorious myſteries of the Goſpell.
Not only the good Angels, they are preſent hereBoth good and bad Angels. (that is certain) waiting upon the Saints; but alſo the evill angels, that is, the devills, they deſire to look into the Goſpell, they do learn the myſteries of the Goſpell by Goſpell ordinances, by preaching. For good and bad Angels are of the ſame nature by creation,202 though ſome fell, and others did not. This myſtery of the Goſpell was hid from Angels, from good and evil Angels. And though they know diverſe things of God, and their own happineſse, yet the glorious things of God in the Goſpell, and New Teſtament, they are content to come down among us, and hear and learn of the Church, and of the ordinances. We are not able to comprehend what ſenſes Angels have, or that we ſhall have when we are gone hence to the Lord. Therefore there are two or three things that we ſhould learn from it.
Vſe 1Me thinks it ſhould be a generall motive to every one of us to be a little more diligent, and carefull toTo be diligent hearers of the myſteries of the Goſpel. hear the myſteries of the Goſpel when they are opened to us. If angels come down (as it were and learn this wiſdom by the Goſpell, who is ſo great but he ſhould ſtoop to prie into theſe glorious myſteries? And if the devil (though he learn it that he may the more diſhonour God by it) hearken to every tittle, and uſe of it, and improve it, how carefull ſhould we be? If the good Angels learn, though their ſalvation be not by it; but only the glory and the myſtery, and beauty of it; how much more ſhould I hearken, whoſe ſalvation, or damnation it is for ever? If the Devil hearken to every doctrine and uſe, that he may diſhonour God, and hinder my ſoul, how much more ſhould I hearken, that I may honour God, and reſiſt the devil and ſave my ſoul?
Vſe. 2Secondly, learn hence another thing, that is, wiſdom and watchfulneſſe againſt Satan. Truly the devilTo learn Caution againſt Satan. was a groſs fool, in the times of Popery I mean, there was but little preaching, therefore he had but little203 knowledge of the things of the Goſpell: but as the light of the Goſpell grew clear, ſo the devill grew wiſer. And he hath laid aſide all the temptations that he had a hundred yeers ago: for he can never catch men that way, for the generality, and now he hath gotten ſpirituall temptations: for as the Goſpell breaks out for the enlightening of the Saints, to bring glory to God, and ſave their ſouls; ſo the Divel gets more light, and knowledge whereby he may more diſhonour God, and damnifie the ſouls of men. The devil is the ſame now as he was then to diſhonour God, and damn ſouls; and the way generally is the ſame to bring men to ſin: but for the ſpeciall manner of it, the devil drives a new trade, nothing like as before: before it was to invocate angels, and dead Saints; that was groſſe. Now you think you are ſafe, becauſe theſe things are gone; but the devil hath got the Spirituall knowledge of every leſſon you hear, and he knows how to beat you with your own weapons, the divel hath temptations on the right hand, and on the left, now he brings men to be puffed up with ſpirituall knowledge, he hears pretious things in the Goſpel, and an intelligble man is much taken with notions, and the devil takes him that way. He ſees the doctrine of juſtification breaking out, and it is glorious, and men are taken with it, therefore in way of thankfulneſs men ſhall ſwagger as the world doth; and whereas before they were ſomething like profeſſors, even to the world, now they ſhall walk in all looſneſs, and wantonneſs. I ſay not that all do ſo: but there are ſome, and wo to them, that turn the grace of God into wantonneſſe. I am not able to tell my thoughts how fine the temptations of204 Satan are grown by this ſalvation; by every Sermon he increaſeth his knowledg, and will to the end more and more, and thoſe temptations that take us now, our children will laugh at them, becauſe knowledge ſhall increaſe. Therefore take heed of pride, and arrogancie, walk humbly, and hearken to advice, for thou haſt an enemy that learns more at one Sermon, then thou doſt at three.
Uſe. 3Another thing is this, ſee what a glorious Jewel the Goſpel is, what a glorious pearl, when the angels comeTo make us admire the glorious Pearl and riches of the Goſpel. down to ſtudy it. The Angels in heaven ſee God, and for ought I know they have as much happineſs as ever they ſhall have; they are ſent down to the Saints to wait on them, and that they that it concerns not ſhould be ſo taken with it, it muſt needs be a glorious Iewel. Therefore ſome conceive that the Cherubins in the law: there were two Cherubins over the Ark on the mercy ſeat, one looking towards another, God ordered it ſo, ſo as they were prying as it were into the mercy ſeat: and ſome conceive they were a type of the Angels prying into the glorious myſteries of the New Teſtament, looking one at another, and wondring (as it were) It is a glorious Jewel.
Therefore let us praiſe God for it, and indeavour to uſe all means to keep it up. Many deviſes the devil hath to pull it down (though he get nothing, but make himſelf more miſcrable) ſo there will not be ſuch wanting ſtill. To inſtance in one, take heed of Idolizing diſcipline, and government, that is, ſo to give our ſelves up to ſeek a government, that we care not what hindrance we do to the Goſpel the while. As there are ſome here among us in hindring the poor Welch205 Miniſters from preaching to the people, onely becauſe they ſuſpected them to be Independents: this is but the beginning of ſorrows, if men may have their will for diſcipline and government, we ſhall looſe this Goſpel which the Angels pry into: diſcipline and government is good, but we muſt not looſe the Goſpel for it, keep up that.
And beloved, if ever the Lord ſet peace among you, think of thoſe poor countries that have not this Iewel and Pearl. If God raiſe men, you may finde out ſome way or other, whereby to maintaine them. And it is more then allowing them maintenance: for you are to ſtickle with that generation of wicked men that for every trifle and nicity hinder poor people from enjoying the Goſpel, and pretend either it may be he is not a Vniverſity man, he is no maſter of Arts, it may be he hath Greek, and Latine, and not Hebrew, though he be full of the Holy Ghoſt, and yet the people muſt be ſtarved. Let us do what we can to prize, and advance the Goſpell, hold it up before every ſoul. If the Angels come down from heaven to prie into our Goſpel; how much ſhould we prize it, and not ſuffer people that we ſhall curſe ſeven yeers hence that we bleſſe now, that would couzen us of the Goſpell: be not cheated of the Goſpel: it is a precious Pearl; it is all that this poor ruind, tottered Kingdom hath left: for peace, and wealth are gone, and there is a foundation of a new war laid, only God hath kept up the Goſpell in England as much as in any kingdom in the world, Beware of men, of wolves in ſheeps cloathing, beware of all the inſtruments of the devil that would beguile you, and your poor children of this Iewel.
206Vſe. 4Laſtly, be forward, and ready to every good work; though it do not much concern you. Truly there is a lovelineſs inTo be ready to every good work. good works, though they concern not me, and my good, yet I ſhould have a hand in them, I mean, though they concern not my calling. There is a diſpoſition in men, that they wil meddle with nothing, but their end is their profit, or credit. The Angels prie into our Goſpel; what have they to do with it? They love to ſee the wonderfull wiſdome of God in it, and to ſee Chriſt woing ſinners, and take them in his Arms, it is nothing to them, yet they rejoyce that poor ſinners ſhould be ſaved, and they rejoyce to ſee the juſtice of God, and the wiſdom, and mercy of God, how ſweetly they be reconciled, and glorified in his Goſpel. So let us, when any good work is to be done, though I, and my family be not concerned in it, yet let us go among them, and do what we can. This is the Plague of this age, that many are about doing of good, that is certain, but there are ſome wheeles of their own ends in it. I cannot ſay it of every Officer; but in any Office or place in the City, you ſhall have ſome that have wheels of their own ends that move all, and if that be away, all ſtands ſtill. Let us love good works for good works ſake: for the beauty of the work.
I Am not now in an Expounding way further then I muſt of neceſſity to ſhew who theſe are that are ſaid not to have the Spirit; but onely I ſhall pick out a Leſſon for you, you may eaſily ſee if you reade the Chapter, they were a generation of Profeſſors, of whom Peter ſpeaks much, They deſpiſed Magiſtracy, they were ſpots in their feaſts of love, clouds carried about with every winde, Wells without water, Trees, whoſe fruit was withered, twice dead, and plucked up by the roots, for whom is reſerved the blackneſs of darkneſs. You ſee what their qualities were, and you may ſee what their miſery ſhould be; compare Jude with 2 Pet. 2. Among the reſt of their properties this is one, they have not the Spirit. This is the laſt of all that the Apoſtle names, They are ſenſual not having the Spirit. And he uſually reſerves the greateſt things laſt in his eloquence208 and way of ſpeaking. Now then the Leſſon is this, That
The greateſt difference (that I know) in all the Book of God, between Saints and Sinners is, that the one hath the Spirit, and the other hath not.
There are a thouſand differences even in Scripture, but they are none of them ſo ſubſtantial as this, that a Saint, is a man that hath the Spirit, and a Sinner is one that hath not the Spirit, one that is without the Spirit. Therefore the Apoſtles when they were Preaching, and met with any Diſciples, and Profeſſors, they asked preſently, Have ye received the Spirit? It is not meant onely, nor chiefly of the common gifts of the Spirit, but certainly it is meant principally of the ſpirit of holineſs, Have you received the holy Ghoſt or no? So our Lord Chriſt ſpeaking of the world, and the Church (to ſee what a bleſſed thing it is to ſee heavenly things in the language of Scripture, a thing that if we could grow up to, we ſhould overthrow a thouſand diſtinctions in Divinity; we miſtake things, taking them in the old Notion) John 14. what is the difference between the world, and the people of Chriſt? I will ſend thc Spirit which the world cannot receive. The world are men that have not, nor cannot receive the Spirit of God, and the Saints are thoſe that do, and have received the Spirit of God. You read in 2 Joh. 2. 18. of men that had made a great profeſsion that were faln off, that were faln away, ſaith he, They went out from us, becauſe they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. There are many faln away, ſaith he, but they were not of us. Why? What are you? might ſome209 ſay: We (ſaith he) have received an unction, an anoynting, and it abides with us. And ye need not that any ſhould teach you, that will teach you all things. They that fall off, they were not of us. Why? they have not the Spirit of God, therefore they were not of us. So when the Apoſtles preached, ſometimes it is ſaid that ſome of them believed, and ſome did not; and at other times it is ſaid when they preached that the Spirit of God did fall upon the people, that is, they were converted, they were born again, they were made Saints. So in Rom. 8. where the Apoſtle ſpeaks of being in Chriſt, and out of Chriſt, which is the great point of all, and ſalvation and damnation hangs upon it. This is his language, they that are in Chriſt, walk not after the fleſh but after the Spirit. So in the language of the ſpirit of God, the maine thing that belongs to a Saint, it is not as we ordinarily account it: there are a hundred things that we call Religion that God doth not. A drunkard may be ſtricken with terrour in hearing the word, and we ſay ſuch a one is converted, and it may be not; and there are hundreds of other people that may pray twice a day, and hear Sermons, and repeat them, and out of a naturall principle of devotion may have affections: this is not Chriſtianity, or Goſpel Religion. There are abundance of profeſſours among us, that the Holy Ghoſt will not own, becauſe they have not the ſpirit.
Therefore the maine way whereby we may judge of a Saint or a ſinner, is whether he have the ſpirit of God in him or no. O ſuch a one doth great things, he prayes, and hears, and reads, and diſputes much: I but hath he the ſpirit, or no?
210But you will ſay, How ſhall I look for that? How ſhall I know that?
I will tell you how; A man may know the ſpiritThe Spirit in us to be known by its own evidence. in himſelf clearly by the evidence of the ſame ſpirit, And a man that hath the ſpirit may know the ſpirit in another by the ſpirit. There is a kind of Sagacity among the Saints, whereby they having the ſpirit are able (though not expreſly, and clearly) to behold the ſpirit in another.
We are the ſons of God, but the world knows us not: worldly men know not the Saints from Schiſmaticks, and Hereticks: and uſually ſpirituall people receive thoſe names from the world, Schiſmaticks, and Hereticks, and the like. But a man that hath the ſpirit of God, he can ſee as clearly as a natural man can with his eyes. How can a poor lamb know the dam among a thouſand? There is a Sagacitie in nature, and ſo there is here in grace, they have the ſame ſpirit. As when Elizabeth, and Mary were talking, the Babe in Elizabeths Womb leaped, hearing the words of Mary, that then had the Lord Jeſus conceived in her. I give you but a little reſemblance from naturall things. The Saints know it, and their fellowſhip is in the ſpirit. Our communion is in God, and not in ſuch a Covenant; or meerly in outward duties: but our communion is with the Father, and with his ſon Jeſus Chriſt, and in the ſpirit with all his Saints.
Therefore labor for the ſpirit of God. Truly, God is now coming, I am confident it is his deſigne in theſe latter times to exalt his ſpirit, and to pull, and throw down every thing that exalts it ſelf againſt the ſpirit, that ſtands in his light, and Eclipſeth the glory211 of it. And though the world which cannot receive the ſpirit of truth, do either blaſpheme, or elſe do ſet little by it, yet ſurely it is the will of God that all his children ſhould honour it. Theſe thouſand yeers learning, and naturall parts, and morall good works, and ſuperſticious good works have been exalted. Now in theſe later times, Our Sun ſhall be turned into darkneſs, and our Moon into blood. That is as the learned**Calvin. interpret it, all the glorious things that we had before the pouring out of the ſpirit, that we made Suns, and Moons of, God will blaſt them.
I ſpeak not againſt learning ſimply, it is uſefull, eſpecially in a Common-wealth: but as far as learning intrencheth upon the ſpirit of God, God will blaſt it: learned men ſhall be laid by as Cyphers, God will blaſt their labours, that we might honour the ſpirit. There is one place that comes to my heart with much ſweetneſs, Pſal. 119. 96. I have ſeen an end of all perfection, but thy law is very broad. We have ſeen an end of all perfection of learning, of common gifts, of naturall parts; we have ſeen God blaſt theſe one after another: but Gods law is very broad. The morall law, the law of the letter is broad, much more the law of the ſpirit of life in Chriſt, that is extolled more and more: therefore all muſt down to extoll the ſpirit of God.
Truly Religion is a hundred wayes miſtaken by people, I could give a hundred inſtances, eſpecially in your Catechiſmes, where it is asked; What is Religion? It is ſuch, and ſuch. Chriſtian Religion, or Goſpel Religion under the New Teſtament conſiſts of two things, Chriſt crucified, and the pouring out of the ſpirit of God. Theſe are the two pillars of our Religion in the New212 Teſtament. And this is all we have to preach to you, and as far as any thing hath not relation to theſe two things, it is not the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, it is not Goſpel Religion.
We ſpeak much of reformation, and it is to be deſired; but among other errours in Religion this is one: many think that the main point in Religion is the ſetting up of government; whereas our main reformation is in pulling down, and not in ſetting up: for we have a world of inſtitutions ſet up that will never hold. And among thoſe latter inſtitutions that good people have ſet up. I believe that there are not many will hold: but theſe will, the Doctrine of Chriſt crucified, and the pouring out of Gods ſpirit. And as many as tend to this; and flow from this, without ſcruple I think we may die for them. But when our Bibles have gone through the hands of Papiſts ſo many hundered yeers, when a man ſhall come to die for it, he is afraid that ſuch a thing may be crept into the text, & a thouſand ſuch thoughts of Athieſme will come upon a man: but when a man can ſay, this is Chriſt crucified, and Chriſt pouring out of his ſpirit, let the particles, and the words run as they will, this is the maine that will hold.
As the Goſpell was intended, and deſigned for ſimple men more then others, ſo (with reverence) the Goſpell is a more ſimple, plain thing then moſt men in the world conceive. The Goſpell needs not the thouſand part of the diſtinctions, and definitions, that the ſchoolmen have, and that men multiply. It is a ſimple ſtory concerning Chriſt crucified, and how the Holy Ghoſt was poured upon men, and this was preached by fiſhermen as God gave them utterance, and it was propheſied of before. 213If Religion be a ſimple thing, taught by fiſher-men ▪ with the pouring out of the Spirit, then there need not all thoſe diſputes concerning the Arts, &c. For my part I think learning to be a very good thing to perfect a mans naturalls: but I think on the other ſide that a man that ſavingly, and clearly knows Chriſt crucified, and the pouring out of the ſpirit, he is the fitteſt man in the world to be a preacher.
We ſhould know things a thouſand fold better, and clearer then we do, if we would judg of things as God judgeth of them; if we would uſe the language of the Scripture, and the notions of the holy ſpirit in the Scripture. If we would know a Saint from a ſinner (as I ſaid) a man that is the Lords, and another that is not, this is the maine way, the chief eſſentiall difference, the one hath the ſpirit, the other hath not. It is not ſo much whether yonder man pray, or faſt, or preach, or repeat, or whether he doth many good outward morall things, but whether he hath the ſpirit of God; though it be now almoſt a ridiculous thing to name the ſpirit of God. We ſhould I ſay diſtinguiſh man from man by the ſpirit.
And labour in a ſpeciall manner to aſſure our ſelves that we have the ſpirit of God. We ſhould not reſt in this, that I have left ſuch ſins, or I do ſuch duties; but go on ſtill, till I come up to this, that with all humility, and thankfulneſſe I may ſay, God hath given to me of his holy ſpirit, the ſpirit of Jeſus Chriſt dwells in my heart ▪ Paul was humble, and modeſt enough in his expreſsions, yet he could boldly ſay he had the ſpirit, We have the earneſt of the ſpirit. And Iohn could ſay ſo of other214 Saints, Ye have an unction, or an annointing, 1 Iohn 2. and that was the bleſſed ſpirit.
Truly (beloved) it is a comfortable thing (in reſpect of himſelf) for a poor creature to ſee many ſtumble at the word of God; whereas if we would reſolve to be wiſe in the wiſdom of God, and to ſpeak of things as the Scripture ſpeaks, to look on things as the Scripture looks on them, to uſe thoſe phraſes, and expreſsions, and thoſe notions, we ſhould underſtand many myſteries in godlineſſe, which now are little leſſe then ſtumbling blocks to us: becauſe there is a kind of thwarting wiſdom in us that is croſſe to that.
God is now (I told you) about to exalt the ſpirit, yet not in a way contrary to the Scripture, but the ſpirit in the Scripture I mean. Therefore learn this leſson, to ſtrive for this as the chief thing, to finde the ſpirit of God in you, dwelling and working in you, becauſe as in the Old Teſtament there was one great promiſe (to wit) of the Meſsias, the Lord Jeſus, that was the great promiſe, and all other promiſes belonged to that. So in the New Teſtament there is but one great promiſe, the promiſe of the father as Chriſt calls it, and that is the pouring out of the Spirit.
Therefore as the Lord hath been teaching us of late yeers to know his Son Chriſt crucified, the doctrine of juſtification, where our righteouſneſſe lies, &c. So let us not think theſe ſpeculations enough, but take the other maine thing that is as great as this, the doctrine of the ſpirit. That I may as well finde the ſpirit working in me, as to know without that Jeſus Chriſt died for me.
If Religion were ſtated aright, I mean Chriſtianity, Chriſtian Religion under the New Teſtament; not in215 books, but the life of Chriſtianty, it would be to know Chriſt crucified, and to enjoy the ſpirit of Chriſt: that when we read the New Teſtament, and caſt up the bill of account when we have done, there is the ſum of all; the two hinges that all goes on. Therefore take heed of being deceived by notionall knowledge of things onely without you, though it be never ſo glorious. For if thou be a Saint, thou haſt the Spirit of God really dwelling in thee in its meaſure, as truly as in the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, as it is in Epheſ. 1. the latter end, the ſpirit that works in them that believe.
O the ſpirit of God is a glorious thing. It is that that not only makes the grand difference between a Saint and a ſinner, but even in a godly man, the ſpirit is all in all in Religion. Let the ſpirit but ſtir in him, though he be never ſo dark yet all is light before him. Let the ſpirit come and comfort him, though he be in chains of Iron, though he be in the greateſt miſery in this world, yet he can ſing Pſalms. Let the ſpirit be given him, and then not only faith, and the promiſes, but graces, and common providences, every thing ſpeaks the love of God to his ſoul. But let the ſpirit withdraw from him, if the Lord take away his ſpirit but for a moment, even from the beſt Saint, his body and his ſoul are no better (If I may ſpeake it) then a meer carrion. I allude to that of Iames, The body without the ſoul is dead. So take the body and ſoul without the ſpirit of God, it is dead. Dead? What is that? Thus, take a living body (that I may follow the compariſon a little) there is no living body but he can do ſomething: though ſome can do more then others, yet every living body can do ſomething, he can ſit, or walk,216 or talk, &c. And as he can do ſome good, ſo he can reſiſt ſome evil. If a man be dying almoſt, if you go to poure water in his throat, he can turn his head aſide. But let the ſoul be away, he can neither do any good (I ſpeak now of naturall, civill good) or reſiſt evil. So it is with the ſoul, let the Lord take away his ſpirit, and we are quite flat: Let the Lord propoſe any good work to do, let any part of the will of God be preſented, there is no ſtirring at all in the ſoul towards it, the heart lyes gaping, and is dead; Let any luſt or ſin come, any temptation though it be never ſo poor and feeble, there is no reſiſtance, there is an inrode into the ſoul without any oppoſition, let pride, or frowardneſs, or filthineſs, or covetouſneſs and worldlineſs come, there is nothing to reſiſt it, becauſe the life of the ſoul is away, which is the ſpirit of God.
And is not this an excellent thing then, for a man to have the ſpirit of God dwelling in him? that when good is propoſed to him, the ſpirit may (as it were) ſwitch him, It is a homely expreſſion, but I have found it by experience. As a jade with a good ſwitch is ſet on to the journey, or to his buſineſſe; ſo when the ſoul of a man hath ſomewhat within to ſwitch him to cauſe him to cloſe with good things, to lay hold on them, to attempt them at leaſt: Whereas when the ſpirit is away, there is no ſtirring; the ſoul is as flat, and as dead; as water in a ſtinking ditch. This is the excellency of the ſpirit. Therefore you that have it, prize it. There are ſome that if they had it again as once they had, they would prize it, and praiſe God for it, and would now give a world for it. Therefore you that have theſe ſtirrings of the ſpirit in you to make217 you cloſe with good, and to reſiſt evil in ſome meaſure; bleſs God, and praiſe his name for it.
That is the thing I drive at, that you may ſee the uſe and worth, and excellency of the Spirit of God in your ſouls. When the Spirit of God is away from the ſoul, all the ſeals of Gods Love, and the ſigns of his Favor, they are cut off at one daſh as it were; I mean thus, when the Spirit of God dwels in the ſoul, you could read the love of God in every Ordinance, you could ſee it in every Grace, and in every Promiſe in the Word of God, in every thing: and you could ſee one while your election with joy, and another while Gods everlaſting love with joy, and another while the death of Chriſt, and another while your union with him, another while your Redemption, and Reconciliation, and Gods Love ſealed in all theſe; Nay, in every creature you could taſte the Love of God, in your cloathes, and your meat, and every thing: But let the Spirit of God be gone, and all theſe are gone: Take all Promiſes and Mercies, and Sacraments; they ſeal not one ſpark of the Love of God, but they are all dead, ſpeechleſs things, that ſignifie and ſpeak no comfort at the beſt, and it may be horror, that a man may read (I had almoſt ſaid) his Reprobation, in that which a few hours before he could have read his election in; and thoſe Scriptures all along that he could ſweetly have ſeen the Will of God in, and could ſay, that which neither eye hath ſeen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath entred into the hart of man, that I have ſeen, he can ſhut his Bible, and ſay, and almoſt ſwear that he underſtands not one tittle in it. That ſoul that when he had the Spirit could ſpring with joy unſpeakable and full of glory218 when he came before the Lord to call upon him, either in publick or in private, and could pour his ſoul into his fathers boſom, that could have prayed a whole year, if he had had time and ſtrength to continue, he is not able now to ſpeak one word to the Lord.
And more then ſo, he is not now deprived only of all light, of all Knowledg, of all aſſurance, of all comfort, of all ſtrength, either to do good, or to reſiſt evil: but there is poſitive horror in the heart, poſitive fear, and terror, and darkneſs: a bondage to unbelief ſeizing upon him; That as our Lord ſaith, The Spirit is like winde, that no man knows whence it comes, or whither it goes: So he feels a miſery in his ſoul, that he knows not whence it comes, or where it will end: As it was ſaid of the Powder plot, the Powder Treaſon, that there ſhould be a blow given that none ſhould know whence it was: ſo he ſees a blow given to his ſoul, and the life of it, and all that is good and excellent in it, and he knows not whence it is; he can ſay, that his ſoul is no other then a plain hell, for there is no poſitive evil in hell but it is there, and there is no privative evil, no evil of deprivation of any thing that is good, but he feels it there; ſo that in all our Religion, our Graces, and Duties, and Aſſurances, and Evidences, the Spirit of Ieſus Chriſt is the life of all.
Therefore no wonder that David (who was a Type of a Goſpel Chriſtian) ſhould ſay, Create in me, O Lord, a new heart, andrenew and reſtore thy holy Spirit: as if he had ſaid, ſince thy holy Spirit went away there is an annihilation, all that is in me is annihilated. He doth not ſay, mend, and repair, but create: I ſee not ſo much as a ſtump of Grace, a root, or a habit, or any219 thing, but all is pulled up, and thou muſt create in me a right ſpirit: Therefore learn that the life of all your Comfort and Aſſurance, and Profeſsion, and Graces, and Duties, and all, is the Spirit of God: It is but the turning of Gods hand to ſay, Come back my holy Spirit from ſuch a ſoul; leave him but one three hours, and then he will be according as I have told you: therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, we are not debtors to the fleſh, but to the Spirit. If ever you finde comfort in an Ordinance, you owe thanks to the Spirit, if ever you have a little aſſurance of Gods love, whom will ye thank for it? Ye are no debtors to the fleſh; he doth not mean you are not debtors to ſin, there is no man but he knows that he owes nothing to ſin; but, ſaith he, not to the fleſh, that is, principally to any thing that is not the Spirit, to fleſhly wiſdom, to natural parts, to our beſt abilities, and endeavours. If ever you have gotten any thing by Sabbaths, or Sermons, or the company of the Saints, it was not from your own wiſdom, or pains, but you are debtors to the Spirit of God, it is the Spirit that wrought it; therefore prize the Spirit of God you that have it: O if you could but borrow the eyes of poor ſouls that had it once, and have it not! O how happy creatures would you think you are notwithſtanding all outward miſeries, becauſe Jeſus Chriſt by his holy Spirit dwels in your hearts! but we know not the worth of it till we want it, and then we can prize it, and would give a world for it.
And then labor to pleaſe the bleſſed Spirit, take heed of provoking and grieving of him, the Spirit is a more dainty Spirit then you are aware of, you may eaſily vex, and grieve and fret it, do not dally with220 ſin: Chriſtians make a dallying with ſin, which is altogether unworthy of the Goſpel of Ieſus Chriſt: one dallies and flickers like the Fly about the Candle, with one laſt one while, and another with another, and ſtill the Spirit is grieved, and then you know where you are.
You little think when you are dallying and trifling with luſts, and do not ſet forth the ſtrength of Chriſt in you againſt them, little do you think what bitter fruit you have along with it: It may leave you ſo low, that you know not whether ever it will come again, and there is the miſery of all miſeries; how do I know but that God hath caſt me off, and left me, and will never ſee my ſoul more? becauſe when I was tempted to pride, and frowardneſs, or worldlineſs, I gave way, and did baſely, and ſpake unworthily. Have a care of this, this is the will of God, and it is for your warning, that ſince God hath made you happy, you would take heed that you make not your ſelves miſerable, but that you would be careful not to grieve the bleſſed Spirit whereby you are ſealed and comforted.
Sin is like that Italian Fig, that Phyſitians ſay (how true I know not) they can poyſon a man in a Fig, and take the poyſon, and it ſhall not work in a moneth, or, in two moneths after; So a poor Chriſtian ſins, and breaks into frowardneſs, to raile againſt his brother, and backbite, and yet he findes the comfort of the Spirit freſh, but it may be a week or a fortnight after when he goes to ſhake himſelf as Sampſom when he went againſt the Philiſtins, when he hath ſinned, and thinks to go with the ſame boldneſs to God in prayer, he finds his ſtrength weakned, and the Spirit gone, and221 then all is gone, his Life, and Prayers, and Seals, and Comforts, and Evidences, and Aſſurance, and there is nothing but a careaſs left made up of fleſh: And whatſoever is born of fleſh is fleſh. A man would think it were a ridiculous phraſe, we obſerve it not, fleſh is abominable to God. Fleſh, what is that? I have lately ſeen a dead horſe, one of the uglieſts ſights that ever I ſaw, it was full of huge, monſtrous Vermin, abominable, that I cannot fitly ſpeak of it, and I wondered why it ſhould be ſo, and I concluded becauſe it was fleſh, when the fleſh was gone there would be none of that ſtink, and filth left; ſo in your ſouls and minde, there is a piece of fleſh for every Vermin, and the devil may come with ſeven ſpirits worſe, and may ſay, there is ſuch a ſoul, there was the Spirit, but now there is nothing but fleſh, come fellow devils: Therefore beware of grieving the Spirit, it is eaſily grieved: It is not the greatneſs of our ſins that grieves the Spirit, but the baſeneſs of our hearts in ſinning in little things, it may be in wearing Apparel, or Lace, or Open breaſts, in trifling things with a ſinful diſpoſition; that which we account a trifling luſt may grieve the Spirit.
Therefore, I ſay, you that have it priſe the Spirit, and you that have it not, labor to have it, and endeavor to pleaſe and to entertain the Spirit: for the Spirit and Chriſt are the ſame as it were, they are taken one for another; Chriſt dwels in us, and the Spirit dwels in us, and ſaith the Spouſe in the Canticles, I will take my beloved, and bring him to my mothers Chamber, and let none call my beloved, or wake him till he pleaſe; Study to give all contentment to the Spirit of God, croſs him222 not, thwart him not, vex him not, but entertain him, for he is your life, and you are nothing but fleſh when he is gone.
It may be God hath other deſigns in it, otherwiſe when God takes away his Spirit, and leaves my ſoul in deſertion, if I did not think God had a deſign in it for his own glory and my good, I ſhould utterly ſink; Therefore God ſometimes takes away his Spirit, to the end that we may know the worth of the Spirit, how to prize it, and to pitty people that have it not, and to pleaſe it with more carefulneſs if God ever give it us again.
I Shall not expound it, but only out of the preſumption I have of your goodneſs, and the love of God in you, that you will hear a ſpirituall word in any ſhape; therefore though brokenly, and confuſedly; I would take occaſion from theſe words to exhort you to ſtick to the ſimplicitie of the Goſpell, my meaning is this, that
The Goſpell is a far more ſimple and plaine thing then moſt people conceive it to be.
Truly (beloved) I think that our growing now weThe ſimplicity of the Goſpel. are come out of Antichriſt is not to grow in higher notions, and ſpeculations of things, but to grow more ſimple in the worſhip of God. We ſhall be leſs curious a great deal when Chriſt ſhall ſet up his worſhip, then224 when Antichriſt ſet it up. Our growing in knowledg is not as honeſt Doctor Preſton ſaith, to know new things, ſo much as to know old things in a new manner. The Goſpel is a plain, ſimple thing. There are theſe three reaſons I ſhall give you. Argued from three reaſons. 1. The matter of it.
Firſt I finde that the matter of the Goſpel is a plaine, ſimple thing, not of ens, and non ens, and notions that none can apprehend them, as people every where diſcourſe above the Moon. I underſtand not their words, no not grammatically, not in the letter, and this is their high, and glorious light. But I ſee the Apoſtles preached Chriſt, they tell a ſtory of a man born of the Virgin Mary, apprehended of the Iewes, and he was a publike perſon, and bore the ſins of his people, and he was put to death, and roſe again for our juſtification. In the preaching of the Apoſtles in the Acts we finde none of thoſe Chymeras, and Ideas, and diſtinctions that we generally finde profeſsors now aiming at. But to know plain Chriſt crucified in a ſpirituall manner. As compare, 1 Cor. 2. with Philip. 3. we ſhall ſee clearly, Paul ſaith he knew what the world did not know, that eye did not ſee, nor ear had heard, and what was that? Chriſt crucified, and the power of his reſurrection, as he opens it, Phil. 3.
And beſides, as we finde it is a plaine, ſimple thing:2. The inſtruments divulging it. ſo we ſee the Lord choſe ſimple people to go, and preach it, he choſe generally fiſher men, and ſuch poor men, and women ſometimes. Rude men, in a manner without learning; theſe were to go and tell a ſimple ſtory of Ieſus Chriſt, and him crucified, &c.
I finde alſo the parties to whom the Goſpell is directed,3. Thoſe to whom it was directed. 2 Cor. 1. not to the learned, nor to the wiſe,225 but to the baſe and fooliſh; to baſe things of the world, and deſpiſed things, and things that are not. And ſo we finde by experience, that the Lord ſends the Goſpel to poor ſilly people: the ſimpleſt people moſt commonly underſtand the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt beſt.
Every body ſeeks to dreſs the Goſpel, and to make it more curious, but few labor to reduce the Goſpel to its native ſimplicity. One Generation dreſſeth the Goſpel moſt bravely with humane learning. Though I will not ſimply ſpeak againſt humane learning, it is good, as fire when it is put on the hearth; ſo humane learning when it is put in its own place, it is a good thing; but the uſe that men make of it, to dreſs the ſimplicity of the Goſpel with it, makes it abominable.
Others dreſs the Goſpel, and multitudes now adays, (I ſpeak not to cenſure them, or out of ſpight againſt them; but rather out of a zeal I have, that you and I may be found at the laſt day in the ſimplicity of the Goſpel,) they make a jingle of the Goſpel, they ſublimate it, as though it were as the Philoſophers conceits were, Notions above the Moon, or things that they cannot conceive what they be, exiſtent, and conſiſtent, and viſibility, and contrarietie, and forms, and I know not what. Thus the Goſpel is perverted. I have been troubled more, then modeſtly I may ſpeak to a Congregation, to ſee how the plain Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt; preached by Fiſhermen, to ſimple people of Chriſt crucified: That people ſhould ſublimate it almoſt into air, to nothing; that all things is God, and that God is all things; and that God is eſſentially in226 us, and we in him: And we muſt do all things to God paſsively, and not actively. Such a metaphyſical kinde of Goſpel, and ſuch terms as confound your ſouls, and bring them in the end to nothing.
Therefore I exhort you to ſtick to the ſimplicity of the Goſpel: And do not think it is a ſmall thing; it is a great buſineſs that I exhort you to. Why ſo? Becauſe I finde that there are many ſouls that make ſhipwrack of their own ſalvation, by flying too high above the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt: They loſe themſelves, they run through all Religions (as ſome ſay) and at laſt come to be nothing at all. And I am ſure of it, they deſtroy the faith of others, I am ſure of that, almoſt by experience, as Paul ſaith of Hymeneus and Alexander, They deſtroy the faith of many. That when a poor tender-hearted Chriſtian hears them talk ſo high, and is not able to underſtand litterally a word that is ſaid, ſaith he, I have nothing in the world, I never knew God aright, becauſe I ſee that I cannot underſtand a word of this, and a world of evils more.
And I have obſerved, and do obſerve it, That uſually thoſe kinde of people that are ſo led, when they, have ſuch Chymera's and Notions in their heads, they nullifie all Religion beſides, and all but that is nothing; and one Chymera carries the bell one quarter of a yeer, and then that is laid aſide, and then they have another notion, and that is all the Religion; and then away goes that, and then there comes a third. Theſe deſtroy the faith of poor ſouls in Chriſt crucified, and juſtification by him, and holineſs to him; and all holy duties in the Goſpel by the Spirit: this is deſtroyed.
227Therefore my Exhortation to you, is, and it is a bleſſed word that I have thought much of, in Rom. 12, Be of the ſame minde one towards another. Minde not high things. Mark that word. We have a kinde of expreſſion in our times of higher and lower light; and (which is more, immodeſt) people attribute the higher light to themſelves: We are of the higher light, ſay they. Saith the Apoſtle, Minde not high things. How? It is not meant in carnal things, that is, Minde not to get high Offices, or places, or preferment, or the like. But he ſpeaks of ſpiritual things, as it is clear, if you compare the third verſe. For I ſay, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you; not to think of himſelf more highly, then he ought to think, but to think ſoberly, according as God hath delt to every man the meaſure of faith. As if he had ſaid, I finde many among you, that ſublimate the Goſpel almoſt into air, in high conceits, and Idea's, and notions, and leave poor Chriſt crucified, and the ſimple Goſpel preached by fiſhermen. I would not have you wiſe, above that which is meet; not to minde high things, but condeſcend to them of the lower ſort. The excellency of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, is the plainneſs of it; and that is the reaſon, that you mar it with any kinde of dreſsing, becauſe it is excellent in it ſelf If a man have a ſuite of Skarlet that is extraordinary good, all-to-be-laid with copper lace, it mars it, becauſe the cloth is good of it ſelf. So all dreſsing of the Goſpel, marrs it, becauſe it is excellent of it ſelf.
When you meet with people that tell you, that all your Religion is nothing, and tell you Chymera's, and high things that may ſhine bravely for a while: Think228 of this, I muſt not minde high things, but condeſcend to them that are low. Therefore the Apoſtle in thoſe times, when the Goſpel was preached, and perverted by Philoſophy, and oppoſitions of Science, falſly ſo called, many fine tricks they had to adorn the Goſpel; he calls them alway to Chriſt crucified, and tells them, that was the height, and depth, and bredth, and length of all knowledg; as the height, and bredth, and length, and depth of a board, or of a thing; it is the whole dimenſions of a board, it is the whole board. So the knowledg of Chriſt crucified, is the height, and depth, and bredth, and length of all knowledg; that is, It is all knowledg to know Chriſt crucified in the ſimplicity of the Goſpel. He oppoſeth not Philoſophy to Philoſophy, or Science to Science; but he ſaith, Ye are compleat in Chriſt, and calls them to his death, and reſurrection. So keep cloſe to that.
I ſpeak it the rather, becauſe where there are ſuch notions ſtarted up among us daily now of late, they clearly draw us from Chriſt crucified. A Platonical kinde of Religion, a kinde of Heatheniſm, a kinde of conſideration of God in his own nature and eſſence without Chriſt. Beware of this ambition. It is enough for you, and me to know Ieſus Chriſt, and him crucified, and the power of his death and reſurrection, according to the ſimplicity of the plain Goſpel once preached by fiſhermen, to fooliſh and baſe people, and things of no worth.
Therefore I beſeech you ſtick to Chriſt crucified, and to the ſimplicity and plainneſs of the Goſpel. I would not have you to ſtick in the Letter, and to go no further, but labor for the Spirit of God through229 the Letter, to be in your ſouls. I know God many times by theſe broken words, may do your ſouls good; but this is a thing, that I confeſs my ſoul is ſo full of, that I am not able to expreſs it, to vent, and open my ſelf. The miſchief, and miſery that befals people, by ſoaring above the Scriptures, above the plainneſs and ſimplicity of the Goſpel, ye hear that they do themſelves, and others; and the ſafeties, and ſecurity, that will be to your ſouls in keeping to the plain, ſimple way of the Goſpel of Ieſus Chriſt.
I had another ſhort leſſon, but I am loath to thruſt out one duty with another. It is a rule, by which, I would alway walk: I cannot now handle it, but only mention it to you; and if God lead us by his bleſſed Spirit, we may learn a little of it. I thought to ſhew you
The Oneneſs that is betwixt us, and Ieſus Chriſt.
Methinks it is a more glorious Truth, then we have judged it to be, that poor Saints are one with Chriſt. The Lord Ieſus Chriſt is anointed, and ſo are they; we have the ſame unction with Chriſt; we have the ſame name with Chriſt; we have the ſame Offices with Chriſt; we have the ſame love of God with Chriſt; we have the ſame Spirit with Chriſt; and the ſame Kingdom with Chriſt in Heaven. The Church is the fulneſs of Ieſus Chriſt. Chriſt is not properly a Chriſt without his Members. This is a glorious thing to conſider, how the poor Saints and Ieſus Chriſt make up one compleat Body. He is no Chriſt (as it were) were it not for his members: The Church is the fulneſs of him that filleth all in all. It is ſaid of the oyl that was poured on Aaron, It ran upon the skirts of his garments. So Chriſt230 being anoynted, that oyl runs on us. As he is a Prophet, ſo are we; as he is a King, ſo are we; as he is a Prieſt, ſo are we; onely with this difference, That in all things he might have the preeminence. He is the higheſt King, the beſt Prophet, the moſt excellent Prieſt. But otherwiſe, whatſoever Chriſt is, that are we; whatſoever he hath, that we have; nay, we have his name. So alſo is Chriſt, 1 Cor. 12. We, head and members, are called Chriſt: And the leaſt Saint of God, is a Prophet, as well as the greateſt; and a Prieſt, as well as the greateſt; and a King, as well as the greateſt. Nay, he is as real a Prophet, Prieſt, and King, as the Lord Ieſus was, onely in all things he muſt have the preeminence. We have a ſhare in all his actions; we are one with him in his graces, in his life, and death, and reſurrection, and aſcention: There is nothing in Chriſt; there is nothing that Chriſt is, or hath, but we are one with him in it.
Therefore this uſe we ſhould make of the Scriptures; not to be as babies always, to read a Chapter morning and evening; but you that are experienced Chriſtians, when you have a truth hinted to you, be alway at the Scriptures to beat it out. As for inſtance, go home now, and ſtudy that Oneneſs, that Ʋnion that is between Chriſt, and us, and beat it out to the utmoſt, and what the excellency of the Spirit of God in the New Teſtament is, and not to tie your ſelves to read ſo many Chapters a day, but be alway ſtudying the Scripture. As David ſaith, Bleſſed is the man that exerciſeth himſelf day and night, in the Law of God. Thus the ſpiritual man doth, not ſo much read Chapters, as compare Scripture with Scripture, and is bolting231 out ſpiritual truths, till they be fully fixed and faſtened upon his ſoul. I ſhall, it may be (if God will) explain that union to you further, in the mean while ſearch for it; and ſo I ſhall leave it here, and hear what the Lord hath further to ſay to us.
O ye children of Benjamin, gather your ſelves to flie out of the middeſt of Jeruſalem, and blow the Trumpet in Tekoa; and ſet up a ſigne of fire in Beth-haccerem; for evil appeareth out of the North, and great deſtruction.
I have likened the daughter of Zion, to a comely and delicate woman, &c.
I Shall deſire leave at this time, a little more familiarly, then uſually, to tell you what I conceive is the will of the Lord, becauſe I do not expect to ſpeak to you any more.
I remember a little before the Lord had brought us together, before the deſolation of that**Briſtol. City, (which indeed was greater then any man can imagine, unleſs he had been there preſent) the Lord by his providence guided me to expound, Matth. 24. concerning the deſolation of Ieruſalem,233 little thinking, or imagining, that the deſolation of that place had been ſo near. And now that word that was then ſpoken by providence, was (as I perceived afterwards) a very great ſtay, and refreſhing to the ſouls of the people in their trouble. By providence alſo, (not by any way of propheſie, I never was addicted that way, but by providence) reading this Chapter in my family, and ſeriouſly conſidering of it, me-thoughts the Lord repreſented to me in a way, a little more then uſual, the ſtate of this City, wherein you now live, and are to live; and that by the ſtate of Ieruſalem, which is here laid down throughout the Chapter. For though we cannot tell you now of Cities, and Kingdoms, as the Prophets did, by revelations and viſions, and the like; yet what is written, is written for our inſtruction. And the Lord hath given us examples of his judgments, that we may learn from them, what to think, and how to judg of other places, and Cities, and Kingdoms, that are parallel, that are like to thoſe that the Lord hath viſited, or deſtroyed heretofore. Therefore I ſhall briefly lay down the condition of Ieruſalem, as it is here in this Chapter. Here are things ſpoken promiſcuouſly, becauſe here in the Prophets, there are but the heads (as it were) of their preaching; therefore for method, and your memories ſake, I will digeſt the condition of Ieruſalem, and what is here ſaid of it, and about it, into theſe heads briefly.
But firſt of all, before I ſpeak of Ieruſalem it-ſelf, ye are to obſerve the condition of the Prophet that the Lord had ſet among them, which is laid down at Verſ. 27. I have ſet thee for a tower, and a fortreſs among234 my people, that thou mayeſt know, and try their way. The Lord compares the Prophet to a tower in the City; that is, a watch-tower: A tower for ſtrength, as it is Iere. 1. 18. I have made thee an iron pillar, and brazen walls: That though he preached contrary to their corruptions, yet they could not touch him. And a tower for watchfulneſs, becauſe the Prophets did watch as out of a tower, all the City, and all in it, and the enemies that were againſt it So the Prophets were called Seers in thoſe days; eying the ſins of the people, and eying the judgments of the Lord, and eying what comfort on the otherſide God gave to any among them. The Prophets, I ſay, were towers, and ſhould be ſtill. They are called trumpets here, I will ſend a trumpet, and cauſe it to blow, but the people will not hearken. They are watchmen, to give warning to the people; ſo they ſhould be: I leave it to you to judg, (for you know the ſtate of this place better then I) whether we be ſo, or no.
The next thing in this Chapter, is, The ſtate of Ieruſalem, what kinde of place it was, I mean, in reſpect of the building of it, and the ſcituation of it, (for I mean to gather up the whole Chapter in a little method) take it as it is deſcribed, Verſe 2. I have likened the daughter of Zion, to a comely and delicate woman. His meaning is, not for any ſpiritual beauty in her, as appears in the whole Chapter; but in an outward ſenſe, in reſpect of ſcituation and gallant building, it was a magnificent place, and no man was able to count the towers about it. It was a ſtately gallant place, and therefore was like a delicate woman. A ſtately place, full of caſe, and pleaſure, and trading,235 and good creatures, and altogether exact, as a delicate Gentlewoman, nothing was wanting: ſo Ieruſalem was; and yet for all that, you afterwards ſee how the Lord did deal with her. So, by the way, let me tell you this (for I ſpeak in the ſight of God) That the greatneſs of your City, the fairneſs of it, the riches of which you were wont to boaſt, how you did rule all Kingdoms beſides, you could make Kings, and Parliaments, and do any thing; you have ſuch Ships, and Towers, and Armies, and Armed men; you ſee what God ſaith of Ieruſalem, when he was going to deſtroy her, I have likened her to a fair delicate woman, and yet all could not excuſe her. If the Lord come againſt you, all your riches, and power, and trading, and gallantry, cannot excuſe you.
Thirdly, Here is all the good in Ieruſalem, the Religion, and godlineſs; the Lord acknowledgeth that too, and the Lord will not forget any good thing among them; that you ſhall ſee in Verſe 20. To what purpoſe cometh there to me incenſe from Sheba? and the ſweet Cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your ſacrifices ſweet unto me. Ieruſalem did not forget the ſervice of God, they had their worſhip, and ſacrifice, and they had ſweet Cane from Sheba. The Lord complains in Iſaiah 42. that the people did bring him no ſweet Cane; it was their maner in their ſacrifice. I acknowledg, ſaith God, you have a great deal of Religion, and you talk of Reformation among you, and Government, and Diſcipline, and I know not what; yet notwithſtanding, this ſhall not hinder, but for all your villanies and wickedneſs, this is the City to be viſited for all this. It is236 not a little grain of Wheat that can cover a Mountain of Chaff. It is not a little formal, fained, hypocritical ſervice of God, and a quarter, and talking, and a clutter about Reformation, that can hinder the proceedings of God againſt a people that are really ſinful, and that have really and grievouſly revolted.
The fourth thing here laid down, though promiſcuouſly (that I ſhall endevor to gather up for you orderly) it is the ſins of Ieruſalem. I ſhall ſpeak of no more then is laid down here, and they are in this place four. Here are four great ſins that God mentioneth.
The firſt is, the oppreſsion; obſerve that word in Verſe 6. For thus hath the Lord of Hoſts ſaid, This is the City to be viſited, ſhe is wholly oppreſsion in the midſt of her. He ſaith not, There is oppreſsion in the middeſt of her, or in her, but ſhe is wholly oppreſsion. As if he had ſaid, She is built with oppreſsion, her very fabrick is oppreſsion: She is oppreſsion it ſelf, oppreſsing the poor, and the Saints, and the upright in heart; there is nothing but railing againſt, and ſlandering of them, as we ſee after.
Now the Lord opens that, She was oppreſsion; that you may know the meaning of it, he tells you after. As a fountain caſteth out her waters, ſo ſhe caſteth out her wickedneſs: violence, and ſpoyl is heard in her, before me continually is grief, and wounds, ſaith the Lord. She is oppreſsion; as a fountain caſteth forth water. What is a fountain? It is a hole in the Earth that caſts out water; ſo ſaith the Lord, I ſee nothing in Ieruſalem, from one day to another, from one yeer to another, and from one end of the City to another, but oppreſsion. I ſee one oppreſs237 another: I ſee it full of wounds and griefs, and bruiſes, eſpecially to my poor Saints, there is nothing but oppreſsion. And I leave you to judg this day, whether this City, at this time, be not ſo: She is wholly oppreſsion, from the leaſt to the greateſt, there is almoſt nothing elſe to be ſeen.
Then, the ſecond ſin the Lord layes down, is in Verſe 13. That every one is given to covetouſneſs. Mark that word, and let every one of your own conſciences apply it. For, from the leaſt, even to the greateſt of them, every one is given to covetouſneſs. O, this covetouſneſs! there can be no Reformation, either in Church or Common-wealth, as things are, becauſe of covetous people. If there be any good courſe taken by Magiſtrates to reform any buſineſs in Courts or Offices, becauſe of the covetouſneſs of people, the buſineſs is marred, you all know it. And ſo far outward Reformation of Churches, and the like, becauſe of covetouſneſs, you all know that the buſineſs of Reformation is marred; Miniſters have loſt themſelves: There are many godly men that had room in the hearts of Gods people, ſome in this City, and in the Aſſembly, that had room in the hearts of Gods people before theſe times, and before they had all things in their own hands, and became reformers of the Church; now becauſe of covetouſneſs all is marred, that no buſineſs can be looked upon. Now the Lord look upon us; and indeed, though we ſee not him, he ſees us, and looks on us.
Then, the third ſin is laid down in Verſe 13, 14. that is, The falſe dealing of the Prophets, the Miniſters. From the Prophet, even to the Prieſt, every one dealeth238 falſly. How is that? They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people ſlightly; ſaying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. The Prophets deal falſly, they are become hypocrites; they tell the people, they are in a gallant way of Reformation; when the Lord knoweth, both according to Scripture, and ſound Reaſon, they are in the way to deſtruction; they tell them now, the Church, and Reformation is going up, when the poor Kingdom was never in ſuch a ſad condition. They deal falſly, that is, hypocritically. What a ſtir is there here about Schiſmaticks and Hereticks, and about Reformation; and what conſulting, and working, in the City, and elſewhere; and yet when there is any work to be done really for God, no body mindes it. I will give you an inſtance, as clear as the Sun: There hath been of late, a great deal of conſulting, and making Petitions, and Remonſtrances, and Repreſentations, and Modelizing the Common Councel, &c. And yet we have had the Superſtition of Chriſtmas, worſe then it hath been this four yeers to my knowledg; every one ſhutting up their ſhops, and giving themſelves up to Superſtitious ways, that we thought had been dead.
Come to the Miniſters, and Aſſembly: Is there any complotting to draw people from falſe, groſs Popery? No, they deal falſly: There is no aſſembling or meeting about that; but the Miniſters let the people go. I ſpeak it with the grief of my ſoul: If it were on the Mountains of Wales, it were no wonder, but to ſee people here to go in droves to Popery! I behold it as I go along in the ſtreet, and think I, with a heavy heart; how neatly doth Popery become239 this City? They go in their beſt clothes, and make gallant chear, and they are ready to throw ſtones, if any open their ſhops. It is not the people ſo much; but where are our Prophets? they lie as if they were dead all the while. This is dealing falſly, it is not plain, ſquare dealing with God. If people did hate Schiſm, (as there are Schiſms, and Blaſphemies, I favor them not) they would hate prophaneneſs, and all other evils as well: But this is falſe dealing, and jugling; this ſhews their deſign: If they did hate one, they would hate all; if they did ſeek Reformation in one, they would ſeek it in all: But this is falſe dealing, the Prophets deal falſly.
Then fourthly, here is the ſin of the people laid down, grievous revolting, horrible backſliding from God, the people grow worſe and worſe; it was time for God to take them in hand, in Verſe 28. This people are all grievous revolters: They were for God, but now they are revolted. In this City, four yeers ago, there was abundance of Reformation; how did people hugg poor Saints, when they were perſecuted in other Countries? they did cloath them, and feed them: And theſe Superſtitions of Chriſtmas, were almoſt quite out of the way; but we are gone back, we are as bad as we were twenty yeers ago. A poor Saint dares hardly appear at Guildhal, though he be not a member of a Church, yet they cry An Independent, an Independent; as if he were an Owl among Birds. And ſtrangers, godly men, that have ſeen us within this half yeer, they think we are grown mad, and have wiſhed, I would to God, I could get over the line to go home. London is grown the worſt place in the Kingdom; it was not ſo,240 three or four yeers ago. Men did love the Saints, and were ready to ſave the Kingdom; but now there is a bitter root to deſtroy the Saints, and to lay ſtumbling blocks; we are grievous revolters. For matter of ſin, we are as like Jeruſalem, as may be.
I, but will ſin deſtroy a people? I pray obſerve in the next place, The carriage of Jeruſalem under their ſins. What was that? There are three things laid down in their carriage: For it is not onely ſin that ruines men, but their carriage under it. It is not faling into the water that drowns a man, but his unwilneſs, or unskilfulneſs to get out.
In the firſt place, they were not aſhamed in the leaſt meaſure for all theſe things. Were they aſhamed? He puts it to the queſtion, and anſwers himſelf, Were they aſhamed, when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not aſhamed, neither could they bluſh, ſaith the Lord, for all this wickedneſs. Were they aſhamed? As if he had ſaid, If they had been aſhamed, I had been ſomewhat ſatisfied: If the people had mourned for their grievous revolting, and backſliding, and oppreſsion, and covetouſneſs, in the middeſt of them, it were ſome comfort; but they were not aſhamed, they cannot bluſh.
Then the ſecond thing is this, That as they could not be aſhamed, ſo they would not hear, nor receive any inſtructions to amend their ways; therefore the Lord would turn them as a diſh is turned, upſide down, Verſe 10. To whom ſhall I ſpeak, and give warning, that they may hear? Where is any Creature that will hear, notwithſtanding all this? Behold, their ear is uncircumciſed, and they cannot hearken: behold, the Word of241 the Lord is unto them a reproach, they have no delight in it. This was their condition: The people were full of ſin, and they had no delight to hear the Miniſter of God ſincerely to lay open their ſins; nay, it was a reproach: they reproached the Miniſter that ſhould do ſo; they would queſtion him, and throw him into the dungeon, as they did Jeremy, for ſhewing them their ſins. So in Verſe 17. I ſet watchmen over you, ſaying, Hearken to the ſound of the trumpet; but they ſaid, We will not hearken: That is, They ſaid ſo in their hearts at leaſt. And ſo in Verſe 19. Hear O Earth, becauſe they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my Law, but rejected it. And judg whether this be not our condition.
Then thirdly, and laſtly, This is the aggravation of their ſins; as they were not aſhamed, and would not hear one word. So laſtly, God was weary, as it were, he was tired with correcting and afflicting them, and yet they did not amend. For that is the drift of that place, Verſe 29. The bellows are burnt, the lead is conſumed of the fire, the founder melteth in vain; for the wicked, or wickedneſs, or miſchief, is not plucked away. That is, ſaith the Lord, I was as a founder blowing with the bellows, till they were worn out: The very fire and all is conſumed, and the droſs is not taken away. Some particular men eſpecially have had many afflictions, and ſo after afflictions upon others in the Kingdom: There have been touches of Gods rod; and truly we are worſe. Now thus you have the ſins of Jeruſalem, and the carriage of this people, under their ſins.
In the next place, there is the dealing of God, with242 this people, becauſe of their ſins. And the firſt thing i•, God prepares war: That is, ſet down from the beginning of the Chapter, to Verſe 7. Hew down trees, caſt a mount againſt Jeruſalem: This is the City to be viſited, ſaith God. God comes to viſit Ieruſalem, he looks upon her, as if a Carpenter went to a Wood to chuſe Timber. This is the Oke that will ſerve to make ſuch a beam. So God looks on all Countries, the Amonites, and Amorites, &c. But this is the City fit for judgment; therefore, ſaith he, Hew down trees, prepare war. I will not be peremptory in this; but the Lord may do it: He hath done it with others, like our ſelves. Hew down trees, prepare war againſt this City. If the Lord ſhould ſay, London is the City to be viſited, Briſtol hath been viſited, and moſt places in the Kingdom, but now London muſt; there my wrath ſhall be poured out. The Lord grant that it may not be ſo, but I greatly fear it.
Secondly, The Lord brings them to impriſonment, the Lord took them priſoners, Verſe 11. The husband with the wife ſhall be taken; the aged with him that is full of days.
And then comes their plunder. Their houſes ſhall be turned to others, with their fields, and wives together: For I will ſtretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of this Land, ſaith the Lord. O, if the Lord ſhould ſay, This is the City to be viſited, and make war againſt it, and then take you priſoners, take the aged men, the Aldermen, Common Councellers, and all priſoners; and then plunder all, and ſay; their fields, and their wives ſhall be turned to others: That were ſore, that you ſhould not onely loſe your goods, but your fields; that your243 houſes, and trades, and ſhops, ſhould be taken away, and your very wives. Thus the Lord did with others, I will not ſay, that he will do ſo with you.
Now, there were ſtumbling blocks in Ieruſalem before it was deſtroyed; ſo there are in this City; it is filled with ſtumbling blocks; every little difference in opinion is a ſtumbling block, that ſome men become Atheiſts, becauſe every Saint doth not agree one with another. And then there is the fear, and horror that did fore-run this miſery, Verſe 24.
But in a word, the courſe that the Lord would have them take; and that therefore I ſhall ſpeak of, that you may beſeech the Lord, that this poor City may prevent thoſe evils.
One thing is, the Lord would have them ſeriouſly, and ſincerely humble themſelves before him, to acknowledg their ſins, and bewail them. Verſe 26. Saith the Lord, O daughter of my people, gird thee with ſackcloth, and wallow thy ſelf in aſhes; make thee mourning, as for an onely ſon. Not a formal day of faſting, and humiliation; for that is almoſt become all form: but really humble thy ſoul, and call upon the Lord, that the Lord would be pleaſed to turn away his wrath.
Then the ſecond thing laid down, is, That we ſhould hearken to inſtruction, Be thou inſtructed, O Jeruſalem, leaſt my ſoul depart from thee; be ready to hear the Word of the Lord, be ready to hearken what Gods will is, how he may be glorified, and we preſerved.
Then thirdly, here is a word that I exceedingly deſired to open, but I muſt but name it, Verſe 16. Stand ye in the ways and ſee, and ask for the old paths,244 where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye ſhall finde reſt for your ſouls, ſaith the Lord. This is the way to ſave you, Stand in the wayes, ask for the old way. What is the meaning of the old way? That is, Ieſus Chriſt. That was the old way of Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, Ieſus Chriſt, and the way of righteouſneſs, and holineſs, and truth. He alludes, as I take it, to the Patriarchs; for that is called the old world, and the old way. Saith he, Ye are not like your fathers heretofore. Abraham, he was not covetous, and full of oppreſsion; they were willing to hear that which was for their good; and they were not the worſe for their afflictions. Look to the old way, and labor to get ſuch a Spirit as the Saints had heretofore, that were in Ieſus Chriſt.
What of all this? notwithſtanding this counſel that the Lord had given them, what if they will not turn to him? what if they will not amend? Then there is a terrible word that we read of in Verſe 8. Leſt my ſoul depart from thee. It is not ſin onely that makes Gods ſoul depart from a people, nor their hardneſs, nor wickedneſs; but when they refuſe all means, and helps, then his ſoul departs from them. Therefore, Be inſtructed, ſaith he, leſt my ſoul depart, or leſt my ſoul be diſjoynted, as it is in the Margin. What is the meaning of that? It is a terrible word; we have that word expounded in Ierem. 15. 1, 2. See what it is for to have Gods ſoul to go from a people. (I beleeve that Gods ſoul is not gone from us, if we will hearken to him, and do not give our ſelves up to wrath and rage againſt Gods people.) Then ſaid the Lord to me, Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, yet my minde, or my ſoul, could not be towards this people. There is before the245 ferventeſt, bleſſed prayer for this people, that I know in the Book of God, Ieremy prayes: And now their deſtruction was coming, ſaith the Lord, Though Moſes and Samuel ſhould come before me, my heart could not be on them. I have put them out of my heart, my minde and ſoul is gone from them, I will never be troubled more with them. What follows? Caſt them out of my ſight; let them go forth. And if they ſay, Whether ſhall we forth? Then thou ſhalt tell them, ſuch as are for death, to death, ſuch as are for the ſword, to the ſword, ſuch as are for the famine, to famine, and ſuch as are for captivity, to captivity. Let them go whether they will; ſome of them will be hanged, ſome killed, ſome to the ſword, ſome ſtarved; they can come to no good, becauſe they are gone out of my ſight: My heart, and ſoul is from them; that is the laſt gaſp; that is hell above ground.
Therefore the ſum of all is, That we hearken to God; for theſe things were not written for Ieruſalem onely; but for our inſtruction, God hath laid down their ſin, and wickedneſs, and their oppreſsion, and the bleſſed remedy, that they ſhould have taken; and if we take it not, but go on in our wickedneſs, we ſee what we may expect, That when that ſhall come on us (which God if it be his will forbid) you may remember that you were told before.
I have one thing in my ſad and ſerious thoughts, to comfort me, that this ſhall not befal this City, and that is this: That the Lord delt with them according to the adminiſtration of the Old Teſtament, and ſo went by Cities, and Nations; but now every man, and every perſon that calls upon God, is reſpected in246 every Nation, and City whatſoever. But this comes in, and cools it wonderfully, and puts me to a non-plus. If we in this City did go according to the adminiſtration of the New Teſtament, I am perſwaded, that the Lord would not ſend deſolation upon the City; but becauſe we would go according to that old adminiſtration, we have choſen it, and ſaid ſo, and do ſo: Now as they choſe that adminiſtration to deal with God, he choſe that to deal with them; for the Lord will deal frowardly with the froward, the Lord will deal with men according to their own law: Thoſe that ſin againſt the Law of Nature, ſhall be puniſhed ſo; thoſe that ſin againſt the Law of Moſes, ſhall be puniſhed ſo; thoſe that go according to the adminiſtration of grace, ſhall be delt with accordingly. Now we are going according to the old adminiſtration, more and more; for we are ſetling like the Jews in an outward, formal Reformation, without heart. Now it would be terrible, if the Lord ſhould chuſe our own adminiſtration, and give us according to our own heart, I hope he will not: But this lay heavy upon my ſpirit, to tell you of; therefore, the Lord direct you to make the beſt uſe you can, that if it be his bleſſed will, this place, that is the honor and glory of the Kingdom, and the refuge of the Saints, that the Lord would not come againſt it.
| Page | |
| A | |
| Abiding. | |
| ABiding with God in evil times | 72 |
| Actions. | |
| Saints not under the Law in their actions | 157 |
| Afflictions. | |
| Afflictions of godly, and wicked, how different | 31 |
| Afflictions turn to the good of Saints | 119 |
| The life of Faith in afflictions | 130 |
| Saints not under the Law, in regard of afflictions | 150 |
| Afflictions not to be fainted in | 194 |
| Amend. | |
| All ſhould amend, when the wicked are puniſhed | 104 |
| Angels. | |
| Angels pry into Goſpel myſterie, | 201 |
| Angels, good and bad do it | ibid. |
| Apoſtacy. | |
| Apoſtacy a provoking ſin. | 11 |
| Aſſurance. | |
| Life of Faith in Aſſurance | 130 |
| Awake. | |
| Chriſtians duty to awake God. | 86 |
| B. | |
| Betray. | |
| Not to betray Gods cauſe | 88 |
| Blaſphemy. | |
| Blaſphemy a provoking ſin | 9 |
| Bleſſing, ſee latter | |
| Briſtol. | |
| Gods mercy in recovering Briſtol. | 107 |
| C | |
| Chriſt. See cleaving. | |
| Chriſt makes all things amiable | 192 |
| Cleaving. | |
| Bleſſedneſs of cleaving to the Lord | 70 |
| Honor of cleaving to Chriſt in ill times | 73 |
| Special times of cleaving to God | 77 |
| Comfort. | |
| What ſhould help Chriſtians comfort | 175 |
| Conceits. | |
| Vain conceits of wicked men | 33 |
| Confidence. | |
| Ground of a Chriſtians confidence | 27 |
| Conſolation. | |
| Conſolation a duty | 40 |
| Four things that hinder conſolation | ibid. |
| Covenant. | |
| Spiritual underſtanding of the New Covenant, effects of it | 66 |
| Covetouſneſs. | |
| Covetouſneſs a provoking ſin | 237 |
| Creature. | |
| The vanity of the Creature, why diſcovered | 61 |
| Conjunction. | |
| Conjunction of thoſe that cleave to God | 70 |
| D. | |
| Difference. | |
| Difference of Gods dealing with Saints | 36 |
| Difference between Saints, and ſinners | 208 |
| Diſcouraged. | |
| Weak Saints not to be diſcouraged | 143 |
| Diſtruſt. | |
| Diſtruſt in times of danger to be avoided | 87 |
| Diviſion. | |
| Diviſion among Saints, a provoking ſin | 9 |
| Duty. See Conſolation | |
| Four grounds of Duty | 149 |
| E. | |
| Enemies. | |
| Aſſurance of victory over enemies, the effects of it | 64 |
| How God deſtroyes his enemies | 85 |
| Equality. | |
| Equality that ſhould be between Saints | 144 |
| Evil, ſee good. | |
| Example. | |
| Example of Saints a ground of prayer | 150 |
| F. | |
| Faith. | |
| Faith, the want of it, what it doth | 40 |
| Faith, the life of it | 44 |
| Faith, how God tries it | 83 |
| Faith, how the juſt live by it | 128 |
| See Affliction, Aſſurance, Sanctification. | |
| Falſe. | |
| Falſe dealing | 237 |
| Fondneſs. | |
| Holy fondneſs, between God and the Saints | 54 |
| Holy fondneſs in five things | 55 |
| Fondneſs wrought four ways | 61 |
| Formality. | |
| Formality in duties, a provoking ſin | 4 |
| See Reformation | |
| G. | |
| Gariſon, ſee Minde | |
| God, ſee Hypocriſie, Perſecutors | |
| Good. | |
| To call evil good, a provoking ſin | 11 |
| See Afflictions, Work | |
| Goſpel. | |
| Goſpel precepts higheſt | 162 |
| Goſpel Myſteries to be attended | 202 |
| Goſpel riches to be admired | 204 |
| Goſpels ſimplicity | 225 |
| Government. | |
| Government, how to be affected | 204 |
| Greater. | |
| How to argue from leſs mercies to greater | 120 |
| Grace. | |
| Grace weak, how to comfort it | 45 |
| Grace, what meant by it | 160 |
| Of thoſe that are under Grace | 162 |
| Power in Grace, more then the Law | 164 |
| H. | |
| Heart. | |
| Heart hardened | 8 |
| Hidden. | |
| Saints Gods hidden ones | 90 |
| Holineſs. | |
| Holineſs deſired on wrong grounds | 41 |
| Right laboring for holineſs | 198 |
| See Comfort. | |
| Hypocriſie. | |
| Hypocriſie hateful to God | 48 |
| Hipocrites honor creatures above God | 50 |
| Hypocriſie diſhonors God | ibid. |
| I. | |
| Judg. | |
| Saints not to judg one another | 143 |
| Judgments. | |
| Maner of Gods proceeding to judgment | 2 |
| Cauſe of judgments, what | 3 |
| Judgments, why ſent | 103 |
| Ingenuity. | |
| Ingenuity of right Saints | 163 |
| Juſtification. | |
| How to live by Faith in Juſtification | 128, 133 |
| K. | |
| Kiſs. | |
| Holy Kiſs, what | 145 |
| L. | |
| Latter, Laſt. | |
| Bleſsing of the latter times | 122 |
| Firſt, ſhall be laſt, how | 138 |
| Law. | |
| Saints under the Law, how | 156 |
| See Perſons, Actions, Afflictions, Goſpel. | |
| Learning. | |
| Learning humane, wherein uſeful | 211 |
| Life, ſee Faith, Sanctification. | |
| Lord, ſee cleaving. | |
| Love. | |
| Love of God, what it works | 62 |
| To love, though we be not loved | 181 |
| Mutual love, how attained | 184 |
| M. | |
| Minde. | |
| Gariſon of the minde, what | 16 |
| Mingled. | |
| The life of a Chriſtian mingled | 133 |
| Miniſters. | |
| Miniſters ſins provoke God | 149 |
| N. | |
| Nature. | |
| Duties grounded in nature | 6 |
| O. | |
| Officers. | |
| Officers ſins provoke God | 8 |
| Oppreſſion. | |
| Sin of oppreſſion | 236 |
| Ordinance. | |
| Prayer, an Ordinance of God | 149 |
| Ordinances not to be neglected | 152 |
| Ordinances needful | 153 |
| P. | |
| Patience, ſee waiting. | |
| Peace. | |
| Peace to be ſtudied by Saints | 196 |
| Perpetual, ſee Prayer, Perſecutors, Perſecution. | |
| To cleave to God in perſecution | 78 |
| Perſecutors deſign | 91 |
| God perſecuted in the Saints | 93 |
| Children of the godly, may prove fierce perſecutors | 99 |
| Perſons. | |
| Perſons of Saints, how under the Law | 156 |
| Power. | |
| Power that Saints have | 166 |
| The Spirit called power, how | 173 |
| See Grace | |
| Prayer. | |
| Prayer, a perpetual duty | 151 |
| Prayer, whence it proceeds | 169 |
| Wants of prayer, how ſupplied | 170 |
| See Ordinance, Nature, Precept, Example, Promiſe. | |
| Precept. | |
| Precepts ground of prayer | 150 |
| See Goſpel | |
| Promiſes. | |
| Promiſes ground of prayer | 151 |
| Protection. | |
| Protection of God, who have right to it | 21 |
| Pride. | |
| Pride, how diſcovered | 185 |
| R. | |
| Reflect. | |
| Reflect acts hard to man | 177 |
| Saints to reflect on their eſtate | 178 |
| Reformation. | |
| Formal Reformation, a provoking ſin | 5 |
| Refuge. | |
| God a refuge | 14 |
| To repair to God, as a refuge | 17 |
| Religion. | |
| Religion, wherein it conſiſts | 211 |
| Riches, ſee Goſpel | |
| Revolting. | |
| Revolting, a provoking ſin | 239 |
| S. | |
| Saints, ſee Weak, Sanctification | |
| Life of Faith in Sanctification | 129, 131 |
| Saintſhip to be prized | 194 |
| Satan. | |
| Grounds of Caution againſt Satan | 202 |
| Security. | |
| Security, why to avoyd it | 140 |
| Self-love. | |
| Self-love, a provoking ſin | 10 |
| Shame. | |
| Iudgments ſent to ſhame men | 103 |
| Simplicity. | |
| Simplicity of Religion | 212 |
| Simplicity of the Goſpel | 223 |
| Sin. | |
| What ſins provoke judgments | 3 |
| Carriage of Saints, faln into ſin | 43 |
| Saints carriage in a deluge of ſin | 77 |
| Aggravations of ſin | 240 |
| Silent. | |
| God ſilent in danger, why | 83 |
| Soul. | |
| The ſoul of God departs from incorrigible ſinners | 244 |
| Spirit. | |
| Spirit powerful in Saints | 166 |
| Spirit undervalued, how | 167 |
| Spirit, wherein powerful | 169 |
| Spirit differs Saints and Sinners | 208 |
| Spirit, how known | 210 |
| Spirit to be labored for | 213 |
| Spirits excellency | 215 |
| Spirits grieving dangerous | 220 |
| Spirit to be prized | 221 |
| See Word, Teaching, Work, Power | |
| T. | |
| Teaching. | |
| Teaching of the Spirit | 170 |
| Teſtament. | |
| Teſtaments compared | 188 |
| Trouble. | |
| Trouble in Saints, whence | 190 |
| V. | |
| Vengeance. | |
| Vengeance of God againſt the wicked | 27 |
| Union. | |
| Union between Chriſt and Chriſtians | 229 |
| Upright. | |
| Uprightneſs, ground of it | 22 |
| Uprightneſs, how tried | 84 |
| W. | |
| Waiting. | |
| Ground of waiting on God | 112 |
| Weak. | |
| Weak Saints not to be contemned | 141 |
| Weak Saints, their carriage to ſtronger | 142 |
| Weak Saints to be encouraged | 196 |
| Word. | |
| Spirit to be advanced as ſpeaking in the Word | 168 |
| Work. | |
| Who works in, and for us | 172 |
| To be ready to every good work | 206 |
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A80739)
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