FItnesse for heaven is generally acknowledged in the foregoing verse, and particularly and fully explain'd in this and that which follows, and put into two branches, Deliverance from the power of darknesse, and translation into the kingdome of Christ: Who hath made us meet for the inheritance of saints in light, &c. What is that meet­nesse? He hath delivered us from the power of darknesse, and hath translated us into the kingdome of his dear Sonne.

Deliverance undergoes a double acceptation; it means tem­porall deliverance sometimes: Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutours, for they are stronger then I, Psal. 142.6. Sometimes it means eternall deli­verance, soul-salvation, deliverance from sinne it self and the dominion of it, and not barely from such domineering evils as sinne sets up to make this life miserable: Deliver me from all my transgressions, Psal. 39.8. Deliver me from bloud-guiltinesse, Psal. 51.14. These expressions speak soul-deliverance, eternall deliverance; and of this nature is that deliverance here mentio­ned in my Text, as the words themselves explain.

Doctr. Man now is in soul-misery, our eternall estate is undone, our eternall life slain, the bloud of our souls is spilt upon the earth. There is death, and death with Emphasis; Who shall de­liver me from the body of this death? Soul-death is here meant▪ man is spiritually slain, stabbed at heart, undone inwardly; he needs a deliverance from this death: So there is wrath, and [Page 2] wrath to come; wrath that works hereafter upon spirits, when then they have laid aside the bodies of flesh, in which they dwelt here. Even Jesus who hath delivered us from the wrath to come, 1. Thess. 1.10. That deliverance and this in my Text mean one thing, soul-deliverance, which every soul stands in need of, but some onely enjoy; Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse.

Naturally.Man is in soul-misery naturally; we are children of wrath by nature; wrath works against us in the very wombe: Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated, and this ere they had seen the world. Corruption is got into the bloud, generation is marred, man the noblest creature cannot beget a happy creature; when he goes about this work, he layes the first foundation in sinne. In sinne was I conceived, &c. David was marred from the begin­ning, and made miserable as soon as crudled in the wombe, as soon as any matter was laid together for such a form. Treason stains the bloud; the first man proves a traytour, and never since any otherwise, but one. The first man poisoned his nature, and then begat as he made himself, and not as God made him, and so doth all the posterity to this houre; and this makes so many men, so many worms and no men; so many base misera­ble things, and not one worthy of the name of a blessed crea­ture, but the name of an uncreated thing, a piece of mere putri­faction, a worm, so in body, and so in soul, mere putrifaction in all.

JudiciarilyMan is in soul-misery judiciarily. Justice hath traced sinne to its rise, and plagued it at the fountain head. Man first abus'd his soul▪ and then his body; he swel'd within, pride puffed up his spirit, the man would be God; pride is spirituall wicked­nesse, which had suitable justice; man is made naked within as well as without, body and soul stript of God, and he that would be a God, is no man, but a beast: Man that was in honour, became as the beast that perisheth, that is, perishing all over, for you know so is the state of a beast, soul and body perishing. Justice works like justice, she makes suitable revenge; to cut off a finger when the man deserves to have his neck cut off, hu­mane justice doth not go forth so unsuitably, neither doth di­vine. Man abus'd his glory, his soul, and therefore God turned [Page 3] this glory into shame; man defiled this with sinne, and there­fore this is subjected to wrath, and made to need deliverance most, and therefore is this deliverance here from sinne noted as the grand deliverance, Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse, &c.

Man is in soul-misery universally. Wrath, death, soul-death,Universally▪ is passed over all men. The whole world is a great field of slain souls, not a man in the world but lies under a deadly soul-wound. Unbelief hath shut up all, and that's a soul-plague, and yet the plague of all (saith the Apostle) Jews and Gentiles. The whole world is shut up in sinne and misery, and needs a deliverance: what a great goal is one sinne become! a gangrene keeps not at one part, it runs over all: There were many lepers in Israel, (saith the prophet) and he also saith, there were ma­ny widows; but I cannot say of this world, that there are many lepers and many widows, but all are lepers and widows, un­married creatures to Christ, not one good: Who can say his heart is clean? Prov. 20.9. There is a plague of the body, but that is not every ones plague; but there is a plague of the heart, and that is every ones plague: there are mortall diseases upon the immortall souls of all, and the expression in the Text here speaks it plain, Who hath delivered [us] from the power of darknesse, who hath taken us out of the common deluge.

Use. The truth is plain before you, man is in soul-misery, he needs a soul-deliverance. Apply this point to your selves, are you sensible of the truth of it? do you set your selves to work an­swerably? Bodily misery begins to creep towards you, and you are very sensible of this; bloud and wounds are like to be com­mon, to catch hold of every one, and every ones flesh shakes. O what misery are we in, saith one! and what misery are we in, saith another! yea, but what misery is thy soul in, art thou sensible of that? dost thou feel that plague of plagues, that mi­sery within, which hath made all so miserable without? Bodi­ly misery is but to make sensible of soul-misery; 'tis Gods pul­ling the rope without, to make the bell speak within, (and 'tis many thousand mens unhappinesse, that they consider not this,) and it comes as the last means to do this. The sunne shines a great while, as the onely kind means to open mens eyes, and to [Page 4] bring them to see their state; but when this will not do, the sunne sets, and darknesse comes in the place thereof, that is, mi­sery and calamity, to beat open these doors which love could not unlock. Look about thee England, thy last remedie is upon thee to make thee good, to make thee know thy lukewarmnesse, thy settlednesse upon thy lees, thy soul-misery. Thou beginnest to grow very poore in temporalls, dost thou yet begin to see that thou art poore in spiritualls? Thou beginnest to be made naked in body, dost thou yet begin to see thy soul-nakednesse; what a poore, blind, wretched, and naked Church thou art? what a pitifull soul thou hast? Bishops may be, and Common Prayer book may be, and this and that unwarranted thing may be in Gods worship; such language as this speaks how soul-miserable thou art still.

But I will not be so generall in the application of this point, I will speak particularly to you. In the night owls eyes are o­pen, and they see: 'Tis night now in England, and very dark; ye blind creatures are your eyes open? do you yet see any thing that belongs to your souls? doth sinne revive now things with­out are kill'd? your iniquity hath found ye out, have you found out it? Can you lay your hand on your heart, and say, Here's that iniquity that hath made a kingdome bleed, my family deso­late, undone me and mine? Paul when the Law was preached to him, sinne revived and he died, in the consideration of his wretched condition. God preaches Law now all the kingdome over, because Gospel will do no good; doth sinne revive now, and can you see the wretched state of your souls? When the sonnes of Jacob were cast into bodily misery, then their soul-misery came to sight, what they had done to their brother Jo­seph, and they could lay their hand distinctly upon that within which brought so much misery without upon them. When ponds are stirred, and water let out, then frogs and toads ap­pear, and we see what uggly things they are: Thus hath God dealt with many of you Londoners; you had great estates like great deep ponds, and now God hath let out all almost, that you may see what mud, toads and frogs are at the bottome of it in your souls, with what hearts ye got and kept your wealth: do you see any uggly creatures yet stirre in your souls? ye are [Page 5] almost, I think, some of you, in Josephs brethrens case, ready to starve for want of bread: Can you now like them tell that within, which hath made such clean work without, which hath clean'd your teeth and your states? Sensibility of soul-misery is the thing that is driven at in all this.

The man that complains not of soul-misery amongst all other miseries he undergoes, I am afraid is not sensible of the main evil upon him. Where there is a new man and an old in one heart, there is a perpetuall warre, and this very sensible, I find a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind. That which will be death to the soul, is death to it, and the soul groans under it as in the pangs of death: Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Corruption according to its qua­litie, and according to its quantity, a soul sensible of its state, is sensible of both; what corrupt bloud is in him, and how much, and how it runs up and down in every vein, and pricks as it goes; and no Physician like him that can do good to this disea­sed body, Who shall deliver me from this body of death? What a burthen corruption is to you, in the body of it, and in the branches of it, and what a death it makes to your life; what a blessing desired is Christ, and what pantings daily about these things you know: there is no way like this to find out what soul-sensibilitie is in you.

Consider these things, and as you find your selves indeed sen­sible of soul-misery; shew it every one of you, by seeking deli­verance from it, it should be all your work, what else in this world have you to do? 'Tis an imployment for life, for all, to get our souls out of sinne, and into Christ; and yet some of you make it a work by starts, and marre all, sink your souls lower, whilst you give but a half lift, that is, lift and let fall again: the devill a little stirred, and not cast out, takes stronger hold.

Know your work, and know your time; know this time; You are not like to die the common death of all men, Gods sore judgements are abroad: you may have your throats cut quickly, in your beds, and how sad will it be when bloud shall touch bloud, a body in bloud touch a soul in bloud: this will be a bloudy sight indeed. Sinners, me thinks you do not stirre as if justice were near you, there is killing and slaying [Page 6] round about us, and we in the midst of all are asleep: is not your bloudy cloud gathering too? There is a great crie of peace, and I think God means no such thing yet: sinners, take heed justice doth not seize on your souls, ere you know them, or it. You are making bulworks and forts to deliver your bodies, but what do you do to deliver your souls? You would not have your bodies kild, and your souls are slain already, and stink so that God cannot indure them: do you think that your bul­works will be any defence for such bodies, as have such souls in them? Will not the justice of God beat down all, to take her prey and seize upon malignants? You have more malignants in the citie then you are aware of: you have a great deal of malignancy in your souls, and this will betray you all if you look not to it; there are many of you desperate malignants to God, which yet are not so to the Parliament. What souls you have, and what the condition of them is, look to it, and work out salvation for them with fear and trembling, I will not give a rush else for all your forts to defend you; justice will break through stone-walls, and mud-walls, and through all, through your flesh and through your bones, till it come into the very spring of sinne, which is your souls, & there it will lie burning for ever, as things when they are at their center, there rest. The soul is the center of sinne and wrath, and wrath will to its cen­ter do what you can, and make what fortifications you can, if your souls be not delivered and saved from that wretched condition wherein naturally they are.

I Have been more generall in former attempts upon this verse, I shall now be more particular, and undertake each term as the holy Ghost hath here laid them: in which undertaking I still beg your prayers: you can tell when you misse Christ in my labours, and I can tell when you misse me in your pray­ers. Oyl our chariot wheels well, or else we shall drive heavily, the weight of Christs words and your souls is so great.

Salvation as accomplished & the authour of it, noted in these two tearms, Who hath delivered, &c. I purpose not to stand on; [Page 7] but the manner of Christs going forth to miserable man, noted in the next word, Who hath snatched us (or catched us) out of the power of darknesse.

Doctr. Christ snatcheth souls out of hell fire: the metaphor is used highly to adorn the love of Christ, in his motion towards miserable man, and it doth it indeed gloriously, as it may be I may set forth to you in severall particulars, and all within the compasse of the metaphor.

1. Christ moves strongly to save; Snatching speaks an act of force; Christ overturns all that stands in his way when he puts forth to deliver a soul: omnipotence stretcheth forth his arm in this work, devils tremble, iniquitie is subdued, captivitie car­ried captive, the soul in the midst of violence, violently rescued. The Lion of the tribe of Judah moves to save as a lion strong­ly, terribly, none can resist his will, sinners, devils, nor men, Who hath resisted his will? Which way the will of God moves, power irresistable seconds, he drives all before him, and takes his prey, to wit, the poore soul that is preyd upon. Two Lions contend about the soul of man, the Lion of the tribe of Ju­dah, and that roaring Lion you reade of in Peter. The Lion of the tribe of Judah is too strong for that Lion, and snatcheth the prey out of the devils mouth, Who hath snatched us out of the power of darknesse.

2. Christ moves swiftly to save: Snatching notes swift mo­tion. Power puts forth in order to miserie, there is but a step between hell and that soul that is under the power of darknesse, what therefore is done must be done speedily, or the soul is lost. Christ is a present help, he moves as a Roe, as a young Roe, ve­ry swiftly to apply remedie to miserable man. My beloved is like a Roe or a young hart, behold he standeth behind our wall, shewing himself through the lattice, Canticles 2.9. When the devil hath the soul in his arms, Christ is behind him, as the spouse speaks, he is behind our walls, at hand when Sathan as­saults, and makes him let go his hold. The devil doth not bite gently, nor pull weakly; remedy therefore must be swift in this case, or else no remedie; the soul quickly dyes with deep wounds. Poison is of differing strength, some kills suddenly and insen­cibly▪ all the devils poison doth so, if not overruled in work­ing; [Page 8] an antidote is answerably applyed; and upon this ground the Church so prayes, Make haste my beloved, and be like to a Roe, the companions hearken to thy voice, make me to hear it. Some creatures take their game gently: Spannels take a duck and bite not deadly, but the devil is not such a dog, when he bites he bites deadly quickly, and therefore doth Christ snatch out of his mouth before all be desperate and past remedie.

3. Christ moves throughly to save. Snatching out of the power of darknesse, 'tis an expression that speaks a full and to­tall assuming that which was fully and wholly anothers; it notes a taking out of the devils arms into Christs arms, a per­sonall surprise. Christ fights for his wife, as Samson and Da­vid did, he catches his spouse out of the devils arms, and then she becomes intire his. Christs spouse is no harlot, she doth not lie embraced between two, the soul lies not in the bosome of sinne which Christ hath catched. Snatching from another varies not the proprietie with us, but such a catching of a thing as is made in and by warre, doth; what I snatch or catch from my enemy in warre is wholly mine own. Christ gets every soul by the sword, by the sword of the spirit, what he takes out of the devils kingdome, he takes by warre, and the propri­etie is varied. What was not his is his, they that were not his people now are, they are his in the quality and propertie of the thing. They are catched by the heart whom Christ catches, that catched and all is catched; the captive now acknowledges the arms that overcame him, and stirres not from the power of these arms, neither can be taken again. Christ takes often out of the devils hand but the devil nor no instrument of his can snatch out of Christs hand; Christ keeps all he catches as wholly his. Whatsoever lies wrapt up in this term (us) saith the Apostle the devil hath lost, and Christ hath catched. Who hath catched us out of the power of darknesse.

4. Christ moves preventingly in the salvation of man; catch­ing speaks an act unthought of, force surprising, the surprised dreaming nothing. Christ catcheth sinners asleep in a dead sleep; souldiers are sometimes so catched, the devils souldiers are all so catched. Corruption was another life in Saul, he did breath out slaughter, he did move in sinne in foul sinne with [Page 9] no more pain then you breathe, so secure and senselesse; and in this condition catched, surprised, and knocked down utterly unawares. Many a sinner hath confest this way of Christ; I went to hear such a one and thought nothing, and was catched, my heart convinced and overcome, which before never cared for the word of God. Christ comes behind sinners, and ere they are aware seiseth upon them: Ye shall hear a voice behind ye, saith God. I was found of them that sought me not. Christ comes to every carnall soul before sent for, but brings his stool with him, and makes his own welcome; he catches no soul, but that soul is as much caught with him ere he leavs him, Salva­tion is come to thine house, said Christ. Christ comes before sent for, he takes every sinner before up, and before ready, and helps him up, and makes him ready; washes him face and hands and heart, & puts on clean raiment. The devils souldiers are all sleepie, and keep no watch: Yet a little more folding the hands, this is every sinners tone when Christ comes. No saith Christ, no more sleeping now O soul, the voice of the turtle is heard, I have gathered my myrrhe with my spice, I have eaten my hony­comb with my hony, I have drunk my wine with my milk. Come away dear soul, come away: unaware such a sweet voice is heard behind a man, and the man is catched, and cannot withstand it.

5. Christ moves ravishingly: Caught sounds so much in my eare. Christs way of salvation is a ravishing way: na­kednesse is discovered, and glory is apparrell presented, with this sweet language, Sinner wilt thou wear it? I freely give it to thee. This is love smiling, and the soul is taken: Sinne made burthensome, and shoulders presented, an able porter to bear it: this is the manner of Christs motion towards miserable man, and 'tis taking and ravishing; Know thy nakednesse, and buy of me: great deformitie is discovered, and absolute beautie pre­sented, souls fall sick of love upon this, and are they not catched now indeed out of the power of sinne which did so please? Light appears to him that saw none, and 'tis so glorious, so transcendently pleasant, that the soul can indure darknesse no more, and is not this soul catched out of the power of darknes? Catching speaks a double power, active or passive, by the mo­tion [Page 10] of a thing, or by the quality of a thing, and Christ takes both wayes. The sweetnesse of Christ overcomes frovvard souls. There be fingers put out to sinners, & these fingers drop myrrhe, and that takes souls; Christ doth bemyrrhe his motion: naked motion vvould not take: his ointments have their odour: Be­cause of the odour of thy ointments, therefore the virgins love thee.

Use. It is a great time of catching and taking of all hands. Who hath catched your souls? Christ or the devil? I do not knovv vvhat souls you have, nor in vvhose hands they are, but you should, or else vvo unto you: if your souls be in the hands of any but Christ, you are lost men. Command is a yoke, men are considerate under vvhat povver externall they stand, but under vvhat povver internall they stand, vvho is considerate in this point? Sathan preys upon poore souls, and yet none com­plain, to be pulld out of his pavvs; the roring lion goes up and dovvn devouring, and do you heare any noise, shrieking and crying out, as if there vvere any such soul-devouring beast a­broad, or any in his pavvs? There is bodily sense since the fall, but no soul-sense; you vvill not let your Prince do vvhat he vvill vvith your bodies; you vvill fight and die rather; and yet you vvill let the prince of darknesse do vvhat he vvill vvith your souls, enslave them, and lead them captive at his will, rend and tear them, and yet the devill is no tyrant vvith you; not a petition preferred in point of soul-slavery (I doubt) all this Parliament time, to the great State above.

Sinners have you no souls? Yes. Where be they? vvho hath them? Christ or the devill? Christ. This should be experien­ced to us to do vvell. Whom Christ hath snatched out of the devils povver, they admire him; the person is very beautifull that redeems the soul. Hovv beautifull vvas David as a Redeem­er of Israel from Goliah! Heaven and earth rang what a man he was. Much more beautifull is a soul-redeemer; Who is this that cometh from Edom, with died garments from Bozra? this that is glorious in his apparrell, travelling in the greatnesse of his strength? I that speak in righteousnesse, mighty to save, Esa. 63.1. Great things unlooked for amaze, Who is this that comes from Edom? Did I ever imploy Christ to take me out of [Page 11] the hands of the devill, and yet he came and did it? Was I not his enemy and yet he became my friend! Was not my soul an abstract of evil, enmitie, dirt, and not dirtie, and yet in a sink he came and poured out love! Here the soul dwells and ad­mires. Glorious in apparell, &c. Inside and outside of him that redeems, are glorious to the redeemed. Christs spirit is first ad­mired that he would come, and then his outside admired; all that that he brings with him to manage such a spirit and plea­sure, the apparrelling of his will, is red and glorious: heart, hand, head of the redeemer, all is glorious in the eye of the redeemed. That Christ would die his outside red with his inside, his skin scarlet-coloured with his heartbloud for me, what glorious ap­parrell is this! That a Lamb would incounter with a Lion, and surfet him with his own bloud for a prey, to make him let me go out of his pawes; who is that Lamb, and what is my soul that such a deadly fieght should be made to save it! O my soul is not the price of bloud upon thee? is not thy nakednesse co­vered with scarlet of such price as puts a God in debt?

The redeemed adore the redeemer: this is in the text, Giving thanks to the Father who hath delivered us from the power of death, &c. a redeemed soul feeds two with every mercy, him­self and God; he admires love, this is feeding himself; and then he praiseth God, and this is feeding of God too. Paul could not speak about soul-deliverance, but he must make a breaking off and a breaking out, Who shall deliver me? I thank God, Christ. The soul is naturally active, but as 'tis freed by Christ 'tis much more active and ascending, it sends to God all that is done upon it: The soul blesses necessarily as 'tis blessed. Soul-blessings make their qualitie in us suitable to themselves, and to their own nature; so much of God as they bring with them, so much of God they leave in the soul, and the soul necessarily carries as much of God to Heaven as it hath of God from Hea­ven in any mercy. In the Devils arms there is singing; drunk­kards sing, and worldlings sing. In Christs armes there is sing­ing too, there is singing of halelujahs, here the redeemed lift up the Redeemer; every soul in Christs arms sings to him: all Christs children can sing sweetly: there are songs of Sion, songs of deliverance. Divine love makes gladnesse of heart, a heart [Page 12] gladded gets into that bosome that made it so, to dilate it self, and that makes more gladnesse. A redeemed soul is every day more admiring & more praising him that redeemed him then o­ther. So many souls snatched out of hell, so many sweet instru­ments of melody hath Christ in this world. Christ glorifies to be glorified; not a soul that Christ pulls out of the devils mouth but he is like Jonah when he came out of the belly of hell, a humble relater of wonderfull things to God and man. All that Christ takes out of the devils bosome and sets in his own, stroke him and kisse him.

3. The redeemed obey their redeemer. Not a lambe taken out of the power of the wolf but follows the shepheard, Your obedience is come abroad unto all, saith the Apostle. Whom Christ takes, they become followers of him in the sight of all. Redemption from the power of Sathan and the power of sinne are the same; redeemed souls are out of both, and obey neither, they onely observe him that hath taken them; I will run the waies of thy commandments when thou hast set my heart at liberty, saith the Psalmist. He speaks as a captive set at libertie that was glad of his legs, and observe what wayes he takes to runne in, I will runne the wayes of thy commandments. The soul still is in behaviour as the power under which it is; if under the power of sinne, it walks sinnefully; if under the power of Christ, it walks holily in his commandments. The soul is still according to the hand in which it is: would you know in whose hand and power you are? observe well then of what behaviour your souls are. Sinners you wallow in your lusts, and live according to the power of your corruption, and yet many of you plead and glory in your redemption by Christ. Your heart gives your tongue the lie, and your life speaks you slaves to the devil and your lusts. Is it a small thing to you to belie Christ and belie your souls? to distract and make void divine redem­ption? Are your souls redeemed, and yet are they in slavery to sinne?

Acknowledge truth that discovers you, and confesse your sad state, this would better become you. A bad state is remedilesse whilest 'tis plead for as good: the wicked may justifie them­selves, but God justifies none; it will be double death to justifie [Page 13] that which God and conscience condemn. Sinners, you cut off your souls from grace by wicked confidence; God does nothing for the man that thinks all is well, but prepare double miserie for calling evill good. As corruption is in strength, let every soul complain, O wretched man that I am, &c. Corruption makes wretchednesse, according to its strength, in every soul, for as lust lives it misleads; sinne will beare sway where 'tis not thrust out; the old man is not as some old men that sit still and do no­thing, but is very stirring; corruption as it lives is imperious, all must be her servants, gifts, parts, yea the very heart. Lust as it lives will bewitch your affection, adulterate your judge­ment, creep into your bosome, and become your full delight, then are you wretched souls indeed, then are you galley-slaves. Sinners consider this point; corruption as it is in strength, keeps its propertie in all, the best of you all will find the devils hea­ven a hell, Ah Lord, what will his hell be then? You will be weary of your lives, as lust lives in you, 'tis such a bondage, make what sweet out of it you can; the more artificiall you be­come in acting and managing corruption, the more power it hath in you, and the sooner will it kill all your felicitie dead; you will suddenly in the flame of lust cry out, as that Martyr in a flame of fire, in an other case, Hell is come, is come, Sathan is come, is come, as he cried out, Christ is come, is come.

We may releive our selves from this point too, respecting this land. If power work irrisistablie to save the soul, the salva­tion of the body is much more easie to it. One devil is more strong then all the wicked men in England, and yet the power which opposeth him about the soul, which he most looks at, and contends for, is too hard for him. Fearfull souls, be strong, you will see irresistable power snatch poore England, as a brand out of the fire. Power it self, as irresistable, should releive, and as it hath such a propertie, and so works, snatching creatures when almost ready to be destroyed; this should much more re­leive and raise the heart. Were we much lower then we are, yet irresistable power can put forth of a sudden, and snatch us out of the mouth of lions, and 'tis its propertie so to do. You are left now to fetch in your relief from God onely, strike in to do it, as [Page 14] you behold any propertie of any divine attribute to put forth it self. Now you heare that this is the propertie of divine power, to work irresistably,Redemptio à nihilo que dam creatio est. Means are still enough to that power which is absolute. and to work so of a sudden, to snatch out of miserie when all is ready to be swallowed up; feed your weak souls with this, and move at the throne of grace upon it, and surely you will heare of God, and England will be raised from the dust, and have beauty for ashes: Before your pots can feel the thorns he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath: And the righteous shall see this and joy, &c. Psalme 58.9.10. Both living, and in his wrath, as living as his wrath, is the originall; like that expression used of Chora and his company, who went down quick into the pit, as living as the wrath of God that took them off. There is snatching of wicked into hell, as well as snatching of believers into Heaven.

I Do approve this translation, and possibly might joyn issue with it, and do well; but give me leave rather a little to touch a more strict translation according to the originall. The word which is here translated power, is [...], which signifies licentia, a generall leave, such a kind of libertie wherein one is freed to do what he will, of one hand or the other. So the Apostle uses the word to the Corinthians: If a man eat or not eat, he offends not, onely (saith he) use not your [...], licence, in this case to offence. As this may be a genuine signification of the word, so I believe it may give here a genuine sense: Who hath delivered us à licentia tenebrarum, from the libertinisme of darknesse and blindnesse, the lawlesnesse of Gentilisme; for darknesse here notes the rude estate of the Gentiles, their rudenesse, in sa­cred letters, made them a loose lawlesse generation.

Ignorance pollutes the will.That I may have the favour to be candidly received in this reading of the text, I would note this to you to stand on, That darknesse makes loosnesse, ignorance of the word of God makes a lawlesse soul, a Gentile. Nature is powerfull as truth is wan­ting; for corruption puts no yoke upon her self, but doth what seemeth good in her own eyes, when nothing to contradict. Nature yields up all to will, soul, body, gifts, parts, and that's the God she sacrifices to of her self, and to none else when she [Page 15] hath no light; As you have yielded your members servants unto uncleannesse, and to iniquity unto iniquity, Rom. 6.19. Nature yields up to will, will yields up to iniquity, one iniqui­tie yields up to another iniquity, a lesse to a greater, and this is the progresse of fallen man, till all be yielded up to the devil, and himself to hell. Nature acknowledgeth no supreme but Iust, lust is a king of her own crowning, to this though never so base, though never so unclean, all shall serve, and to none else; As you have yielded up your members servants to uncleannesse, &c. Nature is as licentious as hell, darknesse is her supreme, and the prince and power which onely leads her.

The flesh hath reasonings, if the spirit cannot answer them,The pra­ctice, un­derstand­ing. the soul is overcome by the power of darknesse, that is, dark­nesse is put for light, bitter for sweet, and this in a way of ar­gument; for nature is loose, and yet a justifier of her self in her way, by some blind mediums or other, which is the damning power of darknesse. If we say we have no sinne, saith the Apo­stle, intimating that nature can argue for it self; the old man hath a tongue in his head, though scarce any brains or eyes, and he will speak for himself: the grave can open her mouth and speak, as rotten as 'tis; this is a voice from the dead, sinne saith 'tis no sinne; and who can stand up and say 'tis, when the soul hath no light, when there is no sunne in the heavens, but all powers of the soul in darknesse? Darknesse calls not it self so, the crow is beautifull to himself, the blackmoore fair in his own eye; sinne saith 'tis no sinne, this is [...], loosnesse,, and lawlesnesse with a witnesse, licentiousnesse protested.

Darknesse pollutes conscience, conscience erroneous:The con­science. the soul is loose indeed, the man will then kill Saints, and call them devils, the man will kill and slay whom he should not, and think he doth God good service. Conscience polluted, judge­ment is reprobate; judgement reprobate, the life is so; judge­ment misjudging, and Samsons both eyes be out, and all in thick darknesse, and how strong soever other limbs and parts be, yet you may lead the man whither you will, and set him to grind, or to what slaverie else you will, till the man hath killed himself: this is licentia insana, mad libertie, bloudy loosnesse. Corruption is infecting, and one facultie defiles another; cor­ruption [Page 16] works unto desperate lewdnesse, when conscience car­ries the man to do wickedly; this person will kill men, and kill Christ in men, Why dost thou persecute me? How long will you resist the holy Ghost.

Ignorance Satans pro­per advan­tage.Finally, darknesse is the devils element, and things are pow­erfull in their own element: Sathan can lead a world of blind souls at once whither he will: Sathan and corruption are the councel of State in dark souls, both consulting and consenting, and they discern neither; and when these two carry all, the soul is under a full power of darknesse, and a generall liberty. Sa­than hath a kingdome, and tis a kingdome of darknesse; the de­vil is in his kingdome in a dark soul, and a king in his king­dome rules all. Kings give laws in their kingdome; What Sa­tan and the flesh say, is a law to a blind soul; how loose then must the life needs be! There is a law in the members, and the execution of this law is not accounted rebellion, where the eyes be out, and the man in the dark. Dark souls are as obey­ing as the devil is commanding; he that follows the Lambe whereever he goes, is very holy; and so he that follows the wolf, the devil, whithersoever he leads, you may conclude is very unholy, very licentious, and under the power of dark­nesse.

Ʋse. To the dark Church of England I will speak a word from this point: Thy darknesse hath made loosnesse, and lawlesnesse bloudy desperate gentilisme and heathenisme; thy children are risen up against thee to kill thee, for keeping them without light. O English earth, drink not up the bloud of thy slain; take the bloud of thy body, and the bloud of thy soul, and throw it in the face of Bishops, Deans, Prebends, Parsons, Vicars, Curats, and all of that kind, which have and do keep thee in blindnesse, and taught thy children to kill Christ, and one an­other. For some years together loosnesse in tenets, loose do­ctrines and pamphlets filled the kingdome, directed against the Sabbath, and other main parts of Christs will: Prelates brains hatched nothing but toads, they crept out of their mouths all the land over, and then I did sadly foresee what all was drawing too apace; loose tenets make a loose life. When I saw mens gifts and parts under the power of darknesse, I did [Page 17] believe that their persons and fortunes would not be long be­hind; toads and serpents when they are generated must live, who ever be stung and poisoned to death. Unhappy Prelates! must England bleed and die rather then your pompe? all her bloud yet cries against this generation. Was not this the de­sire of that company of men (I would not have them now imitated by any other) to throw down light every where, and keep the kingdome in darknesse, and so in loosnesse, that every one might rise up one against another to accomplish their will, even children against father, to cut the throat of purity and Pu­ritans through the land?

To you more particularly let me speak from this point: See here the spring of your neutrality, you are dark; you can do any thing because you know nothing. Truth hath the power of God in it; your hearts bend any way, because you cannot set up God before them: Sinners, how have ye heard? and what have you learn'd? Your course speaks you loose to Christ, and to many Christians, what does it to your own consciences? Have ye light? what, and live loosely? Then you withhold the truth of God in unrighteousnesse, and you will suffer doubly, namely for the abuse of light and conscience. A Libertine a­gainst light fights desperately against conscience, or else hath kill'd it quite. God is very angry with a man that is a sinner in the day. O that thou hadst known in this thy day: sinners in the day provoke God much, and will be beaten with many stripes. The prophet Esay speaks of darkning light in the heavens thereof, Esay 5, 30. Libertines against light, darken the sunne in the heavens thereof; they can snuff out the sunne that shines in their souls, as one snuffs out a candle, they pull the sunne out of heaven, to make pleasure to themselves in the dark, and make as if they knew nothing, what they do. Your hypocrisie is reigning, and if not lookt to, twill be ruining quickly; these do not perish for want of knowledge, but for want of conscience.

WE have been at the border of hell, and now we are come to the borders of heaven: nature is as near hell, as grace is heaven. From nature to grace, and from grace to glory, is lost mans journey home again; this journey is long and mans legges weak, and not able to go it, and therefore doth God bear him from one to another, and transferre him along. Transferring notes motion from one place to another; but up­on some bodies shoulders, or in some bodies arms, by bearing. Observe the road to heaven, and you shall see none going that way, but in Christs arms; you will see the way narrow, and full of cripples, carried along from tithing to tithing, from sinne to grace, from one grace to another, till they come home to glory, which is their kingdome.

Doctr. Grace is Gods carrying the soul to Heaven. Christ carries souls in his arms unto eternall blessednesse. Fallen man can nei­ther stand nor go, his fall hath killed him, and the dead stirre not but as they are carried. When the Angel stirres the water, I have no body to put me in, said the cripple, if some bodie would take me in their arms, or take me upon their backs and carrie me in, I might come to health and happinesse. The em­blem speaks our state, we are born from a miserable condition, to a blessed; from sinfulnesse, which is soul cripplednesse, to ho­linesse, which is soul soundnesse and blessednesse. Some can pre­vail with their wounds and weare them out; but man is not so slightly wounded; nature is deeply wounded, and lies by it: The Samaritan put the wounded man upon his own beast, and brought him to an Inne, and took care of him, saith the Evange­list, Luke 10.42. We are born from wounds to health, from nature to grace; from the kingdome of Sathan, to the king­dome of Christ, by Christs own power, we are transferred in­to the kingdome.

2 Things have their nature, and the result of this, is their will; man moves not heaven-ward, nor will not; things that will not go to such a place, must be carried thither, or they will ne­ver come there. Christ puts himself to no more pains then needs [Page 19] must. They will not come to me (saith he of some, which is true of all) I must go to them and fetch them, or they will never come to me else; Christ speaks all our conditions in these words. There is not bare indisposition, but opposition resolute, and in cases of this nature, all must be carried by superiour power, or nothing is done. 'Tis a hell to man to come out of hell, and they are as devils tormenting before the time, that meddle about this matter; you chain and carry distracted creatures to means of remedie: corruption hath its destructive haunt. They are a perverse and a crooked generation, Deuteronomie 32.5. they will not go Gods way, and that they may not, they wreath up their legges like a Tortoise, contorti, so saith the originall, when a Tortoise wreaths in his legges under it, you must carrie him, if you will have him.

3 Christ saves laboriously, he makes a sea of his bloud so deep as to bear the soul, he makes arms and shoulders chariot wheels, carriages to bear a sinner heaven-ward, which is wonderfull heavy. A sinner is a heavier burthen then all the creation, he sinks all but Christ, he makes the creation grone and crack un­der him, he presses a world to nothing with his weight, and yet Christ shoulders him. The bearing up of the world, is not so much burthen, as the bearing up the soul of man, he does the one with his word, but to the doing of the other, goeth word, person, bodie, soul, arms, shoulders, heart, bloud, all; and yet Christ submits all these, and becomes a porter, a servant, a slave, and bears till his back and and heart break. Labour if honour­able, helps to bear it self, the labour it self lends one shoulders, and gives one legges; but base labour loads it self, the servility and basenesse of it is more burthen then the burthen, and pulls away all shoulders from it; who will put himself to drudgings, base service, that is of any qualitie? And yet Christ did this. Drowning waters are up in this low world, and Christ strips himself, and wades, and carries over poore souls upon his back, and weaklings in his arms, some one way, and some another, as may be best ease to them, though most pain to him.

4 Christ saves fatherly. Parents know no pains nor cost for children; knees, arms, bosome, soul, all open to bear them. Ja­cob wrapt up Joseph in his soul, and carried him up and down [Page 20] in his bosome: Christ is a father, and moves just so to his chil­dren; for every one of his children is a Joseph to him: he takes up a child when complaining like the Shunamite, and sets him in his lappe, and keeps him their till he die; all Christs children die in his arms, like the Shunamites sonne. If a child of God live an hundred years, his father never sets him down out of his arms, but carries him unto death, beyond death▪ as the Psalmist speaks. Christ wraps us up in his soul, and carries us there alwayes, he is ever mindfull of us. You have that expres­sion in the Scripture; we are but trifles and yet Christ can­not put these trifles out of his mind; he carries our souls, as he carries his own thoughts, he minds us, up and down the world, till we come home. Compassion is, when things are laid to heart, and so carried up and down; and they are choicely carried indeed, which are so carried. Compassion carries Christ and us; compassion gathers about his heart, and that gathers his children about there too, and so they are bound up together in that bundle of life, and carried through sinne and miserie, to eternall felicitie, into his kingdome.

Christ saves surely: a father bears over his children, to make sure work, that they may not fall in. Between nature and grace is a great gulf, and a remove from one to the other, is not without great danger; soul transaction from corruption to grace, is with perpetuall fierce conflict; the soul cannot put out a step for heaven, but Sathan lets fly at it, and Christ therefore is a convoy, and he transferres from sinne to grace, and from hell to heaven. As transactions of state removing this and that, have their bloudy contests: so transaction of that great State, for eternity within, pulling down and setting up, have deadly contest, and the soul will be killed in the way to heaven, if not born along. When Israel went out of Egypt, not a dog barked, but when a soul goes out of the bondage of sinne, into the libertie of Christ, many dogs and devils bark and bite: Christ therefore as he doth pull out, so he doth carry in, whom he fastens hold on he lets not go, whom he takes into his arms he keeps there, and still carries them there in all conflicts, to make sure work; all Christs children fight in his arms, if the devil can kill them there so, they all fight upon this advantage every battell; pas­sage [Page 21] to heaven is secured, the great whale that is master of the deep bellies us, and saves us from all storms, carries us, and conveyes us to our haven, the kingdome of his dear sonne.

6 Christ saves sweetly, 'tis pleasant travelling in his arms, a man may go a great way with ease upon anothers legges; the way though long and dirty goes away one knows not how, when bravely carried▪ Christ will have none destroyed nor none tired in the way to heaven. Wisdomes waves are pleasant, they go all in coaches and chariots to heaven; 'tis the honour of the way, the state of the king in his kingdome below, to be born up and down so. The king brought me into his chambers, saith the Spouse. Christs yoke is easie, easie indeed, because born upon anothers neck: you yoke creatures so that their yoke may not pinch, you use art to lessen labour, and make work no work, and pains pleasures: Christ is excellent at this art, he doth so yoke every one, that he draws with ease, he makes eve­ry ones yoke big enough to put in his own neck together with the man, and so he draws himself and the man too, and that is an easie yoke indeed, and a little burthen: as you put some­thing of weight sometimes into a childs hand, and you carry the child with that in his hand: therefore the child easily bears, because he and his burden both, are born by another.

This is substance according to shadow: this sweet way of salvation was typified, in Noah. Noah was transferred by an ark from an old world to a new, and that shadowed out sal­vation in Christ▪ and the very manner of it, Christ transferring the soul from a bad state to a good. So Israel was brought out of Egypt to Canaan, and the Scripture tells you how, just as an Eagle carries her young▪ and as a father carries his children. Have I conceived all this people, that thou shouldst say unto me, Carrie them in thy bosome, as a nursing father carries the sucking children, Numbers 11.12. God was more tender then Moses, it was tedious to him to bear so many▪ and so froward, in his bosome to Canaan; yet so did God, and so would he have had Moses done▪ and because he had not patience enough to do it, he died ere he came there; 'tis dangerous not to be compassi­onate, according to expresse command, though ones burden be never so great. God took up the burden that Moses would not, [Page 22] and he tells you how he carried them, As an Eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, and bears them upon her wings; So the Lord a­lone did bear them, and no strange God with him. Deuterono­mie 32.11, 12. God can bear much alone, and will, for a sin­ners good, and his own glory, that is, to answer types, and ful­fill truth.

Use. As Christ does bear souls to heaven, so does the devil bear souls to hell: evil spirits are very painfull too. Who bears your souls? Sathan carries by delusion, some are carried about by winds of Doctrine, the devil is in that wind; when errour rules the life, Sathan rules the heart, this soul is born in the arms of an evil spirit. 'Tis a light soul that a ly will carry, but his fall will be heavy. Whom Christ carries, truth carries; the word of God, and the Spirit of God, are the two wings upon which Christ carries souls to heaven. Upon what wings do ye flee? By these you may know who carries you, whether Christ or the devil. Christ wraps up spirits in the word, and so away with them to heaven.

2 Sathan carries by violence. The Apostle Peter tells us of some that are carried about by a tempest, Sathan certainly is in that tempest: souls born by that evil spirit, are hurried. Tem­pests are beside rule, and beside resistance; so are souls carried by Sathan; the heart hath chosen its own way, and reason must not stirre, nor divinity lesse; every thing is irksome that oppo­seth, nothing that contradicts can the man heare; this soul is in the devils chariot, tumbling to misery apace, if God stop not no man can. The Lord seldom stops souls when they run apace, till they have fallen and hurt themselves much, if not ruin'd themselves quite. Christ drives gently, he goes truths way, and truths pace: souls carried by Christ, go no faster then truth, such make a stop at every turning, and look out, they go slowly and surely. Christ kicks at wilfull spirits, but he doth not carry them; they are meek souls willing to be carried onely by Christ, whom Christ carries.

3 The devil bears to destruction, to ruine grace and the soul: he bears as he did bear Christ, to ruine all, body and soul. Souls carried by Sathan, are carried away from God to the glory of [Page 23] the world, to a god which is not God. Carrying away from God is a graduall thing, some are carried away more then o­thers, and some are carried away quite, which I will stand up­on a little. I see some carried away extremely, which makes my heart tremble to behold. Men are carried away captive, that is, when evil is committed against all means used to avoid it, and that case is afflicting, but not destroying: for 'tis the case of the best sometimes. The compasse is set to such a haven, and all mariners working that way, and by force of wind beaten aside.

As the heart stands to Christ, and truth, or not; so is the man more or lesse carried away: some plead against their own hearts, as working so, and so unruly, and side with conscience and Christians as condemning them, and wish that as they con­demne that which is naught, that so they would execute it too, and bury it quite, that like the body of Moses, neither man nor devil might find it, to make a resurrection of it again. Others plead for an evil engaged affection, against Christians, yea a­gainst conscience; and all the art lies to keep along between these two smoothly and well, that sinne and the man may en­joy themselves without being notorious both, and afraid one of another▪ or both of hell; this soul is carried very farre from God, if he see it, but if not, the man is in a desperate condition, and yet Christ can bear out of this.

Does God bear souls heaven-wards? load him, let him not want imployment, cast your burdens upon him. Casting our burdens upon God, turning off perplexing thoughts; making known requests▪ and resting upon God for answers. One com­plains of this, and another of that, but do you complain of all to Christ, that he would give you with his everlasting arms a lift? Iniquity is too heavie for the soul, and the soul is too hea­vy for it self, when it onely bears it self, and makes not to Christ to be born. Every thing cracks under the weight of sin: our very souls crack under the weight of sinne. Sinners thank your selves: Why is not Christ of more use with you? You would bear all alone, that will kill you: Christ can carry all alone, your souls and the guilt and filth that is in them, but none else; he did tread the winepresse alone. There is art in unload­ing the soul upon Christ, and it lies in this; in observing parti­cularly [Page 24] what loads the soul, and what Christ hath said particu­larly to such a case; no soul miscarries of being born to heaven that thus does.

Christians blesse-God, he takes much pains with you: receive this, and I conclude this point. Gods arms are as free for you, as yours for your children. I have often wondred at that ex­pression, They shall runne and not be weary: but now I see how it comes about, we run upon anothers legs. Christians, that you keep on the way of God so chearfully and so resolutely, a­gainst all opposition, 'tis Gods bearing of you; blesse him, you would wax weary and with-draw, to the perdition of your souls else. Perseverance in grace is a great deal of pains to Christ, though it be little to us. When you carry children long in your arms, over this stile and over that, do not your arms ake? Then think of Christ, what bearing your souls and your sinnes is, and whether it be worth thanks. Let him have the burden for the bearing, and if it were all gold: You pay port­ers for carrying this and that, pay Christ well, let him have your souls for the carriage of them.

CHrist hath double honour from above, externall and inter­nall, the hand of God, and the heart of God, and both here one after another to be spoken of: Preferment, and this as a great favourite: A Kingdome, and this because dear, a sonne of love. Into the kingdome of his dear Sonne, or Son of his love.

There is a generall misjudgment of Christ: We judged him forsaken of God. The Jews generally judge meanly of Christ, and so do we Gentiles; but all without warrant, for God doth not so: Christ is high in Gods esteem▪ and hath honour suitable, A kingdome here, besides a kingdome to come.

1 I will make demonstration to you of Christs kingdome here, and by such things as are in the kingdomes of men. The lambe hath a throne, mercy and justice working in power here. God sits upon the throne of his holinesse, Psal. 47.8. Holinesse here speaks mercy and justice, and the demonstration of these is Christs throne, that upon which he sits▪ Christ hath no other seat nor abiding in this world, but as a dispenser of mercy and [Page 25] justice, God sits upon the throne of his holinesse. Man can sit down upon things without himself, but God cannot, his own holinesse is his throne, the whole world will afford him no rest, nor no seat to stay a moment upon, but onely what himself doth in it. Some are condemned already, and by that rule some are saved already; some broken in heart, and some hardened in heart, and all these speak out Christs throne here, in the power that doth these, sits Christ; he sits upon the throne of his holi­nesse. Kingdomes have thrones, thrones of judicature, and so hath Christ: He that rejecteth my words, hath one that judgeth him, saith Christ. All move as if there did none sit and judge, but 'tis the misjudgment of the world; for there is a throne ere­cted here below, and not an action done, not a word, nor a thought, but he that sits on the throne judges, he hath one that judges him. Christs throne is invisible, but not a fancie; and to many insensible, but 'twill be the more terrible. What is done in the flesh is judged there, and what is done in the spirit is judged there; within and without you have one that judgeth you: senses cannot reach this, and pride will not; but yet this pulleth not down Christs throne, the work goeth on, the judi­cature of a kingdome; these Colossians found it, they were self-condemned by truth, and carried out of themselves to Christ: Who hath brought us into the kingdome of his dear sonne.

2 Kingdomes have throns of Judicature, and thrones of State: the Lambe hath a seat of glory in this world. Do not abhorre us for thy name sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: Remember thou break not covenant with us, Jeremy 14.21. Dispensation of Justice and Truth is Christs throne of Judica­ture; and so dispensation of Mercy and Truth is his throne of glory; by this he sits and abides very glorious, in the midst of the Christian world, as by the other he sits very terrible in the midst of the wicked.

Mercy is the most glorious thing that miserable man be­holds: the least mercy gives Christ a seat of glory in the world; every flower in the field, every starre in the heavens, every grace in your hearts, speaks out Christs glorious seat here; name a mercy in the world, and there sits Christ in glory: under this notion is that expression, Heaven and Earth are full of thy [Page 26] glory. Solomons throne had steps to it, one higher then an­other.

Mercy is dispensed by degrees here higher and higher, and the highest are those which reach the heart and make that glo­rious, and there is Christs highest seat of glorie in this world. I may make an externall demonstration of this: such parts of the creation as in which God most manifests himself for the or­dering of all, that is by way of eminence called his throne. His throne is in the Heavens, saith the Psalmist, which is not spoken exclusively, as if God had his seat no where else, but compara­tively, that is, no where so eminently as in that part of the cre­ation, that orders all the rest. As the most noble part of the great world is Gods prime seat, so the most noble part of the little world is his prime throne; his throne is in the heart, in that totum gubernans. Thrones are erected in chief places; more of Gods state and glory is to be seen in one soul▪ then in all the creation: a spirit speaks what God is, and makes at the very esse of God as it were, whereas all other things speak but what God doth, and so make but at his back parts. Where you can find God most according to what he is in himself, and ac­cording to what similitude he makes to himself by operation, there is his seat of glory: he seated himself in the hearts of these Colossians, and shewed himself as a God making covenant, which is more then remembring covenant, as the Prophet be­fore speaks, and therefore by so much the more fitly may be called, the throne of his glory.

Majestie.Kingdomes have majestie: a kingdome is the union of many, to hold forth greatnesse and dread to its own safety. Solomon had Lions about his throne to set forth the Majesty of it, to make transaction between that and all other people with awe. Christ manageth his way in this world with majesty, Heaven and earth tremble at his presence; he utters his voice to the great world and the rocks rend: thunder is the voyce of God to the great world, and with what majesty doth he expresse himself to all creatures below in that voyce. As there are thunderings without, so there be thunderings within; in great majesty doth Christ speak to the soul sometimes, ask your consciences else: ask Felix, the Goaler, and Cain else, yea ask your father Adam [Page 27] else: what a case were all these in, when Christ did but reason with them! Yea, I ask you (hypocrites if any here) is not the way of Christ full of majesty? What means those loads that gather about your hearts, and that fearfulnesse which sur­priseth you else? Thou dost but touch the mountains and they smoke, saith the Psalmist, God doth but now and then give a touch within, and the ruddie merry face pales, and sadens pre­sently: he doth but whisper within, and spirits flie up into the head, into the face, and about every where, and the heart with­in beats for want of them, ready to swoune away. Twenty years time not enough to heal the wound of a word of Gods mouth, O the majesty of that word! Gods word is a sword, hath not a sword dread, especially when ranted against the breast? ask wounded spirits whether Gods words be not full of majesty. Look upon the whole creation, upon the earth, upon the sea, upon the heavens, do they not all speak the majesty of Christ? God is mightier then the noise of many waters, yea then the mighty waves of the sea, saith the Psalmist: tossings, rollings and roarings of the sea, do they not speak loudly the majesty of Christ? But ah sinner! the tossings, rollings and roarings of a troubled soul, speak the majesty of Christs words much more. Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we per­swade men. Know ye the terrour of the Lord? the majesty of God as manifested by his Word and Spirit? Paul did, Job did, the dread of God fell upon him, these Colossians did, and were brought out of it into the kingdome of a dear Sonne, a Sonne of love.

Kingdomes have supremacy: one in chief,Suprema­cy. and over all such as are Monarchically governed, and so is the kingdome of Christ. Christ moves, as by a majesticall, so by a superiour power to all, and this is basis majestatis. Christ is a great King over all, as the Psalmist titles him; he moves here below by a power above men, above the greatest of men, above Kings, and there­fore called the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; he moves by a power above Angels good and bad; his throne is above thrones, dominions, principalities, that is, those spirituall prin­cipalities which by Angels are expended; he rules, yea he cap­tivates all, which is more. Every knee bow to him of things [Page 28] in Heaven, of things in earth, and of things under earth, men and Angels, good and bad. The Sunne is supream and swayes all virtues of the Heavens and earth: Christs dominion is from the sea to the worlds end, there is not a power from one end of the world to the other, but 'tis under Christ. The first Adam was over all and so is the second, his motion yet but darkly speaks this, but 'twill every day now more then other; the kingdomes of the world will become the kingdomes of Christ; what he yet darkly over rules, he will take visibly into his hands, and the kingdomes shall become one▪ and under one: Israel had one Lord; the Lord thy God is one [Lord. Distance of place destroyes not the Supremacy of Christs Kingdome, nor the Monarchicall government of it, which will be plain by this demonstration. Talk with Christians here and talk with Chri­stians in the furthest part of the world, and you shall find con­sent of divine motion within and without amongst them all, which speaks them all under one supremacy, all subjects of one kingdome, though so farre distant: they grone under sinne as you do, and extoll Christ as you do; face answereth to face, and yet these faces never saw one another: pulse beat, and spirits work alike, the state is the same, the bloud is the same, though it run in various veins, and some to the extreme parts of the earthen fabrick. As things are in their native power Christ is above them, and supream; and as things aspire and exalt them­selves, and pretend to something above their native state; as things strut themselves, and stand a tiptoe, so Christ also is a­bove them. Low things will stretch and lift up themselves to o­ver-top, and this may do something amongst men, but 'twill not with God; In that wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them, said Jethro of Pharaoh and his company.

Order, or laws.A kingdome hath a scepter: Kingdomes are not many to­gether like heaps of stones, confused, and any one upmost, but many together by rule, and this holds altogether to the weal of each. Bonds knit many together, every man loose and to his will, and then many kings but no kingdome; every man to his will, and publick weal makes her will too and dies. Bread is the life of particulars, and law is the life of generalls; bread is the life of persons, and law is the life of kingdomes; these are they [Page 29] that render one to another, as Joseph to his brethren, nourish­ers: I will nourish you, saith he to his brethren, fear not, &c. Christ hath a scepter, he rules not by tyranny but by law, which law of his kingdome you have written, as the Jews had the laws of their kingdome; and not an action of God about the creature, but is in reference to the written law; all motion of Christ is ac­cording to truth. Christ doth not his own private will, but a joynt will consented to by each person, and published, which is the meaning of that expression, I came not to do mine own will, but the will of my Father. He came to fulfill one volume, another volume is written, and he will come and fulfill that too, and then 'twill be well with us. Christ moves so exactly by the word, that this and not he shall judge men at the last day. Rule makes actions justice or not justice; where there is no law, there is no transgression. The shining justice of all Christs actions, shall silence every guilty soul at the last day. Christs course was nothing else, but a fulfilling what was written; his sayings seemed hard, and yet he spake but the written word: Justice is in the worst word or work you wrangle at: his scepter is a right scepter, a scepter of righteousnesse; his carriage is but the writ­ten word organiz'd, and made to speak to you still as you are; the word made flesh, and wrapt up in a mouth of flesh like your own, and made to talk to you, and to tell you your own, which is the scepter of Christs kingdome. The summe of all is this, Christ doth manage a publick state here, a kingdome, that is, he puts forth a power to the subduing and ordering of many, to their felicity and his own glory, and to the destruction of all that oppose these two.

Ʋse. A kingdome speaks subjection of multitudes, the ordering of many to the felicitie of all, and to the glory of one, as head of all. What power Christ manages in the world, that look after in your selves: Untaimed creatures! what do you think of your selves? truth is of little power to subdue sinne, and order the heart, and yet men think they are brought into the kingdome of Christ. You can talk, but the kingdome of God is not in word, but in power, that is, subjection to truth▪ speaks domini­on. What hath conquered your souls? Christs kingdome is ob­tained by conquest: did sinne and your souls ever fight? 'tis a [Page 30] time of warre, how many battells have Sathan and your souls fought? you glory to be quiet men, and Sathan likes it well, he is as unwilling to be troubled as you. Many sinners scarce ever gave their sinfull hearts a check, and yet cannot but judge well of their condition, they so sinfully dote upon themselves, nor can they judge well of any else, that think not of them as they do.

Sathan and I have fought many a time saith one, we have had many a hot bout together; and who is overcome? Sathan or thy soul? Sathan is expert at his weapons, able well to de­fend himself, he is not conquered presently; he hath strong holds, and a strong art to hold them, Know ye his wiles, igno­rant souls? you think you fight with the devil, when you set Sathan to cast out Sathan, one lust to crosse another. Some men can distinguish between humour and reason, and can set reason to fight against humour, and both to fight against Christ. Doth truth carry you against humour and reason both, against all that opposeth? This speaks the dominion of Christ. I con­sulted not with flesh and bloud, saith the Apostle; he doth not say I consulted not with Sathan and sinne: flesh and bloud speaks reason, and yet when this opposeth Christ, a soul under his do­minion waves it.

DiscretionSome are not farre from the kingdome of God, as Christ speaks, and yet never come there. 'Tis an observable expression, that of Christ to the scribe, When Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, saith the text, he said unto him, thou art not farre from the kingdome of God, Mark 12.34. Reason seasonably and forcibly acted is discretion: discretion is a course divinity, and it consists in squaring action to externall applause; and men that can reach this height usually stick there, which is dead­ly, and so I fear did that scribe; 'twas enough that he had so spoken, as to winne applause, for I heare no more of him in that story. Londoners, most of you have knowledge enough, and many of you can manage it to great applause; you are not farre from the kingdome of God, and yet rest here, and you will ne­ver come there. I love discretion dearly, and yet I have obser­ved many discreet men, the most bitter enemies to the power of godlinesse; they can honour nothing above their own sphere: [Page 31] holy zeal is wild-fire with them; their own pace after Christ fast enough, and this oft times looseth Christ, soul and all. Dis­cretion is good at measuring virtue, but bad at measuring grace, 'twill give much to Christ but not all, it lacks still one thing, as Christ said to the young man, and commonly that one thing is something which carries the heart with it, which is all: the do­minion of Christ is not in that soul. Men merely discreet, are not yet brought into the kingdome of Christ.

Some go beyond discretion, and make flanting profession,Profession. and yet prove not well. There be children of the kingdome, and yet not in the kingdome, children of the kingdome shut out, children of one kingdome shut out from another. Christs kingdome hath some externalitie, many called and no more, few chosen: such as stand within the externall call of the Go­spel, and make as if they did heare; boast of the Temple and the name of the Lord, and depart not from iniquitie, these are children of the kingdome, and yet children of that wicked one. Londoners, look to your selves, you are children of the king­dome, Christ calls to you, all is glorious, and you all seem glori­ously to hearken to it, but I observe some of your wayes, and there I see you wipe off all your paint, and your life speaks your souls dead, and many friends about you mourn for the dead. I see their tears in bibles, every Lords day. Sir pray for my fa­ther, pray for my master, they talk and make a shew but have nothing in them, they have a name that they live, but are dead; O Sir, pray that they may not be twise dead and plucked up by the roots. Persons about you, they see the unsoundnesse of your profession, and you see nothing. Hypocrisie is a secret but a ve­ry mortall evil, it lives and thrives under all contrary forms. Children of the kingdome, look about you, and I have done.

If you receive not the kingdome of God, as a little child, you cannot enter into it. Little infants, parents may carry them where they will: Truth must carry you whither it will, if you fight against it you cannot kill it, but you will kill your souls. Rebellious strugglings are soul-stabbings; carry things by force against all divine resistance, and you run head-long to Hell. Out of self is the way into the kingdome of Christ: pleasure must be nothing, parts nothing; nothingnesse is the way to all. [Page 32] Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome we speak of. Lay your spirits naked before Christ, and let him further strip them as he will, and then cloath them, and order them as he will, and this is the way to a kingdome: it is some­thing painfull to get into Christs kingdome, but when you are once into it, you would not be out of it again for all the world.

CHrists honour and thy foundation of it, are the two things which take up this latter clause: his honour is great, to wit; a kingdome, the rule of all: his favour is great, and this raisd him so high, he is a dear sonne, a sonne of love, saith the origi­nall. [...]. The father loveth the sonne, and gave all things into his hand, Joh. 2.35. and Joh. 5.20. The father loveth the sonne, and sheweth him all things that himself doth, &c. Love gives forth preferment to all Gods children, not any sonne but riseth this way; not any adopted sonne, no not the naturall sonne; he hath a kingdome because a sonne of love.

1 Love is the common doore by which all favours go forth to all children: some children are higher then others in dignity, but none by their wits, or any thing else, but all from love. Wits make their way too much with men, and 'tis all the friends which some have to rise by, but they procure no preferment with God; if not beloved, let a man be as crafty as the devil, he will never be rais'd by God. God flatters none; whom he cannot love he tells them so in all he doth; every thing works to throw them down, not to raise them up, as every thing tends to the ad­vancement of them that are beloved. We do make distinction of talents, some bigger some lesser; but love hands them out all to children; God gives to all his children with his own hand, adopted sonnes, and the naturall sonne have a kingdome; as dear children, as sonnes of love.

2 God gives orderly; his heart first, and then his hand: persons are indeared, and then have all, countrey, city, the whole king­dome. Isaac could not blesse at a distance, Come near my sonne, &c. God doth not cast great blessings he knows not upon whom, he takes persons very near him, relates them, and indears them, and then advanceth them. The Lord did not set his love [Page 33] upon you, and choose you, because ye are more in number, &c. Gods order in advancing is here set forth; he first setteth his love upon persons, and then chooseth them forth for advance­ment according to that love; The Lord did not set his love upon you, and choose you, &c. Love singles out persons, and then sin­gles out preferments suitably, she culls out and then crowns; so naturall and so adopted sonnes rise to the kingdome. There are kings in wrath in a temporall sense, but none so in a spirituall: all spirituall kings are kings in love, and from love set up, and kept up. Kings of a little spot of earth, and the king of all the earth, all one in the originall of their preferment, all children of love, therefore children of honour and greatnesse, and carry a­way all from all the world beside. The heart of God is the foot-stool up to the throne for all.

3 God gives purely: nothing without him ingages him to any, no not to the naturall sonne, You are given unto, and therefore give, but God gives so to none: Who hath given unto him first? did the naturall sonne? or do the adopted sonnes? All his chil­dren have what they have, because beloved; love onely is the wombe that brought forth sonnes, and a kingdome for them. Designe makes you stir, but God cannot be more happy then he is, the advancing of love is all his designe in all he raises; he makes persons great to make great his love, no sonne should have had a kingdome, neither adopted sonne nor naturall sonne, had it not been to make great his love. Love is the efficient and finall cause of all Gods actions towards all his children; the naturall sonne and the adopted sonne are made great of love and for love; set up by love, that love may be set up by them, and for no other designe.

Gods gives solacingly: that is, so as to delight himself in what he gives, so as to delight the giver as well as those that are given to: all given in love makes a heaven to God and to man, to the giver, and to the receiver. The motion of father and children each to other, is by the same spirit: children move towards their father in love; and that's the heaven of their way; the ad­vancement and kingdome which they give God in their hearts is in love. Father moves to all his children in love, and that's the heaven of his way: the fruit of the spirit is love, so the reward [Page 34] of the spirit is love; the one speaketh that which we give to God, and that is love; and the other speaketh that which God gives to us, and that is love: Gods way within and without to all his, is in a rapture, he makes a heaven to himself in making one for us. All motions between father and children make love-meetings; we obey him in love, and he crowns us in love; adopt­ed sonnes and the naturall sonne, all Gods children move in love to their father, and their father meets them in love, and imbra­ceth them; so did Christ advance his father, and so did his fa­ther advance him as a dear sonne.

Ʋse. You see Gods generall way of raising persons, he first loves and then advances, not a person in the world doth God preferre out of this method. Many men have a mind too much to a hea­ven here and hereafter, but no mind to look after the love of God; wrath secretly consumes these, in their blind strugglings to be happy. Is hatred or love fastened upon you? so will you rise or fall, struggle and strive, and do what you can. Is despised Christ a sonne of God, a sonne of love? If he be of that seed he will rise, and will flourish into a kingdome, notwithstanding all the devils in hell oppose. Is Mordecai of the beloved seed? then he will rise, let Haman struggle his heart out. Is Haman an Agagite, of the cursed Amalekites? then he will fall, and all the favour in the world cannot keep him up.

I am grieved to see what preposterous wayes men take for preferment, the love of this man, and that man is made out af­ter, and not the love of God, as the onely medium to rise by. I view the wayes of men, and sigh in secret; I see one man make a god of another to get up, and he that is indeed God, and the onely giver of honour and worth neglected. Men move accor­ding to their principles, sense undoes all; greatnesse is neither from East nor West, advancement is by a very invisible hand, and you onely catch hold of hands which you see, to lift you up to a kingdome, to such a great felicitie which you aim at. How low do most men move to be high! The soul is enslaved which makes humane industry, all his endeavour to be blessed. The countenance of God sets up, or throws down man: if all the world did love you, could they make you blessed? could they raise your eternall estate? Deluded sycophants! men may give [Page 35] you fields and vineyards; but can they give you a kingdome, an everlasting kingdome? and yet so doth God to his favourites, to adopted sonnes, and to the naturall sonne.

Know your errour, 'tis ruining, you that look onely after the love of men to rise, which make so much of the love of man, and so little of the love of God. Both may be pursued, but subordinately and candidly, otherwise a man makes flesh his arm, and himself liable to the curse of such a condition. A great many men love me, but what will this do me good when I die, if this be all the favour I have? Can mens shoulders carry me to the kingdome of heaven? Will the vapours of many mens mouthes make silver wings to carry my soul to heaven? What will conscience cry out for, think you, when that pale messenger comes to call you hence? Ah my soul! thou art now to leave every body indeed, thy very own body in which thou hast lived so long: Doth God love thee? conscience will ask this questi­on again and again▪ O soul, soul. thou art to be gone out of the body presently, doth God love thee? dear soul, art thou dear to God? One spirit is going to another, two spirits must reason together about all things done in the flesh, and standers by may not plead a jot, onely what is in the breast of God to plead for thee, or against thee. Sinners, what is in the breast of a God towards you? love or hatred? So will be your great happinesse, or your great misery, in this world and that to come.

Love speaks it self, and so hatred speaks it self: by Gods deal­ing with you, you may know whether he loves or hates you. God is dear to them which are dear to him, relations are indear­ing on both sides: God loves all his children dearly, and they love him dearly. Christ was dear to his father, and his father dear to him; he would rather die then disobey his will. The spirit of the naturall sonne, is in all the adopted: if God be your father, where is his honour? Death is easier then disobedi­ence, to a child of God. Relations have their proper nature, they that are begotten love him that begat; God hath no unna­turall child. Some of you stand upon your sonne-ship, and yet transgresse the will of your father with ease: is he indeed your father which you call so, and use so? Are relations, the highest relations without bowels? can you use your father at your plea­sure? [Page 36] Do you love God, and fight against him, against his spi­rit within, and against his truth and people without? Our war in England certainly discovers a great many dear children of the devil, as well as a great many dear children of God. 'Tis a time of great thoughts of heart, a time of great-stirring, and 'tis a brave time to know your hearts, and who is in them; whe­ther God or the devil; when humours stirre much, 'tis the onely time to know the state of the man, and what is his distemper. God lives in every heart he loves, and stirres as he lives: how divine are the strings of your hearts now? how generally di­vine? how strongly divine? There are not two better things to demonstrate any ones estate; not any love speaks the love of a father. Christ looked upon the young man, and loved him; but 'twas not with any indearing love: so not any love speaks the love of a child, but that love which takes up the heart, and in­dears God there: How precious are thy commandments; my soul loves them, saith the Psalmist: and so elsewhere, My soul thirsteth after thee▪ Psal. 143.3. Weak souls should warm and comfort themselves in that flame they feel in their souls towards Christ and his wayes.

I am to be generall in consolation to all Gods people, from this point: think how you are to God, very dear, and refresh your souls with it in all sad conditions. Misery sinks us because we think every humane distresse speaks divine displeasure, or at least an abatement of love. Afflicted Christians! adde not to your load, God is never out with them he loves; all misery speaks not divine displeasure. Misery speaks divine displeasure onely, when it makes the soul wicked, more adherent to sinne, and lesse to Christ and Christians. Some mens bitters from God, make them bitter and sowre to good; I like not that state: God would make a bastard a sonne, and he will not be correct­ed. Miseries which make you groan under sinne, and groan af­ter Christ, speak you very dear children to God, how heavie so­ever they be, and you should account such bitters sweets. Let such mourners chear themselves, God is very mindfull of your condition.

As things are dear to us, so we think of them: Is Ephraim my dear sonne? is he a pleasant child? Since I spake against [Page 37] him, I do earnestly remember him still. Thy folly may be spoken against▪ and yet thy person very dear, and thy distresses compassionately carried in mind, when thou thinkest all are slighted. Christ strikes with one hand, and strokes with the o­ther, 'tis his usuall carriage to children. Speak against them be­fore men, and speaks for them at the same time before God his Father: Since I spake against him, I remember him still, I do earnestly remember him as yet; recordando recordabor ejus ad­huc, as they read the text, which is very lively. When misery is upon a child of God, he thinks then he is forgotten, and then he is most remembred, then 'tis not recordabor ejus, I will re­member him, but 'tis recordando recordabor, I will certainly re­member him, or I will earnestly remember him; now in that ve­ry time that I have spoken against Ephraim a dear sonne, not­withstanding all that I have laid upon him, I do as yet earnest­ly mind him: as divine love is towards us, so it works; if it be strong towards a person, it is very earnestly intent about him for good. Dear hearts in affliction! believe that God remembers you, and that he remembers you earnestly, your deliverance is shaping day and night, and thoughts shall never lie still till it be finished, and you confesse what a deal of love is set upon you.

Dear children, your blessednesse is above all mens here, let times and fortunes favour persons as they will, troubles may be great, but yet your mercy will be certain; many may sink under them, but surely you will not, if the mercy of a God be enough to keep your head above water. Others have nothing sure, you have all sure, the mercy of God sure, in which is all. If Ephraim be a dear sonne, then my bowels are troubled for him▪ and I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. Dear children of God, rejoyce in these sad times, your blessednesse hath as sure a foundation as truth it self, if God can insure any thing, you will never miscarry. Your blessednesse will be certain, let times and states turn and overturn as they will; yea, your mercies will be great. What God is in heart to any, he is in hand; where he loves much, he gives and forgives much. Dear chil­dren of God, I cannot tell exactly how great you will be, you will all have a kingdome, let this kingdome stand or fall; the [Page 38] naturall sonne and the adopted sonnes have all kingdomes, and the one doth not envie the other, but joyes in it; the naturall sonne is still moving and mediating that this wretched world may have as full a demonstration of this as can be; that the na­turall sonne, and the adopted sonnes may be loved with the same love, and honoured with the same honour, is one passage of Christs prayer, and dear children read it often. I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me▪ John 17.23. Your mercies will carry correspondency with Christ, and can you tell what felicity the sonne hath in the father? And if you can, such a felicity will you have in the sonne: I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. Dear sonnes of God, tell the world your greatnesse in your meannesse, that you are beloved as Christ, and shall be as happy as he, let men and devils do their worst. We are ready to impart to you our own souls, because you are dear unto us, 1. Thess. 2.8. God is ready to impart his own soul to you, because you are dear, the greatest things are given to the dearest souls.

JUstification hath here a double expression, proper, and bor­rowed, and so 'tis called redemption: proper, and so 'tis called forgivenesse of sinnes. The cause of justification hath here like­wise a double expression, remote and proximate. Remote Christ, noted in these words, in whom, &c. Proximate, his bloud, which is not put abstractively, but concretly or compre­hensively. In whom we have redemption through his bloud &c.

1 Justification, according to its double expression, I purpose to prosecute, and in that order, which here by the holy Ghost laid down, beginning first with its borrowed expression, Redempti­on, In whom we have redemption, &c. Redemption notes four things, a person in bondage, a prise paid a release, and a free state; all which it may be I may little open to you. Redempti­on notes bondage a destressed state, and such a distressed state, to wit, one thing under the burthensome and destructive power of another; so was Israel under Pharaoh. Egypt was a house [Page 39] of bondage, many together under a burdensome destructive power; and it was to preach their spirituall condition; and their stubbornnesse occasioned that strong way of instruction. God made a fescue of the body, to point to the soul: fallen man is a soul slave, under the burdensome destructive power of sinne, and wrath; lust carries him captive to sinne, sinne carries him cap­tive to wrath, and wrath carries him captive to hell, which is the great house of bondage for eternitie; where many are toge­ther, under a tormenting destructive power as long as God is. Prisons have various rooms; but some more sad then others, much lower and darker then others; hell is the dungeon of the house of bondage which fallen man is in; all the rooms are un­der the same roof, under the same power and wrath, and doores out of one into another, and but a wall between room and room, but a wall between a man in sinne, and a man in hell: this is a sad condition, yet universall, not a child of Adam free born. Jews and Gentiles, all are under sinne, so many men, and so men slaves, [I am carnall] and sold under sinne, saith the Apostle. As a slave is sold from one bondage to another, so one sinne sells my soul to another, and all sinne sells me to the displeasure of God: me thinks this is the Apostles fancie of the thing I am upon. Not a man but in miserie, and not a mise­rie but in sinne; sinne is the great house of bondage here, in which we are all, in which you are, and I am. I am carnall and sold under sinne, and so are you, and this is the case of all na­turally, which is intimated in the text. In whom we have re­demption; the Apostle puts in himself and those to whom he wrote.

Fallen man is under the power of sinne, and under the power of wrath; sinne can do what it will with the soul, and so can justice with soul and bodie, and yet be just. Sinne is Gods ene­mie, and hath made God mans enemie, man is under the pow­er of the greatest adversarie in the world; a punishing power is fallen mans keeper, and it follows him whithersoever he goes: some dead have a waking ghost, to tell under whose custody they are; as after a man is brought home to God and good­nesse, mercy follows the man to the end of his dayes whereever he goes, and the man under the custody of love, and of a friend [Page 40] for ever: so before brought home to God, man is a prisoner to wrath, and under the custody of a ruining power, and this fol­lows him up and down the world to the end of his dayes, They shall follow close after thee, Jer. 42.16. Or cleave after you. saith God, speaking of sword and famine. Wrath is ordered to follow close after sinners, as its prisoners, lest they should escape away before satisfaction be made. This as the other I spake of ere while, is a generall con­dition; as all are under the power of sinne, so are all under the power of wrath, and not a man but a captive to divine displea­sure naturally; ceased upon by justice, and under custody for hell, if no redemption come. The house of bondage hath three rooms, sinne, wrath, and destruction, and they all lie one with­in another. There is a bondage of sinne, and a bondage of wrath, and a bondage of corruption, as the Apostle calls the languishing state of the whole creation, and all these mutually depending, and a common condition; the earth perishing eve­ry creature upon the earth perishing, man the noblest creature, under the bondage of sinne, wrath, and destruction, and all hinted here in these words, we have redemption, that is, from sinne, wrath, and the fruits of it.

2 Redemption notes satisfaction, power holding and loosing it self, as having found a ransome. Redemption is no free thing simply, though so in order to us; what is free to us, is not to Christ, satisfaction is made to justice, and so the prisoner set free, We are bought with a prise. Power commanding, proposeth its will, will proposeth its justice, justice proposeth its violation to the delinquent, and demands it recompence according to this: violation of truth, of the least truth, is the death of Gods will, and so the death of himself; the death of one thing, in ju­stice calls for the death of another, and without delay will have it. In the day thou eatest thou shalt die. The death of God, is more then the death of all the men in the world, and therefore justice demands more for satisfaction, then mere man-dying, for if man-dying would make God satisfaction, then when all men are dead, justice would be satisfied, and so the drowning of the whole world, would have been its ransome, and the burning of this world its redemption; whereas it is but the breaking forth of justice unsatisfied, and laying up the [Page 41] debters which are many in a sure prison: the death of God is un­valuable with us, and calls in justice for more then the death of mere man, and therefore God-man dies to redeem. And [for this cause he is the mediatour] of the new testament; that by means of death, for the redemptions of the transgressions, that were under the first testament, &c. Hebr. 6.15. Legall re­demptions had this law, to propose worth, to worth, and so to make satisfaction as exact as might be (E. G.) an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and bloud for bloud, and the most precious bloud for the most precious bloud, the bloud of a man for the bloud of a man, and without bloud, yea without san­guine tali such bloud, their was no redemption, no redemption in a humane sence, because no satisfaction, and that pointed to this in my text, which is exactly noted, redemption through his bloud.

3 Redemption notes discharge, actuall and full discharge. Death paid, bonds are cancelled, nothing in will, and if their were, yet nothing in power to prosecute further; justice satisfi­ed, nothing is charged, nothing in the will nor power of any; no not in the will nor power of God to charge man. Who shall lay any thing to their charge? If ye say God, he justifies, be­cause satisfied, and can do no otherwise, 'tis the Apostles strength of reasoning. Redemption takes off obligation to justice, though not obligation to mercy. We are not under the law, but under grace. The law can charge no guilt upon a believer, because grace hath satisfied: the law can charge no guilt, but grace can charge duty, that is, what soever the royall law, and what soe­ver the whole will of God requires, that grace which hath died obliges to. We are under grace, that is, under all the commands of it, to fulfill all that righteousnesse, as farre forth as we can, which grace hath fulfilled exactly; we are under grace imme­diately, and under the law mediately, as love to Christ sets the soul to the fulfilling of the whole will of God▪ quantum in se est. Redemption notes release from guilt, and from rigour; sinne doth not dame, nor duty doth not discourage, precepts bind graciously, to the utmost of what imperfect man is able, and not to the utmost of what a perfect rule may require. Re­demption is from a yoke of bondage, and not from all yokes: [Page 42] from a yoke of bondage to an easie yoke, and a light burthen; from legall bondage, to Gospel bondage, which is perfect li­bertie: which is a law as James calls it, but yet a perfect law of liberty. Redemption is from all sinne, but from no service, which the Gospel calls for.

Gospel release is likewise double, in heaven or in earth, their is a loosing in heaven, and a loosing in earth, a discharge in the person of Christ, and a discharge in our own person, a generall discharge in a generall person, and a particular discharge made out by that generall person, to every particular. There is peace in Jesus Christ, and preaching of peace by Jesus Christ, deliverance made for captives, and deliverance preached to captives, a ministeriall discharge. Divine discharge hath a double administration, one above, and another below: heaven is made to speak and explain her self out of earth, and to tell to whom it belongs, and then the redeemed can say, that his redeemer lives; and this is Gods bearing record in earth. Much love breaking forth in earthen ordinances, and running out of earthen vessells, to the sensible apprehension of the belo­ved; a voice from heaven in earth; in a frail corrupt state, a distinct artificiall voice, Thou art all fair; and yet understood by none but the party to whom 'tis spoken; a white stone with a name fairly ingraven in it, and yet none can see it or reade it, but he that receives it. Our discharge in heaven, in what state and glory 'tis, is peculiar to those agents, 'tween whom things first passe, and without hint, I think to us here. Our discharge here, in what state and glory 'tis carried, within in the soul, ask not me, but ask your own souls, for 'tis honour peculiar and private, to every redeemed soul, and carried with more state or lesse, according to the pleasure of God. The summe of all is this, Redemption is a sinner discharged by the death of Christ from the power of sinne and wrath.

Use. Is this condition yours? My question is generall, are you bond or free? Bodily bondage is very discernable, but soul-bon­dage is very indiscernable: We are Abrahams children, and never were in bondage to any, said the Jews; and yet were never out of bondage to the devil. Senses pleased, conscience asleep, the man blesses himself in his condition, as the freest man in the [Page 43] world; he hath what he will, he can do what he will, and none within cry out of him; he can eat what he will, and drink what he will, and nothing tumbles nor wambles in his stomach in the afternoon; troubled with no bitter regurgitations from con­science, and what freer condition then this in supposition, and yet what condition more desperate slavery then this? If these men be free. they are free among the dead, and therefore if you have any life, look about you. Soul-powers are dead, and there­fore is the soul so free to do what it lists; without controll. Loose souls, you are no free-men, but dead men, and all friends are dead that should look to you; understanding is dead, affe­ction dead, conscience dead, and therefore are you so lively in sinne, so free to do what you list. The soul dead in sinne, wrath tolls and rings out; but the dead heare nothing. The dead are buried out of Gods sight, ere they are aware; hell is the grave of a dead soul, which is farthest out of Gods sight of any place; and that is the Golgotha for souls, the place of spirituall skulls, where the skulls of the inward man lie. Prepare mourning, you that have dead in your houses and hearts, for the dead will be buried quickly and strangely, hell opens of a sudden, and takes in her dead, which is a strange grave and buriall.

Bodily bondage is exactly looked after, but soul-bondage not; parts are imployed much without, but little within, and this fault is very common and very crying. I am afraid there is many amongst you, that do not know what spirituall bondage is, and yet it speaks out it self. There is a spirit of bondage, and a state of bondage, the one is terrible, the other is damna­ble, I will touch them each a little▪ that you may truly know your state and remedy. A spirit of bondage is a frequent ap­plication of the displeasure of God, without just ground. Wrath is many mens due, but they which should apply it to themselves do not, and they which should not, do; and the de­vil is in both, to destroy all if it were possible. Men which love their sinnes, and are loth to leave them, make application of no­thing but mercy and these choak themselves with sweet meats, and surfet of childrens bread; men which are weary of their sinnes▪ and would gladly leave them, make application of no­thing bur justice, and this is deadly too, if God did not pitty it, [Page 44] and cure it. Application of God is mans prerogative alone, to restore his happinesse, but it is rarely used rightly to this end; it makes bondage still, and not redemption from it, when not grounded truly upon the word. False application is still from false principles, with a diabolicall power concurring. A man not well enlightened thinks his life must be perfect, ere his soul must apply Christ; but the one cannot be, and the want of the other keeps the soul in bondage, in hell here. Sinne felt and loathed, Christ prized and yet unapplyed, is a spirit of bondage: fear eats out this poore soul, and if there were no dreadfull do­ings in the land, yet this soul would still be at his wits end, be­cause like Rachel, a refuser of his own mercy: This is a house of bondage for a time.

We have told you of a spirit of bondage, and now we are to tell you of a state of bondage, and this the Apostle very ex­actly sets forth, 2, Pet. 2.19, Whilest they promised them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. Mans will proposed as a rule, and all voluntarily and violently serving this, is a state of bondage. Corruption is an ill inmate, and a worse landlord; and yet rules all in the most, and shall do so, & that is a state of bondage. The old man hath his commands, his commands are alwayes congruous to flesh, not to truth, and obe­dience to these in love, speaks a servant of corruption. Men little eie their hearts, yet from thence must be drawn the denomination of your state, and not from this good action, or that, nor not from this bad action or that: Of what a man is [overcome] of the same he is brought in bondage. That which is set up within for a rule of motion, that hath overcome the man: they had ta­ken in false light, and set up this in their souls through love, to to guide their course. Ah, saith the Apostle, you are overcome now, and brought in bondage; but then there's himself as well as he could, 'tis but a proverb saith he fulfilled, The dog is re­turned to his vomit; you were never but dogs; what you left for a while, you did not dislike it, it onely disliked you, and this made a vomiting like a dog, and therefore are you so apt to re­turn to it again, and to embrace such doctrines as tend to destroy Christ and grace. What principles are preferred in the soul for [Page 45] ordering life, you best know, look to these; I can but demon­strate to you from truth, that of these you are overcome and in bondage, if bad.

If our discourse discover any in a state of bondage, let God be honoured, and the condition taken to heart, the soul is lost else. His you are to whom you serve, and Sathan will claim his propriety, when you come to die, though he say little to you now. Gods servants have a jubilee at death, the trumpet sounds, and the soul which long lived in bondage in the body, is made to go out free, to a state of freedome and felicity to all eternity. But ah! what a black jubilee is death to Sathans servants? The trumpet sounds, and bondmen with their chains gingling come forth to the Judge of all the world, and the Goalour stands up, These are my prisoners saith Sathan; that shall be tried saith Christ; Judgement is given upon triall: now they are more mine, for ever mine, saith the devil: and God will not wrong the devil of his own. Now is bondage sealed, make free who can: What is done at the last judgment, is done as the acts of the Medes and Persians, that is, not to be recalled. Soul-bon­dage is a gendring thing, as the Gospel useth the expression, one degree of bondage genders another, till at last you be so fast bound, that there will be no loosing.

Hagarins, lay to heart your condition betime, and enquire after a Redeeemer; grone under your bondage, and the redeemer will come to you: this is that turning from transgression, which the prophet speaks of, and to which state a redeemer is promised: Esa. 59.20. And the redeemer shall come to Sion, and to them that turn from transgression in Jacob. There is the proper and peculiar law of the redeemer, which if ye observe not, ye cannot be redeemed. As every creature hath its proper action, so also it hath its proper law, and without the observati­on of which, it will not so act. It is the proper action of the spirit to comfort, and this spirit hath its law. you must be led by the spirit; for if you grieve him, he will not comfort you: So the proper action of the Sonne is to redeem, and he hath his pro­per law about this work▪ without the observation of which, he will not foul his fingers with filthy souls, and therefore you have him proposing the law of redemption first▪ to that man [Page 46] which had lien thirty and eight years at the pool; Wilt thou be made whole? Whole? why one would think it a strange que­stion to one that had lien in that extremity so long. Wonder not at it, for your case is shadowed out in it; you have lien long under infirmities, and yet have no will to be made whole, that is, no ardent affection to be redeemed out of them, but content your selves to rub-along in them as many lumpish persons do in some bodily diseases; you will never get deliverance in this way. Sinners will you be made whole? will you be delivered out of the bondage of sinne? Do your affections burn, and your hearts beat to be redeemed? That's well: then there is but one step more, believe and you are redeemed out of bondage; and this will be wrought, it will spring and grow insensibly out of those pantings and breathings which are upon you: I have seen the bondage of my people, and I have heard their cry, saith God. When bondage makes crying out: O what shall I do, and who shall deliver me! Enemies are got into a body, and are deadly strong, a body of death besets my soul, and in the midst of this body shall not I loose my soul? Now the sinner is turned from iniquity, and now the redeemer comes to Sion.

Let the redeemed admire and adore the redeemer, this one thing I will touch, and give up the point, and I am the rather induced unto it, because 'tis the use made in my text: In whom we have redemption through his bloud. Which words are spoken in way of admiration and thanksgiving, and are but the continuation of that thanksgiving, which is begun in the verse fore-going. The redemption of the soul is precious, silver would not reach it, gold would not reach it, onely the precious bloud of Christ would do it: precious bloud must stirre, and precious spirits leap from this consideration as high as heaven, and spurtle up in Gods face. Freedome binds man all must be sent to heaven that is saved from hell. Let the redeemed say this, and say that, saith the Psalmist. Redemption is obliga­tion; who ever hangs by his harp, a redeemed person must not, because he hath his advantage with him above all others, his lesson set and laid before him, yea his instrument tuned and put into his hand; his lips are opened, as the Psalmist speaks, 'tis but stirre thy tongue, and matter cannot be wanting, nor affe­ctions [Page 47] be able to lie still. He that died for us must be perfumed and carried home honourably, and buried in his own countrey as Jacob was; he that died for you on earth, must be perfumed by praises, and carried to his own countrey, and buried in heaven. You must not bury Christ in his works, but take him up out of his works and words, and carry him to heaven, and bury him there. Nature abhorres burying things in their own bloud, you must not bury Christ in his own bloud, but take him up out of his bloud, and bath him, and perfume him, and lay him to sleep in the arms of his father.

The redemption we speak of here, and would have you thank­full for, respects your souls, and your bodies; what mercy comes to either, is a blessing from Christ as a Redeemer. Not a deli­verance in these bloudy times, but from the bloud of Christ, from that great redeemer that sits in heaven. Bodily redempti­on is but the outside of soul-redemption; I hope the blindest sight will be able to see the out-sides of mercy. Blind wretches! look upon temporall redemptions which now Christ makes, and see if you can blesse him for these: you had not had the lives of your bodies, nor the livelihood of your estates at this houre, had not your redeemer pleaded for you; had not he pleaded for you w^th his bloud, you had been all ere this, tumbling in your own bloud; you had had your bloud trod under foot by those which have long trod under foot the bloud of Christ: One redeemer works all redemptions for soul and body: one redeemer pleads in soul-cases, and in bodily cases. See a full plain place, Prov. 23.18. Enter not into the fields of the fa­therlesse, for their redeemer is mightie, he shall plead their cause with thee. It is but one redeemer that pleads for us in spirituall things and in corporall, and therefore in all mercies both spirituall and corporall, let Christ be honoured and praised.

THe way of grace is here considerable, life comes through death: God comes in Christ, and Christ comes in bloud to save. The choisest mercies come through the greatest miseries; [Page 48] prime favours come swimming in bloud to us.

Through a red sea Israel came to Canaan. Many a man lost his life, and much bloud shed, the very land flowing with milk and honey, made to flow with bloud, ere Israel could in­herit the promise: seven nations were destroyed ere the land of Canaan was divided to the Israelites, Acts 13, 19. Israel came to Canaan through bloud, and kept in Canaan through bloud, Samson was strangled in his own bloud, like Christ, to keep bloud and life in that blessed people. The harlot had her life by a scarlet thread, and so had the rest of her faith. As the promi­sed land, so the promised crown, came swimming to David in bloud; how many men died, and how near was David death many times, ere that promise of his honour did live. Josephs garment was dipt in bloud, and he dead alive for so many years, and this was the way to his greatnesse, and to the saving of the life of all the holy seed.

1 Sinne makes mercie so deadly hard in bringing forth, to cristen every precious child, every Benjamin Benoni, every sonne of Gods right hand, a sonne of sorrow and death to her that brings him forth. Adam's sweets had no bitter, till he trans­gressed Gods will, one mercie did not die to bring forth ano­ther till he died. One creature was a felicitie for another, and none a death to or for another; mercy generated mercy, and man fed upon the cream and top of all, and yet the bottom as sweet as the top; mans felicitie, was no creatures misery under him; they were happy in him, and he in them, and all in the presence of God to each. I will rain bread from heaven, saith God to Moses, and this was an extraordinary thing then, and yet ordinary to Adam before his fall, spiritually understood; he had all his provision without cost or toil, his felicity descended from heaven upon him as dew, heaven and earth opened, and not any ones sides or veins, and so mercy streamed upon him: he had his felicity with no more hardship then Angels.

2 Man would have his pleasure, and God would have his too: divine pleasure hath turned the course of love. The sea hath runne so many thousand years in such a channell, yet God can when he will turn it into another, though so broad and big an element. The sea is bottomlesse, but not boundlesse, 'tis order­ed [Page 49] by the pleasure of God, and so is mercy; the will of God bounds it, orders it, keeps it in, and lets it forth, through what channells it will; life through death, heaven through hell. The first covenant was sealed with life, the tree of life was the seal of Adams first grace and favour; the second covenant is ratified with death; the tree of life must die, or else none could live by eating of it: 'tis not life out of life now, as out of the first cove­nant, but life out of death, and this necessarily, because accord­ing to the will of God Verily, unlesse a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alive, but if it die, it bringeth forth fruit, John 12.24. God hath taken counsell of his will, and turned the sea of love into a new channell; the first covenant gave out all favours without bloud, but the second through bloud, through Christs bloud and our own,Christs cup is called Gods will, and our cup is cal­led Christs will. the will of God orders both these, and therefore is Christs cup, when full of bloud, said to be Gods will, not my will but thine, &c. And our bloudy cup also called Gods will; if any suffer according to his will, &c. Great favours to come through great hardships, is the will of God.

3 Means carry proportion to their end; death to make death; the death of Christ, to make the death of the serpent; bruising to bruise, it was so proportioned by God. It shall bruise thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Nature hides her choise things closest, and bids art use pains sutable to prise, to obtain them; and so doth grace, she hides life in death: our life is hid, saith the Apostle, where? In bleeding dying Christ. Wisdome orders great things, to be obtained with great pains; grace, and glory, in bloud, in Christs bloud and our own. Christ gets hea­ven by suffering, and all that will live godly with him shall suffer too. Means are generally proportioned to their end, so by God to Christ, and so by Christ to us. This world is thrown upon men; which is providence disposing, sutable to things di­sposed: this world is worth nothing, and comes for nothing; but the world to come is invaluable, and the way to it propor­tionable, the bloud of Jesus Christ, and the bloud of his people, the one per modum meriti, the other, per modum congrui.

4 Things are prised rather as they come, then as they are, farre fetched and dear bought, makes all the prise, and gives all the [Page 50] worth with us weak creatures: upon this ground the Scripture when it speaks of our great fortune, tells the great prise it cost, as eying our weaknesse, who look more at what things cost, then at what things are, and as knowing if any thing will work and take with us, this will. To him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes [in his own bloud, Rev. 1.5. Man is a le­gall creature. and looks much at what is given for a thing, and prises this more then that which comes for little; he values things more under a notion of prise, then under a notion of free­nesse. What did this cost? why it cost Christs own bloud. Fan­cie works foolishly in weak brains, colour is more then the cloth; and scarlet colour a generall taking colour, and there­fore is Christs garment dipt in bloud, and he admired in this habit. Who is this that comes from Edom? with garments died red from Bozra?

Use. Let no man be offended if mercy come any way to sinners, though through never so much bloud and misery. Sinne had totally and finally closed up every wombe of grace, and it could not enter into the imagination of any creature, that ever any dramme of mercy should find any way to them: that the earth opens after much sweating and labouring, and that heaven o­pens after much sweating and bleeding, to send forth favours to sinners, is beyond the expectation of men and Angels. Mercy lay buried under impossibility of resurrection; impossibilities reduced to difficulties, and grace become fesable, though with much cost, is admirable. Deadly sentence was with redoubled strength passed, and not with a syllable of revocation, for any lost creature to make the least guesse at any restauration. By dying thou shalt die, &c. Here is the grave of a whole world of felicity, and a stone rolled upon it, daring all powers in heaven and in earth, to open it if they can; and that grace notwith­standing so buried, should rise and become atainable, is admi­rable. I wonder that all the world is not bleeding and howling in hell, and every one catching his bloud as it falls, and writing out his fall in capitall letters, to the glory of justice to all eter­nitie., 'tis wonderfull to me, that it is not the whole imploy­ment of all the creatures in this world, to drown one another in bloud, to stab, tear, and rend one another in pieces without any [Page 51] ceasing, as that world below doth; that there are not two hells, a higher and a lower, an upmost, and a nethermost, and that this is not as bad as that; that all of this side heaven, is not hell out-right.

Murmuring spirits be patient, you think much to see so much spoil and bloudshed in the land, 'tis the way of God to bring great things to man; through the bloud of prime brave persons, are brave things brought forth. Is there a braver person then Christ in the land, or in any land? and yet through his sides and through his bloud, must great and gallant favours come. You eye your pain, and not Gods pleasure, his way is in the deep, the Leviathan tumbles there, in the sea, in the red sea, in bloud and death; to life and glory; do ye think to justle God out of his wayes as ye justle a man? Murmuring, is spirit just­ling against spirit, a bad against a good, and the worst will have the worst; for God treads such to death, as will not give him his way. You know that God fell out with his own people deadly; when they disliked the way of hardship, which he had cast them into to humble them, and to do them good under heathen princes. Let a wise man propose such an end, and such a way to it, let it be what it will, red or white, fair or foul, you honour him in all, and with joy look for good in this way: give God this honour. Wisdomes way to great things is in bloud, in the bloud of some prime persons, to the life and welfare of many.

One or two things may make us give God▪ the honour of his way to such an end, let his way be never so sad in our eye. God alwayes makes his way▪ most just, to what end soever he bends: mercy comes clothed, but like your sinne, when it comes clothed in scarlet, your sinnes are crimson scarlet sinnes: you die mercies red and bloudy, 'tis not God. Justice treads up­on sinne properly, upon man accidentally, as he lies under it; if no body did ly under sinne, justice would tread no body to death, to bring life into the world, nor shed a drop of any ones bloud, to bring the greatest blessings to us. God goes after man, because man will not go after God; justice follows sinners, be­cause sinners will not follow righteousnesse; God doth not step a step in a way of punishment, but as you lead him, and to trace [Page 52] you in your wayes of sinne; all wayes of bloud and death, you chalk out to him; you lead love out of his way, and make him become bloudy. God is love, fury is not in him natural­ly, but love, he delights not in the death of any; God is no­thing but life, and so is his motion naturally, and therefore cal­led a fountain of life, nothing runnes from him naturally but life; if death runne out of the fountain of life, 'tis because of poy­son cast in by you. Generation in bloud, one mercy to die to bring forth another, is such a generation as was not known in the beginning, God never appointed things thus to generate; but life to bring forth life, and such a happy creature, to bring forth such a happy creature, & all happinesse to live, each speak out fully the vastnesse of the fountain, and the similitude of the stream to it. The sinne of the first Adam, cost the bloud of the second, and all the bloud that ever since hath been shed, to keep any good alive in the world. Murmuring souls you are blind, justice steres the ship, when it sails in bloud with jewels to you: you would never open your mouths, at all the bloud that is shed in the land, no nor at all the bloud that ever hath been shed in the world, if your eyes were but open to see this first thing.

2 God makes his way most sure to such an end, let the means proposed to it, be what they will; through bloud and death, or hell, I will surely do thee good, saith God to Abraham, and yet they must into hardship so much, and so long; and yet still the end sure, and this hart-bleeding condition, the onely sure way to it, and no other way would have been sure to such an end. Certainty of an end with us, depends upon the standing or fall­ing of such a thing; but the certainty of Gods end which he proposeth, doth not stand upon the standing or falling of this or that, but upon the resolution of his will, I will certainly do thee good. One may die, another may die, and yet whilest the will of God remains resolute to such an end, the end will live, and the dying of such prime persons is onward to it, and with­out which it could not be. Heaven and earth shall passe away, but not one tittle of Gods will shall fall to the ground. The cer­tainty of Gods intention you see, depends upon his will: hea­ven and earth may die, which are greater bodies then man, and [Page 53] yet Gods intention live, because his will lives. I must say again, that murmuring spirits are blind, they can see nothing certain in these uncertain times, they think that all that God intends, must bleed and die, because all that men intend bleed and die, and the very men too. Blind creatures, the certainty of what God intends, doth not depend upon any of these; when all is in bloud and dead, God is alive, and on in his way to his end, the unspeakable good of many.

3 God alwayes makes his way most honourable to such an end, let difficulties in the way, be what they will; though God may cast much hardship upon us, yet he casteth no disgrace up­on himself, nor upon his way. His way is honourable, and glo­rious, saith the Psalmist; all his wayes are so when he goes in bloud, (for he speaks of the execution of justice there) when he goes in the death of one thing, to the life of another, he goes in in state and glory; God is alwayes tender of his name, when he seems not tender of any person: his sonne, his onely sonne, scoffed, crowned, hanged, used in all the cruellest and basest manner that men and devils could devise, and yet this sonne so used by men, was so managed by God and all his hardship, that the name of God was made wonderfull honourable in all. Noble persons stand not upon losse, but upon their honour, they value not life, they will step every step in bloud, rather then prosecute their designes basely. An honourable spirit is naturall to God, he bringeth nothing about basely, he eyes not the bloud of men, nor the bloud of his sonne, nor the bravest bloud that ever ran in bloud vessels; but what he eyes is the accomplish­ment of his will honourably. Murmuring spirits! you are blind, and you are base, so you may but have your own ends, the fafe­ty of your lives and states, you care not how God brings this about, whether honourably or dishonourably. Unruly hearts are unfit to order weightie matters, such spirits must be guided by better then their own; what is done with dishonour to God, saves a little bloud and forfeits a great deal. God will manage his way with honour, though he drown and burn worlds, and turn all the creation into bloud. Our spirits should move like Gods; that his will may be done by me to his honour. What is my bloud? What is God break my back with standing up­on [Page 54] it, and squeez out my bloud, so that it may but colour his gar­ments scarlet, and honourable.

4 Finally, God makes his way most beneficiall, when most bloudy and difficult: Who can expresse the benefit that re­dounds to the Church by the bloud of Christ? the like I may say of the bloud of Christians, the benefit which redounds to God and to man, is not to be expressed. The like I may say of the bloud that is now shed in England. Truth by fiery trialls is made famous, Christ is clothed with scarlet, and crowned with glory here; a mans life is his glory, and this gi­ven to Christ in flames, is double glory put upon Christ; a mans bloud veins, are the lowdest trumpets on earth, to sound out any thing. What a noise hath Christs bloud made all the world over! And so the bloud of Martyrs, is it dried up yet? What virtues and graces smell so sweet, and look so glorious, as those that are died rose-colour, with bloud, with the bloud of that earthen breast, in which they grow? Bloud hath a very crying voice, it cries up guilt to heaven, and so it cries up grace in heaven and earth; it makes Christ terrible, holinesse im­mortall, truth eternall; what is written in bloud never goes out, and all that reade wonder.

I have but one thing more to say, and that is for as much as great things come in a way of hardship to fallen man, that you would all prepare for hardship. London dost thou not see? England, dost thou not feel that thy mercies come in bloud? that thy redemption is likely, if ever, to be through much bloud, but through much more then yet is shed, who can say? Men die dayly, bloudy clouds go up and down, and fall upon this citie and that, and shalt thou London escape the storm? Lon­doners, Londoners, are you prepared to welcome in your mercies in bloud? You have had a Thames of water bringing in wealth to you for a great while, are you prepared to have a Thames made of your bloud, to bring in brave wealth to you for ano­ther while? God hath stirred up some brave spirits amongst you, I would all were such, and yet I see many unworthy spirits amongst you; tell such from me, their doom is coming: your bloud is dear, your money dear, but how dear? Dearer to you then Christ? then Christ will trample upon both. Christ is la­vish, [Page 35] because we are nigardly, he spoils all, money▪ goods bloud, because men have no heart to offer all, to bring him in all, to this blind land; yet this men will not do, this men cannot do, till better qualified in heart. The heart must have precious principles, ere it will part with its bloud like Christ, to bring great favours into the world for others. How noble spirited was Christ! he had principles, which if you labour after, will make you as he, ready and able to part with your bloud, to bring more of truth into the world: he onely eyed and magni­fied the truth of God, and the glory of God: he sought not his own will, nor his own glory; and therefore so easily parted with all that was his own, to bring in God and his love to us; let him be your pattern in this, and you will do likewise.

THe essence of Christianity, and the foundation of all feli­city. providence now puts me plainly to speak of to you. This last clause of the verse is an application of the former: what is first borrowedly, is here properly expressed: if you un­derstand not spirituall redemption, 'tis forgivenesse of sinne. In whom we have redemption through his bloud, [the forgivenesse of sinne.

Forgivenesse notes two things, and so doth sinne▪ which shall be touched in their order. Forgivenesse necessarily notes trans­gression, and therefore are they here both joyned together, for­givenesse of sinnes. Sinne is transgressio legis, man out of his way his action is trespasse, he eats forbidden fruit; his life is dis­allowed by truth, and his person abhorred by God. Man in his best state was an inferiour, inferiority is minority, and hath al­wayes some observation upon it, to speak it out to beholders; the will of God was mans law and his felicity, the observation of this was was the acknowledgement of his distance, and yet his fellowship with God, and his heaven upon earth. The state of inferiority though so blessed, yet disliked; man would be no in­feriour, but equall another god: Dislike of condition made transgression, the soul did sinne, (as that expression in Ezekiel is) as well as the body; the eye changed its object, and carried the heart with it; fruit forbidden was looked upon, and then plea­sant [Page 56] to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise. That heart which had the will of God perfectly written upon it, and the glorious presence of God as the daily majesty of it, broke out against both, to the prosecution of its own private will, as such an absolute being, venturing its prerogative to raise or ruin his condition, which made Adams transgression without similitude, as the Apostle speaks (who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression.) Our transgression is the transgression of the law written in books, his was the transgression of the law written in his heart; sinnes of the latter sort the Apostle did mean here, forgivenesse of transgression against the externall written word of Christ.

2 Sinne notes transgression and it notes guilt: sin is an abiding thing, the act dies as soon as done, but the obliquity of the act lives as long as the soul is. Miscarriage of the hand in making a blot, that's over presently, but the blot abides as long as the paper is; Now you say, We see; therefore your sinne remains, saith Christ. These words materially considered, died assoon as spoken, but the wickednesse of these words lives, remains. Where? upon record in the breast of God, which is beyond all record, to meet the man when he goes out of this world. Sinne hath two things in it, obliquity and obligation, transgression of truth, and obligement to wrath, God layes sinne to heart, and keeps it there, though we do not. Trespasse makes debt; obli­gation to Gods displeasure, is the debt of sinne, this is bloud up­on the man that shed it, the spots of the bloud sticking fast upon the murtherer to detect him, and bring him to the gallows. His bloud be upon us, said they, that is, whatsoever it obliges to in this world or in the world to come, let that fall on us. Sinne in the text notes three things; act, obliquity, & obligation; and for­givenesse takes off all these, and I will now tell you what that is.

Forgivenesse notes remission, which is the term in the origi­nall [...], remissio, remittere quasi retromittere, which signi­fieth the sending of a thing back again from whence 'twas taken, the unravelling and undoing of a thing misdone, the nullifying of a disallowed and unlawfull action. As sinne makes void the law, and nullifies it, so doth forgivenesse nullifie and make void sinne: obliquity and obligation not onely nullified, but the very [Page 57] act that bare these, all nullified by forgetfulnesse, and there­fore is forgivenesse called forgetfulnesse, I will remember their iniquities no more. Iniquity notes the crookednesse of the action, and the incongruity of it to rule, and this is as if it had never been, remembred no more. And not onely iniquity is blotted out, but the very act that bears this obliquity: therefore as you read of subduing, so of destroying the work of the devil: and therefore is pardon elsewhere called blotting out iniquity as a cloud: a cloud is by superiour power of the heavens nullified, neither form nor matter to be found, not any circumstance like it, to note that ever such a being was; and this is our state in Christ, we are remitted, we are retromissi, sent back again to our first condition, as when we were in Paradise, no more men­tioned, nor no more thought os, rhen of Adam before his fall. What we were in our own person then, that we are now in the person of Christ, which lived and died for us.

Forgivenesse notes reconciliation, reconciliation notes acce­ptation to favour, and acceptation to favour notes peace of con­science, joy in the holy Ghost, and fruition of glory, as many blessings as heaven and earth can hold, as many blessings as a God can hold, which is greater then heaven and earth. Sinne separates, God and man are out, and God-man interposeth with his life, and gives up this wholly to the last drop of bloud in this quarrell, and in this is justice satisfied, and all truth fulfil­led, and Christ as a generall person designed so to act in the person of many, and so hath reconciled two in one body, God and man, and hath slain the enmity that was between them: 3 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body, by the crosse, having slain enmity thereby, Ephes. 2.15, 16. that is, Jews and Gentiles one unto another, and borh unto God by the expiration of such a noble life in such a cursed death as the Crosse. The summe of all is this, Forgivenesse of sinne is an act of God, putting all transgressions utterly out of remem­brance, and esteeming our persons in crucified Christ as Christ, the dearest to himself, and so held communion with, and di­spensed to, both here and hereafter,

1 I say, 'tis an act of God: this act is evangelicall: pardon springs from compassion, kindnesse makes God ready to for­give, [Page 58] and not any motive from without him: Thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy, Psal. 86.5. The latter expression explains the former; good, that is, plenteous in mercy, and this makes readinesse to pardon; were not God plen­teous in kindnesse, a God rich in love, he would never be ready to pardon sinne, because it destroyes his visible being, all this world and all things in it, yea it destroyes his invisible being; God is no God without, nor no God within: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. He affirms it to Gods face within, the fool doth this, that is, the man that lives in his sinne. Can you forget such as would crush you to nothing?

2'Tis a conditionall act: Men must repent, and then God forgives. Repent that your sinnes may be blotted out, thus runs the Gospel throughout. Repentance hath two things; sence of sinne, and faith in Christ, which grace is said to justifie, be­cause a necessary condition of justification, and without which, though not for which doth God forgive. Abraham believed, and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse; which is as much as if the holy Ghost had said, Abraham went in the right way of justification, and so found it, he sought it not by works, but by faith▪ (for you know that's the dispute there.) This was impu­ted to him for righteousnesse, this▪ that is, not nudus actus cre­d [...]ndi, the naked act of believing; the act abstractively conside­red, but con [...]unctively considered as such a hand laying hold of such a person, this is the condition which the Gospel calls for, that Christ be trusted in which also God works; which work beeing wrought, justification follows actually.

4'Tis actus numeratas, a numerall act, an act repeated, in or­der to sense, though not in order to the thing it self to wit, sinne: a repeated act in order to chastisements, though not in order to condigne punishment. We are forgiven this day, and we are forgiven to morrow, and when to morrow comes, a man must be in this to [...]e again; we must pray daily for the forgivenesse of debts, or else they are as not forgiven, in order to internall sense, and externall suffering. Forgivenesse is a daily thing with him are forgivenesses, saith Daniel; and God doth multiply to par­don, saith the Prophet Esay, 55.7. Forgivenesse is actus multi­plicatus, and this with the property thereof, and this property [Page 59] essentiall, and which destroyed as many misled persons now do, destroy forgivenesse and destroy their souls. As such a multipli­ed act doth David apprehend mercy, and maketh towards it: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Mercy thou hast ordained to go forth in a mul­tipli'd way, in a repeated and a renewed way, and in this way I come unto thee, saith the Prophet. Forgivenesse in the court of conscience, est actus repetitus.

I have now opened to you the weightiest point in Divinity▪ that vpon which your temporall and eternall good depends, a very considerable point, and circumstanced with a very consi­derable time, 'tis a bloudy time, a very bloudy deadly time. Sinners, are your sinnes forgiven? A dreadfull throne is palpa­bly errected, the judge of all the world is now riding his circuit in England, and his trumpets sound sadly in every Countie; Drunkards, swearers, bad good, come away to judgement; Sin­ners, are your sinnes forgiven? Execution is generall, great and small are truss'd up every where: bodies leave bloud, bloud leaves spirits, spirits leave this world apace, but ah Lord, to what world do they go? England, wicked England, where dost thou bury thy dead, thy dead souls which depart by troups? in hea­ven or in hell? One sad thing let me tell you all, Death is at your doore, therefore let every man smite his breast. and say, Shall I die in my sinne, or shall I die in thy favour.

YOu have heard of Christ according to the dignity of office, a Redeemer, a redeemer with his bloud; you are now to heare of him according to dignity of person, he is as in action so in person the noblest; He is the image of the invisible God; the first born of every creature.

Christ is admirable in action and person, altogether lovely, so in the judgement of God, and so in the judgement of those who can discern what God, and what the highest beauty is; Christ hath his encomium here by men truly discerning and heare what they say, and be taken: For his office 'tis the no­blest, 'tis to make peace between man and God: for his person [Page 60] 'tis the noblest, 'tis the highest representation of God that is in this world, no creature in this world yields the like; he makes similitude to him, who otherwise is without similitude; if you look at calling, if you look at countenance, if you look at birth, in all these he is beyond all: if you look at calling, none is im­ployed like him, for he brings souls out of the devils power with his bloud: if you look at countenance, he is the image of that God which is so glorious that no mortall eye can behold, and there­fore called here an invisible God: if you look at birth, he is Reuben, a first born, not in reference to this little family or that, but in reference to Gods great family, which consists of two worlds, three worlds, all that compasse and every one of those rooms, which contain every creature. Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature.

Some have beauty onely by their place and office, and so had Saul, and in this sense merely I think called the beauty of Israel, the beauty of Israel is slain. Saul was the shame of Israel, and the plague of his family, if personally and practically considered, all his beauty then lay in his chair. So others onely have their beauty in their face and skinne, as Absolon; and others in their birth and pedigree, as Esau, all over rude and hairy, a rough man, but of a beautifull stock, the first-born of a brave family: some have all these beauties without, but none within, of a good family, of a good countenance, of a good rank, but not of one good quality; but none of these are wanting in Christ, he hath a generall beauty: in place a King, in countenance the image of God, in birth primogenitus cunctae creaturae, inside and out­side, both are as beautifull as the other, his goodnesse as beauti­full as his greatnesse; therefore both are joyned together by the Prophet Zachary, and admired, How great is his goodnesse, and how great is his beauty? Zach. 9.17. Christs goodnesse is admirably glorious and beautifull, as any other beauty so is the beauty both of inside and outside of every thing belonging to Christ, and here loftily expressed, and admired: Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of everie crea­ture,

The admirablenesse of Christs person makes the admirable­nesse of his action; as things are made so they act, he is incom­parably [Page 61] made, and therefore incomparably acts, he is made higher then the heavens, and therefore of more power and glo­ry in action then they, though they be most admirable bodies in the world in operation. Christ is in his form more noble then the heavens, those noblest bodies; according to the nobility of form so is action, and therefore are his actions mentioned in that place, as all suitable to this supreame form, wherefore he is said to save to the uttermost for evermore: which action is suitable to his form: he is made of an everlasting shape, above the hea­vens; these last a great while, but he longer, because higher, and because made above them; the heavens can make no everlasting operation, because they have no everlasting form; but Christ being made above them, he acts above them, and produceth everlasting things suitable to his form. See this argumentation used by the spirit of God himself, Hebr. 7.25, 26. Wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost, that is, for ever, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them: for such an high Priest became us, who is holy, harm­lesse, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher then the heavens. Christ is made higher then the heavens, and therefore can produce higher effects; he is made as high as the Highest; and therefore suitable to him in action: he redeems from hell, from the torturing power, not onely of men, but of devils. Alike place is that, Luke 1.32. He shall be great, and shall be called the Sonne of the Highest, as things are in the greatnesse and glory of their birth and formation, so in the greatnesse and glory of their action; if a Sonne of the Highest, he will do the highest things, things incomparably great, all shall see it and say so: if in the image and form of God, and equall to him, he will do equall to him, things which no man can do, destroy principalities and powers, and lift souls out of hell to heaven. This lies along in the story here: In whom we have redemption through his bloud, the forgivenesse of sinnes, who is the image cf the invisible God, &c.

Complement is to expresse and to gain love; Christ is in person and action complete, to expresse and gain affection. God is invisible, and hath no image nor lively expression of himself but Christ, what he is for wisdome, for power, for mer­cy, [Page 62] all these are out of sight, and have no expression, but in Christ; the excellency of an invisible God, shines visibly, and expressely in him, in his person and in his action, and this to gain man unto him, and therefore is it said after the mentioning of his endowments, his name shall be called Wonderfull, Coun­sellour, the mighty God: the government shall be laid upon his shoulders, and then he shall be called this and that, &c. Trans­scendent honour shall be put upon him by God, and this to gain the like from men, they shall call Christ as God hath made him and indowed him, as they see the image of God in him, his wisdome, his power, his love. Invisible things do not work upon sensible creatures, therefore are the invisible things of God made visible in Christ, in his person and in his action, and this to work and winne; therefore are all the beauties of Christ so exactly and so loftily related; it is the mystery of the Apo­stles art here, in drawing out God in Christ, and telling you who Christ is like, that he might draw love to both. The fumme of all is this, Christ is admirable both in person and action.

Ʋse. Matter of consolation springs from this point, what Christ is in compleatnesse of person and action, that he is for us; his fulnesse is our fulnesse, and we are complete in him, person and action: this very use the Apostle makes, In him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead, and then observe what follows, and ye are compleated in him, Coloss. 2.9, 10. Christs completenesse is ours; what he hath as Christ, that is, as one anointed, he hath it as a designed person in the stead and person of others, and therefore may you that beleive say, I am complete in person and work; and so doth the Psalmist apply this point to his comfort. Thou art perfect, and makest my way perfect: person is compre­hended under action, the perfection of Christ makes us perfect, person and action all together lovely: The Lord himself doth approve of this application of him, and calls an applicatory beauty, our beauty, and a perfect beauty. And thy renown went among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my comelinesse which I have put upon thee. Weak souls, learn to comfort your selves as you should; your hearts need never droop for want of holinesse and comelinesse in the [Page 63] eye of God, as long as Christ is, and he is everlasting, and so are all his perfections.

Pride kills faith, you would have an absolute beauty in your selves to commend you to God, which will never be: pride springs from ignorance, and both have a hand in your weak state. Weak souls, you think duty makes beauty, but it doth not, it is onely Christ; the glorious sunne makes starres glori­ous. Sathan tells penitent spirits, that to believe is to presume: appropriation is no act of presumption in qualified persons: Broken hearts, you are commanded to believe: Ho, every one that thirsteth, and every one that is weary, come to me, saith Christ: and you that do not see your uglinesse, are wished to come to buy eye-salve that you may see. Every state of man hath its proper command and injunction of God upon it, men that do not see their deformity, the injunction of the Gospel is, that such should come to Christ for eye-salve; and such as have spirituall sight and sense, the injunction of the Gospel is, that such should believe that Christ and his comelinesse is theirs; and weak hearts, you may as well justifie your selves in an act of self murder, as in unbelief; the one respects the body, the other your eternall souls,

SCripture expressions are above us, where lowest and plain­est, but how much more where deep, and utterred exact to reach the loftiest beings; and in such a stile and strain doth the holy Ghost speak here. Men over-matched should have help from others: your prayers are doubly needed, and I intreat that they may be answerably powred forth, that our labours may be solid and sweet, to the salvation of your immortall souls, and to the joyfull giving up of our own account at the great day. Christ hath a generall beautie, and this particularly expressed, first his image, & then his birth, and therefore are according to his own order of expression to be prosecuted. Who is the image, &c.

The image of God signifies severall things, sometime simili­tude in place, and sometime similitude in qualification. Christ is the image of God in majestie, in purity, in simplicity, and Identity of being: I intend to touch all these, and then give [Page 64] you the use. Christ holds forth the majesty of God to man: di­vine majesty notes two things, infinite power, and wisdome, and Christ carries both these through the world in open view, which none else do, neither man nor Angel. What they falsly said of Simon the sorcerer, that I may truly say of Christ, He is the great power of God, he hath power over all flesh, over all spirits; men, devils, winds, seas, are all subject to him. Christ makes every knee bow to him, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and under earth, he is the head of all principallitie and power, Coloss. 2.10. Christ moves in an upper sphere, and moves all other after him, as he pleaseth, he sits in heaven and doth what soever he will, he puts forth an infinite power here, which I wonder this world can bear, and manages all things according to the counsell of his will, which is one beam of God: divine power working fully as it is, according to its infinite na­ture infinitely; and so it works in none, nor by none, but in and by Christ.

2 Infinite power, puts forth in infinite wisdome, that's the com­plete majesty of God, and both these in Christ, and no where else. Christ is the power of God, and the wisdome of God, and both joyned together by the Apostle, as alwayes going forth together to man. But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdome of God. Christ hath an almighty arm, and an almighty brain, he over-reaches all, the deceived and the deceiver; no action of his proves an abortive, or looses one whit of its scope or intention for want of due time, or due place, or any other oportune, and seasonable circumstance. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge. There is not any excellency accidentall in Christ, so you are not to understand the term hid, but all ex­cellency of power and wisdome, wrapt up in flesh naturally, in him there is the fulnesse of the God-head bodily. 'Tis an allusi­on to treasure, where it lies naturally hid in the earth in a pro­per body; and there lies aboundance of treasures, after an un­expressable measure: so in Christ lies wrapt up, wisdome, and knowledge, in their full dimensions, and according to their in­comprehensible nature, as in a proper body, and answerably work to the managing of power, and therefore is it said, that [Page 65] he did all things well, and that he spake and did, as never man did. The power of God fully as 'tis, and the wisdome of God, according to its naturality, and immensity of being and work­ing, which makes up the majesty of God, and so one part of the image of God in Christ.

2 Christ is the image of God, as in majesty, so in purity: justice and mercy are the purity of God, as power and wisdome are the majesty of God; Christ, as he is the power of God, and the wisdome of God, so he is the justice and the mercy of God, he is grace and truth, and the fulnesse of these in view. And the word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld his glory, as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Providence is full of variety of action, and all very profound, one cannot feel bottom here, yet this we can pitch upon, that grace and truth are the scope of them all: the works of Gods hands are veritie and judgement; all his Laws are sure, and stand fast for ever, and they are done in truth and uprightnesse. Christs action is oft beyond our apprehension, and contrary to our expectation, but never beyond, nor con­trary to grace and truth. Grace goes forth in truth, mercy is managed by justice; love is tendred, and if abused, wrath cuts off that person, or that people, and this is the carriage of Christ through the world. Grace and truth are the nature of God, and these in fulnesse, are in the person and action of Christ, which plainly speaks out what Christ is, to all the world. Under this notion is Christ called the image of God. Holinesse and righte­ousnesse, was called Gods image in Adam, because this was in his person and action createdly exact, but this is uncreatedly exact in the second Adam, which gives him this high title in the text; the image of the invisible God.

3 Finally, Christ is the image of God, as in majesty and puri­ty, so in simplicity of being: according to his divinity, he is es­sentially the same with the invisible God, and therefore called by the Authour to the Hebrews, the engraven character of his person or the figure of his substance, [...], the character of his substance, and under this notion Christ hath the attributes of God given him, and called as he is, a king e­ternall, immortall, invisible. Before Abraham was, Christ [Page 66] was, before any creature was, Christ was; in the beginning was the word. Christ was that word which began all, and will be that word which shall end all, he is Alpha and Omega, but without beginning or end of dayes himself: by him all things are made, and by him all things shall be destroyed, but he him­self abideth for ever, as God doth.

Immortall. 'Tis eter­nity in a metaphor: about is the nearest way home, in expression of high things. [...]. the graven i­mage of his substance. Ʋse. Immortall. Christ was never quite dead, he was so fully in the image of God: malice killed man, but could not kill God-man, nor never will. Spirits have no flesh and bloud, no dead­ly matter, because no mixture. Christs divine nature is spiritu­all, and the spirituality of his being, not infinite as Angels, but infinite as God, and in this sence, above the reach of sence, and much more above the injury of finite force, and therefore called both immortall and invisible. And so the expresse image of Gods person, and the brightnesse of his glory. The summe of all is this, that Christ is that person in the trinity, which doth most immediately and fully, hold forth God to mans observation and use, for temporall and eternall good.

As Christ is the image of God in purity, so we are to con­form to him. Whom he did fore-know, he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his sonne, that is, in purity, in righte­ousnesse, and holinesse, according to that of the Apostle, Put on the new man which after God, is created in righteousnesse, and true holinesse. Sinners look well upon your souls, who are they like, Christ or Sathan? Sathan knows who are like him, and so doth Christ, neither will he be deceived, therefore deceive not your selves: Death is at your doore, do you not see him; after him, the next dispatch will be for eternity, and it will bear but upon the resolution of this question; whose image and superscri­tion is upon this soul? If you would seek to delude at that day, it will not do in the least, for conscience then shall manage its office fully, without any confront from an unsound heart, it shall speak out then, and unmask the face of the inward man to the judge of all. Deluded souls, I dread to think of you, you have used a damnable art a great while, to mask a naughty heart, and a naughty life, this trade must down now; the sword of the Lords vengeance is come to rip you up, you shall be known as you are, judged as you are. This man is as like the [Page 67] Devil in heart, as he can look, let children swimme home to their father in bloud, I will make no better conveyance for them. Let them have marshall law, will the Lord of hosts say, slay them in their beds, slay them at their doors; uggly souls, I can­not endure any longer to look upon them. But as for you that bear the image of Christ, lift up your heads, sing for joy of heart now, though all the land be so sad. Christs image is his mark upon you for mercy, he will know you by this, in the midst of the bloudiest battell, in the midst of a fired citie. You being like the Sonne of God, you shall have one like the Sonne of God, to embrace you in fiery flames, as the three children had.

THis is said of Christ eminenter, he is what none else are in heaven or in earth for likenesse to God. They are exclu­sive words, and make a proper rule for our right apprehension of God. When we would conceive of God as he is, we are to conceive of him as he holds forth himself in Christ, and no where else; for God hath no representation, for divine adorati­on but Christ; God hath no artificiall similitude, nor no natu­rall similitude, nothing grows like him, nor nothing can be made like him.

1 Nature keeps her compasse, and attempts nothing this way, and yet art is venturous. I admire it much; for no man hath seen God at any time, that is, as he is, onely he that lay in his bosome thus saw him. Sight is the rule of art, fancy cannot work upon nothing, not our fancy. Folly makes her self visi­ble and not God, when the man goes to make the likenesse of him he never saw. Fancie is but bad at recollection when at a losse, yet a little it can do sometimes this way, call to mind such a countenance which at such a time it saw; but that which it ne­ver saw it can do nothing about that, but befool it self: No man hath seen God at any time.

2 Fancie can draw to the life, and it can work at second hand; fancy can go after nature, and fancie can go after art, and make good work; she can draw from a thing drawn, from a thing it self, or from the shape of that thing; it can shape again to please it self, and continue so contemplative; but it hath neither wayes [Page 68] relief respecting God: neither the naturall form of God, nor any artificiall shape can be got: Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape, John 5.37. No man hath seen God to draw him to the life, nor none hath seen his shape to copie him out, ye have neither heard his voice, nor seen his shape. Christ as man is not the shape of God. There was apparition frequently under the old covenant, vision was an ordinance, and although it were an ordinance, yet God did make vision still under the shape of some other thing, & not of himself; under the shape of men, or of an eagle, or a dove. The form of man gives not a shape of the form of God; Christ as man was not the image nor the shape of God, but called so as he had a divine essence and action, as the godhead and the fulnesse of the god­head dwelt in him, and wrought by him.

3 Though fancy hath no full shape as a copie, yet from a little, from an eye or from a toe, she can form the whole, if she hath but the shadow of a shadow, any rough draught, any ground-work, or any glimpse of such a similitude, she can with some applause set her self on work; but there is not this relief to make the image of God: Take good heed, for ye saw no manner of similitude when God talked with you in Horeb; If there were any times to get some glimpse of God, it was in Horeb, but yet then there was no manner of similitude. The result of all is this, There is no image of God but Christ, nor can be. There is no re­presentation, for relief of apprehension in adoration, but Christ.

Use. Mens principles are strange which conceive otherwise, and yet persons abusing their light, make what apprehensions of God they please. Look how the heart is engaged, so it fancies God, and represents him to it self. A vain heart makes vain imaginations; will guides affection, affection guides fancie, and fancie guides action, when the soul is given up to sinne and death: the heart chooseth its way, and then fancy & other pow­ers set up a god in similitude to this way, to go before the man, to confirm the man in his way, and to seal his destruction; and yet thus men generally live and die.

Some mens principles are strange, yet they will venture their souls upon the practise of them; the pride of man and the wrath of God is in this; what is the idole of any mans heart, shall [Page 69] become the idol of his life, to his death. God will have what is in the heart, under the mans hand to condemne him: Pro­fessing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and foure-footed beasts, saith the Apostle. First they became vain in imagination, then in action; the idol of the heart begins the idol of the hand, and outward man necessarily: if you would know any mans conception of God, look upon his action, if you would know what idol is in any mans heart, be but patient a while, and he will draw it out himself in his life. How Romanists conceive of God, they give it you under their hand▪ by the many sensuall helps they use in their devotion, their images, and multitudes of carnall repre­sentations, whereas God is a spirit, and under the same notion and apprehension alone, must be worshipped. Carnality speaks corruptibility, and that is admirable abominable to relieve ap­prehension by, respecting an incorruptible God, and yet this is the abomination of Rome, and the persons which we stand to defend our selves against at this day.

Men which have corrupted their own glory, strive to corrupt infinite glory, let this set an edge upon every mans sword: I go forth against a company of carnall worshippers, which destroy God, which change the glory of the incorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man. I know not what fire this puts in your spirits, I know what fire it kindles in Gods spirit, namely, jealousie which is a kind of unquenchable fire, which burns to the third and fourth generation, and which nothing quencheth, but the bloud of them that kindle it; shed this when called to it, or else God will, and yours too. Read the sad con­dition of this generation, Revel. 14.9. If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is powred out without mixture into the cup of his indi­gnation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the holy Lambe. False representation makes false adoration, and our kingdome is full of this, and we have done little spiritually to give better instruction, and therefore 'tis no wonder that we fall [Page 70] corporally with them that fall; 'tis the manner of God to whip his with those with whom they sinne, and commit fornication. The beast and the image of the beast, idolatry and superstition, hath swayed above three parts of us for a long time, and it will be no wonder to see scarce one part of four out-live our present misery; if there be any place to sanctifie your selves, and to save this generation, it will be well if God give you hearts to take it; know your own blindnesse, and it will teach you how to use your out-going against others:Immedica­bile vulnus ense, &c. if means to reclaim take place before cutting off, I wish that may be used every where.

1 GOd is invisible in action and in person; in the one partly, and in the other wholly; in the one for a time, and in the other till time shall be no more. God is invisible in creation, this world is a glorious fabrick, but built without hands, and without tools, onely with the word of his mouth: and can you see the words a man speaks? God was rather audible then vi­sible in the making of all things: Consider all things as made, and the glory of these is invisible. Can you see thrones, and do­minions, principalities and powers? spirits which serve you, or spirits which maligne you, of which the aire you breath in is full as the sunne of beams? The heavens and all the hosts of them do you see? You have many mighty friends which you see not, and many mighty enemies, and all these in such a large room, the breadth of which above nor below you see not: look above you, and look under you, have you seen how your coun­trey-house is roofed and floored? Can you see the breadth of that canopy that is over you, or of that green foot-cloth, that is under you? Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth, declare if thou knowest it all, saith God to Job, chap. 38.18. so I may say to the greatest astronomer, Hast thou perceived the breadth of the heavens, declare if thou knowest it all? If we see not the roof nor the floore, surely we see not the foundation of this world at all: whereupon are the foundations of the world fra­med, or who laid the corner-stone thereof? The profundity and invisibility of God in creation, doth he himself go on, thus speaking of to Job. Solomon in a like style speaks to this pur­pose: [Page 71] He hath set the world in its perfection, so that no man can find out the work which God makes from the beginning to the end, Eccles. 3.

2 God in providence is invisible: Can you see those pillars up­on which the world stands, upon which England now stands? Can you behold those wheels that turn round the world, and behold how in their motion still they fulfill eternall counsells? Can you apprehend as you are apprehended? Can you compre­hend as you are comprehended? Can you master divine acti­ons with your eye, as it masters you with its hand? Can you see him that speaks to the little world, and to the great world, and to the proud seas and waves which rage in both, Come thus far and no farther? He that speaks to the clouds, Water this citie, and not that? and to the sword, Go and destroy in this king­dome, and not in that? Can you see that hand which leads you, that hand which feeds you, that hand which protects you, those everlasting arms which are underneath you? That bo­some in which lambs are carried, and those leggs on which the weak run and are not weary? Can you tell me how many ser­vants wait upon you? and can you see of what stature they are, and what livery they wear? Is their cognizance your cogni­zance? When I propose such queries as these to my sad shallow soul, I am fain to break out and break off with Job, He doth great things past finding out, and wonders without number: Lo he goeth by me and I see him not, and he passeth on also, but I perceive him not, Job 9.10. A man, a Christian cannot see God many times, and yet God fast by. A man thinks God is going backward with such a businesse, when he is going on with it: He passeth on, and yet I cannot perceive him: Job spake this as if this had been his case alone; but alas, 'tis not, 'tis every mans case: God goes out of sight to him; the wisest man, the most see­ing man is in the dark frequently, in this point of providence, Eccles. 8.17.

3 You see now that God is invisible in action, in that where­in he is most seeable, and therefore I thinke you will easi­ly believe he is so in person; the materiality of his being, the im­mensity of his being, and the glory of being, which results from both the former, necessarily render him invisible to us. [Page 72] God is not onely invisible in regard of his essence or god-head, but also in regard of the fulnesse and glory thereof, which is cal­led light indeed in the Scripture, but yet such as to which no mortall eye can approch. The beams of the sunne above, though light, yet so glorious as too big for any organ we have to take in. Things have density to terminate, colour to congregate, be­ing, and glory of being finite; yea both not onely finite, but both brought down to a suitable proportion to such a tender organ, or else our eye languishes, and closes it self, as able to make no vision. God is not simply invisible, but invisible in reference to us; Angels see him, and Saints above see him, they behold his face, which is the most invisible. God is invisible to a mortall eye, as the Apostle speaks: a mortall eye must have its adaequatae objecta, or else 'tis discouraged, and closes, and gives off its of­fice. God hath not one adequate to render him visible to a mor­tall eye, neither matter nor form, neither longitude nor latitude, neither white nor ruddy, without any dimension, and without any circumscription of time or place, or any accident or shadow of them. The summe of all is what I said in the beginning, That God is wholly invisible, invisible in person and action.

Ʋse. Each of these are distinctly usefull: that God is invisible in action tremble before him. Sinners look not after their souls, I tremble to see it, because there lies the action of God principal­ly, a man is killed invisibly. Sinne is best pleasing, the man will have his way, now God with-draws, and this action is not seen, but yet is the eternall death of a soul: thousands are thus slain, and no wounds seen, felt nor complained of. There be a great many bodies visibly slain, and this makes you shake; but there be a great many souls invisibly slain, the sword of the spirit cuts off the spirits of men utterly from God apace, therefore is hy­pocrisie at such a hellish height, and so many great men become as devils, and making damnation a court-complement. There be a great many slain and fallen, but weep not for these; there be a great many more slain that are not yet fallen, invisibly slain utterly cut off from God; O weep for these, for when these fall they will fall very low. Fear not, Christian, they have their deaths wound that warre against you, a deadly wound at heart from heaven which you see not; stand still and you will see them [Page 73] fall fearfully, hell pangs are upon them; do you not hear them grone to be there, by their horride imprecations? Our warre hath slain more then we see, how do men give up the holy Ghost daily! and souls breathe out their last good breath! What making of graves, tolling and ringing out is there in the other world below, if a man could see it! Sinners, tremble at these things, for I tremble to think of some of you: I see that in some of you, which I fear is yet invisible to your souls, invisible judi­ciary action upon your souls, beg that your eyes may be opened that you may see Gods actions within you in some measure, or you are lost men.

Gods action is invisible, trust in him: when Gods action car­ries not that in it visibly, which we look for, we think it hath nothing in it at all, nor means nothing for our good, and so let fall faith, and fall a quarrelling with God and one another; 'tis our great disadvantage at this day and nothing more, with which God is displeased, which will be more and more disad­vantage to us onely. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest O Israel, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is passed over from my God? When we cannot see God going along with us in every thing, we think he hath cast us off; the godly despair, and the wicked presume when things are thus carried, both which are much alike good; one looseth his com­fort, the other looseth his soul. When we are in the dark and know not where we are, God knows where he is, variation of action doth not prove variation of intention; one end may be intended in travell, though every day the way turn. In coun­treys full of mountains, wayes are necessitated to turn and take compasse much: there are great mountains in the Churches way, these make many turnings, and put us oft to a stand, to see our way, and him that goes before us. Christians, be not discoura­ged, it is the manner of God to hide himself oft, when he in­tends to shew his face gloriously. I cannot let down my faith respecting Gods intentions of love, to this bleeding land: that that God now hides himself let it make matter of prayer, as it did to David in like case, and not matter of unbelief and impa­tience: Hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble: heare me speedily, & deliver me out of the mire, and let me not [Page 74] sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters: let not the water-flouds overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me in, let not the pit shut her mouth upon me, &c.

Finally, for as much as God according to person is invisible to a mortall eye; long to be out of the body, that mortality may put on immortality, a mortall eye, become an immortall eye, that you may see him that dwells in that light, to which no mortall eye can reach. The body makes misery, and not felici­ty to the soul here; our mortall eye beholds nothing but mortality, and so all our vision in the body, makes misery, and not felicity to the soul. What is this world but a great body filled with the curse of God! and what are all the creatures of this world but each others deadly executioners, and the dust of one, a grave to turn another into the same! and this is our dole­full vision throughout our dying life here; our eye affects, and afflicts our hearts, and yet do not we long to go home, to have better vision, the vision of Saints, and the vision of Angels and the vision of God, in which is heaven. Know your errour now, you carnall wretches: all is going away, whither are your souls going, to see God, or the devil? Know your errour Christi­ans, the glory of this world hath taken your eye, and the shame of it will take your persons, unlesse the Lord pitty. What bloudy objects do I see in the countrey, and what bloudy ob­jects may I see in the citie! But were I in that holy city above, I know whom, and what I should see and feel to all eternity.

FIrst-born, notes two things, precedence in affection, and precedence in being, in reference to all the creation: Christ is before all chosen, beloved, and indued with grace, and in this sence is called the first-born. Whom he fore-knew, he predesti­nated to be conformed to the image of his sonne, that he might be the first-born among many brethren. Christ and all the e­lect are here resembled by a family, and Christ the first brought forth, in the image of the Father of this family, and all the rest conformed to this image; Christ the first chosen and indued, and then all others chosen and indued in him. In this sence, [Page 75] namely, in regard of precedence in affection, is Israel called Gods first-born, that is, in reference to all other people, the first chosen and beloved: And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, thus saith the Lord, Israel is my sonne, even [my first-born] Let my sonne, my first-born go, or else I will slay thy first-born, Exodus 4.22.

First-born, notes precedencie in being: there is a first coming into the kingdome of God, and a first coming into this world. First was the word begotten, and then all other things begotten by him; before any thing had being Christ had. The Lord pos­sessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old: I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, when there were no depths, I was brought forth, &c. Proverbs 8. He speaks you see in reference to the creature, and challenged priority of being, in reference to them all, and therefore called in the Re­velation, the beginning of the creation of God: and therefore here also called the first-born of every creature. Birth-right you see by this hath a double consideration, naturall, and spi­rituall, and both honourable, and to beheld up and maintained, and so doth the spirit of God here inferre.

Doctr. Birth-right is an honourable thing, and to be holden up, and maintained. 'Tis taken for granted to be honourable, and to be maintained, and therefore is so used and prosecuted in reference to Christ: what is due to him by birth in a spirituall sence, is held forth and maintained, to wit, that he is the first-born of many brethren; and what is due to him by birth in a natu­rall sence is held forth, and maintained also, that he is the first-born of every creature: all his priviledges are protested.

Right is the priviledge of being, and felicity falls as this falls; a being without priviledge, is a being without felicity; and a being without felicity, is hell. Birth-right contains much: 'tis a bundle of priviledges bound up by God and man, as many as grace and nature affords, to make such a being blessed, both here and hereafter. Consider a man as born, and he hath such natu­rall priviledge from nature: and consider a man as new born, and he hath such spirituall priviledge from grace. That which carries the felicity of life in it, its own worth necessarily calls for standing for; if I must stand to maintain my life against [Page 76] deadly creatures which invade it, much more that which is the felicity of my life: right and priviledge, is the felicity of life, the felicity of naturall life, and the felicity of spirituall life.

2 Right not maintained, institution is despised; all runnes to ruine necessarily, for one devours another. Priviledge gives not onely felicity, but proper felicity, that is, every one his happi­nesse so, as not to be the least unhappinesse to another. Privi­ledge makes many heavens; a heaven for master, and for ser­vant; a heaven for father and for child; a heaven for prince and for people; and ones heaven not anothers hell. Birth-right is God and nature, giving distinct proprietie. This temporall good belongeth to this, and not to that; this spirituall good, be­longs to this and not to that. Propriety confounded, Ahabs and Naboths vineyard become one, heaven and hell become one, children and dogges would fare alike, which is sad confu­sion, and which nature abhorres, and grace much more. What is peculiar and proper to Christ, birth-right gives him, he is the first-born of every creature.

Use. I am to speak to two sorts of persons from this point; to you which have a naturall birth-right, and to you which have both a naturall and a spirituall birth-right. You which have but a naturall birth-right onely, it were well if you did look for more, that you were as high in priviledge as Christ, that ye had a naturall and a spirituall birth-right; he was the first-born of every creature, and the first born among many brethren. Na­turall priviledge makes naturall felicity, and this becomes a snare oft times; accommodations of nature make men slight grace, which was Esaus sinne and ruine; birth-right in the spi­rituality of it, he despised, obtaining carnall content. The more of the world enjoyed, the lesse is Christ cared for, this is a com­mon plague, and consider how 'tis with you. Are you beloved of God, or do you look after it? they are his first-born, his prime birth, which issue out of the wombe of love. There is a child and a pleasant child: is he not a pleasant child? So there are sonnes, and first-born sonnes. All men are Gods sonnes in some sence. We are his off-spring; but some are chosen out of the world, and have speciall love set upon them, they are called a first off-spring, a prime birth, because born of love, their birth [Page 77] being not onely from the hand of God, but from the heart of God, born of water and the spirit, brought forth to the obedi­ence of the Gospel, by a spirituall efficacy in the word: if this be not your condition, your honour is not full, whatever your worldly priviledge be, and you will soon know it; for though you seem to be sons made much of, you will quickly be cast off; none but first-born are written in heaven, and imbraced for e­ver. To the Church of the first-born [written in heaven.

First-born have a propriety in eternall felicity, they are writ­ten in heaven, and others are written in hell; they are joynt heirs with Christ, which a state worth the looking after. You see how all things go here, tyrannie tramples your priviledge under foot; you are born to much, and it comes to nothing but bloud and miserie; you dare not go where your revenue lies, to challenge your birth-right, the sword is so furbisht and set a­gainst you: had you a state in grace, were you a generation of first-born as Christ, there were something sure to take too, let times and things work as they will. The folly of men is great, this world is onely prized, and men will not be reclaimed, which is a destructive thing. Let me ask the children of this world, doth the bloudy sword make you question your state, whether you are the children of God or no? born of the spirit, to an in­heritance eternall, immortall, that passeth not away? New-born are first-born: you are as you were in life, and you will be as you never were in death. Do ye see children of this world, how black and bloudy this world is? But what's that to come, where your names are written, and unto which, you are heirs! Look about you children of this world, your misery gathers every day more and more, and nearer and nearer, and it will swallow you up, and feed upon you for ever, if not prevented; your birth-right is barely naturall, that is, such priviledges, in such a kingdome; and you had need fight hard for these; for you have no more, these gone, and all gone, loose what you are born to of flesh and bloud, and you loose all: fight hard carnall creatures, or you will be quite undone else.

Birth-right is honourable and to be maintained: you that have this honour in a full sence, in a naturall and in a divine sence, as Christ had, hold up your honour, and maintain it as [Page 78] Christ doth here by his spirit, in my text: assert your state, as Christ doth here, and not desert it: tell the children of this world what you are, children of such men, and children of such a God, that you are born to such secular priviledge by man, and to such spirituall priviledge by God, and will maintain it in his way, as long as bloud is in your veins. 'Tis below a man to be a slave: usurped power, makes illegall yokes, and the man that will put his neck into these, is an asse, a silly beast, and not a man: as the posterity of Issachar are called upon this very ground. The soul is base, as it yields to basenesse, it fears man more then God, which will be its ruine without remedy: a sub­dued spirit in this sence, is a silly dove, without heart, of weak principles, and of an unsound mind: so many trialls, and so many plagues to this man, all that is shot at him hits him to the heart, and kills him dead: this is our misery at this day, we have a great many persons, but a few men, a great deal of stirre but no action; the enemy at the gate, birth-right giving up, corporall priviledge, and spirituall priviledge, wounded at the heart, and yet we have no heart to do our duty; something lost makes us conclude all is lost; every one kills himself with de­spair, that there is none to kill them, which kill Law, Religion, and all goodnesse. Our colour is fallen strangely of a sudden: what a deal of bloud and life had we to stand for the honour of our birth-right, a little while since! and what's now become of it? hath harlots got it all away from our army, and from our citie too? I can look upon no mans face, but their sits a pale deadly spirit. Ah Lord! how gastly 'tis! What doth it presage? the death of all? Londoners, what do you mean? will you let frogges and toads creep into your houses, and up into your beds, ere you will stirre and put forth for your birth-right? shall the enemy come and write up your basenesse at your doore, in your own bloud.

Bravenesse of spirit for the maintenance of our priviledge is much wanting, and yet I doubt will be, there is so much carnall bravery. Our armies swagger, every street stares upon their pride; pride seeks it self, and not Christ, nor any thing that's noble. Men go forth to maintain themselves, and not to main­tain right: how much do many men swagger, now Christ is [Page 79] turned out of all! Unsound hearts swell: pride is a fruit of rot­tennesse, rotten wretches intrusted, have undone all: are not our lives now in as much danger as our liberties? We may thank our selves, should we not have chosen sincere humble men to lead us forth, to stand for our birth-right in the field? Humi­lity and integrity are the foundation of true valour; others va­pour, but these will be brave indeed. Look to your hearts every one, I think it will come to every mans turn to stand for his birth-right. When man by man shall be singled out, triall will be quick: When the sword is at the breast, for whom art thou? for the King, or for the Parliament? for Antichrist or for Christ? Your hearts will shake unlesse very sound. As you find your unsoundnesse, make out for healing, you will betray all else when put to it to stand for your birth-right; you will like Pe­ter, in stead of professing Christ, professe that you know him not.

OF every creature.] That is, brought forth by eternall ge­neration before any creature was. This tearm creature is not made a genus, in reference to Christ; but in reference to all below Christ, as Angels, and all other things. It is observable here under what genus all things below Christ are put, crea­tures, first-born of every [creature, &c. Angels, a creature; man a creature; every thing man sees, hears, smells, tastes, feels, a creature. Every thing on this side Christ, is but a creature; a piece of his workmanship.

The sinne of man is aggravated upon this ground by Moses: They have corrupted themselves, they are a perverse people: Do ye thus requite the Lord. unwise people? Did not he make thee, and establish thee? &c. What I made, flies now in my face: what I made, seeks now to marre and destroy me: thus God aggravates your sinnes, sinners, in his word, and he will do it hereafter to your faces. I have brought forth children, and they rebell against me: creatures are the children of Gods power, new creatures and old creatures. As you have children of your womb, so God hath children of his hand: the work of my hand strikes to my heart, I am stabbed by instruments of [Page 80] mine own making, I am slain by children of mine own womb this circumstance will heighten sinne with a witnesse; and as sin heightens, justice will heighten, and what a hell will he have then, that dishonours his maker.

Relation is obliging: Remember your Creatour, him to whom you ow your being, who made you such brave creatures, and not toads; or else he that made you, will have no mercy upon you. 'Tis a thousand pities that every one considers not his station; men swell in pride, and walk as if they were not creatures, but gods, which is the cause of all our bloud and misery at this day. The will of the Creatour trampled under foot, and the crea­ture will have his will; this is a creature making himself a God: but believe me, God will fight for his prerogative, the creature shall know he is but a creature, every creature shall know it; Princes and great men shall know they are but creatures, men shall know themselves to be but men, as the Psalmist speaks: Wo unto him that striveth against his Maker, saith the Prophet. And you will see this wo fulfilled in this land, if you pray hard, and fight hard.

1 Every thing on this side Christ being a creature, let things be feared as they are. Who are ye Christians that ye should be a­fraid of a man, is he not a creature? Is not a King a creature? Who are ye that ye should be afraid of evil spirits, are they not creatures? Hath God made any thing too hard for himself? you bring forth children, and they grow up to be too hard for you, it is not so with God. God comforts his people upon this very ground by the Prophet, that enemies are but creatures, and he their creatour: Behold; they shall surely gather together, but not by me, whosoever shall gather together against thee, shall fall for thy sake: Behold, I have created the smith that blow­eth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work, no weapon formed against thee shall prosper, &c. Esay 45.15, 16, 17. Doth God create wasters to destroy, and doth he not carry a power over them, to rule them and order them respecting his Church? Yes, saith the next verse, No wea­pon formed against thee shall prosper. Misery is much lessened by a right consideration of things: terrour is the misery of mi­series. When I look upon a souldier with such deadly weapons [Page 81] about him, and look no further, he is terrible to me, but when I look upon him as a creature, and say to my self, I know who made the man, and who made those deadly instruments that are in his hand, who made the waster and his wasting tackling, then his dread falls. Creatures are bounded, they move as order­ed; some things they can do, and some things they cannot do, nor shall not do: No weapon formed against me shall prosper. If there be any power beyond devils, the Apostle Paul raiseth himself beyond fear of it, from this consideration, that they are but creatures: Neither height, nor depth, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any o­ther creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God.

2 Let things be feared as they are, and let things be loved as they are: you love husbands, wives, children, set bounds to your love, these bounds in the text, love them as creatures. The crea­ture is subjected to vanity. Creatures are vanishing things. We pick and choose creatures, and make as it were a nose-gay of them, and set them in our bosome, and no sooner there but they die: wife dies, children die, friends, fortunes, states, kingdomes die, thus do all the sweetest creatures we look upon, and this is common to every ones experience, but not to every ones instru­ction; yet for all this do men love the creature more then the Creatour. When shall we have mortification in England? and when in London? When all is dead? 'Tis sad to behold how still we love the creature, although the Creatour hath set creature to kill creature, as if he would not leave a creature alive.

3 Finally, trust in things as they are: Let the rod of God, and the word of God instruct you: you are now sending forth ar­mies. look upon them as creatures; salvation is of the Lord, for the Lords sake make not a God of creatures, least you betray your strength and lives. It is naturall to creatures to look one­ly upon creatures, sheep will look back to behold how many fellows they have when an enemy is before them, and so will other brutes; but God expects from man better carriage. Let your hearts be sound, your faith pure, your reeds in which you trust will run into your hands else. 'Tis very clear now that [Page 82] you did nor trust in God, but in man, when your great armies went forth, because you have no faith, now men are gone. Papists upbraid us with the terms of solifideans, but these fore­mentioned may I upbraid with a tearm near it, solofideans, trusters in earth, or carnifideans, trusters in flesh.

THe Soveraignty of Christ is argued and demonstrated in this, as in the following expressions: He hath created all things in heaven and in earth, and therefore to be conceived of over and above all things; higher then all, and greater then all.

Doctr. High expressions are multiplied concerning Christ, to raise high conception of him. Men are apt to conceive too low and too mean of Christ. He that cometh down from heaven is a­bove all, saith Christ. He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth; but he that cometh down from heaven is above all; and what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth, and yet no man receives his testimony, John 3. Twice is the soveraignty of Christ affirmed, and yet not once received; he lifteth and lifteth again to lift up thoughts and affections concerning Christ, as one above all, and yet all would not do. He that comes down from heaven is above all; above all on earth, and above all in heaven. He multiplies high expression to raise high conception, and yet poore low creatures would conceive of him no otherwise then of other men, nor yet hard­ly so well. Thus are high expressions multiplied here for the same end, which argues that man is a creature very apt to con­ceive very low of Christ.

1 We are carnall and judge so; we frame conception from sense, objects are no otherwise then we see. Christs out-side spake as little as anothers, and lesse, low in condition, and low in esti­mation, this is naturall to man, and hard to do otherwise. Thoughts must have a foot-stool from the world, to lift up themselves respecting persons: we lift up things no otherwise then they lift up themselves by externall advantage. Christs glory is not in this world, he comes in form of a man, and therefore judged no more; in form of a mean man, and there­fore [Page 83] meanly judged of. What Christ is visibly is looked after, and this is little; nothing visible speaks him the authour of invi­sible things, the maker of thrones and dominions: from nothing visible, flesh and bloud can argue nothing reall, to raise appre­hension respecting any thing, no not respecting God himself.

2 We set up things as we see them, and we set up things as we love them. Man will not conceive highly of that which he ha­teth: man is carnall and malicious, he makes judgement subject to sense, yea he debaseth it lower, he makes judgement subject to malice. None so blind as those that will not see; yes, those that scorn to see, Conviction is strong, and may do something upon the will, if it do but merely nill; but is not strong enough to o­ver-bear malice. The Scribes and Pharisies saw more of Christ then a mere man, and yet will take in no thought of him but what they pleased; they esteemed of him as a devil, such was their malice, when convinced he was a God, the maker of all, and above all, Angels and men. Divine rules crosse carnall, a carnall spirit crossed is a devil, a devil calls Christ Belzebub, the chief of devils, and not the chief of blessed beings, as here the Apostle doth.

3 We set up things as we will, and yet as God will too. Men stumble at Christ from what they please, and ruine their souls, and this is according to Gods judiciary will, for he hath said it shall be so, yea that it shall be so to many. Christ is for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, and many of them shall stumble and fall and be broke, that is, many shall have low thoughts of Christ, and so reject him, which is death without remedy. Christ is not carnally plausible, and it is so ordered of purpose for a snare to carnall wretches, which will set up nothing but what the world doth, and to accomplish judiciary will. Man eyes his will, and so doth God: man orders all his actions according to this, and so doth God: sinners fulfill their own wills and Gods, when they set Christ low, and their souls lower, when they stumble at Christ, and ruine themselves. You vex not God when ye de­base Christ, and destroy your souls, you onely accomplish his righteous will, and your own wicked will.

Consider the point in hand, and how it reacheth you: Christ [Page 84] is a mere fancy to forlorn souls. Men oppose creature to crea­ture, this is higher then that, and this is better then that, but who opposeth Christ to all the creatures, and sets him in his thoughts above all, above earth and above heaven, above visi­ble and above invisible things, above thrones and dominions, above every being as the being thereof? Soveraignty is peculiar state, Christ must have glory in the highest; that salutation was but due which they gave when Christ came into Jerusalem; Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and [glory in the highest. Christ set highest in the soul, is set no higher then he should be, the king is but set in his throne: men fancie that they thus set up Christ in their thoughts, but they do but fancy it I doubt. I will give you some things to demonstrate where this is reall, that the soul doth in­deed as the Apostle here, look upon Christ as supreme and above all.

1 Where Christ is indeed looked upon as above all, there, is fear: soveraignty holds forth majesty, divine majesty indeed in sight is humbling, you may see an instance of this in Job, who thought he had as right an apprehension of Gods soveraignty as any man; but God reasons with him about this point, and Job fails: Canst thou do this? and canst thou do that? saith God, and holds out his soveraignty over all before him. Then Job answered and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and no thought can be held from thee, Job 42.12. Job did but fancie this point before that he apprehended God as over all, but now he comes indeed to behold it, his heart shakes, and he draws doctrine upon doctrine from it. I know that he which is over all can do what ever he will: he made me of the dust with his word, and he can turn me to dust with his word. I cannot hide a fault from him; he that made the eare, shall he not heare, if I speak sin? he that made the eye, shall he not see, I do sin? and he that made the heart, shall not he discern if I think sinne? The soul is full of strong argument with its self, when it doth indeed behold God as the maker of all, his soveraignty.

2 Where Christ is indeed looked upon as above all, there is he esteemed. One set above all carries all: soveraignty holds forth glory, and this makes love. If I see Christ indeed a chief corner­stone, [Page 85] he is precious: if I see him the sonne of the highest, I give glory in the highest to him. As things are in height so in honour; honour carries glory, and glory carries the heart; the one seen, and the other is more seen, and swayes; glory is a very taking thing: The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory is above the heavens. If I indeed behold the person of God a­bove the earth, and above the heaven, I see him in glory above all these; and if I see him in glory above all these, I am taken with him above all. Most vaunt of light and yet have nothing in love, such apprehension is fancy and not reall apprehension. Can I indeed see the sunne, and not be taken with it,

3 Soveraigntie holds forth remedie, soveraignty is soveraigne; the soul in the midst of all tossings knows where to rest: per­sons very high oppose me, yet there are higher then the high­est, that is the quieting argument. If thou seest the oppression of the poore, and violent perverting of judgement in the Province, marvell not at it, for he that is higher then the highest regard­eth, and there be higher then they. The soveraignty of Christ indeed beheld, takes off disquiet, though powers opposing be never so great; the soul can argue with its fears, and find out shoulders for his burthens, as long as God is above all. He that made all is above all, and will maintain his universall soveraign­ty; the highest shall know they have one above them, and here the oppressed rest. A man that indeed looks upon. God as a Creatour, rests his soul upon him as a faithfull Creatour, that is, as one that will regard the beings which he hath made, although various and so many. Great troubles make great fears, and great fears make great shifts and sinnes: What a fearfull time, and what a sinfull time is this! Princes are but men, and yet humane soveraignty makes us do any thing. Fearfull souls, you do but fancie Christs soveraignty, that he is King of kings, and the Creatour of all; you have no apprehension of what you speak: you fear God and offer to Baal, as the expression is, that is, you set man above Christ, what ever you say.

Some of you may possibly see your sinne by this point, that you are not so noble spirited as you dreamt, that you have but low conception of Christ. You that are proud in spirit, car­nall in affection, and fearfull of men, have a base and low opi­nion [Page 86] of Christ, and Christ will require it. As long as God is supream, a brave spirit flincheth not a step, but others do like themselves, which will be their shame and judgement. He judgeth those that are high, saith brave Job to his friends, which carried themselves high, Job 21.22. he saw his opposites high, yet this daunted him not a jot, because he beheld one higher. Judge not light of this point in hand, you cannot heare one more usefull in this trying time. A man fears no­thing that sees Christ above all, neither what men can say nor do; a man fears where no fear is that sees not this: Also now behold my witnesse is in heaven, and my record is on high; my friends scorn me, but mine eye poureth out tears unto God, Job 16.19, 20. Men think of me thus and thus, but it troubles me not a jot, I look at one that is above all men, that made all, and knows all, and will judge all; to him I referre all: all can­not daunt one in good that sees God above all. Low souls, look upon him that is high if you would become high, as high as Christ and heaven.

HEaven and earth, and the Authour and end of both, are wrapt up in this verse and what we shall say of either, for the good of your precious souls, depends wholly upon the bles­sing of Christ. Christs house is stately, but of few causes; effi­cient, and finall: first by him, and secondly for him, were all things created: Christs house is great, but of few rooms, Heaven and Earth: For by him all things were created that are in Hea­ven, and that are in Earth. Christs family is but of few kinds, visible, and invisible. From one cause to another, from the effi­cient to the finall; from one kind to another, from visible to in­visible: from one room to another, from Earth to Heaven is a Christians journey quite home, and lies all along in this text for us to travell.

Christ is considered under much variety of notion, and still sweet under all as a redeemer, as the image of God, as a first-born, [Page 87] and here as a creatour. Doctr. A holy soul cannot tire it self in the contemplation of Christ. Their is variety of excellencie in Christ; varietie of time, he is Alpha and Omega: Varietie. variety of beautie, white and ruddie: varietie of qualitie, mild and fierce; a lion and a lamb, a servant and a sonne, a Man and God, a Redeemer and a Creatour. Christ is all varietie of excellency, he hath all the powders of the Merchants, Canticles 3.6. In things below Christ, some have excellency, and some none: some this excellency, and some that, but none have all; and this checks the soul in his game, and withers contemplation at the root. Contemplation is soul-recreation, recreation is kept up by variety: one thing tires quickly, unlesse that one be all, which so is Christ and none else, he is all, Colossians, 3.11. All belong­ing to well being, and all belonging to being, Redeemer and Creatour, for by him were all things created.

There is congruity of excellency in Christ:Congruity what things are in Christ are all suitable to a holy soul, and suitable things tire not; we lie down where we are pleased. 'Tis with a holy soul, as 'tis with a holy God; unsuitable things tire him presently. Your new moons, and your appointed feasts, that is, their hypo­critical observations, I am weary to beare them, saith God, Esay, 1.14. Holy persons, and holy actions, things congruous to his will, in these he takes up his dwelling; his thoughts though vast and noble hire themselves here, so farre are such things from wearying of him; his thoughts respecting this world, the people, and practices of it, rove and wander, and tire, as weary of all, till he come to Sion, and then observe what he saith of her; This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it, Psalme, 132.14. Affection makes motion, and thoughts go af­ter desires; desires suited, thoughts sit down and take up their rest, and their dwelling, and like the place of their habitation: 'tis thus with God, and 'tis thus with godly men: one holy spirit roves and tires out it self, till it meet with another; the soul of a christian flies from creature to creature, and pitches down upon this and that, but rises up again presently as one wearied, because it can find nothing suitable; and thus it doth in reference to all the creatures, till it come to Christ, and in him it finds all suitablenesse, and then sitteth down, suitable­nesse [Page 88] to being and well-being. Christ is my redeemer, and my creatour, enough for all that I can wish, and therefore here I rest saith the soul.

Transcen­dency.There is transcendency of excellency in Christ: variety and congruity of excellency, and all above expression, more then can be reached. A holy heart is deep, and loves to bath it self in deep waters: contemplation is a soul making one deep to swal­low up another; and this is so farre from tiring, that 'tis the ve­ry Heaven of a holy heart. Contemplation is a soul widening it self to swallow up infinitenesse, what ever God is, if it can. Not a step of Christ towards man, but 'tis a great deep. Redemp­tion is a great deep, and Creation a great deep, and 'tis delight­full to a divine heart to dive where sweetnesse hath no bottome. Carnall contemplation tires: because though it find some­thing suitable in the creature, yet but very little, and that little in a little time turns to nothing, and then the soul is not ohely tired, but vexed, which makes thoughts retreat disorderly. Di­vine contemplation cannot tire, for it finds out suitable things, and yet there are more besides these still; it finds out one Hea­ven, and when the soul is in this, and it seeth another beyond this; when it beholdeth a Redeemer, it seeth a Creatour more plainly.

Use. This point plainly discovers many hearts not to be holy; divine contemplation is so burthensome and tiresome to them. You have vagabond persons, so you have vagabond spirits, which had rather be any where then at home. Christ and Hea­ven are the souls home, thoughts and spirits are all vagabonds whilest they are from this home, and yet few souls care to get here and keep here. The soul is sublime of it self but pravitie bowes it down; men have their corruptions, and these make their thoughts cleave to the dust. You do not observe whither your hearts go, nor what journeyes they make; you do not ob­serve their going out, nor their layings out, whither they wan­der; nor how prodigall when abroad; nor possible will not, because 'tis pleasing: men do contentedly lose their souls in things below Christ.

1 Three things destroy divine contemplation, blindnesse, idle­nesse, wilfulnesse. Some men know nothing of Christ, the soul [Page 89] cannot dwell upon nothing. Thoughts are soon tired when confounded; they clash much where there is no apprehension; one fighteth against another, and the spirit dieth in this fight, be­cause condemned to abide in a dungeon. Confusion makes di­straction, distraction makes madnesse; men throw off all, when they can understand nothing in divine mysteries; and I per­swade my self that this hath undone many a soul. I have known learned men, who though contēplative enough in their way, yet when they set to contēplate divine things can make no sweetnes to their souls, but knots, tricks, and fancies to cavill with; and 'tis impossible but that the soul should tire quickly, that can find out nothing in Christ but knots and bones to feed on. Learned persons look about you, your contemplation is highest and yet lowest; the hid things of nature wrap you up, and the high things of Christ tire you presently, which is nought, and speaks the heart bewitcht with curiosity; high in fancie, but low and car­nall in affection: such a soul as this makes its nest in the starrs of this world, but God will from thence pluck it down; every soul that nests not it self in Christ, and in those glorious excel­lencies which shine in him will be judged, and perish as car­nall.

2 As ignorance so idlenesse destroyes divine contemplation: thoughts are vain, they must be watcht; man hath power to observe his spirit which beasts have not. The spirit of a man, knowes the things of a man. You know how carnally your hearts work, and what do you do to reduce them? You keep no watch, sloth-betrayes your souls to lust, and lust will betray your souls to the devill. How secretly doth many a mans heart steal away Christ, and yet not so secretly but 'tis seen, and the man for want of activity lets it go, and so is accessary to the betraying of his own soul, Ah Lord! what will that man be able to say for himself in judgement, that stood still and saw his heart steal away from God to the creature, and did nothing to turn it back, made no prayer, nor shed no tears! Men com­plain of losses now, but who complains; O God I have lost my soul: I can never find it in Christ; 'tis sometime in wealth, in husband, and sometime in children, in houses and in lands, but never in Heaven; when it setteth about this 'tis tired presently. [Page 90] As the body so the soul goeth downward with ease, but up hill with much pains-taking; you must be full of complaints to Christ to keep your souls in his bosome.

3 Finally, as idlenesse so wilfulnesse destroyes divine contem­plation. Pride puffeth up, and swelld souls go more to hell then to Heaven, like-spirits bosome. The heart swelld, thoughts are all prest and taken up to make vent for this, that there is scarce a thought to be spared to ascend to Christ. When the heart is high and haughty, Christ and Truth are under foot; and thoughts never bosome themselves in that which the heart tramples upon. Every thing that crosseth will vex a wilfull man though it be truth; and vexation and contemplation are as op­posite as Saul and David, as Heaven and hell. I look upon some men and they are puft up; will leads them and not truth: I smite my breast and say, Ah Lord! where do these souls dwell? In hell certainly, and not in Heaven. Errour is the fruit of pride; the soul goeth away from God and bosomes it self in a lie, as it groweth heady and high minded. Citizens look about you, I see an ignorant idle proud spirit amongst you; Christ may be much in such mens tongues, but surely he is but little in their hearts. The excellency of Christ you do not indeed dwell upon, nor find sweetnesse in, nor cannot as long as these evils are in your hearts.

Let us all know our dutie and do it all, Christ is to be con­sidered; so did David, so did Paul, and so must we consider him. I will meditate of all thy works and talk of all thy doings, Psal. 77. what Christ hath done as a Redeemer, and what as a Crea­tour; what he hath done with his finger, what with his hand, what with his spirit, and what with his bloud, we must medi­tate on all his works. Divine things are still unfruitfull as un­thought of; when we seek after Christ, then he brings us into his chambers; the efficacy of all that Christ is, cometh in by contemplation. Every thing in Christ is usefull, the very leaves of the tree of Life are healing: consider Christ under any no­tion in which the Scripture holds him forth as a Redeemer, or but as a Creatour, as the image of God, as the first-born, and the like, or under any other more remote consideration, and they are all powerfull to take off the heart from earth and send it to [Page 91] Heaven. Christs action and Christs person, yea and Christs garments; all he said, and all he did, and all he wore, very virtuall and instructing.

Know your duty and know your felicity: you have now but a few things to think upon, this world is bleeding and dying apace; he that giveth all being, me thinks every one should now much think upon, when all creatures cease to be so fast. A mans tranquility is permanent when his thoughts dwell upon Christ; let friends, means, towns, kingdomes die, and yet his Heaven lives, because his heart is lodged in one that can die no more, that ever lives. Misery is double, because losse of the creature doth not reduce thoughts to Christ: the end of affliction not accomplished, you will be afflicted seven times more, till your prodigall souls return home to their father, and leave feeding on husks.

I Have given you the respect which this verse bears to those which precede; and I am now to give out to you as I am able, what it hath in it self. If you read this verse, you will find it to consider creation, in reference to two parts, and two causes: two parts, heaven and earth, visible and invisible: two causes, effici­ent and finall; the first is in the beginning of the verse, and the second is mentioned in the latter end; the one saith, all things were made by him, and the other saith that all things were made for him.

Christs method pleaseth me best. I will therefore take terms as they lie, and suck as much out of them as I can for my self and you. For by him were all things, &c. [...].in him were all things created, saith the originall, Christs method and Christs expression pleaseth me best. God doth create and new-create in Christ. God doth all things respecting the creature in his Son; the Father works in the Sonne, the Sonne in the Spirit, and the Spirit in your spirits. The order of divine action is admirable; the beauty of God in his out-goings is held out to us. Christ is [Page 92] the wisdome of the Father; all that God doth he doth in wis­dome. The Lord by wisdome hath founded the earth, and by understanding hath established the heavens, Prov. 3.19. a like place to this you have Jeremy 10.12. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdome, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

Divine action is made with delight: you have many prime agents, but God hath but one; you look more at abilitie to your work, then suitablenesse to your spirits in the agents you imploy, but God doth not: you can beare discontent in the agent, so his work be well done, but God cannot: he so moveth as to have delight in both, not onely in the work done, but in the agent that doth it, and therefore doth all in Christ. I was daily his delight, rejoycing alwayes before him, saith Christ, speaking of God when in the creation of all things, Prov. 8.

Successe.The comfort of the godly is in this point: all divine action going forth in Christ, we may conclude successe; successefulnesse to their good. Christ is mighty in strength and wisdome, our agents are unsuccessefull for want of power, and for want of wisdome; but the agent in and by whom God acts, is mighty in both. God is mighty in strength and wisdome, he preserveth not the life of the wicked, but giveth right to the poore, Job 36.5. Where great humane power is (it is Elihu his speech to Job) men think to evade the bent and force of divine action, and to shun what God intends, as they shun what man intends, to get out of his reach as out of ours; but no such matter, for all his action shall acquire his intention, and no man shall evade it; for he works in him who is mighty in strength and wisdome. God intended a world, did he misse the accomplishment of it? God­ly souls, you look much in and by whom the king acts, such and such skilfull men, and mighty men, and shake and fear; but look in and by whom God acts, and comfort your selves. Hath the king such an agent as Christ is for strength and wisdome?

Full suc­cesse.All divine action going forth in Christ, we may conclude full successe, that is, in the thing, and in the circumstance of time: Christ doth so much as God intends, and in such a time; in so many dayes he was to make the world, and he did it to a pun­ctum of time, and rested with his Father: and in so many years [Page 93] he is to make a new world,First and second re­surrection are timed in word, & so shall be in work; the two belo­ved cities wil be built one after another, in their pre­dicted time. and he will do it exact to a pun­ctum of time, and then give it up all to his Father, and rest with him and his Church for ever. Time is in Christs hand as well as the work of time: the Father hath put all into his hand, my times are in thy hand. The great world may say to Christ, My times was in thy hand, in so many dayes didst thou bring me forth, and so many years wilt thou uphold me. And the new world may say, My time is in thy hand, in so many years thou wilt bring me forth. You murmure that things go no faster on, the time of the new world is in Christs hand, and it should be rest enough to a saint in all troubles, to look up and consider in whose hands worlds are transacted. God moveth in one that answers his will exact, that observeth his work and his time. Lo I come, as it is [written] in the volume of thy book. Search how it is written concerning Christs creating this new world, and you shall see that he will come and do it exactly. Lo I come, as it is written, saith Christ, but not as impatient spirits expect: instruments must be blamed when they take not their time, (I mean instruments which we imploy for our good in this time of distresse) but the heart must be quieted in this, that Gods agent exactly keeps his time,

This is not all your consolation: you may argue for the choi­sest mercies upon this ground, that God is your Creatour in Christ, Thy hands have made me and fashioned me give me un­derstanding that I may live, Psal. 119.73. from such power you may argue to such love; from great power you may argue for great love: Thou didst create me in Christ according to such a noble being, do thou new create me in Christ, for the restaura­tion of this being, as if the Psalmist had so said: this I think may be his meaning, and the strength of his argument. Many of you are weary of your being, you do so sinne, but you might have more comfort in your being, if you did look up and consider who gave it, and what obligement lies upon him by it; he gave your being in Christ, and he will restore this being in Christ, if you plead it to him as David. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may live. Thus do thou say to God. A child of God may argue love and compassion from any thing that Gods hand doth to him, upon [Page 94] this very ground, because he doth all that he doth to him, in Christ.

To ungod­ly persons.Sinners, the Scripture pressetn obedience to Christ upon you from this point upon pain of death, that all things are made in and by him: how able is he to take away being from all, which gave it to all. Reade Proverbs 8.31.32. After that Christ is there mentioned in state as the Creatour of all, this he inferreth upon it: viz. Now therefore hearken unto me O ye children, that is, children by creation; for blessed are they that keep my wayes. Heare instruction and be wise and refuse it not. He that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul. So he concludeth, as Christ is complete to attract love, the same will be his sufficiency and advantage to aggravate our sliding off him: for thus Christ will say to sinners at the great day, I am a first-born, I am the Image of the Father, I am a Redeemer, I am a Creatour, and yet though all these thou regardest me not; all excellencies sleighted shall be turned into so many rods to lash your dead souls. The sins you love will destroy your being, and your being, being de­stroyed, you will fall into your Creatours hand again, and what being do you think he will give you then. God dealeth with you as you are; you are naturall, and he fetcheth argument a­gainst you from nature, as what is more naturall to you then your being: the lower God stoupes to stirre you and you yet unmoved, the more obstinate you are; you are no new crea­tures, therefore God argueth with you simply as creatures, and then you shew your selves blocks: you use no art about a block but to burn it, and so doth God when sinners become sots and blocks and understand not so much as the principall of their na­turall being, though opened and urged upon them by a God: blockish souls think on this, you will have a very hot sermon to warm you when you come to your place.

BEing and disposition of being are from Christ, he createth all, and disposeth all. You make creatures and then you place your creatures, and preferre them as you think good, and so doth Christ; and he telleth you where; some in Heaven, and some in earth: he suiteth place to person; pure persons are [Page 95] placed in Heaven, and impure in earth: where we are placed, is that which I am now come to tell you, in earth, for by him all things were created that are in Heaven [and that are in earth, &c.

What kind of room we live in here these words command me to set out unto you, and then to ask you how you like it.1. Low. 'Tis a low room we are in here: the earth is the lowest element, lower then the aire, lower then the water, and yet as earth com­prehendeth both these, 'tis but Gods footstool. Swear not by the earth, for 'tis his footstool; a footstool speaketh the lowest service, such is the earth and all things in it of the lowest use to God; 'tis a kitchin below stairs to scour vessels in, and 'tis a conveyance for the filth that cometh off; there is a gutter out of earth into hell, to carry away all things that offend; hell is the sink which belongeth to the earth: God hath more noble service done in one moment in Heaven, then in all the earth in all the age of it, though it be now many thousand years old. In this lower room wherein we are, here is nothing done but kitchin work, washing and scouring, killing, stripping and flea­ing that which is fat: Earth is the slaughter house that belongeth to hell; hearts that are made fat are killed on earth, and rosted in hell. We dwell in Gods kitchin and the devils slaughter-house, in earth: this is low, and this is the first thing: earth speaketh a lower room.

'Tis common: Lions and Bears, Wolves and Men are all in one room in earth: Frogs and Toads, Snakes,2. Common. Serpents and Men are all in one room in earth: good men bad men, yea and devils, all in one room together in earth: this room is so com­mon that the devil is not shut out of it, he hath a doore out of hell into earth, and leave to walk from one end of the earth to the other when he will. And the Lord said to Sathan whence comest thou; and he said from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. The earth is the devils hea­ven, he hath his walk allowed him here: Earth is such a com­mon place, that you cannot walk alone in it if you would give never so much; go never so privately, yet if in earth you will have men or devils with you, and just in your walk. Many to­gether is troublesome, especially when of contrary spirits; the [Page 96] devill and man never do well together in one walk. Com­munity lessens priviledge here, 'tis a hell to be where all variety and all contrariety dwell together; and yet so 'tis here, scarce two of one spirit throughout the earth, and yet these must live together in one room, agree together as they will; fight or scratch, or kill one another all is one, there is no reme­dy, in seventy, eighty, ninety, no possibly not in a hundred years. Heaven hath some community in it; there dwelleth East-coun­try, West-country, North-country, South-country men, but then they are all one spirit; no walk above in which there is hearing, seeing, tasting or smelling, any contrary thing: though there be many millions more above then are here; as having been the receptacle of all travellers from hence for this many thousand years, besides the natives of the place, and yet not two spirits amongst all these innumerable numbers that disagree, or will in the space of eternity. But here one cannot walk any where, but one contradicting and afflicting thing or other meets a man: here I see a Toad, there I feel a Serpent; here I heare a Lion, there I smell a Fox; and yet all these claim a dwelling just where I do, in earth. This is the second thing: earth speak­eth a common room.

3. Dark.'Tis a dark room: In earth we see earth, but nothing else; we cannot see Heaven in earth, no not any mansion there how stately 'tis, we cannot see Heaven nor any heavenly thing in earth; Angels are invisible, Christ is invisible; Christ cannot be seen now in earth, though the Sonne of the bravest world: The Father is invisible, the Sonne invisible, yea the Spirit by which these two work here in earth (as the wind which bloweth in your eyes, yet you cannot see it) invisible. We are here a great wide Common full of moles and mole-hills, all heaving and heaping up earth, but blind and do not see what we do. Bring forth the blind that have eyes, and the deaf which have eares, saith God. Earthen creatures look one another in the face, as if they had eyes and yet are all blind; some sitting in dark­nesse, others walking in darknesse, not knowing whither they go. The best persons here, are as Samson when his hair was gone, and taken by the Philistines, of some good stirrings and desires, but weak and blind, not able to find a pillar but as led [Page 97] to find a pillar but as led to it. Man is but of yesterday, and knoweth nothing, because his dayes upon [earth] are but a sha­dow, saith Job. Earth is a great room full of fools which know nothing, and set alone by themselves to wrangle and talk non-sence to no bodies disquiet but their own. This is a third thing: earth speaketh a dark room.

'Tis a filthy room: the earth is corrupt, full of snails,4. Filthy. that with creeping up and down, leave their slime and pollute all. One creature polluteth another, and man polluteth all the earth he treadeth on; Bloud defileth the land, saith God. Sinne ren­dereth not onely the person, but the very place where that per­son liveth detestable. The earth is curst from Heaven all over, which speaketh out the strength of divine detestation: 'tis a great brave body, with face blasted, breasts seared, bowels torn, guts and filth hanging out, poysoning and putrifying the inhabi­tants. which first poysoned and putrified it. All runneth into this, we dwell in a very base place: A low, common, dark, filthy room, in earth; and so indeed is the originall Hebrew word A­damah, for earth, used.

Ʋse. How do you like your dwelling? Men are carried by cor­ruption against truth, and pitch affection upon that which is base. O how damnably do many love their dwelling in earth! When the body dwelleth in earth and the soul too, Ah Lord! that is damnable dwelling in earth indeed. Though God hath placed your bodies in earth, yet he looketh that you should place your souls in Heaven; but shew me a man that thus doth. God made your bodies earthy, but you make your souls earthy your selves, and you will answer for it. I wonder what you find in earth, that you should make your souls dwell here. Do you not find it a low common dark unclean room? And yet must your souls dwell here because your bodies do? then you will perish as beasts, worse.

I might go along this way and do well, but I must turn ano­ther way and tell you, that you have a base dwelling here, and therefore expect things answerable. Christians have no art to quiet their souls when things go hard: you may gather patience from the very place you dwell in; you live in a base place, and what can you expect but base usage? When your dwelling is [Page 98] removed from earth to Heaven, things will be better presently, as well as you would wish. You dwell in earth, and in earth dwelleth all sorts, and every one will act according to his pro­perty, and how can it be helpt here? Some are back-biters, and they will kill your name: some are sycophants, and they will kisse you and hug you to death like Judas; some are hypocrites, wolves in sheeps cloathing, and they will not onely kill your bodies, but your souls too. The earth yields variety of deadly vermine, and you cannot tread upon all, some will tread upon you, some will crawl about you and sting you, do what you can. Distresse should make mortification, but not vexation; so it did with David, it tooke him off from all in earth but one, whom have I in earth but thee? Distresse should not disturb but subdue the heart, and yet 'tis hard to keep the spirit quiet when basely used, tell it what one will, Fallen creatures are full of passion, and strong passion can bear nothing, and yet must bear it self, which is the heaviest burden of all. All things in earth do like themselves, and therefore turn aside my soul from them: whom have I in earth in comparison of thee, O Christ.

There is one good in earth, and thats all I know: get ac­quaintance with him, yea that would find comfort in your dwelling here. Blessed be one good neighbour, or how solitary should we be in earth. Defile not the land which ye shall in­habite [wherein I dwell] saith Christ, Numb. 35.34. The earth would be hell did not Christ dwell in it: you have much mise­ry kept off by one good neighbour you have, and you might have more if you did but get more acquaintance with him. You have lived a great while in the earth, and so hath Christ: do ye know him? do ye love him? he maketh the earth a blessing as base as 'tis, to such. A mans felicity dependeth altogether upon the favour of God. let his dwelling be where 'twill. Earth is heaven, hell is heaven when God dwelleth with one there. Mourning creatures tell me, where do ye dwell? In a vally of tears? In earth doth Christ dwell with you? doth he dwell in earth too, in your hearts? then be cheared for he will wipe all tears from your eyes: and if your hearts be a rest for him, he will be a rest for them, when you have none in earth. When the earth trembles and melts, you have one that dwelleth in it [Page 99] that will see you shall do well. Christians visit your next neigh­bour often, lie in his bosome whilest you live on earth, you will live very desolate else were the earth a better place then 'tis.

I pitty all that live in this world 'tis so base and miserable, but them that live without God in this world, my heart bleed­eth over them. Some live where they have no good neighbour, nor no friend, and they truly have a bad life on it; some live so in earth, that it were as good they were in hell almost; whipt in body, tortured in soul, longing for death and yet it must not be, because not yet full ripe for hell, Ah Lord! here is a dwel­ling in earth indeed: what difference now between earth and hell? All you that live in earth and live in your sinnes, expect such a life every houre. The earth groneth, it beareth so many and so naught: sinners do not you grone too? Do not you grone to Christ to be better? The earth will be eased of her bur­den quickly, but not you; your place will be changed quickly, but not for the better; all that are now in earth will be anon in hell, that do not leave their sinnes quickly; the sword and strange diseases are going about for this purpose, and do you not see how they sweep the earth?

THe works of God afford man a full soul-imployment. Some things are subjected to sence, and these are called visible: but other things are not subjected to sence, but ordered for more noble powers of the soul to make at, and these are called in­visible.

The soul is manifold in its acts and operations, and so is Christ that all the soul may follow him. There is a manifold grace of God as the Apostle speaketh; a grace visible, and a grace invisible, and the soul can make at both, and so Christ would have it. The eye can see, the eare can heare, the heart can conceive; here is working without and within. Conception is operation about invisibilia unseen, things; 'tis a spirit at work upon words, shaping out to it self what they but mentioned, as countries and creatures where the body never was nor never saw, but onely shall; divine conception 'tis a spirit taking ship­ing as it were in the word, and sayling round the world, taking [Page 100] in visible and invisible things, to leave out none of Christ.

2 The soul is noble in its acts, and Christ would lose none for want of imployment: if visible things be to low to be busied about there be invisible: if there be nothing without doore to be found for imployment, to wit in earth, it may find something within about invisible things, by going to Heaven. Creation is laid by Christ with gradation higher and higher, visible and invisible; if one room be too low the soul may go higher, as high as it will, as high as it hath power; the works of Christ lie as high as the tallest spirit can reach. The soul is not forc'd but drawn to noble action; Creation is temptation, the works of God are laid so as to entice the soul higher and higher, like Jacobs ladder, till it come as high as it should be. When the eye of the body is weary of looking upon bruits, trees and such like visible things as are here, then the eyes of the soul may go one room higher in the ladder towards Heaven, to things which are not seen, to that invisible place and societie a­bove.

3 The soul is remiss'd in his acts, in works as well as in words; Christ leaveth this without excuse. Man was never without full imployment, Adam had it, and the sonnes of Adam have it. There is a double book of words, and a double book of works to reade, and one higher then the other; one visible, and the other invisible; one for the eyes of the body, another for the eyes of the soul; and I wonder what idle souls will say for themselves when Christ cometh to reckon with them. You have a talent and imployment for it; a soul, such a noble soul, and such noble imployment; both neglected will lie hea­vie upon you, Bodily sloth you cannot bear, and soul-sloth Christ cannot bear: soul-sloth is enraging sinne, and observe how angrily Christ chargeth it. Thou wicked and slothfull servant] shouldst thou not have imployed what I gave thee to my advantage, Matth. 25.26. take from him what he hath saith Christ, A man hath his soul taken away, that imploy­eth it not: an idle soul becometh a besotted soul, a besotted soul is no soul; a spirit dead and buried in the flesh: powers and parts are blasted and withered when neglected.

Soul-idlenesse about divine things, springeth sometimes from [Page 101] too much imployment about humane, and such men neither know their hearts, nor yet this time: worldly now, and you will be worldly when the world cometh to be burnt. The soul is first let loose from divine things, and then when 'tis abroad, it will not be lured in again by them, though held up to them. Wicked worldlings, you know not what you do when you let your souls loose to the world; there 'tis curst and becometh wild, and will not return though words of God and works of God, all that God is and doth be held up to it: and there­fore is the prodigall said to be lost, for this my sonne was lost, &c.

Sometimes soul-idlenesse about divine things springeth from dislike of them. Some, the God of this world blindeth them, and 'tis idle to talk to these of visible or invisible things, for all that is good is invisible to them; they know not how to set their spirits about any thing, but to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it. Ah Lord, how blind, how base are some souls! No word of God, no work of God visible to them, under a divine notion. Idlenesse maketh profanenesse, profanenesse putteth all powers under the black rod, to wit, the devill: A soul under the power of Satan and the world, can­not imploy it self well. Poore bond-slaves, seek your freedome by Christ, or you will be condemned.

You whose soul-powers are under no power but Christs, from you is this expected, that you make full imployment to your selves about the various works of God, that you travell this world over, and the next above it as farre as you can, into visible and invisible things, and if you loose your souls this way, you will find them in Heaven: the soul getteth his perfection by much travell. Bees fill not their hives from one flower, nor in one journey, they are fain to go farre and near, from garden to garden, from field to field, from flower to flow­er: so must we from visible to invisible things, to fill our souls with the sweetnesse of Christ.

INvisible things are here named by visible for our sakes; thrones, dominions, principalities and powers, are all terms used amongst us, and we know what they mean, some chief in place and office, superiority and rule over others; and so have Angels over this lower world, at the appointment and pleasure of Christ, therefore called chief Princes in Daniel. The Prince of the kingdome of Persia, withstood me one and twenty dayes, but loe Michael one of the [chief Princes] came to help me, Daniel 10.13. Greek tearms here sound the same with the He­brew word Shinan, a Shanach, to second, [...], next to the first, as these which have the prime office and command under a King, are said to be next to him, Hester 10.3. Mordecay was next to king Ahasuerus; so Angels they are next to Christ, in ruling the visible world, and therefore called Shinan in the He­brew, and principalities and powers in the Greek, that is, chief governours next to Christ in reference to all the creation beside.

Tearms are here multiplied synonymically, which when they are so, 'tis for our weaknesse, there being no tearm comprehen­sive enough below, to expresse, things above, Angels being so transcendent in all eminences both of nature and office. Multi­plication like to this you shall find in the first to the Ephesians, 21. Farre above all principalities, powers, might, dominion, &c. There is variety of offices amongst the Angels, as appeareth by that place forecited in Daniel, but this is not pointed at here in my text (as I think) by the variety of tearms which are used, because they are all of the same signification according to the letters, and point joyntly at one main thing, which Christ would have all his know. That the worlds are subordinate, that the vi­sible world is under the dominion of the invisible world, that Christ hath an unexpressable power and strength by him at command, to over-rule this world and all things in it, thrones, dominions, &c. that is, transcendent powers, which all the powers in this world call them what you will, will not fully expresse.

[Page 103]I will demonstrate this truth unto you by some angelicall properties. 1 Angels are unexpresseable for number: the visible world is populous, but the invisible world much more populous; they live not one upon another as we do, which makes great consumption here, and yet live near together, much nearer then we can do, who are corporeall beings. The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands, or many thousands of Angels. His meaning is, that God hath more for number then any ge­nerall can muster up here, if he should muster up all the crea­tures in the world. You begin to number here from tennes and twenties, they do not begin to number above so low; thousands and twentie thousands, are Gods units, there he doth but begin to number. If men will go to numbring, God will out-number them, for his number is innumerable. Ye are come to an innu­merable company of Angels, Hebr. 12.22. Our Saviours ex­pression doth plainly demonstrate it, that the invisible world is very populous, and that God hath a mighty vast command thereof; souldiery to still tumults here with ease, or to do what else service he will. When one of Christs company pull'd out his sword to fight for him, Put it up, said Christ, think'st not that I can now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more then twelve Legions of Angels? and every Legion ac­cording to the Romanes, was six thousand; twelve six thou­sands and more. His meaning is innumerable numbers, and all these raised presently, at a word sighed out. Certainly they are very populous above. You are here along while of raising an army of tenne thousand, and when you have done it, 'tis longer ere you can raise such another; and when you have done it you cannot spare so many to wait up one person, about this poore creature, and that poore creature; and yet this is an ordinary thing with God. When Jacob went from Laban, Angels met him innumerable, and he admires it. This is Gods host, saith he, and calls it Mahanaim, that is, two hosts, or two camps. Gods host, one is as bigge as two of ours, ten of ours, and yet these imployed every where, about this, and that Saint of God. Certainly the invisible world is unspeakable populous: Angels are unexpresseable for number.

2 Angels are unexpresseable for majesty: the sight of their face [Page 104] is death to us. A man of God came to me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an Angel of God, very terrible, said Manoahs wife to him, Judg. 13.6. it was so terrible that it would have killed her and her husband too, if God had not mightily upheld, they are so fearfully made to flesh and bloud. He hath made his Angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. What is more terrible then a flame of fire? it conjures na­turall spirits, and makes them all croud in upon the heart, rea­dy to croud the heart to death. 'Twas the presence of an Angel that rendred the bush as a flame of fire to Moses; it was a mul­titude of Angels, which rendred mount Sinai a burning mount, which was a terrible sight; so terrible was the sight, that Mo­ses said, I exceedingly fear and quake, Hebr. 12. Fire is a su­preme element for dread; its an element that sits nearer God then all others do, and goes forth with more of his majesty when it descends. Angels have the advantage of a perfect image; this advantage when it was upon man, rendred him very ter­rible to all the creation. They have not defiled their scarlet robes; as God did put them on at first, so they wear them still, which render them full of majesty. Man hath but a little of God in him, and with him now, and yet this holds him up, and holds him out, as a creature of much state; but Angels have much of God in them and with them, he never sends out these embassadours, but he sends the very crown-jewels with them, Christ goeth personally among them. Three Angels came to Abraham, and one of them is Christ, as you shall plainly see, if you examine the 18. and 19. of Genesis together. And so the Psalmist saith, the chariots of the Lord are so many thousands, and the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Kings, they have some that wait onely upon their person, and chariots onely for their person. Angels they wait onely upon Christs person, where they go, one may say as the Psalmist, the Lord is among them, though men cannot alwayes alike see it; and this I think was the reason, that Moses was called to put off his shoes, when the Angel appeared in the bush, because Christ was personally present there, among those ministring spirits that were there, to signifie good to that people.

3 —Angels are unexpressable for power, for courage, and strength; [Page 105] they affright all, but themselves are affrighted with nothing, neither with men nor with devils; they will set upon either. There is an expression, Matth. 13. towards the latter end, which demonstrates the strength and courage of Angels admirably. They are Christs reapers of the great field of this world. The enemy that sowed tares is the devil; the tares are the children of the wicked, the harvest the end of the world, and the reapers the Angels. The Angels are they that will make an end of the world, that will cut down tares & the sowers of them, & make no more of one then of the other: they are such creatures as shall cleanse the world, and then burn the world; glean the world of all the godly, and then burn the rest: they can lay such a train, that shall blow up the world: they are those flames of fire, that will set a fire, & burn all the world at the great day: they can take up this world, as bigge as 'tis, and throw it all into hell, and hold it there to all eternity. They shall be instrumentall about the greatest designe the Scripture speaks of. The sonne of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdome all that offend, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. I judge, that good Angels are the inflicters of plagues upon the bad, and that it is they that make hell to cursed spirits, one sparkle of which, is bigger then that flame which shall burn the world; and judge you then of what courage and strength they are, that can take all the wicked men in the world, and all the wicked spirits in hell at once by the throat, and make them all roar to­gether to eternity. All runnes into this, that Christ hath an unexpresseable power and strength with him at command, to over-rule the visible world.

Let us bewail the blindnesse of the visible world. Would the great men of the world did know how great Christ is. Thoughts advance themselves upon no ground, pride will be the ruin of thousands, a little fleshly dying strength, makes men dare hea­ven; this folly will sink men to hell. This world is overmatch­ed infinitely, and yet proud in its attempts; 'tis beset with in­vincible force, and yet sees nothing, nor does nothing, but re­bell against all the host of heaven, and the Lord of these hostes; what strength Christ hath, he will put forth against this gene­ration. Wicked men, fear Christ: he will eat you out like a [Page 106] moth else, an invisible power will carry the day against you. You can onely look upon fleshly strength, and you see we have but little of this now, so God in his wisdome hath ordered things against us, and this makes you bold in your attempts: but trem­ble, for verily Christ hath a stratagem upon you; when you are confident, because you see little power on earth, you shall be cut off without hand, as the Scripture speaks, with an invi­sible force. This is Babylons proper judgement, Thou hast trusted in thy wickednesse, thou hast said in thy heart, I am, and none else besides me, therefore shall evill come upon thee, and thou shalt not know whence it ariseth, and mischeif shall fall up­on thee, and thou shalt not be able to put it off; and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know, Esa. 47.11. Wicked wretches, glory not whatever your strength be. Christ hath an ambuscadoe for you, an invisible army which will consume you strangely.

1 I have two things to you Christians from this point: trust in Christ, and admire him. Trust in the Lord, for with him is everlasting strength: Angels never die, no work nor no wea­ther kills them, or tires them. You will be sure, Christians, of one complete army to lie out for you all this winter, which will cost you no money, nor need no recrute; an army of reforma­does which have been in all the fights, that have been in the world since the creation, and under such a generall to get skill, as is not in the world. No men more fearfull then the godly usually: I wonder at it, you have a wall of fire about you, which is better then your wall of earth. His ministers are a flame of fire, and his ministers are your ministers, and encompasse you. The Angels of the Lord encamp about them that fear him. Fear springs from unbelief, and unbelief from unseen means, and this is living by sence, which if our Father Abraham had so li­ved in his journey to the mount Moriah, and in his journey to Canaan, he had broke his heart,: God hath in this, and in ma­ny other things shadowed out to Christians, how all things re­specting the Church of Christ, shall be carried in unseen wayes, and by unseen powers, and therefore commanded living by faith, and not by sight, and yet every man pleads for a life of sence. God works in a way of means, say they, which is true, [Page 107] but these means not alwayes visible: As you get by such a life, so continue your argument for it. Passion is better confuted by the hand of God. then by the word of God. Unbelief is con­futed with standing punishment. Lots wife is turned into a pil­lar of salt, and salt is a very tormenting and yet a very lasting thing.

2 Admire Christ, for he maketh it manifest that he hath an unexpressable power at command, to over-rule the visible world: he letteth battells go against us for many houres together, and cutteth off our arm of flesh, and then turneth the day himself by wounded men in an instant, no man knoweth how: certainly he hath a great command by him, which neither enemy nor we are aware of. My heart bleedeth to behold how blind we are in talking of men; but my heart is more sad to heare how our adversaries curse and take on; they say that our Generall deals with the devill, or he could not turn about the day so against disadvantage. Poore souls, some body hurteth them and they cannot see whom; Christs army is invisible. The devil is true enough to his cause, they need not have such hard thoughts of him, he is not false to his own kingdome as they are; Christs hosts certainly fight against them, but when will they see and con­fesse this? their blindnesse and stubbornnesse will break all their backs, which is sad, but what must to the sword, let it to the sword. Let us admire justice upon our adversaries, and mercy upon ourselves, let us all shout and say, Christs army is a brave army; Christs army is very great. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm, Psalm 89.10. by Rahab is meant Egypt the generation which now are slain; and the holy Ghost goeth on and telleth us how we should attribute victory to the glory of the invisible power, and not to any fleshly arm; Thou hast broken Rahab, &c. A like Scripture you have; Hosea, 1.7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah; and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow nor by sword, nor by battell, nor by horses, nor by horsemen. Therefore let us lift up our hearts and tongues now, and say to Christ, that we are saved by the Lord our God, and by his invisible host, and not by men.

GOd upholdeth our way, we have travelled through many things, and we are now come to the end of all; the end of this verse, and the end of the whole creation, to wit, the glory of Christ: for all things that were created by him, were created for him. Some things are for Christs use, and some things for his delight, but all for his glory. Any motion maketh action, but onely such motion maketh divine action, as bringeth all to Christs end. Christs work is here mentioned, and so is mans: What is made by Christ, must be by us made for him. The Law of Gods action we are to stand upon: All things must be for Christ.

Doctr. Things may be distinguished in their kind, but not in their last ends: There is one kind of flesh of men, another of fish, ano­ther of beasts, saith the Apostle: and things may be distinguish­ed in their place, as some high, and some low; and things may be distinguished by their parts, as some learned, and some un­learned: but none must be distinguished in their end; all crea­tures, all places, all parts must be for Christ. The Law is uni­versall, nothing is absolutely given, but all the creation is put out to use for him; ten talents, five talents, one talent, not one thing in the world for mans use, but must be for Christs; not one thing in the world made for man, but must be by man made for Christ.

Christ in a few dayes made man work for all his dayes; things are not to be for Christ to day, and against him to mor­row, but for him for ever. His praise endureth for ever. In good times, in bad times, all things must be for him, as long as they are, Christs glory must be everlasting, as ours shall be when he cometh to order all the creation for us. Scripture ex­pressions must have their extent. Men misunderstand this phrase in the Text that think Christ must have all things for him, when all advantages serve. All things must be for Christ in all times, till times shall be no more, and then all things are to be for us.

Man hath a great deal of work upon him, and considereth it [Page 109] not, he is to take every thing by the hand, and lead it home; every thing on earth that he medleth with, and lead it home to Heaven: husband, wife, children, goods, meat, drink, by him, and through him. and to him are all things. Some things are further from God then others, and yet all I meddle with I must up with, in one notion or other, and away with it to him. There is but one carrier to Heaven in all the earth, and that is man, and he is loaded with a witnesse; he must carry all that is by God and through him, to him; and this he must do though he sigh, and grone till his back break and he die, and then he will have a porters pay. You have some carriers for letters, and then you have creatures of a lower rank to carry other things; but Christ hath but one carrier for all; man must carry his words, his works, his letters and all else here below to him.

Divinity is high in its scope: the glory of Christ is the highest thing, and nothing maketh at it but man, but he must make at nothing else. Man is not to ask what things are made of, but what things are made for; the former belongeth to Christ, and the latter to us. 'Tis an earthen world this, but mans work is to make it heavenly; 'tis an earthen boul but wants a by as to run right, and man is to put in one to make it incline Heaven­ward, and to run true to God that made it.

Low things have a high scope, and yet as high as 'tis, man must make at it upon pain of death: we may use any thing but take the glory of nothing: if an Herod, a King feed on this dish, he dieth for it. Benjamin must have a dish of dainties a­lone, what fit may be given to instruments, but divine glo­ry, this is Christs dish, he alone must feed on these dainties; if any taste of this hony, though but with the tip of his staff, he dieth for it, and worms the meanest creatures, shall be strong enough to do it.

Some points will bear dispute, but this will bear none, whe­ther I am to give glory to Christ yea or no in all. God hath set a King in Sion, and 'tis sinne to say, may I crown him? I must crown him with glory, though I take off mine own crown to do it. The foure and twenty elders fell down before him that sat on the throne, and worshipt him that liveth for ever & ever, [Page 110] and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, thou art wor­thie O Lord to receive glory, honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were crea­ted, Rev. 4.10, 11. There is no place for the dispute of meum and tuum in this point with Christ, for all is his: all mine are thine: as he said to his Father, so we are to say to him, all ours are his; the very crowns we wear, the things we have that render us most glorious in the eye of men, must be for Christ: all our crowns must go to his crown.

Many will die by this law, for every man seeks his own. I and mine must live, and so must Christ and his. Skinne is dear, all must go for this, but nothing for Christ; which is the life of a beast, and not of a Christian. This time discovers thousands, nothing must be for Christ, because times call for all for him. Neutrality is condemned by this point; some will be nei­ther for, nor against Christ, which cannot be; all must be for him. Conceits are strange, where the heart is naught: can a man onely be a looker on in matters of God, which concern his glory, and our eternall welfare? Flesh is fearfull, and where this predominates, all the care is to look to one, and that one is self, and not Christ, which will be the shame of that one unto all forever. O how dear is name, and state, wife, and children now! But how dear is Christ? Men of the world, look into your hearts now, if ever you would know them throughly: would you not fain stand Neuters now in our cause, to give your purse some rest? Is not the pulling of your purse-strings, as the pulling of your heart-strings? Alas for me, what shall I and mine do? all will be gone, I shall be quite undone. What is Christ beleft, is all gone?

Nothing will be for Christ, as it should be, when the heart is not, I would you would all look to this, Give your selves to the Lord, and then you will give all that is yours. This they did, they gave their own selves to the Lord, and then to us, by the will of God. Make your hearts throughly for Christ, and you will make all other things with ease. Lusts unmortified, the heart is unruly; the heart unruly, will part with things ac­cording to its own will, and not according to Christs. An un­ruly heart becomes froward; frowardnesse knows none but its [Page 111] own will. Who is David? and who is the sonne of Jesse? that I should take up what is mine and give to I know not who? Many things go for Christ a while, plate, horse, money, men, and of a sudden all is checked, and nothing shall be for him; the plague of this is at the heart, this was never for him; but yet men do not consider this, but plead a thousand things of this side, and that speaks all more miserable.

Two things speak the heart for Christ, the rise and the scope of action: the heart is not for Christ, let the action be what it will, when it springs not from love. Peter lovest thou me? Feed my lambs. Naked action, though never so good, speaks not the heart for Christ, but the spring of that action. Do ye love Christs Lambs and feed them? I will tell you a sad thing, ma­ny a souldier hath a hand for Christ, and a heart against him, and what a pittie is this. So many a Citizen hath a purse a little open for Christ, and a spirit quite shut against him. Certainly our motion for Christ is heartlesse motion: love oyls her own wheels. as long as she hath any work, or any power, and we are quickly weary of well-doing.

The spring of action, and the scope of action, speaks the heart for God: not what you do, but at what you aim. He that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and there is no unrighteousnesse in him, John 7.18. The generation is spi­ritually plagued, which is worse then all the plagues which are upon us: men do little, and mean lesse: scarce a true heart a­mongst us. The body hath two eyes, but the soul should have but one, looking onely at Christ; but shew me such a man now. We are a kingdom of squint-eyed persons; states are broken, any way will serve to mend them: let whose will lose, is there any way for me to gain? Trialls are quick, spirits per­verse; kingdomes reel, nothing to be had; you must comply and do as others do, and seek your self, for you cannot rid it out: thus we reason. Simplicity is a rock, I see but few of these in our seas, Surely, surely, souls are drown'd apace in the de­luge, that is upon us. Men that did look bravely at Christ, now look basely at themselves, which speaks more wounds to a wounded kingdome: the Lord heal such hearts, or else when will this land be healed.

Doctr. HEre is a term of connexion in the front of this verse, which calls for something to be spoken relatively. Circumstances are multiplied, to winne respect to Christ. Much is said before, and here is more, and yet all expression too little to winne affe­ction. The heart of man naturally is damnable cold. One or­nament is enough to set a man dear in your breast, but all orna­ments not enough to set Christ dear. Affection naturally, is no whit divine. Christ is very honourable in gifts, and so in years, he is the ancient of dayes, He is before all things, and yet all nothing.

Let us all bleed under the basenesse of our affection so much should not be said to quicken, were we not all very dead. There must be some divine principall in the soul, ere any divine prin­cipall held up to it, will take it. if heaven were open to you, yet would you have no heart to go in, unlesse your hearts be open­ed too. Should Christ himself come from the dead, and stand in that glory before you, in which he stands now, at the right hand of God, yet unlesse something be done within, this sight without, will not gain you to him; you will tremble, and in­treat him to depart.

Sinners, know the plague of your heart: Christ is not reveal­ed in you, and therefore all that here he saith to you, is no more stirring. You have glory after glory here, and yet nothing gains: you spit out the sowernesse of your souls, in the face of him that is sweet to you: I am afraid nothing is yet done with­in you, and is this nothing to you? And if so, your state is the more grievous to Christ. When we do not love Christ, we should confesse it to him; a plague hid, Christ looks not after it, but lets it ramble and kill the soul.

Yet must we Christs servants, strive with you still, and fight with dead men, as long as we are in this dying tabernacle; and all that Christ saith of himself, we must say to you, though you grow worse and worse: into every chamber of the king of glo­ry we must lead you, though it be of no taking glory to you. My text puts me now to speak of the eternity of Christ to you, he is before all things, which is one of the highest things of [Page 113] concernment in the world, to see what this will do. We must be sweet to sowre souls, though they grow more sowre by it: we must put sweets into filthy stomachs, though they cruddle in their stomachs, and spue them up again, in the face of him that prescribed them.

LIke to this is that expression of Christ. Before Abraham was I am. They are expressions onely competent to Christ as God, and put us to speak of that which is altogether above us, to wit, the Eternitie of Christ.

Eternitie is continuation without termination, quae nnllo tempore finitur, that is bounded with no time. Melchisedeck is made a shadow of eternitie, he is said to be without beginning of dayes and end of life. You may call eternity life, for 'tis an es­sentiall attribute to the highest life: but then you cannot mea­sure this life by dayes and years, no not by beginning nor end­ding, for 'tis without both saith the holy Ghost, Without be­ginning of dayes or end of life: Eternitie is a life of and to it self, without term or dependance, any denomination from any thing without it self. You may denominate some things by some accidents that belong to them, as long, short, great, little, but eternity is without all accident, and can be called by none of these, neither long nor short, great nor little, but what it is essentially within it self, a life without all term, a life everlast­ing; a life from everlasting to everlasting: and such a life did Christ live whilest on earth, a life that had no term, that was before all things, and after all things.

Eternall life is consistent with humanity, though not with iniquity, with humane nature, though not with sinfull nature. The God-head dwelt bodily with us, that is, in our nature dwelt that life which is eternall; that is, of and to it self with­out any term, dependance or denomination, but from it self. There is principium ordinis, & principium temporis, a begin­ning of order, and this is competent to Christ as the Sonne of God: First the Father, and then the Sonne. There is a begin­ning of time, and this is competent to Christ as the Sonne of man: but principium essentiae, a beginning in regard of that [Page 114] essence and life, which is the same in all the three Persons, so there is none: The Father is eternall, the Sonne eternall, and the holy Ghost eternall, without termination, or denominati­on known to us: The Sunne is appointed for times and seasons, for dayes, and moneths, and years, Gen. 1. 'Tis a long met-yard to measure the Heavens which is wonderfull spacious, and it doth it speedily; 'tis mensura motus, the measure of all mo­tion above and below; but there is no measure for eternity but it self, but the Sonne of righteousnesse who fully comprehend­eth his own being, in all the properties of it: it can be put un­der no definition in our terms, and so consequently into no hu­mane conception, and therefore when spoken of 'tis very brok­enly, and yet as may best reach to your apprehension, as calling it something before the eldest thing you can think of. He is before all things.

As Christ is in being so in office, the one giveth fitnesse to the other: He is a King eternall, a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck. Every being hath proper action; as Christ is he doth, he hath eternall life, and doth eternall actions; he blesseth for ever, curseth for ever; he blotteth out sinne for ever, and writeth down sinne for ever; Now go write it before them in a table and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever, that this is a rebellious people, lying children, that will not heare the Law of the Lord. Esay 30.8.9. If thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever, 1. Chron. 28.9. The works I do they bear witnesse of me, saith Christ, when he would convince them of what a being he was. As things are so they act, such a life generateth such a life. Whosoever shall drink of the waters that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life.

Our dutie must be suited to Christs being and moving, both which are for ever, and so must our obedience be. I will extoll thee my God O King, and I will blesse thy Name for ever and ever, Psalm, 145.1. the being and moving of Christ should not be separated, his Person and Office should go joynt, and answer­ablely be observed in conversation; God and King are here coupled together by the Psalmist, and Christ as God and King [Page 115] lifted and extolled: I will extoll thee O God my King. Christ is eternall in both, and in all other attributes, he is God-King, and God-Priest, and God-Prophet, that is, of suitable action in all these Offices to the nature of an eternall life, of a God-life (I may so speak) and therefore ought joyntly still to be considered and observed. Naughty hearts suspend duty at pleasure, they consider not with whom they have to do; to day they will be holy, to morrow they will not, and in this undoe themselves for ever, as falling under an eternall stroke. Beings and Offices over us must be acknowledged as they are; they are eternall, and must be obeyed eternally: Ever follow that which is good, Thes. 5.15. Religion if it cost you money, or if it cost you bloud, yet you must obey, for he that liveth for ever, will otherwise make you die for ever. O England, take heed of eternall blows, if thou wave thy fidelity to Christ, to wave tem­porall strokes, thou wilt have eternall stroakes, thou wilt be judged as Elies house for ever, and as the Churches in the East with a perpetuall desolation, and Ziim and Ochim shall dance here, and thou shalt heare the voyce of the Turtle no more for ever, Esay 13. Thy bending affrighteth me more then thy bleed­ing; but I spare thee O weak England. Truth should be ma­naged according to its nature, and according to its Father; 'tis eternall, and so must we cleave to it; if thou canst not receive this, the Lord have mercy upon thee England.

I leave generalls and speak to particulars: 'tis an eternall God ye have to do with, he is before all things, and will be af­ter all things, wherefore tremble, and consider your state every one, what eternall things are done upon you. An eternall a­gent, hath an eternall subject to work upon; your souls are everlasting, and there Christ specially worketh, as most suitable to him: little is to be heeded what is done without, in compa­rison of what is done within: you complain of many strokes upon your states, names, bodies, but is there not a stroke of strokes, an eternall stroke upon your souls? Hence forth let fruit never be on thee more, Ah Lord! here is an eternall God, striking a stroke like himself! Barren souls, is not this eternall stroke strucken upon you? You of this congregation (let me wash my hands of your bloud, ere my glasse amongst you be [Page 116] quite out) what hath my eternall master done in your eternall souls by the eternall words which he hath spoken by me, since the day I came amongst you? Are not your hearts the same? as sowre, as bitter, as cold, as carnall, as worldly as ever? Are not these symptomes of an eternall stroke, that God hath cursed you for your barrennesse under brave means, which you a long while have had, never to be otherwise then you are? Take time to give me an answer, till I come to this place again.

Christ being eternall, eternall mercy may be had, if wanted by any people, and with more content to Christ then lesser things: great persons delight to give like themselves. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest him long life, even life for ever more: As for naturall life, Christ maketh nothing of this gift. David thought that to beg naturall life had been a great request, and no doubt but he would have accounted this much in some straights but God maketh nothing of this, as being not to give like himself. An eternall God loveth to give eternally; The gift of God is eternall life. This is the priviledge of the gene­ration of them that seek him; they ask small things, and he giveth great; they ask one thing, and he giveth them a better; they ask like themselves, and he giveth like himself. Tender hearts are afraid to ask great things, but it should not be, for 'tis most becoming him with whom we have to do, and you will sooner get him to give audience about such things, then a­bout petty temporary things. Kings will not be moved in small things, but in matters which beseem their greatnesse, to this they are ready. Our God is ready to give the least good thing we need, to tender every hair, and every leaf, His leaf shall not wither; but he is most delighted to give the things that are most like him. When Jacob wrestleth in a case of naturall life, the Angel would fain get gone: doubtlesse his petition lay too low, for the Text saith, he was greatly afraid, and had there not been something wrapt up in the businesse, that had an eter­nall respect, and which the Angel at this time did more look to then Jacob did, doubtlesse Christ would have got away: he would not have been troubled with Jacob all night onely about the naturall life of him and his. Let weak souls remember the carriage of the King to Hester, when she cometh upon matters [Page 117] of weight; the golden Scepter is held out, and she toucheth it; What wilt thou Queen Hester? It shadoweth out what Christ is to his Church, ready to give things of weight, such a royall life and state to his Church, as he hath himself, and to continue it against all Hamans.

PRovidence hath put me to speak of many things, but now she puts me to speak of her self; she is a servant of servants, she waits upon every one, but now she commands you to wait a little upon her, to know what she is, and what a blessing you have in her. Of Christ as a creatour you have heard, and now as an upholder, you shall hear of him. In him all things are made of nothing, and in him all things abide, or else would turn all to nothing. One thing lives in another: fish in the sea, foul in the aire, brutes in the earth, but all in Christ: In him all things consist.

There is an inconsistencie in the creation by the curse, one thing cannot live by another, one thing bites and devours ano­ther, great ones eat up little ones; the whole world is a great body gnawing out it self, it hath gnawed it self to skinne and bones now, 'tis so old and torn, as is very sad to look upon, or live in, and it would have gnawed it self to nothing long ere this, if Christ had not upheld; in him hath the whole creation, things in heaven and things in earth, a reconciliation of consi­stency; father would kill sonne else, and the stones in the street would rise against you all, but in him these all consist.

The expression speaks supportation: there be many things in the world, and they all live upon one. Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest every living thing. There be many mouths in the world, and some gape very wide, and yet one hand fills them all. In whom things have esse, they have porro esse; 'tis the case of all created things, they are dependant. The noblest life below Christ, is in Christ, upheld in him, or else it would die presently. In him [we live] move, &c. Man, holy man, lives the highest life of all creatures here below, yet this is in Christ: life is the noblest thing and Christ is the fountain of this: he is the fountain of the noblest life, that any creature [Page 116] [...] [Page 117] [...] [Page 118] lives: all life, the life of plants, the life of beasts, the life of men, the life of Saints, the life of Angels, all runnes from that vast spirit of life, that is in him. Look what your spirit is to the little world, that is Christs spirit to the great world: your spirit carries life about to all, to every finger, to every toe, and to every joint; your soul is a fountain of life to all the strings, veins, and si­news of your body, so is Christ to all the creation, he gives life to all. Bread is called a staffe and support, but this is but by Ordinance from Christ; for life comes not merely out of bread, it comes from Christ; life is not in bread, but in the word of blessing which comes out of the mouth of Christ. One thing would die in the bosome of another, if all were not in the bo­some of Christ; children in the bosome of parents, and parents in the bosome of plenty, for in him, and not in these, all things consist.

2 The expression speaks disposition. Every life hath proper mo­tion, this also is in Christ. In him we live and [move. Look how seas and winds, and heavens, and birds, and beasts, and men move, and admire, for 'tis in Christ. Christ is not onely the supporter, but the orderer of all things; 'tis not in the noblest creatures to live its own life, nor to move like to its own principle of motion: 'tis not in man to order [his steps. Man hath the noblest life, the greatest parts, and gifts, and yet 'tis not in these, to order themselves like themselves; 'tis not in man to order his life like a man: do you not see many men live like beasts? In whom is it then? 'tis in Christ. No life hath its one property independant, we cannot live of our selves, nor we can­not move, but in Christ, although we have life; life and moti­on proper to it, is in him: this is true at the same height of the new man. We can do nothing of our selves, not think a good thought; thinking good and holy thoughts, this is the property of a holy spirit, and yet this its own property is dependant; 'tis not in a holy spirit, think holy thoughts, but 'tis in Christ. To live and to act the least acts of life, is in the fountain of life. In him all things consist, that is, beings, and actions. Christ doth uphold goings, as well as beings. Uphold my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not, Psal. 17.5. Such beings and such goings, Christ upholds: he upholds the world, and dispo­ses [Page 119] the world; being and government, both are upon his shoul­ders, that is, being and disposition of being. Who hath given him a charge over the earth, or who hath disposed the whole world, Job. 34.13.

These things speake the nature of providence what it is: 'tis a divine condescension to the necessity of the creature: Christ be­coming an ark for every species, and for every individuall; power floating upon mercy, with the whole creation in its bo­some. Providence is power made out of mercy into food and raiment for the body, grace and glory for the souls.

Providence is either common or speciall.Common providence. Common provi­dence, is the naked supportation of being, and but a little more at best. That the wicked in hell are, is providence, but it were better for them they were not, that their misery did nihilate them, unlesse their mercy were more. Common providence is an act of power, dispensing things commonly: the heavens give their wealth to all, and so do the earth and the sea: the sunne lights good and bad, all in and out of the world: God upholds all that fall. There is a generall compassion upon our fallen con­dition, by which it is upheld, and lies in the way of speciall compassion. Some things Christ carries upon his back, others in his bosome: the one is common providence, and the other is speciall. He upholds all things by the word of his power, he carries all things, saith the originall.

Common providence lasts but for a time, God will not al­wayes be good to bad men. The triumphing of the wicked is short, saith Jobs friends. They flourished like a gree Bay-tree, but were suddenly gone, saith the Psalmist of the wicked. Di­vine dealings, shall be exactly suitable to condition: wicked men, as they have not a drop of grace, so they shall not have a drop of mercy to cool them, though now they have a great deal. Providence is very promiscuous for a time, all comes a­like to all; but 'twill be very proper, precise, and distinct in its way, divine dealing shall speak the man, the hand of God shall plainly speak out the heart of man; as the Lord will be known, so shall men be known, by the judgements which he executeth: this is a Cain, the brand of a vagabond is upon him, this is a Judas, the character of perdition is upon him: providence [Page 120] marked the one, and pointed out the other: 'tis he that dippeth with me. Both these examples rypifie, that divine carriage shall be such, to all of that side, as plainly to speak out love and ha­tred. Goats shall be known by their places, providence will be so exact. If the Bore cannot be known by his hair and his tusks, yet he shall be known by the knife that is in his throat, and his roring. Time shall be when this expression, in him all things consist, shall loose its latitude; above half the world shall be shut out of the common providence of God utterly, and then will be the devils harvest; O what a deal of businesse will he have then, and how will hell enlarge it self! when he shall have the ordering of all his own in the world, as he will!

Speciall providence Speciall providence, is wisdome ordering all things about man, to an eternall good: using the rod and the staffe to com­fort; giving and taking away, clothing and stripping the body, to make the soul divine. Providence seems to be a heap of con­fusion, but it hath alwayes a proper scope, and all its acts, which to us are strange, still make very directly to it. There are two sorts of vessels in the world, and these are fitted to their proper end, saith the Apostle, one to honour, and the other to disho­nour; not an act of God in the world, but it hath a fitting scope in it; not an act of God about a Christian, but it hath a fitting scope to shape his soul for Abrahams bosome to fit in Christs arms for ever. A man is not to measure speciall providence, by an externall successe of action towards him as most do, but by an internall successe: how doth poverty or riches, health or sicknesse, better the heart? Right-hand providence, is speciall providence, Why with-drawest thou thy hand, even thy right-hand, pull it out of thy bosome, Psal. 74. When that hand or­ders all to me, upon which I shall stand for ever, and orders all so, as to bring me there, and set me there, this is speciall pro­vidence. David speaks much of Gods right hand towards him: then is a right hand upon me, when all is ordered to bring my soul to its right end, and this is in Christ. In him all things consist. In him grace is upheld, ordered, and brought to glory. Grace cannot live without Christ, glory cannot live without Christ. In him all things consist.

Speciall providence is perpetuall, but yet with respect to our [Page 121] abiding in him with whom it is; in him all things consist, and out of him Saints cannot consist. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers, which men gather and cast into the fire, saith Christ. Christ carrieth as he is leaned upon; cast burdens upon him as many as you will, and he will bear them all; lean not upon him, and he will let you fall, and all your burdens upon you. Christ cannot endure to have his children out of his bosome; if they keep in his arms he carrieth them for ever, and is never wearied with them: but let them go out of his arms, and he is tired with them presently. Speciall providence worketh in order to faith, though it work not sim­ply or faith: Christ doth all freely, but yet in his own way. Go teach all nations to observe whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with you alwayes to the end of the world. In such a way Christ walketh, walk out of that way and you will never meet him. This is divinity not understood, mens igno­rance is to be pittied; when we presse dutie as in order to which Christ moveth, they say we presse it as merit, for which Christ must move: unbelief destroyeth speciall providence à tanto li­cet non à toto, in part though not in whole. Some things Christ doth to the soul, when it doth not beleeve, and that is to make faith; and other things he will not do till it doth believe, and yet doth all freely. In him not out of him do we consist.

Use. Having opened unto you the doctrine of providence, I will give you the use of all. 'Tis a hard time, many are much put to it; I have nothing to subsist saith one, and so saith another: What, hast thou not Christ to subsist with? In him all things subsist, and canst not thou make a subsistence in him. Extremi­ties put poore hearts besides themselves; this is the misery of miseries, when the soul cannot see in whom all is. My husband is dead, my trade dead, but Christ is alive, and therefore all is alive: a husband is alive in Christ, a trade is alive in Christ, better then any you can drive to maintain: It was enough to Jacob that Joseph was alive, though he and his were ready to starve. Let it be enough to every distressed heart, that Christ is alive; though trade and husband be dead. Christ hath all yet, though every one else be robbed: in him all things be up­held, and in him you shall be upheld.

[Page 122] Ob. In him, I may have soul-subsistence, but as for bodily subsi­stence surely that will fail, for the meal in the barrell is almost quite spent, and when this is gone surely I shall want my bread. Canst thou trust Christ for thy soul, and canst thou not trust him for thy body? If thou canst but look up to Christ as all things do, though not as noble things do, yet thou wilt have meat.Sol. The eyes of all things] looke up to thee, and thou givest them meat. Cry but as Hagar, and thou wilt have drink. Seek but as the young Lions, they seek their bread of God; and thou wilt have bread. If thou canst but rore as they do, thou wilt be heard; and bleat and bellow as the cattell of Ninivie, some de­liverance will come out. Christ is never put to it though you be, he will find one thing or other to make provision for all. The eyes of all look unto thee, and thou feedest them. Provi­dence hath meat in her mouth for all.

Ob. Meat may be given but the time may be long first, and my cheeks begin to grow pale already; my servants cry, my chil­dren cry, my guts cry for hunger, surely I and mine shall starve.

Sol. No thou shalt not, providence works oportunely, thou shalt have meat in due season, these all wait upon thee, and thou givest them meat in due season.

Ob. It cannot be: means are gone, and friends are gone; Sol. That is nothing, Christ is not gone; providence maketh strangers friends, enemies friends, ravens to feed others, whose property it is to devoure; and to feed them seasonably, morning and evening. Among enemies, the children of the captivity found friends, and found favour for a tender conscience in Babylon.

Ob. A little relief may be to me possible onely enough to hold life and soul together, but under such sparing providence, life will be worse then death, when mercy is ministred nothing an­swerable to my necessity.

Sol. Let not this terrifie: in Christ all subsist, and subsist well; thou maist not possibly have so much as thou hadst, nor so fine as thou hadst, but as long as Christ is, thou shalt subsist well, and thine own heart shall say so. Providence doth not alwaies give alike, but doth alwayes do enough for the best condition of being: and yet let me tell thee further this, Providence bring­eth [Page 123] in sometimes a great deal more then we expect. See a brave instance in Jacob, Gen. 48.11. And Israel said unto Joseph. I had not thought to see thy face, and lo God hath shewed me also thy seed. Providence is plentifull and bountifull, as well as seaso­nable, and bringeth in twise as much, twenty times more, then we think of, enough in supply necessity, yea enough to satisfie desire. Jacob had corn for necessity, and he had also the sight of Joseph and his posterity, and the life of Benjamin, and many gallant mercies more, which bordered uppon these, even to the utmost of desires, so literally was that promise fulfilled to him, thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing. Desire is vaster then necessity, in most creatures, in man it is I am sure, and yet providence is so bountifull, that it satisfies this. Providence, not onely brings about what one needs, but what one wishes, yea more, providence doth prepare things, and bestow this and that, which the heart cannot wish, nor expect; it doth prevent us with loving kindnesse.

Two things must be eyed, to mak Christ giue out himself plenteously, for your sweet subsistence: the first is, interest. I am thine, save me, saith David. God is very tender about his own; a child shall have any thing. Remember me O Lord, with the favour that thou barest to [thy people] O visit me with thy salvation. Union draws out all the fulnesse of Christ; what goes beside the pipes which are laid into the founntain, are but drops, and by means of these pipes too, these droppings are upon the world: Christ would not give forth a drop of favour to the world, were there not some in it nearely allied to him; all wicked mens mercies are but as it were some droppings of the great mercies of Saints; this kingdome would not consist, were there not some Saints in it; all the upholding it hath is long of them that are united to him, from whom he cannot break off. England use thy Saints well they are thy pipes and veins to heaven, through which thy great blessings fall upon thee; All art must be used to advance interest in Christ; out of the favour of God, and you will be outed of all, whether it be the case of a person, or a whole nation. You are not my peo­ple, and I will not be your God. Lo-ammi Lo-eli. This man is none of my child, let the devil look to him, let his own fa­ther [Page 123] provide for him: this Kingdome is not my people, let it bleed to death and 'twill, will God say. England look to this or thou art lost, and all the world shall not save thee; let thy reformation be such as to render thee Christs Church, that he may say England is my people, or thy consumption will kill thee. Friendship in Heaven is all, to the lively-hood of a Na­tion, or of a person here; every thing will run crosse whilest the great wheel is out with one: lets all set things right with Christ and all will run well, let disadvantages be what they will. But thou Israel art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham my friend; fear not for I am with thee, and they that warre against thee shall be as nothing.

2 Interest must be made and then maintain'd, or else life be­cometh uncomfortable. When souls grow loose they find the evill of their way: Christ is tender in providence to tender hearts. 'Tis harder to bring ones heart so near God as one should, and then 'tis harder to keep it there; but yet how difficult so­ever, the soul shall know it is a bitter thing to depart: a spirit of love and union abates, and then flowers that smell sweet in the breast close, and Christ withdrawes: My soul cleaveth af­ter the Lord, thy right hand upholdeth me, Psalm, 93. The spirit of union must not be checked, it must work after the Lord freely: In this way the soul hath a right hand upholding it, and this maketh and keepeth the life contentfull. Grace is a pursuit of Christ, they live most sweetly that runne most swiftly after him; check this pursuit and you die. Unbelief maketh fear, fear setteth the soul at a stand; shall I go forward, or shall I stand still? Now God is displeased & the heart tortured for its basenes. Englands fearfulnesse to pursue Christ, hath deprived her almost of subsistence, and tumbled her to nothing but bloud. Fearfull hearts pursue your Saviour that you may do well, or he will pursue you: help not on the ruine of a brave kingdome: will neglect of the wayes of the Lord, keep up you, or this tottering kingdomes?

CHrist hath many titles, and every one speaketh much, but this speaketh all; head noteth all the offices of Christ: [Page 125] As a Priest Christ is head, as a Prophet Christ is head, as a King, Christ is head of the most beautifull body the Church: One word of God needeth many words of man to open it. Manna lieth of a heap here, and if Christ wait to be gracious, we shall gather much. We must begin with that which is the foundation of office, fulnesse. Head noteth officium & basin of­ficii, office and that which maketh sufficience to office, Christ is called head quòd omnia in capite sunt ferè dupla, as one saith, bini oculi, binae aures, binae nares, because all things in the head are as it were double, there are two eyes, and two eares, and two nostrils &c. that is, a great fulnesse of all exquisite sence and ability, for organisation: and under this notion I purpose first to handle this tearm. Rule is a noble thing, Sun-beams weaved into a crown; he must be higher by the head then the rest of Israel, that is, called out to wear this: person must be beauti­full, and parts double, and so were Christs, he is head: [...], kaphal duplicavit, cùm omnia in capite sunt ferè dupla; the head hath two eyes, two eares, two nostrills, doubly organised to act it self, and all the rest; to supply it self and all the rest: so is Christ double endowed, not onely for himself, but for all that shall need him.

Leviticall unctions were by pouring and not by dropping, enough was poured upon the head to run down to the feet: so is Christ anointed as head, that is, double grace is powred into his lips.

Doctr. There is store in Christ for all spirituall necessity; if any want an eare, if any want an eye, our head hath two, one for him­self, and another for us; if any want an eare, Christ hath two, he is our head. If any man want any other abilitie Christ can furnish, for he is head and anointed so.

1 Giving is made in order to receiving, receptivitie is very vast in Christ, Christ can receive what ever God can give; the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth in him. God can do no great things in our spirits, they are so little. In Christ there is pro­portionable capacity to infinite greatnesse, and there God dwel­leth, furnisheth, and moveth as he is; double and treble dona­tion is made without end. Infinite capacitie will hold infinite fulnesse.

[Page 126]Giving is made in order to an ultimate end: Christ is not the ultimate end of divine donation, Christ is not given unto merely to retain, but he is given unto to give. There is reci­procation in divine donation, every thing is given unto to give back again; the sea is filled with water to fill the earth with springs and showers: things must have much which are to sup­ply many. Christ is anointed to anoint, Ye have received] an unction from the [holy one]. Christ hath what he hath in order to abide, and therefore called head.

Use. Necessitous creatures consider your condition, and where your supplies lie; 'tis sad to see how poore many of you are: If there were no soul riches to be had, your poverty were no sinne, but now your poverty is sinfull misery, and sinfull mise­ry is sinking misery; your poverty will judge you, because there is wealth to be had; that you have no oyl will shut you out quite, because there is oyl to be gotten were you wise to look after it, oyl enough to fill your lamps, to keep you burning and shining, till you go into that place where you shall shine for ever. Men in want lay to heart nothing, that maketh want ut­terly undoing; thousands live and die damnable poore: do I not unawares speak the condition of some of you? do soul wants lie heavie upon you?

Yes, the nature of such a condition should be considered: soul-pressures are from severall apprehensions, all are not kind; if this be not looked to, fulnesse in Christ will not be looked after, though the heart be ready to die with load: there is soul-pressure from conscience enlightned: guilt by divine ordination looketh back upon the soul dayly, howerly, and the soul would look away from it, and think of no sinne, nor no such thing, but cannot, visions of wrath so haunt him, and here lieth his load; if any company, if any musick would cheere and charm away this evill spirit that so haunteth the man, he would get it what ever it did cost: life though bad, not at all disliked by the man, but horribly disliked of God and conscience, that the man can­not do what he would, he is so plagued within; and here lieth the burden, that the man cannot keep his sinne, and not that he cannot leave his sinne.

Let such men know, that that that arrow which is shot into [Page 127] the heart, shall abide, and how able and full soever Christ be to power oyl into wounded souls, he will power none into these wounds, these shall gangrene and destroy the man, for they are diaboli ulcera; this is the burden of the damned, that they cannot prosecute their will, but are tormented. Pres­sures are pittied, which spring from love to Christ, and hatred of sinne. I am sick of love, Christ is my life, more then my life, but I cannot enjoy him, therefore I sinne, sink, grone and die: such bleeding is staid, such wounds have mercy powred into them. Oppressed harts, do you prize the fulnesse that is in Christ? O nothing dearer, then blessed are ye, for dispensation to you shall be full, you shall have flaggons. Previous dispo­sitions, speak the mercy coming certainly; the heavens glimmer in the east, the sunne is certainly rising; affections stirre, the beloved is not farre off, the way is strewed, the king is coming, there will be crying Hosanna, and triumphing anon. Panting hearts, let the king come his own pace, and he will get home to you by night, he will sup with you, and feast with you, and what ever he hath to refresh and revive the soul, you shall have it, ere any temptation shall destroy you; Christ feasting is usu­ally at supper, his full communications are ordinarily late, but never too late; fulnesse of mercy, comes in fulnesse of time. Let passions burn strong, but not turbulent: if any thing make your beloved make haste, and come skipping to you like a young Roe, it will be this. Christ comes in a still voice, and unto still souls, that long earnestly, but wait patiently for him. Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel, and he had his bosome full. Deep waters come slowly, infinite fulnesse is long a emptying it self. That w^ch works exactly, must have time: grace that goeth forth in height goes forth very exact. Of his fulnesse we receive, and grace for grace. Fulnesse works exactly, to make the recipient fully like it self, grace for grace. The best wine is kept till last. Full dispensations are best, the best wine, & these are kept till last, and they are kept by Christ, thou hast kept the best wine till last. Grace goeth forth free, but not without order, no soul hath fulnesse presently, though Christ be fulnesse alwayes.

Vessels of mercy are narrow mouthed (weak hearts, I speak to you to keep you quiet). O ye of little faith. You have but [Page 128] little faith, and yet complain that ye have not great mercy; ful­nesse comes in, by opening the mouth wide: that dead soul that can spread himself upon the living, neeses seven times; perfect life comes in, by spreading our souls upon him that is perfect. Every thing in Christ is mine, when faith saith this in the heart, then every thing indeed, actually becomes mine. The eye of Christ becomes mine to see, the hand of Christ becomes mine to work, and the feet of Christ becomes mine to walk. Our right lies as concealed, till faith acts; there is much in the fa­thers house, but the soul starves, till it remember it self, and own its father. I will return unto my father, and then I know I shall have bread enough, what he hath, I shall have: strong acting of faith, makes Christs fulnesse yours.

Fulnesse would fill your vessells, but your hands jogge, and that runnes besides, which should runne in. There is never a time you come to these waters, but here is powring out enough to fill you all, but every ones hand jogges almost, so that much precious water is spilt, and every one returns empty. Jacob is ready to draw water, to water all, to fill the bellies of all the cattle, but Rachel will do it her self, she is shie and modest, and will not take help: Christ is willing to draw out his fulnesse, and to fill every heart, but we are shie and modest, and will be doing all our selves, and not trouble Christ; we will be draw­ing out of this thing, and out of that duty to fill our souls, and not out of Christ. Let my beloved come into his garden, and do his work himself, for I can do no more; Blow O north-wind, Blow O south, and make my spices flow out, for I beat and blow, and nothing will come out but sinne and shame, this brings in fulnesse; fulnesse comes out of nothing. I am nothing, preach­ing nothing, hearing nothing, but Christ all, and this makes him all unto the soul; the clearer in self deniall, the fuller in the fruition of Christ. You rest in your works, and stagger at the promise through unbelief, and how is it possible, that fulnesse should fill you. You are full of self, and you cannot be full of Christ; the promises are pipes from the fountain, which are laid of purpose to fill you, and you stagger at them.

I would every bleeding heart did know what wounds him, and who is his greatest enemy; he thinks 'tis Christ, and alas [Page 129] tis not: thou hast not a dearer friend in the world then Christ is, nor one that pities thee more; thou art the greatest enemy to thy self, and thine own unbelief keeps thee low, this is the secret leak in the vessell, which thou hast not yet found out, thou hadst been full else, long ere this. Christ is full, and art not thou full? Search thy soul, certainly there is some leak; unbelief is long ere it be seen, but when it is, no monster like it; 'tis more uggly then Sathan, then that cage of unclean birds below, as that without which, Sathan nor sinne could do any hurt. A stubborn child that had blasphemed, was to be brought forth, and those that heard him to blaspheme, were to lay their hands on his head, and he was to be stoned. Unbelief is the froward­nesse of the heart, which makes you to blaspheme God, and his gracious word; bring forth this froward child, and lay your hands upon the head of it, and cast stones at it at the throne of grace: say, Lord this is that child that hath blasphemed thee, that hath dishonoured thee more then any evil, stone it to death from heaven; this suit you must pursue and follow, which would be filled with the spirit.

Finally, fulnesse speaks such dispensations, as make, and settle peace in the soul, and Christ is King of peace, he is King of Sa­lem, he hath the command of peace; he can still the raging sea with a word of his mouth, so he can a raging conscience, and he must be looked upon, and acknowledged, according to such a transcendent abilitie, and then he gives out, as he hath in him, fulnesse to supply the necessity of the soul. Lord I know that thou canst do whatever thou wilt. Now Christ works richly. Christ will have his prerogative acknowledged; grace is his own to dispose as he will, all his wealth is his own, he can ad­vance a soul at his pleasure; if there be no word, which the soul ever yet heard, that hath spoken peace, Christ can create words, and make them so drop from his lips, as to make peace. De­vils are at the command of Christ, and Angels are at the com­mand of Christ, yea the holy Ghost is at the command of Christ, he can breath and blow with this wind, where he lists: Christ is met half way (as it were) when the soul can thus look toward him, when Prerogative is fully acknowledged.

HEad speaks fulnesse, and that which bears upon this, to wit, Office; of the one we have spoken, of the other we are now to speak. Divine ordination fills vp one vessell, and then makes channell out of that for others. Office is a convey­ance of gifts, for a publick good; something to draw out one, to the use of many. Christ doth bear Office to the creature, which is more humilitie then can be exprest; he is head. The word speaks rule. Christ hath government upon his shoulders, the government of the choisest body which God hath in the the world, He is the head of the Church.

Every corporation hath priviledge, but none more then the Church; Jerusalem is free, yet not lawlesse, she hath a head. Universall bodies are great, the invisible catholick Church, takes up heaven and earth, and yet not masterlesse, all under rule, and Christ is the head of this great body.

1 Christs rule is universall, God ruleth in Jacob, to the ends of the earth, saith the Psalmist. Yea, to the ends of heaven. There is a throne in the Church militant, and Christ sits upon that: there is a throne in the Church triumphant, and Christ sits upon that. We have such an high priest, who is let down on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, Hebr. 8.1. There is majesty below and above, and Christ sits as head up­on them all, every knee bows to him.

2 The rule of Christ is spirituall; he is head in the heart. The kingdome of God is within you, there are his Laws written, and there is his throne. Aarons rod, and the tables of the covenant, were in the inner Court, and the Manna in the golden pot. The command of the purse may serve a man, but it doth not Christ, he commands the heart. My sonne give me thy heart. You suit your seats, so doth Christ, he makes his throne in that which is nearest him to wit, the spirit. Christs rule, is one soul bound up in another, Paul bound in the Spirit, and that bond, bound all to good behaviour.

Christs rule is perpetuall. Some heads may be cut off, this head my text speaks of cannot. Death hath slain many com­manders, but Christ hath slain death, and him that had the [Page 131] power of death. Satan is the executioner of Justice, and there­fore said to have the power of death, as well as in other respects; Christ hath destroyed all, and hath his life in jeopardy by none, he liveth and reigneth for ever, he ruleth by his power for ever, Psalm, 66.7. He shall rule till he hath put down all rule, and all power, and all authority, 1. Cor. 15.24. Untill he and his be one, as he and his father are one till the kingdome be resigned up. There be now many powers against Christ, but he must reign till they be all down, yet not any to help him.

4 The rule of Christ is Monarchicall: there may be many lords over the body, but there is but one Lord over the soul, The government is upon his shoulders, that is, upon his alone. Christ had none suffered with him, and he hath none to reign with him here. Christ hath trod the wine-presse alone, he slew Goliah alone, and is that stone alone, that sunk into his brain; he mak­eth his kingdome alone, and ruleth it alone: He shall build the Temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne, Zacharie, 6.13.

Ʋse. This point is irksome, most hearts can bear no rule, contra­diction is death, though it be the word of life that maketh it. Office destroyed, the soul destroyeth it self; where Christ can be no King, he will be no Jesus: such as stumble at this chief corner stone, are crushed by it; that soul that killed Christ, is killed by him, his bloud is upon every heart that nullifieth him. The Lord be mercifull to the souls of men: do ye know what ye do when you secretly say, this lust shal reign, and Christ shal not reign over me? You commit Adoniahs treason, treason against the crown, that you may put by Solomon from the throne, your bloud and your life will go for this. When Adam committed treason against the crown, & would become a God, God cutteth him off presently, though there were no more men in the world.

Justice hath its heights and depths as mercy hath: treason a­gainst the King hath exquisite torture, such a death as hath ma­ny deaths in it: so 'tis in this case, spirituall treason hath double death. By dying thou shalt die thou traitour against the crown of Heaven, said Christ to Adam, and in him to all that do as he did. There is death unto death, and this the punishment of every traitour against Christ.

[Page 132]This is too generall: a more particular application shall be made. Your souls are under command, you have a spirituall head. You have fathers of your flesh, and you obey them; you have a father of spirits, and why do ye not obey him? Most men look least at their hearts, all the care is to order the tongue and the outward man. Hypocriticall creatures, you overlook the kingdome of Christ, you look at the outside, Christ looketh at the heart, who ruleth within; all is under command, body and soul; the soul principally, and yet this principally neglect­ed must needs be the death of all: thoughts must be brought in­to subjection to Christ, as well as words. Loose hearts have their plague upon them, their holinesse is painted, but their judgement will be reall, they have sould their souls to do wick­edly, and will be paid in hell. The behaviour of the heart is all, dethrone Christ and he will fight it out with you to the death; a disloyall soul shall never have the sword depart from him, not a quiet day as long as he liveth. Our temporall king which ru­leth in this land, doth but imagine that you go about to de­throne him, or take off some flowers from his crowns, and you see and feel that he fights it out with you to the death, and seem­eth resolved not to give England a quiet day as long as he lives. Make spirituall application of this ye Hypocrites, ye painted toombs, that come here and professe Christ, and go out like Ju­das and betray him, you dethrone Christ in your hearts, you destroy the flowers of his crown; the rule of the soul is the one­ly flower of his crown, and taking away this from him, he will fight it out with you to the death, the sword shall never depart from your souls, you shall not have a quiet day, for the hypo­crisie which you know.

Tremble Hypocrites, fearfulnesse will surprise you, your se­cret basenesse will generate a secret hell, justice shall rule where truth and love cannot: the rottennesse of your hearts shall have a corasite to feed upon it for ever; let every one lay these things to heart, and consider whether Christ be head there yea, or no.

1 Two things demonstrate the heart indeed ruled by Christ, sin universally hated, and truth universally loved. Passions are false, strength speaketh out their truth, and who ruleth in the [Page 133] heart. Some spirits are indifferent for truth or errour, and hold a virtue to be hot for neither, but to stand in all times of contradiction, so as to keep the skinne whole; Hypocrisie ru­leth in this heart and not truth, and this temper is the plague of this generation, neither hot nor cold. Cold sweats are death pangs; the soul is near his end that thus liveth. If God be God worship him, halting between many things is nothing, this speaketh the prince of darknesse yet ruling: affections which break through obstacles to discharge duty, speak Christ head in the heart.

I will not stand on qualities themselves, but at what every quality maketh, and this will be more plain to you to demon­strate who ruleth in your hearts. Fire encounters all opposites, so doth every element from a naturall instinct, and so doth grace where it reigneth. Sinne is the proper object of hatred, and every sinne is made so where Christ indeed is head. Domi­nion speaketh all subdued, if any sinne reign Christ doth not. Weak hearts must not here wrong themselves: the being of sinne and the stirring of sinne, which the Apostle calleth the motion of sinne, do not necessarily speak the reign of sinne. Ma­ny precious hearts when they feel sinne strong in them, con­clude it reigneth in them, and censure their souls exceedingly, and so make their life a hell; they please themselves in this, but Christ is not pleased. Sinne maketh motions: that is nothing, how is it harkned to? This denominateth dominion or not: doth every stirring make thee grone? wretched man, &c. Dost thou carry sinne to Christ, when it is about to carry thee to the Devil? Lord, this is the plague of my heart, heal it; this universally practiced speaketh the reign of Christ: some of you are by pangs plaintifes against corruption, and then another while defendants; and plaintifes against one corruption, upon some more then ordinary evil that falleth out upon it, and then defendants in reference to another, that taketh better to your designes: this mans eyes are out, and Satan hath him by the hand, and the Lord knoweth whither he will lead him.

You that cannot so well understand this, may consider the next: Sinne universally hated, Truth universally loved speak­eth Christs dominion indeed in the soul. Truth is homogeneall, [Page 134] and is all sweet to a sweet soul; the heart conquered by Christ, all his Lawes are holy, just and good. Christs yoke is easie, and burdensome things light: Truth is no pressure, not simply as a truth (I think) where the soul is sincere; the pressure is, if any, that it cannot love enough, nor obey enough things of such a noble nature. One of the first things Christ taketh is love, here he fortifieth till he hath taken all other parts; here he mounteth cannons against all that is naught, and issueth out from hence, and taketh in all that is truth. Love is Christs fort-Royall in the soul, mighty vast, and holdeth play on all sides, for all truth, and against all sinne. A soul under the command of Christ loveth much, though he can do but little, loveth all truths, though he can scarce practice one. Christ is a King of glory, into whatsoever everlasting doores he cometh: every line in Christs book is glorious, every hair upon Christs head glorious, where he is a head. Christs head is bushy and black as a Raven; lines of truth are black hairs of that head that ru­leth, and they are all beautifull in that heart that is married to Christ. The summe of all is this, as Christ ruleth in the heart so is the life; you may look without and see who ruleth within; a through conversation speaketh a through dominion of Christ, [...].

1 Having spoke to discover, a few things more I would deliver to draw your hearts to come under the rule of Christ: Whom Christ ruleth he defendeth; power attendeth truth, Christ up­holdeth goings in his paths: men may justle against us, but Christ will uphold. Christ will make his own way, and lead bravely if men would but follow him: this is all that Christ calls for, that men will but follow him. Follow me saith he often, and I will make you this, and make you that. Christ will make his way rhrough the blond of thousands, through the bloud of Towns, Cities, Kingdomes, but he will have his own Kingdome stand. Malice strikes craftily and desperately, yet this head will ward as well; no evil shall accomplish its end, as long as Christ reigneth; Why do the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The wrath of God maketh the wrath of man vain in its hottest pursuit. He is dead that seek­eth thy life, saith the holy Ghost. Kings and great men rage [Page 135] against us, but they will burn to death with the flame that is in their breasts; a bad spirit beats out it self to death. The cannons which malice mounts are double loaded, and recoyl and kill the cannonee [...]s, and that is Christs way of destroying those that would destroy his.

2 Christ delighteth those which he ruleth: through obedience takes Christ Christ taken expresseth it. This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased. Christ did throughly obey and he fed upon the sweet of it here, he had meat to eat in this world, which none knew of. There is no straight when a man doth his duty, Christ maketh enlargement in bonds; joy in sorrow, life, in death. Christ doth counterwork the world; there desire is to rob us of peace, and rob us of joy; but it shall not be saith Christ, In me you shall have peace, what ever you meet with in the world. Wisdomes wayes are pleasant, when bloudy: when men are froward, Christ is kind; the churlish­nesse of Laban. made God speak often and very sweetly to Ja­cob. Christ smileth upon tender consciences, when the world frowneth; his bosome is open to give rest, when the sighing spirit breatheth out it self to him. What is thy request Hester? will pride trample thee under foot? It shall not. As no time is unseasonable to shew duty to Christ, so no time unseasonable for an obedient soul to find favour with him.

3 Finally, whom Christ ruleth he crowneth: obedience maketh losse, and Christ thinketh of this, and worketh it to gain in another world. Duty maketh laying out, and yet laying up; laying out of name, state, strength, life on earth, and laying up of other guise things then these in Heaven. Hence forth is [laid up] for me a crown &c. What you lose in earth, Christ layes it up in Heaven, and when you come home you shall have it again with advantage; your name again your estate again, your life again, all that you loose in obedience to your heavenly head and soveraign. Christ doth nothing in or­der to merit, but much in order to bounty. If you suffer with him, you shall reign with him: Spiritually fight and maintain Christ a King, and he will crown you Kings. Troubles affright much, but alas what is man! Call upon flesh and bloud, upon your weak hearts, to think of eternity you and all that quarrell with you, shall move before the King whom you obey.

MAnna lies in a heap in this word, as I have formerly told you: Head speaks every office of Christ; as King Christ is Head, as Priest he is Head; he is [...] head-priest, Prince-Priest, as the Greek word notes both, and as the authour to the Hebrews useth the word. Christ bears office to the creature, but no inferiour office: he doth officiate to rule the body, but 'tis as the chief Commander: he doth officiate to save the body, but 'tis as chief-priest, as head-priest, as prince-priest, as king of Sa­lem. There was a principalitie in the priest-hood under the Law, there was a holy crown put upon the mitre Exod. 29.6.

1 I will demonstrate the principality of Christs Priesthood or Priests office. The designation of Christ to his Priestly office is noble: we are sacrificers, according to the law of a carnall commandment, our ordination is from men, but his from God; the Counsel of State above sets out this embassadour of peace; called of God, an high priest, Heb. 5.10. Christ had princely ordination, ordination as noble as his person: the Father or­dain'd the Sonne: He testifieth thou art a Priest, &c. [...] contestatur, so the learned render that Greek word, as noting a joynt act, two speaking together with one mouth, to wit, the Father and the holy Ghost, which is a most acute translation. Christ had not onely his ordination by joynt protestation, but by oath. What a man is invested with by word from the kings own mouth, is very noble; the word of a king hath a great state in it, but the oath of a king added makes double and treble ma­jesty; yet so is Christ invested with his Priestly office: The Lord hath sworn and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever.

2 As Christs Priestly ordination was princely, so his taberna­cle in which he officiates princely, it is as stately as heaven. Christ doth officiate his princely office in heaven, which was shadowed out by Aarons officiating in the inward court, in the most holy place yearly. We have such an high priest which is set on the throne in the majestie in the heavens, Hebr. 8.1. A minister of the Sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle. Christ hath upon his mitre a crown in heaven, and he sits upon a [Page 137] throne of state at the right hand of God, as a princely Priest, sacrificing in a princely tabernacle, sprinkling the mercy-seat, where offended justice himself fits, to make all communication to man. Aarons tabernacle the Apostle calls [...] umbra, a shadow, as rather the shadow of a tabernacle, then indeed a tabernacle, then a true tabernacle; a house of boughs, a leafie house: Christ is minister of the true tabernacle. There was gold and state in the first tabernacle, but it was all but painting, as it were; in the tabernacle where Christ sacrifices, there is true state, the gold that is in heaven is true gold; the golden censer that is there is true gold, the golden altar that is there is true gold. Truth is the principality of things, such is Christs tabernacle, 'tis as true as heaven. Christ hath his tabernacle as he hath ordination, after a very immediate, and a very state­ly way: Aarons tabernacle was pitched by man, bur Christs by God himself: He is a minister of the true tabernacle which the Lord hath pitch'd, and not man. Aarons tabernacle was pitch'd with hands, and made with hands, but Christ is a high Priest in a more perfect tabernacle, [...], not of this creation, of another creation, and of another fixation.

3 Christs sacrifice is noble, and princely as well as the taber­nacle: he offers like a Prince, royall bloud, not the bloud of bulls and goats, which is bruitish bloud; but his own bloud. Neither by the bloud of goats and calves, but by his own bloud he entred in once into the holy place, &c. Life is a noble thing, you have not such another jewell about you; but a spotlesse life is doubly noble, such bloud did Christ offer. Life is a jewell in which all is wrapt up, a man offers all when he offers this, and that's a noble offering indeed. The widow threw in all, which was a noble offering, so hath Christ. 'Tis noble action for a great Peere, to take his life in his hand, and say, This shall go for my kingdome, Christ is the greatest Peere that ever the world saw, and yet he took his life in his hand, and said, This shall go for my kingdome, and my people: I lay down my life for my sheep. If Christ had laid down the life of all creatures for man, it had been a noble sacrifice, but he saith, I lay down [my life,] and then tell me what nobility is in this offering? Judas valued this bloud basely, but God that values things as they [Page 138] are, takes it of more price then all your souls, and yet every one of which is of more price then the world.

4 Christ doth officiate a very noble covenant, he offers fault­lesse bloud, and he officiates a faultlesse covenant. The cove­nant which Aaron did officiate was faulty; not faulty in it self, but weak through the flesh it was a covenant in the externall dispensation of it so fleshly, that frail flesh could see little of Christ to better it self. Christ hath obtained a more excellent ministery, the way into the holiest of all is now via propalata, spread open; ministration is clear, and things ministred full the laws are opened unto our eyes, and given into our hearts [...].

5 Every thing about Christs priesthood is noble, so is his pro­secution. The priests under the Law had their ignorances, their [...] errata's, and therefore were to sacrifice for themselves as well as for others; but Christ had none, he did all things well, he did live well, and die well: when he offered up that great sacrifice, he did it perfectly. Christ spake truth when he looked over all his works, and said, [...], it is perfected all sides give testimony of the noble discharge of Christs office; God smileth to look upon him, and our conscience smileth assoon as it can look upon him; he maketh the worshipper per­fect, as pertaining to the conscience. Christ scarlet garment takes heaven and earth, God and his people. Who is this that comes from Edom, with garments died red from Bozra, &c. That ex­pression may be applied either to the Father admiring the Son, or the Churches admiring of him,

Use. You see what a complete Priest, what a Prince-priest you have, and what use do you make of him? You cannot come to the Father without Christ, his Priestly office is absolutely neces­sary to life. Your duties fall short of heaven, and so will your souls if you think that these, shall bring them thither: my heart bleeds to see how some ignorant persons labour much to bring all to nothing, make hard at heaven, and yet live in hell. They have their [...], justices of worship as the Apostle speaks of those legall Christians, and justices of the flesh, as he elsewhere speaks, they fast and pray, and are very just and ex­act in houres and times, and all externall observance, and yet [Page 139] like the young man, at their wits end every foot, about their eternall condition; they run to one preacher, and to another, Good Sir, What shall I do to be saved? I am a damned man. They are [...] as he calls them there, which comes from [...], which signifies to tremble, trembling worshippers to do all exact, and yet their conscience shakes, as if hell were at the doore to receive them, assoon as they have done their duties. Their justices of worship, and justices of the flesh, their exact­nesse according to the letter, make them not perfect as concern­ing their conscience: they pray no more, they give no more, and yet full of fear, and none more: they run to this minister and that, Sir, I fear all is naught. And so do I too, for thou makest no use of the Priestly office of Christ, thou dost not put thy self and all thou doest into the hand of a Mediatour; this is talked of as possible, but if it were done indeed, it would soon set thy soul in a better condition.

1'Tis hard to convince men that they trust in their works, though the thing speaks it self in most mens consciences. Two things will discover this ruining cheat. First, consider what doth move you to duty: some persons would never pray, nor never do any holy duty, were it not for mere fear: they open their mouths heaven-ward now and then, to stop the mouth of hell, that is, justice in their own conscience. This man makes his holinesse his high priest, his own action his intercessour to bring him to heaven, which if it do, then I will answer for him at the great day. Observe are spring of action, and nothing will more plainly speak, whether you make a Jesus of action. I am afraid there are souls very ignorant amongst you: blind wretches, so they be but doing something that is called holinesse, 'tis enough to them, here they rest and look their souls: when affrighted by a sremon, by the word, or the rod of God, then they down upon their knees, and howl and cry, like the mari­ners in the ship that Jonah sailed in. A tossed condition is the onely mother of most mens devotion, tossed without, or tossed within, and therefore so good, and yet alas all is stark naught. Christ is no priest to this man, no chief priest, no prince-priest, his own action is his prime priest, because 'tis trusted in. Blind wretches, consider what kindles your zeal, your conscience will [Page 140] be burnt else in your offering, your fire is an ignis fatuus, a strong foolish fire.

2 You that get no satisfaction in this, consider the next, name­ly, what upholds in duty, and this will speak out whether you trust in it. Sence is some souls onely relief; if duty oyl not its own wheels, the soul stands still; they can find no sweet in prayer, therefore pray no more, duty will not conjure their consciences quiet, and therefore they will to the alehouse, and see whether carnall devils will drive out uncarnall, whether one hell will swallow up another; the pleasures of the flesh must take off the terrours of the spirit: Ah Lord! what a black priest is here used! This soul is desparate, the devil hath ordination to priesthood, and the alehouse, or whore-house must be his ta­bernacle to officiate in; hands are laid on him suddenly, and this made the last remedie to ease and quiet the soul. Here is a sad condition: O that I could cease preaching, and weep now in the face of such a forlorn wretch. Will that which dames you, save you? Will sinne blot out sinne? Will adding to transgres­sion, plead for mercy in heaven, to quiet your consciences, and save your souls? The devil is Abaddon a destroyer, no saviour, so is sinne. When your souls are wounded, will you give them to sinne and the devil to heal? the spirit of God will finally leave you for this, so it did Saul for the like practise. Rebellion makes wounds, and when wounds heighten rebellion, God will have no more to do with that man. Let the soul bleed and bleed, and ordain what priest it will, Christ will not bleed for him. Hardned hearts, think on these things, the bloud of a media­tour will be charged upon you, for trampling it under foot.

1 Tender hearts, let me turn to you, the sweet of this point is your portion. Double consolation springs from the priesthood of Christ, first in regard of infirmitie. You would be pitied concerning your weaknesses, and compassion is naturall to Christ, he is a mercifull high priest, and can be no other to you. God hath ordained him to officiate in such a tabernacle, as wherein you dwell, he is in all things like to you: you are in want, and so was Christ, he had no house: you are persecuted, so was Christ: sinne loads you, and so it did Christ. A Chri­stians condition needs compassion, and Christ knows how much, [Page 141] and 'tis his work continually to lay it open above. There are infirmities distinct from a wounded spirit, you know the Scri­pture makes such a distinction, Common distresses have their weight, and 'tis more then the best soul can bear these, if it main­tain not an eye to the compassion of Christ: men are wolves, dogs, they have no bowels, and the soul beats it self to death with this, till it remember the bowels of Christ. When good hearts have no compassion on earth, they are ready to conclude they have none in heaven, but you cannot injure Christ and your souls more, then by such conclusions: Christ lets men be mercilesse, that you may look up, and behold how mercifull he is, and that he needs not this channell or that, to convey com­passion in to you. Weeping eyes, sight fails them oft, but com­passion never fails: 'tis mercy that a man can weep to God, and do no worse, when he can get no mercy from man. Doth not relief strangely come in now and then? Why, write upon the forehead of such favours, I have a mercifull and compassionate mediatour in heaven, my intercessour above sent me this, and he will send me more; Christ hath sounding of bowels. Where are the sounding of thy bowels you may heare them from heaven to earth, in the most distressed condition, if you listen and ob­serve diligently in all passages about you.

2 Consolation springs from the priestly office of Christ, as in regard of conditions which are distinct from a wounded spirit, so in regard of a wounded spirit it self. Christ is able to save to the uttermost: the dolefull cry of the wounded is, my sinnes will ne­ver be forgiven. Silence unbelief, be not tyrannicall to thy self, for Christ will not, sinne shall do thee no hurt, nor Sathan, no nor God, for Christ can work him to any thing; if hel but open his wounds in heaven, he will so work his father, that thy wounds on earth will close presently. Christ is a perfect media­tour, and being made perfect, he became the Authour of eter­nall salvation, unto all them that obey, Hebr. 5.9. Either the wound of a Christian lies in the greatnesse of the evill which he hath done, or in the fear of what he shall do against God, and God against him; to all which I say onely this, that Christ is a perfect mediatour, and being a perfect mediatour, no condition can be desperate.

FRom Christ as head we have gathered many things, and I trust sweet to your heart, and yet there are more. As King, Christ is head; as Priest, Christ is head; (and of these we hove spoken) as Prophet, Christ is head. Christ ruleth, none like him; Christ sacrificeth, none like him: Christ teacheth, none like him. He spake as never man spake, Learned men were astonished at his doctrine. Whence hath this man these things, and what wisdome is this given unto him, Mark, 2.6. Christ is [...], that Prophet, a Prophet indeed, aboundantly more then a Prophet. John was a teacher farre beyond all the Prophets before him, and therefore said to be aboundantly more then a Prophet: but Christ was a teacher farre beyond John, farther beyond John then John was beyond any of the Pro­phets before him, and therefore he may well be called, [...], aboundantly more then a Prophet. Matth. 11.9. Concerning his Kingly office, he is said to be greater then Solo­mon so I may say concerning his Propheticall office, he is greater then John or any Prophet.

1 I will demonstrate the superiority of Christs propheticall of­fice. Christ doth otherwise receive and otherwise imparts then ever any Prophets or Teachers did. Visions were transient to the Prophets, the word of the Lord came to them, and then went away again. Balaam in a trance could see much, and then of a sudden saw nothing no more then another man: so it was with the greatest Prophets; seers, and then in the dark again; the spirit of the Lord was transient, and came and went from one to another. That bad man intimateth this truth that I tell you, which struck the Prophet, and said, Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me to thee, Vision is an abiding thing in Christ: light abideth in the Sunne; it doth so to day, it doth so to morrow, and it doth so for ever. Christ seeth much to day, as much to morrow, and as much to all eternity: his eye is not darkned, the spirit of the Lord is not accidentally but naturally in him: the Sonne lieth in the bosome of the Father. No man hath seen God at any time, the onely begotten which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath revealed him. I think these terms of Father, and Sonne, and bosome, they point at the na­turalnesse [Page 135] of Christs ability, to explicate infinite excellency. There is no new thing to Christ under the Sunne, no nor above the Sun; no new thing to Christ in earth, nor in Heaven, nor in the bosome of God: Christ is never at a losse, respecting the knowledge of things above or below, present or to come; he never needeth instruction from any in this thing or that; Who hath instructed him? The lamp in the Tabernacles went out, and Vision did fail, or at least it is conceived so by some of the learned, which undertake to interpret these things, but the lamp in the true Tabernacle never goeth out, nor vision never fails. Light dwelleth with him, Daniel 2.22. As the spirit dwelleth in the body, as the eye dwelleth in the head, which confirmeth me more in that which I said before, concerning the natural­nesse of Christs abilities.

2 Vision to the Prophets was of this or that particular thing. The greatest seers, were not cunctis oculati, seers in all things; in some things they knew much, and in other things nothing. David a great Prophet, and a very knowing man, yet in some points a beast. The greatest Doctours knew but in part, skild in this knowledge or that, each had their particular eminency. But Christ hath all wisdome, and all knowledge: He is not one­ly skild in all the wisdome of the Egyptians to use that allusion, but he is skild in all the wisdome and learning that is in this world, or in any other world. In Christ is all wisdome and all knowledge; yea all the treasures of these: the spring of what­soever is admired for light and skil amongst the Sonnes of men. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge, Coloss. 2. His eyes runne through the earth, so they do Heaven, and he masters all he looks upon; his understanding is infinite, and this without study primo intuitu, at the first look. There are but few things that lie naked before you, you are fain to make a stand at every thing, to make understanding but Christ makes a stand at nothing, for all things are naked [before him, that is, he looketh upon all, and understandeth all presently, his be­holding of a thing, and understanding of it are the same; He is quick of understanding saith the Prophet. The Lamb opens sealed books; and though all dark sayings to every one else, yet he readeth and understandeth presently; when there was none [Page 144] found to open the book, the Lamb could, and therefore called Palmoni by Daniel, the revealer of secrets. Dark things and plain things, day and night are all one to him. He revealeth deep and secret things, he knoweth what is in the darknesse, Dan. 2.22. the revelations delivered by John, are called the re­velations of Christ; The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, &c. Revel. 1.1.

3 Vision to the Prophets was by a borrowed power, their light was not connaturall, but supernaturall to them. Light is con­naturall to the Sonne, it is not onely naturall, but connaturall, my meaning is, equally naturall to the Sonne, as to the Father. The Father and the Sonne are one, their power one, their wis­dome one, they are one in hand, one in tongue, one in vision and sight. Christ sees of himself, with his own eyes he sees all things, and as exquisitely as the Father, as exquisitely as he from whom he receives. What Christ hath as an officer, he hath it not in way of talent, interest, and inferiority, as you have things; but he hath it as his own, and as his own joyntly and equally with the Father. Moses was faithfull as a servant, but he as a Sonne in [his own house. The Church militant here, and the Church triumphant above, that is to say, grace and glory, they are all Christs own, even as they are his Fathers; and if there be any thing beyond these, it is Christs own too, even as it is Gods own: which I think that expression points at, where he saith, Glorifie me with [thine own self] with the glory that [I had with thee] before the world was. Grace is as properly Christs own, and as fully Christs own, as sinne is said to be the devils own; when the devil tells a lie, he tells it of his own, that is, he doth that which is naturall to him, and that wherein there can be no superiour to him, to lie more facilly nor more exquisitely then he. So what truth Christ speaks, he speaks it of his own, that is, that wherein he is naturall, and not supernaturall, and as it were above himself, and that where­in he is equally full and paralell to any speaker of it connatu­rall with any that speaks this language. The paralell state of Christ with the Father, in point of imparting spirituall things, is hinted methinks in that form of speech which the Apostle James useth, chap. 1. 18. Of his [own will] he begat us [with [Page 145] the word of truth] that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. Propagation here, which speaks all spirituall excel­lencies, is made coaction, or conaction in order to the persons of the Trinity, that wherein they are joynt and equall, and do with one another, as two eyes which are convisive, seeing toge­ther, and seeing equally together, without the least superiority that can be discerned: Of his own will [he begat us [with the word] of truth.

4 As Christ doth otherwise receive, so he doth otherwise im­part light, then any other teacher. Christ was taught none like him, and he teaches none like him. Christ teacheth internally, eternally, instantly. 1 Our teaching is discursive, we can do no­thing within. Christs words are of authority, and make their impression upon the heart, not a word that Christ speaks but goes to the heart; though many words which we speak come not to the heart, yet every word that Christ speaks goes to the hearts Did not our hearts burn within us whilest he talked with us? Christ sets the soul on fire with his breath, blows up inter­nall powers, and breaks open everlasting doors. The prince of darknesse fortifieth within us, and Christ can mount ordnances where the forts are, & shoot off terribly within, and destroy the works of the devil, that is, sinne, or the soul at every shot: Christ doth with his cannon within, as you do with yours without, rend and tear wofully: You take off bodies in the very midst, so doth Christs cannon take off sinnes and souls in the very midst, as Beza renders that word [...], which the Apostle u­seth. I will destroy the wisdome of the wise, 1. Cor. 1.19. tol­lam è medio, I will cut it off in the midst. Sinne is in the midst of the soul, and Christ can mount such gunnes, as to cut it off in the midst.

2 As Christs ministery is internall, which none of the Pro­phets, was, so it is eternall. Christs words are words are words of eternall life, or eternall death, and this simply as his words. We speak words, and they stick but a moment, Christ speaks words and they stick for ever. We make wounds, and you lick them whole in an alehouse; Christ makes wounds that no art can heal; Thy arrows stick fast in me, saith the Psalmist. The arrows which Christ shoot, they stick fast, none can pull them [Page 146] out but that hand that shot them. Christ can instruct and seal it. That is, make things so impressive, as beyond obliteration. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto I have declared thy wondrous works, Psal. 71.17. so Psal. 119.102. I have not departed from thy judgements, for thou hast taught me. Christ can teach beyond all other teachers, he can open the understanding, that is, open powers to take in, and then close up these powers to keep in for ever.

3 Christ can teach internally, eternally, & he can do all this in­stantly: his ministery is an instantaneous ministery. We are long hammering and beating to make persons understand, and yet all will do nothing; but when Christ takes the work in hand, he makes the most ignorant creature that is, wise to salvation presently. Then] opened he their understandings, &c. Luk. 24.45. Then at that instant he made them see throughly what they ne­ver saw.

Use. You see what an able teacher Christ is, what hath he taught you? The wisdome of the world is foolishnesse with God: I do not ask you how knowing you are in your particular cal­ling, as such and such trades-men; but how knowing you are in your generall calling as Christians; how knowing of Christ and your souls? Light is come into the world, a great light: Do you see the way to heaven? Confidence speaks not saving light, but desperate blindnesse; many ignorant men conceit they know much, when they know nothing as they ought. The fool is wise in his own conceit, and the world is full of these fools; yea, the Christian world is full of these fools; but Christ is emptying it. Blindnesse and confidence makes us all bloudy at this day, and the Lord grant it make us not bleed to death. We have a Laodicean plague upon us, and God seems to be spuing us out of his mouth, and yet our Laodicean spirit lives in the midst of us. We all of us think highly of our selves, that we are rich in all spirituall excellencies, and they that contradict our conceits are fools. We are fools, saith the Apostle, but you are wise: How strong, and how generall this spirit is now, you that are spirituall may see, and what it presages Christ will ex­plain fully, if you can but hold fast a little.

Let every man look without, and look within, look abroad [Page 147] and look at home: the plague of the multitude, is it not your plague? Are not you wiser in your conceits then your preach­er? is not spirituall preaching babbling? When things touch your consciences, then you rage, and then the Minister is mad, because you are mad. Alas for us! Lord thou makest us men of contention, our life is a fighting with beasts that will not understand us nor thee. If you had no other Prophets but us, or did reject no other prophet but us, some dispute might be made in the day of account; but we will not judge you to the Father, there is another prophet which you hear in us, and yet will not heare, and it is he that will judge you to the Father, and to your own consciences. If this will not beat off men from deluding themselves, and from bearing off Christ, I will go on.

Some spirits are wanton: as there be light bodies, so there be light souls, such as go a whoring after lies. Fansie sick, longs after fresh speculation, if this may be had it satisfies, let it be in what it will, in things as farre from Christ as earth is from heaven, yea as hell is from heaven. It is otherwise with the soul that is taught of God, he hath a little light of Christ, and now cares for no other vision; all light is darknesse, and all wisdome folly, that relates not to make Christ more known: I purpose to know nothing but Christ, and him crucified. Paul had many endowments, but they were all sleighted. Christ teacheth the heart, as the heart is taught, love burns; nothing satisfies love, but what stird it: if such an object made love, no­thing but the fruition of that object will satisfie it. You may know whether Christ hath opened any thing of himself to you, by your love to him: the purity of your light will speak out it self in the purity of your love, and the purity of your affection in the purity of your action. Should you say nothing, yet a man that stands by you, may tell what your light is, and who hath taught your hearts, Christ or the devil. Some of you will swear, and curse, and lie; some of you your love as fleshly, as base as the earth it self: Hath Christ taught such things as these? No certainly, the devil is the tutour of these, and they will take their degree in hell. I have a word to you all, and [Page 148] conclude. A loose life broadly speaks out an uninstructed heart: what secretly swayes, Christ sees, and so shall all the world, use what art you will to hide it; wherein you are intractable to the teaching of Christ, God will discover it, and require it. Reade these words over and over, I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in­to his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall com­mand him. And it shall come to passe, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him, Deut. 18.18, 19.

SOmethings have a generall glory: look upon a pearl when you will, where you will, and it shines and sparkles upon you: so doth Christ. Christ is looked upon before, in reference to the world, here in reference to such as are taken out of the world; in the former he is looked upon with respect to the crea­tion, and here with respect to the Church, and in both admired, as great and glorious.

Christ wears a garment without seme, a generall glory, his working-day suit is all full of pearls. Consider Christ under any notion in reference to this world, and you consider him in his working suit, in his countrey cloaths, in his travelling apparell, and yet in this, shining; earth, heaven, the Church, is filled with his glory; he is head in the one, and in other.

Christ makes a similitude between the worlds, between this and that above; there he is all fair, and so he is here; condition suits, as the sunne goes in the same height: we and they above, can see nothing but a perfection in the sunne that shines upon us, and no lesse moves desire amongst us. Man hath an exact eye, though not an exact heart, he will see much, ere he will love a little. Things must be very clean, which you swallow; persons must be very complete and without exception, which we set over us, whatever we be our selves, which are to move under them.

1 The sunne shines in order to draw, and gain. Nature is full of art to cavill; unlesse things have all glory, they have no glo­ry; [Page 149] if there be any hole in the coat, love goes out, and gets gone there, but there is none in Christs. Criticks must be con­vinced, and then they will stand still and consider; perfection makes conviction in the most criticall spirit, and till the soul can tell no longer how to take exception at others, it will not begin to take exception at it self.

Use. Sinners we proffer you gold that is tried, gold that hath no drosse, gold that is all gold. Look upon Christ under any no­tion, and make exception against him if you can; look upon him in reference to his words, and he shines in them all: look upon Christ in reference to the old creation, in reference to the new creation, or in reference to heaven, and what can you ex­cept against him? nothing. Why do you not love Christ then? It must be because you will not, or because you cannot. Some persons are convinced of the worth of Christ, yet maintain mo­tion towards other things as dearer, and will do this: your will shall hang you, the thing which you love better then Christ, shall be the gallows. Stubborn hearts, find no compassion; Christ will plead for no man, that will not love him, although he know him, and have other encouragements to draw him on to him. My people would none of me, and I will none of them.

Persons which are overmastered with a bad heart, and can­not do what they would, find mercy from the Lord, but others are let alone to live as they will, and die in their shame: com­plaining hearts, Christ is perfect in glory, would you love him? Christ shines in the world, and he shines in the Church, in the Church militant, and in the Church triumphant, he is great every where, would you love him? Yes. This is accepted. Christ accepts according to that you have, and out of this smoke shall come a flame. Holy desires, is Christ conceived in the wombe of the soul, do but stay a little time, and thou wilt feel the babe leap in the wombe, doth it not now? O how strongly doth that soul come to love Christ, which would love him, but cannot.

HOw God doth suit things, is here considerable: such a bo­dy, and such a head. Christ is [the] head os [the] body. God doth nothing at randome: divine dispensations are exact­ly proportioned, one thing is fitted to another, and this is the thing I would a little stand on.

1 The wayes of the Lord are equall, mercy runnes into vessels of mercy. I have set [my king] upon [my holy] hill of Sion. Such a body such a head, a holy people have a holy king, my people have mine anointed over them. I have set my king upon my holy hill. The world is full of variety of condition, so is di­vine action shaped every one hath as he is: Iron hearts have an iron scepter to order them, and hearts of a more noble met­tall, have a scepter of gold, every one hath a suitable offendant.

2 Gods way in this world, is nothing else, but a tracing of man: you eat but the fruit of your own way, when 'tis most bitter. A people of wrath, have a king in wrath, there was dispensation exactly suited. This is the carriage of God through out the world, he doth not work at randome, he squares action to the thing he works about, and fits one thing to another. I am sent to lost sheep, saith the Saviour. God directs a Saviour to lost man, and a Physitian to sick man; and to blind and hard­ned men, which think they see, Christ is sent to move in justice to them: justice naturally suits all her actions to the subject, about which she works, as mercy doth. I am come for judge­men into the world, saith Christ, to shape action to person, to suit dispensation to condition.

3 The Deitie speaks out it self in apt action. Some men cannot, and others will not understand God in his word, such must be dealt with another way; men that will not reade words, have apt works annexed to explain them. Divine action suited to humane, renders God as it were visible to men born blind: let him that did cut off other limbs, have his own cut off, and be served just as he hath served others, and he will see a righteous God presently, which could not see it before, and you will have him speak good divinity presently, by virtue of such apt action [Page 151] annexed to the word, which could not understand a word of divinity before. As I have dealt with others, so God hath requited me, said Adonibezek; it is a rare artist that can draw out himself, and yet this is naturall to God; by words and works together, he will draw out himself so plain, that any one shall runne and reade him. God can cut and hew a block so by line, so exact by the line of the word, and the manners of men, that you or any one else, the very block it self, shall tell who and what hand did it. So God hath requited me, Persons that can­not reade, are set to spell words by works, their own works by Gods works. God can draw out himself in any attribute, to any mans understanding, in justice, in mercy. God can suit action to any person, to any condition, and so exactly that at first sight every eye shall see himself.

4 Divine action is to make conviction: Christ worketh so as to convince the world, he fitteth his hand to stop any mouth. Some are not onely blind, but stubborn and dogged, and now is man an Asse, which was Balaams case, and now God opens the mouth of an Asse to rebuke him. The Asse rebuked the madnesse of the Prophet. An Asse is a dogged wilfull beast, and so was Balaam, and God suits him in reproof, to convince. One Asse was upon the back of another, and the worst a top, and God tooke his advantage as they lay one upon another, and useth one Asse to convince the other: one is wilfull to go on, and the other is wilfull and stops. 'Tis not easie to convince stubborn souls, God must more immediately, and more exactly speak then ordinary in this work: Divine action suited is an immediate speaking from Heaven, and proud hearts fall at the sight of this, when nothing else will do it. Some must have every thing openly told to their face, ere they will be convin­ced and take shame, and God doth use this way with the world to convince them. Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done, saith the Scripture of God in order to wicked men, Job 21.31. Justice suited to sinne in word and work, speaks sinners sinne to their face, that they cannot possibly deny it.

Sinners look to your selves, God will be even with [Page 152] you, walk as craftily as you will, with the froward he will be froward. Some men swell in pride, and yet please themselves in their way, that they shall carry all before them without con­troll. Lofty hearts, you shall find a high and lofty one to deal with you, The day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and this is the speech of a lofty God, E­say 2.12. title is advanced, brows bended, a souldiers face put on by God, when flesh swelleth and groweth proud. The day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon the proud, &c. A stern spirit shall see nothing but a stern God. Sinne is a lie, sinners perish in the heat of their pursuit, one fire kindleth another; ere firy spirits are aware, they are cast into everlasting burning, and this is the way of God to fit things one to and for another. To­phet is prepared for the King; the Kings of Israel made a To­phet for the burning of little ones, and God suiteth this wicked action with righteous justice, and maketh another Tophet for them; you sacrifice your children to the devil, and I will sacrifice you; as if the Lord had said; God maketh burning for burning, bloud for bloud, tooth for tooth. Poore distressed England, comfort thy self, thy Princes and Nobles make a Tophet for thee; they burn thy houses, thy goods, and sacrifice thy little ones and great ones to devillish men, and God will fit them home if they repent not, he will make a Tophet for them, he will burn their honours, their powers, and sacrifice all to de­struction; he will turn them out of all, as they turn thee and thine, Because thou hast dealt by taking vengeance, thou shalt know my vengeance, saith God to Edom.

In great extremities it is hard to keep poore hearts quiet, the spirit woundeth it self when men wound the flesh: God is just to me in this and that, I was thus and thus. Is God just to thee, and will he not be just to them that spoyled thee? Hath he paid thee home, and will he not do it to them that are worse then thee? Justice in the exactnesse of it, doth but hint her self to the godly, it doth but nod upon them as it were, but she strikes full blowes at the wicked, she prosecuteth her own nature in full strength, and maketh a compensation upon these creatures, be­cause none made, nor to be had any where else. Weep not for [Page 153] your selves, but weep for them that have spoyled you, Heaven and Earth shall reade the justice of God against the bloudy wretches of England and Ireland. They that kill with the sword shall be killed with the sword. Stand still and be quiet, let God alone to suit wicked mens plagues, if thou dost not see them paid in their own coyn, then do not believe me.

England, justifie Christ: he hath fitted one thing to another, such a body hath such a head, like Priest, like people; like Prince, like people. You cry out of your king, and I cry out of you; Are not Gods wayes equall? Say no, who dares. You will not have a man rule over your bodies according to his will, and you let the devil rule your souls as he will. Looke into your hearts the best of you all, do you not make truth a slave, to be at the beck of your reason, and at the beck of your lusts? you make Christ a slave, and he giveth you to be slaves; you make your spirituall king a slave, and your temporall kings make you slaves. Doth not Christ fit you in your kind? Our king is so and so misled saith one, and siths and whispers: take it to thy self, so art thou misled by many base lusts: every one reapeth as he soweth; can a man gather figs of thistles. England dost not thou reap as thou hast sowed? Hast thou not had the guilt of bloud upon thee a great while? hast not thou the guilt of the bloud of many abroad, and of many faithfull ministers and Christians at home upon thee, which could not swallow thy basenesse? Hast thou not made truth bleed this many years? and that Christ maketh the bleed a few moneths, and a few years, is it not fit and right? To justifie God is the first step to repentance: men that can do nothing but wrangle at divine action, forget the main work. Do not bite the stone that is thrown at thee, but bite thy heart; for one is as hard as the o­ther I dare say. Pride meriteth much, but can bear but little, but justice will have its way for all that. Men that cannot be silent. shall have their mouths stopt: misery becometh mortall, when impatience groweth strong; the burden killeth, when the soul will use no shoulders to bear it. No life so bitter as that which taketh all ill at Gods hand; this is hard, and that is hard, &c. and yet all is no harder then thy heart, nor yet so [Page 154] hard. God doth not an action without us, but to suit it to some­thing within us.

This point may be usefull respecting time to come, and the mercy you look for. You look for great things, but how are ye fitted for them? Christ doth fit one thing to another. Great things are already, but you prise them not; the doores of Gods house are open, but you have no hearts to go in: the day of small things is despised, and yet you expect great things. Israel expected milk and honey flowing, and yet could not eat the Manna that was about their tents, and did God give them their expectation? doth God give great spirituall mercy to full sto­macks? doth he satisfie the loathing soul? The Israelits were judged in the basenesse of their hearts, and their bodies fell in a wildernesse. Just as they kept their souls, Do you not keep your souls in a wildernesse, out of the fellowship of the Gospel, as the rest of the world do? you will be judged where you lie; where your souls lie cold and dead, their shall your carcases fall and die. God is spuing out hovering spirits that are neither hot nor cold, but hot and then cold, that will and then will not obey Christ. Discreet stomacks, do not expect great feasts, you must have a vomit first; you are bid to come into the feast, and you have excuses, the high wayes and fields shall yield guests to Christ, and you shall die in your shame. The poore unknown parts of the world, possibly may possesse what Christ is now dishing out.

Simplicity fitteth for great things, God maketh such a spirit, and then bestoweth all upon it, the choycest spirituall favours. England thy misery is double, were it but single, thou mightst soon recover. Thou hast no knowledge of God, but this is not all, if it were, means might soon make this; but thou hast no truth nor knowledge of God: there is no truth nor knowledge of God. Some spirits are wanton, and they know not what they would have; others proud, and this and that they must have: others politick, and they say, this we should have, but not yet: who can expect brave things in the midst of such a base people. Christians deceive not your selves with dreams, for God is not mocked, he will make you open your mouths wide, ere he give [Page 155] great things; Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it, Psal. 81.10. You purse up your spirits, and wring and squeez your conscien­ces, so that there is no capacitie for the reception of full soul-mercies. The new heaven will have a new earth, the holy land shall have a holy seed come into it. Can you cleanse your selves from all your abominations? and can you do this speedily? Then may you see the good of Gods chosen, but otherwise ex­pect as you are.

THe Apostle is in a rapture, every word speaks admiration of Christ, he is [...] and he is [...], he is principium & praecipuum, first and chief. The term we are now upon speaks dignity, a heart taken with Christ as chief in order to all bles­sednesse, which is a blessed frame. He is the head of the body, [the chief] the first born: this I think may be the reading of this text.

Doctr. Divine property sparkles in this expression; A gracious heart is taken with Christ as chief. No honour, no felicity like that which Christ hath, and which he gives: Some are sonnes, Christ is an onely sonne: some are kings, but Christ is King of kings: some are honourable, none above Angels, but Christ is so: To which of the Angels said he, &c. Some are wealthy, Christ hath all the sheep on a thousand hills, the utmost parts of the earth: some are beautifull, Christ is the fairest, and so in the eye of those that are best discerning, in the eyes of every gracious soul: Paul personates all the godly here, in admiring Christ as chief.

1 Judgement is clear, things are discerned as they are, where the heart is truly turned to God. Bables take fools, reall excel­lencies wise men. Gracious hearts are wise, none of Christs children are fools, all that truly fear him are able to discern things that differ, and so call them; The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome, assoon as a man becomes a disciple of he is made a good scholar. Carnall understanding is enmity to truth, it scoffs at what it cannot comprehend with its own pow­er. Grace hath a higher reach, Christs children have spirituall [Page 156] understanding, they admire things, not by out-sides but by in­sides, not as they are among men, but as they are with God. Christ is the lowest amongst men, but chiefest with God, and therefore so with the godly. This is wisdome and all wisdome. I may apply the latter to a Christian compared with worldly wise men; all wisdome is taken with that which shall be all in another world, that which is all and shall be all to all eternity. [He] is the beginning, the chief.

2 Judgement is clear, and love is sincere in a called soul, he calls things as he finds them, and nothing tasts so sweet as the dainties which Christ gives. Sense carries you to call things as your palate relishes them, according to this you say, This is the sweetest dish at table. Love is divine in a divine heart, and as things rise in the divinity of their nature, so divine affection calls them, and admires them. One Christian hath much grace, I tast it in his discourse, and he sits high in my breast; another hath much more, and he sits much higher: but Christ hath most of all and he sits highest, he is chief. Affection is working, if it be carnall it tumbles carnall things, and sets its mark upon that which is most carnally advantagious; this is best, this will serve this time and my turn best: if it be divine it will do the like; it will tumble divine things, and that which is most di­vinely advantagious, this it marks, this is best, this is chief, this will best accomplish my soul. Paul personates the godly here, they call Christ as they love him, as they find him in sweetnesse to their souls, in his words and works; none speak like him to their souls, nor none does like him, and therefore they crown him and style him chief.

Ʋse. Christians, consider your condition, who is chief with you? Times are evil, the world ensnares, justice kills, men loose their souls by thousands. Ah Lord! what tolling and ringing out is there above, for sick and dead souls here below. Persons sick after the creature, their spirits are dead in the flesh: some mens palates are quite out of tast, this speaks a foul stomach, they cannot savour the things of God. Words of Christ harsh, rules of Christ scorned, these call Christ in their hearts base, not chief, however they call him with their tongue. I know no [Page 157] mans heart, but Christ knows all; as the creature is preferr'd, Christ is undervalued, as you love your souls look to this. Who will shew us any good? some can call nothing good, but what is carnally good, trading is good, money is good, but no­thing else: no nothing else indeed, not the heart that sayes so. Not Christ, but the bag was chief to Judas, though he heard so much, and saw so much of his worth, which spake him a child of perdition; there be more of these children in the world. You Londoners have heard much, and seen much of Christ, more I think then any city under heaven, and yet to many of you, your bags and your wealth (I fear) are dearer then the Lord Jesus. Some things are afflicting, others ruining, undervaluing of Christ is damnable, the spots of this I will shew you.

1 Three things speak the undervaluing of Christ, truth neglect­ed, sinne approv'd, Christ unbelieved. Light is to walk by, men sleight this, and sear their consciences, truth is neglected, when not made a rule of life. Able discoursing speaks not prising of truth, but practising. Truth is made subordinate to self ends, the plague is in the heart, love is not sincere, Christ is not pri­sed above the world. Many will not fully follow God, because it will fully undo them: to follow truth as the world approves, is to prize Christ onely as the world doth. Fear your own hearts, snares are many within and without; Christ is indeed prized, when his will is obeyed. Action speaks out affection, If you love me keep my commandments: if the heart be drawn, the foot will run; the crown wheel moving though but slowly, the little wheels run apace: the hand and the foot are but little wheels, in order to the heart, if this be drawn and moved though but a little, the other run. Draw me, and I will runne after thee. Draw me, that is, my heart, and then feet and all other parts shall come. Affection puts on to action; O how willing to obey is that soul that sincerely loves! He would go, he would run, he would ride post to please God; no precept harsh where the heart is right. Christ made chief, and so is his will, above an Isaac. By faith, Abraham when he was tried of­fered up Isaac. God tried Abraham what was chief in his heart, himself or Isaac, and Abraham gives open testimony of his af­fection in his action.

[Page 158]Sinne approved, speaks Christ undervalued. Will is strong, lusts overcoming and pleasing to the most, and alas for such souls, Christ is not prised as chief, Approbatio mali, est repro­batio animi. Some sinne from mis-understanding, God pities these: some sinne from mis-affection, more then from mis-appre­hension, they love darknesse better then light, which is repro­bation of mind, a soul disapproving the truth which he knows. What I would I understand not, or I know not, saith Paul, when he wrought evil, and he argues from hence, that God and the Gospel would pity him. What I do, I allow not, so you reade, it is [...],Nosco, to know, I think is from this Greek word I know not. Weak hearts, you do many things amisse of ignorance, and Christ will pity you, and therefore wound not your selves. But wilfull wretches, you put bitter for sweet, you call evil good, you [love vanities] and follow af­ter lies, the evil courses you follow, you love and approve. To prise Christ and to prise sinne are inconsistent, you cannot love God and Mammon. You are positive in your evil way, you put darknesse for light, you justifie your course, which is draw­ing of Christs bloud out of his sides, and then trampling upon it, and despising of it when ye haue done, which is the highest undervaluing of Christ.

3 Christ unbelieved, is Christ undervalued; it is frowning upon one that smiles, boundlesse grace limited: The great things of my Law are made small things, saith the Lord. Lessening speaks undervaluing, it doth so respecting precepts, and respecting pro­mises, Unbelief makes great precepts no precepts, and it ma­keth great promises no promises. It is the highest commendati­on of any dish at Christs table, that you eat heartily of it, Christ accounts it so; it is the highest valuation of Christ, that you rest upon him, that you take life at his hands, which he prof­fers. Sinners, would you prise Christ? be invited then unto, unto him, by what he proffers: he will pardon you, he will purge you, he will justifie, sanctifie, glorifie you, if you believe on him. Faith is laying Christ in your bosome, and that is pro­per prising of a thing; faith is an heart act, a soul going out of every thing to God, wearied with every thing as defective, and fiting down in Christ as complete. Then do I prise Christ in­deed, [Page 159] when I behold him as all; and so appropriate him to my self, when I make him my wealth, my honour, my righteous­nesse; when I have none in heaven, nor none in earth, but him; when I have none to present to God, to conscience, nor to the world, but him. Weak hearts, if guilt deterre you from Christ, you will die in your sinne, as undervaluers of remedy; salvati­on is brought near to you, God will not your death, repent and believe the Gospel; to day do this, and to day shall salvation come to your house.

Ob. Sol. I know that believing speaks reall prising of Christ, but I cannot believe. To this I answer: The obiection lies not mere­ly here, that you cannot believe, you will not believe. Humour is strong in many weak hearts; grace in it self and in its means rejected, and then they say they cannot believe; you cannot be­cause you will not. Blame your will, and bleed over the per­versnesse of a proud heart, beg God to bring salvation yet near­er to you, nearer to your understanding, nearer to your will. [...], faith 'tis suadere, 'tis that act of Christ. by which he doth perswade a froward will. Beg Christ to con­quer thy will, and then thou wilt have power enough to be­lieve presently, he will perswade Japhet.

I cannot stand to speak of particulars: I have but one thing to speak in generall, and then I have done, and that is to all Gods people. You prise Christ as chief, and so doth Christ you; Christ is your jewel, and you are Christs jewels; you make him your husband, and you are to him as a wife. They are blessed indeed, which have Christs prime love upon them: prime love gives out prime favours, you will be fed with the finest of the wheat, the fatted calf will be killed for you, the best robe will be brought for you, Benjamins double dish, and double dainties will be set before you. Prime love works out into tender mer­cy, and tender mercy is mercy shaped to all your necessities, to keep you happy against all unhappinesse. Some are but com­monly loved, yet they live well upon it, and are merry; you are dearly beloved of Christ, and yet you cannot live well upon this: No, I shall want my bread. Shall ravens be fed, and not dear children? will not a Father, a heavenly Father provide?

[Page 160] Ob. Sol. If the famine do not kill me, the sword will. Is not Christ a strong tower to the righteous, to his dear ones? is not the mu­nitions of works your defence? your castles and rocky places will hold out but a while, Christ is a rock of ages, he saves with an everlasting salvation.Ob. Sol. But I am afraid he will be gone. If Christ do go, will he leave his dear ones behind him? Doth not the eagle carrie her young? so doth Christ; I carried you upon eagles wings.

THere are two first-born mentioned in this chapter, the first-born of every creature, verse 15. and the first-born from the dead: the one respects being, the other respects well-being, and Christ is first in both these, first in being in reference to all the creation, and first in well-being, in reference to the new cre­ation; the first that came forth from under the power of sinne alive, which is the first-born from the dead here meant, which the Apostle calls the first-born amongst many brethren else­where, that is, the first in our nature in the state of divine fa­vour. Christ broke the ice (as we speak) in reference to that body of death, under which the state of mankind lay, and so the first that came forth alive from under the guilt of sinne, and the killing justice of God.

This time is sad, so is our text, it leads us to behold a world of dead men. From the dead, &c. The term is indefinite, and speaks our condition universally. We are all by sinne dead, without power to please God, and liable to wrath for ever, and Christ the first that made way out of this condition, the first that broke through that displeasure which spoild us all. Bodily death is sad, soul-death a thousand times more sad: we must walk amongst the tombes for an houre, we are to rip up the dead, to set out the nature of soul-death.

Demonst 1.Breath is gone, the spirit of God is not in a dead soul. Union speaks life, Sathan not Christ, lies in a sinners heart, he is alive to sinne; affection strong, action, that is, evil action, free among the dead. Such light hath such motion, ghosts walk in the dark, wayes of death dead souls walk in. Spirituall death, [Page 161] is a soul cast out from God; a soul cast out from God, casts out God, the word of God, the operations of God; a dead soul fights against life, quicknings are as stabbings, sermons which stirre are conjurings; his eyes stare, his heart quakes, let Paul be gone, Felix will be in hell else before the time: the words of life, are death to a dead soul, Felix soul is in departing, whilest a world of life was imparted to him: nothing will keep life in a dead soul, but the departing of Christ, and his quickning spirit. The dead deny the resurrection, they would not be raised out of their grave, means that are used this way, are to them as conju­ring from the dead, gastly. Christs yoke is easie, wisdomes wayes are pleasant: so the devils yoke is easie, and his wayes are pleasant: the dead are at rest in sinne, they feel no pain though in the way to hell, till they come there.

2 Eyes closed; this also belongs to the dead in sinne. The dead see nothing, godlinesse is a mystery, and the word of life a para­ble to a dead soul. Confusion covers the dead; reason is rebel­lion, doing is undoing, and yet the soul thinks all is well. Light is darknesse, sweet is bitter, life is death to a dead soul; Jacob is Esau; the blind miscall every person, and every thing. O that thou hadst known in this thy day. The sunne brought out of heaven, and set at the doore, and yet not discerned; the dead see nothing in the day time; day is night to the dead, sunshine darknesse; Christ close by, yet not apprehended by the dead; Christ knocks at the doore, the voice though just behind, or just before, yet not heard: our Gospel is hid, though this be light, more sparkling, more shining, then all other light. Pride buds, as the Prophet speaks, sinne spreads, God frowns, hell gapes, yet the dead see nothing. Spirituall death 'tis spirituall under­standing quite lost, one not able to discern divine things, however externally advantaged: hold a torch to the eye of the dead, yet he sees nothing, and if ye could hold the sunne close to the eyes of a dead man, yet could he apprehend nothing: the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse in it self, the wisdome of the Scri­ptures is even also the same to a dead soul, he knows nothing as he ought, not the things he gathers, and looks upon, in wis­domes house.

[Page 162] 3 Carcase stinking. The dead smell lothsome; the dead in sins do so. Malignity hath got victory, the whole state is corrupted, all the bloud black and filthy in the dead. Temptations overcome, what Sathan saith is law and Gospel, imaginations evil, and all so, and onely so, evil; the whole bulk and carcase of Christianitie, stinking to Christ & Christians. The dead are all dead, all filthy, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, full of sores, plague-sores, and all run, and bloud & filth is wallowed in. Spi­rituall death is the soul under the rule of sinne; sinne ruling, the heart sleights truth, the heart sleighting truth, life is evil, and yet pleaded for, as good, this stinks abominably in the nostrils of God.Havvoth pravitates wickednes­ses. Spirituall death is the inward parts very wickednesse, the heart given to a harlot, a strumpet is base and stinking. Affe­ction false, and your lungs are rotten, the opening of your mouth to God, is as the opening of a sepulchre. Spirituall death, 'tis a man abominable to God, person, action, in life, in death; the dead stink alwayes, God hates a wicked soul for­ever. Sinne is everlasting, so is justice, the soul that lies in it, is an abomination from generation to generation. The grave and hell, do not purifie the dead. Spirituall death, is a soul eternally lothing, and lothed.

4 Stretched out, coffin'd and buried, this is the last property of the dead. Dead in sinne, are stretched out with a witnesse; conscience is racked: Conviction is the proper divine opera­tion in a dead soul; men under the power of sinne, are under the power of wrath here; spirituall death is a heart under the mere sence and guilt of wrath. Worms eat the dead, conscience gnaweth souls that lie in their sinnes. The dead are stretched out and buried; the dead bury the dead: There be black bear­ers below, and they are fetched up when wicked souls depart, and thousands of them stand ready to carry the dead to their place. This night [they shall take away thy soul. A dead soul is stretched out, carried forth, and buried in the night, saith the Text; [This night they shall take away thy soul. Dead souls are all buried in the night in utter darknesse. The summe of all is this, Spirituall death is a soul seperated from God, under pol­lution and conviction, untill condemnation.

[Page 163] Ʋse. 'Tis a time of slaughter; fields, cities, towns, dipped and dy­ed in bloud. Dead bodies are many, but dead souls are more; the dead are in every house, yea almost in every bed, and yet no Lord have mercy at the doore: Husband dead, wife dead, child dead, and yet no mourning for the dead. This generation af­frighteth me; what are become of spirituall bowels? are they ript up too? are bad men dead, and good men dead, and is there no life left? Ignorant men dead, men of light dead, death pas­seth over all; passion swayeth high and low, 'tis a pang of death, and presageth the death of all, if the Lord heal it not. Prepare coffins and graves for the dead: dead sinners, dead Christians, buy your winding-sheets, make your wills, if there be any life in me, your condition is dangerous. The axe is laid to the root now, I beleeve every dead tree will down, ere Christ lay down his axe.

Danger onely stirreth some men, sinners stand up from the dead, do you see nothing coming towards you? God is against you, is not he all enemies? and all engines? the sword of man may be sheathed, yet will you be cut off; not a wilfull sinner will be spared, for the anger of the Lord is against you; justice visites but seldome, but when she doth, she sweeps every room. Every one that is proud, and every one that is lofty, Esay 2.12. Proud flesh is dead flesh, every one that swelleth against Christ shall be lanced; every one that stoopeth not, shall be broken: Without, Christ will sweep clean; within, he will do the same, even amongst his own, he will throughly purge [his floore. If you have any life in you think of these things. Londoners, Lon­doners, now trading is dead, think of your dead hearts: these two yeares and upward trading hath been very dead; why, this tenne yeare, this twenty yeare, thy heart hath been dead: a dead name, a dead state, a dead body, suit a dead soul: If you have any love to your bodies, or any love to your souls, looke out after spirituall life, or all will die for ever.

1 Two things tend to spirituall life. Christ strongly applied; his ordinances throughly pursued. Christ is the first risen from the dead, and whom he taketh by the hand, arise next after him. Death and him that had the power of death Christ hath [Page 164] destroyed, and all that would do the like, must come to him. Per­versnesse will kill sinners quite; the dead want life, because they will not come to Christ. You will not come to me that you may have life. Dead hearts look to it, your sinnes loved and Christ rejected, you cannot live: you must let Christ kill any thing, so he will but make alive your souls, cut off any thing, a right hand, so he will but unite what remaineth to himself. Our me­rit must not be thought of, for alas what can the dead do! but Christs merit and order both must. Christ killeth and then maketh alive; he slayeth pride, and bringeth souls to fall at his feet, willing to be done any thing with, and then he doth all for them.

Waters of life are given to swouning persons, they that grone and are heavie loden with sinne, and come to Christ they find ease, a spirit of life and joy. Coming to Christ is application of Christ, He hath loved [me, and given himself for [me. He satisfieth for me, he intercedeth for me, he appeareth in the face of perfect righteousnesse for me: All these are vitall acts; the soul that indeed this moveth, is joyned to all the living, and is a lively soul indeed; Christs merit and Christs spirit is this mans, he hath eternall life abiding in him, and is passed from death. You must drink of the waters that Christ profereth you▪ and then you will find a well of waters springing up in you to everlasting life. He that shall drink of the waters which I shall give him, &c. If the stomach be weak to this, lively ordi­nances must be looked out: dead ordinances, make dead souls. Ordinances that are as the tree of life, of the Lords own plant­ing, speak Christ to the life, and make dead souls alive.

THe latitude of Christs dominion is here exprest, 'tis without limits, and without parallel. Some are great in such a compasse, every ones Sun hath a circle, every ones glory hath circumference, every ones Sceptre hath bounds, they can com­mand onely within such a countrie, none are over all, not the greatest Princes that are; but Christ hath an universall com­mand, [Page 105] in all things he hath the preheminence.

Evill hearts swell bigge, and sometimes rise high; pride nest­eth it self among the Stars, and yet then it is below Christ. No man is so bigge in conceit as Christ is in deed, nor so high in thought as Christ is really Vice when at highest is below Christ, Virtue when at highest 'tis below Christ: all is under his feet. Evill men cannot over match Christ by their sinne, good men cannot over match him in their virtue, he is sweeter then the sweetest soul alive; He is the Rose of Sharon, and the Lillie of the valleyes, he is above opposition, and above comparison: things averse to him can take nothing from him, and things congruous to him can adde nothing to him: Our righteous­nesse extendeth not to him. Our righteousnesse; no nor An­gels righteousnesse, among all things in earth and in Heaven, he hath the preheminence.

1 The command of Christ is proclaim'd in this expression, how large his commission is to controll all. Universall dominion is large, too long and too broad for any creature to travell; it speaketh many things, we shall touch some. We will travell as farre in Christs dominion as we can in an houre. The word speaketh power destructive, power instructive, power inspe­ctive. Christ hath a destructive power over all, he hath many enemies, yet not one above him; many have fought with him, but he hath slain them all: In the field Christ hath prehemi­nence. I will instance but in one battell that Christ fought, Exod. 14.28. He destroyed Pharaoh and all his Host, that there remained [not so much as [one of them] saith the Text. Which is admired; again Psal. 106.11. The waters covered their enemies, there was [not one of them left.] He had a­mongst all the preheminence indeed: Enemies are many, and they are upon Christs back, and there for a long while, and make long furrows, but he fetcheth them off his back, and lay­eth them under his feet, all of them. He must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. 1. Cor. 15.25. If you have many upon your back, 'tis very disadvantageous in fight, you cannot so easily fetch them off all, but it is all one to Christ to have many behind him, as before him, those that are upon his [Page 166] back, he can fetch them off and lay them under his feet with ease, he is the best at the use of his arms, he hath the prehemi­nence in warre, a destructive power over all.

2 Christ hath an instructive power over all, he can teach all nations, his commission is so large, English, Dutch, French; he can make knowledge cover the face of the earth, as the wa­ters do the sea. Christ can as the sunne, till all the world with light, and life, he hath power over all flesh, and he speaks it in regard of instruction, Joh. 17.2. Some spirits are very fleshly, and very sottish, yet Christ hath power over these, to make them wise. Who so is simple, let him turn in hither, Prov. 9.4. Wis­dome keeps a free-school, universally receptive, that is, for all comers though never so simple, yea universally instructive, whoever comes thrives. Wisdomes house hath seven pillars, and sends out maidens every where: a complete light, and a com­plete power to impart it, to any soul in any place. Some hearts are very hard to learn, and yet not too hard for Christ to teach, he can teach blocks and stones, of stones he can raise seed to Abraham.

3 Christ hath an inspective power over all: he hath the pre­heminence for sight; he is oculis eminentior, his eyes runne through the earth, and behold all; his eye is very strong, no­thing can be hid from it. Some could over-rule such and such things, were they but aware of them, craft carries it with you ofttimes, when power cannot, but it cannot do so with Christ; he discovers deep things out of the darknesse, not a mote in the sunne, not a hair on your head but he numbers it, knows one by one, which is very exact knowledge. 'Tis like that expression in another case, Not a thought in our hearts but he knows it [altogether.] The sunne is the eye of the world, and 'tis a ve­ry fair one, and looks far, and yet looks not so far as Christ, who is the eye of worlds, of this world and that world, as hea­ven is called, Luke 20.35. Christ looks beyond Luther, be­yond Solomon, beyond Abraham, who looked a great way, and saw Christ very farre off, yea, Christ looks beyond Adam, beyond all that are or ever were. All things are naked before him, not onely bodies, but spirits, whose vastnesse is farre deep­er, [Page 167] and more then all the creation beside: in his book are all our members written, yea in his book is written that which hath no members, and hardly no terms to expresse, to wit our souls, the fabrick and motion of them. He can tell where Sa­than is, when hid in a sheepskin; he knows his voice when he speaks in a Saint, as well as when he speaks in a serpent. Get thee behind me Sathan, said he to Peter. And adde but one thing more, and it will exceedingly tend to the glory of Christs sight: he hath a presentiall sight, not a sight of any one at a di­stance as we have, every thing is full in his eye, and fast by him, because of the vastnesse of his presence. All runnes into this, Christ hath an universall preheminence, a dominion over all.

Use. Let universall power be universally laid to heart, & so I come to apply this point: our reach is short and shallow, and yet ac­cording to this we frame thoughts still of him that is above us. Thoughts of things above us, must be carefully shaped by truth, and not by fancie, divine majesty will fall else, and we shall think of Christ as of our selves. Thou thoughtest that I was al­together such a one at thy self, Psalme 50.21. Christ will not bear mens base conceptions of him, Christ misapprehended, his majesty falls, majesty fallen in the heart, man runnes wild; when men flie out, God flies out; and now you shall see one un­derfoot presently, Christ, or the creature that riseth up against him.

Tremble, proud profane hearts, at the universality of Christs power, he will have the preheminence over you. Sinners pro­pose to themselves what pleaseth them, though it displease God, and bear out themselves that this shall hold, they propose what is amisse, and yet promise felicity to themselves, and that is more amisse. A soul at this height is near falling. Christ will have the preheminence of this proud person, wherein he deals proud­ly Christ will be above him. Watch your hearts sinners, they grow desperately wicked quickly: a presumptuous soul denies the universality of Christs dominion to his face, and stands up­on his guard against all the host of heaven; truth shall never command me in this. Now the man hath made his will, he [Page 108] will die presently: desperate hearts have suitable justice, they go down quick into the pit.

Stoop to the universality of Christs commands, as God hath set him, so do you, over all, in all things. Oppose Christs least commands, to the commands of the greatest men in the world, follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth. Moses parents did their duty to Christ in him, and kept him alive, not fearing the commands of the king, Hebr. 11.23. Pharaoh puts forth an universall command, every sonne that is born to the Hebrews, ye shall cast into the river, and Moses parents opposed to this, the universality of Christs power, and pursued their duty, not fearing the kings command. What command soever, or from whom soever, opposing any command of Christ, destroyes the universality of his authority, and speaks sinfull fear if we obey it. The universality of Christs dominion, is the great jewell of his crown, that which distinguisheth him from all the great ones in the world; 'tis his Motto, King of kings, his grand prero­gative, and yet fear destroyes this quite. Let flesh and bloud attend to this: nature weak, passion strong, men transported with pride, do they know not what, throw down Christ to keep up themselves. England thou art unhappy at the practise of this point, to raise the Lord Jesus above all, to give him the preheminence in all things, the Lord grant it be not required of us. Is our long bondage so soon forgot? Is our present bleeding nothing? Can we tell whether we shall live or die? Shall we not put Christ inprimis in our will? Shall we not give our dy­ing breath to vote up Christ above all? are we not low enough yet, to set Christ high? to give him the preheminence in all things? Surely we shall be?

Let us all look about us and know our duty; truth, not men, must be our rule, and blessed are they that can receive this: love is bountifull, she will give Christ all, she seeks not her own, she sets Christ as high as God sets him, whatever it cost her. Affection must have judgement to guide it, or else men erre on the right hand; and judgement must have love to quicken it, and warm it, or else men erre on the left hand; good men will become very bad, and speak and do against their conscience, and [Page 109] break their peace to keep a bubble whole, their honour with men and the like. I know not what hearts you have for Christ, I know what hearts we all should have, to set Christ at this height my text speaks of. Love must be very strong, conscience very tender, the heart very humble, grace very sincere, to give Christ the preheminence in all things. Cold hearts, brawnie hearts, proud hearts, rotten hearts, your plague is great, you can never advance Christ to his preheminence, and look how farre you are below your duty, so farre below your bles­sednesse.

Hearts that can give Christ the preheminence in all things, have a very blessed condition, Communion sweet, dispensati­ons full, tranquility secure: When the strong man rules, all is at peace: 'tis true of Christ, he smiles upon them which he leads, when he can rule all, and carrie all in the soul, there is sweet peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me peace, saith Christ. If the heart can endure tribulation to let Christ reigne, if it can let men domineer as they will, to give Christ preheminence over it self, there is sweet peace in such a state: Christ keeps up the heart mightily, when name, and state, and all things without are down, and under the feet of the men of this world. Christ doth triumph in his throne, let what warre will be without; and he makes warre within, when kept from thence.

Communion is sweet, and dispensations are full, when Christ hath an universall dominion. As we anoint, we are anointed; anoint Christ all over, not onely head but feet, and so he will do you. Love Christ much, and he will love you much, let John lay his head in Christs bosome, and Christ will lay his heart and his head too in Johns bosome. What parts! what a spirit of light and revelation had the Apostle John! as if Christ had left his head wholly in Johns breast! he fled for it, that Christ might have in all things the preheminence, and Christ flies after him, and gives him preheminence in gifts above thou­sands.

Condition is secure, standing is firm indeed, when Christ hath hold of all: when there is no sand in the foundation but [Page 170] all rock, then winds may blow, and storms beat, and yet the building will stand. The apostacy of persons now so common, springs from hence, that they give not up all to Christ, and give him a full dominion, and a full hold-fast, they will let Christ hold but a little, and then he in justice lets go all, and then all that seemed good comes to nothing. Sinners, you cut your own throats, in that you give not Christ a universall command, you will not suffer him to out the strong man quite, and therefore he returns with seven worse spirits, and so your latter end is worse then your beginning. Know what is your peace and safe­ty in these evil times, and observe it.

YOu set sweet bryer at your doore, the very entrance into some houses is taking: 'tis so in the verse I am now going upon; here is a term in the front, as full of honey as Canaan: here is an Angel at the doore as glorious as heaven: you can no sooner begin to reade, but your hearts must needs begin to leap, if they be as heavenly as they should be. You are smiled upon and saluted at the doore, with precious words: It pleased the Father, &c. The word Father is not in the originall, onely it pleased: which is so rather to be expressed, that it may be fitly applyed to Father and holy Ghost; for both are contented and delighted in Christ, to lay out themselves for man in him. Kindnesse comes from a full spring, & in a full channel to fallen man: God the Father pleased, and God the holy Ghost pleased, that Christ should come stored into the world, to restore poore souls. How freely God contrives relief for man! He eyes ex­tremity, and waves all other motive; his own goodnesse sets him at work, to provide a remedy for a sad condition. It plea­sed the Father.

1 Free motion is the purest, it speaks all love; God can move no otherwise towards things below. God is absolute, not any thing without him hath any thing above him, that is, something which he hath not to engage him. Your felicity secular is seat­ed in many, and you contrive favour for one another, because you judge you shall need it of the same parties in another kind. [Page 171] God needs none, all need him, and therefore what he doth for any, must needs be at his pleasure.

2 Free motion is the noblest: bounty is proposed, not merit. God will work no otherwise but freely, that every ones crown of kindnesse may be admired as bounty, as grace in height, as something wholly from heaven. Thou] hast triumphed glori­ously, saith the Scripture; that is, our mercies are derived to us after an admirable manner, and are full of thy self and of no­thing else. If a crumb be given to a dog, 'tis bounty; but if the whole feast be given to him, what bounty is this? God doth something that sinne may appear sinne: But sinne that it might appear sinne, &c. So God doth something that grace may ap­pear grace, he dispenseth it altogether at his pleasure, that this may altogether appear, and nothing of the creature.

3 Free motion is the surest: wheels must be oyled still, where motion is by instruments. If there be no motive, yet action go­eth on for mans welfare, where motion is free. The mercy of God in Christ, is called sure mercy; sure, because free. What is purely free, is uncapable of cessation, from airie impediments. What God does with pleasure and out of pleasure, he never grows weary of, and thus he sheweth mercy to man, which makes it sure indeed, and lasting from generation to generation. God moveth surely towards man: we are such creatures in our fallen state, that we throw discouragement upon God every mo­ment, for ever looking towards us more; we are so froward, so throwing off of love, and therefore God hath proposed to himself, such a principle to move from, as may hold on his mo­tion whatever he see in us, to wit, his pleasure.

4 Free motion is the sweetest: God moves in the takingest way that may be, to fallen man. You love to see one give smilingly, to give much goods and with much goodnesse, to give with all the heart: so doth God. God gives all with all his heart; he makes every step to you in bloud, and yet in delight; it pleases him to part with all to enrich you: What God puts upon you, he practiseth himself: he bids you give liberally, and give chear­fully, because he loves it: so doth he give liberally, and chearful­ly, to make his motion lovely and taking. All fulnesse is put [Page 112] in Christ, and it is put there with all pleasure, and with all de­light, which renders Christ very taking to man indeed. Large action with straitened affection, is a comely body with an ill-favoured face, which is not so generally taking. Christ is set out to man all fair, filled with all excellencie, and this by a hand of love, which is duplex plenitudo, a double fulnesse, as it were. It was two deliverances to David, that he was delivered from a principle of love, that he was delivered as one delighted in▪ He delivered me, because [he delighted in me. Thus are we delivered by Christ, from a principle of pleasure and de­light. It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell, for us empty creatures.

Use. Relief is contrived very freely for fallen man: Weak hearts should comfort themselves with this point. Sinnes lode some souls that they can get no ease. Conscience saith too little, or else too much; sometimes it is asleep, and saith nothing, some­times it is awake and crieth perpetually, as apprehending no re­medy; this is a deadly wound, and I would I could heale it. Mis­understanding makes sorrow unkind, we measure mercy by our own comprehension, which hath killed many. Sinners, take heed what thoughts you take up of the kindnesse of God: God doth not come to shew great kindnesse as you do with great un­willingnesse, and upon hard terms. It joyeth God, and pleaseth him to meet prodigalls to kisse them and cloth them, notwith­standing all unkindnesse, undutifulnesse, unnaturalnesse. Guilt makes horrour, and horrour makes distraction; distracted per­sons whip, and cut, and wound themselves. Dolefull conditions would be pitied above, but sinners have no pity to themselves, to think so. What sovereigne balm is in Christs merit, if sin­ners would be pleased to use it!

It is pleasing to God to do good but 'tis not pleasing to us to receive it; the devil is too hard for us all. Observe Sathans wiles, we shall perish by thousands else, though God be pleased to provide salvation for sinners; and what a pity is that! Temp­ted souls, stirre up the grace of God, and believe the word of the Gospel; you please your selves in the thought of your sins, and in the ruine of your souls through unbelief; but God is nor [Page 173] pleased with it. God is pleased to contrive your salvation, and it would adde to his pleasure, to see his contrivement please you and save you.

1 Action hath circumstance; yours hath, Gods hath, and yet scarce a soul considers this, and yet these are the twigs in our rod that whip us, or the rayes in our sunne that chear us. Deni­all of free grace hath foure aggravations: 'Tis ingratitude: Bounty is sleighted, Manna is light bread, the smiling face of God hath no lustre. God puts out his hand, and the sinner lifts up his heel, which is grosse ingratitude. Love should gain love; when God smiles, we should smile upon him: when the King of glory comes, we should open the everlasting doores: our thankfulnesse respecting divine favours, is the reception of them our ingratitude is the rejection of them. Israel would none of me. Free grace is the sweetest dish in wisdomes house, presented to make two merry together: 'tis wine upon the lees, 'tis the fat of the kidneys of wheat, 'tis the fatted calf, and the best garment; 'tis the heart of God held out, 'tis the glory of heaven visible, to gain hearts: what heart hath that man that is not taken with these! Unkindnesse sinks deep into sweet spi­rits, God is such a spirit. Unkindnesse grieves God, this un­kindnesse most of all, that the fairest of ten thousand should make love to a black-moore, that a king should make love to a begger, and yet be rejected: Your unkindnesse is your ingra­titude.

2'Tis rebellion to deny free grace. Now we are upon a step higher, to beat unkind souls, then we were before. The harlot Rahab by faith received the spies, and perished not with the [re­bels: with them that believed not, say you. Not to receive what God freely proffers, is rebellion: it is mans will fighting against Gods; the King of kings warred against within his own dominions: the King kept out from his own chair of state, to wit, the soul. Shall not God dwell in his own? Will you keep him out of his purchase, that which he hath paid such a dear rate for? The workings of our heart we observe not, we are undone by this carelesnesse: who strives within? and who is thrust out? Is it Christ? or who is it? 'Twere worth the in­quiry, [Page 174] to know who 'tis that is resisted by the soul now and then. Man through carelesnesse continues a rebell against Christ, and knows it not: gain-sayings of free grace, speaks you all rebels, and so you are called by the Psal­mist, as well as in the place forecited. Men and women, study your own hearts, and tell me how they move. It is pleasing to God to embrace you: is it pleasing to you to accept him? Why not now then? your rebellion will be written in heaven, if you turn off Christ from time to time. Rebellion hath its degrees, It is rebellion to abide in unbelief one houre. The land in which we live is divided, it is deadly to behold. The Kings side say we are rebells, the Parliaments side say that they are rebells: by such an account we are all rebells; and truly that's my fear, that we are all rebells to Christ, and that this is the reason he makes no better use of us, but one to destroy another. It were well if spirituall re­bellion were looked after betimes, 'twill end us all else. E­ternall peace, and eternall truth are worth nothing; men tread underfoot the bloud of the Sonne of God, the grace by which they should be saved, and take pleasure in unrigh­teousnesse, and no pleasure in the good pleasure of God, which is ready to save them.

3. 'Tis groundlesse wickednesse; to deny the free-grace of God. Some action hath reason, and then the creature can stand upon his defence. But sinners, what reason have you for reject­ing free-grace? You refuse many things for cost, you cannot refuse free-grace upon this ground, you may have it for no­thing. God doth cloath lillies and souls alike; though they do not spin, to make their own apparell, yet have most royall habit. Every one of Gods children are rich, but rise to it out of nothing: they have clothing of the best, lodging of the best, feeding of the best, and all for nothing. None go so richly, none lodge so delightfully, none fare so daintily as those that embrace the good pleasure of God. Some things yield but a little of what you seek and expect, and therefore you de­cline them; but you cannot reject free-grace upon this ground. Free love is full love, nothing is so full; it hath all fullnesse in [Page 175] it. It pleased the Father that in him should [all fulnesse dwell. What thing of all the things which you are in love with, hath all fulnesse in it? Things with which you are taken, have commonly but one excellency, and but a little of that. You love some for their wisdome, and yet they have not all wis­dome, and all knowledge. You love others for their strength and fortitude; and yet they have not all power, nor all might: yet so hath free grace, it hath all kinds of graces in it, and the complement of all these. The Sonne that smiles upon us, is all light, and in him is no darknesse. Ungracious hearts, think of this; it will be put home upon you, why you have no grace, why you have no wedding garment; when the great marriage day comes, you will presently be espied, by one that will then view all: here's a man hath no grace. What's the reason? Could he have none? or would he have none? To one I an­swer, saith God, he might have had grace and life, and it would have pleased me to have enriched him with these. To the other I will answer saith conscience, This wretched soul would have no grace, he loved iniquity and hated righteousnesse, therefore is he here unrighteous; he thought himself rich and vvell cloathed, and therefore stands here novv poor and naked.

4'Tis remedilesse wickednesse to deny free grace. The miseries of man are many, and yet there is but one remedy. Free grace hath balm for every wound, which rejected, every wound is mortall: The least sinne is death. The wages of sinne, that is, of every sinne is death. For bodily distresses, there be many remedies, if men will not pitty me when I hunger, ravens may; If Christians will not pitty when I am sore, dogges may: but in soul distresses, there is but one remedy, to wit, what God will please to do; if God will please to do nothing for me, none else will or can. No eye pittied thee, to do any of these for thee. Gods eye pitilesse, and there is no eye pittifull nor can be to the soul. 'Tis storied of the balm, that it groweth in the Holy-land and no where else, which is the reason of that speech, Is there no balm in Gilead? Mercy for your souls, is in the pleasure of God, and no where else. Sinners make no more of the favour of God, then of the favour of man: I live not upon one; the [Page 176] heart layeth this conclusion and swelleth, and lifteth up the heel. Ah wretches, you cannot say so of God: you live upon one, yea upon one thing in God, upon the smiles of his counte­nance, upon this that he is free in mercy, that it pleaseth him to save souls.

This point hath been applyed to convince and humble, and it may also be applyed in the next place to chear and revive. There are burdened hearts I beleeve among you, but let no distresse discourage you. How great soever the wants of any be, let them come to God; it pleaseth him to lay out for you. Are your wants more then Christ hath where withall to: sup­ply? What ever Christ hath or can do (and what is it that he cannot do) it pleaseth God to the heart, that he should im­ploy it for you. Men under guilt fancy hard thoughts of God: my sinnes are great, and God will not pardon: yes he will, he is ready to forgive, it pleaseth him to forgive, he hath fur­nished Christ of purpose, and laid out all upon this very designe, which is reall demonstration of his pleasure, this way. If di­stresse lie any otherwise, yet it should not distract, because free grace speaketh supply to any distresse that you can mention: tis a fountain, a fountain open, every one may draw and yet none draw drie. Your straits are many, and you cannot tell which way to get out: remember the point in hand; that it pleaseth God to contrive relief. To undo knots, is a trouble­some thing, especially such knots as unbelief knitteth in the soul, and yet God is pleased with this work, he is a God of peace, made up of peace; his whole pleasure, as well as his whole imployment lieth this way. The God of peace establish and strengthen you, saith the Apostle: The Apostles words are of great emphasis, the Godhead bendeth strongly and de­lightfully this way, to settle poore weak souls, which can do nothing themselves, Doubts, cavills, and complaints are ma­ny, and God quieteth all, because his pleasure and delight is in the peace and tranquillity of poore souls; He is a God of peace, his pleasure is to make peace, and a Heaven, where he cometh. 'Tis the pleasure of things, to do things naturall to them; 'tis the pleasure of wicked spirits, to torment and vexe, [Page 177] and to make hell where ever they come, and in this sense the de­vil may be called the God of warre: so 'tis the pleasure of God to do things naturall to him, to comfort and cheere poore souls, to strengthen and establish them, to make a Heaven where ever he cometh; as a God of, and a God at this work.

THe reason of what Christ is to man, is rendered by the Spi­rit of God in this Text: the cause of his greatnesse and ful­nesse to maintain it, is the will of God, it pleased] the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell. 'Tis not [...] but [...], the word, speak will and delight, such a pursuit and such action, as wherein there is transcendent souls rest. Behold my servant which I have chosen my beloved which my soul hath willed, E­say, 42.1. In whom my soul is at rest saith the Evangelist, [...], which is the same word here in my Text, which noteth that the will and the delight of God, are in the furnishing of Christ for us.

Scriptures compared, the word you see soundeth double, the will and the pleasure of God are wrapt up in it, which we shall unfold one after another.Doctr. God shapeth every thing to man ac­cording to his own will.

The will of God is absolute, he moveth by a perfect rule, his motion is without errour, and yet guided in all, by that which is no guide in us, his own will. We have many things from earth, from Heaven, and all shaped out to us according to the will of God.

Things be­low man.Things below man are many and various, and yet God turn­eth and windeth them all, according to his will. Can you tell how many good bodies come out of the earth to wait upon one bad? Not one of them would do this, but that God giveth them such bodies, and shapeth them by his will, to such qualities and properties, and to such ends and purposes, as to give their life to keep up dying man. That which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but God giveth it a body as he willeth, 1. Cor. 15.38.

Things e­quall to man.'Tis the like respecting things equall to us. No creatures would serve one another; man would not serve man, member would not serve member; the eye would not serve the hand, nor the hand any other part, were they not all shaped to this by the will of God. God hath set the members in the body, [Page 179] every one of them as he willeth. 1. Corinthians, 12.18. A foot with so many toes, a hand with so many fingers, a head with so many hairs, bodies with such variety of members, soules with such variety of gifts, have all their shape accord­ing to divine will. But all these worketh that one and the self same spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will, 1. Corinthians, 12.11. One hath much wisedome, another much knowledge, another but a little of either, onely enough for a toe, to be carried and guided by a bigger and nobler member, and yet as much of the will of God in this as in the other. Windes, Seas, Planners, Brutes, Men, Persons, Parts, Actions, all are carried about with one wheel, the will of God.

Things above man are shaped also,Things a­bove man. and squared according to the will of God. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in Heaven, in Earth, in the Sea, and in all deep places, Psalme 35.6. Omnia quae voluit Deus, all things which the Lord willed, &c. God hath no other counsellour but his Will about all businesse; businesses here below, and busi­nesses above in Heaven. God moveth to every thing in Hea­ven as he pleaseth, and maketh conveyance thence of things as he pleaseth: God hath many about him, and when he hath any businesse to dispatch here below, he maketh a mes­senger to man, of whom he will, and wrappeth up what good he will, and sendeth it along with him. The word goeth forth out of Heaven for the souls of men, from divine will: This wind bloweth where he listeth, it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching, &c. The Spirit goeth forth out of Heaven by the will of God.

Christ goeth forth from Gods will, and all that he bring­eth: Gods will guideth him to send whom he will, and what he will with him, from Heaven to Earth. It pleased the Fa­ther to send Christ out of his bosome, and with him all fulnesse from Heaven to Earth. All runneth into this, that God shapeth every thing to man according to his will.

Use. This maketh a distinction between God and Man. Know Gods prerogative and give it him; no creature may pursue [Page 180] his own will. Man should know his bounds best, and he breaketh bounds worst. No man may pursue his own will, and do whatsoever pleaseth him, and yet he thinketh he may. Pride is desperate wickednesse, the spirit of the Devil is in man, he would be as God, above God, and carry all by his will: The enemies said I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my lusts shall be satisfied upon thee, I will draw my sword, mine hand shall destroy them, Exodus, 15.9. All these expressions shew how man doth invade the preroga­tive of God, to move according to his will, If they have per­secuted me, saith Christ [they will persecute] you. Christ relateth many sad things concerning his people, but the sad­dest of all is this, that he mentioned at last: all these sad things saith he, they will do unto you for my names sake. Persecuting bloudy wretches, is your will absolute? May your will be an infallible rule to you, as Gods is? Are ye men? or are ye Gods? or are ye Devils? Will you do what you will? Is it a small thing to you to destroy divine prerogative, to step up into the chair of State, to slash and cut Truth and the lo­vers of it, with your tongues, and pens, and hands, as you will? Malice broke out, hypocrisie striveth to hide it, men would not have their insides outward, but God giveth up man to his will, and then the heart is plainly seen: Resolution to evill, is the punishment of hypocrisie: observe these times, and you shall see men speak out themselves, and write down in red letters, what they are.

A man fast to his will, was first very loose from God. He that seeth in secret, doth not tell all presently: loosenesse ge­nerateth pride, pride generateth perversenesse, and now God leaveth the man to his will: A man left to his will, maketh this his rule as God doth, and is a little god in his own eyes, doth what he will. Know your condition, you that know no rule but your will: you are hypocrites discovered, a ge­neration left of God; left by Mercy, that Justice may take you. Resolution to evill, is a sinner upon the top of the ladder, putting a halter about his own neck, and bidding the hangman to do his office when he will.

[Page 181] 1 A man pinn'd to his will, hath three grand plagues upon him. One is this, whatever he doth amisse is aggravated still: thou didst it wilfully. Christ bleeds, truth bleeds, conscience bleeds, and all these take their bloud, and throw it in the face of this sinner, with this anguish, Ah wretch, thou gavest us these wounds with thy will, thou hast committed wilfull murther: we preached unto thee, we prayed unto thee, we cried and wept unto thee, to save our bloud, yet thou wouldest not. O how is Jerusalems sinne aggravated, from their will! I would have gathered thee, but thou wouldest not. I spake words to thee, shed tears to thee, to save my bloud, to love my person, and yet thou wouldest not. 'Tis made self-murther in the Scripture, which is the bloudiest murther of all, so highly is self-will ag­gravated. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self. 'Tis all one as if God had said, thou hast been self-willed. A man may fall off, and yet have his honour with Christ, if will move well; no sinne is aggravated, but all extenuated, alas, the flesh is weak! But 'tis enough to me saith Christ, that the spirit is willing. Bigge-spirited sinners, think of this, you sinne no­thing but bigge sinnes; the letters you make are suitable to the penne with which you write them, 'tis a text penne you write with, and they are all text letters which you make, and Christ will shew you them in his book hereafter, and they will be very plain to be read, by men, Angels, and conscience, they are so bigge. Aggravation is a willfull sinners plague, he sinnes nothing but bigge sinnes, all his brats are clothed in scarlet, which speaks very loud to conscience.

2 Conviction is a second plague, of a wilfull sinner; this is all his gratulation from Christ, fire thrown in his face. When ever Christ meets a wilfull sinner,, he draws his sword at him, slashes conscience, and wounds it deeply. This sin­ner comes to Church, and there Christ meets him, and stabbes him to the heart, with every word he speaks, which is the sword of the spirit; this sinner goes into company more suit­able to him, and yet there too, Christ meets him and throws dirt in his face, the filth of his action whilst hot, that it may be the more scalding; in the midst of laughter, nips him by [Page 182] the heart. Whilest the Saints are before the wicked, and the bloud of their names upon their tongues, sporting themselves, he makes them tremble as he did Felix. Bigge vessels that are high above water, are easily shot through and through: 'tis the usuall practise of God, to make Pashurs Magor­missabib, to shoot them through and through, to smite such within, as smite his without, and to make them fear round about. None in stronger terrour at times, then stout-hearted sinners. This makes vexation, which is our next thing to pursue.

3 Devils are tormented, 'tis their proper plague; 'tis the proper plague of a man pinned to his will, to be still crossed and vexed, God doth what he can, and another doth what he can to please him, yet nothing goeth right, his will is so crooked and perverse, and this makes him mad, and this is Gods way of whipping his bedlams, those that are out of their wits, against truth and holinesse. One calls for mor­ter, and the other brings stones, the proud Babel will not up: did not that vex and torture them, think you? The great God and great-spirited men meet sometimes, and they justle and he justles, and crouds their limbs against the wall, and that maddes them to the heart. Frustration of intention, and disprosperity of action, you cannot find out a worse hell for a proud man, and yet thus God dealeth usually with such spi­rits. God opposeth will to will, and what men say shall be, God saith it shall not be: he sets himself to walk con­trarie to them, which walk contrary to him, and this makes weeping and gnashing of teeth indeed, amongst wilfull wretches. Can you imagine how this scourges wretches on the kings side, that God crosses their will in all things? David pleased not Saul, Jonathan pleased not Saul, God plea­sed not Saul, because none pleased his will, this was an evil spirit vexing him continually. 'Tis the portion of all spirits more or lesse, which are pinned to their will, they are vexed with an evill spirit of discontent perpetually. Continu­all raging enrageth God, and then he reveals his will, and then devils descend to hell, which is their place: all fiery spirits are put in a room together.

[Page 183]Let wilfull wretches stoop to the will of God, which is the use that Solomon makes of this point. Stand not in an evil thing, for he doth whatsoever pleaseth him. Eccles. 8.3. He speaks it in regard of the king, how much more true is it of the King of kings. That we do evil is not simply damnable, but that we stand in it. There must be but one God, one to rule by will; when we make more, then we pay for it. As God makes his will his rule in all things, so do you make his will your rule in all things, and not your own. Mine own heart is deceitfull, 'tis an ill guide. Sathan can get favour in every court here below, not a heart upon earth, but he finds something in it, when he comes to welcome him; 'tis dangerous to make this generall commander of a mans military life in this world, which holds such corre­spondencie, with such a deadly enemy. O that men would thus wisely consider their way, and do like disciples of Christ that have denied themselves, and not like heady persons, that have sould themselves to do wickedly. Poore creatures think that there is but one step to felicitie, and that is to have their will in this thing or that. O if I had this or if I had that, what a blessed creature should I be! whereas our felicity is not in having our own will from God, but in Gods having his own will from us; our blessednesse is not in our selves, but in him; not in any thing that we propose, but in what he proposeth. 'Tis our meat and drink to do Gods will. 'Tis our felicity to rise dayly to the life of Christ, who pleaseth not himself. For even Christ pleaseth not himself, but as it is written, the reproches of them that reproched thee, fell on me, Romans 15.3.

A word of consolation, and I have done. Some favours are long a coming, and then we are sad: it should not be, for they come as soon as God will, and sooner would not be well for us. Some persons are very bitter in their car­riage, this makes others concerned therein, to weep bitterly: it should not be, no creature is bitterer to me then God will; the cup of gall and vinegar in Christs hand, is Gods will. Father thy will be done. Men are strong, devils are strong, [Page 184] lusts are strong, and I think they shall never down, and this throws me down: but it should not be, for though I cannot throw these down, God will; he wills the death of sinners, when past remedie; and he wills the death of sinnes, when past our strength, and that he wills this is enough; I will be thou clean. That God shapes out every thing by his will, makes ill for sinners, for wilful sinners, but very well for such as are humble and penitent.

AS this terme involves the will of God, simply and singly considered, so I pursued it the last day: [...], it notes some­thing deare or complacen­tiall to us, and so rendred. 1 Thes. 2.8. the word also comprehends the strength and intention of affection, such a complacencie of love, as makes one delight and rest to doe such or such a thing. It gave rest to Father and holy Ghost, it delighted both to lay out liberally in Christ, for fallen mans reliefe. Fire hath its propertie, which is to burne: so doth love in Gods breast to us-ward. Wee are now led to speake upon the propertie of mercy, how strongly the rivers and streames of life run: God is restlesse till befallen man have full reliefe provided.

Doctr. It gave rest to the Father, &c.

1 What agents doe naturally, they doe it intensly: the Sun is rest­lesse till it rise, and shine upon us. 'Tis naturall to God to shew mercy, as 'tis to the Sun to shine: according to this he wrought, as soone as ever he began to worke, and could not tell how to worke otherwise; God could not tell how to make any thing but blessed creatures, and blessed places, a Heaven and a Paradise, blessed spi­rits, and blessed men; God cast all that ever he did into a frame full of mercy, but man jogd his hand, and turned all out of course; God is the same stil, restless til all be brought into a state of blessed­nesse againe. As the Needle is restlesse, till it stand to the North point, so was God, till he turned againe to fallen man, as may ap­peare by his speedy provision for Adam.

2 God eyes the beautie of action; motion with delight unto good, is glorious. Delight is love in strength, love in strength is restlesse till it can vend it selfe. Since I spake against him, I doe earnestly remem­ber him still, Jere. 31.20. Earnest affection makes mind worke, me­mory worke, head worke, heart worke still; it makes all restlesse [Page 162] perpetually, till the thing pitied and beloved have rest. God goes reluctantly about no act of kindnesse, 'tis inglorious; it may be competent to you, it cannot be to God. 'Tis below God to shew kindnesse to us here reluctantly, though wee be all here such base creatures. God delights to exercise loving kindnesse in the earth, Je­rem. 9.24. One would thinke that it might be delightfull to him, to shine in his owne spheare, to exercise loving kindnesse in Hea­ven, to cast pearles and raies upon those noble peeres, and so 'tis; and 'tis delightfull also to the Sunne, to shine upon dunghils, upon us base creatures, to exercise loving kindnesse in the earth.

3 God eyes the necessitie of action; unlesse he acts throughly, wee are all lost; intense affection, makes through action; what you cold­ly act, you doe by halves. Sin makes more then scars upon us, it makes deep wounds; you stirre with all your might, when you see such distresse, if there be any bowels in you. God wants not bow­els, he lays our condition to heart, though we doe not; our dying condition puts life into him; unlesse I stirre, this sinner is lost, un­lesse I stirre uncessantly, this world is all lost; all are under sin, wounded, gasping, giving up: thus God puts home necessitie of vi­tall action upon himselfe. This is our plague, we cannot put home the necessitie of things upon our selves, we are so carelesse and for­lorne; could we, it would make us restlesse, to worke out our owne salvation; you may see it in Paul, Necessitie is upon me, and I cannot be quiet, unlesse I preach; unlesse my soule stirre uncessantly, 'tis lost for ever; alas for us! wee cannot put home necessitie thus, though our lives lie on't, and therefore doth the Devill fetch away all un­der our very Citie-wals. What we cannot doe, God can and doth. God pities man, because no eye else doth, our desperate condition is still in his eye, and O how his heart beats! he can neither slumber nor sleepe, he watches continually, because we are groaning and dy­ing; some hope of life, and then, and not till then, he rests. It gave rest to the Father, &c.

Ʋse. The propertie of divine motion you see, 'tis restlesse to good; the contrary to this is diabolicall; and yet, oh Lord! how com­mon is this in the world! to be restlesse to evill. Bowels worke not at all, but braines worke that they foame and froth againe. The losse of meate, nothing; the losse of sheepe, nothing; the losse of Heaven, nothing, so men may goe in their owne way. A man can­not [Page 163] be too slow to sin, nor bogle enough at a bad businesse, nor doe too little of that which is naught; 'twere better a man had no legs, then run to evill; no braines, then acute and restlesse to doe evill well. What grieves not you, grieves God; but if this will not doe, persons shall have their course, and take as comes. 'Twere better I had nothing, no parts, then all Satans. Restlesse soules to evill, you are all Satans, you serve him with your might, with all your strength, you serve him when you are up, and when you are abed, you give the devill foure and twenty houres to his day. God you know had his Holocaust under the Law, his whole burnt offerings, haire and hide, and all burnt; so the devill hath his Holocaust, his whole burnt offerings. Restlesse soules in sin, you are Satans whole burnt sacrifices, you are all on fire of hell, heart, tongue, hand; you offer up all your rich parts, wealth; you are in the depth of sin, in the gall of bitternesse; and if you can sucke any sweetnesse out of this, doe.

What is wholly Satans, is firmely his, give the Devill hold with both hands, and heel' hold fast. Restlesse soules to evill, you are close prisoners to the Prince of darknesse, such as are double bol­ted and chain'd, who ever get loose, you will not. 'Tis sad to see the bent of mens spirit, 'tis nothing to them to resigne up all to the Devill; you are well pleased, so is Satan; but know that he doth not so easily resigne all back againe; he fortifies as he takes, and will not lose an out-worke gain'd, easily. If Satan have got hold but on a mans tongue or eye, or some such like out-part, this is not taken away from him againe presently; but when he hath all, he makes impregnable works. Satan secures his throne; if he get into the soule, that soule shall sinke to hell, ere he will rise out of his chaire. Satan will not let you goe, said I? You will not let Sa­tan goe, which are restlesse to sin. Two knit in love, who can part them? Satan and you burne together in affection, and God will not breake the match, you shall burne together in hell.

Till this marriage day, you shall not want tokens; can you tell how many blacke letters are written to conscience, whilst affection burnes to evill? When you see sinners sin and smile, aske them, Doth God and your conscience smile? Face mirth is nothing to me, mens courses must not gaine credit, because they are impudent. I beseech you, deale truly with your eternall soules; how oft doth [Page 164] your consciences smile upon you? There is no peace to the wicked. What then to him, that is nothing but wicked? What nothing but warre, and wounds and bloud inwardly, and yet smiles and flaunts and flouts outwardly, against good? What a bad condition is this! If you will talke of your wayes, talke without to others, as God talkes to you within, and then 'twill be worth the hearing: if you will write, write as God writes within, and 'twill be worth the reading. Active spirits in ill, want not imployment, conscience takes them up with reading newes, from beneath. Eye time to come, eye time present; the condition is dreadfull, where affection in strength workes to any evill. Let it make soules breake off from this course, and become imitators of God, who is restlesse to con­trive good.

Gods motion is exemplary, you may safely make his spirit your pattern, and 'tis a blessed soule that can move as he doth. Bodies bleed to death, soules blead to death, all England giving up, and we are not restlesse in prayer, nor restlesse in preaching, nor in wrest­ling with God and man, to save. The houre of Christs crucifi­xion is come, and a spirit of slumber is upon us; we cannot watch nor pray, what ever temptation be at our dore. Jacob was renow­ned, he wrestled for himselfe and familie all night, he was restlesse till he had gotten the blessing; but alas, our night is not over, and God knowes when 'twill, and we are tired alreadie; purse tired, spirit tired; men will doe nothing, but God will if we wrestle rest­lesly with him. A man may doe much with God, a righteous man may, one unrighteous man may by importunitie. Was not the un­righteous Judge overcome by importunitie? Keep on to move as a Christian, to God and to men, and make no conclusions at home; take wing, and to Heaven, and die not in the nest. Mercy still is in travaile for them that are in travaile for it. Error of one hand, must not make error of tother: wee have our mercies by degrees, that dutie may be hightened, not flatned. Let's better every one, by our unwearied goodnesse. Wee must serve God for naught; let issues be what they will, paines must be perpetuall. 'Tis Gods case, as he hath to doe with us, he is restlesse in meanes to gaine us all; but alas! how few doth he gaine! If men were restlesse till they had done their part, God would be restlesse till he had done his. Be restlesse till you are in Gods garden, and he will be restlesse to [Page 165] make a hedge about you; give your hearts to God, God will give the hearts of men to you: be restlesse about your owne worke, be not restlesse about Gods.

The carriage of God should be imitated, and the love of God should be received, and admired; these are the last things that I will urge upon you. Every heart should be taken, when divine love breakes forth, especially when it breaks forth strongly, and rest­lesly. Our climate is more glorious then all the world, the Sunne in brightnesse shines continually upon us; wisdome cries in every street, and cries restlesly, cries and dies. The Crowner will sit, the debt of love will be laid to our charge; If you love your soules, be as restlesse to receive and admire, as God is to proffer. Mercie is our Manna, our bread from heaven, we should feed upon it; every good thing comes downe from heaven, and should lead our soules thither, and then 'tis good to us. You have not a crum of kindnesse but comes from heaven; but love in strength is heaven it selfe de­scending. Who can but admire, and receive this? who can but en­ter into heaven, when it comes to his dore? What will heaven be turned into, if turned off at our dore?

Let sinners tremble, such as trample upon restlesse love, and gag the mouth of continuall crying mercy, but let weake hearts cheare themselves: 'tis a delightfull thing to God, to receive you; he is restlesse, and will be restlesse, till you have rest. Broken hearts can make nothing hold together, to doe them good: with cords of love, they hang themselves. When mercy in latitude is mentioned, 'tis turned off: God hath no heart to me; why? I mis-pend and mis­use all. Why, yet thou art invited to eate that which is good, and to let thy soule delight it selfe in fatnesse. And God is restlesse in this in­vitation; he eyes not what you have neglected, no nor what you have abused; he eyes your necessitie, and his owne grace; and it would delight him much, if you would now eate that which is good, and let your soules delight themselves in fatnesse, Esa. 45.2. God is not pleased that I sinne, but he is pleased that I believe, let my sin be what it will, dying hearts fetch life from this Text, that it pleaseth God to give Christ for you.

O Lord, how great are thy workes, and thy thoughts are very deep, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 92.5. Wee are vaster in thoughts, then wee can be in words or workes; 'tis not so with God, he is as profound in expression, as in conception, and in action as in either; admirable great and deep in both. How great are thy workes, and thy thoughts very deep. The depth of divine expression in action, we are now to fathome, fulnesse, all fulnesse: The worke is above us, but God will be mercifull to weaknesse, if wee lose our selves in him. If we can but admire thoughts, words, and workes, of bottomlesse depth, as David did, and as the Apostle here doth, wee shall doe something on-ward of our dutie, and fol­low the footsteps of the flocke. For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell, &c.

Man is a creature, rather induced, then forced; as things are in­dowed, so they draw. What hath much, moves a little; what hath very much, moves a little more; what hath all, fetches oft some from all, to imbrace this: this propertie onely hath Christ, he hath all fulnesse. The expression speakes admirable perfection, reception, and fruition unto the highest blessednesse; which that Christ hath, I will demonstrate to you, that I may pursue the scope of the holy Ghost, and gaine you all, if it may be, to love him.

1 Communication in relation to Christ is immediate; water at the Well-head, is purest, plentifullest, sweetest. At the Well-head, wa­ter is for qualitie and quantitie full, one cannot so easily be decei­ved there in either, one cannot drinke a spring dry: Christ lies in the bosome of the Father, he is in God; the Leviathan tumbles in the deepe; the heart of God is deepe, what is in this, Christ onely knowes; what he determins and meanes within himselfe, Christ imparts and none else. What Christ seeth the Father doe, that doth he, Joh. 5.19. Christ is in word and action, the revelation of what was hid in God from the beginning of the world. The Apostle to the Ephesians, when he would tell you what is the riches of Christ, [Page 167] saith, that it is immediate riches, something that he hath, which all the world beside hath not, something that lies hid where none can come at but himselfe, something that is hid in God, Ephes. 3.8, 9. You have many instructers, but Christ hath none; Who hath in­structed him? He dwels in light. Nothing is hid from Christ, not the things which are in Gods breast, for he lies there. Christ hath immediate communication, which is full, as full as God. Christ hath vast braines, for God is his head, and none else. I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the wo­man is man, and the [head of Christ is God] 1 Cor. 11.3. that's a brave head-piece indeed. The like place is that, 1 Cor. 3.23. And yee are Christs, and Christ is Gods. Christ hath immediate reference to none but God.

2 Communication in order to Christ is immediate, and it is uni­versall. All fulnesse empties all into him. God is in Christ reconci­ling the world, &c. Some things will hold much, but are not filled; nothing will hold all but Christ, and he hath actuall communica­tion, according to his utmost capacitie. God is in Christ, doing what he doth in this world. There is communicatio essentiae, accord­ing to which Christ and his Father are one. There be many things have God in them, but none as Christ hath, none have all God in them, none have so much of God, as that they can speake and doe as God, and so as that without blasphemy they may be called God; yet so may Christ, 'tis no blasphemy to call Christ equall to God, to call him God. Christ is God, and moves as God. Whatsoever things the Father doth, these also doth the Sonne. There is a universa­litie of communication, you see, to Christ. Whatsoever things the Father doth, &c. Life is quid essentiale & quid universale, it compre­hends all. As the Father hath this in himselfe, so hath he given to the Sonne. As the Father hath life in himselfe, so hath he given un­to the Sonne to have life in himselfe, Joh. 5.26. There is a universa­litie that lies scattered in many things, as well as comprised in one, and if you heed this, this also is communicated to Christ. All the 'promises are in Christ, yea, and in him amen, (i.) they are fulfilled in him first, and then by him to all others.

3 Finally, Communication is exact. Christ is essentially and or­namentally the same with his Father, He is the expresse image of his person, and the brightnesse of his glory. Christ hath the same life, and [Page 168] the same felicities of life; he hath the same meate, the same habite, and the same dwelling; one Sunne hath as many raies as tother, and riseth as high as tother; they move both in one spheare, they dwell in the same house, they have the same traine and attendance; where one goes, tother goes. My Father and I will come and sup with him. Christ and his Father sup together, lodge together. Esse & radiatum esse, is communicated; Glory is communicated, the very glory which God personally weares, is communicated to Christ. Glorifie me with thine [owne selfe] with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. All Christs is Gods, and all Gods is Christs; All mine are thine, and thine are mine. The very glory that God weares himselfe, the glory which he weares in heaven, that which he wore before all the world was, is Christs. Whatsoever is under the whole Heaven, is Christs, Job 41.11. Yea, whatsoever is above the whole Heaven, whatsoever is in Heaven, is Christs: glory is his; thine is the kingdome, power, and glory. What glory? Why, that glo­ry which is at the right hand of God; The choicest glory in Hea­ven, in the Heaven of Heavens, is Christs, and at his dispose.

Ʋse. What is so compleat, and yet not gaine the heart, speakes that heart very naught; and yet this is very common; though Christ have all fulnesse, yet emptie creatures care nothing for him. When cost is liberally laid out, and when all laid out will bring nothing in againe, that's sad: when all in stocke is out, and brings in no­thing, this goes to the heart of God. I planted a goodly vine, a no­ble plant, a right seede, and yet that trampled under foote, said God. Fulnesse runs out, Mens cisternes are broken, so that fulnesse can fill nothing; such broken cisternes must be mended, or else they will be broken to pieces. 'Tis wonderfull that Christ is so full, and we are so emptie; the fault is not in him, 'tis in us; it must be found out and laid to heart, it cannot goe well with us else. I must speake to three sorts of men, some have nothing, and some have but a lit­tle, not one of a thousand full, with the fulnesse of Christ: all have their fault, and must be told on't.

Some have no grace, nor no good nature; farre from righteous­nesse, as the Prophet speakes; full of pride, and full of malice: Solo­mon spied it in his time, so doe I now. The heart of the sonnes of men is full of evill and madnesse, Eccles. 9.3. Men watch not their hearts, and they please themselves in it, as loving ease, and are undone ere [Page 169] they are aware. Evill is a growing thing, but when dunged a little by remisnesse, the heart will grow full of it presently, and then the next step is, madnesse, as Solomon saith, full of evill and madnesse. The heart full of evill, and the man grows mad to maintaine it, and to spread it. Alas for thee England! thou art in a sad condition, full of mad-men, men whose hearts are full of evill, and mad to main­taine it: men emptie their chests of gold, yea they emptie their veines of bloud, to fill their soules and lives full of wickednesse, which they love. The heart full of evill, cannot hide it selfe; the curse of God is upon sin in strength, to cut off the sinner that is white to Harvest. Things will struggle for life, though they die for it: full streames have their adventitious occurrences, which make overflowings. Were you at Oxford, you would see spring-tides eve­ry day, hearts full of evill, and over-flowing, and running out at their mouth, in blasphemies as blacke as hell. 'Twere well if such a great plague were at such a great distance from us as Oxford: but alas for us! Oxford is full, London is full, England is full, scarce a heart amongst us but is full of evill, and mad to maintaine it. What will become of us all? Hearts are full of sinne, God is full of wrath, the Land is full of bloud: Ah Lord! are we not in hell on earth? And yet emptie hearts consider nothing.

Delusions destroy thousands; men full of pride, their eyes are swelled out; till they feele much, they can see nothing amisse in their owne wayes. The Land is full of wrath; not a man of you almost, but full of distresse in one kinde or other, and what's this but Gods broad demonstration, that your hearts and lives are full of sin, yet can you see this? sense is the first step to remedie, where this is not, notwithstanding all meanes, ruine not remedie is neere: ah England! I feare thy condition, but yet still will pray: your hearts are full of sin, your lives full of miseries, are your eyes full of teares? O that my heart were full of grace; Christ fills the hun­gry, &c.

Grace in fulness, is the felicitie of life, bend not after this heighth, and you cannot be fully happie. Set God his distance, and be but never so little, and he cannot kisse you: unlesse you take him fully into your armes, he will be jealous of your love, and set you at a distance every day more then other, till he hath shaken you off for ever. Times square mens course, yea mens grace; affection and [Page 170] action must rise but so high, lest it set all afire, names, state, for­tune; if love burne so strong as some Ministers would have it, 'twill burne us out of all. The Lord be mercifull to mens basenesse, this earth will not beare us long else; hell will be full of such soules, ere such soules will be full of grace. Let times be what they will, truth must be pursued to the full, this fils the soule with grace; neglect this, and 'tis impossible your hearts should be full of grace, how full soever you get your purses of money. Great things in the world, cut the throats of men, they will rather have emptie spirits, then emptie purses, leane soules, then leane cheekes. Ah Lord! how do the dead bury the dead in earth now! Fill one anothers mouths with earth! Little of the world must serve, if wee would be full of grace. This gold lies not in earth, but in Heaven, not in the world, but in truth; dig these mines throughly, and you will find all trea­sure, and be filled with all the fulnesse of God.

Consolation springs from this point; a word of this and I have done. Wee have said much of Christs fulnesse, and yet too little; Christians, comfort your selves, 'tis all yours. Christ hath all, and is full, so have you in him; claime your proprietie, and comfort your selves with it, in all your distresses in this life; as Paul did; Phil. 4.18. I have all and am full, saith he, and yet had nothing in the world. The Apostle had Christ which hath all, heaven and earth:Qui habet ha­bentem omnia, habet omnia. He that hath Christ hath all, formally, or eminenter (i.) whatsoever is wanting in the creature at any time, Christ makes it up, so that the soul is still full; full of content, full of joy, and that's a blessed life that cannot be made miserable. Thou hast no righteousnesse, but Christ hath enough, which is all thine if thou couldest see it. Thou canst not pray, but Christ hath the art on't, for he is full of the Spirit, and he makes thy requests; thou hast no spirituals, no corporals, but Chist hath all: and thou mayst from hence, as the Apostle doth, conclude, that he will supply all thy wants, Phil. 4.19. Christ will do for you according to his riches, and that will amount to very much, to the supply of all your wants, let them be what they will. But now my God will supply all your wants according to [his riches in glory] by Jesus Christ. According to that all fulnesse, which now Christ hath in glory, will he dispence. Lord, how full! how rich! how blessed will all Saints be! I leave them to admire this, till I can speak of it more.

Opportunity and assistance hath continued to pursue our work, both beyond our expectation; God must have all the glory. We spake last day of Christs wealth, and we founde his re­venue very great; we are now to tell you where it lies. Much may be nothing, so it may be situated; situation is the glory of our in­heritance: Christs inheritance lies very commodiously, very bles­sedly, it lies all in him: It pleased the Father, that [in him] should all fulnesse dwell. You dwell in your inheritance, but Christs inheri­tance dwels in him. You have a hint here, how to raise estimation.

Doctr. We are to prize persons and things according to the wealth and worth that they have in them. Christ hath all worth in him.

1 Felicity makes estimation, as we contrive things to contribute to this, so we put price upon them: Mans felicity lies inward; as his soul, and not as his body is in wealth, so is he blessed. Sin is a gangrene, the bowels are gnawed, the plague of man is at his heart; health is best wealth; that's wealth indeed, that makes the soul well. Faculties fight, the Devill sets them on, the heart cannot still its own stirs; if God in this case do nothing within, the man is a poor creature for all his riches; a million of money cannot give a moments ease, the man wil be distracted in the midst of abundance, and curse his gold as an Idol god, and wish his bags his winding sheet; things ill within, and nothing can be well without; but the spirit full of God, though the purse be not full of money, the con­dition is blessed, and to be admired as possessing all: 'Twas Christs case, and is here admired by the Apostle: It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell; without him he had nothing.

2 Internall wealth is great; outward things are but seemingly big, like watry vapours; internall wealth is the Sun himself, and no seeming big rayes of the Sun: Know ye not that Christ is in you? &c. So much grace in the heart, so much of Christ himself; soul-ful­nesse is nothing else, but one spirit filling up another. Magnitude makes admiration, a [...]rum of grace is great; 'tis God, the great God in you: Judgement amongst us is false; things should be weighed in an even ballance, to make right estimation of persons [Page 172] and things. We value the casket only, and not what is in it; if vastness of estate makes difference in price, that's greatest which lies within. The weaknesse of God is stronger then men: So may I say, the least of God in the heart, is more then all the world. A thing may take up little compasse, and yet be vastly big in price: What a great estate lies round together in some little stones? can you va­lue one vertue? The price of Wisdom is above Rubies, and yet the seat of this is within; the inner man hath many Jewels about his neck, of inestimable price; the Bride hath a chain of Pearls given her when married to Christ, so had Christ of his Father, when married to the flesh, which is that according to which he is admired here as so wealthy, the Jewels which he had within him, in that casket of flesh.

3 Internall wealth is delightfullest; riches are of two sorts, earthly and heavenly, base and glorious; grace is riches of glory, as delight­full as heaven: Read how grace is called, Colos. 3.16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit, according to the inward man. The riches of the in­ward man, are riches of glory. Stars twinckle and make the heavens all glorious: so Grace sparkles and makes all glorious within. Christ is transient in the world, but he dwels in the hearts, and where he dwels is his chair of State, that's glorious. The Kingdome of Christ is glorious; that's within you; the killing of sin is sweet, the soul drinks the blood of the slain, and growes fat; 'tis heaven to any soul, to be conquered by Christ, his smitings are precious balm, what are his embraces then? Not any thing in grace, but most contentfull to the soul; the bitterest things about grace are sweet; the very bark and rind of grace sweet. Persons have not heaven as they have much without, but as they have much within: Heaven is all; the person that hath this in him is admirable, though never so contemptible in the world. It pleased the Father, that in him should be all the sweetest delights that are in the bosome of God, and therefore admired here by the Apostle.

4 Internall wealth is the lastingest. Much for yeers, begets it self little every hour, to think of its end; riches, yea, life is a death; under this notion, that they will end. Life is dated; all things here are dated: Such a yeer, such a moneth, such an hour, and all mine; yea, I my self shall die; this lies cold about the heart to consider, and lessens much. Internall wealth is lasting, grace is a tree of life. [Page 173] Mercy, that runs only into the purse, runs out again; but Mercy, that runs into the soule, abides there for ever. You value estates, not as things hazardous, but according to what is sure. What wealth is in the heart, is sure; riches leave the bodie, but God never leaves the soule. Riches and honours are [with me,] yea durable riches and sub­stance. Things have a naturall advantage, to wit, the advantage of their kinde, long lived by kinde: spirituall life is begotten by him that lives for ever, and so long lived by kinde: That which is borne of the spirit is spirit; so I may say, that which is borne of one that is eternall, is eternall. All wealth within us, is borne of the everla­stingest Spirit, and is everlasting it selfe. Things have also, an acci­dentall advantage, or an adventitious advantage, the advantage of their station. In Heaven, wealth is sure, saith Christ, there be no theeves breake in: so is wealth in the soule, graces are fixed starres, in a region where nothing can come to pull downe, or darken. All ends in this, Persons are to be prized according to the wealth and worth they have in them.

Ʋse. If this rule were pursued, the world would be rightly ranked, and every one would have his place. Confusion covers the earth, for want of right judgement; beggers are on horseback, and Prin­ces are on foot. The world is turned upside downe, all is naught, this is every ones complaint: why you doe it, you look not at what persons have in them, but at what you may have by them, & so you prefer them. Hypocrisie overspreads the Land, great ones love flattery, alas for us! what windie, emptie, gracelesse wretches, do we lay in our bosom! Wo unto the Land where the Prince is a child, saith the Prophet: double woe surely then to that Land, where Prince and people are children. Infatuation is a heavie stroake; there are more deadly blowes upon us, then wee are aware of: truth is trampled upon, and this lightly esteemed, what judgement can be in men, to make judgement of persons or wayes. O yee sim­ple, understand wisdome, saith Solomon; divine discretion is peculiar wisdome, 'tis a thing by it selfe to discerne what true worth persons and things have in them; and yet he that cannot doe this, will lay vipers in his bosom, and whet knives to cut his own throat: so hast thou done, poore England, for a long time, which makes thee bleed now so long and so deadly.

Wee must plead with our Maker, and plead with our selves. O my [Page 174] soule, which side of things takes thee, inside or outside? Painting is a common art, and the worst are best at it; women use it, men use it; Statesmen, tradesmen, you paint your words, your actions, you put glosse upon every thing in your shops; a man shall lose his e­state, yea, a man shall lose his soule, that can look no further then out-sides. 'Tis the unhappiest time that ever came, to take any thing upon trust, by the sound, or by the outside; persons, prea­chers, prayers, Sermons: a man may have his soule slaine in the Sanctuary, his spirit turn'd out of the way, and bitterly beaten by watch-men. I said in my haste, (I may say it soberly) all men are liers: the Land with much bleeding, is turned into a rotten Bog; one thinkes he goes safe here, and safe there, and sinkes over head and eares, ere he is aware. The bosome of a neighbour is your grave, his white candid words, your winding sheet: Ah thrice unhappie man, that livest now in England, and canst look no farther then outsides! Godlinesse is a mystery: the kernell of Scriptures, of every word you heare, lies inward. Christs words, are spirit and life. As the spirit and life of things is held out, so prize and imbrace them, and no otherwise. Many Sermons, nothing in them; Many books, nothing in them; Many persons have fine clothes, but no­thing in them: Let them goe for nothing, which have nothing in them: fine cloathes, are like fine covers and titles of books, both to be valued alike, if nothing folded up in them.

Ob. Sol. But I cannot discerne what is in them?

By what comes from them you may; 'tis proper to Christ in some sense, to know what is in man, but 'tis proper enough to us to know what is in man, by what comes from him. Doth the breath of man stinke? then his intrailes are rotten. The heart and the tongue trade together; the tongue hath all from within; Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speakes. My heart was at my mouth, you have such a Proverb; 'tis true. When the mouth frothes, the heart workes; if men drivel upon their beards, if mens words fall as drivel upon their chin, 'tis a light soule within, braines are crack­ed, or spirit curst, which is worse; and therefore say where you see such sights, as he to David, Away with this fellow, what should I doe with mad-men? If you cannot finde what is in persons or things, suspend putting price upon them, till you can. Lay hands upon no­thing suddenly, lay hearts upon nothing suddenly, let election of persons and things, be deliberate.

[Page 175]If you cannot finde out what is in others, yet you may finde out what is in your selves: The spirit of man knowes the things that are in man. Some persons swell with pride, and I wonder at them: doe you indeed know what is in you? In me there dwells no good, saith the Apostle, 'tis every mans case. 'Tis mischievous not to know what is in others, but 'tis damnable not to know what is in our own heart, in some measure. You that swell in pride, know not your own hearts, if God be not mercifull to you, you will set such a high price upon your selves, that Christ will give nothing for you, nor Christians care nothing for you. Some creatures rot in their own dung; 'tis a heavie judgement, and yet 'tis your condition, that thinke highly of your selves. Were this rule I am upon pur­su'd, things prized according to what worth is in them, there could not be a proud person amongst us. Alas! what good is in me! what is in me, is Christs; he is all, all in all. If upon search, you finde nothing in you, it should not discourage, for Christ can be­come all in you. Christ is for inward diseases, as well as for out­ward wants: if you be poore in purse, he can inrich you, yea, if you be poore in spirit, he can inrich you, Esa. 29.24. They also that [erred in spirit] shall come to understanding, and they that murmured, shall learne doctrine; Christ is excellent in working, Esa. 28.29. not a wheele in the Watch within, that goes untrue, but he can finde it, and mend it.

THe connection of this Verse with the former, yeelded us some things very useful, of which you heard the last day. We are now to consider the Verse in it self; divine fa­vour according to its formality, causality, and extent, are here particularly set down: According to its formality, and so 'tis expressed in Synonymicall terms, Peace and reconciliation: accord­ing to its causality, and this expressed and amplified; Christs blood, the blood of his crosse. By that blood which took away Christs life, [Page] love, between God and the creature, was made. The latitude of this love, how far it reaches, in the last words of the verse is expres­sed, to wit, to things in earth, and to things in Heaven. The love that breathes forth by Christ, casteth rayes and beams over all. The opening of things thus divided, shall be one after another, as we come to them.

The grand thing that belongs to our welfare, I am now to en­ter upon. Our blessednesse lies in union with the chiefest good. Man is ruined, because out with God; God at variance communicates no blessings, and man is in hell every where, if he have not blessings. A man out with God, may have many things, but no blessings: Riches are no blessing, honours no blessing, knowledge no blessing to a man, on whom God frownes. The smiles of the Son, com­prehend all the vertues, which do felicitate nature: In the love of God is wrapt up our temporall and eternall felicity. Peace and reconciliation speak the speciall love of God.

Definit. Reconciliation, 'tis intire, full, and firm friendship between God and fallen mam, by vertue of which, his condition in all things is blessed.

1 Reconciliation speaks friendship: God and man are enemies; which falling out is sad, but God can wash his hands because it be­gan wholly on mans side, he disliked Gods will, and so threw it off, and God disliked mans practice in this, and so threw him off: they are now far off one from another. You that are far off, &c. Not far off according to presence, but far off according to affection. Man is a ha­ter of the Lord, and the Lord a hater of man. Affection opposite, and actions are opposite: God and man fight, they seek the life of one another: fleshly lusts fight against the soule (i.) against God in the soul. God considers mans venimous nature, and pursues him; that which riseth up against me shall die: The soul that sins shall die. Rebellion is death, by divine Statute, no man shall have his book in this case, saith Justice. Reconciliation is that act of Christ, which takes off this deadly pursuite: Let not this soul die, I have died: Reconciliation speaks compassion, compensation, yea, advocation; one pleads when the Sinner by reason of guilt is speechlesse. If crime be crying, and must have blood, let my blood go for it, saith Christ. Reconciliation, 'tis Christ personating a sinner and plead­ing with a displeased God, till he be overcome, and think well of one whom he said he would ruine. If we sin, we have an advocate, &c. [Page 177] Reconsiliation hath advocation; advocation closeth spirits and and things which differ, and begets right understanding, and so settles amity between such as were at enmity; Christ hath slain enmity.

2 This friendship which Christ worketh between God and man is intire; you have I known of all the people of the earth. God knows some above all (i.) loves some above all other: Reconciliation speaks peculiar love. God carries a common respect to all; he makes the Sun to shine upon the good, and upon the bad; as a crea­tor he upholds the whole world, which is great friendship, this speaks not reconciliation. Reconciliation speaks fatherly friendship. Gods motion is wonderfull, he comes very neer, or goes very far off every one: If he fall out, he kills; if he fall in, he marries: Recon­ciliation speaks conjugall love, two united, as Father and Son; yea, two united, as Husband and Wife. Christ personates a sinner (i.) stands under his notion in point of sin and wrath, and works both off, and then he priviledges a sinner, he puts his own raiment upon him: The King sets Moredeai upon his own horse, and gives him royall apparel, makes him stand in his own relation, as a son. We are children and heirs [with Christ]: this speaks reconciliati­on, intire union and friendship. You fall out, and can never get so far in as you were; your hearts are naught: you are reconciled, yet remember something, and for this keep your distance; God doth not so. Christ mediates, and sin is put quite away, so that God remembers iniquity no more: the offender is laid where Christ is, in the bosome of God. Reconciliation it hath compensa­tion, advocation, and remission. There is no iniquity in Jacob; no­thing without, nothing withing amisse, in that person, with whom God is at peace, (i.) nothing amisse is imputed. The expression sets forth that peculiar love, which shines in Christ upon such, as he mediates for, they are the beautifullest in Gods eye of all the world.

3 Reconciliation speaks full friendship: God at peace, all is ours, he could say so much to Job, Acquaint thy self with God, and be at peace, thereby God shall come unto thee (i.) all good, Job 22.21. Com­munion follows union; if God become a Father, Christ will get him to come along with him, and feast with you; a father goes oft to his children. My Father and I, will come and sup, saith Christ. Reconciliation speaks full communication, feasting; divine friend­ship [Page 178] is not as humane, that works coldly, and reaches out but a little, lest it should over-do, and undo; divine friendship works freely, because there is no feare of beggering the donor; all his care is, how to make the recipient receptive enough, rich enough. God at peace smiles, the rayes of this Sun, make a very rich Region; I cannot tell you the prosperity, that goes along with divine peace. Secular peace wraps up all secular good in't, divine peace wraps up all good, Secular and Celestiall. My peace I leave with you: Recon­ciliation is a legacy, a legacie that hath all treasure in it. In times of peace; wealth comes tumbling in: Reconciliation is a state of great income, a soul sent to from heaven daily, and presented with the choycest gifts that heaven will afford: Reconciliation, it is heaven gates set open, and the soul given free egresse and regresse, to ask, re­ceive, and carry away any thing, and this not for once, but alwayes.

4 Reconciliation speaks firm friendship. Love in God is not a pas­sion, as 'tis in you; you are off and on for trifles, his kindness is ever­lasting kindnesse, With everlasting kindnesse will I imbrace thee. God lends his ear to be abused by none, concerning any of his children. Satan is an accuser of the brethren, but God hearkens to nothing which he saith. You cannot hearken to accusation but it takes im­pression, and affection flattens, which is your weaknesse. You have many enemies; one saith this of you, another that, and God hears all, and yet lessens not love one whit, but heightens it. A reconci­led person hath one friend sure, let the world go which way 'twill, My love shall never depart, &c. Whom he loves, he loves to the end, &c. There is no condition so tickle as secular favourites, a man is an honour to day, and cast out to morrow; corruption is strong in all, and therefore every little thing by asseth us about. No state more sure, then a divine favourite. Principles within are pure foundati­on without firm, to wit, Christ. Reconciliation speaks persons be­loved for Christs sake, love running thorow a sure channell, and so becoming sure mercy to the soul. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. Not a man in the world which God loves, but in Christ, which is a firm foundation of love. Christ waxeth not old, his beauty fadeth not, that the Fathers love should decline there­by. He is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever: All [...] into this, that I have said, Reconciliation is an intire, full, and firm friend­ship between God and fallen man, by vertue of which his condition is in all things blessed.

[Page 179] Ʋse. Friendship is the thing we all make after, only we mistake the main, and are undone. Whose love do you principally make af­ter? Things here below smile, and your hearts are at rest. No man is out with me, yet God may. Divine wrath works as divine love doth, not very visibly. You cannot discern love, nor hatred, saith the Holy Ghost, by externals: You cannot tell, whether God be in or out with you, by the countenance of men, and the concur­rence of outward things. God can give great earthly things, when he is greatly displeased; he can give a King, in wrath; royall gifts, and yet rage. You may be kings, and yet God in wrath with you: men that have least friendship with God, have many times most friend­ship with the world, 'tis their portion. Do not lose your souls in a snare; your table may be your snare; the things about you may be ordered to delude you. Some undo themselves with what they have, others with what they want: Times are hard, friendship of the world needed, and they fall out with God, to get in with than; truth sleighted to get favour with the world; Ah me! the man hath thrown off God; God will shift well enough for himself, but what will such a soul do? This hard time is an affliction to hundreds, and a curse to thousands: Wretched hearts cannot tell what to do with themselves in straits, and therefore they will rather venture upon the displeasure of God, then displease a man, from whom they expect something; such buy a bubble deare, and it speaks a ve­ry ill state: I am afraid such have not tasted the blessednesse which I am upon, to wit, what the love and friendship of God is, they sell it for so little.

Persons in with God, would not be out with him again for all the world. Blind consciences can do much, sleepy consciences can do more, but seared consciences can do any thing, and not be stirr'd; this speaks not peace, not a reconciled state: Reconciliation makes tender consciences; 'tis too much that Christ was crucified once, I cannot crucifie him again. Sin is slain, the new man tender; some friends may fall out, and fight; but Christ and a reconciled soul can­not: The heart cannot beare a disagreement, after it's once recon­ciled to God; much lesse strike a stroke against him. The soul bleeds a fresh when Christ doth, by any ones crucifying of him, much more, when it doth it it self. Temptations transport, then a good man is not himself, such cases must be spoken to alone. Reconci­liation [Page] makes a very tender union: Sinners view these times, they are very bloody; God is out with us certainly, how much doth it trouble you? Are you not the same men you were, in the same wayes you were? Can a man live in his sins, and be at peace with God? Can a man be at peace with his lusts, and with his God? Securitie slayes us; nothing will breake our hearts, therefore God breakes our names, our states, our bones. Wee flatter our selves, but rise not to our dutie; men thus in with themselves, are certain­ly out with God; 'tis Englands heavie plague, if it be any of yours here present, abase your selves. God speakes peace to the contrite; if you cannot judge your selves, you will be judged, not justified of the Lord. Men that doat upon themselves, are seldome cured of this plague till they die.

God lookes not as man lookes; When you feast, he mournes. Victories speake not God reconciled: What victories doe you see truth make upon mens lusts? Are not men as dead hearted, as stout-hearted, as rotten-hearted, as ever? The workes of God must be acknowledged, but not abused; you must have other things then this or that externall victory, to make a true medium to demon­strate God reconciled to you. When justice kills bodies on one side, it may kill as many soules on tother side; wrath workes without and within. Lord, how many are hardened and fatned, by the bloud of others! Evill men understand not judgement, but they that seeke the Lord, understand all things, Pro. 28.5. A man had need pray over one act of providence a thousand times, ere he venture to in­terpret it once; 'tis the highest wisdome in the world, to understand the workes of God. The words of God are ambiguous, the workes of God are more ambiguous, yet compared they will illustrate one another; but few doe this at all, not one of a thousand an artist this way, and hence 'tis that persons and Kingdoms cry peace, peace, when there is no peace. Wee take up words and workes by rote, and ruine our selves and others. If all the Kings side were slaine, yet were we never the neerer peace with God, if wee continue to resist his will; He hath many wayes to avenge the quarrell of his Cove­nant, and to make all sides know their owne. Nationall peace and personall peace, have one foundation, a through imbracing of Christ, as you see persons or Kingdomes pursue or faulter herein, so feare or hope. He is our peace, which hath made two one, and broken [Page 181] downe the wall of perdition. Christ is our peace; as we become one with him, we become one with God, and the creature. Christ and we two, God and we are two, God and we out, wee must needs be out with one another, and with all the creation.

Christ is the knot that knits God and man together, faith is the bond that knits Christ and man together; some of you complaine that you have no peace, surely you have no faith. Broken bleeding hearts, remember who is your peace-maker, and how able he is at the worke. Christ is the Prince of peace: he commanded the Seas to be quiet, so he can command your consciences, Christ hath balme at command, what ever the Father hath to refresh, Christ hath un­der his dispose. God rests in Christ; Infinite justice resteth in him, therefore the soule cannot but much more finde rest in him. This is my beloved Son, in whom [I] rest. Doth God himselfe finde rest in Christ concerning sinne, whose puritie is so exact? And canst not thou? God can object nothing, but Christ answers it: and canst thou non-plus Christ? Satan is a sophister; temptation abuseth trou­bled spirits, such cannot see neither the sufficiency, nor the willing­nesse of Christ to settle their condition. 'Tis a trouble to Christ, that you bleed so inwardly; he would have but one bleed; his bowels turne and beat within him, to see your wounds raw and open; he would bind them up, and powre oyle into them, and car­ry your soules to his lodging, and lay them in the breast of his Fa­ther, and your Father, where is rest indeed, and you will not. Re­conciliation is either virtually, or actually considered: the founda­tion of our peace between Christ and the Father, was laid a great while agoe, but actually finished between Christ and us, when wee believe: the first act doth ingage to the second, that God is at peace with Christ, O troubled soules, 'tis an assurance that he will be at peace with you, and you should plead it, and build upon it.

CHrist had dispensation made to him, in order to use: God meant to doe much by him, and therefore gave much to him. [Page 182] Christ had full reception, and full imployment; of the one you have heard, and of the other you are now to heare. Christ had all fulnesse, all in Heaven, and all in earth, to reconcile all that are in heaven, and that are in earth; as full as Christ was, God emptied out all, he drew out grace, he drew out nature, to the last drop of bloud that was in him. And having made peace by the bloud of his Crosse, &c.

Doct. Observe the condition of this world; here God gives and God takes. Every condition in this world, hath mutation. A man weares a Jewel in his breast, twentie, thirtie yeares, fortie, fiftie yeares, and then 'tis snatched away againe. The spirit returnes to God that gave it. Yea Christ, and all that Christ hath, return to God that gave him: Christ lives, and then dies; dies, and then rises. Where is Christ now, and all the fulnesse that he hath, but in that bosome from whence he came forth? Hath not Christ bled out all into the hand of the first Doner? 'tis a brave condition which they have a­bove, there is all giving, and no taking away, every ones life is ever­lasting: and as the silver coard is, so are the Jewels that are hung upon it. Above, all things are everlasting, but here nothing is so, no not Christ whilst in this world. Yet a little while, and the world seeth [me] no more. This world hath, and then loseth the biggest blessings; seeth [me] no more. This world is a little while rich, and hath all, and then a great while poore, and stript of all. Seeth [me] no more.

Thou shalt see an enemy in [my habitation] said God to Eli, 1 Sam. 2.32. Christ is Gods habitation, his speciall habitation, yet is an enemy there,Sin of man. whilst Christ is here. The noblest life, dies: Sin hath brought death over all, over Christ. Felicitie at first was fixed; no mercy Adam had, died; transgression hath made mutation, this is the worme that lies at the roote, and gnawes and killes the greenest and pleasantest Goard that growes over us here. The sin of the first Adam, hath sucked the bloud of the second, and not onely his bloud, but the bloud of all things else. That which fol­lowes in the place forecited, is here applicable. Thou shalt see an e­nemy in my habitation, and in all the wealth which God shall give Israel, &c. Much was made in a little time, and marred in lesse. Sin hath subjected the whole creation to vanitie; the fall of the body of Christ, which was so firmly knit, is the liveliest demonstration of [Page 183] it in the world. Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thou­sands, but sin hath slaine its millions, hath wounded every thing to the heart, Christ not excepted, he together with all the creati­on groanes, bleeds, dies; Some things are venemous and deadly within such a limited compasse, the destructive propertie of sin is universall, it poysons and killes all the world over; it changes times, seasons, Kingdomes, worlds; hath swept one world away, and 'twill sweepe another world away. Sin makes the Heavens waxe old, and passe away, yea, that which is more firme then the Heavens, Christs glorious and heavenly bodie, which was not as the Apostle saith, of this creation. [...].

Sin hath its influence into the mutation of things; so hath the will of God. Mutation speakes affliction,Will of God. affliction springs not out of the dust, but from the will of God: God sets one thing against another, and makes fighting between creature and creature, be­tween man and man unto death. I set all men every one against his neighbour, Zach. 8.9, 10. I set all men, &c. That there were men a­gainst Christ, and took away his life; that there were such men against Christ, neighbours, one in his owne familie, &c. God set them against him. Christ was delivered by the determinate counsell of God. Things are set their course; divine determination, byasseth every state to such an end: conditions can be no otherwise then they are. Knowne to the Lord are all his workes from the beginning. The age of a man is set; the age of the world is set; it shall be an hundred and twentie yeares, saith God. Sin provokes, justice decrees, this makes condition vary necessarily: every thing shall die, rather then divine justice; this overturnes all, to keepe up it selfe, Angels, men, the world, he which is greater and better then the world, Christ.

The will of God, the wisdome of God,Wisdome of God. hath its influence into the mutation of things here below. The being of all things is such, that no man may be secure. Mutation moulds up time into oppor­tunitie, and duty presses hard upon a mans spirit, under such a no­tion, it did upon Christ. I have but a day to worke in, saith Christ, things will change quickly, night will come, and then there will be no opportunitie to worke. If Christ made use of motive from the changeablenesse of his condition, fallen man may much more. God is wise, condition is squared to quicken dutie. God would [Page 184] have any thing die, rather then your grace. Were nothing dying, holy action would not be lively. Man is confident; if not powred out from vessel to vessel, he settles upon his lees. Because they have no changes, therefore they feare not God, saith the Psalmist. Fallen man is pursued in his own way, to wit, with the falling of things; now one thing crackes, and anon another thing crackes, and these all eccho to one another, and speake joyntly and lowdly to the soule, that all will crack anon and fall. Wherefore looke about thee sin­ner, not a thing, not a person comes into thy bosome, but breakes there, to breake the heart. You mourne at the funerall of things; groanes beget groanes. The bloud and death of things, when that cryes and preaches to us, if there be any grace, if there be any na­ture, the heart cannot but stirre. Wisdome hath ordered every thing, to preach it selfe to death to you; plants, brutes, men; the choicest man that ever was, that ever came into the world, went out of it againe in his bloud, to move, and so to save the world. Having made peace by the bloud of his Crosse. All runs into this, All conditions here below have mutation.

Ʋse. This point preaches submission. It hath been a long time of giving, and receiving, now 'tis a time of taking away, and peoples hearts rise at it. God is dishonoured much by discontentednesse. Had we said nothing to prove the point; that all things here below are mutable, the times in which wee live are a sad demonstration of it. View how like himselfe God still moves, this shall be our use of the point. What condition but is full of mutation? Brave estates, brave Kingdomes bleeding to death, and brought almost to no­thing; our sin is ripe, wrath is gone forth, England that was as the Queen of Nations for all fulnesse, is wasting to nothing. Natives that for a while have left us, and now return'd to visite us, scarce know their mother-Land, her face which looked so pleasantly, is now so besmeared with bloud. Here was the seat of my ancestors, but 'tis burned; there had I brave and sweet kindred, but now they are slaine; and those that live, wish for death, because nothing left to live upon. Wee had treasure as the flints of the brooke, estate to accomplish any thing, but now we faint in every undertaking, for want of silver-sinewes. Wee had many callings, as so many severall ornaments and pillars of state, now all is turned into one, all grave-makers one for another, every one with his spade by his [Page 185] side, to dig into the heart of his brother, to dig out a subsistence. Light was little, but love was much; truth could not be found, but if it could, O how sweet (said wee) should it be to us, dearer then all? Truth now shines in our consciences, and we care not for it: Ah Lord! this is the saddest change of all. The living are dead; the soul-living are slaine, with an evill time. Gods vowes were up­on us, but now throwne off, and because the times will not beare them. Outward changes are bad, but inward changes are farre worse. England, where are those flames of love, which blazed so gloriously a few yeares agoe? Brethren in New-England, were pre­cious: O that we had Ilium in Italium, New-England in old. Bre­thren in Holland were precious: O that wee had them againe, and the mercies which there they injoy, and now they are with us, they are trampled upon as the dirt, and all their paines to hold forth Christ and truth to us. Are not these sad changes? Englands out­side, inside, all changed; from vertue to sin, from love to malice, from wrath to bloud, and thus lies weltring, and no eye pities her, neither Gods eye, nor her own. Is this Naomi? 'Twas Naomies friends speech to her; her condition was so altered, that they knew her not. Is this pleasant? O no, saith shee, call mee not pleasant, call me Mara, bitternesse, for the Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me. So may I say now; Is this England? Pleasant England? O no, call it Mara, bitternesse, for affection is turned into gall and worme­wood, shee deales very bitterly with God and his people, and the Lord deales very bitterly with her.

Contemplate truth sadly fulfill'd, and then set your selves to draw instruction from it. Mutation preaches submission; Doth God give and take? blesse him, 'tis wis way: he doth so with Christ. God filled Christs veins with brave blood, and then drew it out all; he prepared him a body, and then destroy'd it; he gave him a being on earth, and then turn'd him into hell. Christs tran­quillity was turned into the strongest extremity; outside and inside changed: he that heard that sweet voyce, This is my beloved Son, &c. cryes My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Condition varies, rich are made poor, whole are wounded; men cannot beare this, therefore the land is full of discontent. Sin multiplies and hightens it self as misery doth; if God be not very mercifull, 'twill make mi­sery last, till there be not a man of us left. We feel the rod, but [Page 186] do not beare it; sense stirs up passion, we rage, and this foments divine displeasure; the heart listens not after Gods meaning in his dealing, to accomplish that, and when is it likely that our calami­ties will cease? God makes changes without, to make changes within: he makes broken estates, to make broken hearts; he brings much to nothing, that he may make you contented with any thing, with mean things. There are many turnings in your heart, do you consider them? No, God writes them out in your life, that you may: God takes a copy from within, for all that he does to us without. Mariners are cheerfull when tossed, if their Ship be good, because they know the nature of the seas. The Ark is very good which a Christian sails in, 'tis Christ: the things we meet with here, are common to men, much more common to holy men; tos­sings, tempests, All men are partakers of these, saith the Apostle; Christians therefore should be cheerfull.

Finally, the point in hand should commend the life to come to us, and make us long much for it. Job from a tossed state here, falls a commending the state of the dead: They that are in the grave, are at rest, &c. The earth is the grave of the body, heaven or hell will be the grave of the soul; they that are in heaven are at rest. I pity the state of men that live in their sins, they are tost and tumbled here, and will be worse tost and tumbled hereafter. Wicked men, you will never have rest; there is no peace to you, none here, nor none hereafter. Godly hearts, be cheerfull, you shall have a con­dition without all distraction, you shall be tossed and tumbled no more. Labour and sorrow the Scripture makes the proprium of this life, incident to it, as the sparks flie upward; but there is no labour above, much lesse sorrow, least of all greatest sorrow, which falls out by great changes. Every ones labour follows him, and they sit still above, and eat the fruit thereof, they solace themselves, in the travell of their souls, as Christ doth; as for changes, they above know none, there are no misty foggy dayes above, no clouds, no clapping in and out of the Sun, they are above those regions which make such mu­tations of weather. Were one above those impure regions of aire we breath in, and close by the Sun, one should have the strong influ­ence and glory of it alway, every day alike. Here we sojourn, and God sojourns; God is as a wayfaring man, that stays here but a night; but above we shall all dwell together, and no sojourning to [Page 187] make alteration of condition. If there be any felicity here, 'tis to know that our misery shall end: Lord let me know my [end] and the number of my dayes, how long I have to live, &c.

DIvine favour, according to its formality, we have handled, to wit, Reconciliation; according to its causality, we are now to pursue it, which is here mentioned Synecdochically; the blood of the crosse, as including all other passions and actions prevening and conducing, to make this last act effectuall to so great an end, as mans deliverance from the wrath of God. Some persons in a busi­nesse bear the name of the whole; so some actions in work, carry the denomination of the whole. The blood of the crosse, was the finishing act of our redemption; and therefore here, and elsewhere menti­oned, in stead of all other acts. Having made peace by the blood of his crosse.

The blood of the crosse, notes the very strength of cruelty, ma­lice heightened by art, contriving many deaths into one; a death for the head, a death for the foot, a death for the arms, a death for the sides; an army of tortures divided into parties, to go their se­verall wayes in the body, and to meet all at the heart, to make as many torments as members, and as many hels as drops of blood. A forlorn state is here sadly hinted; men of parts first rejected Christ, and then imploy'd all to cut his throat. Apostasie gene­rates tyrannie.

Doctr. The greatest cruelty is among persons hypocritically professing Christia­nity. The death of the crosse was inflicted upon Christ, by them that sate in Moses chaire: Christ among his own loseth all friends, ho­nours, blood; betray'd and butcher'd in his own family, amongst his own. He came to his own, but could not get off without the losse of his life.

1 Profession is a thing of course, light drawes out this, where it makes no inward change; the heart abiding naught, action will be [Page 188] answerable first or last, what ever the tongue say. Some do worse then they meant; a Chieverall heart stretches when reacht, further then thought of. Morality is too weak to resist sin, Divinity is too weak to resist sin, if it reach not the soul: A man is as the tempta­tion that assaults him, that hath not the sword of the Spirit in his spirit; if it be to kill, to kill cruelly, to crucifie Christ; if a mans heart be not crucified by his light, he will crucifie his Father, his Saviour, when temptation lies this way. Sin is so far from lessening, that it heightens it self by notionall light, accidentally, though not naturally. What light takes not hold of the heart, the heart can take hold of it, to make its own way the stronger by. Light is a crutch to help Satans criples to go well: Low persons get a stoole and become high; light makes men otherwise weaponlesse, armed, strong and wise to do evill.

2 The justice of God also is in this point. Conviction makes con­version, or hardeneth. If Christ come neer a city, and cannot get open the gates, and get in, he throwes in granadoes, and sets con­sciences afire, when affection opens not. Instructed persons have raging consciences; mad men are bloody, they will kill any, ra­ther then they will be whipt themselves; this was the case in refe­rence to the Jews. Christ was as John, a burning and shining light; the light he held forth to hypocrites, did burn their consciences, and to quench this, they cared not what they did to Christ; open his own veins, and take his own blood, to quench his own Spirit. Hypocrites will take the blood of Christ, out of every member of Christ, to quench the Spirit of Christ, that burns within them.

Ʋse. This point is very usefull, and very seasonable. Count not your externall felicity very secure, nor your persons free from barbarism, because you live amongst professors of Christianity. The Word of God is a draught-net, it brings up of all sorts, whole Christians, half Christians; a man almost a Christian, will quite condemn you, and all out torture you, and yet wash his hands as innocent of your blood. Truth may do much upon the tongue, yea, much upon the heart of your neighbour, and yet not enough to secure your skin, the lives next to him. Felix trembled, Pilate suffered much in his spirit, yet did they make Christ suffer much in his flesh and Spirit. The Word is of much power upon conscience, when of none at all upon affection; affrights sometimes, but not reforms: an [Page 189] affrighted heart recovers it self, and becomes by so much the more resolute and hardened to desperate work. You that tremble un­der our ministry now, you will recover many such pangs, and be hard-hearted to our death, to our crucifixion, when times turn another way. Let no man promise himself immunity from any mi­sery, because he lives where profession is rife. The best hearts are oftentimes soonest deceived; much goodnesse is ready to trust it self, where there is but little, and receives a wound. A Lark hath but a bad eye, to discern a true Sun from a false; she sees a Sun in a glasse, and comes down to delight in it, and is ensnared. Sweet spirits know this time, you have a double disadvantage now: You think all are good, because they speak well; you will be taken with a Sun in a glasse, ensnared with something like a Sun. Integrity goes with an open breast, Hypocrisie makes advantage of this, and stabs to the heart: There was never more need of this caution.

Some out of sweetnesse, others out of courage are over credu­lous; Gedeliah lost his life this way. England hath almost lost its life, through over-much credulousnesse, but from whence our cre­dulity hath sprung, I know not. We have had fair words, shews of goodnesse, and would not heed reall badnesse, and look to our selves. 'Twas told Gedeliah, again and again, that such sought his life; so 'thath been told us, again and again, that such and such have been false and base, and yet, because they have been specious for this and that, we have been incredulous, and ruiningly ventu­rous. Courage degenerates into stupidity, when faith builds alto­gether upon fancy. Stupidity speaks destruction decreed; all is de­stroy'd that should prevent destruction. Understanding swallows fancies, judgement builds its welfare upon these; now the heart is asleep amongst Serpents: Write Lord have mercy upon this soule, he will certainly be stung to death, ere he awake. I have spoken Englands case ere I was aware: Stupidity is a common glague, our head is broke, our wounds are many, and we lay our bleeding state in the bosome of such as have served the times, to fetch life in us again. Ah Lord! may it not make a tender heart shake, to see how much we lean upon many, that a little while since, bended any way? Where wealth and advantage abound, trust may be ven­turous with lesse perill, because much will bear out a little losse, and do well; but when all is almost gone, then one must be double [Page 190] wary how one trusts in weighty matter. This is our case, we are at last cast, upon the brink of death and ruine, making our will in order to all priviledge, civill and divine, and yet have not that mer­cy from the Lord, to take double heed and care, whom we make executors, to whom we leave the hope of posterity: We look at parts, honours, more then at truth of grace, in those that manage our affaires; so there be but profession and specious pretences, some court divinity to paint persons over, to look fair in the eye of men, and something like the Cause we manage, we venture all up­on them.

Naked profession is not to be trusted, the characters of this I will give you, that no man may deceive himself, nor others.

1 Meer profession is vain-glorious light souls paint, words, actions; their faculty lies this way: They do all things to be seen of men. A meer professor fails and flats in his noblest action, if men observe him not; his zeal dies, if the breath of men blow it not. Come, see my zeal, &c. A meer professor is a Chameleon, he lives by the aire of mens mouths; he christens his children himself, and calls all ver­tue that he doth. Come, see my [zeal] &c. And it was but vain-glory; a vice, and no vertue; a stinking weed, and no flower. They are ugly brats that Hypocrites bring forth, no body else can endure to lick them to any beauty, and therefore they lick them themselves. Come, see my zeal: Rotten lungs use art to breath sweet; they are not troubled when they smell it themselves, they only blush when others smell it stinck, and therefore use skill, to make their breath smell sweet: Come, see my zeal. Integrity hatches good, and runs away, can scarce own her own children, though they run af­ter her; a good man cannot tell how to lay hands upon any good action, as his; but Hypocrisie calls evill good, and yet openly ap­propriates it: Come, see my zeal. If an upright man be any thing, or do any thing, 'tis not he, but Christ in him; he doth not say, come, see my zeal, or my wisdome, but, come and see the Wisdome and Life of Christ, in me.

2 Naked profession is time-serving: 'tis a Christian squaring his religion, to please all sides. A meere professor, would have all men speake well of him, though Christ nor his own conscience doe not, which is a wofull thing. Woe to your when all men speake well of you, (i) when you so order your religion and course of life, as to please [Page 191] all sides, though God be displeased. Religion is lovely sometimes, but not for it selfe; some take it up to drive designes, and can taste sweetnesse in it no longer, then it will conduce to some secular ad­vantage. Christ is an abiding sweet, where the heart is upright. Christ is deare upon the Crosse; when torne to pieces deare; every limbe, every drop of his bloud, deare; so for ever. The way of Christ is more, then the strewings of it, to a reall Christian; all the wealth, and all the honour in the world, are not so pleasant as one despised and persecuted truth of Christ. They are joy'd in the way, they remember thee in thy wayes, Esa. 64.5. They respect the way, not the strewings of the way, no other strewings but what Christ ma­keth by his going before them. They remember [thee] in thy wayes, (i.) Christ; For he maketh his own wayes sweet, to them that simply walke in them. Times vary oft, and all present new temp­tations, yet one thing is constantly made at, in all where profession is reall, (i) to injoy Christ: let my soule lie still in the bosome of Christ, and move steadily in his wayes, and then let times and for­tunes change as they will. Reall profession pursues realitie in every condition; it hunts one hare, how many soever crosse the way in which it goes. Distraction of times, naughtinesse of men, make not Christ unpleasant, but more precious. If the world will frowne, O that I could see Christ smile more. If truth be slighted, O that I could so walke, as to live some beautie into it: Integritie holds on her way, as Solomon saith. I tremble to thinke of this generation, wee are clouds without water, carried as the winde sits, that's Judes de­scription of naked profession. When the Parliament prevailes, then their wayes are honoured; when the King prevailes, then his wayes are honour'd; when mens persons are honour'd and prosper'd, then their religion is honour'd; meere profession is a bable, a humour, any thing, nothing; a double minde, unstable, a double mouth; sweet and bitter from the same fountaine, as the cisterne will best receive that is powred into: and this may be the motto of the pro­fession of this time.

All that hath been formerly said, to distinguish in this matter, is but one thing, and may be plainly rendered thus; Naked professi­on, is without internall reformation. Spirits can transforme them­selves, they can speake like Angels, and yet abide Devils; men can doe much this way. Put yee on the Lord Jesus Christ, &c. The tongue [Page 192] can doe this, when the heart hath never a rag upon its backe. Their inward parts are very wickednesse. There is [...] & [...], a turning and a turning inwardly. The Author to the Hebrewes useth the lat­ter word; Wee have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence, Heb. 12.9. [...], and wee were inwardly turned, the spirit recoiling as asham'd: An internall turning (i) when the heart is turned as well as the outward man, according to that in Mala­chi, The heart of the children shall be turned to the fathers, which is re­all profession. The Temple was the same in the outside in Christs time, that it was in the Prophets time before, yet he could not own it, because the inside was not the same, it had a den of theeves in it; My Temple hath a better inside, saith he, and whips out these theeves, and overturnes their Tables: it shadowes out this, that where there is a reall Temple, a true Christian, the power of all lusts, though never so many, is overturned in the soule by the power of Christ, which worketh in us.

I will speake no more by way of discovery, but let the discove­red lay to heart their condition. You which are but seeming pro­fessors, you will be reall persecutors. The punishment of one sin, hardens to another. The proper plague of hypocrisie, is searing; burned spirits, are fit to burne others; so they doe in hell. 'Twas a generation of seared hypocrites, which contrived the bloud of Christ: are they not such, many of them, which contrive Christs bloud and torment at this day, in the Christian world? The crosse wee beare is the wound of friends; the enemies which cut our throats, are of our owne house, of our owne Land, and pretend to be of our owne Religion. Would not that bloudy Army abroad, be accounted Protestants, and for Protestant Religion? I send you forth as lambes amongst wolves, and yet those wolves wore sheep-skins, they would be accounted of the seed of Abraham: 'tis our case, and it makes our triall the greater; our burthen is heavie, but God is lightning it, glory be to his name. The axe is to the roote of the tree which bare but leaves, and they are cut downe apace. If this side would but mend, as fast as tother side end, wee should be a very blessed people quickly. The ripest fall first, we shall not hang long after, if our profession also be found hypocriticall.

AS this expression speakes crueltie, we pursued it in the last Ex­ercise; as it speakes the causalitie of divine friendship, I pur­pose now to handle it. Christ hath by his death accomplished the favour of God. Having made peace [through the bloud] of his Crosse. Hanging was used under the old Covenant, onel [...] for some noto­rious crimes, as blasphemie, sacrificing to Devils, &c. and was used as a second death; first, life was taken away by some other punish­ment, as stoning, or the like, and then the body hanged up, to ren­der the person as well as the fact, abominable to all, to God and man, which is the meaning of that expression, [He] that is hanged is accursed of God, Deut. 21.23. his person as well as his fact, is exe­crable, greatly abhorred. Thus David commanded Rechab and Barzillah, to be punished, with a double death, for that foule fact of murthering Ishbosheth, he slew them, and then he hanged them up, 2 Sam. 4.12. Such a one was Christ judged to be, a notorious malefactor, a blasphemer, one that had a devill, &c. and therefore hanged on a tree; not slaine first, but tortured to death upon the Crosse, which was a Romish variation from the rule, as in matter, so in forme, and served in this case onely to vend the height of ma­lice against innocency, making not two deaths, but a thousand deaths in one.

1 The bloud of the crosse speakes three things. Divine wrath ful­ly suffered. Infinite Justice was offended, answerable displeasure brake forth; a sea of wrath in the world, and Christ in the bot­tome of it alive, and all the waves passing over him. I went downe to the bottome of the mountaines, saith Jonah, All the waves passed over me, yet hast thou brought my life the pit. These expressions speake Christ, he lay under mountaines, seas of displeasure, he bore the full weight of divine wrath, he paid the utmost farthing. God is not extreame to marke what's done amisse, in reference to us, but he was so in reference to Christ; not a sin, not a circumstance of sin overlooked, of all those millions of sinners and sins undertaken for, but wrath weigh'd out exact in proportion to all, and laid on Christ, and he bore all. He bore the iniquitie of us all. Justice min­gles [Page 194] her selfe with mercy, when shee breakes forth upon us; in the middest of Justice, God remembers mercie, but it did not so in reference to Christ; Justice went forth in its full strength against him, with­out a dram of mercy mixed with it. He was made a [curse] for us. Which words speake no mercy. The strength of sin is the Law, and the strength of the Law is the curse, all the curses written in Gods book, without any mercy mixed, and all this did Christ beare up­on the crosse. The crosse was a grand curse, a superlative punish­ment, which wrapt up all the misery in it, that ever justice made, or any creature felt. Christs cup had mixture in it, but not one sweet ingredient, all corroding and speaking full and pure wrath; gall and vineger was given him in the pangs of death:

2 The bloud of the crosse speakes justice fully satisfied: 'tis called for this cause a Lutron, a ransome. Wee were sold under sin, and the bloud of the crosse bought us, paid the full demands of that power under which we were. The Son of man came not to be ministred unto, but to minister, and give his life a ransome for many. The bloud of the crosse is a ransome, that which gives full satisfaction to an offended God, under whose wrath wee lay. Wee are bought with a price, this price is not gold, nor silver, but the precious bloud of Christ. The bloud of Christ, is bloud of price, that this is shed, is as much as if the bloud of all the creatures in the world had been shed; yea more: life is our choicest jewel, yet all creatures lives put together, and put into one bundle of life, and presented to God, he would not have taken it to ransome one soule; no, he would not have taken it as satisfactory for one sin. Justice offended is infinite, the price given for satisfaction must be proportionable, or else no sa­tisfaction: the bloud of all the world is finite, and not proportio­nable to infinite, and therefore God shed his bloud: the bloud of the crosse, is the bloud of him that was God-man; this made the bloud of the humane nature precious bloud, as Peter speakes; that is, infi­nitely precious, of worth to satisfie for all the sins that are, or shall be committed in the world, because all will rise but to a finite bulke, let it swell as big as 'twill; 'tis of price to satisfie for all the sinnes in the world, and if there were so many more then there are; there­fore is that expression, [...], much more, repeated twice in the fifth of the Romans, Not as the offence, so is the free gift: the price is another gets thing, then that in proportion to which it is given: [Page 195] for if through the offence of one, many be dead: much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath aboun­ded unto many.

3 The bloud of the crosse speakes guilt fully expiated; actually in reference to Christ as an undertaker, and so also in reference to us, who are actually in him by faith. He bore our sinnes in his bodie upon the crosse, saith the Apostle Peter. The Leviticall bloud was purging, it purified the flesh, as the Scripture speakes, and pointed at Christs bloud, which purifies flesh and spirit, (i) takes away the wrath of God liable to both. Without bloud there is no remission, but with bloud there is remission, full remission, the bloud of the crosse takes out all spots. The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin, 1 Joh. 1.7. There is not a spot in Christ; consider him as our undertaker, as married to our nature, he is all faire. Thou art all faire my love, &c. Joshua had filthy garments, but he hath washed them white in his owne bloud, so have they which are in him by faith, their garments are white with the bloud of the Lambe; by garments is not meant the outside onely, but outside and inside, the whole person. They that are washed are cleane every whit. Christ speakes of the Spouse, as the Spouse speakes of him, Thou art all faire, &c.

Ʋse. Sinners, doe you consider how usefull Christ is, and make use of him? The chastisement of our peace is upon him, that which be­longs to any mans eternall welfare, is contrived upon the crosse by Christ; he hath bought all into his hand with his bloud, which tends to any ones good; he has the eare of God, the hand of God, the heart of God; he has Earth, Heaven, he hath eternall life, and can give it to whom he will; he hath the keyes of David, the keyes of those everlasting dores, he is the dore to the bosome of the Fa­ther, he hath by his bloud entered within the vaile, bought all un­der his custodie. Christ is furnished to doe us good, and we make no use of him. Sinners tumble in their sinnes, and fall asleepe, and wrath cuts them off ere they dreame of a Saviour. There is a death in sin, to which the death of Christ is without profit; this is when the soule will goe his own way. Many walke by no rule, all is fish that comes to net, all is contentfull, that sutes to a carnall affecti­on: conscience jogges these soules sometimes, and then they talke of Christ, that he hath dyed for their sinnes; but poore soules, they doe but talke. If the faith of such persons forementioned were faith [Page 196] indeed, and no fancie, the soule would be crucified, with crucified Christ. I am crucified with Christ. They which indeed appropriate the death of Christ, die with him in affection first, and then in action by little and little, according as the death of Christ is more and more beheld.

The death of Christ is of double vertue, it makes a death of guilt, and a death of the very being of sin. The bodie of sin as well as the soule of sin, is dead. The bodie is dead, saith the Apostle, speaking of corruption. Corruption keepes in a bodie, all that while 'tis alive: all powers combine to beate out their owne way, as will best carry the world afore it, and winke at, if not scoffe at the way of Christ; this soule crucifies Christ, but is not crucified with him. The sin of this age is bloudy wickednesse, therefore doe we bleed. Surely, we bleed not so much for small sin; our sin is crimson and scarlet coloured; wee crucifie Christ, his truth, his people, therefore doth he crucifie us. Light rises, so doth malice; 'tis nothing to the men of this generation, to speak bitterly, to mur­ther bloudily, their own convictions; Christ shall die at the dore, rather then they will open love to him, to destroy the advantage of this time. A man crucified to Christ, is crucified to the world; you that kill not the lusts of the world, you kill Christ, but not be­lieve on him, and his bloud shall be upon you, not to take off guilt, but to bind on guilt till you die, till bloud goe for bloud. 'Tis a very bloudy time in which we live, trials murther love to Christ, & to one another; heartie affection to Christ can hardly be found, men are so taken up with their own ends. Povertie is marching to­wards us like an armed man, all is falling; flesh shakes at this, and treads upon Christ, and treads out his bowels, to keepe up; such wretches as these, know not their wretched condition, they have not tasted of the bloud of Christ, nor know what Christ is now doing: Christ is now avenging the bloud of his Covenant, upon all that tread upon it; men that doe not so take hold of his bloud and death, as to bleed and die with him, in name, in state, in per­son, shall bleed and die by him; this time is a discovery of unbe­liefe, and a recompence.

Unsensible persons are below discipline, these therefore I must let goe. Where conscience bleedes, the bloud of the crosse may be of use; and to these in the last place I will addresse my selfe. Soules [Page 197] are loaded and troubled about many things, but where the distresse is about eternall life, whether shall I live or die? Whether shall I live where Christ is or not? 'Twill be reliefe to such a burthened heart to thinke, what Christ can doe for him in this case. Thou hast a tender friend in Heaven, and thy soule is precious to Christ, he hath shed his bloud, that thou mightest not die, nor more de­spaire. Things are very well between God and Christ, he hath stood in the person of many, and discharged well his undertaking: the favour of God is at his dispose: whom he intercedes for with his bloud, escape the wrath of God. 'Tis sad to me to see, how some soules sinke, they thinke peace an impossible thing for them ever to attaine. What is not peace Christs? Is not Heaven Christs? Is not kingdome, power, and glory, Christs? That all is Christs, methinkes should quiet the cryings of conscience. That God is at peace with Christ, should generate faith in the most complaingest soule. 'Tis a facile thing for Christ to procure the favour of God: but how should one get Christs favour? And Christ is solicitous how to get thy favour. Christs favour comes farre easier to us, then Gods favour did to him; he doth not expect your bloud, to get his favour: to accept him, is to gaine him; his favour is free, all that he expects, is that poore soules would but trust him, and im­ploy him with their estates, that they would imploy him and none else, to procure the love of God, and eternall blessednesse.

Could I trust Christ with my estate, I know all would be well, but I cannot believe. Why, know this, that Christs bloud hath in­gaged God to give faith, and every grace else unto thee; what thou wouldest doe and canst not, let not that deject, put out that grace you have. When a man cannot goe into the poole, 'tis hope­full to lie neere it, for one or other may take him up and carry him in thither, whither he cannot goe himselfe. Pained soules, speake of nothing but the bloud of Christ, prize nothing in comparison of this; hence must come thy ease if ever: out of these pantings, spring faith unto joy. Christ takes up these creeples of a sudden, and carries them into the poole of his bloud. You that have the Kings evill, stand in the way of the King, and though you cannot cure your selves, yet you will lie as faire for cure as you can. In a spirituall sense, be thus prudent: in the middest of all your soule-paines, say, If ever any thing give me ease, it must be the bloud of [Page 198] Christ; if ever any thing quiet my conscience, it must be Christs bloud sprinkled upon it: out of these honourable thoughts of pro­per remedie, proceedes remedie to the soule.

Matter of faith, and matter of love, should spring from this point, if one had time to goe this way. The bloud of the crosse speakes love in strength, love as strong as death; what speakes it in Christ, should make it in us. No such Sermon of love in the Bible, nor in the Creation, as the bloud of the Crosse. Enlarge this your selves in deeds.

DIvine friendship, according to its formalitie and causalitie I have handled; according to its extent, I am now to pursue it, to wit, how farre it reaches, which is noted in these last words; To things in earth, and to things in Heaven. This Scripture is difficult, yet other Scriptures compared with it, will helpe us to see some­thing into it. By things in earth, is meant the Elect, called and uncalled. By things in Heaven, is meant Saints and Angels. By re­conciling of all these to himselfe, is meant the gathering of them all into one spirituall bodie, under one head the Lord Jesus Christ, by vertue of which the state of fallen man is restored, the state of blessed Angels confirmed, all to concenter in one common blessed­nesse for ever; according to that Ephes. 1.10. That in the dispensa­tion of the fulnesse of time, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, which are in Heaven, and which are in earth. Gathered toge­ther in one [...], to renew the state and condition of all, Angels and men, in and under one head, which is here mentioned Jesus Christ. That Angels have the same common head with Saints, and so consequently the completion of their state in the same head, together with us, is apparent, Col. 2.10. And yee are compleat in him which is the head of all principalitie and power. Angels are of the quire above, together with the Saints, and they all sing one tune; and they are of the fellowship below also, they are brought in as joynt members of the universall invisible Church. You are come to [Page 199] mount Sion, to the Citie of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels.

The condition of the greatest states, is here considerable: The noblest creatures are beholding to Christ, things in heaven as well as things in earth. Nothing is absolute but God: men are noble, Angels are noble, but they all lean upon one more noble then them­selves, or else they would fall and become as ignoble as those cursed spirits below us. Man is a little lower then Angels, Angels a great deal lower then Christ; their being is founded in his greatnesse, and is confirmed in his goodnesse. That grace which is redemption to the lower world, is confirmation to the upper.

There would be no place for pride, if this point were well di­gested. None apter to swell in spirit then man; man sets us up externally a little, and then the Devill sets us up internally much; few but swell and break eternally, when gotten high in the world. I wonder at it, were you as high as heaven, as high as Angels, yet were ye below Christ. The body of Heaven in its brightnesse, is un­der his feet, Exod. 24.10. What is under Christs feet, he can trample upon at pleasure; pride is no small sin, and yet it growes up (the Lord knows) from very small things. What hast thou that thou hast not received? What have things in heaven, which they have not, and hold not from Christ?

The lesse may be said for sin, the greater 'tis, and the worse that heart in which it growes. Pride is a grand plague, 'tis one that hath taken leave of Christ and conscience, to humor himself; but Ah Lord, when will this man content himself! A man will sooner breake his heart, then content his heart, which pursues the proud lusts of it. A soule devoted to it self, is as cruell a Master to serve, as the Devill: to pursue the dictates of a proud spirit, is endlesse work, and hell enough for any creature, if there were none else to come: Soules in this consumption, should consider their disease, and their cure. The remedy of every vice is in Christ, this tree hath leaves to cure all diseases. There is no distemper in the spirit, but Christ may be considered under such a notion as to rectifie it. Con­sider Christ as the keeper up of Angels, and 'tis enough to keep down the spirit of any man.

AS the expression points at things in heaven, 'tis usefull you see; as it speaks of things in earth, 'tis more proper to us. The la­titude of divine love downward, is as large as upward; it reacheth all things in heaven, and all things in earth. That he might reconcile [all things] to himself, whether things in heaven, or things in earth. The grace of reconciliation, as it works towards things on earth, is very vast; as it works towards creatures above, 'tis unexpressible; a man cannot tell how many love smiles upon in heaven, and there­fore generally exprest, all things; a universall term, to note the vastnesse of that kindnesse: So as it works towards things on earth, 'tis inexpressible, 'tis called all things, to note the vastnesse, the un­expressible company, which Christ embraceth here below. A man cannot tell the number of spirits in earth, which Christ doth re­concile to his Father in heaven.

Grace works unexpressibly vast to us ward.

Doct. Grace doth abound, The Lord is upon many waters, Psal. 29.3. As providence externall, so providence internall, doth reach forth it self to many. Many bodies are saved from sinking in the sea, be­cause the Lord is upon the waters: So many soules are saved from sinking into hell, because the Lord moves upon these many waters too. The world is full of troubles, as the sea of waves, not one but meets with enough to over-turn all, if God did not uphold; the whole world would fall into a consumption and die, as big a body as 'tis, if God did not uphold. Not one, nor two, nor three, but all creatures share, in upholding mercy, or else all would sink; 'tis so in a proportion in spirituall respects. Satan is an industrious creature, to overthrow mans welfare, he goes about, seeking whom he may devoure, none would escape hell, if God were not ex­ceeding rich in mercy; Satans desire is to destroy all, and his ma­lice is attended with such art, that it would certainly bring forth its end, did not the speciall providence of Christ prevent; which it doth, and doth it to many, the grace of Christ unto life is powred out upon many souls. There are many last, which are made first, [Page 201] as well as many first are made last. Many are eternally saved out of the power of Satan, as many are prey'd upon by him.

Grace did work more compendiously then now it doth, before Christs coming in the flesh; lost sheep of the house of Israel found all that dropt from heaven, and they were but few, the Lord knoweth, one of a City, and two of a Tribe. But since, a great dore of love is opened, and many hundred soules in one City; yea, many thousands in one Countrey, come in to the Lord Jesus Christ. The white sheet of mercy that is let down from Heaven now, is great, saith the Text, and it hath all manner of beasts in it; and the Apostle makes a Comment upon it as I do. My vision, saith he, speaks the grace of Christ working now very richly; God hath shewed me that I should call nothing common, or unclean. He speaks it in the case of Saul; not a man so vile, so bloody and malicious, but the blood of Christ may reconcile him to God, the love of God doth now so richly work.

Mercy is infinite, and it works so; God shews mercy to thou­sands, from generation to generation. Abrahams seed are as the stars of heaven for multitude: God hath but one Son, but Christ hath many; he brings many sons to glory. Infinite mercy generates infinitely; what is in Christ, derives it self to all the nations of the earth. Aarons rod buds, Christs blessing buds, it multiplies into many blessings, and spreads all the world over: In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. The Sun that shines upon us, shines up­on thousands more, it casteth over the world, and shines upon a world; so doth the Son of righteousnesse. God was in Christ, re­conciling a world to himself: the expression notes quantity in some sense, as well as quality, a world of worldly men.

Ʋse. Bounty should be admired: 'tis so respecting men, why should it not be so much more respecting God. He whose hand is open to all, all mens mouths are open to speak of his goodnesse. Christ is a generall good, lame, blind, halt have favour; he keeps a table of kindnesse for all commers, he reconciles all things. Love is destroyed, when the heart is not taken with great goodnesse; love destroyed, there can be no marrying between Christ and the soul. 'Twas a great judgement, when their maids were not given to marry. There is no inclination to embrace Christ, when his beauty is no whit admired. Vanities destroy affection, some souls are sots, talk of any [Page 202] thing that is spirituall, and their hearts grow not amorous by it, but die within them, like Nabals; the curse of God is in strength here, these have made themselves Eunuches for the kingdome of darknesse. Christ hath no engine to raise love like this, to wit, his bounty and sweetnesse, that he will give every one to drink that is dry; that Moses a fair man will marry a Blackmoore; that Abraham will lodge a Lazarus in his bosome. If goodnesse will not make good; if love will not draw love, let the soul marry whom he will, Christ will have none of him. Christ is noble, he will gain the heart fully, or he will marry no person in the world: Persons shall be sick of love, or they shall be unmarried to Christ. You care not whether persons love you, so you can but get their wealth. Christ is righteous, he seeks us, not ours, persons, not dowry: I seek not yours, but you. He was a friend to the Bride, which spake that, and spake his heart. I know not what hearts you have, nor how to wooe for my Masters Son; I can say nothing but this, he is all love, he reconcileth all, high, low, rich, poore, heavenly things, earthly things, he takes dust into his bosome, and delights in it for ever.

The contemplation of Christs sweetnesse, makes the marriage knot, and the solace of the marriage when made. When is the soul in heaven? but when taken with that love which hath loved him, when considering love in its latitude: He hath loved me, and given himself for me; he reconciles all things indeed, that would not leave out me. Milk and honey is Canaan: As the soul feeds upon the riches of love, 'tis in heaven. Man is doubly miserable, he is at a losse of satisfying solace, and of the right way to acquire it, he is ta­ken with creatures, and when he comes to lie down in their bosome to solace, they vanish and vex; a man lies down smiling, riseth up howling, because that's nothing which he made so much; and this may be the Motto of all earthly beauties, That creature is nothing which man makes all. Taken with the love of Christ, and the longer so, the stronger so, the more blessed; the soul cannot want depth here, and tumble it self ashore, as it doth when it tumbles in other waters; sweetnesse in this way is found bottomlesse. O the depth of the riches of the goodnesse of God! &c. 'Tis a brave thing to dive the depths of kindnesse; if there be heaven any where, 'tis in the bottome of divine love. Things have their full solace in their proper element, [Page 203] this in reference to the soul of man, is the love of God, in the ex­tent thereof. What did take up Adams soul into Paradise, whilest he moved well, but the beauty of God, the extent of his kind­nesse, that it reached all that Adam could look upon? and all that while had he Paradise in his spirit; but when he began to admire the beauty of forbidden things, the beauty of Diabolicall fancies, then he dyed in his nest presently. What takes up those blessed spirits above, but the contemplation of the love of God? Here lies their full and perpetuall blessednesse, that they cannot nor will not look beside love. 'Tis a very desolate time in which we live, many have little left in the world to think upon, and yet set not them­selves to think of that which might make all to them. Such are without solace indeed, which have none without nor within; how such poor creatures bear up, I know not, how to keep them up if they sink, I know not; there is no cordiall in any distresse, but the contemplation of the love of Christ, and under this notion, how large it is.

This bleeding time makes my heart bleed, to think what refresh­ments to give forth to mourning persons in every corner. State is gone, friends gone, all left me gone, this the complaint of thou­sands. Yet he that is all, is ready to receive you all, and to impart all to you. God hath set you free of this world, to think of ano­ther which is better. Make use of the rich proffers of grace, and all will do well yet. What, doth Christ reconcile all things in earth to himself, and leave out me? Blesse me, even me also, O my Father, so pray. Some are froward, and will not stir after grace, though never so plentifull, though Christ will be friends with them, yet they will not with him: How oft would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldst not? Take heed of stubbornnesse in sin, though Christ shew mercy to thousands, yet he will be the death of such a soul. I am affraid of some of you, lest Satan should harden your hearts against the Lord Jesus Christ. Know the disposition of grace; Christ treads upon none that stoop. Know the season of grace; doth Christ knock? O then is the time when he would re­concile thee to himself. Never let that word of Christ which takes thee, be forgotten; that's a kisse of Christs lips to gain thee; kisse the Son again. Blesse God, that he would make any word of his, a sword to wound thy hard heart: Blesse Christ, that hee would [Page 204] come so neer where thou dwellest, that he would not once knock, but put in his finger by the hole of the dore, to make thy bowels yearn after him: when he knocks again, intreat him to knock all down, that hinders his coming in. Longing souls after Christ, are the blessedst souls in the world, who ever die unreconciled to God, they will not.

This point will leave all men without excuse, I will touch this, and conclude: God would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, and Christ acts according to this lati­tude; he reconciles all things to himself, he desires not the death of one sinner: Sinners, if you die in your sins, blame your selves, not God, you will die as those that exclude your selves, as those that judge your selves unworthy of the Kingdome of God. Spirits deeply ingaged to their lusts, have desperate reasonings against free grace; when they can say nothing to stop the mouth of men and their conscience, to keep on in their course, they alledge the de­cree of God; and if I be decreed to life, I shall do better one day, if not, all you say, or that I shall do, will do me no good. Ah, that so much of hell should flame out of any mans mouth up­on earth! What hath any soul to do with the Decree of God? Gods secret will doth not contradict his revealed. What latitude of love doth his revealed will hold forth? consider that, and know, that God is reall. Doth he reconcile all things? then thou art bound to believe it, and to put in for a share in that grace which is so large, which no soul ever did and missed.

A Double condition is here mentioned; what these Colos­sians are, and what they once were; They were alienated in their mindes, naught at heart, soules sinfull; and this they expressed in life by wicked workes; very doingly e­vill; and yet these, though thus bad, made very good, hell-fire in [Page 205] the soule quenched, two spirits burning one against another, recon­ciled by an act of love, and man and God made one in the bodie of Christs flesh, to be presented blamelesse in the exactest eye. And you that were sometimes alienated, &c. yet now hath he reconciled in the bo­die of his flesh, &c.

How ever condition change, yet it's a good thing to consider what once wee were. And you which were sometimes so and so. The heart is naught, it forgets its own worst and Gods best acts. You were so sinfull, you are now otherwise; you need be hinted and minded of both; as if the Apostle had said; Sin slips out of our minds; transgression makes lasting impression upon Gods Spirit, though little upon ours. I remember what once you were, though yee have forgotten.

Some glory in their shame, that's a sinfull remembring of sin; so some die in their shame, this also is a sinfull remembring of sin. Evill past thought of with joy, or thought of with despaire, are both displeasing to Christ. My sin is ever before me, they are a load too heavie; this was not commended by God, though loved by a wounded spirit. There are two extreames, and both naught; bro­ken hearts ever thinke of their sins, and hard hearts never; a stone as oft sighes as they. The text and point I am upon, points at a third thing, though distinct from either of these, (i) sin remembred with godly sorrow, this godly hearts are backward to, 'tis intimated in the text. Yee were enemies in your minds by wicked workes: doe yee remember it.

1 Some acts awaken conscience, he speakes the saddest of any fa­cultie: a carnall creature willingly neglects sad worke. To call to minde what I was at such a place, and at such a time, is to throw sparkles of fire upon a sleepie dog, which will make him start up, flie out, and barke and bite fiercely. Man loves his flesh, yea he loves his spirit; he doth not love to be bit in either, if he can tell how to shift it. The best are bad, though not starke naught; good spirits are apt to play the slugge, in those duties that are dolorous and painfull. I remembred God and was troubled, and complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. To remember what God is, and how un­sutable wee have been to him, will trouble, yea overwhelme the stoutest spirit; we doe not care to meddle with troublesome works. [Page 206] When sin revives we die: remembring what we were, reviveth sin: 'tis terrible to the flesh, to wound and kill it selfe; 'tis so spiritually, we had rather any should wake and sit up then conscience; we had rather goe quietly to hell, then conscience should torment us before the time.

2 Man is a lazie creature: examination of ones former state is hard worke, flesh and bloud shunnes this quite, yea grace neglects this oft, till losse be great. I call to remembrance my song in the night; I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit made diligent search. But 'twas long first, so long, till he stood in feare of being cast off for ever, as you may see in the next verse, Psalm. 77.6, 7. A string slackened or broken in play, and 'tis laborious to be winding up the pin still to keepe tune to the song one sings; to take notice how many notes too flat or too loud in play, requires a diligent eare, the labour of it makes one willing to passe by, and forget many false stroakes. If the examination of small things be so laborious, much more to examine things of weight, our spirituall state when all is naught. Man doth not love hard worke, nor terrible worke.

3 Transgression multiplies, and young children make one forget old ones; Present transgressions harden, or wound much: the heart hardened, becomes uncapable to consider any sin, the sin of last yeare, or of this yeare, or of this houre. A stone melts under no consideration; a stone thinkes of nothing, neither of things past, present, or to come. Multiplication of sin, makes stonie hearts. Their hearts are as hard as an adamant. You cannot beat things into a stone, no words nor blowes, will make hard hearts thinke of their wayes. Though a man eate of the evill of his way, weekes, moneths, yeares, yet will not this make him bethinke himselfe, what steps he trod in all that while, to call his way evill, and his person wicked: Present sin, if it harden not much, it wounds much, and wounded persons thinke altogether of their present paine. Dolour distracts, crazie braines are weake at any thing, but worst at recollection, specially if things of weight. When wounds are deep, much bleed­ing inwardly, makes much faintnesse: Languishing dying soules, thinke of nothing but going to hell. 'Tis with sins, as 'tis with mer­cies, when a man goes about to number them, one can finde no end of them, and this makes a bleeding heart leave looking backward, and look forward, to fix his eyes upon that blacke place, whither [Page 207] all sin lookes; he leaves multiplying, number rises so innumerably, and turnes himselfe to consider where all will end; the sum of all will come to this, saith he, the death of my soule for ever; because the sinner can make a kinde use of no sin, he gives up the conside­ration of all, and lays down his soule at the foot of Justice for lost. I am sure, all sin centers whither my soule is going, saith the sinner, and closeth his eyes; though I cannot tell their number, yet I know their nature. All runs into this, Wee are all apt sinfully to for­get sin.

Ʋse. God certainly hath espied this, and he is rousing up our memo­ry. Wrath doth much, when love can do but little. God will have every one consider what he was, and what he is, before he hath done: England, unhappy England, thou dost neither, therefore dost thou bleed and die daily; thou dost not lay to heart what thou wast, nor what thou art: For twenty yeers together, forty, fifty yeers and more, hast thou been a bitter persecuting kingdome of truth and godlinesse: What art thou now? France is noted for pride, Germany for drunkennesse, but England for persecuting the power of godlinesse, the last of these is the worst, and by so much the more the worst, by how much more we lesse think what we have been, and are. How many Saints suffered under Queen Mary! How many under Bishops! a Prelaticall spirit is still alive, truth and the power of godlinesse persecuted at this day, and what suffering is yet behinde for Christ, Christ knowes. Englands genius and dexte­rity, seems to lie this way, alwayes to vex the Saints of the most High. Thou hast made many a conscience bleed, O England, there­fore doth thy carkasse bleed. Dost thou call to mind thy bitternesse and basenesse against Christ and godlinesse? Our ruines are great, this lies heavie upon us. Many think of what they had, and weep, but not of what they did, when they had such things, and weep. We are more apt to lay to heart misery, then sin, though this be the greatest misery in the world; 'twas Jerusalems case, 'tis Englands. He hath turned aside my wayes, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate, he hath made his arrows to enter into my reines, he hath fil­led me with bitternesse, he hath made me drunk with wormwood; and so goes on exactly repeating miserie, Lament. 3. But observe what she saith, vers. 19, 20. Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall [my soul hath them still in remembrance] and is [Page 208] humbled in me, &c. The gall and the wormwood that God gave Jeru­salem, this she had still in her remembrance, but the gall and vineger which she gave Christ and his servants, this not so called to minde. 'Tis so with us; our losses and overthrowes in the West, in the North, the gall and wormwood which God in divers fights hath given us, this is called to mind, and dayes of mourning, because of it, but the gall and wormwood which we have for many yeers, and under severall Princes raignes given to Christ and his members, we call not this to minde.

1 I will give you a sad demonstration, that England doth sinfully forget her sin, that she does not call to minde what she was in Bi­shops time. The demonstration is this: to wit, an aptnesse to run into the same sin. Sin kindly called to minde, melts the heart; the heart melted, abhors its former course. Yea, what indignation, yea, what revenge! Where is this to be found now, against that barba­rous and bloody sin of burthening the conscience with unwarran­ted things which was the sin of Bishops, and for which the Land now mourns. Are we not very apt to run into the same courses? What is that which wee humbly seek for now in matters of Church-government, but divine warrant, and where this is not, that customes and courses of our own may not be imposed? and yet this accounted harsh and refractorinesse by many, and persons conscienciously carried but at this height, construed and trampled on at mens pleasure, because they can stoop to nothing but the will of Christ: Consciences are of severall constitutions; such as are peevish must be pitied, not knocked in head; such as are ingenuously tender, honoured; where neither of these can be found, that spirit is Prelaticall, and Lording over the conscience, let it live in what breast it will. Now what pity, or what honour, tender consciences find at this present in England, of all Lands, I leave to you to judge. Satan rages at us in many, God is good to us in a few, to bind him up, or we should be buried alive again, thrown in prisons and dun­geons again, as bad as ever; mens tongues talk freely this way, which speaks the heart, and what the hand should be, if other things did concurre. How do mens fingers itch to be tearing our estates and fortunes, and whatsoever is dear, as formerly! Anti­christ is set forth in the Scripture, under various shapes; alterati­on of times necessitates him to change habite, to save his life and [Page 209] livelihood; but he never went so like a Lamb as now, and yet a Li­on still; poor hearts can tell you so, which feel how bard he pin­ches, name, state, conscience, &c. If this be repenting for former ill deeds, then England doth not sinfully forget her former sins.

If inclination to former sins, make demonstration of a sinfull forgetting of sin, resolution to former courses may much more; I beg that this may never gather about thy heart, O England, for death is in it: my heart bleeds for thee, when I consider, with what violence thou goest in thine own way, but in this I spare thee yet, and speak more of this to God upon my knees.

Application hitherto hath been nationall, let every one turn it now, and make it personall. I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, ali­enated from God by wicked works, but now I have obtained mer­cy. I doubt you cannot all say thus. Do you lay your condi­tion past and present to heart; and no smiting of breast; nor no change? it cannot be. What you were you are, and would be. Alas for such souls! their condition is more miserable then any, they have no mercy, nor care for none. The first step to conversion, is to consider what we have been, and are. I considered my wayes, tur­ned my feet unto thy testimonies. The prodigall came to himself, and then returned to his father. To himself (i.) to consider what course he had led, what state he was in, whither that way he was in did lead. Would sinners would tread one step in the way to life: What is the course I have led? What a man, or a woman have I been hi­therto? A sinners hand to the Devils Plough, he may look back, and do well; but Satan is against it: so is a mans own heart, yet something must be done in this way against both, or the soul is un­avoidably lost. Satan cannot endure that a man should commune with his own heart, his wayes have no glosse at a view, he hath twenty wayes to prevent the danger of losing a soul. What's past cannot be helped, what shouldest thou trouble thy self to think upon't. God forgets thy sin, and wilt not thou? Sinner, Satan is rocking thy soul now, if thou look not to it, thou will die in a slumber. God forgets our sins, when we do remember them, and lay them upon Christ, not otherwise; when we examine our selves and judge our selves, and go out of our selves to Christ. If we con­fesse our sin, God is mercifull to forgive: Many that had been thus and thus, saith the Text, came and confest their deeds, and then found mercy [Page 210] from Christ. Christ will know what a man hath been out of his own mouth, ere he make him better. Christ will know what a man hath been, what a man is, and what he would be, and then goes to work hard indeed to make a miserable creature, blessed.

Take this Item, we can do nothing of our selves, the least good is above us: to look back upon a bad life, 'tis of grace; as well as to reform a bad life. Creepies must take hold of something when they would go: In our weaknesse to duty, we must lean upon the Word of God. If you want a word to lean upon, I will give you one: And they that escape of you, shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, and they shall loath themselves, for the evills they have committed in all their abominations, Ezek. 6.9. 'Tis hard to finde a looking glasse to see ones life from one end to tother, yet Christ can help us to one, and he hath promised this and more, to make us look upon all our abominations, and to loath them and our selves for them; a soul got thus far, will grow in grace apace; no motive to the soul to grow kind to Christ, as to think well how unkind it hath been. What a hater, and then what a lover of Christ was Paul: To look back upon badnesse, 'twill raise goodnesse, when the heart is turned; O how oft have I kickt against Christ. How oft now should I kisse him! How basely did I tread him under foot, and how tenderly now should I lay him in my bosome! Paul laboured more abundantly then they all. If you would be eminent for the strength of love, and for the truth of love, look back.

THe Garden of God is pleasant, 'thath variety yet in all congrui­ty, to make perpetuall delight. We are come to consider a sad state, yet surely this will be sweet to souls that desire to know their condition: God and all creatures were in a league, all good in com­mon, infinite felicity every ones mercy, God in the bosome of every soul, throughout the creation: Sin hath broke this league; the fat [Page 211] and fertill cloud that covered Adams Tabernacle, and the Oracle upon his Mercy-seat, that was so universally audible, is drawn up, and God that was neer every one, is now far from all naturally. And you which were sometimes alienated.

Alienation speaks all misery; man quite gone from God, and God quite gone from man; body and soul under the perpetuall in­fluence, of infinite wrath. God is all, or nothing to the creature, all favour, or nothing but displeasure. Displeasure orders every thing about a sinfull State, as love orders all about a good condi­tion; poison is in every dish at a sinners Table, not a bit he eats, not a rag he wears, not a thing he does, but 'tis cursed from heaven: This is the proper expression of alienation. The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not, eat up, and thou shalt be only oppressed, and crushed alway, Deut. 28.33. These ex­pressions suit a stranger, he is one that is blasted in all things, the divine hand of God doth only oppresse him (i.) only punish him, on­ly crush and curse him always. Some men live so far from the Sun, that they have nothing but hard weather, only Winter and storms.

Alienation is a state shut out from all divine privilege. Divine priviledges are of severall sorts, some signifie more favour then other: a man alienated from God, is cut off from all, he is none of the Commonwealth of Israel; if he be called an Israelite, if he be called a Christian, he is mis-called. The proper title of an aliena­ted person, is a Heathen, a Publican, a Dog. A title is a small thing, a shadow, yet God allows not this to some; an alienated person hath not the shadow of love, he may not call himself by the name of Israel, he shall answer for this, that he bears the name of a Chri­stian, that he carries the name of the living, and is dead; that he calls himself homo, and is cadaver, a man, and is a carkasse. There be many things in the Commonwealth of Israel; common and spe­ciall, yet nothing so common as an alienated person can challenge any interest in. There were Candlesticks, Basons, Tongs, Snuffers, and there were Pins and Ashes, about the Tabernacle; an aliena­ted person is not a pin, not a dust of the Tabernacle, he cannot write himself by the title of one Cinder of the Sanctuary; not the least scruple of the Church of Christ militant, he is not the dust of the ballance of the Sanctuary; and yet 'tis strange to consider the spirit of strangers, they think they are wronged, when they are denied the [Page 212] greatest priviledges of Church state, and they are wronged when they have the least: Alienated persons are strangers from the Commonwealth of Israel.

2 Yea, they are stranges from the Covenant of Promise: If from the lesse, from the greater much more; such steps as these the Apostle makes, when expressing this thing. Aliaens are alienated from the name of God, and from the life of God, that's one expres­sion to the life which the Apostle useth, Ephes. 4.18. Having their understandings darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the blindnesse of their hearts. Alienation speaks God gone, re­specting externals, but the weight of the expression lies in this, God gone from the soul, the heart without the life of God, through darknesse. The life of God, is heart-panting to follow Christ: Life makes pulsation: Did you see my Beloved? Which way is he gone, that I may go after him? Blind hearts beat out themselves after other things, no pulsation of spirit after Christ, this speaks the soul dead, alienated from the life of God through darknesse. As mens principles are, so they stirre to or from God, after, or away from Christ, strangers to God, their principles are strange; divinity is no rule, reason is no rule. That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. That's wickednesse in­deed, which destroyes divinity and reason, and yet 'tis spoken of aliens, whose lust is their law, their belly their god; not one lust, but many lusts: they serve divers lusts. 'Tis a strange life that strangers to God lead, they obey that which God and nature for­bids, they serve lusts against religion and reason. Reason is low divi­nity, teaching things necessary and comly to the body; it runs forth into many principles, and makes conscience to keep them, till tem­ptation be strong, and then an alien becomes unreasonable, un­naturall, a brute beast. Every man is brutish, by his knowledge, the founder is confounded by his graven Image, Jerem. 51.17. Pastors brutish, people brutish; temptations came, and instructed persons waved all, divinity, reason, and moved as nonsensically as wilde brutes; and this is the Proprium of an alienated state in strength, one at an utter distance from the life of God. Even amongst them that are far off from God, some are neerer then others. Thou art not far from the Kingdome of God, and yet so far, that Christ had no kingdome in the man, not simple subjection to his will, which is [Page 213] that alienation from the life of God, which the Apostle speaks of.

3 Finally, Alienation speakes a condition without hope. At that time you were strangers from the Covenant of promise, having no hope. Divine priviledge is graduall, every step to Heaven, a heaven: a stranger to God cannot de jure, set hiS foot upon one round of Jacobs ladder, he cannot without presumption, promise himselfe any good, and yet nothing more common with persons unac­quainted with Christ, then to hope for good when bad is upon them. I hope all will be better one day: but when will that day be? They doe not this upon warrantable grounds; for alienation is a condition without hope; a man in this state may fancy what he will, and set his soule at a greater distance from mercie then 'tis, but he can warrantably expect no felicitie for time to come, what ever his present misery be. Misery I know is graduall, some are nee­rer hell upon earth then others, yet the most is just, it merits no pitie, neither can the largest head alive, argue any pitie from ex­tremitie, but from the qualitie of the partie in it; if he be a stran­ger to God, 'twill be stranger with him, yet then 'tis, and yet nei­ther now nor then, must he or may he hope, to have things better, whilst he abides naught, an alien from God. The qualitie of per­sons is all; persons neere God, let distresse be what it will, and seeme to set them never so far from God, yet they may and should hope: persons farre from God, must let his favour lie at the same distance from them, which they let himselfe; God will have none meddle with his favours in the least kind, which let alone himselfe, not so much as fancy them as theirs, or that ever they shall be theirs; if any thing rises in their soule this way, God blasts it. The hope of Aliens perisheth, they have no hope of good; if they create any, God blasts it; 'tis a condition without hope. All runs into this, Alienation is a condition wholly shut out from all divine pri­viledge.

Ʋse. Whose condition this is, should be laid to heart speedily: men far off from God, are not far from hell. The farther from God, the lesse considered, that's the plague of this State. Alienation is a graduall thing; some God visits very seldome, they live so farre from him, scarce a lively stirring of heart in many weekes, in many moneths together. The soule goes one way, and God goes ano­ther; strangers take their leave, ah Lord, who knows when or [Page 214] where they will meet! aliens and strangers what is it to you, that God comes so little at you? Little or much? Nothing more sad to a sensible soule, then the losse of divine presence: God gone, a good heart is broke. Woe is me, now all is gone, now I am undone, and never till now. Why hidest thou thy face farre away? This was the wound that went to the heart, and yet this is nothing, if other things be present, to one that is a stranger. Wee little lament the departure of such as we know not, wee let strangers come and goe, and take no notice. Sinners, what doe yee injoy of God? much or little? When was he with you? Not a great while. When will he againe? I know not: I doubt whether ever any more. Ah Lord! how didst thou use Christ then? didst thou as the Gaderens, thrust him out of dore?

Alienation is sometime eterniz'd, ah tremble at that every heart! dogged usage of Christ, makes this. See my face no more, saith Pha­raoh to Moses. Thou hast well said, I will see thy face no more, saith Moses, and Christ in him. What a sad parture was here! Such a parture had Saul and Samuel, but they lived not long neither of them after this. Some say to the Almightie depart: ah wretches! is not God farre enough from you alreadie? Will you have him quite gone? This is the sin of this generation: our hearts swell a­gainst truth, wee bid the Almightie depart. Sinfull England, God is gone very farre from thee, dost thou not feele it? Thou wilt. Wilt thou have God quite gone? Woe unto sinners, if God judge them in the perversnesse of their hearts. If God take a person or a Kingdome at their word, he returnes no more till they die, he comes no more but to the funerall. Mercy is everlasting, so is ju­stice, and it acts so upon us, upon desperate discoveries; God doth not alwayes strike. Whom God loves, he loves to the end, and whom he hates, he hates to the end, when all meanes to gaine love, are throwne off. Know the state of your soules, pervernesse in any sin, speakes your soules farre from Gods law, Psal. 119.150. one far from Gods law, is far from God: know the danger of your soules, God may be so farre gone from you, that he will not returne; Yee shall die in your sinnes, saith Christ, or in this your sin you shall die.

Perverse sinners must have their portion, but humble hearts must not wrong themselves. Persons never so far off, that would be [Page 215] neere, verily God is very inclinable: conflicts are strong in some hearts, sin now and then is too hard, and then the soule concludes that condition is desperate. God will not take me by the hand, and therefore I fall and fall, and shall doe so till I fall as low as hell. God hath taken something unkindly, and is gone far away. God hideth his face in wrath sometimes, and then he and the soule ne­ver meet, till the great day: that's my case, methinkes I heare some poore sinner say: Conscience is out with me, that condemnes me; God is quite out with me, he will not looke towards me, but he forbeares condemning, till that day in which he will doe it once for all. This soule must be told this, The naked acting of sin, speaks not the condition desperate, God finally gone, but abiding per­versly in it. Secondly, the medium of returning God to man is Christ, throw not off Christ, because thou think'st God hath throwne off thee: The least degree of faith, will turne God about towards a poore sinner, and all good that hath forsaken him. Wee are made neere by the bloud of Christ (i.) by believing in it. When mer­cy is thus held out, conflicting soules question the latitude of it; Christ doth make many afar off neere, but he will not doe this for me; such must read the latitude of the promise, none are excluded. I create peace to them that are neere, and to them that are farre off: per­sons discourage not Christs undertaking, let them be who they will: the worke discourages not Christs undertaking, though the grea­test in the world; though it be as the creating of another world, to bring God and the soule together, yet Christ undertakes it for them that groane after it. I create the fruit of the lips, peace to them that are far off. Sin wounds, and then Satan makes it mor­tall, this must be looked to: 'tis the worke of Christ to seeke out poore soules, which are stray'd away from God, and to carry them home to him in his arme.

We that enjoy the presence of God, should joy and blesse him, so I conclude this point. Alienation is a sad condition, it hints lively what the contrary is, to wit, a fruition of all priviledge, a soule in the bosome of God, one ever with the Lord, which is Heaven. In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy: 'tis so here, God pre­sent in an Ordinance, God present in a Saint, God present in a dun­geon, and there is fulnesse of joy to the soul, what ever be to the body. Much company spoiles some, so doth much solitude others: [Page 216] a man is too much alone, when without God. Society is never too few, nor too many, when God is one: Delight, not too little, nor too much, when God is present. If I had never so many enemies, I would care but for the company of one to encounter them. 'Tis enemies we fear now, it should not be. Fear not, I am with thee: So 'twas spoken to Gideon, The Lord is with thee. God takes it for granted, that he hath spoken enough to setle any heart against any feare, when he hath said, we shall have his presence, Read Isaiah 64.1, 2. O that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth; The fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence: Let's prise much that condition which cannot be undone; having Christ with us, we have him whose presence can make mountains melt, turn any thing to nothing that nihilates our felicity.

SUch a tree, such fruit; what a sad state alienation from God is, appears by the effects, which are here to the life expressed; it makes a man all over naught; inside, outside, heart, hand; it casts all into a resolute posture of defiance against God. Enemies in your mind by wicked works; or, enemies with your mind, in wicked works; not nillingly, but willingly wicked; not so in affection on­ly, but in action; not in one action only, but in many actions; enemies in their mind, in wicked [works].

The words of God are of weight, every one hath much in it, 'twill appear so, being distinctly considered, which hath been, and shall be, our method and manner of following of him who is so far above us, and will not let one tittle of his will fall to the ground. Alienation is here anatomised, we must reade lectures distinctly, upon distinct parts. They are enemies, &c. We must open this. They are enemies with their mindes; or, in their mindes, &c. We must reade [Page 217] upon this also: They are thus not only in affection, but in action, in their works. We must consider this too, and by that time you will see much of a bad condition, and it may be, something of your own. The Land is overrun with enemies against Christ, therefore it bleeds and dies; 'twill be very seasonable therefore, to lay open to you, what an enemy to Christ is, which is our first work here in the Text, to follow the words as they lie. And ye which were some­times alienated, enemies, &c.

Sin was Gods first enemy; a steady pursuit of this, renders men and Angels the next. The worst man alive as a creature, simply as a creature, is not accounted Gods enemy, but as these noble creatures above all others, prostituted themselves to something besides Gods will. God had no enemies till sin came into the world; as long as all obeyed Gods will, there was love and friendship all the world over. Sin hath a legall and a Gospel consideration: considered ac­cording to the former, the least transgression of rule, the eating of any fruit forbidden, enough to render man an enemy, and to be pursued so with all the plagues written in Gods Book. Sin hath a Gospel consideration, and so the naked acting of sin, doth not presently denote an enemy, but the going on in it, as a constant intended and approved course. God shall smite the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses, saith the Psalmist. Sin is an unwearied course to some, what ever rubs they meet with from the hand of God, by blows or other­wise, yet they step over them all, and go on still: That's an ene­my, the spirit of an enemy is in him. Enemies fear no colours, blows, blood, death, will not divert their design against one ano­ther. The expression in the originall, speaks not only resolution, but delight in sin, and there are not two fuller properties more in­fallibly to expresse an enemy ambulandis dilictis, such as walk in sins: a mans walk is his pleasure, 'tis made and contrived of purpose with much art, to suit fancy, and to give a complacency. As the out­ward man, so the inward man has his walks, something that with much industry he makes & shapes, to suit and delight it self, and this is preferr'd before all other wayes; now if this be any thing disso­nant to Gods will, this speaks the man an enemy.

Some words of Christ set out an enemy more generally, others more particularly; I shall touch both: Christ is set as King over [Page 218] the sons of men, his Lawes are written and divulged, and such as obey him not according to these, he calls his enemies: Bring those mine enemies, which would not that I should raign over them, (i.) such as will not obey my will. Some disobey one part of Gods will, and some another. Christ hath many sorts of enemies, but all so called from one ground, to wit, disobeying of his Lawes. The Lawes of Christ are said to be disobeyed, when carelesly neglected, ignorant­ly opposed, or maliciously rejected. Truth is truth with some men, and that's all, as one would say; it bears little or no price in affecti­on, how plain and convincing soever to judgement; they see, and do not see (i.) see, and do not regard. O that thou hadst known in this thy day, &c. Did not Israel know the will of God? yes, there was light, but no love to it, which was as no light in the account of Christ, and this went to his heart. Such as stab Christ to the heart, are surely his enemies. 'Tis as if Christ had said, O that thou hadst regarded! and so it notes an ignorance of opportunity, a defect in affection, and not simply an ignorance of the thing it self. Love naught, and the heart is so too; hatred in the seeds of it, lie in such a soul which will spring up with a little more rain. A man naught at heart, is Gods enemy. Neutrality hath the seeds of enmity; there is the buddings of hatred where love is but cold to Christ. Men that love not, hate truth: They that are not with me, are against me, saith Christ; and all that are against Christ, though never so gently, neutrally, and indifferently, yet are his enemies. Judas was an enemy when no hearty lover, as well as when an actuall betrayer of Christ. Enmity is sown deep, it lies long under ground, and puts up with a very little blade at first, no body takes it for such a deadly weed as 'tis, it may be not the party in whose heart it lies; but the Lord of the vineyard, who knowes all grain in its first bud, calls men and things as they are; this is a Serpent by kinde, though it do not sting yet, he will do. False love is true hatred; Cinders will burn out anon, when blown.

Christ is disobeyed, when stubbornly opposed: Some are figh­ters against God, and will be so, these are deadly enemies. Deliver me from my deadly enemies, saith David, Psal. 17.9. There is fight­ing against God within, and fighting against God without; strong art and industry to kill conscience, in a mans self and others; this is a bloody enemy. Christ knocks at most mens doors, though he [Page 219] can have entrance into few. Not a soul where the Gospel comes, but he strives and wrestles with it, to gain it to God: pravity cannot bear these conflicts, something is taken to destroy concepti­on, vineger is used to prevent vomiting, to stay and still the wam­bling stomack, that it may hold what it hath; acts of violence rushed upon, to darken that light that troubles, and any medium good, that may but stupifie that faculty that stings; when the soul chooseth his own way, this is called resisting the Holy Ghost; this is a fight under deck, a murthering Christ in the cradle, these are Christs bloody enemies. Christ layes the axe to the root of some sinners, and some sinners lay the axe to the root of Christ; as soon as ever any word of Christ begins to take hold of the heart, as soon as ever Christ begins to stir in the conscience, or affection, (as if the soule were on fire on hell) all means are used to quench the Spirit, hell is sent for to keep out heaven, many bad spirits to keep out one good; there are sad issues of this: men kill themselves sometimes, rather then Christ should live in them.

Opposition hath rejection folded up in it, this is distinguished from that, as it carries despight against the spirit of grace, & makes the hand bloudy, if need be, as well as the heart and tongue, with the bloud of Gods dearest ones, these are Esaus, red all over. And the first came out red all over, like an hairy garment, and I called his name Esau, Gen. 25.25. The summe of all is this, An enemy is one that with resolution, and delight, disobeys the will of God.

Ʋse. What is your state? This is my errand from this point to you; Are you enemies, or friends to God? Amongst Christians this may seeme a strange question, yet needfull: all are not Israel, who are of Israel. Christ hath enemies in his own house, would we knew them; would they knew themselves. 'Tis a time of much opposition, par­ty against party, this side against that; if wee should all be found opposite to Christ, we are undone. Heate transports, so doth self-ends; such persons doe they know not what, and are they know not what themselves; one while this, and another while that, con­stant in nothing, but enemies to Christ, being secretly sway'd, by blind and base principles. Say we not well, that thou art so and so, and hast a Devill. Hypocrisie knowes every one but her self, exact­ly, knowes another to be a Devill, an arch enemy to Christ, but knowes not her selfe to be so. To mistake others, proves sometimes [Page 220] afflicting; but to mistake our selves is damning; O how should we beg to be delivered from this. In a trying time, wherein many prove rotten, let us doe as Christs disciples, lay our hand upon our own heart, is it I? Tell me, O Christ, is it I that am an enemy to thee? A man that looks into his heart, and then looks up to God, he will know much. He that tasketh himselfe but to know one, will certainly finde him out; but he that tasketh himselfe to know many, and to call them by their names, as hypocrites, or the like, will certainly mistake them, or himselfe, or both. Truth and the heart compar'd, speake out one another. Christ puts us all upon an exact way to know the thing in question: Yee are my friends, if yee doe whatsoever I command. A friend loves not onely in word, but in deed; what you are in action for Christ, speakes out what you are in denomination, whether friends or enemies. Yee are my friends if yee doe, &c. Good talke is cheape, hath a great many friends, if this were it. But what doe yee doe for Christ? Action also must have its latitude, or els doing is nothing neither. The will of Christ runs forth into many precepts, that's obedience which excepts against none. Then are yee my friends, if yee doe whatsoever I command you. Truth is Homogeniall, one precept sweet, and all precepts are so, when the heart is right: the heart is naught, the man an enemy to Christ, that is partiall in his Law. Yet this is the plague of most mens hearts: Surely Christ hath more enemies a great many then we are aware of. We are for dividing the living childe, therefore are divisions and rumors amongst us; it speakes stony hearts unnaturallnesse to Christ, he answerably handles us; the truths we scorne, are the swords which kill us as Gods ene­mies, as a generation of hypocrites.

Integrity hath a double universalitie in it; all Gods precepts are obeyed, alwayes: a friend loves at all times; it doth not di­vide Christ, to day, nor to morrow, nor never will; his bowels will not beare it: all truth is of everlasting sweetnesse, in a sound soule. Christ is the bright morning Star: a Star holds its glory, 'tis al­wayes admirable, a man admires it to day, and admires to morrow, and so as long as he liveth; So is Christ, in the eye of him, which indeed seeth him. The Land in which wee live is stony ground; Love withers, it doth so very frequently; men that were friends fall off, and become enemies: Apostate are the worst enemies Christ [Page 221] hath, yet how many doth this time make! The Land is full of A­postates, therefore it groanes; God is avenging himselfe upon these enemies first, fire goeth before him, and burnes up these enemies round about, Psal. 97.3. The most notorious are made examplary amongst us; 'tis so in the proceedings of God. All the adversaries of the Lord should tremble, when some are executed, and learne instruction by his judgements: that wrath is kindled which will burne you all; such of you as are not burnt here, will be burnt in hell. Wrath is a flame that never goes out; it runs all along upon the earth, as 'tis said of the fire which burnt every greene thing in Pharaohs time; so this burnes every flourishing wicked person, first or last, here or hereafter.

Adversaries of the Lord, cease your course: could one say no­thing of the abilitie which Christ hath, to right himselfe upon his enemies, yet 'tis pitie he should have any enemies he is so good: he keeps up the earth you goe upon, the heavens you breath in, they would come together else, and crush you in the midst; Heaven and earth are full of Gods goodnesse, though you be bad: you live in the fruition of these, and thousands more as bad as you, and yet he doth not grudge your enjoyment: Christ beds you, and boards you; where ever you make a meale, you sit at his Table, and live upon his expence every day: he gives you your daily bread, all comes out of his Treasure, who ever be the purse-bearer, and he payes the Reckoning, who ever carries it to the hoast. And now will you, nay, can you be enemies to such a friend, and cut his throat like Ju­das at his own Table? Christ is the spirit of your bloud, the red bloud of your cheeks, the white sinewes of your joynts, the marrow of your bones, the breath of your nostrills, and can you be enemies to such a friend? Christ numbers your haires, writes downe your members, presses all the creatures in the world, to serve and defend you, and will ye not love him? Can you be enemies to him, or any of his? Christ is naturally good, and he is morally good; he is pa­tient, long-suffering, abundant in this goodnesse. You have been transgressors from the wombe, from the Cradle you have fought against Christ, making your members your weapons, & you would have killed him long ago if you could, & yet he hath not killed you. You have multiplied your transgressions, so that you have made the heavens weepe now for many dayes together; and the earth to [Page 222] bleed now for many moneths together, you have pressed the Lord, and all the Creation with your sins, and yet you are at ease, though all these be in paine. You have been prodigalls, following excesse of riot, chambering, and wantonnesse, and yet Justice hath not eate the nose off your faces, the flesh off your bones, nor rotted you limbe by limbe alive, to defraud the grave of her due; and yet can you be enemies to this God? Finally, Christ is not onely naturally good, and morally good, but divinely good, he is not onely patient, but mercifull, not onely slow to wrath, but ready to forgive; though you have been bloudy enemies, yet he is ready to cleanse your scar­let sinnes; during all the times you have continued enemies, plotted against him, he hath not plotted against, but for you. When wee were enemies, God gave his Son. Let my Son goe out of my bosome, saith the Father, and let him goe to a wretched world, amongst millions of enemies, and let him preach to them, pray for them, bleed over them, die for them, that they may not die. Can you now doe any other, but love this God, and love this Christ? I can say no more, would I could weep out the rest, for all the enemies of the Lord, which these words will not work upon.

TRees which grow high and spread much, root deep; so doth sin: nothing growes higher, nor spreads broader then sin; it spreads over the world. The world lies in wickednesse. The height of sin is answerable, if one should speake of it under such a metaphor; it reaches up to heaven. The cry of your sin is come to heaven, saith God of the sin of the people of old. And sinners are set out as climbers up to heaven, Amos 9.2. Sin is a Tree that rooteth deep, as well as shooteth high. The heart is deep, saith the Scripture, and sin roots there. If you see a man an enemy in his tongue, or in his hand, by wicked works, the roote of this is in his minde. Enemies in your minde by wicked works.

1 The prime seat of sin, may be our subject a while to insist on, which is in the soule. Seeds are sowne where they may grow best; [Page 223] so doth the evill man sow Tares, where they may take and live, and that's in the minde. The soule is fit mould, to give nourishment to sin, 'twill assimulate, 'twill transforme, and become one with that, which gets into it. No substance, that can or will, so mould, or consubstantiate it selfe with Satan, as the soule of man. Every substance will not inocculate, because there is not a fitnesse between all substances, to assimulate, and consubstantiate, sap and vigour will not digest themselves together. The soule is a Crabstock, fit to graffe any forbidden fruit upon, it will naturally give out all its sap. The advantage of property is all, to make such a life, and in such abundance. The soule is, I cannot say blessed, but cursed, to fruitfulnesse in evill, as the ground is to Bryars and Thornes: the minde is dunged ground by divine wrath, for every root of bitter­nesse; in it are passions to keepe sin warme, faculties to make legs, armes, eyes, any member for it, to work, provide, and defend it selfe, as can be imagined sufficient for any thing to subsist withall. The soule is a fountaine of life, and that which lives in this, must needs live, and thrive well. As the soule when it is seated in Gods breast, who is the fountaine of life, then its full of such a noble life, and so, by such an advantage of neernesse to him that is all: so in a proportion 'tis with lower things; that which bosomes its selfe in the soule, is planted by the rivers sides, tis in the fountaine of na­turall life, it must needs live therefore and thrive much, because of that advantage it hath, of neernesse to, and ones with, a substance so vigorous, and congruous to it.

2 Sin is seated where it may best reigne, that's in the minde; what conquers the heart, carries all, and gives lawes to all; the minde is the sterne of the vessell, a supreame power within, a finger of God out of fight, which turnes the whole vessell, that which gets, and orders this, necessarily gets and orders all. The Philistians strucke at that in Sompson, by which they might be sure to rule him, and lead him whither they listed, though a strong man; they put out his eyes. These Philistians were a type of the Devill in that act: man was a strong creature, and that which Satan strucke at was his eyes, darkened his minde, saith the Apostle, & then leads him whither he listed. Where Satan struck at first, there he strikes still, where he seated himselfe then, he abides now. When he would make a Hamon, a proud man, where doth he begin to accomplish this? [Page 224] Within; he puffs up the minde first, and then blowes up all: Vain­ly puft up with their fleshly minde; Satan makes the spirit fleshly first, and then makes all fleshly. If the eye be dark, if the heart be carnnall, all is so. 'Tis not enough to Satan to live, he is a Prince, seeks a kingdome, and so plants and seats himself, as to be Lord over all, where he sits down, and this can be no where but in the mind.

3 Finally, sin is so seated, where it may best reigne, and best ruine, where it may be most lively, and most deadly. Inward diseases are most mortall. There was a plague of the skin, and a plague of the skull, Levit. 13.31. If the plague go deeper then the skin, then saith God, it is a plague of the skull, and the person must be shut out from all his friends. I may tell you, that there is a plague, which goeth deeper then the skin, yea, and deeper then the skull; a plague of the brain, and of the minde, and this is mortall; it shuts out from heaven, and all good. Plagues that go deeper then the skull, exclude from all: They do erre in their hearts, and they have not known my wayes; their plague was deeper then the skull, it reached their hearts, and observe what followed, they were shut out with a witnesse: So I sware in my wrath, they should not enter into my rest, Hebr. 3.10. That which goes to the heart kills, and cuts off for ever; the Devill seated in the soul, that soul is lost for ever, such a one shall never have rest, for God hath sworn it.

Ʋse. You see where Sin and Satan are seated naturally. Are they dis­seated by grace? 'Tis the greatest blessing in the world, to get Sin and Satan throughly out of the minde. I am affraid, that few of you consider your own danger, there is malignity in you, you have taken poyson down in the first Adam, hath the second given you any vomit, and made you throw it up? Physicians purge your bodies; Doth Christ purge your mindes, and your consciences from defilement? Within lies defilement, which if not purged out, will spoile us for ever. Naboths vineyard was gotten into Ahabs minde, 'twas neerer to him internally, then externally; though in the latter sense it lay very neer, and it proved mortall to him; he sickn'd upon it, and died for ever.

1 Observe well with what vigour you sin, if you would finde how sin is seated; action that comes from the mind, is intent. Thoughts beat, pangs are strong, the party is with childe, what it longs for, [Page 225] it must have, or it dies; this is minding sin, or sin gotten into the minde, which was the case of Ahab, before mentioned. Sin gotten into the minde, nothing can beat it out. 'Tis sad to consider how some men sleep, how some men talk, and walk in their sleep, yea, how they talk and walk when they are awake, just as if they were asleep, especially, if one be talking to them of heavenly things. 'Tis dolefull to consider, how some sit here for an hour; thoughts quite gone, to this thing, and to that. Ah wretches! vanity is got into your minds, it holds its seat there, the plague of it is this; God cannot enter, the soul will be vexed to death, 'twill become a sot, or a Bedlam.

2 Observe with what continuation you sin. Action is lasting that comes from the minde, the minde is an untired power that way it takes; only evill, and that continually, Gen. 6.5. Such another power is Satan; Satan roars like a Lion, one would think, it should tear his throat, such violent action, one would think, should make him breast, and lung-soare, and tire him out; yet it doth not, he goes about gaping and roaring, day and night, and never gives off; he is cordiall in what he doth, he mindes evill, and this is the ground why he is untired. The minde is an untired power, that way it takes in all creatures; the spirit evill, and it is so only and conti­nually. What the heart is taken up with, 'tis very intense at it; so that one may in a manner say, that its only about such a thing, and then it holds its vigor; thus is the soul towards one sin or other, whilest corruption keeps it's seat in the mind. There is a busie im­mortall substance in the midst of you, 'twere well, if you did know about what. Some minde earthly things, saith the Apostle, (i.) upon the matter only, and continually; this man is carnally minded, and it will be his death, if God be not gracious to him. If sin hold its seat in the minde against all means, there is no way but one with the man, if sin die not in the soul, the soul dies in it; Ye shall die in your sins.

'Tis the greatest blessing in the world to get sin throughly out of the mind, not only by way of negation, but by way of actu­all fruition, not privatively only, but positively too. Sin throughly out of the minde, and the soul is altogether in heaven. That which cuts our wings, when we would mount up where Christ is, is that so many naughty things are in our mindes. Contemplation pure, and the man is an Angel, taken up wholly with the admiring of [Page 226] God, and the glory of another world. Sin throughly out of the mind, and all tears are wiped from the eyes already. What makes mourning and sadnesse amongst Saints here, but that sin keeps still in their minds, the evill working of their mindes? The minde pure, and conscience is quiet, peace is setled; nothing can burthen when the minde is free. Sin throughly out of the minde, and it becomes presently the Presence-chamber of the great King; in no creature is Christ so present, as in a pure minde, the full explanation of this is above us.

ACcording to the former reading of these words, we were led to consider the seat of sin; and according to this reading, we are led to consider the voluntarinesse of sin. We are pressed to many externall services of men, but we are by nature the Devils vo­lunteers, so and so bad, and with our mindes desperately set against Christ, and this with our minde: Enemies with your minde. The expression speaks intention. Some things we do, that which we do not mean; the will is redeemed, corruption not emptied, this up­on advantage surprizes, and carries the soul captive to what it did never intend; this is transgression of the rule, but not sinning wil­lingly, (i.) with the minde; a captive under another, is no vo­lunteer. I finde a law in my members, carrying me captive to the law of sin. Powers within clash sometimes, severall things in view, which to be followed, not agreed: debates determined, the way proposed: actus voluntarius, est actus pleno consensu, pursued with full consent, is an act with the minde. And if a Levite come from any of thy gates, out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his minde, be colarath naphsho, in all the desire of his minde, then he shall minister in the Name of the Lord his God, Deut. 18.6. There is preaching but of constraint, not with a ready minde, not toto de­siderio animae, (i.) not with intention, nor approbation. So there is living, and walking in wayes that are divine, but not toto desiderio, [Page 227] with a whole desire, but with constraint. As about good things, so about bad: some sin from a coercive power, not with a whole de­sire of the minde. There is reluctatio debilis, & reluctatio fortis, a weak reluctancy, and a strong reluctancy: in acts of evill with the minde, there may be weak reluctation, because conscience stings, wrath and justice hems about the sinner sometimes, so that he goes affrightedly along in his course, yet this is consistent with full con­sent. Pharaoh and Judas had this kinde of reluctation in their course, and yet were enemies with their minde, and fully consent­ing to what was done against Christ.

The expression speaks extention, all powers fully consenting, and all powers to the utmost acting, to perform what is chosen and consented to. Things naturally grown to bring forth, venture one life to bring forth another, and all pangs and throws nothing, so the birth may be, though but a monster when born. What is with all the heart, is with all the might, they are joyned together in ex­pression, as they are in order of nature in working. Enemies with your minde, and enemies with your might, with full purpose, and with full endeavour; if with the heart, then with both hands, as the Prophet speaks; yea, with every finger, with every toe: An enemie with the minde, 'tis one that fills his hand to the Devill, as the expression is in another kinde, 1 Chro. 29.5. 'Twas Davids speech, when they were offering of jewels and wealth to the House of the Lord. Who then it willing to consecrate his service this day to the Lord, Lemmalloth jado haijom, &c. to fill his hand this day to the Lord, saith the originall. An enemy with the heart, is one that fills his hand to the Devill, that offers like a Prince to the prince of darknesse, that fills his hand with his heart in every action, that sends forth every spirit, the soul and all that is within him, into every part without him, to stand against Christ; 'tis one that doth draw out all to accomplish all that a corrupt heart thirsts after; he doth, [...], do the wills of the flesh, as the Apostle speaks, (i.) not one thing that the flesh lusts after, but every thing it lusts after. You say of a servant, that he is a willing servant, when he gives his minde to serve you, (i.) when he doth every thing you bid him; not when he does one thing, and neg­lects another thing which you bid him, but when he doth your wills, when he applies himself to serve you in all your command, [Page 228] then you say, hee serves you with his minde.

Ʋse. 'Tis a bad state this; yet too common: as you finde your condi­tion laid open, so own it. Lust will run its course, and then make its own construction of all. Every mans last shift is, when evill becomes open and ugly, he did it against his will. 'Twere well if a sinners sentence of himself would stand, when Christ comes to sentence all things over again: 'Tis sad, when a mans servant shall lie out night after night, and told of it, and yet continue it, and stand in it, that all was against his will; so doth your souls lie out of Christs bosome day after day, and night after night, and you have been told of it, and whipt for it, and yet so you have continued, and is all against your will? If will be so innocent, why are you so unmoved in evill? Full of action, and yet without any passion; you can do any thing to accomplish carnall ends, and lay nothing to heart to break your sleep a wink. With a light companion, and a pipe of Tobacco, you can whiffe away any thing that gathers about your heart, and yet none must believe that you are not hearty in your way. Art will put off bad wares, but 'twill not a bad heart: Let's hear no more pleading for self, there needs no other demonstra­tion of a willing transgressor. Own your condition, and what is due to it: You are enemies with your mindes against God, and so he will be against you; you shall be punished with plague after plague, and God will never repent. You sin, and sin, and never re­pent, so will God judge you: When God lays any sad thing upon his people, he doth not afflict willingly; his people do not sin wil­lingly, they repent; in like proportion doth God carry himself to­wards them. You do evill with both hands, so shall justice fight against you, and wo to that soul that God strikes with all his heart, and with all his might. God will laugh at your destruction: hear­ty sinners, God will be very hearty in all those acts which fit you for your home. Two in full carreer, one against another, one will be spoiled, and surely 'twill be that man that doth run with his mind against the Lord.

Remedy must be speedy; two enemies that set to it with their minde, will dispatch one another quickly, if they be not parted. Wilfull sinners, you cannot strike so desperately against God, as he doth against you; every blow is upon your heart, he is turning that into a stone, which work done, you will sink presently, like [Page 229] Pharaoh. Properties are not suspended; when you are once sinking, ah Lord! what will you catch hold on? what can you catch hold on, to keep you out of hell? Doth a stone use any struggling to keep up, when 'tis falling downe? Wilfull sinners, this is your judgement written in your foreheads, you will goe laughing, like Bedlams, to everlasting chaines: you will have no booke, nor aske for none. Will as it runs its course, swels bigger and bigger, and it swels so big at last, that it will breake eternally, rather then stoop to God or man. If this be the case of any sinner here, let him tie a handkerchiefe about his eyes, the halter is about his neck, he will be turned off suddenly, ere he is aware. Wilfull sinners need re­medie speedily, but of all sorts are most untractable to it: much must be done from heaven, to stop a Balaam, ere he would give back, will was so perverse. You that are Balaams, must consider how God hath now drawne his sword against you from Heaven, and give backe, or you cannot long escape. Consider how many wilfull sinners God hath slaine in these few moneths; Bathe and soak your stubborne hearts in their bloud. What a wonder is it, that I am not yet cut off! My will hath killed many, but hath not killed me yet: it may be God hath mercy in store for mee, it may be he will make me a pattern of long-suffering, as he did Saul. I have but one thing to say to you all; O that will were throughly slaine, if this were throughly slaine, we should have no more die.

ACtion is the maturitie of conception; the creature in externall motion to some end; one spinning out his bowels into a cu­rious engine, to live upon and delight in. Action is in some crea­tures, purely naturall, and then instinct, a noble vertue in nature unexpressible, guides: workes from hence are some very usefull, others very hurtfull to us, yet none properly called wicked, because all the proper acts of such creatures, in their kinde. Action is in o­ther creatures called morall; the staine of this action wee are to stand upon, (to wit) what it is that speakes the actions of a man wicked.

[Page 230] 1 Morall action is as fine linnen, 'twill quickly take staine from many things. Action may be called wicked, from the actor of it; that which may be righteous to one, may be sinfull and wicked to another. 'Twas a wicked thing for Ʋzza to touch the Arke, not materially, but efficiently, because he did it. Fire burnes downe all sometimes, and a man knows not whence it springs. Unqualified men will be medling with divine things, and thinke this is their sanctitie, and 'tis their killing iniquitie. We beget in our own like­nesse as Adam did: what the man is, that is his worke. To the un­cleane, all things are uncleane, their hearing, reading, praying, wick­ed works. Actions name persons, and persons name actions. What hast [thou] to doe to take my name in thy mouth? [your] solemne meetings are an abomination.

2 Action may be called wicked, from the matter of it; the breath of the man may poyson the messe, or the ingredients which he puts into it. And if yee offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evill? and if yee offer the lame, and the sicke, is it not evill? A good man may doe a wicked act: the lampe gone out, zeale for God fallen, and the man takes up a dead dog, and offers it to God, he brings a dead stink­ing carkasse, and sets it close under Gods nostrills: what abomina­ble wickednesse is that! Isaac must have that which his soul loved, what paine soever be used to get it. Every dish would not downe with the Patriarch: so every dish is not savoury meate to God, he must have venison, how hard soever we hunt for it. What action is unfavoury, is wicked. Persons want salt sometimes. If that have lost its savour, cast it to the dunghill, this is spoken of persons: so actions want salt sometimes. If actions have lost their savour, cast them to the dunghill, saith the Lord, as abominable things. Weaknesse or wantonnesse of palate is not with God, but perfecti­on of will: What he commands for offering, is our obedience to bring; to bring lesse is wicked, to bring more is wicked; to adde or detract is wicked action, according to the matter; To have Al­tars at Dan and Bethel, when that at Jerusalem was enough, to set up posts, to helpe beare up Gods post, and make his house of more roomes, and more rafters then he has made it, is wicked action.

3 Action may be called wicked, from the forme of it; 'tis not e­nough that there be good metall, but there must be a good mould, [Page 231] to make a good bell. Christian action is a piece full of art, it must be so cast, as to carry the image and face of Christ in it, or else 'tis wicked. God lookes for his image in our persons, and in our acti­ons, or else he disclaimes both as wicked. There is the matter of dutie, and the circumstance, and both under expresse command. You shall doe this, and you shall doe it thus: pray and pray fer­vently; give and give liberally; rule and rule diligently; in the obser­vation of these circumstances, consists the formalitie of action, in these small lines lies the feature of Christ, the forme of his counte­nance; hit these and you hit the white: these observed, and a Chri­stian brings forth a childe like God, such a one as will own God, and God it any where. Hypocrisie draws out her selfe, not Christ in action, when matter is allowed of, but manner of divine action must depend upon the humour of the man. A humerous Christian allowes such and such dishes at Wisdomes table, but he will sower or sweeten them himselfe, and eate what he will, and when he will; a line of his own will must be read and observed in every busi­nesse, or else he is no body: this is wicked action. Life is the sum of action, this must be hid quite in the life of Christ, or else the life is wicked. [Not I] but Christ lives in me. If I act so that any thing of selfe lives in the action (i) that a mans own will orders the will of God in any thing, though but in the least circumstance, 'tis wic­ked action: Formalitie in action, speakes the exactnesse of it to rule.

4 Finally, Action is called wicked from the end of it: the glory of Christ is the end of action, what misseth this scope is wicked. You may extract oyle from any thing, but what gives it naturally is called an Olive tree. You may force speech upon a bird, but what intends such an act, that creature which intends a word, and purposeth such a signification to others, is a man. So supreame power can force any creature in the world, to doe such and such service to him, but that which doth propose and intend such ser­vice to the Lord God, and to and for his glory onely, that is called Christian action. Some run as a byassed bowle, with an acciden­tall inclination to good: put some ponderous thing into one side of a bowle, as Lead, or the like, and 'twill incline it in running, to the right hand or to the left, but it hath this inclination meerly ac­cidentall; take out the weight in the side, 'twill not doe so, but run [Page 232] round as it is: so put silver enough in the pockets of some persons, fill the hole in the side of the bowle, and the man will worke hard and run which way you will have him; this man seekes not you but yours, not the glory of Christ, but his belly; he aimes at him­selfe, therefore shoots naught, 'tis wicked action. Intention in acti­on, is with more or lesse strength; where 'tis with much strength, what is aimed at, though it be never so wicked, is made compla­centiall to the soule, which makes wicked action notoriously wick­ed. Scope is universally naught, where hypocrisie is thick and deep. They doe all things to be seene of men, this is action abominably wick­ed. Aime is the first thing stirring, though the last thing accom­plished. Action is at the very root rotten and wicked, when inten­tion is awry, therefore is this action called wicked with emphasis, violation of Gods will, and loving of it. The Lord loveth the righte­ous, but the wicked and him that loveth violence, his soule he hateth, Psal. 11.5. He is set a degree beyond a wicked man, (i.) beyond ordinary wicked men. The wicked [and him that loveth violence]; that loveth violence (i) that doth aime at it, and make it his scope, as his life and pleasure; this is so wicked, that it goes to the soule of God, because 'tis complacentiall sin.

Ʋse. Motion is a tickle thing, your life is rapt up in it. You should not worke at randome; with your owne hands you my cut your throats; by your works you shall be judged or justified; if they be judged wicked, so shall you, and be made to eate the fruit of your wayes for ever. Man is a rude creature; 'tis too strict to worke by rule, any thing done is enough. Yea 'tis enough, well enough, to be called wicked enough, to judge you. Carelesnesse is a graduall thing, man begins to be remisse a little about his worke, and then a little more, at last by divine judgement upon the soule, the man throwes off all care and conscience, how he doth his dutie to God or man. Am I my brothers keeper? This spake he who a little before said as much in action to God himself, by a carnall offering to him. Consider seriously at what pitch and posture of remisnesse in divine action you are, if you doe ill tremblingly, stop there, acknowledge that power within, that jogges you to look better to your way: if the feare of God be quite gone, that you doe wickedly freely, merrily, thinke of that of Solomon, that God will bring every worke in­to judgement. Wicked workes have a double judgement, a judgement [Page 233] here and hereafter. All motion to well being is succeslesse, much got­ten comes to nothing, because heaped together by wicked workes; Name withers, state, yea, strength withers; judged without, and judged within; Conscience lights a fire with some wicked worke or other, and no worke so good can be wrought as to quench it. They shall feele a paine in their bellies, saith the text, Job 20.20. What you worke outward, God makes to worke inward in the guts, to torture there, and make roaring. You that make nothing to speake wickedly, and doe wickedly, God makes as light to doe justly. You are undone sinners, if God ingrave but one wicked worke up­on your conscience, this will ever be before you, and then a devill will ever be behind you, and between these two you will erect a gib­bet, and hang your selves, if the Lord be not gracious, and what a fatall wicked worke will this be!

Some heare such things as these, and then goe merrily to mend­ing their workes in all post haste, and never thinke of their hearts nor Christ. The hand goes after the heart: doe yee look without? look within too, if ever you meane to mend things. In sin was I borne, saith David, when he looked upon that bloudy wickednesse against Ʋriah. Alas for me! I brought a wicked soule with me into the world, this hath brought forth this horrid and bloudy act into the world. My misery lies deeper then every one is aware. I shall shed bloud againe and againe, I shall make Ʋriahs bloud touch the bloud of many other men, if the Lord be not mercifull to my wicked soule. Doth thy hand worke naught? use it to smite thine heart, that's the first step to get it to move well. O if Christ were in my heart, I should worke admirable well. I can doe all things through Christ, yea and I can doe all well. There needs many things in the soule, to make action holy: exact knowledge, exact faith, &c. and Christ is all these. In the darke men worke naugh­tily: a blind soule cannot act well. Action must be squared by truth, but ignorant persons know not the rule. Christ is light, he is so in the darkest soule; as a pearle he sparkles and glisters in a dun­geon, in what ever breast, in what ever darke cell you put him. Scales fell from Pauls eyes, but 'twas Christ in him that did it, and he knew Christ presently, and to doing good workes he would goe presently. Lord, what wilt thou have me to doe? He understood much in a little while, his Master, his service, and wanted nothing but di­vine [Page 234] mission, as before he had diabolicall. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? A man is made very knowing with one Tutor.

Affection tends to make good action; If I do this, and that, and have not love. Love alone doth not well; If the blinde lead the blind, &c. Here is a great deal of love, but both fall into the ditch, and drown both it and themselves. Light and love toge­ther do well; Christ is both, he is a light of life in the soul where he is. Coldnesse is the property of a stone, there is no soul in this body, a stone stirs not, unlesse it be downward. Folly talks to the grief of the wise; I do not love sudden pangs: some will do great matters presently, and what noble works they will per­form, when in the company of some, a little warmer then them­selves, and no sooner these more lively spirits departed from them, but they return to their proper temper, as cold as stones, and doing nothing but descending downward to their place; these mens ears were warmed, and not their hearts. The heart fired with love to Christ, 'twill give name, state, every drop of blood to Christ, and these are noble works indeed. Noble actions are of severall sorts, that's the noblest that offers up all to Christ, that forsakes all to follow him, father, mother, husband, wife, self; love doth this, she offers nothing but whole burnt-offerings, holocausts.

Finally, faith also bears its proper part, to make a good work. 'Tis the highest art in the world to do a good work; a man must pray with the mouth of Christ, and then 'tis a good prayer; a man must give with the hand of Christ, and then 'tis good almes: a man must do all that Christ sayes, but then must lean only upon what Christ is, to make a good action. A man must do all, and then undo all, to make it throughly good, (i.) deny all, and ac­count all my actions nothing, my self nothing, and make Christ as fully and purely all to rest on, as if I had never so much as thought one good thought, in all my life. A man not himself, is but a bad Artificer, but a Christian, when not himself, (i.) when out of himself, is a brave Artist; then a Christian works bravely, no­bly, heavenly indeed, when quite off himself, and wholly in the bosome and armes of Christ, in all he doth. There go many things to make up this or that secular thing good, but one to make a Divine good, to wit Christ; there is none good but one, and there is none that properly does good but one, to wit, Christ. [Page 235] There is as few good Artists for the practick part of Christianity, as of any calling; many actions go through our hands only and never through the hands of Christ, and these are all lost as wicked works. All that goes out of our hands, must be put by faith into the hands of Christ, then 'tis maturated, and shall meet us as so many royall Diadems, to adorn us for ever.

You see now the way to work well, thus work, and your work will be work and wages; 'Tis a very sweet life, to do all in Christ. Things are very lively and contentfull in their own element: Set a Lark to flie in the open aire, 'tis his element, 'tis his heaven, he will flie upward, upward, which is very hard work, and yet he will do this, and sing too. The breast of Christ is the proper element of a Christian, and when here, a man works nimbly, he works and sings too, goes upward towards that place above, which is very hard work, and yet sings as he goes, because he has such silver wings from Christ. If ye abide in me, saith Christ, ye will do bravely, you will bring forth good works, as a Garden, as a Vine doth fruits, smi­lingly. Let's work as Christ did, and we shall finde our work as he did; 'twas meat and drink to him to do his Fathers will; his works were all works wrought in God, as the Apostle speaks. Let a Christian set himself in Christ, when he goes about any action, and he shall finde his work will be very sweet, work and wages, his meat and drink. No motion so free and delightfull as Christian moti­on; where 'tis purely Christian. We set upon work out of Christ, and then the Chariot wheels move heavily, and we look sadly, and are tired presently, Christs sayings are so hard to be done; by this a stumbling block is cast before men of the world, the works and wayes of God evill spoken of. To work divine works, is the joy­fullest, the sweetest life in the world, if a man take the advantage of his work, that is, Christ with him in every thing; a Christian and Christ will do any thing with ease, remove mountains, sins, harder to be removed then mountains, and stand and smile to behold the plagues of death: O death, I will be thy plagues; to be the plagues of the king of plagues, is brave action indeed. A man might speak more consolatory from this point. Every workman in Christs Vineyard, hath a peny here, and Christs peny is more then any ones pound, but I cannot stand to sum up this now.

THe love of God is wholly dispensed as love; 'tis in giving out as in taking in, all along free, birth bears it not to this ra­ther then to that. Not many noble, &c. friends work it not; there is but one Mediator, but one favourite in all the world, that appears in the presence of God about any such thing, and he is no respecter of persons. The vilest as soon as those that are more beholding to nature, obtain grace. And ye that were sometimes alienated, and ene­mies in your minde by wicked works, [yet now hath he reconciled].

Reconciliation in the formality of it, I have already handled, this therefore I shall not meddle with again, neither is it that which the Holy Ghost doth principally point at here; but as you see by reading the whole verse, one inviting property of reconciliation, is most aim'd at, to wit, that the favour of God goes forth to all sorts, that there is nothing in one sort of persons more then another, to invite or discourage God, to dispence his eternall grace; all sorts, and all at one price, may obtain the favour of God, (i.)

Doctr. The Grace of God unto life is in all respects free; and this is that sweet property of reconciliation, which according to the scope of this place, and the necessity of many poor souls at this time, I would demonstrate to you.

1 The love of God is compared to a Feast; in feasting men are free, if men be not, God is, and you will say so, if some circumstances in his feasting be observed.Ʋniversally. God doth invite universally: You make feasts, but yet every one may not come; God sets no such bound, nor makes no such distinction of persons. Ho, every one, [as many as you shall find] bid to the marriage, Matth. 22.9. The heavens are generall in their influence, not one grasse on the ground, but dewed. The Ark had of all sorts brought into it; from the East, West, North and South, come and sit downe in the Kingdome of God: As persons are in estate, so they invite, and so they feast. Christ is a great King over all the earth, and so he invites over all the earth; he hath one house that will hold all, he hath one table that will hold all; yea, he hath one dish that will serve all, and answerably he invites, Ho, every one that thirsts. If [Page 237] there be any thing looked at in those which Christ invites, 'tis something within, not any thing without. If the man be lame, blinde, halt, if he be bodily soare, yet its nothing; if he would sit at Gods table, and if he would have crums or flagons, this is all that is looked at.

God doth universally invite, and he doth affectionatly invite,Affectionatly. which loudly speaks his love free. The world is deaf; 'twould dis­courage any one to make a feast for a company of deaf folks, stocks and blocks, that one must strain ones lungs, to make them heare, and yet it doth not discourage God; certainly his love is very af­fectionate, God doth lay his mouth to the eare of the deaf, and cries aloud, [Ho] every one that thirsts. John was a crier in the Wildernesse, he did Christs work; so are we at this day, and the injunction is, to cry aloud like a trumpet; spirits, lungs, nothing to be spared, in expression of Gods affection to mans eternall good. Souls are precious to God, distresse is laid to heart as 'tis: bowels sound, lungs sound, [Ho] every one, &c. vocations, interjecti­ons, &c. speaks very affectionate motion towards the distressed: Why will you die, O Jerusalem? Matters of weight move not us, we make expression from no impression; God smites his heart again and again, and then speaks and proffers love. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee, O Judah? how shall I give thee up? God calls and knocks, and waites; he calls and beseeches; calls and weeps: what he utters is from his heart, that it may go to our heart. Things are so molded and shaped, as to make their own way: Eve­ry word of God, hath so much Majesty and sweetnesse, conviction and consolation, which plainly speaks him very free, and willing to be reconciled to man. Who puts on such apparell when he wooes a Spouse, as Christ does? Who speaks such effectuall words, or presents such precious jewels when he wooes, as Christ doth?

2 I will give you something else to demonstrate this thing to you. God pursues prerogative altogether in his gracious dispensations: Grace must needs be in all respects free, because no obligement is upon God, to give to this, rather then to that. I will have mer­cy on whom I will have mercy. The counsell of Gods will, is his guide: Mercy goes forth and embraces this or that person, and not from any respect else, but Gods will; he does all things ac­cording to the counsell of his will: Prerogative carries all with him. [Page 238] God is free, and will be free, to give what he will, to whom he will; he hath no respect nor obligement upon him, nor will have: I will have mercy upon whom I will; men proffer to some persons this or that, to induce them to do this or that for them, and they say no; what we do, we will do freely: God is such a noble Spirit. The whole creation is spiritually turned into a Chaos, darknesse is upon the face of the deep, upon the deepest understanding; every soule under heaven, without form and void of God. As all things were then materially, as clay in the hands of the Potter, free for God to shape how he would, one to this, another to that; so are we now spiritually: and as then he was led in the old creation by his will, so is he now in the new creation, and by nothing else; the will of none interrupts or swayes a jot with God. Of his own will be begat us by the Word of truth, Jam. 1.18. Not any thing with­out God swayes him, in what he does in the old creation or in the new, and therefore all that comes forth from him is free, and can be no otherwise.

3 I will give you an argument more of this nature, and then the use of all; not a creature upon the face of the earth that can pre­sent any thing of his own to God to draw love, and to make friend­ship in the least kinde. Distance and disparitie is so great between some persons, that there is an utter incapacitie in one side, to make and ingage the other. What can a begger, a vagabond, present a Prince with, to make his favour, if he would be made with a gift. The case is ours; out of naught comes naught; we are naught and nothing else, and can present nothing else to him who is nothing but good. There is [no soundnesse] in us, Esa. 1. 'Tis a remarkable expression, if we had any soundnesse, and 'twere but very light, we might present that to attract and make friendship and love, and so with something of our own, help by art a bad condition; but there is no soundnesse in us from the crown of the head, to the sole of the foot. What grace doth by degrees in a very long space of time, that sin did presently. Grace doth purge wholly, but 'tis long first. The God of peace sanctifie you [wholly] &c. Sin corrupts wholly pre­sently; as soone as ever Adam transgressed, it did as some strong poyson, run quite over him presently, so that we are become as the Psalmist saith, Altogether filthy, Psal. 14.3. Such as are altogether filthy, cannot offer any thing of their own altogether cleane, and [Page 239] yet so it must be, to him who is altogether so, or else it obtaines no­thing with him; and therefore 'tis that the Scripture speakes of our righteousnesse, as menstruous ragges.

Ʋse. I have now shewed, you that mercy cannot be merited, but ju­stice may. The favour of God goes for nothing in man, but the wrath of God goes forth alwayes for something in man: a course of sin should be trembled at: ah Lord, what will this bring about? My goodnesse extends not to God, but my wickednesse doth. My grace merits nothing, but my sin merits much. A man may doe enough to deserve hell quickly. The troubles of the whole Land are many, every Country dyed with bloud; I know how folkes speake of all this, yet not a drop of bloud more shed, then merited. If thy many wounds and much bleeding prove mortall, O England, thy death will be but just desert. 'Twere well if what now is upon us, were all we have deserved, we should then give a guesse, when our troubles would end, whereas now we can give none. A person or Nation pursued according to merit, perisheth unavoydably. The wages of sin is death: Our remedie is free mercy, that God breake off from what he is yet but entred upon, to wit, judgement; for if he goe on to doe but justice, woe unto us all, he will finde matter enough to keep justice alive, till every person in the Land be dead. See Esa. 9. He shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry, and he shall eate on the left hand, and not be satisfied; they shall eate every man the flesh of his own arme, Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, &c. And for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still, vers. 20, 21. Justice will finde worke a great while, if this be onely imployed about a people, 'twill eate out all and looke over the hatch for more. For all this his anger is not put away, &c. When justice hath destroyed a whole Land, yet not a jot satisfied nor pacified, but stands ready to burne it againe and againe. Mercy finisheth her worke, that consummates the creature: justice finisheth her worke too, and this consumes the creature. When justice doth finish her worke, yet then 'tis righteous, 'tis in righteousnesse. He will finish his worke [in righteousnesse]. If this be the determination of God upon us, that justice shall finish her work in the middest of us, we are in a consumption, and can never reco­ver. He [will finish] his worke in righteousnesse, &c. That's a fatall sentence. If free grace intercept not, till justice hath finished her [Page 240] worke, 'twill eate us out all. Wee have deserved to die all; beate at heaven, to know whether the heart of God be hardened as yours is, and whether he be onely judiciarily bent against us. And whom he will he hardens, &c. Flint to flint, strikes nothing but fire. God hardened and we hardened, nothing but blowes and fire, will or can issue out of this. Plead with God for grace and compassion for the Land, or we cannot live.

More particularly, I would make application of this point. Grace is free in soule distresses, let us all feed upon this doctrine. God doth not choose us and imbrace us for our beautie, as Aha­suerus did Esther, and yet this is it that makes many poore soules, to shake off what they should take hold on. I am very filthy, preyed upon with this lust or that, & should such a one as I kisse the King of glory? Is there any reason to thinke, that he will take me into his armes, and make me his delight? Wee may not measure the wayes of God, by the wayes of man: Grace workes above reason, that which we can give no ground for, God doth: his love passeth knowledge, in the breadth, length, height, and depth of it, in the spring of it. Why is this man or that beloved? can any man give a ground, more then that which Paul doth? It [pleased] God to re­veale his Son in me. Nothing can be rendered as a reason of Gods love to any thing, but to Christ; if any thing incite him towards us, 'tis that which deters us from him, to wit, our desperate condi­tion. The poore man that lay wounded, when all passed by, Christ took compassion upon him. Grace doth so worke, as best to shew its own nature; the lesse you see in your selves, the lesse you can say for your selves, the likelier to find favour and friendship with God. Christ is come of purpose to make favour and friendship for such, that see themselves worthy of none. Let what will be said of this nature, yet tempted soules will put all off: something must be on my part, to get the favour of God, and I can doe nothing, I am under the power of darknesse, and cannot stirre a limbe: what can become of me but ruine? I cannot pray, nor heare, nor believe: yet thou maist be blessed. When we have no legs to goe forth to fetch in good things, they make legs to themselves, and come to us. As Solomon saith of riches, that they make wings to themselves, and flie away from us: so divine favours make wings and legs to them­selves, and come to us. Salvation is come to thy house. Joy comes in the [Page 241] morning. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. The doctrine in hand answers this objection too, grace is in all points, and ac­cording to all circumstances free. The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue; what to thinke, what to say, what to doe, to make you blessed, you shall have all from the Lord. Poore creatures, at an utter losse in themselves, conclude God is so too, otherwise why should you give up your condition as despe­rate? When you can doe no more, can Christ doe no more, to set the wheele of mercy going? Yes he can, but he will not for mee. Why? Because of this and that. This is all one to say, that his love is not fully free, which is a direct contradiction of the doctrine in hand. Grace hath riches in it, unsearchable riches, it workes be­yond what you can aske, beyond what you can thinke; it blots out uncleannesse, bloud, guilt, treason against the highest State; grieving, quenching, resisting the holy Ghost.

All this is to tempted Christians; to men in their carnall con­dition, a word more, and this discourse will end. Your condition is not supposedly miserable, but indeed so. You are not the peo­ple of God, you have not obtained mercy; and yet all this may be, because grace is in all respects free. Conscience though in a dead sleepe, is startled now and then, and then rages terribly; cuts and wounds, raves and teares, and then lies down againe, as your bed­lams doe; this is a wofull condition, and by so much the more wofull, because such pangs come and goe, and nothing done by them, but naked torment and despaire. Such distempers of soule, are much like those distempers of body, which you call convulsi­ons, falling sicknesse, it takes men by fits, upon changes of weather, condition, and the like: such as are troubled with these fits, should doe well to have in readinesse such Scriptures, as that 1 Pet. 2.10. Which in times past were not a people, which in times past had not obtained mercy, but now all is otherwise. And that Scripture, Ezek. 32.36. I will wash you, and cleanse you, but not for your sakes. Though at present you are such and such sinfull livers, you may have mer­cy from the Lord, and be changed. Diabolicall convulsions wry and wrest your mouthes and eyes gastly against good, and make you foame at mouth against Christ, and yet as fearfully wicked as you are, you may obtaine mercy. The Apostle speakes of such a generation as these in the text; And yee which were enemies in your [Page 242] minde, by wicked workes, hath he reconciled. God doth [...], and then he doth [...], beare mens manners, and then beares their soules out of them at last. If these things harden you in your sins, they will hasten your ruine; but if they melt you, and make you inquire after God, who is so sweet, so giving and forgiving, you will be blessed for ever.

CHrist can make worke with any instrument, out of the dust can he raise seed to Abraham: he assumes a body of flesh like ours, and in this body saves the soules of men. Earth is the basest Element, and yet out of this Christ makes a body, and doth by it the noblest things. The meane and low wayes that God goes in, to bring about the greatest and bra­vest workes, is wonderfull: he chooseth weake things, and with these destroys strong. Flesh is weake, and with this he destroys spi­rits, the strongest spirits, principalities, powers, all the enemies of our salvation: Yea he taketh things which are not, to bring to naught things which are. One is not, meaning Joseph, which was slaine, and by this one which was not, by this despised person, were all the rest made to stoop, yea by this one that was not, was all the rest, father and children sav'd. Joseph was in this a type of Christ, by taking a body, a humane body, he was sold into bondage, slaine; one that was not, and by this brought to nought things that are, sin, Satan, hell, and made the way open to heaven, which was shut with everlasting dores.

'Tis no matter what the instrument is, so the power used be vast. Sampson with a jaw-bone of an Asse, slew heapes upon heapes: the arme was mightie, though the instrument was weake and unlikely. The power Christ hath, to worke with, is absolute, he hath much with­in him, he needeth little without him, whether he hath any or none, it is all one, he is himselfe so mightie, he is a Sampson, every haire of his head stronger then a Goliah, every finger stronger then an arme, every glo [...]e of his eye, more terrible then legions of devills. [Page 243] Christ is the power of God, the great power of God, as they falsly said of the Sorcerer, he can with his own hand worke salvation. That which can doe a thing alone, can doe it with a small concur­rence; if the hand be the hand of Sampson, then whether a bone or feather be in that hand, 'tis all one, the worke intended, will be ac­complished, Sampson will be mortall to his enemies, and accomplish his will, what ever instrument he workes by. The things wee use must contribute joyntly with us, to the worke we set upon, because we are too weak for it, we take up no instrument, but wee borrow something from it which we need, and therefore picke and choose when wee take up tooles, lest we faile in our end. 'Tis not so with Christ, he takes up no instrument from necessitie, he is so compleat himselfe, and therefore any thing that comes next to hand, a jaw-bone, a sling, a nayle, a clod of earth, a body of flesh like ours, weapon enough to overthrow all the powers of darknesse.

'Tis no matter what the instrument be, so that it hath but the advantage of divine ordination to such an end. All the means that God useth are effectuall to his end, because he hath appointed them, and not for any cause or reason naturally in themselves. If there be no likely power in an instituted means, yet it shall accom­plish its end, because instituted. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, 'tis the power of God unto salvation. To speak a few plain words of a despised person, and think by this to convert the souls of men from their wicked wayes, and to bring them to hea­ven, and to wave a lofty strain of humane wisdome, more likely to take, I am not ashamed to do this; this course may seem folly, yet certainly it shall accomplish its work, 'twill be the power of God to salvation, because the will of God hath instituted it. That Christ should have such a frail instrument, and no other, to wit, a body of flesh, a substance capable of death, to conquer death with­all, was of Gods appointment; a body hast thou prepared for me, and therefore effectuall to such an end.

God eyes himself in all he doth by us: He doth so order action and instrument, as may most advance his own glory. When the instru­ment is great, God is little; we cannot see much of Christ, when he takes up much of any thing here below to do his will by. Mans argumentation generally, is very destructive to the glory of God: That hand which is most visible still, that did all. Saul hath slain [Page 244] his thousand, David his ten thousand, God none. God therefore leaves all which we so much look upon, and goes alone, and doth work with poor despised ones, which we cast off. The Stone which the builders refused, he must be head: Weak and unlikely things to sense, are trampled upon by us; Can death bring about heaven? Can base things bring about glory? Thus we reject and refuse things, and then God uses them, and then he is seen as God. The humanity of Christ was the fittest medium in the world, to demon­strate the Divinity of Christ by, to all the world. For such an or­gan as ours to be made do mighty things, made beholders put that question, What manner of man Christ was. We admire power, wisdome, and every attribute else, when they put forth themselves by poore and unlikely things, and not else. If means be likely to such an end, according to our reason, we usually never look at God, but bury the glory of all that is done, in instruments.

Enemies to Christ should tremble at this point. The kingdome of the Devill is strong, men are confident and rage, Round-heads shall not live a man of them: God suddenly blast this pride with a little power. Men despised for valour and skill, God makes to drink the blood of despisers, so he will do, 'tis his way. Great men, and great spirits, should abase themselves, if they will not, weak things, Worms, Flies, Frogs, shall devoure a king. The heart secretly riseth, but the man is openly puld down; the ruine of the stout-hearted is very notorious by two circumstances, in that it is done openly and utterly; that God useth weak means to over­throw strong, and so, as never to rise more: They sank as a stone, saith the Text. Doth a stone rise again? Jael nails Sisera to the ground, could he rise again? Ah! what is become of many thou­sands of the Lords enemies in this Land, which were mighty in battell? Are they not sunk as a stone, pinned to the ground, gone to their center, to their place, whence they cannot return, and this by poor despised means? With weake instruments God doth through work: David strikes down the Philistine, and that is not all, he is used to make sure work with him, he runs and cuts off his head, which shadowed out the utter ruine of the kingdome of the Devill by Christ a despised man. God is upon a design the world will not believe; not a man shall stand before him that stands against him: The baiers of the Lord shall be destroyed, that is, [Page 245] all of them. If any ask how this shall be, because things are so un­likely. I answer, The Lord creates evill; he can take any thing, a hailstone, a wounded man, and form them into deadly instruments for his enemies. The fan in Christs hand, 'tis but a weak thing, a despised company, yet he will throughly purge his floore, he will out with all that offends. When some bad humors are let out, they gather and swell again, there is no end of action in an evill heart, till there be an utter end of the man. 'Tis sad to behold, how ene­mies gather ino a head again, when blasted from heaven; we shall prevaile, we shall prevaile. The Devill befools wise men; How can ye prevaile, and cannot conquer the weaknesse of God? Poor weak things, if you cannot conquer an army of men, how will you conquer a legion of Angels? God hath a reserve which you are not aware of; you choose out your stoutest for a forlorn, but God his weakest, and yet these are too hard for you, and yet you feed your fancy, that you shall prevaile: The Devill is in this (would bloody wretches were aware of it,) that he may have all; he would not have a man sit down in an evill way, till he come to his jour­neys end, which is Hell, the destruction of the body and soul.

Christ hath many sorts of enemies, all should tremble at this point, that God doth great things with small means. There is a corporall war, and a spirituall war in England, and both bloody, in both Christ will conquer, how weak, and poor, and despised soever his instruments be, which he useth. When Christ drew out a party to go out against the kingdome of the Devill, observe how he furnished him with munition: Go, saith he, and take neither sword, nor staffe, nor money, yet these carried it in the businesse they went about. Externall advantages about internall works, are much lookt at, and much sway with sense: what power, what honour and wealth goes along with the wayes which are profest; Christ takes neither, and yet raiseth up his Kingdome in the world; sends out men not a whit seconded from secular advantage, no power from man, but the sword of men against them; no honour from men, but the frownes of all against them, and yet turnes the world thus opposite, with two or three, upside down. These are they which turn the world upside down. The world is a vast body, and holds very hard in its way, and yet this turned upside down by two or three despi­sed ones: Thus hath Christ done, thus doth Christ do, and thus [Page 246] will he. Choller is a scurvie humor, it burns black mens throats and tongues. The Devill hath shot thousands in the mouth, if not in the heart, in this war, between Presbyterians and Independants. O how wickedly do some good men talk now! and yet Christ will live, and every tittle of his will shall live, though bad and good shoot at it. Satan hath as large an army in the field now, as ever was known, bad men, good men; Satan is got into Judas, yea, and he is got into Peter, Master, drive gently, drive warily, save your skin, and avoid the bloody cup, and yet Christ will be too hard for both. Christ wants wit, and wants learning, and many things else, in the eyes of standers by, and yet though so weak, conquers: God hath chose, the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise.

God should be honoured in his way: the Psalmist breaks forth sweetly into blessing God from this ground, that God out of the mouth of babes, should ordain strength. And so Deborah notes it in her song, specially and sweetly, how Jael a woman, did a mans work, and used a mans instrument She put her hand to the nail, and her righ hand to the [work-mans] hammer. Women are usuall very aucherd at mans work, left-handed, but Jael is right-handed at it, she put her right hand, &c. and that which was a work-mans ham­mer, is now a work-womans hammer, and she blesses God, and extols him, that [...]us trode down strength by weaknesse, and turn'd a woman into a man, and a man into a beast, and butchered him on the ground: So should we now, that children are turned into men, little prentise boyes, made valiant to cut off the mighty, and do the great works of the kingdome, and little towns and villages, to waste great forces. Certainly, we of this Land are very much behinde hand with God, in honouring and praising of him, ac­cording to this admirable way of working. Things that are preci­ous, you will lose none of them, you save the very dust of gold. The manifestations of God, are the most precious things in all the world; the very dust of Gods feet, in every path of his, we should carefully keep, we should talk of all his doings, how much more therefore of his wonderfull doings, when he doth much with nothing, and much for nothing, for worse then nothing, to wit, sinfull man. How God goes in the Sanctuary, and how he goes out of the Sanctuary, in the family, in the city, in the countrey, in the army, upon what weak legs, and with what little toes, should [Page 247] be all written down in the heart first, and then carried up to heaven for God to reade. Our father loves to have his children brought home to him often, to see them and their Nurse, how well they prosper together. You cannot present God with a more ta­king sight in all the world, then with one of his own actions, with its speciall circumstances. They were under the Law, to lay their hand of the head of some offerings, that was to point out Christ, on whom they trusted. Bring an offering to God, any action of God with its speciall circumstances, and you lay your hand on the head of the offering, you point out Christ to all the world, as he whom you trusted on in your way, and as he whom you would have all else, to do the like, and on none else, and this is very sweet to God, he loves to lie high in the breast of all. God hath done things in England so, me thinks, as to be crowned for ever in every English heart: by a very noise amongst the Mul­berry trees, he makes the mighty run and fall: Not by might, nor by power, but my Spirit, saith God. 'Tis by how much God gains in your hearts, that you are to measure his love to you in his works. With little God doth much for you, if with much you do little for him, in speaking of him, and living to him, all will end sadly at last. If nothing will set an instrument in tune, you break it and burn it, this makes me feare our state in the midst of hope: God is very good to thee England, but thou continuest very bad, dead inwardly, dead spiritually, which according to reason, one would think, should make death corporally.

Finally, this way of God should be trusted in; or this God, which can thus work, should be firmly rested on. When extremities are great, and little means appearing, then our hearts sink; now misery is mortall, but of our own making, for 'tis all one with God, to save with few, as with many. Nothing kills the man, so long as faith keeps alive, and faith can never die, if the soul well consider the point in hand, that any thing is enough for God to work salvation by. I am much in debt, but a little oile in the cruce left. God can blesse a little, to rise to a subsistance, and to discharge off all ingagements. A little of God is enough to make one very rich, very strong, very wise, very blessed in all conditions, let mi­sery be as much as 'twill. Some are disheartened from duty, be­cause opposites before them are many, visible advantages very few, [Page 248] these soules lie insnared in their own devices, and dye at a distance from God, which they have set themselves, to keepe their body safe: with a little light and an honest heart, God can enable to doe much, to fight with the Prince of darknesse, very learned heads, and very malicious hearts. Did not God inable many poore wo­men, and illiterate men, to befoole the bloudy Clergie of the for­mer ages of the world, and to hold faith and a good conscience, in despight of all? Were not them we read of in the Hebrewes, out of weaknesse made strong; and the point in hand tells us, that this is the way of God. Resolution should carry on to dutie, and then let God alone to carry on in it, how weake soever you are, or how strong soever your enemies are. A great dore was opened to Paul, and there were many enemies at it, he but one and weake, and yet along he would, and venter upon Christ, to make way through them, which makes one weake one, stronger then a thousand.

IN severall verses foregoing, the extremitie of Christs sufferings is mentioned, and yet here againe. In whom we have redemption through his bloud, vers. 14. This is repeated and amplified, ver. 20. where 'tis call'd the bloud of his crosse. Here is the same thing repea­ted, but with variation of termes, what before was called bloud, and bloud of the crosse, is here called death. Christ did bleed to death for sinners. Christ underwent much, but it workes but little upon us. Often repetition of the same thing, is for energies sake, that what is not laid to heart at once speaking, may be at second; often repe­tition of Christs sufferings, speaks lowdly this; That 'tis a hard thing to be kindly and throughly affected, with what others undergoe for us.

Doctr. Jacob underwent much for Laban, so did David for Nabal, heat and cold, but both coldly remembred, such cold carnall wretches they were both. Earth hath no sense; this is the state of our soules naturally. Can a stone lay any thing to heart? Such was [...]abals heart, and such is ours, stones as wee came from the rocke from [Page 249] whence wee were digd. Affections follow sense: where nothing makes impression, there can be no compassion. Wee are dead in trespasses and sin: dead folkes consider not who mourne for them, who die with griefe for them. Faculties hardened, the childe will throw aside what the mother which bore him, underwent; the pangs, the screeches, the teares of her that traveld in birth with him. Abilitie to dutie, springs not so much from things without, as from things within: as the soule is disposed, not as the man is ingaged, so the partie moves. I will demonstrate to you, that dis­position to this dutie of being throughly and kindly affected, with what others undergoe for us, is hardly attain'd.

It springs from goodnesse purely contemplated; this is a very high thing to doe. Such a one did much for me, I did as much for him, or I may doe. If such be out in flesh, I am in purse. Now is others goodnesse kild with our owne; now is not the love of God, nor the love of man thought of, and how is it possible that either should be beautifull in my eye: In such a spirit, love hath her wings cut, and no matter to worke upon, which is that that gives dispo­sition to the soule, to keepe him alive for ever in my breast, which hath done any good for me. We can doe nothing for Christ, nor his people, and yet all that is done for us by either, we thinke to be deserved. 'Tis certain, that infinite love moulders to nothing in our breast, under the notion of our owne merit, one way or other, though we observe it not. If a man lose his state, his arme, his life for me, if I thinke he was bound to it by any thing of mine, the life of the action dyes, the memory of the man and his kindnesse can­not live long: Not an act that Christ doth, but we dash it to death, against some industry of our own. That any creature loves me, is all love: that any one shews mercy to me, whether God or man, 'tis all mercy. I am vilder then the earth, below all desert, desire, as far as hell is below heaven: a heart at this height, stoopes and takes up kindnesse fully, sweetly, and keepes it in memory firmely. Things taken up as meere love, stick; otherwise not: This is a high and hard thing. I may instance this to you in God; he merits eve­ry thing at our hands we doe, and more then we can doe, and yet he takes up all under the notion of kindnesse and love, and this makes him to remember all we doe, and all we suffer, exactly. I re­member the kindnesse of thy youth, and the love of thine espousalls. All is [Page 250] kindnesse and love, which man shews to God. And when I was hun­gry, yee did [give] me this, and give me that; God looking upon all that we doe for him as gift, and as kindnesse, this makes him to re­member it alwayes; 'tis hard to get to that pitch, which God moves at.

2 It springs from love, strongly warm'd; the heart must lie very neere God, which hath this benefit: God hath but few that lie neere him. Things of life, will not live in a dead sea: the acts of God which he doth, they are very lively, and yet these will die, if the soule be not suitable which observes them. Every degree of divine life, is not enough to keepe favours done for us so divinely alive, as they should be. 'Tis more then hinted in the text. These Colossians had their Christian life, but yet not so, as to remember the love of Christ, to the life: alas, who have! 'Tis hard to melt some things, much fuell, much blowing and paines used, and yet all this must be, to dispose the matter, fitly to receive a lasting stamp and forme upon it. A heart melted with love, layes to heart the least paines and kindnesse shew'd to it. Whence is this, to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me, said Elizabeth to Mary.

Ʋse. As our hearts are below any duty, it should humble us, but as they are below things which are very weighty, it should humble us much more. The doctrine in hand, beats hard upon us for melting hearts. Christ suffers much for us, man suffers much for us, but neither considered by us. What any Christian suffers for you, you are to account it as Christ suffering, he makes men willing to die for you; to preach themselves dead, to pray themselves dead, to fight themselves dead; and all these dyings, the dyings of the Lord Jesus. O that there should be so many persons, bleeding in the fields for us, and so few hearts bleeding at home for them, and for our selves! The strokes of God are various; they are most mortall which kill the soule. Our bodies are turned to dust apace, and our soules into stones as fast. Ah Lord! how brawnie, how bowellesse, how hard-hearted is England become, since a seate of war! Hus­bands lose armes, legs, lives abroad, and wife and children let starve at home. Our war is very bloudy: conscience in every man slaine: not a tender heart scarce amongst us, to consider the condition of the greatest sufferers for us in the Land. Naball had his ease at home, his quarters quiet and plentifull; but what David under­went [Page 251] abroad, to make it so at home, did not move, did not, nor would not Nabal consider. 'Tis your case, Londoners: During all these bleeding times, Christ hath been Quarter-master for you, and so appointed your quarters, that you have been very quiet, very blessed in peace and plenty; but what your brethren undergoe a­broad, to procure all this for you at home, which of you doth lay to heart? Ʋriah refused rest and solace at home, because of the suf­ferings and hardship, which the Armies of the Lord were in abroad. The backes and bellies of thousands of you, speake no such thing: Ah Lord! what will cure the pride and wantonnesse of this wicked Citie! Drunkennesse and surfeiting now? Can you laugh when your brethren mourne, and when God frownes? yee Epicures, Can yee drinke wine in bowles, and the bloud of your brethren in bowles? You should at all your exorbitant meetings, thus set fan­cy at worke; The cup at my nose, is the bloud of the slaine: My curious napkins and table-clothes, are the skins of Christians: my guests the ghosts of the slaine: my mad lascivious songs, the groa­nings, gaspings, and shreechings of the wounded and dying. Canst thou not thinke thus, when thou art in the midst of thy jovall so­ciety? O, no; 'twould spoyle all my mirth, 'twould be like the hand-writing on the wall, to Belshasar. Dost thou tender more the spoyling of thy carnall mirth, then the spoyling of thy eternall soule? The guilt of all the bloud that is slaine, will fall upon thee, as an unsensible soule. Hadst thou rather howle for ever, then for­beare mad-mirth a little while? If thou wilt not turne sinful mirth into mourning, God will turne it into howling. God loves not re­venge, yet what he is exemplarily eminent in, he cannot endure that men should altogether slight. God layes to heart all that we undergo for him; in all our afflictions, he is afflicted: so should we lay to heart, all that he and his undergoe for us. 'Tis the grand medi­um of conversion, this that I touch: What will melt the heart, if that love which bleeds to death for us, be forgotten. Sinners, Christ hath suffered the wrath of God for you; he left more wealth then this world is worth, and became poore; he left a mansion in glory, and took a body of flesh, a house of clay, and in this house dyed, and left you all, that you might live for ever in the fruition of all. Is all this nothing? Will you regard your sinnes, more then this Christ? Shall your lust live, though Christ have dyed? The death [Page 252] and bloud of the Lord Jesus, will be upon you. Can you looke up­on pierced Christ, and not mourne? He will shew you your owne hardnesse of heart, in a like carriage; he will looke upon the wounds and torments of your consciences, in the houre when you make your will, and not be affected. When mercy cannot bring forth, justice becomes the mid-wife, and this cryes save the womb, save the womb, let what will become of the childe; if this childe die, and bee puld to pieces between the legges, yet another may live, if the womb be preserved. God much eyes the meanes he uses to doe us good, he will preserve the honour of these, though thousands die which trample upon them. What Christ hath suffered for us, shall gain and save thousands, though it destroy you; though you lay not Christs love to heart, yet Christ will have a great many to do it: When I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me. Christ makes means, and then blesseth them to their end; men eye not this, and so die without the benefit of them. What Christ hath suffered for us; he hath promised so to order, as to make it drawing and winning of us; that his lifting up upon the crosse, and from thence to heaven; shall lift up our souls from sins, and from thence to him, and to the place where he is. These words should be believingly urged, and then the work of our welfare would go on an end. As mercy stoops lowest, it takes up us; for God to make means and blesse them, is mercy stooping very low, to take up them that are quite down.

Doct. There is one point more I would willingly touch, ere I part from these words, and that is, The mortality of all earthly and fleshly things. Death passeth over all now. The body of beasts flesh, the body of our flesh, the body of Christs flesh, dies; In the body of his flesh through death.

Some worms are small to look upon, and yet will penitrate and consume an Oak: Sin is such a thing, small in the account of men, and yet gnawes asunder the strongest sinews. the body of Christ, transcendently compacted, not of this creation, [...], Heb. 9.11. as the Author to the Hebrews speaks, and yet sin dis­solves & moulders this stately fabrick. From the greater to the lesse, we may argue safely: If the body of Christ cannot live, in respect of sin, surely no body else can. The body of Christ would have born more then all the world, and not have cracked: Vanity of vanity, [Page 253] all is vanity; the body of Christ dies; the body of all other things die, which stand further off from sin then the body of Christ, and the body of man do: The body of Christ and the body of man stand in a more immediate relation to sin, and the fruit thereof, then other things of the creation do, and yet sin eats out every body of the creation, those that stand furthest off from it: the whole world waxeth old, waxeth languishing, 'thath made its will, 'twill die in a moment, the glory of this world passeth away; the forehead of this world, to wit, the heavens, will become wrinckled, and wax old.

1 Wisdome will have no heaven here: Death shall gnaw the greenest goard, the strongest mans body, and every body that bears respect to it. We and our best friends die; [your fathers] where are they? My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel, &c. and yet this would not hold him, his dearest friend in the world must be gone. It shadowed out Christ, he is our Father, our Father, twice as good and as dear as all other friends; that is, he is the dearest friend man hath in all the earth, and yet a fiery chariot fetches up this Father from his children here: Christ goes away, [I] go away, and yee shall see [me] no more. So said Paul to his spirituall children, and it did cut to the quick.

2 Justice doth retaliate. We killed God in all, and so doth he us: we did run away from God, and left him solitary, and he makes every thing run from us, husband, wife, children, one dearer then all, Christ, and leaves us alone. The spirit of the Angels which fell, was in us when we fell; pride and malice would have puld down God; we shew'd our will, but could not accomplish it up­on God, but he hath upon us; not we, nor any thing in our simili­tude can live; if God see but our shadow and Image, he strikes at it, as we did at his: Christ fared the worse for us, he dyes for having to do with us.

Ʋse. What God means in all this, should be inquired into. What every carnall thing dying, and yet carnall affection alive? There is demonstration enough without, of the mortality of all things, but no demonstration of this within us; our inward thoughts are, that our habitation shall indure for ever. England all over is a demonstrati­on of this point, that all things are bleeding and dying. Christ had rather that a thousand thousands of bodies should die, then one [Page 254] soul: one thing is aimed at, that all things die, to wit, the death of your lust, the life of faith; and this is your lesson from this Doctrine. Can you receive it? Every thing shall live for ever, when you can love all in Christ, and admire all in Christ, and make an advantage of love by all, to Christ. All the ruines you behold in this kingdom, or in the whole creation, all the seas of blood wher­in the world is at this day, are but to wash our hearts; that's very foul, which must have all without, even Christ himself turn'd in­to blood, to cleanse it. 'Tis long ere carnall affections be slain; every thing must die, and its blood be thrown in the face of con­science, ere the man will spit out what offends God. The stability of all about you, bears much upon the rectitude of your affecti­on. Take heed how you love husband, wife, children, you may hug them to death with a sinfull love: You complain of Cavalleers for killing your estates, trades, friends, but your own lust did all this spoile; could the Word, or any lesser rod have killed your affection to the world, the good things thereof would have been all alive, and in your hand at this day.

Poore Christians should cheare themselves from this point. Thou hast nothing in this world, no wealth, no honours, no friends; thy gay clothing, is thy skin; thy lands, thy hands; thy wealth, thy health; 'twill be the case of all; all is dying, to them that have it: naked came every one out of the wombe, and naked shall they thither return; every thing shall die from him that hath most: thou wilt have as much in the grave, as he that hath most out. The rich and the poor shake hands in the dust. There is danger in rich mens joy, and poor mens sorrow, about worldly things; The Doctrine in hand would cure both, if studied well; that all dies, me thinks, should make one not love much what one had, nor grieve much for what one has not, but in both, to look out after another state.

All things are dying here, but all things are ever living and ever­lasting above, O that I were there! Were I in heaven, I should heare no more knels, nor passing-bels, no noise of warre. In the bo­some of Christ, all is quiet; there be a great many there, and yet they do not fight, nor kill one another, nor never wil. They are rivers of pleasure, which they drink of above; many going to drink at a river, fall not out, because there is water enough, and space [Page 255] enough; but many thirsty creatures going to a bottle to drink, fight and pull it out of one anothers hand; I cannot drink, saith one, 'twill be all drunk up, saith another; such a one drinks so much: none of all these complaints when persons drink at a river, though thousands there, they drinke all together quietly, because a river is a large cup, and hath springs at bottome: so is the breast of Christ, 'tis a river of pleasure, yea 'tis rivers of pleasure; thousands and thousand of thousands drink there all together, and no falling out, for want of convenience to drinke, or for feare of want of wa­ter, because there be springs at bottome. 'Twere better to enjoy these things, then talke of them, one can but speake so brokenly of them.

TErmes here are multiplied, one thing meant, but not to be ex­pressed to us, to wit, our state with God in another world. The end and scope of all Christs industry is exegetically exprest in this clause, (i) one word explaining and opening another. To pre­sent you holy, (i) without spot, and without reproofe, so as not to be dis­liked, nor reproved in the least kinde, by perfect justice it selfe, but ho­noured and advanced as a compleat being for ever, in the presence of God.

To present you holy and unblamable, &c. This translation and the originall run along together throughout almost, onely they part in the last word: You read, in his sight, the text is, before him, and un­reprovable [before him] Actions and persons come before God, and the purity of both is exactly lookt after, but neither to be found in us, but both in and from Christ; from Christ not simply as the Son of God, the second person in the Trinitie, but from Christ as Me­diator, as the Father hath deputed the Son to take our nature, dye, rise, and stand before him with us in his hand, presenting himselfe before the face of Justice first, and then us in his nature, in the body of his flesh, &c. To present you holy, &c.

[Page 256]Divine presentation must be our subject now to stand upon, which I will prosecute according to this method; First more re­motely, and then proximately. The object of divine presentation is God: All presents under the Law, they were brought before the Lord, but the goat, which was the scape goat, was presented alive be­fore the Lord, Levit. 16.10. Presents of this nature, are our homage, wherein we lively testifie who is the Lord of all, which is none but God: their offerings under the Law, they were a certain tenth of severall kinds, and these of the best, and these brought to the Ta­bernacle, or tent of Gods presence, for divine acknowledgement: so 'tis at this day. All is ours, onely a certain tenth of the best, to wit, the heart, must be brought to the Tabernacle of presence, (i) to God, and to Heaven, and presented to him. My sonne give me thy heart.

1 Wisdome so orders the course of things, as to preserve proprie­tie, that every thing should returne to him who is the Lord of all, a certain tenth of it, to wit, the spirit of every thing, the spirit in eating, the spirit in drinking, the spirit in preaching, in praying, in living, in dying; the spirit returnes to him that gave it. Wisdome hath so ordered, that all things in the spirit and vigour of them, should be presented to God. Man is a possessor of much, but not an abso­lute possessor, so as to acknowledge no superior title, he hath pos­session with injunction, fruition upon condition, he must extract the spirit of all the things he uses, and bundle them up in his owne spirit, and bring them to the Father of spirits, and to him onely, for a present of thankesgiving. [Offer to God] the sacrifice of prayse.

2 Wisedome so orders the course of things, as to preserve state: the Sea so gives out, as to returne all againe into it selfe; to preserve its own supreame greatnesse, that how ever proprieties are scattered, yet the grand propriety to rest still where it first did. Wee have many things given unto us, to play the spirituall artist with them, to make jewels and bracelets, odors and crownes, and to put them all upon God, and upon him onely, to advance his state: as the choicest things that could be got in all the holy Land, or any where else, farre or neare, were for the Prince of Judah, and for him one­ly, to raise his state and glory: which was a type of Christ, who is the glory of all the earth, who is a King higher then the Kings of [Page 257] Judah, higher then the Kings of the Gentiles, higher then Agag. Divine presentation is adoration, adoration is proper to God, and proper to Christ onely as God; as he sits upon the throne, mana­ging the greatnesse of the God-head in the world, so crownes are brought and laid at his feete.

The object of divine presentation may be considered as more di­stant or lesse distant, lesse visibly or more visibly present; as 'tis held out in the text to be considered, 'tis to be considered under the most immediate notion, as presents are made to him above. Persons and actions are oft presented to God in way of dutie here, with the con­currence of Christ; hereafter both shall be brought before God in way of office, onely by Christ, we being wholly passive. Christ shall appeare first, and then all that are in him; Christ as Mediator pre­sents himselfe first, and then we are presented by him. Here am I, and the children which thou hast given me. This presentation shall be made very accurately, every person and action; every act externall, to a cup of cold water; every act internall, every good thought shall be laid open before God, every good purpose, that we would have built a house for God, and that we would have done this and that, shall be presented before God as done: all good intentions, and the person that hath them; the persons shall be presented, as the person of Christ, & his intentions, as the very actions of Christ; as perfect in both as Christ, in his person and life; so as the Father and Christ are one, Christ and we shall be one, and so be imbraced for ever. We shall be presented to God, so one with Christ, as a wife is one with her husband, as a chaste Spouse without spot; through­ly one in love with our husband, and so fully one in priviledge.

The properties of this presentation are these:

'Tis very solemne; God, all the Saints and glorious Angels of Heaven, beholders of it. Things are very publikely carried above, Jewels are not secretly given and hanged in the breast, as Christ doth here; every ones instalment is with all the traine and state of Nobles in blisse, every ones presentation is matter of a new song, and all the quire of heaven have it in their mouths presently, not one sits sad and mute, as unacquainted with the matter, when the rest sing; every present is opened, all the myrrhe seene and smelt, by every one above, and so all sing at once, as equally revived, and reviving the reviver. Every presentation brings new acts of God; [Page 258] not a soule that is set before God by Christ, but peculiar wayes of love and workings of Gods grace found in him, and all these laid open before God, and all the Saints and Angels in heaven, and set to severall songs, for all the quire of heaven to sing unto all eter­nitie. There is joy in heaven, at the turning home, and coming in of a sinner, that is, in this lower heaven, to wit, the kingdome of grace; all the Saints rejoyce exceedingly, as any one comes into God, as a shadow of that which is gloriously done above. O if a man could but see what a smiling heaven that above is all over, when any soule is brought and set downe before God, by the Lord Jesus Christ!

'Tis an eternall act. Where the soule is set by Christ when it goes hence, there it abides for ever. The things which God doth inter­nally, are eternall; he blesseth, and curseth for ever: to whom the soule is presented hereafter, there it abides for ever; soules that are set before Satan, there they abide for ever; and such as are set be­fore God, there they abide for ever, to behold the glory of his countenance. God when he hath his children brought home, he puts them out no more, he gives them their inheritance, and this lies all before him, and there they sit down upon it, and feed upon the sweet of it for ever. 'Tis a large inheritance that every one hath above, and yet it doth not occasion any that are brought before God, to be placed far off from him; Mansions and thrones are all prepared, and they lie all before Gods throne, and stand as long as his; the windows were open towards Jerusalem, because there was Gods presence; so every ones mansion is so prepared and shaped, that the windows all open towards God, they can fit in their cham­bers of rest above, and look God full in the face. Blessed are they that stand before thee, they alwayes behold thy face, said that royall per­son, it hints one state above, and rather speakes that, then this be­low. Blessed, yea blessed indeed are they that sit before the Lord for ever, which sit in state as Kings, even as Solomon himself, which sit upon thrones for ever, as that greater then Solomon doth, which are joynt in concurrence in all acts of state, and triumph together for ever, that where one goes tother goes, and so ever with the Lord, ever before the Lord. Your last house, your last habit, your last condition, hath no shadow of change; not a thought that any de­gree of felicitie shall waste and end, so much as enters into any soule [Page 259] before the Lord, that they shall ever be set one haires breadth out of their place.

Ʋse. You that are the people of God, thinke on your blessed state, to sweeten what you meet with in this world. You are here made as the off-scouring of all things, fit for a present to none, but to a dung­hill, to all the reproaches, disgraces, and punishments that may be: this will last but a little while; there are other thoughts of you, by great Statists and Peeres above; you will be gathered out of the world now quickly, as the myrrhe and frankincense of it, and be made a present to the King of heaven, which he will embrace above all presents, and lay in his bosome to smell to, and delight him­selfe in for ever. Precious things are in some Countries, but not knowne by the Inhabitants, they are so brutish, and so not im­proved, but trampled upon; 'tis so all this world over, in a spiri­tuall sense. A brutish spirit possesseth this world, so that persons know not the jewels and treasures which lie hid in the bowels of it. There is such a precious metall amongst the earth and rubbish of this world, that shines into heaven, that may make a rich and ac­ceptable present, to the great State above, did the world see it: their blindnesse is their plague; & 'tis misery enough, one would not wish them more, what ever one undergoes by them. I am tender of you the Lords people; I know you meet with much evill from evill men, let nothing sadden nor imbitter you; still consider what you are in the eye of God, what ever in the eye of man: let not the bit­ternesse of evill men, make you lose your own sweetnesse: still con­sider, how precious you are, and to whom you shall be presented for ever. The very influence of heaven, is enough for some choice creatures to live upon; some sweet dewes that fall, the Bees picke out of it a sweet stock, and doe well, although these dewes fall but now and then: so some influences of the highest heaven, of that state and condition we shall have; choice spirits me thinkes might live well upon, and wade strongly through all tryals here, though they have these influences but now and then; if wee did but pick up the crums from the Table above, if we did but consider where we shall be, and what we shall be, we should rejoyce in tribulation; 'twas a sweet dish to the prodigall, when he was eating huskes, to thinke what food was in his fathers house, though he could not tell whe­ther he should be admitted thither. The world gives us husks and [Page 260] bones to feed on, we may fetch a dish from heaven to mend the matter well enough, if wee be so wise and so heavenly as wee should be.

We are the ruine of our own life: 'tis hard to get thoughts high enough. Present things are the things onely to be minded, we must minde this, and we must minde it thus, so we necessitate our minds, and marre all. What must I onely thinke of Shimei that curses? Must I onely thinke of povertie? and onely thinke of sicknesse that is upon me? What necessitie of this? There is no necessitie of this, but yet I cannot doe otherwise. Wouldst thou doe otherwise? No; I would not do otherwise. How canst thou be remedied then? Some are married to a Blackmore, and will not be divorced; to black melancholy spirits and humors, &c. which they love and will not heare to part with. Rachel will not be comforted. There is nothing to be said to these spirits, till their burdens have more bro­ken and humbled them.

Others are more ripened and mellowed by the rod, to whom my question is, Would you have your thoughts taken off from thinking so much of your calamitie? Would you have your soules thinke much, what you shall be, and where you shall be? O yes, rather then any thing in the world. The mercy is neare, yea very neare, which you thirst after. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Hungring, longing, and praying, this is opening the mouth wide: believe it, the Lord Jesus is at hand, he hath sent his Prodromoi, his forerunners, to lay in some provision; he will sup with you a­non, and feast with you anon, and then all will be well, the soule strong, and as high and as noble as its work. Our strength to high duty, is from full presence, and full communion; The choicest ad­vantages to get this, you should carefully use, which would doe much in tother world, which would be much above, and before him where you shall ever be. Some workes have a great deale of heaven in them, reade them: some persons have a great deale of heaven in them, look out and read them: some ordinances have a great deale of heaven, observe them. There is a great deale of ad­vantage in ones standing, to look a great way. When David stood in Gods house, he could see into heaven plainly, and behold all the glory above, and where his place should be for ever, and what train should follow, yea he was as if actually possessed of all. Honour [Page 261] the Institution of Christ, how ever despised by men, or you can­not be so heavenly and so blessed, as you would and should be.

AS God turnes all to the good of his, so Satan labours to turne all to their hurt. The best people have one too many still at their table, though they are not aware of him, and he drops something still into every dish to curdle and sower it in their soules, how sweet and precious soever in its own nature. When the words of Christ wound, Satan then drops in gall and vineger, to turne convictions into despaire; when they comfort, he sophisticates and makes the doctrine of feli­citie, a medium to forget piety: this in some words of this text is hinted, in others prevented. Heaven lengthens out a holy life to all eternitie, it doth so in its proper nature; 'tis a laying of our soules in his bosome, who hath us but by the hand here: 'tis not in it self, nor under any consideration to end grace here, or hereafter, but to consummate it. If you continue, &c.

Two things of weight take up this text: the doctrine of perseve­rance, and apostasie, cleaving to Christ, and casting him off; both these circumstanced, and so drawne out, that their aspect speakes them to the life. To abide sweet a while, and then to putrifie with the heat of times, and smell carrionly, this is not perseverance, 'tis not [...], permanere, continuing in the faith, or through abi­ding of the faith: what's that? This is answered in the next words, [...], founded, [...], fixed. One terme alludes to a house founded upon a rock, that is unmovable. The other term alluding to starres, which continue holding forth their glory and vertue; let what stirres will be in these lower regions, they never fall from their orbe, nor faile in it of any influence or lustre, for any filthy vapours or fogges, that come from the earth, they are above them all, and are faithfull and firm as the Heavens; this is the propertie also of starres of the terrestriall globe. Apostasie is also here drawn [Page 262] out to the life: every fall doth not kill, but falling away, falling away from truth received, glorious truth, truth raising sweet hope, glad Gospel expectation, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, &c. That truth which hath had its demonstration before all sorts of men.

Through abiding of, or in the faith, is the first thing that we are to stand upon. By faith is meant the Gospel, as is explained in the next clause, Christ as revealed in his Word. Truth hath a latitude within and without it self; the observation of both is a through pursuit. Truth hath a latitude within it self, that is, in the mat­ter of it; 'thas many precepts, and all these their proper extent. Thy commandements are exceeding broad: The Gospel hath many rules directory, many consolatory; when the soul sets before it self all as a rule of life, then doth it throughly abide in the faith; then are you my Disciples, if you do whatsoever I command you. The whole bosome of Christ is the seat of the soul hereafter, and the whole will of Christ, is the seat of the soul here; when the soul doth not make it so, it is wanton and wilfull, and doth not throughly abide in the faith. Christ had a materiall garment when materially present, and it had many threads, but all weaved into one web and robe, without seam or signe of one: so Christ now spiritually present, hath likewise a spirituall garment of like form. The Gospel hath many rules, when all these are weaved together by a Christian in his life, and made a spirituall robe of state for the glory of Christ, and not one thread left out, when the soul doth put on all Christ, and clothes himself with him from head to feet, then doth he throughly abide in the faith.

2 Truth hath a latitude without it self; 'tis to live as long as we. We are to be faithfull to the death, so in every truth; no truth is short lived, to last a season only, as 'tis said of them, they rejoyced in his light for a season: if we make any truth short lived for any tem­ptation whatsoever, we abide not throughly in it. 'Tis in our spi­rituall marriage, as in our naturall, we are not freed from the care­full and painfull obligation of it, till death. The observation of Gods will simply considered, never ceases; they in heaven do Gods will, and are proposed as our pattern on earth, they are so exact in the observation of it; but the painfull observation of Gods will, which is by reason of corruption within us, and wicked spirits [Page 263] without us, this ceases as soon as we step out of this vile body, but not before. They move to Christ above, as Christ doth to them, with the same spirit of freedome, joy, triumph, and glory. That they may be one as we are. There is no sighing and groaning, mourning, dying, to accomplish Gods will above, all move there as the Angels, with delight; every one milks out love from the breasts of Christ, and sings over the Pail, to behold how full 'tis, and how free it comes; and yet, though it cost all these to obey any truth of God here, we are not to cease our course. Every childe is brought forth with pain, but some with more then others, it costs life to bring forth some, yet it's horrible wickednesse for any to strangle the birth, to prevent the pain. Benjamin must be born, though it cost Rachel her life. She was a shadow of the Church, which must bring forth Christ in all his will, though we die in travell; if you abide throughly of the faith.

Ʋse. You see how heaven bears, break truth, and break your back, and what groaning will that make; no groaning so sad to do, as that which is by not doing Gods will. Heaven and Gods will, are linked together, break the link, if it be but one link, and the jewel falls, and is lost. Heaven is a Jewel, hanged in a golden chain, break one link of the golden chain, and you lose the Jewel: 'Tis nothing to desperate souls to make void Gods Law; I wonder at them; Is it nothing to lose heaven? to untwist the golden chain upon which your eter­nall treasure hangs? Transgression stupifies, this is the killing quality of sin. Sinners mind not what they do, when they throw off the will of Christ, any part of the will of Christ, you throw away your life. Heaven lies wrapt up in truth, in that truth which you will not submit to. Would something would work upon wicked hearts, upon the desperate wicked hearts of this age, that sin might abate amongst us, or else the sword of Gods wrath is like to eat us out. Alas, for us all! I know not what hand of God is upon us, wrath findes a great deale of matter among us to work upon, and we can finde none. When we presse love to Christ, and observation of his will, every man washeth his hands. I do it, saith one, and I do it, saith another. Will you lie before the face of the Judge of all the world, now he sitteth upon the bench, upon the life and death of the kingdome? Men are worst which think them­selves best; if there be any plague that kill thee England, 'twill be [Page 264] thy Laodicean temper, that thou thinkest thou art clean, and art not washed from thy filthinesse; that thou needest nothing, and yet observest nothing Euangelically, that looks like a lovely State. Our point sets us too high a great deal, to speak to this generation; it calls for exact observation, and we are by the hand of God upon us; cast into the quite contrary, a generation that had a little con­science, but now have none. Loosnesse and lewdnesse overspread the multitude, brawniness and benummedness the more ingenious; good men become bad, bad stark naught, and stink above ground. 'Tis worse then blood and death, to heare and see in every place where one comes, what mire and dirt our troubled waters cast up, as if war were a ticket under Gods own hand to dispence with all wickednesse. O the oaths, the execrations, whoredoms, oppressions, outrages of all sorts, that the very highwayes and villages are filled with where ever one comes! The stink of your camps, enough to kill a good heart, at a great distance. 'Tis sad, that the blood and bo­dies of the dead, should taint and poison the living; that we should die swearing and blaspheming. If there be any tender hearts among you, carry these things home, and mourn, for I am fearfull what they presage.

The work of this point is not only to winde you off from pro­phanenesse, but wind you up to exactnesse, to through walking with Christ. We halt; the fruit of it is upon us, the hand of God will not yet cure it, what it may, Christ only knowes. The heart must have its latitude, 'tis every ones saying this. To hit the white, is not needfull; one may shoot well, that doth not this. But can one shoot well that aimes not at this? I presse towards the mark, I for­get what is behinde, if by any means I may obtain the resurrection. Here is the property of grace in life, it owns nothing but perfection; makes at nothing else; 'tis in aim and industry all Christs. Men are charmed with their own unsoundnesse; the heart secretly sin­fully ingaged, aim and industry are really correspondent hereunto, what ever verball flourish be made to better spirits, and persons that stand by; here is a man strangling himself in his bed, which is a condition that makes little noise, every thing is so artificially managed to destruction; yet alas, it is the common profession of this time. How far will these times beare with a profession of Gods will? How far will Christs honour and mine consist? Here [Page 265] the soul wasts its strength: If there be any intense through action now on foot, it lies here, so to shape the course and posture to the right and left, that the man may take in all worldly advantages of both sides, along as he [...]es. There is much art in this, but 'tis all cursed: 'twere well if the man had lesse policy, and more integrity. There is much advange in this, but it comes to nothing: the plague of an hypocrite is upon this condition, which will eat a man out, if he had all the world: There is more of heaven in a plain heart in a moment, then this man sees in all his dayes. The advantage of through action is this:

A man gets much of Christ, much grace, much glory. Some mens religion is a principle of jugling with conscience and the world, 'tis a temptation upon thousands at this day; these lose what they seem to have, Christ and all grace quite: Christ kicks off every Judas quite, that kisseth him, and kisseth enemies to him too, for his own advantage: but a soul that cleaves throughly to Christ, hath much of him, the dispensations of Angels. Stephen shined like an Angel, owning Christ in the face of deadly and bloody opposers. Externall dispensations cannot be stood upon; how Christ appears to honour the persons of men, that will go to the grave with him, is more uncertain; they have the face, the tongue and the food of Angels, when it may do them good, and torture devils that vex them. Externall concurrence is sure for the thing, though uncertain for the manner: Christ doth number our haires, at all times: but what doth he do then when the head is going to be cut off? He doth make all our darknesse light, that which is upon nature, state, person. Christ is with us alwayes, ac­cording to an externall goodnesse, one way or other. They have Rosemary and Bays, or some sweet thing or other in their hand, in the view of all, that go to the grave with Christ.

But internally they have much of him indeed, that cleave close­ly to him. What a box of ravishing odors did Christ open to Ma­ries soul, which did perfume his body and go along with him to his grave? Can any one explain the depth of divine love, where­with her soul was filled? That was heaven in hell: What's hea­ven? but the love of Christ without measure, powred into the heart. To hearten on Abraham to follow the commands of God throughly, to forsake Chaldea, Babel, and all the confusion of a blind [Page 266] proud generation, and to go to the land of divine ordinance, ob­serve how God heartens him, Thou shalt have exceeding much of me without, and within; I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And this promise repeated to him and his [...]sterity in all straits and dangers. Can you measure that love which exceeds all bounds? Through action makes through reception: through action is a soul giving up all to Christ, against all opposition from men. When we give all to Christ, hee gives all to us; and what a deal is Christs all? I have all, saith the Apostle, when he wan­ted for Christs sake, All: What all? A divine all. When you speak of your all, (i.) of all you have, it rises sometime to a great deal, to many thousands; but what Arithmetick will expresse Christs all? Shall I call his estate thousands? millions, mil­lions of millions? I shall mis-call it; 'twas never told, never guessed, nor never will, by all those exquisite beholders and en­joyers above; 'tis infinite: Can any finite creature guesse, what in­finitnesse is? Can you tell the starres? all their numbers, all their influences? Then may you tell all the smiles, kisses and embrace­ments, which Christ gives to such as follow him to death. This is Christs all; he sits at the right hand of God, embraced with that glory he had with his father, before the world was, and embra­cing all with the same glory which are with him.

TErmes in themselves have been considered; their intima­tion also, may be usefully taken up, which is, that man ad­vantaged is an uncertain creature in a good course. The state of man is a hid thing, what he is, what he will be: a man looks well, and yet that poison lurks in his body, which some yeers hence gathers about his vitals, and pales him, that friends scarce know the man, he is such a changling. Nothing lurks so secretly as sin, not a man that knowes his heart to the botome, 'tis deceitfull above all things, who knowes it? A man smiles upon a holy course this yeere, and [Page 267] frownes and breaks out against it next: So much is hinted here, [if you continue] in the faith, and be not moved away. Man advan­taged, is an uncertain creature in a good course.

Light is a brave advantage, to a steady course:Demonst. 1. We set our com­passe by lucid bodies, by the Sun, and by the Stars, and know whither, and to what part of the world we are going, which setles our minde, and makes our journey sweet, and our labour and tra­vell lasting. Dubitation tires; every step is irksome, when a man knows no [...] whether he be out or in his way; and yet where no du­bitation is, the soul tires. When light unto information, when light unto perswasion is made, concerning the way and the end, the soul is still in danger to turn off: If ye continue in the [faith] (i.) the truth [...]e have understood and believed. Pravity at some height, will be [...] [...]wn conviction, spurn against an Angel in the way; turn for Tarsh [...]sh, when it knowes it should go another way.

2 Conviction is a noble advantage to a steady course, consolation is a nobler: to be convinced of the way, and comforted in the way, the man hath a coach from heaven to prevent tiring. Fruit that is specious to look upon, is inviting to appetite, but when we bite it, and finde it to have no sweetnesse to our taste, we throw it away, but that which hath colour and taste too, we retain firmly, we in­corporate such substances with our selves, we eat them, and so keep their vertue so long as we are. The Gospel hath these two pro­perties, 'tis cleer light, and glad light. They were glad when they saw his starre, there was vision, and consolation, a light of life; one would think now none could kill this, and yet pravity at some height, will put this to death, a consolatory light. They rejoyced in his light for a season; here is light and joy, light and life, add yet this dies, this brisk sparkling wine vapors away all its own spirits, and dies. This truth lies in the Text too; be not moved away from the [hope] of the Gospel, (i.) that word which makes hope, and sets the soul at heaven door; and can one be there and not joy? Hope sets the soul like Moses, within sight of the Holy Land: Can a man see heaven, and not joy? A man may not see heaven, and yet joy. In whom, though now you see him not yet be­lieving ye rejoyce, &c. But can a man see heaven, and not joy? Can a man enter within the vaile, and yet not joy? And yet when at the border of Canaan, when at heaven doore, there is dan­ger [Page 268] of turning back; yea, when something of heaven is given out at the door; some tastes of the powers of the world to come, may come to de distasted.

3 A vertuous property is inducing, and the more generall this property is, the more inducing. That property is pleasant to one palate, which is unpleasant to another; that is fair in ones eye, which is ugly in anothers; but that which is glorious to every eye that sees it, sweet to every palate that tastes it, this we are doubly taken with, and cleave to. Such a thing is the Sun, of a generall vertue and glory, so in every ones eye; no man ever saw the Sun, but confest it a very glorious body, and a very reviving body. Such is the Sun of righteousnesse: never soul saw or tasted him, but con­fessed him surpassing all: the fairest, the sweetest of ten thou [...]nd. Now 'tis a strange stomack, that disagrees, and nauseates [...] [...]hrowes up that which is pleasant to every palate that hath tasted it, as well as to its own when it did eat it. And yet such strange changes there are naturally, and the like spiritually, a throwing up, and a throwing off, of that which hath had its demonstration and com­mendation for vertue, to some of all sorts in the world, [to every creature] under heaven. [Which ye have heard] and which was preached to every creature under heaven. A man advantaged with his own experience, and with the experience of all others, may not­withstanding run against all.

4 Finally, things have their stedfastnesse of motion, not simply, as they are advantaged, but as advantages are compleat: A Watch that hath some wheels true work, and others not, will go so long, and then stand still, run so long, and then break; if every wheel be not compleat work, you have a fault in the motion. Persons that have most advantage, have none compleat; wheels are some­thing mended in Saints, and set agoing, but not finished: The old man is outed, but not quite; the new man Christ is introduced, but not fully. What our Saviour said of societies, that may I of persons; ye are clean, but not all. Satan when he comes findes much in us, and of this takes hold, and drawes aside. A Christian is neer heaven, but not quite in it; past danger when quite in heaven, and not before. Some work about a Christian is compleat, some again not. The work of justification is now compleat, but the work of sanctification is not yet compleat: the guilt of sin is done [Page 269] away, but the filth of it is not, and this rusteth the wheels, and makes man in his best state vanity, a light and an uncertain crea­ture, as in his being, so in his motion. The point in hand is neces­sarily true, (i.) so that the thing which I say, cannot be other­wise; that man advantaged is an uncertain creature in a good course.

Ʋse. If men advantaged are uncertain towards good, what will men be that are altogether disadvantaged, men in a state of blindnesse, perversnesse, unsoundnesse? Some hold not on, others wil never be­gin good, this is the plague of a blind soul. God unknown, is bid to depart: 1 Christ unknown, is bid to leave the coasts, to give place to Swine: the sweetest wayes of Christ unknown, men will never set foot in them. The Levites Concubine lay forced to death, and her hands, saith the Text, lay upon the threshold of the door, Judg. 19.27. so do many souls; Satan forces them to death, at the door of good; their hands, as it were upon the threshold of Gods House, so neer entring in, and yet there Satan, with one wile or other, forces them to death. Ignorance generates prejudice, and now you shall see a blind man fencing to keep off Christ and salvation from coming to his house. 'Twould make a mans soul bleed, to heare, with what weak things many ignorant hearts are kept off from making so much as profession of some courses that are good: they are fools, or knaves all, that go in such wayes, meaning such persons as strive to come neerest the rule of the Gospel. Persons are studied, not the way that they go in: the men are giddie, and of no account, there­fore away with what they professe; this is the proprium of a weak brain. If Christ himself were present, this man would stumble at him, and lose his soul, rather then he would take acquaintance of such a silly outside. Christ hath his glory within, so have Saints, and the way they walk in. [The entrance into it] as the Wise-man saith, gives understanding to the simple: Taste how good Christ is in his wayes; begin the life of Christ and the Gospel. No, I will not: Ignorance begets wilfulnesse, and now Christ knocks no more.

2 Ignorance is a great deal of disadvange to a holy course, but wilfulnesse a greater: This is the strong hold of Satan, the Devill crowned, and all powers internall and externall united, and fighting to keep the crown upon his head. Many things torment, [Page 270] but one thing gains a Sinner, that is, the beauty and sweetnesse of the Lord Jesus. High spirits shut their eyes, and shut their mouths; they will stand in no capacity of remedy, they will not come neer such a person, nor such a place, not they. Why? Christ is there. Let who will be there, I will not. This is rebellion in open act, and the Psalmist explains the nature of it, 'Tis a man setting his heart awry, and such a soul surely can never move well; a Watch set wrong, cannot be stedfast in following the course of the Sun, and time of the day. And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that [set not their hearts aright] and whose spirit was not stedfast with God, Psal. 78.8. A heart set awry, is a desperate disadvantage to an even course: where such a temper is, men should think of the patience of Christ, his love overcomes a stubborn soul. O that goodnesse and mercy should wait to embrace a froward heart, that will not continue, no not begin good!

3 Ignorance is a great disadvantage to a steady course, wilfulness a greater, but Hypocrisie the greatest of all. A double minded man is un­stable in all his wayes, and yet he hath many, more then any sinner be­sides. An hypocrites soul, is like some wild Downs that have many cross ways upon them, some this way, some that, but none to Christ, and therefore the soul loses it self, but cannot fix. An Hypocrite is one that observes the winds; not sweet gales within, but gainfull gales without, from the world; his principles put him upon uncer­tainties; he is ever about to sow, but never sows, the wind still turns so crosse: when, or where he will have a harvest, I know not. Things must be equally poised, to make steady and certain motion, and in this an Hypocrite is more disadvantaged then any man, for he hath a great sail, and a little bottome; a great head, and a little heart; great broad wings, and a little light body, like a Butterfly, and as steady in his flight. Have you not observed the flight of a Butterfly, how in and out he is? The reason may be, because body and wings carry no proportion; 'thas wings big enough, and broad enough for a body of some bulk, which wanting, it cannot master and steer its course steady in the aire. Sinners have their proper punishment here; as all sins have one common punish­ment hereafter, to wit, hell, so they have their proper punishment here. I may say of all sins but Hypocrisie, that they are simply a [Page 271] not coming to Christ, but I may say of an Hypocrite, that he is one come and gone, seemingly come, and really gone, and Cains curse is gone after him, he ranges in forlorn places, and things, having seven more forlorn spirits in him then he had. Truth and integrity, is the soul of the soul; this is quite dead in an Hypocrite. A lie will choose a lie; the heart a lie, will choose any lying prin­ciples, and ah what a many lies be there now in the world! I am affraid of mens integrity, lies are so generally taking and mis-lead­ing now: the spirit is as the things it strongly cleaves to.

Hitherto we have spoken to persons disadvantaged, surely you will tumble up and down in your course, till you tumble to your place, if Christ shew not mercy to you. I will now speak to you, which are advantaged persons with gifts: Remember the point, such are but uncertain creatures in their course: Trust not in your advantages, for the certainty and continuation of your holy course. No mans light is so big, but Satan by his proper force, or by divine commission, can blow it out; a soul in the dark, whither cannot the prince of darknesse lead? Sampsons eyes out, and a Philistine, a wicked person, may rule him. Parts looked upon, make the soul blind; and leaned upon, make the soul weak; for the man leaves a staffe, and leans upon a reed, he will certainly fall, and yet he will not believe it, till he is down. Self is a gaudy thing; things that glister dazle sight; sight dazled, the man will move madly, you will see him run headlong into the sea, and think it green grasse and woods. When a man looks upon self, the Devill alwayes lends him spectacles, and his glasse-eyes are alwayes a bad guide; things looked upon through his medium, are commonly of false dimen­sion, too big, or too little.

'Tis sad to heare, how confident some are of the stedfastnesse of their motion: I will die rather then I will do this or that. Though all men forsake Christ, yet will not I. Thou knowest not thy self, consider how naught thou art now, although so and so advan­taged for good; as temptations shall strengthen upon thee, so wilt thou become worse, thou wilt give backward and backward still, till thou becommest stark naught. Some persons upon view of self, conclude they shall go currently on, for they finde they get victo­ry over such a sin, and over such a temptation, and the like. I would speak to this, I am affraid you know not the nature of cor­ruption; [Page 272] 'tis like the sea in its motion, it will seem to lose ground, and decline such a part of the earth much, for such a space of time, and of a sudden again, by a little advantage of wind, come tum­bling in, and spread over as much earth as ever, and more. Again, you know also this is its property, when it leaves one point of the earth, it will breake in as farre or farther, upon another point. It fals out oft, whilst persons are treading downe some ex­ternall acts of evill, the soule rises and swels with conceit and fan­cie of its own worth and goodnesse; here is a Babel, a Christian blasted before finished, mouldring whilst building; these buds wi­ther, because they want earth; their end is naught, so was their be­ginning, had they seene it. Such cannot hold out steady, whose spirits are lifted up with some poore glisning snail creepings of their own. Poison that breaks out in the hands and face, and struck in by some art, is not cured, but a thousand times more dangerous. 'Tis the case of many; malignitie breaks out in their tongue, in their outward man, in such and such broad base courses, which doe disrepute them, and by some paines and art, they stop these filthy issues, and strike the poison inward into their heart; cease drun­kennesse & debauchednesse, and now become proud; of rakels be­come civilians and justiciaries. God I thanke thee, I am not as such and such, no drunkard nor whore-master. No, thou art worse, fur­ther from the Kingdome of God, further from persevering and finishing a good course, then they are from beginning of it. A man that thinkes himselfe the better fitted for flight, for any poore waxen wings of his own, will when highest, like Icarus, melt and fall, and be drowned.

Things that would move very steady, must rise very high; the upper region is quieter a great deale then the lower, and better for steady motion. As the soule rises above the world, above its own indowments, above all without and within it selfe, and sits fully and clearly in the armes of Christ, so is the stedfastnesse of its mo­tion; Christs armes doe not tire, his hands doe not shake, he car­ries Venice-glasses full of choice liquor, and breaks not one, nor sheds not a drop out of any one. How many soules hath God put into Christs hand! and yet he hath not lost one soule; no nor one soule hath not lost one drop committed to him to keepe. Satan is at our right hand continually, but he cannot come so neare Christ. [Page 273] Wee cannot carry our hands steady a moment, he doth so jog it, and the more we struggle to grasp and get into our hand, the more he jogs it; but the more we can emptie out all into Christs hand, the further still from Satans power, and so consequently safe. This age surely is so whimsicall, so drunke, so staggering, and fal­ling, because it leanes so much upon its own braine, and so little upon Christ. They that waite upon the Lord, renew their strength, they run, and are not weary; they run steadily to the last, till they have quite out-run sin, Satan, and all molesting. 'Tis sure, sweet moti­on, when Christs armes still are onely the Chariot-wheeles in all things. I wonder this advantage is no more studied. Christians complaine of the unsteadinesse of their course, and the unevennesse of their walking, of nothing more. 'Tis a sweet thing to use prayer much, 'tis the steadiest winde we can saile by, if there be any steadie winde below; but rest not in this, but in him whom you mention by prayer. Doe [thou] keepe it in the thoughts of their hearts, to goe on thus willingly. Prayer is here used for perseverance, but the person mentioned in prayer, and not the prayer it selfe, is rested upon for the thing sought. Doe [thou] keepe it in the thoughts of their hearts.

HOpe is a glad expectation of good; something at a distance pleasing, now and then smiling upon the soule, and the soule upon it. Man since his fall, hath but little in possession, not enough to quiet his heart a moment. When I say, man hath but little, I doe not meane of the things of this life, (though all this world be no­thing) he hath but little of God. Many have nothing of God; they that have most, have but drops, and a thirst for flagons; in suite for much, enough to stay and quiet, Stay me with flagons, this is the panting of perfection here; and when the soule can conclude its suite takes above, and can sweetly lie downe and looke for a re­turne, then it hopes.

Joy comes not in by vision here as it doth above, but by expecta­tion: fallen things as they lie, can glad no understanding man to [Page 274] look upon. All the things in this world, will not make up matter sufficient for a smile, if rightly understood: one may gather it from the composed countenance of Christ, all the time he was upon earth. This world is a big vast roome, full of broken cisternes, and man the prime vessell, most broken: such a forlorne sight, can it be matter of joy? And yet there are no other prospects here be­low; take what house, what place, what advantage you will, to look abroad upon things here below, you cannot look besides ruine and desolation: that this shall be repaired, and all these broken ci­sternes mended and filled, and all made to run eternally into my soule, this may doe something upon the soule, when it can rise and reach so high, and this is hope. My [flesh] shall rest in hope. Hope is a soule at rest concerning all things within and without, concern­ing spirit and flesh, that they shall be all perfectly well.

The soule of man naturally sits up much now; distracted crea­tures, can take little rest; this is not well, that's not well, all will be worse: the world will sinke, and I shall be undermost: you may guesse by despaire, what hope is. Despaire is a soule wracking it selfe with what is,Job 13.14. and with what will be: 'Tis one taking his flesh in his teeth, torturing and tearing all, under his own apprehension of things. God is gone; he will never returne; if he doe, 'twill but be to send me to my place. Hope is the correction of these distempers. God is hid, he is not gone; I shall see him, though not now; eve­ry bone that is broken, shall rejoyce; every filthy issue in my soule, shall be dryed up. I will waite upon the Lord that hideth himselfe from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him: this is hope, hope has the command of her selfe, but will not have the command of God. Shee has every thing that would rebell at her foote, but Christ in the highest esteeme, of any of his daughters. Can he give bread? Will he give a crum to me? No, I shall eate this morsell and die, groane this groane, and my heart-strings will breake: You never heard hope speake such a word; shee is a childe that speakes just like her father. Our God is not come indeed yet, but he will come, and he will not tarry: though he puls down quickly, yet he takes time to build up, and this time hastens. Despaire looks upon mer­cy at a stand, hope sees it coming, and coming a great pace. My be­loved comes skipping upon the mountaines. (i) Certainly coming, and swiftly coming.

[Page 275]Hope hath but bad externall feeling, but all other senses most acute. Shee can see a great way, heare a great way, and the like. In a dark day, when fogs are never so thick, shee can look through them, and behold the land that is far off: When shee is in the belly of hell, shee can look towards Gods Temple. When burthens presse, that sense hath nothing but torture, nothing but devils to shake hands with, yet then shee can see a God, amongst a thicket of Devils, though shee cannot come at him as shee would: though I cannot come to him, he will come to me where ever I am; though thousands incompasse me, yet I will not feare, that is, I will not de­spaire of one to come to relieve me. Hope will carry more burthens then any grace, without sinking. In perils by sea, in perils by land, &c. In povertie, in nakednesse, distressed in all kinds with a witnesse, but not cast downe. Hope is never cast downe; shee will cast downe any thing, men, devils, but is never cast down her selfe; Hope is a har­die long-lived grace, 'twill live in famine, when 'thath not a bit of bread; 'twill live in sicknesse, in warre, in death; The righteous hath hope in his death: Hope was never knowne to have her heart-strings breake, 'tis semper vivens. Death is the King of feares, and yet it pales not the countenance of hope; hope walks in the valley of the shadow of death, and feares none ill, (i) expects no hurt: Hope can fee no ill, no hurt in any thing, not in death, not in the grave; that house is something darke indeed, but I shall not alwayes lie there, saith hope. Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave; though thou kill me, I will hope in thee; though thou burie me, I will hope in thee: I shall rise as Christ did, this vile body shall be changed, and made like Christs glorious bodie, and then set for ever where his is. The flesh doth rest in hope.

Hope is conversant about no ill, but about all good, and most about that which is noblest, 'tis appetitus excellentis boni, cum fiducia obtinendi: therefore is hope so often put for heaven, it doth so of­ten goe to heaven, and is so much taken up there. Looking for that blessed hope, and for the glorious appearing of that great God, and our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, Tit. 2.13. and so by the Author to the Hebrewes urged. To lay hold on the hope that is set before us. You see hope is put for heaven, and the reason is, because so much con­versant there. Hope feeds delicately, shee hath a table below, and this is nothing but the word of Christ. My soule hopeth in thy Word. [Page 276] Shee hath a table above, and this is nothing but Christ himselfe, and the state he weares above; this shee looks upon oft, and smiles to her selfe, when no soule alive is aware: Rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God. The two termes of hope, are hell and heaven; shee goes from the one to the other, and in this way turnes the one into the other, and this is all her worke; shee goes into every house of mour­ning where Christ is, and takes exact notice of every distresse cor­porall and spirituall, and then bids the mourner be chearfull, all teares shall be wiped from thine eyes; there is a house eternall in the Heavens, though this cracke and moulder, and there thou shalt sigh no more. Hope is that good Angel, that carries Lazarus and lays him in Abrahams bosome; 'tis that grace which makes heavie afflictions light, long afflictions short, by shewing the soule what they worke about, a far more exceeding, and an eternall weight of glory. Hope can speake nothing but Heaven, and glory, to a distressed heart. I conclude as I began, Hope is a glad expectation of good, (i) of all good, but especially the highest and the noblest good.

Drooping hearts, thinke of this point, how usefull is this grace for you? you have taken a house by the borders of hell, continual­ly affrighted with evill spirits, that walke up and downe in your soules, and yet you love to dwell here. Terrors take hold some­times, 'tis a heavie stroake, then the soule refuseth comfort Sense of fin is good, but its a wound of it selfe, that must be carefully drest oft with the leaves of the tree of life, 'twill rankle and kill else. Sinner, dost thou know thy state? Yes. Dost thou know it exactly? Yes. Why, whither shalt thou goe when thou diest? To Hell. Hast thou no hope of any other thing? No. Why wouldest thou stand still all this while, and let thy soule bleed to death? Was there no Balme in Gilead? No word in all the booke of God that might speake matter of hope to thee? Despaire in strength, is very pe­remptory in conclusions, but never deliberate in examinations of grounds. 'Tis a soule so tossed and tumbled between Satan and conscience, day and night, that it hath no power to ponder any thing.Pressus ab ex­emplo, discat sperare secun­da. Thou shalt goe to hell, O my soule, when thou diest: Why? I have sinned. So did all the Saints that are in Heaven when they were in earth; as now thou art; did not David sin much in life, and yet what a brave hope had he in death? Sin enough in life, to make [Page 277] him a type of Satan, for bloud and unmercifulnesse; and yet hope enough in death, to make him a type of Christ. Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave. Yea, but some persons sins, have a very sad consi­deration over others have. This is a truth, but no sin or misery must have any such consideration, as to sinke the soule.

1 Hold this position, all that God doth is to bring us nearer to him. If he whip us, and strike never so hard, or never so strange­ly, 'tis to bring us nearer him, not to drive us further from him. If he strike the body or the soule, if he let loose Satan to tempt, and let loose the heart to fall, 'tis to bring the soule nearer to God: God doth nothing to drive away thy soule from him, nor would he have any thing else doe it: and wilt thou doe it thy selfe, by eve­ry thing thou seest, hearest, feelest, &c? Despaire makes use of ex­ternall senses all together, more then of the Bible, and construes all things amisse: it harpes much upon the intention of God. God intends my death, he holds me for his enemie; fury guides him in all that he doth about me, one may run and read his frownes in all his actions. Thou frownest alwayes, O tempted soule, and thou thinkest God doth so. Thy soule is precious to Christ, he doth not desire its death; 'tis more precious to Christ then to thy selfe; Christ would save it, and thou wouldest destroy it; he meanes no­thing else in the blackest saddest things that are upon thee, but love and mercy, therefore be not prejudized concerning his intention; the saddest things that are upon thee, if thou couldest but turne them upside downe, thou shouldest see in them the smiling face of God.

2 Hold one position more, that Gods intentions toward us, are accompanied with the readiest means to accomplish them in us. Good is long a coming: this principle swallowed, is destructive to Hope; the next step will be this, 'twill never come; Christ long a coming, the next crosse makes the soule conclude, he will never come. Wee may not construe Christ tedious in his motion; and yet 'tis hard to doe otherwise, when much put to it: when tryals are sharpest, mercy and deliverance is nearest. The Heathen rage. The Lord of hosts is with us, saith the next verse. Hold fast, I come quickly. When 'tis as much as ever one can hold, tryall being so strong, then Christ makes hast, and salvation is neare. This princi­ple well laid into the soule, would make one hope to the end, hope [Page 278] to the last man in a battell, to the last breath in a sicknesse. Jacob comes hindermost of the company. Christ comes after all means are done. Isaac, which signifies laughter, is a childe of old age: Christ comes out of a withered womb; the man-childe that makes us laughter, comes out of means given up as barren. When Christ throwes a man downe, and throwes him very low, then is he about to raise him. When Christ kills, then is he readie to make alive. If this were received, who could despaire? Who would not hope of life, when every one gives him over? Yea of eternall life?

3 Finally, hold one position more, that Satan and thine own un­believing heart, conspire against thy tranquilitie; hope is the joy of a mans life, Satan hath none, and it addes to his sorrow, when he seeth any else have joy, it greatens his hell, when he sees any else have but a little of Heaven: Finall despaire shuts up that cursed spirit, and all those that are with him: the worme that gnawes me, will never die; the fire that burnes me, is unquenchable; the chaines that hold me, are everlasting chaines; the pit I am in, is bottome­lesse, no possible passage from hence; not a drop of mercy falls in here, to cole any scorched creature, in the space of eternitie; this is the tone of Tophet, these are the dismall complaints, which those restlesse soules below throw out, as they role to and fro in that fie­ry furnace. Despairing sinner, Satan is fallen in with thy consci­ence, to conjure thy soule into this condition. Thou art in hell upon earth, as that other phrase is, of her that is dead while shee lives. Tell me. How dost thou sleepe? How dost thou eate? How dost thou walke? How dost thou talke? How dost thou looke? Is not thy moisture turned into the drought of summer? Thy bo­dy turned into skin and bones? Alas for thee, poore soule, God never made such a way as this to Heaven, 'tis Satan and thy owne despairing heart, one evill spirit tormenting another, just as they doe below; and the designe is, to seale the soule up for wrath: de­spaire is the black seale of the bottomlesse pit.

Lay all this together now, and doe but thinke how unkindly you deale with Christ for all his love and paines, which hath done so much for the tranquilitie of your life, to make you hope here, and possesse hereafter. Christ hath taken upon him your debts, there is not a sin that ever you committed, not a trespasse against any rule, but he will be accountable for it, and in your stead, and [Page 279] all to make you hope. Some friends will undertake for part of ones debt, to make one chearfull, and this is much love, too much to be slighted; but then there remaines something behind, and that sads and sinkes the heart. How shall I pay that? Bleeding soule, Christ leaves thee no debt to pay, no sin to answer for. 'Tis lively set out in that Parable, Luk. 18.32. O wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desirest it; shouldest not thou also have compassion on thy fellow-servant? What should make feare, when all is discharged? If I did know it were so. Dost thou not desire it should be so? Wouldest thou not have all right and sweet, between God and thy soule, rather then any thing? Yes. Why, this may be a de­monstration to thee, that all is right and even, between God and thee. Did I not forgive thee all thy debt, [because thou desirest me?] God forgives debts to Christ upon exact satisfaction, but Christ forgives debts to us, upon complaining of them, and groaning un­der them, and desiring their discharge; upon a heart panting to be clean, the voice goes forth from Christ, I will be thou cleane. Pant­ing languishing soule for mercy, thou hast obtained mercy; thou desirest to be cleane, why thou art clean; Shall Christ doe all this for so little, and wilt not thou hope, and chearfully expect the sweet of that which he so freely gives.

Finally, Doe but thinke, what a double miserable life thou wilt have in these times, if this grace of hope lie ruinous in thee, through any wile of Satan. Thou wilt be as a Ship without an anchor, tos­sed terribly, and no possibilitie of staying thee. Which hope we have us an anchor of the soule, both sure and stedfast. If a man cannot stay upon God in distresse, he can stay no where; a soule that can stay no where, will hardly stay in his wits, when stormes grow very great. What is by ordination a center and rest for such and such a bodie, a light body, or a heavie bodie, that and no other thing will give rest to it. Christ is by divine ordination the center of soules; were there a thousand rockes to cast anchor upon, yet no rocke like this, the soule will not rest upon any else. Their rocke is not as ours, themselves being judges. All men finde this by experience, that what ever they pitch upon besides God, to stay and relieve themselves, it doth not doe it. O that the war were ended, that the war were ended. Fearfull soule, if this war were ended, thou hast a war within thee, which will never end, till thy despaire end: [Page 280] fighting without, and fighting within; others killing my bodie, and my selfe killing my soule: what a wofull life is this! Hope a­live, this is the sweet course of the soule, to wit, when all is black, deadly, and dismall without, then the soule drawes the curtaine, and withdrawes from all these lower roomes, and walkes in upper chambers, where no noise is, views the Citie and Country above, and the inhabitants and priviledges thereof. Hope enters within the vaile, Heb. 6.19. Yet I know a Country where no war is, an in­heritance where no plundering is; neighbours and Citizens that doe not kill one another, but love one another dearely; that have not their swords in one anothers breasts, but each other & Christ; there I shall be quickly, and the sooner, that these miseries below are so heavy on mee.

WEE have considered the grace of hope in it selfe, and have found it a sweet flower, as any grows in the garden of God: wee are now to consider the stocke out of which it springs; the mold that likes it,The English word, Gospel, notes, Good speech: spel for­merly signifi­ed speech. Go­spel, quasi God spel God speech and that is glad speech indeed. and out of which it growes, is the Gospel, [...], it signifies a glad word or message. When God smiles upon the soule, then the soule smiles in its course: our death or life, sits upon the lips of Christ: as Christ speaks, the soule opens or closes, lifts up or hangs downe the head. Thou hast made my mouth like a sharp sword, a polished shaft, saith Christ of the Father, Esa. 49.2. What a wombe the Gospel is! it brings forth twinnes, two, and the greatest that can be thought on, death and life; 'tis a polished shaft, not simply a shaft to kill, but a polished shaft, to make death in order to life. The Gospel is a wombe that brings forth twinnes indeed, earth and heaven, heaven here; 'tis like the Hebrew women, quicke of delivery. They were Gospel-words, which God spake to Adam after his fall, when he spake about the seed of the Woman, and these words re-instated him in earth, and in heaven, he had lost both else. His soule sunke within him, which [Page 281] made him hide and run away, and these words fetcht life againe to the soule, and the man againe to his place.Doct. The Gospel is a grand blessing, a glad word, a God-speech.

Our Sun was set at noone, and yet no more to have risen in this Horizon: God after our sin, had shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure, and all this world was to lie under all the wrath of God, to all eternitie, without one good word, without one good look; man the glory of the world, was proclaim'd a Traytor, Ab­saloms doome was upon him, Let him see my face no more; in this case no Mediator durst appeare, not one of all the Angels in Heaven would know man after his fall, for any favour: the King had with­drawne himselfe, and all his traine, he had bounded himselfe in universally like Abasuerus, that none might come to speake to him for favour in mans behalfe, upon paine of death, no not concern­ing any matter of mercy towards man, he that should come about any such thing, came upon perill of eternall death: yet in this de­sperate strait, Christ like Esther puts forth, and takes his life in his hand, pleads with wrath it selfe, for a few, that they might be kindly entertain'd againe, kindly thought of, and kindly spoke to: if thou must have bloud, take my bloud, onely write downe with it a few names in the booke of life, a small company to be kinde unto for ever, to looke pleasantly upon them, and to speake sweet­ly to them here, and for ever hereafter. That which cost Christ so deare, surely is no small favour; he gave his bloud, for a good word from God to man, a good word therefore from God, is certainly a great favour, for Christ lays not out his bloud for trifles, as some­times we doe.

1 Its price, its property speakes it a grand blessing: The Gospel is light, prime light, it makes exact discretion, it shines into the heart, that's the expression of it which the Apostle gives, 2 Cor. 4.6. But God which commanded the light out of darknesse, hath shined into our hearts. You may discerne a moate, a haire, the smallest thing that is, by a shining light; the Gospel discovers beames, moats, yea these perfectly: Then shalt thou see [perfectly] the moat that is in thy brothers eye. Take in but Gospel-light, and lay aside thine own conceited light, and thou shalt see every thing exactly, in thy spirituall state. The light of the Gospel discovers thoughts, and intentions of the heart, it divideth between the marrow and the bones, it shews how [Page 282] the soule is joynted, marrowed, how every sinew and string lyes, and what oyle is in the vessels to supple them, and make them last, whether any or none. The heart is call'd the hidden man, and 'tis hid indeed, from all creatures in the world, from the man himself: that's a notable light that gets into a dungeon, a vault deep under ground, that is full of damps, and makes discovery there of all the mud and dirt, of all the frogs and toads that lie there, and yet such is the light of the Gospel; where ever it comes, though into never so dark a soule, it lays open all very exactly, that is, to con­viction. He that is unlearned cometh in, and he is convinced of all, and fals downe, saith the text; it tels a man all that ever he did, and very exactly. A true glasse, is of worth: All light flatters, but the Gospel. That's an oyntment indeed, which takes off all scales, and makes perfect sight in any one, and this is the propertie of the Gospel; to whom soever it comes, though an ideot, as the originall is, he is convinced of all; 'tis spoken as the naturall property of this light, man cannot hide any thing from it.

2 It makes an exact discovery of man, and an exact discovery of God, so far forth as such powers as we have here are comprehen­sible: it shines into our hearts, and gives the light of the knowledge of [the glory of God;] it discovers mans glory, to wit, his soule; and the glory of God, to wit, his heart and his soule towards man, two such properties as are not to be found in any light. The glory of God is his face, all other light discovers but his back parts, or if it speake any thing about the face of God, 'tis as vailed. To see the King is a great favour, but to see him in state, that's a great friend­ship indeed. There be many things have glory, which if any one could give one eyes to behold, wee should account it a great privi­ledge; if any one could set me, as Satan would have set Christ, to behold the kingdoms of this world, and the glory of them, as is there exprest, I should be ready to thinke it a great priviledge, and yet all this glory, not comparable to the glory of God; all these things that glitter here below, are but the dust of that gold above, but some old cast garments, which the King lays at his feete, and gives to some poore servants and slaves, they are but as cast-rags, given to diseased creatures. The glory of God is not to be exprest: the Gospel helpes us to Pauls vision, to behold unutterable things. The face of God is his glory; the face of a man is his glory. Distinguish­ing [Page 283] propriety, whether such a one be a brother, a sister, a father, I can tell you when I see his face, which is glorious to me when I be­hold. The Gospel gives a distinct knowledge of God, by this, and by this alone; I am enabled to look as it were in his face, and to dis­cerne in what relation I stand to him, and he to me, whether I be his childe, and he my father, or otherwise. Mercy considered in such a latitude, as eternally to save, is cald the glory of God; con­discension to the creature offending, taking him up in his armes. 'Tis cald the glory of a man to passe by a fault, to abide sweet when others are bitter, to smile and embrace, when there is no invite­ment, but all discouragement; this is cald the glory of a man, and this is cald the glory of God. The Gospel and no light else, holds forth transcendent condescension in God; by all other light, wee conceive of him as one that is austere, as one that will not yeeld a whit, as one that will have the utmost farthing, his own with ad­vantage, or inflict death. The Gospel holds forth all sweet conde­scension in God, it sets him forth, as one inviting, come, blinde, halt, as one waiting to be gracious, thirty, forty, fifty, threescore yeares, to the last houre, and yet giving a penny to him that came in last, as well as to him that came in first; it sets him out as one that goes about to folkes-dores and knockes, sinners doe you need any mercy? doe you need any thing for your soules or bodies, to make you blessed for ever? you may have it for nothing, Milke and honey, wine and oyle, tryed gold, and royall apparrell. The Gospel sets out God as one that expostulates with man, about the matter of his good, Why doe you lay out your money for that which is not bread? And why will you die? The Gospel sets out God, as one beseeching man to be reconcild, as one that delights to exercise loving-kindnesse, to make it his work, his daily businesse, to forgive sins, and to bring souls to heaven at his own cost; this is transcendent condiscension, and this is the glory of God in the eye of a poor sinner; this makes him shine more glorious then any thing in the world; and all this, the light of the Gospel discovers, discovers in us; hath shined [into our hearts] to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.

Ʋse. The Gospel is a grand favour, but I am affraid we do not count it so: Manna is loathed, we love darknesse more then light. That light which discovers us, and makes our nakednesse appear, is a plague and no blessing to thousands. What is more inraging and [Page 284] more deadly to some persons, then the powerfull words of the Lord Jesus? What is more inraging at this day, then the shining light of the Gospel? Our misery is great, the cause apparent, we shut our eyes against the light. The Prince of darknesse shall rule; this is the vote of thousands. Where Satan raigns, do you expect any other but a hel, rending and tearing, howling and yelling. Brave England is turn'd into a hel, oppressing, racking, rending weep­ing, wayling, and gnashing of teeth, and why? Certainly the Prince of darknesse raigns amongst us; have you a glimpse of that feind in all this our hel and misery? If there were indeed a true love of the Gospel amongst us, could there be such fighting abroad and at home amongst us as there is? As light is precious, it conquers; as light conquers, pride falls; pride fallen, the Lion is a Lamb, Lambs rend not, nor tear one another. We rend and tear one an­other, name, state, all that is dear, and would be to one another as the very devils are. Ah Lord! Is this a Christian Land, a Land honouring the Gospel? Doth it conquer us? Is the Spirit of the Gospel in us, whose hearts burn like hel in pride and malice against one another? The hand of the Lord is upon an hypocriticall people, get it off who can. You say you love the Gospel, and yet think the Land too good for them that faithfully professe it: He that hates his brother in his heart, is a murtherer; a bloody spirit is in you, a bloody hand of justice is upon you, if this right not the innocent, and publish the hyporcisie of this generation to all the world, then say, that Christ hath not spoken by me.

Would the sword were sheathed, saith many: would it had done its work, say I. We needed through launcing, mens basenesse comes out freely: 'tis a mercy to know who loves the Gospel, and how. How long will England bleed, ere good blood appear? Will that good bloud be so little, as not enough to hold life in the State? O that will be sad! Sinners, look about you, you that dis­semble with your light, are the plagues of the Land: doe you call whom you will, troublers, this will be found the truth which I have said, you are the troublers, and the destroyers of the Land, and the ruine of all will be charged upon you. Know the symptome of a dying State: when death is seized upon the vitals, and blacke va­pours beat up strong against the braine, we cry draw the curtaines, shut the windows, keep them darke, they will be mad else. Light [Page 285] is scoft at now, never more, this makes thousands cry, draw the curtaine, shut the windows, keepe soules darke, they will be mad else: and this is the glory of thousands, that they keep where they were, and shut out light: it is I feare a deadly state. Mayst not thou come as far short of truth, as thou judgest others to overshoot them­selves? Dost thou thinke that none hit the white but thee? Are not errors on the left hand, as dangerous as errors on the right? Is not a cold frozen soule, a soule setled upon its lees, as base a prizer of the Gospel, as a wanton that is too lavish?

I have but one thing more, let love be returned. Doth God give grand favours, returne answerable to him. The light which shines sweetly and gloriously upon you, let it gaine your soules to God. Doth Christ speake kindly unto you? Speake so to him. Doth Christ speake for your hearts, to lay them in his bosome, and for no other use? How can you deny him? Give Christ your heart, 'tis no great favour, yet Christ accounts it so, because 'tis your prime jewel: Christ doth take things according to your account, which is transcendent love: what you account your jewel, that Christ takes for one. If you make a sin, a jewel dearer then any thing, yet if at the call of the Gospel, you sacrifice this, and offer it to Christ to doe what he will with it, kill it or keepe it alive, he accounts this for a great favour, a jewel; What you indeed and in good earnest account great, that doth Christ, when in plainnesse and in simpli­citie you give it to him. Isaac was esteemed by Abraham a great fa­vour from God, and when he was willing to offer this againe to God, 'twas taken by God as Abraham accounted it, a great favour. The Sunne loses none of its rayes, by all the course it runs, none darkened nor spoyled, but sets as big, as glorious, and as smiling, as it did arise. Shall wee darken any beame of that light, which shines upon us? Shall we sad the face of that Sunne that smiles up­on us? And yet so wee doe, when Christ cannot gaine us by his beames of love which shine upon us. Consider how long time the Gospel hath been amongst you, and how little good it hath done. O that a heart should be so cold, that twenty or thirty yeares lying in the Sunne, will not warme it. Hold a multiplying glasse, upon the Sunne that shines upon your soules, and see what this will doe: say to thy soul, How many precious Gospel-Sermons have I heard! and how many thousand thousand secret words in them! how [Page 286] have these ecchoed, with a sweeter report from one within, then they were at first speaking from the person without, which delivered them! how many sweet Gospel-words! yea, how many sweet Go­spel-workes, have I had! how many heart-liftings heaven-ward, and yet downe againe! Hath any body such a cold heavie heart as I? 'Tis good to complaine of ones heart much for its badnesse, to him that can make it better: 'tis good to complaine much of this badnesse, badnesse under goodnesse, prime goodnesse, badnesse un­der the Gospel. Cold-hearted sinners, thus taber upon your breast, when you are alone; if any thing warme, 'tis well: if nothing will, draw the curtaine, and take leave of friends; if the Sun-shine of the Gospel can by no meanes fetch heat in thee, thou canst not live long, if thou wouldst give all the wealth thou hast, the fruit of the body for the sin of the soule.

BY creature here, is meant the noblest creature, to wit, man: 'tis an expression borrowed from Christ the creator, Goe and preach the Gospel to every [creature,] Mark. 16.15. (i) to all men, make no distinction of persons, nor Nations; goe into every house, Jew, Gentile, and proffer peace, tender life unto every dying soule. The expression in hand, speakes of this as done, wherein lies the diffi­cultie. Which [was preached] to every creature. An expression like un­to this you have at the sixt verse of this Chapter. Which is come un­to you [as it is] unto all the world. These compared, explaine one an­other. By the coming of Christ, the wall of partition between Jew and Gentile was broken down, and their priviledges made common for any, and according to this tenor was the preaching of the Go­spel; so that the tenor of Grace inlarged, and generally dispensed to all sorts of persons, Jew and Gentile, is said to be the preaching of the Gospel to every creature. Besides, there may be more in the expression: though there was not in the Apostles time, an actuall tender to every individuall person under Heaven by preaching, which elsewhere seemes to be prophesied shall be; yet the sound of [Page 287] that grace which was thus generally preached, went into all the earth, and so their words at second hand, unto the ends of the world. Have they not heard? Yes; their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world, Rom. 10.18. which makes the meaning of the expression in more words to this sense: Which was divulged in the tenor of it for all, and in the rumor of it to all.

Doctr. Mercy now is of very vast extent, God is no respecter of persons, nor respecter of nations. David becoms a leader of all sorts, every one that was in distresse, and every one that was discontented, &c. 1 Sam. 22.2. Saving grace hath a universality in it. Look to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. The brazen Serpent was lifted up in the Wil­dernesse, to be looked upon: it did secretly hint to that unworthy people, that God would not alwayes tie himself to them, but give mercy a larger compasse, that not only Israel, but those that were dogs, and as the brutes of the Wildernesse should have a Saviour lif­ted up among them to look upon: our Saviour, in his own expres­sion, gives this explanation: When I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me; not only Jews, but Gentiles. The Serpent that is now lifted up, Lions, Tigers, Bears, Wolves, all the beasts of the vast Wilder­nesse of this world, from the one end to the other, may look upon; Look to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth.

1 Mercy is proportion'd to Misery: All flesh hath corrupted it self, and Christ hath power over all flesh, to give eternall life, to whom he will: not a soul so black; so speckled, but Christ can cleanse him, as white as snow: no sin, no evill spirit so strong, but he can bring him under; he is able to subdue all things to himself, men, de­vils, sins, &c. he shall change your vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is [able to subdue all things to himself], Phil. 3.21. no condition desperate to Christ; he can give sight to one that is born blinde, he [...] change the spots of the Leopard, plague spots; all things touching the fallen condi­tion of man, are possible to him, 'twas spoken you know by him­self, upon a sad fight, which none of Christs Disciples could do good to, to wit, one rended and torn by Satan, which Christ cured with ease. There be many thousand impossibilia to us; yea, in us; not a sin in a mans soul, the least, but is impossible to us to subdue, because in our nature: Can a Leopard change his spots any one of his [Page 288] spots? He may lick at them, but can he remove them? 'Tis as if Christ had said, Can a sinner take out any stain in his soul? he may lick at them, by prayer, and the like, but he cannot re­move them, because as a nature to him; yet I can do it; as if Christ had said, I can take out any spot, out of any cloth, out of any part, soul or body; He is able to save all that come to God by him.

2 Christ hath this vast power, and he cannot suspend it. If he re­fuse to do what he can for any distressed creature that comes unto him, and be the most miserable in the world, he will displease his Father, which we know he would not do, he would undergo hell first. The power that Christ hath for the good of sinners, is ne­cessarily acted: The Sun shines upon all the world, and it cannot do otherwise. Christ in the 6^th of John, when he had discoursed largely according to what latitude and compasse he wrought, for the salvation of souls, he puts it to this conclusion: I can do no lesse, saith he, for this is the will of my Father, that [every one] that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, might have everlasting life; if it be the tatterdst, the forlornst creature in the city, that looks pitifully upon me, I must look pitifully upon him, if he hang about me for soul favour, I must in no wayes cast him off, but take him out of the jaws of death, and carry him in my arms to eternall life. What is the will of the Father, is the will of Christ; the will of Christ naturally, not artificially, in a way of self-deniall, and contest, as the will of God is said to be a Saints will; so that what the Father would have Christ own, Christ cannot but own, for the same Spi­rit is in him, and in the same measure; and therefore you have him setting himself forth by the Prophet, just as I do, as one bound by that Spirit which anointed him. The Spirit of the Lord, [is upon me] and he hath anointed me to preach unto these and these, and to comfort [all that mourn]. a Christ doth not say, the will of the Lord is naked­ly revealed to me, how far I shall shew mercy, and how far not; but the same Spirit that speaks to me, saith he, is upon me (i.) in the same measure that it speaks to me, 'tis in me, and so necessitates me to obey, or captivates me, as my own nature, and as my own affection. God is captivated with love, toward all captives; so am I, saith Christ; he would have all to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth; Jewes and Gentiles; so would I [Page 289] too, saith Christ; the same bottomlesse sea of love that fluctuates in his breast, is in mine; the Father and I are one, and often Christ uses this expression, when he speaks about love to the creature.

Ʋse. Sinners, if ever you would be saved, consider this point well, how wide the arms of Christ are; how big the bosome of mercy is; it hath many thousands between her breasts already, and yet there is roome for you. The love of Christ is not coy, 'tis not hu­merous, 'thath not naturall antipathy against any, but persons that sleight it. Sinners, sinners, I beseech you consider it, at what height you love your sins: Do you love your sins above your bodies? above your estates, and names? yet there may be hope. Do ye love your sins above your souls? this is sad, yet there may be hope. But do ye not love your sins above that love which stands with her arms open to you yet for all this? What hope can there be in this case? How can you escape the damnation of hell? as Christ spake to this generation. There is no art to make the soul set open the everlasting dores, like telling him of the King of glory, which would come in. I conclude so, because 'tis the art the holy Ghost useth. Mercy held out in the extent of it, is the King in visible glory: drunkards, swearers, adulterers, set open your everlasting dores, the King of glory would come into you, he would forgive your sins against the light of Scripture, your sins against the light of nature, your beastly sins, I, those wherein you have been worse then beasts, your sins against your own bodies, as well as against your own souls; Love would get her self a name upon you, by cleansing and kissing of Swine, by laying a Toad in her bosome, by bringing a devill out of hel to heaven. Can you spit in the face of this Love, now in the sight of all this congregation, and turn to your lusts again? Mercy comes to all your dores, she falls down at all your feet, will you tread upon her? Mercy shews you what she would have you do, Christ humbles himself to the dust, laies himself at all your feet, if you would but do the like to him, not a soul of you should perish.

We hold out to you now, the riches of grace, if it work kindly, you shall know it by this, the soul longs to be partaker of it: this grace must be nourished; if longing die ere it obtain, the soul is guilty of stifling the Spirit. What buds in the soul will blossome, do but keep it in the Sun: all that are weary and heavie laden, have ease; all that are opprest with the devill, are healed: 'tis the thing [Page 290] we are upon. If this grace work not kindly, the soul hardens it self in its sin. If love be so large, I may go on in my sin yet a while longer, and do well enough at last; God rejects none, not young sinners, not old sinners; I will make as much as I can of my sin, and lie as long as I may in the lap of Delilah; if I must part with it, I will part with it at last, when I must part with all. Death is seised violently upon this soul, he vomits his excrements. Would a Judas speak worse then this man? I will keep my covetousnesse and treachery as long as I can, if I must leave it, it shall be at last, when I leave this world, my master and my hope for ever. You cannot imagine the depth of guile that is in our hearts natu­rally; no man will say so much as before said in words, but thou­sands say it in deeds; say what we will, what we can, of justice, of mercy, of the latitude of these, yet sinners will drive on in their own courses, as long as liberty, strength, and life will give leave. These hearts are dead in trespasses: Let what Sun will shine up­on the dead, it warms them not; these sinners are twice dead; dead naturally, and dead voluntary; they have tasted of the sweet of their wayes, and they get much wealth and pleasure by it, and they are not children, to part with a reality for a fancie.

These are whole, and need not a Physician, our work is quickly done about these. Burthened souls, you are the proper subject of mercy, and of this discourse, the call of this doctrine is to you: Come every one of you to Christ, and ye shall have ease, he excludes none: Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavie laden. A loded soul is self-condemn'd, he cannot stand under the sense of sin and wrath; alas, who can? A soul self-condemned, hath a halter about his neck of his own making; but do not hang thy self: the King of Israel is very mercifull, he hangs none that comes to him as thou dost, with a halter about his neck; hold a parly with him for thy life, thou mayst bring him to what terms of mercy thou wilt, almost. Bid Christ make Propositions of peace, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? If he say that he wil have thee do this, and do that, deny thy self, and fol­low him, pluck out thy right eye, and cut off thy right hand, and the like tel him, that through him thou canst do all things; give me thy self, and I will part with any thing; lend me thine hand, and I will rise, draw me, and I will run after thee. Nothing is vile to me, but that which thou forbiddest, nothing dear, but that which thou [Page 291] commandest; only let me touch the hem of thy garment, let me take hold of thy skirt, and I shall accomplish thy will and mine own.

This request cannot be denied: Make this conclusion, and feed upon it, under all desertion and temptation. Christ is ingaged, fur­nished, yea, about this very design, to give himself to thee. Christ is ingaged for thee by petition; thou hast put up many petitions to him, and he hath put them up all to God, he could do no otherwise; for he is by place an Advocate, to mention and plead such cases, as are moved to him. Christ is furnished by concession, for he is heard in all that he askes: my Father heareth me always. We ask many things and misse, because we ask amisse: Christ alwayes asketh well, and speeds well: therefore conclude of reliefe. You that mourne af­ter Christ, [he will] send a Comforter. The command of God is upon Christ, [he shall be] a light to the Gentiles. When Christ ingages himself by petition for any, God doth alwayes ingage him by concession, and by accomplishment for it. See thou do this poor soul good, my Son: here is for him, according to all that he needs, let it be laid out upon him according to all thou sayest, will make him happy. Must he have my Spirit? my comforting Spirit? will no lesse, nor no cheaper thing make him smile? will not a little Saffron mixed with some spirituous liquid, make him laugh? No, must he have my Spirit? my Joy [...]s then here 'tis. But be sure, my Son, that thou give it him. The injunction of God is upon Christ, He shall be a light to the Gentiles. God doth trust no Doctor, no Apothecary, none but Christ himself about drouping souls; and he puts into his hand, cordials of infinite price, and saith, that he shall give them, and his blessing with them; that he shall be, not only means of light, but Light it self, to dark souls; that is, the blessing of means, as well as means.

That Christ is about and upon giving himself to thee, O soul, I will demonstrate to thee thus: Christ hath looked upon thee, this is the first thing a man doth, when he intends to bestow him­self upon any; Abasuerus viewed the damosels first. The Son hath looked upon thee; that the Son hath looked upon thee, is appa­rent, for the beauty of his countenance hath taken thee, and thou wouldest fain have his Image to wear in thy breast, and if all thou hadst would buy it, how willingly wouldst thou part with it? the words which fall from Christs lips, are as marrow, and those [Page 292] which suit thy state, as marrow and fatnesse. Surely the King hath looked upon thee, and more, he hath a liking to thee. Thou lovest him, thou mayst conclude therefore, that he loved thee first. We love him, because he loved us first, the man makes love first. Christ wooed thee long, ere he thus far gained thee, though thou take no notice of it. Nay, more then this, Christ hath bestowed love-tokens upon thee, surely he is bestowing himself to thee. Christ hath given thee by us his messengers as Abrahams servant, a golden eare-ring, bracelets for thine hands; by the word whch we preach, he hath given thee his Spirit, thou breathest as Christ doth, very sweelty. I do not smell it. No, one cannot smell his own breath, when 'tis sweet, only when it stincks much; but others smell it, in every room where thou comest.

Would Christ were mine! Is not this the period still, of thy ex­pression, at the end of every discourse? Such an one hath got so much and so much, saith one to thee; dost not thou reply? would Christ were mine, and then I had got more then he. Dost thou not gaspe only after Christ, when thou fetchest breath deepest? That's the Spi­rit of the Lord Jesus, which makes sighs and groans, which cannot be expressed; he and thee sigh together; one in another, and one after another. Love is mutually set, the contract is made, only 'tis not published to the world; some deliberate time is used about this.

'Tis a distinct thing from being Christs, to know that I am his, and that he hath bestowed himself upon me; and all the wrang­lings, quarrellings, and gain-sayings of Satan, and a mans own soul, will not be quite dead, till the soul be quite in the bosome of Christ. When one argues from the beams of the Sun that there is a Sun, me thinks the cavillingst spirit of unbelief that is should lie still. Had no body ever taken notice of any ray of the Sun appearing in the soul to argue from, only the word of grace pressed, and the man that was al the dayes of his life a vile wretch, beholding his own neces­sity, and the riches of goodnesse, and laying hold upon it, he were bound to believe that Christ accepted of him, and bestowed himself upon him. I beseech you weak souls, know two things, and you can­not but be strong: Know the riches of the Gospel, and know the ob­ligement of the Gospel; it tenders mercy, 1. freely, and so it 2. must be owned; and so owned, though with never so much weak­nesse, or with never so many temptations, yet that it should [Page 293] be effectuall to your salvation: the touch of Christs garment did the cure.

'TIs for some speciall emphasis certainly, that the Apostle doth here articulate his person, with his name, I Paul; onely wee are various at guessing at it. Some thinke he points at the significa­tion of his name, [...] cessare, which signifies to cease. As if he had said, I that am stopped and ceased from destroying the Go­spel, and now made a publisher of it. Divine love can quench hell-fire, check violence, stop and turne a man when in the height of rage against Christ. This bloudy sinner, had a remarkable stop, by a word of love from Heaven, Why dost thou persecute me? Upon which his name was changed, to print and perpetuate providence, from Saul to Paul, (i) one stopped and ceased. No cords so strong as love, a mad-man cannot break them, when catched with them. Paul was a mad-man, a devill, yet catched and tamed presently, by a sweet voice from heaven. If you would conjure a devill quiet, if you would quench hell-fire in any ones breast, if you would make cords strong enough to hold a Bedlam, imitate Christ, speake as one from Heaven, in the sweetnesse and strength of the Gospel; lay a mountaine of love in the mad-mans way. Why sinner? Why wilt thou goe over Christ? This will [...], cease his course.

Others thinke the Apostle points at the signification of his name, as a Roman name. Paulus, from the adjective Paulus, which signi­fies little: as if the Apostle had said, Of which great mysteries, I that am little and poore in gifts, in place, in esteeme, little and base every way, yet am made a dispenser; and so an expression of great humilitie. The more grace, the lesse in our own eye. The sight of God is humbling, his majestie and glory is such, that the soule necessarily fals at his feete. The lesser and lower in our own eye, the greater and higher in Gods; all that he raises, is out of the dust: out of the dust he rai­seth seed to Abraham; and out of the dust he raiseth officers to look to this seede; out of the dust he raised our Saviour; and out of the [Page 294] dust he raiseth those Saviours, which are in his stead, Leaders in Is­rael. He giveth grace to the humble, (i) much grace, grace enough for the man himselfe, and many more. Christ doth plow and sow al­together in low grounds, these prove very fertile. Mountaines are cursed: if proud men be drawne out and set high, 'tis to be hang­ed by their preferment, as Haman.

I think both significations may be eyed in this speech, and the A­postle considered as one much admiring the way of God through­out, that would look towards one so much, as to intrust him with the care of all the Churches, who a little while since was set against them all; and now turned from so great wickednesse, yet possessing but little goodnesse, to discharge so great a trust. That I should be turned, is wonderful; but that I should be so imployed, is more won­derfull. The freenesse of God, in all his dispensations of grace and place, should be matter of admiration.

Doctr. 'Tis a brave eye that can tell all the rayes of the Sunne, and all the vertues they worke, and command all powers to sit downe and warme themselves, in the consideration of them. The heart is in frame, when taken with goodnesse, with all the goodnesse of God. Thou hast been very pleasant to me (saith David to Jonathan) Thy love to me is wonderfull: This he spake with an eye to all the love he had received from him, which is the right frame of the soule, in order to Christ and his: Thou hast been very pleasant to me, O Christ, throughout my course, and thy love to me hath been wonderfull, to my soule, to my body, in person, in office, in every condition. They are in a perfect frame above; the spirts of just men above, are all in a rapture, because of all the love that shines upon them; there is not a beame over-looked; not a beame shines upon any soule in Heaven, but 'tis observed much, and warmes him much; our hearts are in frame as they arise, to this. Heat is the right temper of the soule; I wish thou wert hot. Heat is active, activitie is a soule gathering up all the goodnesse of God, and feeding upon it, and then is the soule healthy and prosperous, and not otherwise. The constitution of grace, is somewhat as the constitution of nature, it feeds upon varietie, but varietie of God; God in riches, God in ho­nours, God in every thing: if God be missing in any person, in any dish at the Table, it stinkes.

Heat hath resolution: divine resolution tires not in dutie, though [Page 295] never so great. Then is the soule well, when it faints not in the praises of God. Heaven is up-hill; and to skim off the creame of every creature, and to carry it up to Heaven, and to present it to God, is hard worke: to finde out God in every thing here below, and carry him home to Heaven, and set him upon his throne, and admire him, is great labour; and yet divine resolution doth this, doth it in order to all divine dispensations, throughout the terme of mans life, and lays not downe the worke; no, lays not down the worke to all eternitie. I will mention the loving kindnesse of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed upon us, and his great good­nesse towards the host of Israel, according to the multitude of his loving kindnesse, Esa. 63.7. Nothing is so numerous as sin, and mercie, but yet of the two, mercie is more numerous. The world hath not so many sinnes in it, as mercies; and to act divinely in order to all these, to play upon a Lute, which hath I know not how many strings; to string a mans soule, with many thousand thousand mer­cies that befall him, and to play upon this sweely all ones dayes, and never lay aside the instrument, this is a haile constitution; and yet all this but dutie, divine president is extant. Divine presidents of this nature, are doubly binding: what any Saint of God ever did as a Saint, & in order to the rules of sanctitie, that comes to me with double authoritie to be observed; and therefore is the Scrip­ture cited, and the cloud of witnesses as another superadded motive. Presidents of sanctitie, speake not onely the precept to be obeyed, but the possibilitie, and honorabilitie of the precept, to be obeyed.

Ʋse. Saints should live at this height; they have lived at this height: this is good argumentation. How doe you live? Are your soules in health? and are you strong? How doe you travaile then up and downe after God? The Land wherein we live is full of mercies, no Land like it. Doe you tread upon them, or take them up? The lat­ter is beastly, yet very common. The Land is full of mercies, and full of nothing but brutes, that tread upon them. Brutishnesse in a man, is sensualitie; a sensuall person, is one killed with kindnesse; one that eats mercies, but doth not taste them; weares mercies, but doth not feele them; seeth mercies, but doth not understand the lo­ving kindnesse of the Lord, nor never will: he is cursed to the dust, as the seed of the Serpent, to goe upon his belly, upon his appetite; and upon no higher principle, through this world; to feed onely [Page 296] upon dust, and upon no nobler thing, for making a God of this world. You wonder at the plague, and at the sword, but this is the greatest judgement in the Land, that no man sees the mercie that shines upon him. All the judgements that are in the Land, are but to cast shadowes upon mercies, that you may see them well, and carry them and your soules to Heaven together. There should not be a judgement more among us, did you see mercy as you should: there should not a man more die, did loving kindnesse live in our hearts. The heart of this Land is eaten out with long tillage, God now dungs it, that things may grow well. 'Tis so with our soules: Our hearts are eaten out with vanities, nothing will come up that is divine, not spring up as high as Heaven. God pluckes up all, to pluck up your hearts to Heaven; 'twill be well if this be effected, although it be not till all be dead. When all is dead, if then a mans soule grow alive to God, blessed am I, though there be but this one thing alive of all I have. England is dead, God is burying it. Our hearts are quarred with fulnesse, and become stones; no musick can be playd upon a stone. God makes musick to himselfe with justice, seeing wee can make none to him with mercie: he sets us to throw stones one at another, hard heart against hard heart, to dash out one anothers braines, to kill a companie of men, Canini appetitus, of a dog appetite, whose belly is as the grave, and as hell, which cry, give, give, but never returne.

1 Know the state of the generall, and bleed inwardly. Doe you see a love returning spirit in any ranke, from the highest to the low­est? I England am made a mirror of mercie, a thousand thousand wounds, and yet not dead; What pen shall I take, and what book? Where shall I write this love, that it may be ever in Gods eye, and mine owne? Doe you see such a spirit stirring, for the glory of Christ? Wee fall in person, we fall in purse, and we fall and flat in spirit too: nothing rises in any man that I see, but that which throwes all downe, Pride and selfe. Ego magnus, not, ego Paulus, I great, not I little and low, this may be every mans motto. Big spi­rits are the worst in the world to stoop, and to take up every thing of Gods, and give it to him. Big proud spirits, admire themselves: such as are taken up with admiration of themselves, can never be good at this dutie of admiring God. Look over all the Kingdome, and people in the world, and tell me a people more pinned to, and [Page 297] doating upon its selfe, then we are. What a Clergie! What Magi­stracy! What an Armie have we! So big, so acute, so perfect, as not to be exprest. This puts by the other quite, what a Christ have we! how strong! how wise! how gracious! Do ye heare mens mouths filled with this, with admiration of Christ? What ornaments doe I weare in my soule, or upon my outward man, but Christ hath put them on all?

2 Know the state of the generall, and know your own state in par­ticular. Doe you as Paul here, admire the goodnesse of Christ, in all the goodnesse that is upon you? That you are stopped and ceased from wickednesse? That you are turned to Christ? Yea not naked­ly so, but turned into noble services for Christ? Intrusted with ma­ny Talents above your brethren, for the good not onely of your selves, but many more? I would willingly admire this, if it were so; but alas for me,Ob. I am not yet stopped nor turned from my wicked course: I am a swearer still, a drunkard still, a gracelesse uselesse wretch still. Why then admire that thou art not in hell:Sol. there is no man alive, no man of this side hell, but hath some mercie, yea, much mercie to admire: say, that I a swearer, am not yet in hell, in the proper place for blasphemers, O what a mercie is this! That sin and judgement are not closed unseparably all this while, in so many yeares, O what a wonder is this! There is not a greater apt­nesse for fire and stubble to close, then for sin and judgement in a wicked soule: that the cover of the tinder-box should be open, and striking of fire a great many yeares, and a great many sparkles fal­ling of both sides, and some in, and yet not take; that thou a naked gracelesse soule, open to the wrath of God, and living in a Land where wrath is powring out, by plague, sword, and other judge­ments, and yet that thou shouldest escape, here is a big wonder in­deed: blind soule canst thou see it? No, I have no more then others have, nor yet so much: this cuts the throat of holy admiration. How wofully is this creature plagued! Others mercies are his judge­ments, he cannot see what he has, because others have more. Canst thou not see what thou hast thy selfe? No, hold thy mercies neere thine eyes: Canst thou not see them now? No. Why then I feare that thou art (beside borne-blind) mad-blind, as those wilfull Pha­risees, and Scribes: this is a sad condition. There is no recovery of sight, when the eyes are struck out.

[Page 298]If this be not thy plague, there is the more hope; for God will take the businesse in hand to make thee see, in a more strong way then now 'tis done by me, if all meanes have not been used alrea­die; as what a potent course is taken up in this case, Hosea 11.3. I taught Ephraim to goe, taking them by the armes, but they knew not that I healed them, I drew them with the cords of a man, and with the bands of love, and I laid meat unto them. God will one time or other, take hold upon thy conscience, and lead thee about from mercie to mercie, and point thee to them particularly, one after another. O ungratefull soule, I did this for thee, and I did that: I saved thee from breaking thy leg such a time, from breaking thy necke such a time, from such a desperate sicknesse, such a time, &c. Thus doth God to persons that are asleepe in ingratitude, to awaken them, and thus he doth to them that are dead. Goe and tell David, [I took] thee from the sheepfold, &c. After that soule miscarriage, God set one to talke with him, with a witnesse, to tell him who raised him, and to what, and what use was expected of all. God will thus speake within to thy conscience, sooner or later. If this be the po­tent remedie of ingratitude you speake of, I have had this alreadie. I cannot sleepe sometimes, these things are so whispered in mine eares. Why, better want sleepe, then want instruction from Christ. Doth it not yet doe the thing? Why, beg him then to seale thy in­struction. God speakes once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not, then he openeth the eares of man, and sealeth his instruction. Sealing instructi­on, is so much of Christ given forth to the soule in his word or workes, as leaves the image of Christ plainly upon the soule. A thing is sealed, when there is such an impresse made, as leaves the image of the seale upon the paper. Then can we see the image of God plaine without, when 'tis plaine upon the soule within: when one sees two Sunnes, then one wonders; 'tis so spiritually: when one can see Christ within, and Christ without, such are the soules that ad­mire all the kindnesse of God. The Apostle saw two Sunnes; he looked upon himselfe as a converted man, and then as such an in­trusted man with office: a man cannot see God without well, un­lesse he can see him within.

Christians, (and here be a sweet company of you) this worke I see by the course of things, fals to your share, look that you dis­charge it well, this is my charge upon you. Christ hath no active [Page 299] creatures to gather him honey, and to bring it home to his dore but you: there be some wild Bees, that gather a little honey, and of a scurvey wild undigested nature, but they goe and hide it in holes of the earth, and in hollow trees, I know not where. How doe you bestir your selves, Christians, in gathering of honey for Christ? The garden in which you are, was never fragranter with flowers then now. Not a man you meet with, but you may wonder he is alive: not a stone in the streete you tread upon, but you may won­der 'tis not coloured with bloud: not a limbe you have, but you may wonder 'tis not cut off: not a good Minister, not a good Ma­gistrate, but you may wonder he is not cut in a thousand pieces; how ponderously and warily should we goe up and downe every where in England now, after all the great things that have been done in it, that wee doe not tread wonders in the dirt? What a time, what a place doe we live in, and what advantages have we to bring in rich treasure to the crowne of Christ, and so conse­quently to our own crowne? And thinke then what hearts you have, which are frothy and wanton now. Fatherly providence hath made every mercy a thousand times bigger then 'twas, that you may see it as you should: doe you doe so Christians? Our house is sweeter then 'twas, husband sweeter then he was, every thing is re­newed, a new glosse from an immediate hand put upon every thing; 'tis strange that things that are so varnisht and inlaid from Heaven, should not divinely take us. I am jealous of you Christians, I am jealous of you, that yet Christ is a great loser by you, in the glory of his Name. Divine heat is wanting in you, though God hath rubbed you so much and so long, till he hath rubbed off the skin. A man may discerne where ever he comes, that the goodnesse of the Lord is not in your mouthes, is it in your mindes? You froth at mouth, and bespatter every one that comes neare you with it, that one had need downe upon his knees to God, to wash his soule from the filth that comes from you: these things are against you Christians, but I spare you: Thinke but what God hath done, and what he is now adoing, and then thinke what hearts you have, that can be frothie now.

DUtie with its issue lieth here together, it brings forth twinnes, but not like each other; misery in the dis­charge of it, joy in the end. The better the instru­ment workes, the worse lik't of the world, and the worse used, this is sorrowfull; but the more blessed of God to a gracious successe, this is joyfull. The childe that comes last out of the wombe of dutie, is a pleasant childe, [Now] I rejoyce in my sufferings for you. The instrument that faithfully wrought, bea­ten; with these stripes many were healed: Paul lived to see this, this made him forget misery, whilst in it, for he was in bonds, when he spake these words. Dutie at last is sweet, it comes off with Heaven, though Hell dog it for a time. Now I rejoyce.

Esther sighes, mournes, groanes, and then feasteth and rejoyceth at last: 'tis a true emblem of Christianitie, 'tis clothed with sack­cloth a great time, but changes garments at last. Blessed are all that die in the Lord; Persons when they end, actions when they end, though they end in bloud and death, yet if in the Lord, in the dis­charge of dutie, they are blessed with sweet successe, they eate the fruit of their travaile; 'twas so to Christ, 'tis so to us. Successe is the crown of action, a crown from God here; Can a soule weare a crown from God here, or any where, and not joy, though a great while a putting on?

This point must be understood. When I say dutie ends well, it must be understood, dutie faithfully discharged. Hypocrites are very doing, but action never comes off well; what ever joy they have in the beginning, they have none in the end; how much soe­ver they sit up and worke, yet they lie down in sorrow; what fires and sparkles soever they kindle, goe all out ere they goe out, and blast and not blesse the soule at last: this is a universall truth, made so by the hand of justice. Behold all yee that kindle a fire, and com­passe your selves about with the sparkes, this yee shall have of my hand, yee shall lie downe in sorrow, Esa. 50. ult. Christ crownes no hypo­crite neither here nor hereafter, neither action nor person; all that is unsound, rots. They shall not eate of the travaile of their soule, [Page 301] how painfull soever their travaile be, but die in travaile, their hope is cut off: an hypocrites livery, yea his legacy, is nothing but a deaths-head; obedience faithfully discharged, ends well; where ever this ends, if it be in a prison, or any where else, it is with joy.

Obedience is rejected, because of its issue, 'tis a damnable fault: they die in travaile that are married to Christ, therefore I will ne­ver be married to him; he clothes his Spouse with mourning gar­ments, and her coate is edged at end still with deaths-heads; I will never be married to him! then thou canst never come to Heaven, he brings none but his Spouse thither. Though Christ doe not use his Spouse ill himselfe, yet he suffereth others to doe it; there is nothing but bloud and death in the way of God, I dare not set step in it. Many speake this in their heart, their not obeying, is a de­monstration of it. A sad temptation is strongly seized upon you, if it hold you, you are lost; the fearfull of this sort are shut out. There be troubles in every course under the Sunne; dost thou find none in disobedience? Then the more is to come. Bloud, and death, and hell, are at the end of thy way, Sinner; and yet darest thou to keepe on in it? Surely thou art not so much fearfull as wilfull. In­struction cures distemper, when 'tis but of meere weaknesse; when the soule waits to turne in with Christ, and yet cannot; but where it is otherwise, lay open as much danger in one way pleaded for, as in another way pleaded against, yet the man will hold on his course, which speakes the soule ingaged by will, and not so much overborne by weaknesse, and then there is no entrance for right principles. I would let these alone which have shut themselves up, till Christ breake open doores upon them, and speake to a genera­tion more ingenuous.

Men that are candid, love to doe things that will end well: then set upon the workes of Christ. If thou be a Minister, preach Christ faithfully, who ever oppose; if thou be otherwise of any other ranke, practise the will of Christ sincerely, what ever thou suffer. Things may goe harsh a time, but Christ will bring about a season, [...], now I rejoyce, that ever I did this, and that ever I did that for Christ. If Christ doe not bring about such a time here, he will a­bove. O how joyfull are they above, that ever they had hearts to suffer for Christ here below! Now I blesse God that I lay in such a [Page 302] prison, what a mansion have I to make me amends? Now I blesse God that ever I was hungry, that ever I was naked for Christ, what precious meate, and what glorious apparell have I, to make me amends? 'Twere enough, if the now of a Christians joy, did not come till after this life: but shall a Christian have one here? Let truth and conscience keepe company in stormes, and I think I may assure any man, a sweet calme here, let men and devils doe all what they can; but let these two be parted, there will never be a season of joy, reall joy; the soule is betrayed, that hath any other opini­on or practice. The righteousnesse of action should onely be eyed by us, as for other things, skin and bones, and goods, and such like lumber, should be all ventured in this bottome. I am for Christ, if I mourne all the dayes of my life, and have not one teare wiped off till I come to Heaven, all is one: so one should set out, setting Hea­ven at the furthest distance that can be thought of, and then a man meets with it often, long before he accounted; in this prison, or in that dungeon, where one would look for hell rather then heaven; so did Paul. Now I rejoyce, &c.

PAul was in prison when he spake these words: so considered, bravenesse of spirit sparkles in every syllable of the expression. Now I am in the mouth of the Lion, now I am in the belly of Hell, now I am in the face of Devils, now I own Christ, and triumph in all that I undergoe for his Name. Divine magnanimitie wee are to stand upon; 'tis a soule in all conditions openly very stout, and ve­ry amiable, in the pursuit of Gods will. Disadvantages are many in a Christian course, in none more: magnanimitie knowes none, 'tis one that can make a Trumpet sound admirably, where there is no eccho; in a pit, in a dungeon; in his coffin, in his grave he will sing, and make his chaines Late-strings; among the dead he is alive, now I rejoyce. You have a Latine Proverb of warre, Mars communis, warre is of various event, sometimes against one, sometimes with [Page 303] one: so I may say of the warre of a Christian, 'tis Mars communis, sometimes we come off well, sometimes we are taken and chained, sometimes the battaile is so hot, that all run away: Magnanimitie stands to it then, fights alone; shee is oft a prisoner, but never a run-away; one is enough, to wit, Christ, though all else run away; or how ever disadvantaged otherwise, yet upon this advantage, shee stands to it alone, and fights with many; yea, fights and sings, thunders and harpes: you have the voice of great thunders and of harpes joyned together, Revel. 14.2. The servants of the Lord, fighting and thundring against Antichrist, and yet harping and singing. Est virtus omnia ad gloriam ferens. A vertue that mouldes and shapes all things, good things, bad things, prisons, chaines, bloud, all to divine triumph.

Magnanimitie is alwayes very stout, but alwayes very amiable: when shee breaths and collects spirits, she doth not curve her brow, frowne and fret, and the like, but smiles in the face of crueltie it selfe. Michal scoffed David, and stoned him with her mouth, but David smiles and dances. Paul in chaines at Rome rejoyceth, now I joy. In the belly of Hell, Jonah prayes, yea gives thankes, I will sa­crifice to the Lord with a voice of thankesgiving; salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land, Jonah 2.9, 10. As the verses goe, and are conjoyned, one would thinke they did carry this brave sense, that as soone as God did behold Jonah in this brave posture of spirit, not onely big with prayer, but with praises, even in the belly of the Whale, that then he spake to the Whale to give him up, that then he spake to Hell to give up that person to Heaven, whose spirit and action was there before. There is an amiablenesse of person, and an amiablenesse of action, and Magnanimitie hath both; shee sets the countenance right, the eye right, and the hand right: when shee is stout, 'tis in the truth, and for the truth; shee pursues a noble game, and ab­horres all evill means to catch it; to get Earth, to get Heaven, shee will not be bribed; when there is any base carriage in a businesse, none more ignorant of any such thing, then a Christian truly mag­nanimous. Christian magnanimitie is borne of humilitie and sim­plicitie, and hunts after nothing more, then the incouraging of the parents of which shee came, but this shee pursues to the utmost. Things that are of the truest and highest glory, these doth a mag­nanimous [Page 304] Christian, Nervis cunctis incumbere, intend with every si­new: all things that are simply sinfull, or but of meane account, come not into his thought. 'Tis virtus tendens ad maxima, a Chri­stian that struggles to be of all Christians the chiefe, for humilitie, for integritie, for faith, for love, for fruition, for emission, for taking in of Christ, for laying out for Christ. A Christian indeed magna­nimous, is the greatest Merchant-venturer to the tother world that is, he is mightie in stocke, he hath many millions of brave spirits in his bloud, and trades them out all for Christ and Heaven, in long voyages to come home rich; he hath no hand but to good, but to this he hath hand and heart, and nothing can fetch off either. Then answered I thus, and said, The God of Heaven will prosper us, therefore we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, nor right, nor memoriall in Jerusalem, Nehem. 2.20. A Christian in­deed magnanimous, hath truth in one hand, and life in the other, and this is his Motto, Take one, take both. This is his Motto every where, in libertie, in bonds, and this he speakes and smiles, (now I joy.)

Ʋse. Wee are put by providence to speake upon a seasonable subject; times call us to move bravely every one in our place. Furie is a­broad, and furie is at home, nothing but a brave spirit can now kisse Christ, and smile in the face of both. Greatnesse will over-bear, and jostle a weak spirit, though otherwise good as a childe from his father, and make him cry, and take on dolefully, for want of that countenance which did smile upon him. Power gene­rates pride, unlesse it sit in a very sweet breast; the effects of this are bloudie, and not a man can withstand to any purpose, but he that is steele to the backe. 'Tis said of Ʋzziah, that when he was strong, that is, externally strong, that he was lifted up to his de­struction. This Prince after his great victories, fell upon the wor­ship of God, and carried it by his owne greatnesse as he pleased, (which is a plague proper to pride, to be spiritually and desperate­ly wanton; to creepe into the Temple, and to confront God as highly as may be.) And the Text tells us of Azariah, and fourscore brave Priests of the Lord that withstood him, saying, It pertaines not to thee, O King, to burne incense, but to the Priests of the Lord, which are consecrated; goe out of the Sanctuarie, thou hast trespassed, and it shall not be for thine honour. There were fourscore of these [Page 305] magnanimous spirits then, would there were fourscore thousand of these now in the Christian world, they are much needed, to withstand violence against the worship of God, against the privi­ledge of Ministers and people. Blindnesse hardens men: fooles will as soone strike with a club, as with a twig, as soone stab with a knife, as with a straw, every one that bowes not downe to the I­dol of their fancie: this is stoutnesse to destruction, as the fore­cited Scripture speakes, and 'tis pitie it should destroy any but such as are guiltie of it: and yet it will, if not withstood. What a dole­full condition would all have come to, if those few brave spirits, had given way to all that the King in the blindnesse of his heart would have done! A Christian indeed magnanimous, is he that stands in the gap in a time of wrath, and none else: this man is a Phinebat, an Azariah, one that stayes the plague, the sword, the wrath of God, that eates upon us, and would eate us out all, un­lesse some such brave spirits appeared abroad, and at home, in the field, and in the Citie. You can doe no service to quench the fire of jealousie, that now burnes, unlesse you get more fire in your hearts. Life and death is in the ballance, and the scales stand, which scale will weigh downe we cannot tell; onely this I can say, this grace of Magnanimitie put in that scale where the life of the Kingdome lies, would turne the beame presently, and life should weigh downe death; peace and prosperitie, ruine and desolation. 'Tis pitie that brave spirits are no more smil'd upon; some such buddings of hope are now and then, but they are blasted againe; men are alive a while, and then dead. Persons which are in such a condition, that are pretie well one while, and at deaths-dore a­gaine another while, men have still feare lest some vitals wast in such a state, which is not yet discerned. England, if death should cure all thy diseases at last, for want of a little life, what a dolefull giving up the ghost will this be! Whither wouldest thou carry thy cold off-spring, that they might grow more warme? To such and such plantations beyond the Seas? Between thee and them is a great gulph, and it may be, they that would goe to them shall not, & they that thou wouldest should come to thee will not: they that stay in the Citie, famine may devoure; they that goe to flie out, a sword may cut off; A Serpent, a Lion, or a Beare, sword, famine, or plague, may divide all between them, within dore and without. [Page 306] Surely, England, thy giving up (if ever that sad day come, which the Lord grant it may not) will be with such ghastly groanes, with such hideous shreechings, with such tabering of breasts, and tearing of haire, with such weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, as scarce ever any eye saw, or eare heard, since wrath and desolati­on began among the Gentiles.

Wherefore call upon thy selfe, O England, and call upon thy Physicians for Christian magnanimitie: tell them what death thou fearest, and what grudgings of it thou feelest alreadie in severall parts. Where there be palsies, and such diseases, which are by cold, which be numbe and dead the parts, there rubbing is good to fetch heat and agilitie. Rub one another frequently, exhort one ano­ther daily, strike fire in one anothers breasts, admonish, reprove, but doe all in love. Passion generates passion; wild-fire is not mag­nanimitie, this burnes all, it doth not save all. Magnanimitie springs out of love; 'tis a stout spirit candid with the sweetnesse of Christ, and made a Lamb and a Lion, as Christ was; a Lamb, when among sheep, to be led by them; but a Lion, when among Beares and Wolves, to awe and lead them. Magnanimitie is the perfectest temper of Christ, in all this world; 'tis a Lion lying downe with a Lamb, and doing it no hurt; and a Lamb playing upon the hole of an Aspe, and receiving no hurt: it is one that can doe no hurt, but can and will doe much good; 'tis one that fels himselfe like Christ, at a very low rate, to doe good to all.

[...]SUfferings both externall and internall, the word imports, such stripes upon the flesh, as did affect and afflict the spirit, that did make passiones animi, soule-passions. There is such an affinite be­tween the body and the soule, that it is hard to separate them in suffering, yet a divine hand of God, who is father of spirit and flesh, makes burthens pinch more upon the one then upon the o­ther, as pleaseth him Pauls cup was eminently proportion'd to Christs, 'twas to fill up that which was behind of the afflictions of [Page 307] Christ; and Christs cup had those ingredients, which made his soule heavie to death, they did deeply affect, not onely his flesh, but his spirit.

Body and soule were as Simeon and Levi, brethren in evill, and God makes chaines to couple both together in misery, and pinches that part most that is worst, puts double bolts upon the leader to sin, that's the soule. What God joynes, he would not have us to part, what we joyne, he will not part; we joyne body and soule in sin, and he doth not part them in suffering, not in the best. Christ can distinguish between these two in the matter of affliction, and so lightly touches the flesh, that it shall never trouble the spi­rit, but then man usually despiseth the chastening of the Lord; yea, the best are apt to doe so. [My sonne] despise not the chastening of the Lord. God puts such twigs in all his cords for his children, that he makes no wantons of them: when they joy in sufferings under one notion, they shall sorrow in them under another: When they joy in sufferings, it shall be against sense, and against reason, not as if they did feele a little, but as feeling much, onely appre­hending the issue, how glorious and how precious that will be. Bonds and chaines are so heavie, as to make our joy a pure joy; the misery of Saints is so ponderous, as to presse their joy pure, to make it a joy of faith, not of sense in the least, body and soule be­ing both in paine.

You squeese out the spirit and puritie of things, so doth Christ. Christ doth so affect the body and soule in his dealings, that if any grace act forth, it shall be pure grace, such as is fed with no low principle. If joy worke, it shall be from faith, not from feeling: if faith worke, it shall be from the word without, not from any thing that it feeles else or sees, without or within. Our heights are neces­sitated, with one medium or other. When our soules are highest, they are wound and screwed up to it with much paine, and then when raised to this height, 'twould not be downe againe for all the world, but kisses the rod, chaines, prisons, any bitters that worke about so sweet, so heavenly a life, as to joy purely in Christ.

The nature of divine trials, is the thing that I would stand up­on, how the arrowes of the Almightie are shaped, now sharpe these are, which he shoots at his people, they pierce thorow all, body and soule. Wherefore is life given to him that is in misery, and light to him [Page 308] that is in bitternesse of soule, Job 3.20. These expressions aptly suite the point I am upon, and doe open the nature of those trials, that befall the godly: they have misery, that is not all, they have misery wrapt up into such bitter pils, as work upon the soule. That's strong physick indeed, that sets all a trembling & casting, body and soule, yet such God gives those he loves dearly: in bitternesse of soule; the expression is very emphaticall, like that to Elymas, in the gall of bit­ternesse; it speakes a state steeped, and soaked long in misery, till soaked quite thorow; every sinew stretched, every bone put out of joynt, no whole part within nor without; not a thought lying still, nor knowing where to find a pillow in any roome of the soule, to lie downe on.

God makes no distinction of persons here, I meane in the point that I am pursuing. All things come alike to all, alike sweet, alike bit­ter, alike for qualitie, alike for quantitie; a vessell of honour filled as full of sorrow here, as a vessell of wrath, waters coming into the soule. [I am] feeble and sore broken. I have roared for the disquietnesse of my heart, Psal. 38.81. None but evill spirits are broken and tor­tur'd below, they are all cursed creatures that roare there: but here good as well as bad, are broken all to pieces; all roare here, wicked men, Saints, brave Spirits, I am sore broken, I roare. What a dreadfull din and noise is all this world over! One would thinke one were in hell whilest here: in every Countie, in every Citie, in every house; no dore sprinkled for a passeover in this point of sorrow, sorrow at the heart. The arrowes of the Lord are [within me.] No house so wal­led, nor so high here, but God shoots into it when he will: he moves in order to all trials with the godly, as he doth in order to all judgements with the wicked, according to an absolute will. When he will, he takes up whom he will amongst the wicked, and trusseth him up so or so, quarters him, and hangs up his quarters, makes him lesse or more notorious, as he pleases: so when he will, he takes up whom he will of the godly; prisons, chaines them, till the Iron en­ter into their soule, sets them up as a mark, and shoots them cleane thorow. Why hast thou set [me] up as a mark to shoot at? Job 7.20. And this a meere exercise of prerogative will, which Job could not un­derstand at present, but did afterward. Though God hath made o­ver much to man, yet hath reserved this priviledge to himselfe, to have his Range in this great Forest here below, & to shoot at what [Page 309] he will, at what goat he will, or at what Deer he will, and at what part of this Deer he will, at the heart, so he doth not make an in­curable wound.

And this Christ can doe, and this may be the reason of his pri­viledge. He wounds as he pleases, because he can heale as he plea­ses; shoots the body, and shoots the soule of his people, because he can take out the bullet where ever it lies, and heale that part as per­fect, yea perfecter then ever 'twas. Poisons that gangrene and eate upward and inward towards the heart, Christ can stop their secret motion, and draw out the poison at the pores of the soule, at the eyes, at the mouth, in spirituall breathings, and kind soule-sweat­ings, pantings, mournings, and turne this poison that drops out of these pores, into a precious spirited liquid, and bottle it up as a cor­diall for himselfe to drinke of, and to delight his palate withall for ever. The rarest spirits, are extracted out of the strongest poisons, and Christ wants no skill to doe it; he is an admirable Chymist, and therefore takes whom and what he will, to try his skill upon. There are no such poisonous things in the world, as sin and punish­ment, especially when they meet together in the soule, and yet then Christ can extract such a spirit out of both, as all this world shall hardly match. Christ can bring a body downe to the grave, and raise him up againe, and make his bones like Behemoth, like barres of Iron. David found it oft: Thou hast renewed my strength like an Ea­gle. So Christ can bring a soule down to Hell, and raise it up againe to Heaven, yea bring him up so full of Heaven, that not one of a thousand, not one of fortie thousand comparable; and what Christ can doe in this point, he doth when and as he pleaseth.Mibbor s [...]on. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the mirie clay, and set my feet upon a rocke, and established my goings, Psal. 40.2. Horrible pit, a vault of hideous noises, saith the Originall; Christ can bring a man downe to such a condition, as if his soule were in a vault, where are all manner of hideous and dolefull noises, and yet then raise the spirit as into Heaven, where all manner of melodious and reviving noi­ses are.

Ʋse. Afflicted Christians should sucke the sweetnesse of this point. Doth the paine in thy flesh rage inward to thy spirit? Is the cup thou drinkest of bitter to thy soule? yet it is a cup of love, 'tis no other then of what Christ hath drunke, and left the sweet of his [Page 310] lips upon, for the next to drinke: 'tis no other then what he gives to the best of his. Misapprehension makes burthens intolerable, which is heavier then ever Christ intended to any Saint. When any twig in the rod stings the soule, when any thing stickes and presses hard upon the spirit, the conclusion is, wrath made this rod, and 'twill kill me if I had a thousand lives. These are our conclusions, meerly ours and Satans, Christ hath no hand at all in them. Fa­therly displeasure, is love, a God setting himselfe against your sin, not against your persons, he hath imbraced these with an everlast­ing love. Satan visits much when the soule is in paine, 'twere well if good hearts did know when he comes; his counsels, his prescrip­tions, are all desperate; when the heart is heavie, then he shewes such the nailes of that hand that is upon them, how long they be, and how hard they pinch, and what deepe dints and blacke and blew markes they make, (i) he makes an exact collection of circum­stances about every stroake of God, with his own comment in the margent. As to instance; Love doth strike her beloved ones indeed, but doth shee strike so strong, so long, so deep? Doth shee strike and not stroake a jot? Not with her own hand, nor no body else? Doth shee wither every other womb of love, when shee leaves bring­ing forth her selfe? 'Tis a frowne of God, 'tis a pang of death upon the soule, certainly thou canst not recover it, saith that cursed spi­rit. One would construe the Devill under a notion of simplicitie in this, (there may be charitie to the Devill) he is so under justice himselfe, that he can see nothing else, and this is the strength of the torment that is upon him: but yet then he is to be judged no fit leader in such a case as this, when he hath to doe with spirits in a better station then himselfe.

The workes of God are wonderfull, especially such as reach the soule, and need to be read over often, ere a man venture to make a positive conclusion upon them, that this and no other is the mean­ing. Afflicted Christians, you are too rash, too venturous, paine puts you into passion, that's a very mis-judging condition. You judge things before the time; this in small matters is no small fault, nor of no small evill event, but what is it when a man doth thus about the greatest acts that relate to him in all the world? The tranquillity of the soul is embarked, in a right judgement of things; let Satan, your own passion, any wile whatsoever, overturne this, [Page 311] and you shipwracke and sinke your consolation irrecoverably: therefore studie long, pray long, waite long, ere you draw up a judgement upon that hand-writing, that is in the wall against you. Doe as that Heathen, judge others better able to interpret the hand­writing against you, then your selves. And if you would have the exact meaning of this strange stroake or that, doe as he did, send for the most experienced spirituall man in all the world,Some [...]. and let him rather then thy selfe, make a judgement upon that hand, that writes bitter things against thee. Open thy breast and say; Sir, doe you see any plague-spot in my breast? (one cannot look very well in his own breast, 'tis so high) open it fully to another. Pray Sir, deale faithfully with me: Do you see any plague spots in my breast? There be spots there, are they the spots of Gods people or not? How black be they? How broad be they? How many be they? If thou wilt make many curious questions about thy state, and drive things to an exact disquisition, be sure that thou take one by thee, better able then thy selfe to guide thee, or thou wilt condemne the innocent, and execute thy selfe.

Judgement setled, and something may be spoken to the man, to doe him good. There are two considerations, which may much relieve, when trials pinch the soule; 'tis for some through and no­ble good to the partie, and for some through and noble use for Christ. The throne of iniquitie is struck at, the head of the Serpent is trod upon: powers within, are Satans strongholds, things which paine and shake these, come to Satans bed-side, and holds a knife to his throat, where he lies, tumbles, and sleepes. The Granadoes which are cast into the soule, burne the devill in his bed, they burne the branch, yea they burne the root of sin, 'tis an axe to the roote. Sin considered as it lies lodged in the heart, is the root of it, there­fore saith the Apostle, Covetousnesse is the root of evill, it being as it were the heart to all other sinnes. Exorbitant affections, which lie all within, these are the roots of all the sin you act; that which is so ordered and steeped, as to affect these dis-affected passions, strikes at the root of sin. Seest thou a man prickt in soule? Stand still; thou wilt see pride come downe branch and root. Seven Devils tur­ned out; a floare throughly cleansed, drosse purely purged away, a man made cleane every whit, outside, inside, all faire, in the eye, yea in the vote of Christ, yea in the vote of Christ to the soule it selfe.

[Page 302]And now and not till now, is a Christian fit for noble service, thus throughly dead, and thus throughly raised. Pride slaine, all her children, that is, loose affections murthered in their bed, the meek and pure spirit, crowned with a vision of God, you may send this dove forth any where, he will come home with an olive branch in his mouth. Set this soule about what worke you will, that be­longs to a Christian, and he will doe it truly; and if it be to cloth the naked, to relieve the oppressed; heel powre out his soule or state to the needie, and he will doe it with tender bowels, because he hath needed them himselfe, and hath tasted how sweet they are. When the soule goes forth in action, then is action done nobly in­deed. The Lord is with them that uphold my soule, says David; and we thinke he points at Jonathan, when he had scarce any else to cleave to him. When every ones heart was as Iron, Jonathan lo­ved David as his own soule; Jonathan had been put to it, he knew what 'twas to be in strait for his life, so unfatherly was his father, and therefore he proves a brave spirit for this noble service, to save the life of David, to raise him, and Christ in him, to his throne: he was all heart and soule in it, and God was with him. God is doubly present with a man, which he hath much exercised, which is an incomparable advantage, to all divine usefulnesse. No man can speake so feelingly, so healingly, as he that hath much of God speaking in and with him: this is the man of a thousand, that can speake words in season, like apples of gold in pictures of silver, that can lend legges to the lame, eyes to the blind; that can comfort those which are cast downe, with the same comforts wherewith he hath been comforted from the Lord.

THe afflictions of Christ are twofold: in his person, in those which hee personates; the former are ac­complished, the latter are yet accomplishing. Christs will and himselfe are one; such as strike his will, any part of this, or any lover of this, would strike Christ himselfe, if hee were now present. Christ is plaine, hee cals actions as intended, not as pretended. The second Adam names things as the first when he stood, according to their na­ture; what is against truth, is in the nature of it against Christ, who ever be the professor of it, and therefore so accounted, yea, and so openly called. And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.

And fill up] the word in the originall is compounded, [...]. and full of emphasis; it signifies re-action or re-passion, the doing or suffering of a thing againe, to doe over that which some others have done already; readimplere, as one translates. The measure of suffering, that tendeth to satisfie for offence, and ransome man from the wrath of God, Christ hath fild up to the brim; the cup was big, but Christ poured out blood enough to fill it: one would have hoped that all suffering worke belonging to a Christian, had been done then. No, 'tis not, saith the Apostle, I doe iterum implere, rursus implere, fill up againe, the sufferings of Christ. Malice lives still, Christ is crucified afresh in his mem­bers: Christ doth bleed in my veines afresh, saith the Apostle; if there were any drop of blood left behind, when he bled upon the crosse, now tis fetcht out through my sides.

How implacable is the fury of man! the fury of God was stopped when Christ had bled to death, and 'twas not his will that ever Christ should die any more, or that any one should die more for Christs sake; but yet the fury of man lives, and that would have Christ die over and over, iterum iterumque, againe [Page 402] and againe; 'twould have every house pulled downe and burned, that Christ gets into: 'twould crucifie his image, his picture; 'twould make him bleed as long as this world lasts, yea, to all eternity, therefore doe wicked spirits in hell blaspheme and teare his name, a worke which they will never leave, though it continually adde to their plague; and yet these doe but shew the nature of all malicious men on earth, which are everlasting blood-hounds, which spend perpetually upon the sent of Chri­stians, upon the sent of Christ, in any earth.

Malice should be looked upon as tis an implacable thing; and men in whose breast it is, should be looked upon as they are, fire-shovels fetched from hell, to carry everlasting fire from house to house, from place to place, where ever Christ is, to burne him out of this world quite; to burne him againe and againe, till there be none of him left, not a finger, not a toe, not a haire. We are much given to wondring, we know the reason of things so little: to see a man drinke blood, and never be weary of drinking such a fulsome drinke, tis strange to us: yet tis the pro­perty of that fire that burnes in the breast of the man, to make an unquenchable thirst after this red Wine; tis a damnable dis­ease that the man cannot helpe, nor no man upon earth for him; every good body must keepe out of his way as well as they can, I know no other remedy; the man will set abroach any ones blood, Pauls, Christs, any one that lookes like either. Christians have a blessed keeper, or else how rare would they be in the world? Blesse God that there is a good man left in the land at this day, in the middest of so many blood-thirsty. O how much are good hearts put to it every where, by this generation! Mourne over both persecutors and persecuted, they are both in hell fire.

Ex [...] pro & [...].The word may signifie to suffer for another, pro-implere, to fill up in anothers stead, according to his appointment. Christ is gone out of this world, and he hath left Christians in his stead, and all his prime trust and businesse with them, to doe it for him, to accomplish his will, to walke in his steps, and to take in good part what befals them in this way; Christs businesse left to Christians, is comprised in that expression of bearing his crosse: he did beare his crosse himselfe when he was on earth; now he [Page 403] hath left it to his people to beare it for him, to tread in his paths, and take such lodging and fare at night as fals out. When Christ died, he left but one child to keepe for him, but that one a pre­cious child, to wit, Truth; and this so to keepe as never to let it die, what ever die. I can doe nothing against the truth, but for it. I can doe any thing, suffer any thing, that truth may live, I can die, I can drinke off a cup deadly full, deadly big, which will hold all my blood to fill it. This is our president in the Text. I fill into the same cup that Christ did, saith Paul, and the same liquor, red Wine, the blood of a brave Grape, the blood of an upright heart, and this for his sake. At what heighth we are to be for Christ is considerable, at the same heighth that Christ was at for us; we are to rise to the losse of estate, honour, life; Neither count I my life deare. Life is the prime Jewell of nature, tis the union of two great estates, body and soule; tis of more worth than rayment, i. then all outward things: and yet this of no worth, and of no price in order to truth. I account not my life deare. I am about the worke which Christ was, filling a cup that is deadly big, that will hold my life-blood to fill it, and yet it is nothing to me, no griefe; if it be any matter to me, it is matter of joy. Now I joy to fill up that which is behind, &c.

Thinke how brave you should be, and how neere you are to it, or how much you are below it. Pauls triall is at the doore, God hath armed your enemies, they have instruments of death in their hands; tis your goods, your houses, your Cities, yea this is not all, tis your blood too that they thirst after. Can you proffer your breast to the Speare, to save truth alive therein? sad things at a distance are made nothing of, this is the strength of our misery: death may goe up and down in the West, but it cannot come this way. Why should any one dreame so? Sinne and justice will meet any where: in a City walled with Brasse, up among the Starres, if sinners can seat themselves there. Hath all the provocation been among poore blinde soules, which never had the knowledge of God, nor scarce any meanes to attaine it? And is there no provocation to be found among you, children of light? There be strange lightnings before death: people will sit up in their beds and call heartily, and talke cheerfully, as if there were no death neere, and it may be at the same time death [Page 404] in their extreame parts, in their feet, and in their nose. Thou art in thy sicke bed London, and art thou sure it shall not be a death-bed to thee? death is upon thy extreame parts, upon this County, upon that County, upon this towne, and that City, is there no danger of the heart? The evill day is not farre from men, because they doe put it farre from them. Death is in all our soules, can it be farre from our bodies? so farre as never to come at them? What man among us hath life for Christ as he should? is not death seized upon our extreame parts, those persons that should be as our nose to smell for us, in things of weight, dead; those persons that should be as hands and feet for us, in matters of weight, dead spirited? examine your selves all in this point, and from hence, prophecie (if you will needs) peace, or warre, to your selves, and from nothing else; though this way of prophesie be not infallible, yet it is as likely to foretell what is to come, as to prophecie from such and such events past.

[...] vicissim & [...].The word signifies vicissim implere, to doe a thing in ones turne. Christ hath taken his turne, and suffered his part in the will of God, and now my turne, as if the Apostle had said, is come, to doe that which belongs to me. The cup is very big, it will hold Christs blood, and the blood of many more, to fill it up: Christ hath poured in his share, and now I am to come next and powre in mine, and who is to come next after me, Christ knowes. The word so read, the order of divine triall is hinted unto us. Gods people are not all in prison at once, some are in at one time, some at another; some are in for so many daies, and then let out againe, and then comes in others. The devill shall cast some of you into prison, and ye shall be there for ten daies. The cup of affliction goes round the Table, every one drinkes of the water of affliction in his course. Christ is not every day about sad worke,Job 7.1. but takes set daies. Is there not an appointed time unto man, saith Job? Tsaba, Militia, a warfare to every man? a bloody season for every man? so it is read by some. Misery hereafter, comes like a deluge, drownes a world together at once, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye; but evils here, goe forth in forme of a visit, visits are at set times, and to set persons, now to some, now to o­thers, [Page 405] we doe not use to visite all our acquaintance at one time. Neverthelesse in the day when I visite I will visit [their sinne] upon them, Exod. 32.34. Here is time and person singled out, every day is not a blacke bloody day to every one: we doe not all roare together here as they doe below, but severall daies are di­vided among severall persons, and severall yeares among seve­rall Kingdomes: now tis a day of evill to one man, to morrow to another; so many yeares bloody to one Kingdome, so many to another. Bitters are as sweets, dished out by course.

1 Mercy is in this: Christ will have some to pity, when others need it; some out of bonds, to remember them that are in; if all the Saints had beene in prison when Peter was, who should have set daies apart to wrestle for him? If all were an eye, then where would be hearing? so may I say in this case, if all Christi­ans were wounded at once, and killed at once, where would be Linen to binde up their wounds? where would be shrouds and coffins? and who would make graves, and carry them thither? The wicked will not; they know not to compassionate the righteous: they can wound the righteous, but they have no heart to binde them up: they have hearts to make them mourne, but none to wipe teares from their eyes; their very kindnesse is cruelty. Tender goodnesse orders the great hard­ships of Saints; when their cup is mingled by hard hearts, Christ hath one tender heart or other standing under the devils elbow, which he sees not, to drop in some sweet to make the bitter goe downe; one Ebedmelech stands under the tyrants elbow, to mo­derate the miserie of Jeremy. The over-ruling hand of God is in this, of which there can be no reason given but his tender goodnesse; for every righteous man is abominable to the wicked, and when they fall upon one, they would fall upon all, and there is enough of them to dispatch all, but that the Lord of his mercy hinders.

2 Justice is in this point, that hard hearts may be without ex­cuse. Every degree of unkindnesse notes not a man without bowels; neither doth Christ write downe men as mercilesse after this rate. A neighbour in good condition asketh such a kind­nesse of such a man, which might be done and no prejudice to himselfe, and yet tis denied. I cannot write downe this man as [Page 406] mercilesse yet, saith Christ. Another day a poore man comes to desire such a favour of this man, as tends much to his maine sup­port, and tis denied: yet I cannot write this man mercilesse, saith Christ. But lay a Lazarus at his doore, a creature that hath his skinne full of holes, and an hundred hundred monthes cry­ing all at once for mercy, in one man; lay a Souldier at his doore, which hath so many wounds in his head, so many in his backe, all gaping, crying and mourning, with teares of blood, for compassion; bring a prisoner to his doore, let him cry and gingle his chaines: Sir, I lie upon stones, and I must live upon stones too, if you give me no bread; my food is sigh­ing, my drinke my teares, my bed iron chaines, shew mercy Sir, shew mercy, or I perish; let this man be in a Kingdome where there are many of these Golgothaes, and Aceldamaes, a field of blood, of skuls and broken bones, among many gro­ning, and tumbling to and againe, with their bowels out, hol­ding up their hands, Sir be mercifull, I beseech you be merci­full, and doe what you can to relieve me: No, I will not. Now says Christ, write downe the man for mercilesse. What shall I say of this generation? they are mourned to, and yet lament not, I have spoken to them, saies Christ, I have mourned to them, but words, teares, stirre not: when the most speaking things to move compassion move not, then are a people writ­ten downe for mercilesse. They have not remembred the affli­ctions of Joseph, or condoled, gnal Sheber, over the breaking, or the tearing to pieces of Joseph, so tis very lively alluding to the state of Joseph, whom his father thought to have beene torne with wild beasts. When the extremity of misery moves not the least compassion, the tearings and rendings of Kingdomes, Townes, Estates, Persons, then God writes downe men mer­cilesse: Ye remembred not the tearings of Joseph. When persons see the anguish of the soule of Joseph, as one with death-pangs upon him, and yet compassionate not, this is written down, We saw the anguish of his soule, when he besought us, and we would not heare; we saw his heart-blood, as it were, ready to come out, and yet we had no heart to pity, surely we are judged as mercilesse wretches, Genes. 42.31.

The order of trialls, hintes the order of judgements: sinners [Page 407] looke to your selves. If Saints have their sad boutes, their blou­dy dayes, surely you will have your turne too. Men that love their sinnes, love not to heare that ever they shall be whipt for them. Evill is acted with confidence, that it shall never be judged, hee that sits in Heaven doth not regard since the beginning all things are as they were; I have bin a sinner this twenty yeares, and yet all is well: This is grosse folly, Christ laughes at it, but we should mourne, that men have no more grace, hee sees that your day is comming, yea, hee sees that you cannot avoid it, whilest in this state, and therefore makes no more haste to take hold of you. A creature that is fast in any Engine we lay, we make not hast to come and breake the neck on't, and kill it outright, because we know 'tis fast, and therefore wee come slowly. Security is Satans deadly Engine, you are fast in the bonds of iniquity, justice is sure of you, therefore it doth not make haste to come and break your neck, and to dispatch you utterly. When your day comes it will be a bloudy day indeed, a day as long as a yeere, as long as eternity; a day that will never have night. When your prisoning and chaining time comes, your chaines will be everlasting, your bout will be long, mercy makes Justice therefore the longer a comming, but if you pre­sumptuously abuse this mercy, even this mercy shall be shortned; common mercy is shortened to desperate soules, as it is length­ned to common penitents, when they do but commonly hum­ble themselves, that is, as poore brutes, as in the case of Ni­neve: And therefore you have a day of the Lord mentioned by the Prophet Zephany, as hastened; the great day of the Lord, and hastening greatly, to such a Generation of sinners, as now I am speaking to, Zephany. 1.14. The great day of the Lord is neere, it is neere, it hasteth greatly, the mighty man shall cry there bitterly, tis a day of wastnesse, mens bloud shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung the whole Land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie, and hee shall make a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the Land. Your day when it comes will be like this day, a day of dispatch that will make riddance of you wholly, body and soule, and if you slight this that I tell you now, and goe on in your sinne, know that this great day of the Lord hasteth greatly: sinners, tis neer, tis neer.

[Page 408]But sinners, merry sinners; can you tell how neere tis? How neere your sad day is? No, you can looke up into the Heavens, and when the Skie lookes so and so, you can tell what the next day will be; and tis so, saith Christ. There will be stormes to morrow; and they are so; 'twill be a wet afternoone, and tis so. And observe how our Saviour makes use of all this, to a proud secure Generation, Yea, and why even [of your selves] judge you not what is right? Luke 12.57. you can judge thus and thus, and judge right, respecting the Heavens, why can you not judge thus of your selves? Intimating 'twere possible if men did but ob­serve themselves, their hearts; and their lives, as they do other things; men if they would do this, they might be able to give a neere guesse, when a storme or a black gloomy day is neere them. Looke sinners round about you, do you see nothing in your lives that lookes like bloud and death? Do you feele no­thing in your consciences that speaks a storme a breeding? The worme that never dies begins to live, crawle, and stirre, here: dost thou feele it knaw terribly now and then? what and continue in thy sinne? why, hell certainly is not far off. One may smell some fire, sulphurous matter burning, one may smell it, and if in the next roome, one smells it so hot, that one can hardly indure the roome. The fire below is brimstone: dost thou not smell it in thy conscience? How hot is the smell? so hot as thou canst not indure that roome? why, then the fire is fast by: thou art in the next roome to Hell.

Consolation issues from this point to all godly people un­der the Lords hand: your turne is come now to pledge Christ; hee dranke to you in a bitter Cup a great while agoe, and a great many farre better then you have pledged him, and you are honoured to do the like. 'Tis a great honour to drinke of the same Cup that Christ did,Can yee be Baptized with the Baptisme, that I am Bap­tised with? and this asked when they tal­ked of great honour. to fill up that which is behind of his draught, let what will be in it, things never so bitter, tis whole­some, tis healthfull; life is in our deadly Cup, the bravest life springs out of our cruellest death. If this be not enough, think on this: tis but thy turne, 'twill be over quickly; the Cup will be taken out of thy hand and given to another. Thou art sad but for a season: And now for a season, if neede be, you are in heavinesse, saith Peter: there was necessity thou shouldest be in heavinesse [Page 409] for a little time, and how long this time and season is, the Scripture tells us; 'tis but a momens, and then it resolves it selfe in­to everlasting consolation.

AFflictions are from God immediately, or from man: God strikes sometimes and uses no hand but his owne, it is least considered when so, but not least of importance, for God hath some great designe upon the man, when hee strikes every stroke himselfe. Sometimes God stands behind Shimei, and lets fly at a man, and wounds deeply, and then tis not so easie to see him, because an earthen breast-work is before him. Some­times he appeares in the front in person himselfe, like Goliah, and makes the incounter by duell, hand to hand with the Crea­ture, the creature smites and God smites, Name, State, Flesh, and Spirit: God would faine be seene and knowne of the soule, when he does thus; if it cannot be, he lets the creature lick him­selfe whole if he can.

Afflictions from man immediately are here meant, and not such as are from God immediately. Creatures of the same kind, are used to spit in one anothers face, to scratch and teare one a­nother: a Cat, a Cat; a Dog, a Dog; a Man, a Man. Crea­tures of the same kind (to say no more) are used to tread upon one anothers toes, to afflict one another. All earth beares thornes, chuse out what earth you will, sift it how you will, appoint it to what you will, to be a pillow for repose, a breast, a bosome, a bed of flowers to solace in, yet there will grow up thornes and pricke. Creatures one by creation, one by re­demption, yea one by mutuall election, differ, fall out, afflict one another: man afflictes man, that was Pauls case here: saint afflicts saint; husband afflictes wife, wife curses husband; things made and chosen of purpose to delight, sad: thornes will grow in ones bosome here. You cannot take a rose to smell to here, out of any Garden but hath prickles, unlesse the Rose of Sharon. [Page 410] All is vanity, yea vexation: all below us, all equall with us, onely that all excepted, which is above us, which onely is indeed all; and in him is light and no darkenesse, sweet and no bitternesse, in that earth growes no thornes.

Man afflictes man, yea man oppresseth man, that is affliction in strength, malum multiplex, a manifold evill, which is the sig­nification of the word [...] which is here used; tis translated by some compression, a den of theeves, a nest of hornets, many afflicti­ons in one, or under one [...], Heb. 11.25. simul malis vexari, to be vexed with many evills together, 'tis spoken of Moses, who cast himselfe upon oppression with Gods people in Egypt; which expression sets out fully what oppression is, 'tis some vitall wounded, some maine part trod upon, as name, state, body, soule, something brutishly bruised and torne, that maims or marres livelyhood, internall or extenall; some such thing troden to death, as hath many little ones in the belly of it: tis a Kid killed and seethed in such liquor, as should nourish many, in Mother-milke: tis a Mother-mercy destroyed, whilst in travaile for the good of the whole. Good name is a Mother-mercy, many are nourished by it, so is estate, so is the body, so is the soule; all these travell perpetually in this world, for the tranquillity of the whole, and of the maine, to beare up great things, Heaven and Earth, the glory of God, and the welfare of every relation, wherein such a creature stands: any of these therefore torne and ript up, whilest thus in travaile for the good of the whole, is cruelty and oppression.

Oppression speakes injury, but no small injury; not the dash­ing ones cloathes accidentally, or intentionally as one goes by, but it alwayes notes something that dashes the person in one main thing or other; 'tis a Dog that flies at the throate, at some­thing. that is vitall, and teares that; at something that tends to throw downe the person and welfare of such a creature. 'Tis a diabolicall quality insinuated by a cursed spirit, whereby one creatures being is too blessed in the eye of another. Men one in birth from the Earth, yet wisdome hath ranked them va­riously upon it, some higher, some lower, some have much, some lesse, all have wisdomes portion, and therefore it should be ac­counted enough, and content, but it doth not: one mans man­sion [Page 411] is not fine enough, anothers not big enough; one person better beloved, better indowed, better succeeded; if hee were dead, dead in esteeme, or dead in being, all these deepe waters would turne, and run into my cisterne; if Abel were dead, if Iacob were dead, if Mordecai were dead, then I should be all, and have all, I should be the onely favorite in the world, and so quietly abide. [Yee kill] and desire to have, and cannot ob­tain, James. 4.2. oppression is a bloudy spirit, striking still at something that is vitall, at the person, livelyhood or life it selfe, if one will not fall without the other. 'Tis an evill springing from the root of all evill, to wit, covetousnesse: yee kill and [desire to have.] 'Tis a man of the Earth, saith the Psalmist, and hee would be alone upon it, though there were no Rivers and houses in it for delight, but such as hee hath made with the bloud and bones of all such as live neere him. That the man of the [earth] may no more oppresse, Psalme 10.18. the word op­presse, signifies to terrifie, and so you have it noted in the mar­gent, intimating what an oppressor is, tis a brute that terrifies all that come neere him, to eate or drinke by him, that he may have all alone, and what hee cannot eate or drink he puddles and spoiles.

Oppression is made, vi, aut dolis, by force or by fraud, man can use both as hee is advantaged, and as his game lies. Parts internall are all subdued, by that lust which rules, and taught to tumble and set this or that poore innocent soule, for their master: Innocency sleepes the most securely of any thing, dreams of no affrighting things, of no injurious usage, but from Dogs and Beares and Wolfes, from beasts, not from any man: in­nocency thinkes every man, a man; not a Fox, nor a Serpent, nor a Crocodile; where as an oppressor conjureth his wits, his parts, his practises, and so himselfe, into all these, to catch his prey. Therefore is an oppressor imblazed by the Scrip­ture in a Lyon couchant, as one lurking for his prey, as one whose words are Oyle, yet sharpe speares, as one who shootes his Arrowes in darkenesse, and hits privily the upright in heart. Over-reaching is oppression: tis strong parts setting their feete upon weake, and wringing bloud out of a brothers Nose: 'tis grind­ing the face of the poore; words and dealings which are the [Page 412] face of a man to the World, all by craft and wile ground to such dust as to choak and cheat the man, that utters them. What fraud cannot doe, force externall is pressed to second. Oppression commands all within and without, to squeese out her will where shee fastens; it turnes Iudges into evening Wolfes, Kings, Nebuchadnezzars into Beasts, and gives them Nayles like Eagles-clawes, that is, makes them turne all their externall advantages, to plume and prey upon whom they will: It doth as the Devill where he raignes; there is not a power in Hell, but hee makes a fleshhooke on't, to teare and torture and fulfill his bloudy will: so not a faculty, not an office not any vires within or with­out, but by oppression are all made tormenta, killing instruments, and to know none, no not one like himself, a man, no not one like God, but chaine him and rack him. Thy Princes are roaring Lyons, thy Iudges are evening Wolfes, they know not the bones till the morrow, Zephany. 3.3. Here are all powers externall and internall com­bined and seconding one another.

Ʋse. Matter of caution and matter of admiration may spring from this point. Oppression hath beene opened, and now wee have seene the nature of it, wee should all take heede of so foule an evill, especially men of place: 'tis an Aspe, a Frogge, that useth to craule up into Princes and great mens bed-chambers, where it may lie softest and warmest, and be best accommodated. Cruelty is nothing without strong instruments; it can doe no­thing with strawes, but vex and burne it selfe. The Devill is a great Courtier, hee gets among great men, and there hee can shew himselfe as hee is; play the Devill and make great earth­quakes, rend and teare whom hee will, righteous and wicked; what hee will, body or soule; at what compasse hee will; Townes, Cities, Countries; set whole Kingdomes a groaning, bleeding, dying Parts commend themselves to place, place swells the soule too big for any due compass, unlesse Christ bee gracious: oppression is the first borne of pride in place, after it comes to the Crowne: 'tis that child that will inherit all the outrage of greatnesse. They are great mountaines that do crush; Who art thou O great Mountaine before Zorubbabell? great spirits, and parts, in great place. The Devills children should be all strangled in the wombe, or else they prove very long lived: we should not have [Page 413] had so many bloudy oppressors at this day, if pride had season­ably been bewailed.

As your naturalia, so your praeternaturalia get such nests, as to maturate themselves: oppression maturates it selfe in high places, there it can do all it will, strike full blowes, home blowes. Oppression maturated, is the crying'st provocation in a Land, and brings downe the cryingest judgement, Civill war, a body tearing out its owne bowells; see Zachary 11.5.6. Thus saith the Lord, feede the flocke of slaughter whose possessors sl [...]y them, and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich, and their owne Shepheards pitty them not, there­fore I will no m [...] pitty the inhabitants of the Land, saith the Lord, but loe I will deliver the men every one into his Neighbours hand, and into the hand of his King, and they shall smite the Land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them; which words meane civill war, as the learned interpret, which is the greatest judgement of all externall judgement; doubly torturing, for brother to sheath his sword, like those Levites, in the bowells of a Brother, Fa­ther washing hands in the bloud of children, and children wash­ing hands in the heart-blood of Fathers; wee may guesse our sinne by our punishment; oppression set us together by the eares, oppression corporall, oppression spirituall, our possessors to wit, Prince, Peeres, Prelates, did slay us as the Prophet speakes, body and soule, and held not themselves guilty. Their steps trod in, wrath will continue till it end us all, and God will not de­liver.

Matter of admiration also issueth from this point. Let's ad­mire two things, the badnesse of men, and the goodnesse of God. When wee see any praeternatural's, any thing that nature did not properly intend, any monstrosity in a thing, if it bee but in a finger, in a hand, in a toe, much more if in any maine part, which maims the shape, and almost varies the species, wee wonder much, as to see a Dove with a Bores tuskes: to see a Lambe with a Serpents taile: to see a man with a mouth and a throate as wide as a Sepulcher, and a Tongue in it, a fire of Hell; and the spittle under the roofe of this Tongue, the poyson of Aspes, &c. Wee wonder at what nature did never intend; should wee not much more wonder at those monsters which grace did never [Page 414] intend? such grace as workes toward man. We meet a thousand thousand such monsters fore-mentioned in a spirituall sense, and never make one thought stand still a jot, divinely to con­sider it. Spirituall monstrosity should affect us much, to be­hold so noble a creature as man, and his noblest part, to wit, his heart, turned into a beast, all his inside like a Wolfe or a Beare, and onely his outside, and scarce that, like a man. The worse some are, the better others should be to make it up, that God may not be altogether a loser, in the greatest and costliest workes of his hands. A tender heart will admire, sigh and bleed over a hard. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, here is a patterne worth the following. Christ beholds a com­pany of bloudy tyrants, stony-hearted hypocrites, and he ad­mires, sighs, mournes over them: 'twere but the discharge of our duty, to mourne over this malicious bloudy Age wherein we live. O England England, thou that hast opprest to death many brave Prophets and worthies of other rankes sent unto thee. When others kill and crucify Christ, we should sit like Mary and weep over them.

Wee should admire the badnesse of men, and the goodnesse of Christ. Creatures in our own skin, and of our own forme, and yet Wolfes and Lyons; how great is the power and goodnesse of Christ, to preserve his people amongst such! These wild beasts differ in their property from all: more boundlesse, more rest­lesse every way, the more should that power be admired that keepes us. Other creatures of prey, keepe their place, to wit, the desert; where no noble creatures trade, is there range; they keepe their time, the night is their day. Thou makest darknesse and it is night, wherein the beasts of the forrests doe creepe forth, the Sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them downe in Dens, Psal. 14.22. They are wild creatures, and they keepe a wild place, and a wild time; when and where they may finde prey proper, without injury to more noble creatures. These wild Beasts before mentioned, goe forth at all times, when the Sun is downe, and when the Sun is up; into all places, into Cities, into Houses, up to mens bed-chambers, and pull persons out of their beds, and sucke their bloud. O the providence of God, that keepes thee, London, from these Beasts of prey! that [Page 413] hath saved thee and thy little ones, from cruel oppressors so long! This providence is lengthned, and the mercy is by so much the more strengthned upon you, the more to be laid to heart. How often have these beasts of prey in great droves, and with open mouthes been driving this way, and the Majesty and the justice of the Lord hath appeared and preyed upon them that would have preyed upon us, fulfilling his word, He shall breake in pie­ces the oppressor, Psalm 72.4. As God remembers his word, so we should remember him, and write down his Noble acts upon our doore-posts, bed-posts, heart-posts, to all which these beasts would have come for their prey. These great acts of God prove mercies to men, as laid to heart; evill will returne, and they which have beene so often driven back, will be irresistible at length, if he be forgotten which hath done all this for us.

ALL Christians in and under Heaven are related, knit in one body by one soule, to wit, the same which breathes in God, his holy Spirit. Sacred society is glorious; the Peers of all the world in a body robed, and the great King of all the world in the midst of them; such a fight as mortall eye never beheld: His traine reaches from Earth to Heaven, the foremost are in Heaven, when the hindmost are here: I helped you to a Scaffold to view the forepart the last day, I would doe the like now, to helpe you to view the latter; that part of the traine, which is going in at the everlasting doores, but not yet quite in. You may see a great deale of State at the doore of Hea­ven, in the very hindmost soule of that company, which are going in there. That part which is gone in with the Bride­groome is mighty great, so is that which is going in. An innu­merable company of believers, conflicting with an innumerable com­pany of enemies, longing and waiting for the full redemption and li­berty of the Sons of God.

[Page 416]The haires of our mysticall head grow not thin, no not in this climate, which is the most unhealthy, they are thicke and bushy. Can you number the haires of your head? then may you number that company which Christ hath upon earth. Can you number the Starres of Heaven? Looke up to the Heavens, saith God to Abraham, and see if thou canst number the Starres, so shall thy seed be; which is fulfilled, as appeares by the authour to the Hebrewes. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the Starres of the Skie in multitude, and as the Sand which is by the Sea shore innumerable, Heb. 11.12. The haires of our mysticall head are many, yet all of one colour, blacke as a Raven, that is, beautifull and flourishing. Gray haires are not here and there upon this head; the Militant Church is for quantity great, a Nation; for quality, holy: the foundation of this Nation, Christ: the cement, faith; something above the revelation of reason, something above the revelation of the best parts, something above flesh and blood. Peter, there are strange carnall apprehensions of me in the world, as if Christ had said, how doest thou apprehend me? My appre­hension is vitall, Thou art Christ the Sonne of the [living God. Ob­serve the reply of Christ. Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona; Bar is a Chalde word, and the same with ben an Hebrew word, which signifies a sonne; and Jona signifies gracious, and as some tran­slate a Dove; so that tis as if Christ had said in our language, Blessed art thou Simon, sonne of grace, sonne of that same Dove, which descended on mee, flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. Thou art Peter, and upon this Rocke will I build my Church, Matth. 16.18. Ben, which is the Hebrew word for a sonne, is as much as the word building, with us; because the sonne is the building of the family: our Saviour interprets so much himselfe, in his allusive words, upon this Rocke will I build my Church: and Jona signifying gracious, the metaphor is the same in sense with the former, that Christs building here below is a gracious building, foundation gracious, to wit, himselfe; every stone gracious, Bar-Jona's, an innumerable company of believers; I John saw a great com­pany which no man could number, [...] and all sealed; the cement of this building holy, to wit faith, a holy faith, a most holy faith, as [Page 417] the Apostle cals it, Jud. 20. Conflicting with an innumerable company of enemies. The Sea is a big body, yet tossed perpetually; so is the Church of Christ upon earth; tis a body very big and very good, and yet tis not so big, nor so good, but it hath as big, and as bad a body to encounter it. We are here troubled with Frogs, and devouring vermin, and the pit out of which they come is bottomlesse. The gates of Hell are wide open against the Church of Christ here, though they cannot prevaile against it: they that take away mens soules, come forth freely, in what numbers they will, and goe what compasse they will here, all this world over of an instant, and get at which hand they will of the best people, when about the best worke; they will take the wall of the Noblest soules, and when about the Noblest worke, get at their right hand. The Sonnes of God were assem­bled, and Satan stood at their right hand. The locusts below goe forth by Troopes, they are so populous in that land of death. My name is legion, for we are many. Though but one speake when a poore soule is tempted, yet the traine that attends upon this one, is many. I believe this roome is full of infernall Spirits, and that not a soule of you now present, but have a legion of them at your right hand jogging of you, though these gates of Hell are not suffered to prevaile. If there were no intermixing of Satans family and Christs in this world, if those evill spirits which he hath at home by him, did never come abroad so farre as into this world, yet those that are here resident, and weare the same skinne and clothes which Christs family doe, are very many. They that persecute my soule are many, saith the Psalmist. And he speakes of incarnate devils, devils resident in our flesh, and in our earth. A doore is open to me, a great doore, saith the A­postle, and there be many enemies; how many? that he could not tell, nor no body else, but him that set them on worke. One doore open, and many devils at it to shut it againe; many devils at one doore, so at every doore of hope that a Christian hath open to him: surely Satans strength is great here, that he can begirt every holy person, and every holy action upon earth, and yet this is the condition of the Church militant. Elishaes condi­tion shadowes the state of the Church militant, mentioned, 2 Kings 6.15. An Host compassed the City with horses and cha­riots, [Page 418] in so much that the servant of Elisha cried out, Alasse Master, how shall we doe? we are begirt with innumerable com­panies of mortall enemies, many thousand deaths waite for us at every doore; and this is the state of the best men upon earth. This makes longing and panting for [full redemption;] which is the property of the Church of God upon earth, 't would be in Heaven. There is a voice in Rama, and tis all over Rama, mour­ning, and lamentation. Rachel weeping bitterly: if you aske her why? She will tell you. I have many sonnes and daughters, sweet children all, and yet not one but very hardly handled, sore shot at by deadly archers; many are slaine, and are not, and the rest abused and vilified as the off-scouring of all things; torne with Lyons, and little wormes gnawing and eating up the carcasse; pulled downe by great ones, and when down, trod to death by base ones. Rachel hath not a child but sits like the Shunamites in her armes, sighing, groaning and mourning, be­cause of one wound or other, within or without; and I cannot remedy any of this, saith she, and this cuts me to the heart; my children are slaine in mine armes, slaine with the breast at their mouthes, yea ripped out of my wombe. Would my children were all in my husbands armes, saith Rachel, then they would all be safe: would he would send and fetch me and all mine out of this plundered countrey into his owne city, then all would be well; soule well, yea and body well. The world heares little of this noise, tis so inward, but tis the panting and beating of every good mans pulse and bowels in a degree. We which have the first fruits of the Spirit, (where these fruits lie, is the noise) we groane [within our selves] waiting for the adoption. For the adop­tion? This they had already. The meaning therefore is, for the full fruition of what they were adopted to, which is explained in the following words, to wit, the redemption of our body. The soule goes first, to the society above, the body last; all is perfect when this comes, therefore is this onely mentioned: which notes that the militant Church groanes and pants after a perfect state, every one sighing and bleeding inwardly, inwardly earnestly, willing rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord, 2 Corinth. 5.8. This was shadowed by Davids ascent to Mount Oliver, And David went up by the ascent of Mount Oliver, and wept [Page 419] as he went up; and be had his head covered, and he went bare-foot, and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up weeping as they went up, 2 Sam. 15.30. Christ, which Da­vid typified, and all his followers here below, are going up sigh­ing, and panting, and mourning to that mount above.

Ʋse. We are come to speake of a Militant church, in a Militant time, surely our course is steered by a supreame hand, for speciall good to some of you. Christians, lay to heart the state of that body whereof yet you are, can you? Jerusalem which is above, above the world, and above Satan, is the mother of us all: that body which Christ hath upon earth, groaned, travelled with you, and brought you forth; this wombe which bare you, those pappes which gave you sucke, are now wounded with a thousand wounds, doe you see them? The haire of your mother is torne, her bowels ript up, her blood runnes in every high way; O all ye that passe by, have ye observed it? Dogs licke the blood of Jezabel, yea, the blood of Rachel: the Sword of the wicked sheds the blood of many a gallant man. England, a great Parke full of deare soules, the pales now plucked up, the game of Christ shot at by every base person; many a brave Hart falne, onely a few Fawnes left, women and children crying and ringing their hands for their husbands and fathers: doe you heare them? Mother, where is my Father? when will he come home? Sir, where is my husband? when will he come home? And a lasse for them, he is at home already, at his long home. Heathens rage on one hand; mothers, children angry on t'other hand; the Boare is abroad, the Fox at home; one puls off the tender Grapes, t'other squeeses and suckes their blood; the worke is one, the tailes of all the wilde beasts in the Land are together, though their fa­ces seem to looke severall waies: one shoots at the body, t'other at the soule, both poison their Bullets, the venome whereof feeds that Divine justice which now fights against us all, as if it were resolved to consume us all, for ought any one amongst us all can yet see. Is not the Church of Christ in England militant? Men, Devils, yea a God fights against it, for the pollution in it. Chri­stians, you are witnesses of all this: what doe you in secret? doe you mourne for the tearings and rendings of Joseph can you doe it? doe you move according to your condition? Military? [Page 420] fight with prayers and teares? doe you finde any aptnesse this way?

I aske this, because displeasure sinkes deepe sometimes, and drinkes up all Divine moisture in the soule, the wombe of prayers and teares closes, withers, and dries up; God secretly saith, pray not for this people; and then good hearts pumpe and pompe, and nothing will come. Abraham had some such secret checke surely, when hee broke off struggling so strangely for Sodome, when God seemed to be upon such an yeelding veine; secret providence certainely was in it, that he might not yeeld so farre as to null peremptory resolution, which was to make an end of a generation, whose iniquity was full. God felt Abraham holding him, and cries, let me alone; but A­braham did not feels God holding him, nor cried, let me alone, Lord, let me plucke a brand out of the fire, let me quench Hell fire once with my teares. Christians, I beseech you observe your spirits, the welfare of all is in this point I am now upon, and not in your great Armies abroad, which you so much looke upon; if you feele God tying up, and straitning your soules, in regard of a Sodome which you struggle for, a Land that looks as if it were ripe in all wickednesse, and farre worse in some cir­cumstances then ever Sodome was, cry, Lord, let me alone, let me draw buckets, let me make my Study, my closet a Bokim, a place of teares, let me quench a fire, that hath almost burnt a brave Kingdome to ashes; let me save a Nation, a populous Nation, thousands, and ten thousands, thousands of thousands, from swimming to hell in their owne blood. If I shall not pray out, yet let me chatter so in thine eares, that fifteene yeeres may be added to the life of three Kingdomes, to set themselves in order to goe hence, to be pilgrims and wanderers to any other part where thou wilt.

Thus doe your duty, and then submit. We should be affected with our condition, but not cast down. A state of hardship ge­nerates discontent, and now Satan hath set Heaven and Earth on fire. A man may have a Heaven in his soule, when a Hell in his body, if submissive still to the will of God: but when fightings without make fightings within, repinings against providence, because it doth not jut and jumpe with my will, now all is [Page 421] slaine, and not till now; Heaven and Earth on fire, body and soule killed with a canon from Hell, and all the powers of darknesse crying victory. Doe Serpents sting? murmure not; remember where Christs church is, of which thou art yet a member: tis in the Wildernesse yet, and but going to Canaan, and such places are full of hurtfull beasts. Be not overcome of evill; then misery dissolves it selfe into sinne, then God is stung, and thou wilt have secret blowes for this indeed, where men cannot pinch thee; thou wilt have salt throwne where the spring of unsoundnesse lies, and then thy Spirit will burne within thee for something. We should not onely be submissive to, but joyfull under the crosse of our Lord Jesus. You cannot tell how much mercy tis, to be any of that body, of which Christ is the soule; if it be but a foot, a bare foot, and still in the dirt, still upon prickes, briers, and thornes; to be any of that company that is travelling to Heaven, though the meanest, the hindmost, the most misused, &c. But you will know when you come there.

The crosse keepes off some from being of the Church mili­tant, they cannot militare, they had rather die then fight, and kill what they love more then Christ. Sinne effeminates the soule; love any lust more then Christ, and you will die ten thousand deaths, rather then strike a stroke in good earnest a­gainst it, or discharge one Piece with a Bullet, against that fort where your heart lies. Satan deales by stratagem, sinners looke to your soules: he can kill none that take up Armes against him, and stand to it; he either betrayes affection with trifles, and makes the soule yeeld, and so stab conscience, and sweare a dam­nable peace: or else he terrifies the soule with corporall dan­gers, and makes men flee, and all that flee in spirituall war­fare, die every one, are cut off eternally by the pursuer. When there are fightings without, there are feares within, When I came into Macedonia, my flesh had no rest; troubles on every side, fightings without and feares within. Men now love their flesh, Paul in this had no rest, no neither in his spirit; he had stood to it upon pure principles; Hee wants fellowes in this age of the world wonderfully; The Church of the Lord Jesus travels, groanes, dies, for want of them. This generation will have [Page 422] more then the advantage of truth, to encourage them to set forth, to wit, the advantage of time, quiet time. Deluded soules, when will this be? you so dote upon your skin, that you have quite forgotten the state of Christs church upon earth, tis mili­tant. You will live in Egypt, that you may see no warre, that you may save your skin, your pompe, your wealth: this your wisdome is your folly, Egypt shall not save you, the Sword shall follow you into Egypt, into your Egyptian huts, and cove­rings. Read Jeremy 42.13, 14, 15. But if ye say, We will not dwell in this Land, &c. No, but we will goe into the Land of Egypt, where we shall see no warre, nor heare the sound of the Trumpet, nor have hunger of bread, and there will we dwell, &c. Then it shall come to passe, that the Sword which ye feared shall overtake you, there in the Land of Egypt, and the famine whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you in Egypt, and there ye shall die.

THe word notes a company called out of this world, and the scope according to which it is used here, carries it in its full bredth, to comprize all the blessed company, both which are in Heaven and in earth; this generall society was shadowed by the generall Assembly at Ierusalem, and is called by that name by the Apostle, Heb. 12.23. Ye are come to the generall Assembly, the Church of the first-borne. This Catholique company is great, and farre divided, some in Heaven, some in Earth, some in this part of the Earth, some in that, and yet all have but one spirit, and therefore essentially the same, and what is done for the good of one part, necessarily redounds to the good and glory of all. He is of a publique spirit, that layes out for the good of a City, of a Kingdome, and the like, thousands will blesse him, generations yet not borne will blesse God for such instruments: but he is of a publique spirit indeed, that layes out his state or blood for the good of the Church of Christ, many thousands in this Kingdome, in other [Page 432] Kingdomes, all the Earth over, all Heaven over, will blesse him.

This generall assembly comes all out of one loine, and divide themselves into two bands; one turnes to the everlasting Hills, 'tother to the Plaines and Valleys of this world. There is a Lilly of the Valleys, and a Lilly of the Hils; there is a Church on Earth, and a Church in Heaven. The great King whom we subject to, hath a Chappell of ease, a Church in his house; the condition of this is farre different from that here below: the Lilly of the Hils is another gets Lilly then that of the Valleys, the pursuit of each shall be distinct, which will demonstrate the condition, how it differs. The Church which Christ hath in his house, is a so­ciety of perfect spirits in perfect rest, triumphing with Christ over all enemies. The Congregation above is very big, thou­sands, and thousands of thousands, from all parts, quarters, and countries, yet all perfect, not one dwarfe in grace, in Hea­ven, not one Zacheus, a person of a little stature; there are no spirits of little stature in grace above, though it be all our case here; every one is as tall as Christ to any ones beholding; I can­not tell else how to interpret that expression of the Apostles, Eph. 4, Till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. They that are come to that unity and so­ciety above, are all compleat, their measure is the fulnesse of Christ; their demensions, his stature, so tall, so big limmed, so faire, and so accomplished to looke upon. What a perfect man now is Christ in Heaven! of what a brave stature in grace, and in glory! an Absolon, without spot from the crowne of the head to the soule of the foot; so are all that Noble society which are with him, without spot or wrinkle, and therefore called a glorious Church. That he might present it to himselfe, a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, &c. Ephes. 5.27. the word here translated spot is [...], which signifies such spots as are in garments by dashing and dirting, outside spots; they have no spots within nor without above, not in their skin, not in their clothes, nor any such thing, that is not any thing like it; the same measures of grace within, the same without; the same Robes of State that Christ weares, they doe; the mantle of Elijah is put upon Elisha. [Page 424] Our perfection, now is per proximum, by a proxey, as another weares such a compleat habit within and without for us. And thy renowne went out among the Heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through my comelinesse, which I have put upon thee, Ezek. 16.14. Whereas beauty and perfection is here imputative, tis there inhesive, every one in his owne person, and in his owne state, inside, outside, renowned and perfect for beauty, in their owne comlinesse; they are joynt with Christ: we are joynt heires with Christ here, we are joynt partakers with Christ there; we have joynt crownes, joynt thrones, joynt perfections. Christ doth not weare a crowne above for this Saint, and for that Saint, he doth not personate any Saints condition in glory, but every Starre there hath its owne glory, every Saint weares his owne Crowne himselfe, no ones condition there for blessednesse and happinesse, is onely personated in Christ, as all our conditions are here, in order to that State above, but all joynt partakers with him, and every seed its owne body, which is a glorious State indeed, and makes a glorious Church, as the Apostle speakes, Ephes. 5.27.

Tis a perfect society, and in [in perfect rest]. That glorious Church above keepes a perpetuall Sabbath: you know the Law of the Sabbath, both in precept and president, enjoyned a totall, complacentiall, and perfect rest, i. a cessation from all labour, and application with all delight to sublime and supreame things. Whilst this law was in president onely, and yet unwritten, it held out this compleat rest; God did not nakedly cease from his worke, but refreshed himselfe in the things which he had wrought. On the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed, Exod. 31.17. Now what this refreshing was, see Exod. 20.11. The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. This was his refreshing after his worke, he had a totall and complacentiall rest. Accor­ding to this president did the precept afterwards strictly runne, as you may read Exodus the 20. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, in it thou shalt not doe [any worke.] How farre this ex­tended you know: they were not to doe any ordinary worke of their calling, no not necessary workes for life: they were not to gather Manna on the Lords day, though Manna was all the food they then had, and had it but from day to day. The godly [Page 425] which lived under this Law, and knew the strictnesse of it, would not performe funerall rites for our Lord Jesus on this day, as you may see, Luke 23. last, They viewed the body of Jesus upon the day of preparation, and prepared Spices and Ointment, but rested upon the Sabbath day, according to the Commandement. This totall and strict cessation from all labour was upon paine of death. Ye shall keepe the Sabbath, for tis holy to you, every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death; whosoever doth any worke therein, shall surely be cut off from amongst his people, Evod. 31.14. This was for aversion and turning away from things forbidden: on the other hand, application to Divine things, and to holy imployment was as strict: every thought was to be consecrated to God, and this with divine intention, with delight; the strings were to be set very high and to hold it, and to make delightfull Musicke. If thou turne thy foot from thine owne pleasure, and call the Sabbath a delight, Esay 58.13. All these things doe but shadow the condi­tion of that glorious Church above, they rest from their la­bours; and this rest is a perfect rest, they doe not [any worke,] as the expression before is: they doe not so much as dresse their owne meat, no nor gather in any thing for meat, all is drest to their hand, and set before them; Manna is potted up, and stands al­waies before every one, not any sinew, not any thought pain­fully stirres about livelihood, all are intensly, but very delight­fully applied to the vision of God, to the contemplation of the Lord of this Sabbath, the grace of redemption that brought them from hence thither, to so transcendent a state. Their rest above, tis as totall as complacentiall, as Gods was; looke how he rested from his worke, so doth these from theirs. For if Jesus had given them rest (i. Joshua) then would he not have spoken of another day, there remaines therefore a rest to the people of God; for he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased frrom his owne worke [as God did from his,] Hebrews 4.8, 9, 10. Now God totally rested, and then was totally filled and refreshed, with the con­templation and sanctification of what he had done; he rested, and was refreshed: so doe they above, they doe rest and are re­freshed, cease from all labours, from all that speakes the least paine, and then they refresh themselves with the contempla­tion of God, and what they finde laid up in him for them, and [Page 426] so are these times called by the Scripture, times of resting, they do rest from their own workes and are refreshed with with Gods, (i) with the vision and contemplation of him, there­fore is it added there, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, (i) from the beholding and contem­plating him and his person, in whose presence they stand, who is the Lord of that great rest.

Triumphing together with Christ] That glorious society above, of which we now speake, is a Church triumphant, all display­ing their banners, all Heaven over, as they that have fully con­quered all enemies. Sinne is quite dead, death and him that hath the power of death, dead: O death where is thy sting, O Hell where is thy victory? this is the triumphant language in every ones mouth above. Here we are in continuall combate, in perpetuall war, detesting legue truce, but not able to conquer: but there all are conquerers, and weare their Crown & Lawrells, and make a shew of their conquest openly, as Christ. David hath slaine his thousand, &c. Many such triumphant expressions are above, for every little one there is as David, and sing his songs. There is a petty transient triumph here in the Church militant, but 'tis only as it now and then reaches their state above, in any degree of conquering enemies. And I saw as it were a Sea of glasse mingled with fire, and them that had gotten victory over the Beast, and over his Image, stand on the Sea of Glasse, and having the Harpes of God, and they sang the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lambe, saying, Great and mighty are thy workes Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints. Revel. 15.3. this hints to us the manner of their triumph above, (for Saints do the will of God on earth as they do in Heaven) The Lambe sings too: they sang the song of Moses [and the song of the Lambe] The head triumphs, and then all the members; Christ triumphs in himselfe, and all that glorious company triumph in him.Coloss. 2.15. And having spoiled Principalities and Powers, hee made a shew of them openly; triumphing over them [in it, [...] in him­selfe, so is the originall, and so 'tis translated in your margents; Christ viewes all the slaine; death and him that had the power of death, the old Serpent with all his seed, and triumphs in him­selfe; all the rest of that royall company triumph in him, as the [Page 427] jaw-bone, stone, and sling, with and by which they have slaine Goliah, and all the Philistians heapes upon heapes. Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lambe: and all that stood about the throne Angells, and Elders, &c. said, Amen; bles­sing and glory and wisdome, thanksgiving, honour and power, and might bee to our God for ever. Tis a heavenly practice this, and spoken of the Church Militant, as imitating the Church tri­umphant, and as guided by one and the same Spirit, indeavour­ing to do the Will of God on earth, as the tother part of the same company doe in Heaven. You know the state of the new Church, is shadowed out in the booke of the Revelation by Heaven, and all the lineaments of it, it comes so neere to it. The very first draught and modell, Revelation. 4. J was in the spirit and a throne was set in Heaven, &c. As Moses was made to come up to the top of the Mount neere Heaven, and God, saith the Text, talked with him from Heaven, to shew him the pattern of the first house: so Iohn was taken up into Heaven, and God talked with him in Heaven, and shaped his patterne of this last house and the affaires of it by Heaven, as that which should come neerer to it, then any yet had done. But this by the way.

Ʋse. I have opened to you now a brave state, but all will not, nay all cannot come to it; I wish they could. Corruption cannot in­herit incorruption: if it be true corporally, it is true spiritually, if the uncleane bodies of the Saints, cannot come to Heaven, surely the uncleane soules of the wicked cannot. Satan hath a synagogue too; a great one here, and a greater below, and a great many will go thither; few will believe this, and this is the seale of death. The Congregation above is holy, very ho­ly, but this is not heeded here; but it must or no man shall see God, nor that glorious society which is with him. Flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God, and yet the Lord be mercifull unto the soules of men, this is the generall rule by which men walke. Above flesh for our bloud, we cannot move; 'twill sink Persons, Kingdomes, 'twill make the society below wonderful big: What a Congregation hath the Devill in his house, but not one at rest, all at worke hard, tearing, rending, and rosting one another, and yet have no meate nor drink, but the [Page 428] flames and fire in which they worke. Have any of you a mind to be of this Congregation? No, why then doe you pursue your flesh? your will? sense? selfe? sinne? this sinne, that sinne, any sinne, that will serve your turne in these bad times? The tem­ptation of this time is terrible, not a soule almost but undone by it. Heaven and earth shake, Church and State crack, the Grave and Hell gape, the glory above forgotten, the dread of these crush parts, brave parts, yea that which hath gone for brave grace, to nothing, to worse then nothing: many Christians like Cacka­rells change colour, white all the winter, like those fish, and spotted at spring: what with the bloud and filth of bodies, and the bloud and filth of soules, ah Lord! what a stinke is there in all societies, all this Land over, and yet no body holds his Nose? all is sweet as long as any course may be stumbled on to rise, and be but to flea the skinnes of the dead, to go fine: will this bravery be admitted above?

Where do you finde a soule that longs and pants, because of all these things? O that I were of that glorious Church above! That I did know to what Officer of that society to speake, to helpe me in there! If any so inquire; I will tell thee: go to Christ, he is the doore by which all enter: hee will serve thee as he was served himselfe, he was Baptized and the Heavens opened; Christ will Baptize thee with the holy Ghost and with fire, and then the Heavens which containe him till the restitution of all things, shall open and receive thee. Thou must be contented to be Baptized with Christs Baptisme, his second Baptisme; after both there was a Heaven opening: At his first Baptisme the Hea­vens opened, but did not take him up and take him in: at his second Baptisme they opened againe, and then they received him, and containe him. Thou must be contented to be Baptized with Christs last Baptisme, if neede be to leave all as hee did, a very Heaven if thou hast it, as Christ did; riches, honours, pleasures, blood, life, to follow after Christ: After such a Bap­tisme, the Heavens will open also, and take in thee into that glorious society above. Christ surely is prized but little, there­fore his Congregation is so small below and above. The sinne of the Jewes is become the sinne of the Gentiles, my heart trem­bles to thinke what will become of us: What ever wee talke of [Page 429] Christ, and boast of his Temple above and below, we bid base­ly, for all. Though Christ will take nothing for any thing he hath, yet you must come to him with all that ever you have in your hand, and lay it at his feete; thinke nothing too good for him, so you may but have him: here is now, state, wife, chil­dren, yea here is body, soule, selfe, doe with all what thou wilt; drowne all, burne all, if thou wilt, onely rake the ashes when thou hast done, and finde my soule, that Jewell of Jewels, which cannot be burnt any where, but in thy displeasure, and put it in thy bosome for ever: This is a Gospell frame of heart, and miscaries not: all the Jewels which Christ weares in his bo­some above, are raked out of ashes here below, out of meere no­things. His beloved is one, but one, a Phenix, and it comes out of ashes, learne to lay all in the dust, if you would have Christ take up all, and lay it in his bosome. All that he takes up in his bosome here, he sets downe in glory above, to triumph with that glorious company there.

DIaconos, a deacon] the word is a title given to all sorts of Officers almost, in Gods new-house, as signifyng that which is behoofull to them all, especially them that dispence soule vi­tall things, diligence, promptnesse, speedinesse. Soule dangers are all desperate, whats done for reliefe in this kinde, must be with­out delay, or else all is eternally lost; the Basilisk blastes and burnes every greene thing it comes upon, and makes death to every creature in a moment, his poyson is so fiery strong: Satan is such a Serpent; not a Dart hee throwes, but it is so fiery, that it's mortall presently. [In the day] that thou eatest thou shalt die: eatest what? any of the Serpents poyson. [Thou] shalt die, the long-livest creature in the World. [In the day] thou eatest, (i) in the hower, in the present moment, although the long-livest creature, the Serpents poyson will dispatch thee. Our pa­tients [Page 430] who are spirituall Physitians, are all poisoned, strongly poisoned, their intrailes are afire, our worke is the giving of An­tidotes, they must be speedy, death is marching so speedily and so directly to the heart. All this World is afire, it lies so neere that below it; every house in a blaze; there are such lightnings and blastings from that region of darknesse, that not a soule upon earth but is black burnt, and in danger to be consumed: they had neede bestir them that worke about quenching internall flames, which take hold here: this is our worke to quench Hell fire.

Two things are incomparably swift in bringing forth, cor­rupt affection and Divine wrath. The time is so little betweene conception and birth, in order to sinne, that it's not mention­ed, Lust when it hath conceived brings forth sinne. The Apostle doth not say that it brings forth in so many Moneths, or in so many yeares, two yeares or the like, as Historians say the Ele­phant goes; but when 'tas conceived it fals in travaile present­ly, and the soule cannot sleepe till it bee delivered. The wrath of God is just such another wombe, conceives and brings forth presently, internally or externally, upon soule or body, or both; a sparke of fire no sooner takes, but it burns presently within the house, though you do not see all the out-parts of the house in a blaze presently; a house is a fire a great while, before all the Towne cry, Fire, fire. Wrath kindled but a little (as the Psalmist speakes) in Gods breast against any man, it burnes presently against him, though not visible presently, it sulters and takes more and more hold secretly, and breakes forth all in a blaze in a shorter or longer space, as tempests and windes arise, and as wisdome will. Spirituall Offices are shaped and injoyn'd in order to these nimble bearing wombes: Goe quickly make an atonement, wrath is begun, said Moses to Aaron. If wrath be be­gun, as if he had said, I know the nature of it, 'twill quickly make a dispatch of all, therefore bestir thee, be a Diaconos, a diligent speedy Officer, take a Censer and fire from off the Altar, and put out one fire with another.

The nature of our Office, hintes the nature of your conditi­on, 'tis very dangerous; of a sudden, sinners, you are undone: it should be laid to heart. Sinners are damnable venturous, not knowing the wayes of God; they make nothing of sinne, and [Page 431] yet the wages of it is death, and paid presently. The soule fro­ward and wilfull, of a suddaine dispatched. Say unto the chil­dren of Israel, Yee are a stif-neeked people. J will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee, &c. Exod. 33.5. Christ is our Breath and Life, when resisted our Breath and Life de­parts, and leaves the dead corps to be stretched out, coffined and buried, when justice will. Christ and the soule parted, this is death; other things, as laying the man in his Grave, and such like, these are but businesses about the Funerall. Sinner, Christ woes thee, dost thou regard him? He tels thee of the Harlot thou hast in thy bosome: doth thy soule rise against him? Why, turn thy face to the wall, draw up thy Legges in thy bed, thou wilt have a death-pull presently; conscience will sting thee ere thou art aware; and now Christ is setting foot in stirrup to be gone, he is now throwing off the dust of his feete, as a preparative to departure. Christ hath put the Knife now to thy throate, yea more, he hath stabbed thee to the heart, and thou bleedest inward­ly, what wilt thou do to stop and heale this wound? Didst thou dreame of a dart in thy heart, ere thou hadst done thy sport? to be shot from Heaven in the act of sinne, in the bosome of De­lilah?

But 'tis not so with mee: though I eate forbidden fruit now and then; yet it agrees well enough with me, it doth not make tumblings and ruptures in my bowels. Death seiseth not up­on all alike; some goe away in a swone. Insensibility is the deadliest condition of all. Christ disregarded, the soule is dis­regarded, in the hower that one is the other is; whether it now roare or bee still, all is one, Christ is, departed, there is no divine Life in the man; you see but a corps, not a Christian, which will be buried out of Gods sight quickly. The winde blowes where it lists, how it lists; of a night, of an instant it turnes and blowes against one, that was with one, and drives the Vessell upon Rockes, and splits all. A sinner is nobly and sweetly intreated for a season, this despised, the old one leaves the nest, hee cannot hatch what hee sits upon, and therefore that stranger which hath blowne upon the egges, and chilled them with handling, let him suck them too now, or teare them, or do what hee will with them. I beseech you [Page 432] sinners know your day, your hower: if the Sunne would kisse you, kisse him; He wooes hartily, yet not in ordinately, as some Lovers doe, that will never give over, that die when they can­not obtaine. Christ kils others that will not love him, but ne­ver kills himselfe with love; he can of a wooer, become a slayer of you, and all in one day, yea in one hower. Wherefore receive that holy word, Luke 12.36. Let your Loyns be girded a­bout, saith hee, and your lights burning, and yee your selves like unto men that waite for their Lord, when he will returne from the wedding, and when he commeth and knocketh they may open to him [immediatly.] If you thinke out of pride and stoutnesse to make Christ waite your leasure, till you have taken your fill of forbidden things, and gone on as far as ever Nature and Life could let you goe, you will be deceived; Christ will in this case leave knocking, and only marke the doore, and be gone. Some are hard to vomit, there is such a concinnity betweene the stomack and what filth is burnt to the coates of it; twill goe hard with such. Some cast up presently as soone as nature is offended. So do you saith Christ, open immediately, what I knock for to be delivered up, deliver it up imediately, I will not waite. Christ makes short quick worke in the Earth, when he hath to do with meer earth, that will be no more.

DIspensation] the word meanes domesticke distribution, [...] from [...] a house, and [...] to distribute. Which makes the sense run thus, according to that family distribution which God hath made to me. The holy Ghost distinguisheth gifts, into good and perfect; both come downe from above, but under a diverse notion; the one as common to all the World, the other as proper to his Family; they are good gifts in themselves, which bade men have, their health, their wealth, their learning, all good gifts, but not perfect gifts, they want one thing, as our Saviour spake to the young man in this case, and this one thing [Page 433] the maine of all, to wit, the speciall love of God, fatherly mercy rapt up in them. Family distribution is fatherly goodnesse, speciall mercy, a perfect gift. Choyce indowment is mans bles­sednesse.

Doct. This God gives; All the posterity of Jacob were blessed, but Joseph was a Nazarite amongst his Brethren, saith the Text, (i) culled out by speciall providence from all the rest, and choicely indowed and imploid; the very creame of Love dished out to him. The pretious fruits brought forth by the Sun, and the pretious things which put forth by the Moone, and the chiefe things of the ancient Mountaines, &c. And observe here the prime blessing is brought up in the Reare, that which makes all other gifts perfect, and the favourable acceptance of him that dwelt in the bram­ble; the favour and love of God wrapt up in every thing wee have, is that which makes them full mercies, and this had Ioseph: Deut. 83.16. he had top favours, blessings came upon his head, upon the top of him that was [a Nazarite] from his brethren. This kind of pro­vidence died not with those persons and times, but lives still in an Evangelicall sense. Christ goes through this World and picks out here and there one from among his brethren, and makes him a Nazarite, indowes him with choyce mercies, Fa­mily dispensations, bespangles him with such Jewells as they weare above in his own Court; riches of the body, and riches of the minde, and inlayes them all with the good will of him that dwelt in the Bramble: This was prophecied then when the Pa­triarchs had their speciall indowments, and touched in their kind­nesse, the Scepter shall not depart from Judah, &c. and unto him shall the gathering of the people be, Gnammim peoples, Gnammim. binding his foale unto the Vine and his Asses colt unto the choyce Vine, Gen. 49.11. Christ doth gather and select still, even among the Gentiles: As far as us Gentiles doe these words looke. To him shall the ga­thering of the [peoples] bee. Not one people, to wit the Iewes, but peoples, Jewes and Gentiles. A choyce Vine Christ findes out amongst us, Trees of speciall vertue and noble blood and spirits above all Trees, and ties his foale to these, unites himselfe to this body, by the same spirit, by which he so indowed and ennob­led that ancient people of the Iewes.

Choyce indowments being mans blessednesse, and this sesable, [Page 434] that which God gives now, I would fasten this naile in the tem­ple, with a word of use. Ʋse. Content not your selves with common blessings, covet the best gifts, seeke family favours, childrens mercies, or you cannot be happy. We place blessednesse here, tis not here, twas here, but is not now, tis risen, tis above, there must your industry lie. Seeke those things which are above, where Christ is at the right hand of God. The mercies of Gods owne family make us, and none else, Such dispensations as have the speciall love of God wrapt up in them. Let no man thinke this an unpossible thing to attaine; the things that are above will come down to the conservation of the whole; the naturall Hea­vens will descend, the supernaturall will too; Christ, though at the right hand of God, will come down, and sit at your right hand, and guide you, and impart the things that are above to you; clothe you in the habit and fashion of that countrey, if sought to, and desired. But the plague is, our hearts are carnall, and lust onely after low things; we place blessednesse in our belly, and worship Dagon, Dagan frumenti Deus, a belly-god; The Apostle alludes to this, where he saith, Whose God is their belly. Red pottage lusted after, the birth-right is nothing. How affection workes, is not heeded by you, yet your life is in it, and it goes to the heart of God to see how you lavish and lay it out, for that which is not of any nobility or worth, in order to such creatures as you are. Wherefore doe you spend money for that which is not bread? not white bread, not living bread, not that bread which came down from Heaven, not such as the family a­bove feede on.

You that feed on such mercies owe much to God; I will touch this, and conclude. You that are like Joseph Nazarites among your brethren, separated from thousands of your owne flesh and bone, and made great, endowed with Noble gifts, and imploy­ed in Noble workes, to attend upon the great King of all the world, as his onely favourites, your should doe as Joseph. Goe, saith he, haste ye to my father, and tell him, thus saith thy sonne Joseph, God hath made me Lord of all Egypt, come down to me, tarry not, Genes. 45.9. divine mystery is in all this, and it hints your duty; goe haste you to Heaven, and tell your father what ho­nour is by the Lord Jesus bestowed on you, that he hath made [Page 435] you Lords over all Egypt, over all your lusts, which did keepe you in bondage, that he hath put his owne ring upon your hand, and his owne Gold-chaine about your necke, and made you secundi, the next to him in all the world, and onely in the Throne is greater then you; tis a sweet thing to be going often to Heaven, and telling there how much we feele of it upon earth. Choice endowments call for choice duty, as we are winged we should mount. There were choice vowes under the old covenant, Deut. 12.11. Some choice offerings that upon some choice mer­cies received, they performed to God. You have received choice mercies, make choice vowes, (understand me Gospelly) make sweet Gospell raptures of all Noble favours received. Your Ro­man dames had some Jewels worth millions; which they called uniones, because they were incomparable and had none like them, singulars, such as had no fellowes, and these they bequea­thed when they died, as an inheritance to posterity, they were of so great worth. God hath given unto you such precious Jewels, uniones, singular gifts, such as cannot be fellowed in many of your brethren, weare these Jewels every day, (though it was the fashion of the Roman dames to weare their uniones upon great daies) hold forth all your choice gifts, choicely, to the great glory of Christ. My Dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the onely one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her: [the daughters saw her] and blessed her, yea the Queen, and the core thines, and they praised her. The Church of Christ is here set forth as a choice one, for all endowments and glory, and as holding forth all this to the admiration of Christ, and all beholders. The daughters [saw her] and blessed her, the Queens and Concubines prai­sed her.

THere are two occult things in providence, which when well apprehended, make a serene sweet life; to understand still wherefore God takes, and wherefore he gives, what bitter and sweet meane; blindnesse in either, loseth God, God lost in his dealings, the soule loseth it selfe, a man knowes not in this case where he is, nor what he is, whether a Saint or an hypocrite, a man or a beast: In both these, this servant of Christ was acute: the perishing of the outward man, the flou­rishing of the inward, he could explaine both. All things are for your sakes, 2 Corinth. 4.15, 16. there he speakes of what misery he did beare, here in the text I stand upon, he speaks of what ho­nour he did beare, and he understood well the end of both, both for the Church of Christ, for you, i. for the prosperity of Christ, in the hearts of all believers.

Family distribution is with this designe, that all the family may be the better for what any one hath. An elder child that can tell how to hold a dish, hath a great full messe, that all the rest may sit round and eate out of his dish. Wisdome folds up many things in one, many vertues and influences in one Sunne, for all the world: such a Sunne is Christ, set for the fall and rise of many. We are in Christs stead, and so the savour of life and death to many. We are Ambassadours in Christs stead, and pre­sent Jewels allowed us from our Master to any, especially to his Spouse, for you, i. you that are married to the Lord Jesus; Thus I thinke the expression imports. As if the Apostle had said, Great endowments and gifts are for the Church primarily, for others secondarily, and subordinately, in order to the use and welfare of the Church, some way or other.

Which way the heart of God bends is observable; Christ doth pecu­liarly and principally apply himself to Saints, the centre of divine donation, is the heart of a Christian; all that goes from God to [Page 437] any, does but hover till it come here, the marrow and juyce of every creature, of every gift, is squeesed out into this vessell. If you see Angels sent forth, those glorious gifted creatures, you may stand still and prophesie where they will turne in, to Abraham, to Lot; they may goe along by others, but they turne in and host here. The choice communcations which descend from Heaven, they bed themselves in the brests of Gods people, they may hang and hover in the braines of others, but they enter into the hearts of none but these. The life of Christ is the spring of all parts; the gifts which you see shine in any; they are but springs from this fountaine, branches of this Vine, and observe which way this Vine creepes, about whose house sides it goes with its branches, into whose bowles he squeeses their blood, Tis for you, saith he, this is the blood of the new Testa­ment, which was shed for you. My beloved is gone down into [his garden] to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather Lillies, Cant. 6.2. After Christ are we directed to goe, to carry all ex­cellencies we have where he doth, and lay them down all where he is, in you; and therefore observe that clause, Luke 10.6. And if the Sonne of peace be there, then stay, otherwise away, and carry all away with you.

When things lie in suite, and in petition, before they come forth thus into actuall exhibitions, you shall see the truth of the point in hand demonstrated, which way the heart of God bends; in all cases of this nature Christ doth especially and peculiarly apply himselfe to Saints. Thou wilt make [their heart] to prepare, and thine eare to intend, Psal. 10.17. speaking of the meeke and humble. Observe how peculiarly Christ applies himselfe to some, Thou wilt make [their heart to prepare,] if their heart stand not fit to receive noble favours, thou wilt make them stand fit; if it be not humble enouh, hungry enough depending enough, thou wilt make it doe all these; thou wilt overcome all unaptnesse in these soules, yea all unaptnesse in thy selfe. If sinne and basenesse in these creatures present themselves in thine eyes, and make some impresse and influence upon thee, against having to doe with them, yet thou wilt make thy selfe to looke towards these, yea to heed them intensly, saith the originall, Thou wilt make thy selfe to intend. Mercy pleades with justice, when God hath to [Page 438] doe with his, and makes him come off, yea come down and condescend, to stoope and take a lame creature by the hand, and lay his eare close to his head, and speake incouraging words, to put the soule in heart to speak and speed. Hester, what is thy re­quest? and what is thy desire? come into my presence, I have nothing but is for thee: he lends her legs to stand upon, coun­tenance to looke upon him, spirits, and mouth, and tongue to speake; makes her to prepare, and then makes himselfe to forget the confinement of himselfe to other things, and to intend her. Which is a brave demonstration of this thing I am upon, that Christ doth peculiarly and transcendently apply himselfe to Saints. You have a like place, Psal. 18.6. [My prayers] came into his face, into his eares. Other folkes prayers come but to Gods eares, and there they vanish, but the prayers of Gods people come into his eares. The expression notes, how the eare and heart of Christ are specially and peculiarly applied unto his people.

Ʋse. Towards whom Christ doth thus apply himselfe, twill be bad bending against them for any. This generation is very unhappy; men observe not which way Christ bends, and bend after him, but which way the times bend, and so bend after these, and so what parts and endowments God hath given them, are imploy­ed against the people of Christ, and not for them. One thing should by as us, to wit, the will of Christ; but when this will not, any thing will, pride, covetousnesse, malice; when a man hath lost his aime, he kils a child, a friend, as soone as an enrmy. The scope of divine distribution, this should be every gifted mans aime, from hence should we take our levell, but we doe not. Which way doth God looke? To what point hath he set the compasse? To what part hath he bound me, and fraighted me? for the Holy-land? for Saints? must all I have, and all I can doe runne into their breasts? and put in at their Haven? Then thi­ther I must steer, and to no other port, though greater gaine might be had: if this I doe not, I make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience. This is the plague of this generation, faith and conscience shipwracked, which is the fruit of an ill scope at first, and the proper medium of a wicked procession: what will not that man doe against truth and Saints, which hath split his [Page 439] peace and fidelity with God. Parts and principles miscoped, render the person worse then they that have none, more heady and high minded, and now the man sets himselfe in a way that is not good, and this goes to the heart of God, he often com­plaines of this. The more God is inraged by any course, the more severely he smites the pursuer. Hypocrisie is punished with pride, envy, and security; and now is a next neighbour and a fami­liar worse then an open enemy, more bloody. I was a reproach among mine enemies, [but especially among my neighbours,] Psa. 31.11. vicinis valde, to my neighbours very much, or most of all. Tis of de­sperate issue every way, to soule and body, not to soder in scope with Christ.

Christians should sucke this honey-combe well, a fathome­lesse depth of sweetnesse is in it: the bent of Christ in all his dis­pensations is toward you, his heart hangs after you; affliction, prosperity; warre, peace, Magistrates, Ministers, Paul, Apollo, Ce­phas, life, death, all is yours, for you. Things now thwart much, man against man; nothing against you. We looke too low to sucke the sweet of this point, and to be at rest in troublous times. Inferiour agents looke one one way; another, another way, and answerably oppose in their motion, and kill in con­flict, and yet the first intention lives and obtaines. The scope of the first agent in all should be eyed, and rest. What is Christ about? To destroy his people? to destroy his glory? Against whom, or for whom is he? Is he for Babylon and Babylonish wretches, which now warre against us? Is he so in his intenti­on, and in his purpose? possibly this or that particular action, as we scan it, may looke like as if it were for them; but is the prime scope of God for them in all he does? does his heart hang to­ward any Babylonish brats now afoot? abroad or at home? If you thinke so, read Jeremy 50.31, 32. Behold I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord God of Hosts, for thy day is come, and the time that I will visit theel, and the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up, and I will kindle a fire in his Cities, and it shall devoure all round about him. How ever actions and proceedings seem to smile upon evill men, yet let this beare us up, the scope of all is against them. I am against thee. i. in my in­tention and plot. And contrariwise, however sad and blacke [Page 440] things may looke in mans view, in order to Christians, yet their scope and their intention is for them: Christ is for his Churches, and for his Saints in all his designes. This was that which Jo­shua desired to know when he was in some feares, which way Christ heart did bend when his Sword was drawn, whether for them, or for their adversaries, let me but know this, saith Joshua, and I shall rest, let things worke how they will, Joshua 5.13, 14. And it came to passe when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lift up his eyes and looked, and behold there stood a man over against him with his Sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? and be said, Nay, but as a Captaine of the Host of the Lord am I now come, &c. Or for our adversaries, coarctatoribus, for them that straiten us, which word speakes full to our condition; there be a great many bloody wretches abroad, which straiten us exceedingly in all our mercies, which pen us into so few Counties, and into so little trading; yet it should be enough for us to know, against whom the point of Gods drawne Sword is set, whether against their hearts, or ours; whether to make an end of them, or of his people, which party Christ takes; if you thinke he takes their side, no, Lo [...]ki, tis vehemently denied, which is expressed by two words, nay but, or nay because, as a Captaine of the Lord of Hosts am I come, there is negation, with its reason added, which is strong negation.

You may sucke this point not onely to establish you against feares and dangers now apparent, but to furnish you with all excellencies that Christ hath. Sampsons heart was set towards Delilah, and she knew it, and made use of it to get out all, to strip him of all; not a secret about his Nazariteship, but she gets it. Now we know the bent of Divine affection, that it is specially toward us, we should make use of it to get out all the secrets of wisdome and holinesse, that are in Christ. So you know Christ when he had fished out this to the botome, that Peters heart did indeed bend and incline specially towards him, he makes use of it to draw him out to speciall and Noble service for him. Doest thou love me saith Delilah, then shew me this, and that; so said Christ to Peter, Doest thou love me? and is all thou hast for me? then let me see it, Feed my Lambs, and feed my Sheepe: so doe thou [Page 441] say to Christ, Dost thou love me O Christ? and doth thy heart bend principally towards mee? And is all thou hast, and dost, for me? Then let me see it: feede my poore soule with know­ledge, tis very ignorant: feede my poore soule with love, with joy, tis very low and sad. If what thou hast given this Minister and that Minister be for me, why do I profit no more by them? my Teachers drop pretious things, but I like a broken ci [...]erne hold nothing. And if my messe be in their dish, why cannot I put in my spoone, and take it out? If thy bosome O Christ be a lodging intended for me, hung stately and perfumed sweetly for me, why cannot I lie there alwayes? Clouds and mists are scattered by the force and motion of celestiall bodies; you that are celestiall creatures; it must stir up the grace of God in you, and move and act the forcible acts of faith at the Throne of grace, if you would dispell the clouds that hide God and great good from you. Vaine beliefe destroyes us; not one Christian of a thousand setled in this, that the Heart of God is toward him, and therefore hath no heart to goe to him, to make use of him, no nor cannot rest upon him for any thing.

It cannot be that the heart of God is towards mee: all things go against me. Sinne prevailes, conscience stings; breaches within, breaches without; lively-hoode dies, feathers fall off apace, I am almost quite bare in the nest; I know not where to get cloathes to put on my back when these be done, no not where to get bread to put in my head, when this in my hand is eaten. My wife mournes, my children cry, friends frowne: lively-hood did I say? nay Life it selfe because of all these, is almost gone: tis as much as my heart-strings will hold, I sigh so oft, and so deep, and can the heart of God be towards me? can all be for me, and all against me?

The Heart of God how it inclines, cannot be gathered from the hand, no not from the Tongue of God. When a man would make demonstration of his state by the hand of God towards him, hee had neede weigh things well, the wheeles that go over have so many eyes, and looke so many wayes, one shall be de­ceived also. God can speake against a man and do against him, (as you call against) and yet all that while yearne in heart over him, and working about great things for him, he can speake [Page 442] against Ephraim a deare child, and yet at the same time remem­ber him, yea remember him earnestly. Since I spake against him I remember him still. Affection is subordinate to fancy, memo­ry, and more noble powers: persons and things kept in memo­ry, and fancy; these powers will work, and keepe bowels beat­ing still, but when persons and things are throwne out here, out of the memory of God, then a mans condition is forlorne indeed, and never till then: thus Saints are never. Christ speak­ing of sharpe troubles, killing and bloudy trials, saith, Feare not him that can kill the body; and then comes on thus, to shew the tender providence and bowels still work, in such times when we thinke not. Are not five Sparrowes sould for two far­things? and yet not one of them is forgotten before God, but even the haires; of your head are [all] numbred feare not therefore, you are of more value, &c. Pretious persons sometimes, according to ex­ternall condition, are of no worth, spoild, bought, sold, for naught, five of them for two farthings, and yet not these, not one person, no not one haire of these persons forgotten (i) not without the compasse of tender bowells; their haires num­bered, when upon their head, and when they fall off their head.

Tis not safe to calculate kindnesse by the meere motion of out­ward things, or of ones own heart. Straites and trialls put weake creatures to it, Christ is not extreme to observe in this case. Di­vine compassion dies not so soone as we thinke: tis an everlast­ing thing, tis a child of mercy which indures for ever. God in all cases of transgression lookes upon Christ strictly, then his fury is ceased; this ceased, whatsoever God does is consistent with bowels, tender bowels. The bitterest things that befall us should be so construed, by looking still to Christ as God doth. The Lord speakes of the piercing Serpent, and Leviathan the crooked Serpent, and the Sea Dragon, Esaia. 27.1, 2, 3. and all these in his Vineyard, and suffered them all to make terrible worke, and yet when hee comes to redresse this saith, that fury was not in him all this while; they did quite mistake him that did judge these sad afflictions, the fruites of a heart turned against them. Make use of these things to keepe your hearts setled in the truth of this point, that the heart of God specially bends to­ward [Page 443] you, and then milke out the sweet of it to all occasions, so all conditions will bee sweete to you; death it selfe, Life.

THe finall cause of Divine distribution, is here doubly set down, substantially, and circumstantially. What is given is to be imparted: to whom? To Saints; to you: how much is to be gi­ven to them? All that is given unto us; this last circumstance is prest in this last clause, as the other is in the former, we must [...] fulfill the Word of God, (i) preach fully the word of God. The same word is used, Romans 15.19. and so trans­lated; From Ierusalem round about to Illyricum [...], I have fully preached the Gospell of Christ.

1 The matter and the manner of divine ministration, fall both here under consideration. Sacred constitutions, are not stuffed with hay, straw, stubble, things that hold forth onely to sense some humane fading thing; they are all of supreame authority, and hold forth something of God and nothing else; some pure beame of the Sun shines in every sacred Ordinance. There were many sorts of instruments about the Tabernacle, and yet not a pin but pointed at some great thing: some pointed at the wisdome of Christ, some at the power, some at the mercy of Christ; some noted the back-parts, some the face, some the body, some the bloud, some the Life, some the death, some the dying-breath of Christ, to wit the word. Know the nature and the authority of this Ordinance now managed, we breath the dying breath of Christ, to fulfill the Word of God, 1 Cor. 23.27. (i) to accom­plish his mind who thus made his will. By the last words of Da­vid were the Levites appointed, at such certaine yeares to their worke; so by the last words of Christ, was this worke put up­on our shoulders; Whereof J am made a Minister [to fulfill] the word of God (i) his last word of institution. The dying breath of [Page 444] Section. Christ, we breath in your faces: the nature of this I will open to you, what it is naturally, what accidentally. Naturally tis pure, perfectly pure. There are three regions of Aire, and al­though one purer then another, yet none perfectly pure. 'Tis a division that pleaseth Schollers,Pure. but the substance is one. So we may distinguish in this matter in hand. There be three Re­gions in that Aire that blowes and breathes upon our soules, the brest of the Father, the brest of the Sun, the brest of the holy Ghost, all pure, perfectly pure, these are personally distinguished, but one in essence. As things are, so they breath Lungs and inwards rotten, and breath is answerably corrupt; cleane things come not out of the mouth of uncleane, wickednesse proceeds out of the mouth of the wicked; persons when they are dying, their breath is most of all impure, all parts within are so over-run and ruined with filth; Christ was dying all that time hee lived a­mong us, and yet sound in all parts,; holy, and so breathed to the last, he gave up his last breath in Hell, and yet holy and heavenly: and therefore very apt and punctuall is that expres­sion of Solomon [Every word] of God is pure, Prov. 30.5. Christ never had any filth in his mouth, the fountaine that gave spring to that out-let was so pure; hee never spake a sinfull word: if every word of Christ was pure, then his dying words were pure, his words in Hell Eloi, Eloi, &c. And yet this is not all the em­phasis of that Text, every word of God is Tserupha, purgatus, purified, Surmo purgatus. 'Twas a Hell that Christ did speake in, all his time here below, if this Hell did do any thing, it did purge and not pollute his words, hee learn'd obedience not disobedience, by all he underwent; it set him more in Heaven, and made his expi­ration from more inspiration, his breathings forth in this world, from stronger gales from that world above, and made his last words, like the last words of that sweete singer of Israel, doubly sweet: How transendently sweete are all those expressions in the Gospell of Iohn, which hee spake as preparatory to his end▪

Pleasant.Tis very pleasant: tis so to every sense, which nothing else is or can be, such is the constitution of man and things now. It sounds pleasant, tasts pleasant, lookes pleasant, &c. The breath of Christ casts a dew [thou hast the dew of thy youth] that hangs [Page 445] the Locks of man with silver drops. The Aire in some Coun­tries doth colour and varnish the haire. Words in season are like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver, these are shining things indeed, and proper to the sight, such are all the words of Christ his last words were very seasonable words without which, where would have been this Ordinance, and these words, which now you partake of? the gales that come from Christs mouth, are all seasonable; let this winde sit which way it will, and blow how it will, sharply, or mildly, tis still seasonable; Christ is wisdome, and wisdome never breathes unseasonably, and such words are as the Sun, irradiant beyond the glittering of gold, or sparkling of Pearles, to the internall eye. Wisdome makes the Face, the Tongue, the Lungs, yea the breath shine, which is a wonder.

2 The breath of Christ, as it is pleasant to sight, so to taste, this is another wonder. Ephraim is derided for feeding on wind. Can one tast or eate winde? Yet such is the breath of Christs Lips, that one may feede on 't, like the Dewes of the holy Land, and make a very good meale, tis so sweet to the taste, and so nou­rishing to the state of the soule: the breathings of Christs Lips are beyond expression pleasant to the taste. How sweet are thy words to [my taste!] I cannot expresse it, as if the Prophet had said, yea sweeter then the Honey to my mouth: Psal. 119.103. they that write of Honey, tell us of severall sorts, which the Bee makes at severall seasons, and answerably differ in their sweetnesse, and goodnesse. There is a Honey which they call Flower-honey. which is made in the Spring and prime of the yeare, from choyce flowers, and this is accounted the prime Honey, and that which they judge best to nourish young Bees withall, when they are first put to worke, to put them in heart. The breath of Christ is Honey-dew, his words are combes full of Flower-honey; gathered out of the Garden above, and admirable to put yong and old in heart. There is a great dispute about Honey-dewes, whether they come from the Earth, as exhalations from it, as other ordinary Dewes do, or not: some affirme it to be no­thing else but a pure sweat of the celestiall bodies, an unctuous gelly, from the benigne Starres, and therefore called a Heaven­ly liquor, and say, if it could be taken as purely as it falls from [Page 446] the Heavens, before it comes into the corrupt Aire in which we breath, 'twould be much beyond that which we have, it would be a soveraine Nectar, to cure all diseases, it would fetch from death to life, and immortalize men. There may be something in all this, though not so much as authors would have us think; and yet if all this were true, tis too short to set out the thing in hand. The honey dew wee speake of, tis no exhalation from any thing here below, tis indeed, nothing else but the sweat of Heaven, an unctuous gelly dropping downe from that bright morning Star Christ, the sweat of his celestiall body, and in­deed is soveraine for all diseases, to fetch man from Death to Life, to immortalize men; Christs Words are Words of eternall Life.

Ʋse. Transgression is much aggravated by this point. Sinne is hear­tily loved; nothing will turne men. Do you consider what you go against? you go against the breath of God, the dying breath of our Lord Jesus. Some mens bowells are all torne out; such are past recovery. When Satan can serve any soule so, the case is very wofull, and yet this is common. Sinners have you any soule-bowells? will not a crying, dying, groaning voyce, work upon you? The ministration which is here below is glorious, but dying; it hath been so, tis so, 'twill be so. The Prophets, where are they? The great Prophet, Christ, where is he? The Apostles where are they? they that Preached to your fathers, where are they? we that now preach to you, are we not dying? is not every light wasting? Is it not warme dying breath that is now breathed in your faces by me? Are not the lights of this Generation almost burnt out? and yet sinne more alive then ever it was. This World worsens apace: this Generation, the dregs of many past. Speake who will, cry, die, who will, Christ, and many thousands more, yet sinne must not die, no, not open sinne. What a Sodome is London and England, notwithstand­ing the Word of God! this aggravation kills us, this makes our carcasses now that they cannot reach the Sepulchers of our Fa­thers, but bed horse feet, and the wrath of God. That place is worthy of note, 1 Kings 13.21. and hee cried to the man of God which came from Judah saying, Thus saith the Lord, for as much as thou hast disobeyed [the Mouth of the Lord] Observe the circum­stance [Page 447] of aggravation, and hast not kept the Commandement which the Lord thy God commanded thee, but camest back and hast eaten bread and drunk water, in the place of which the Lord did say unto thee, Eate no bread and drink no water, thy carcasse shall not come into the Sepulcher of thy fathers. He had cried against the Altar at Bethel, and against Jeroboam; this hee discharged well, but he was also not to eate nor drinke in that place, to have nothing to do with any there, because of their pollution, and this also he observed well a while, as appeares by his stout Language to the King; If thou wilt give me halfe thy house J will not eate Bread with thee in this place. But he was fetched back by a flattering Prophet, and did eate and drinke in Bethel; and so went against the Mouth of God. The Prophets obedience was par­tiall, his carcasse fell for this sadly: tis our case, at best, for the generall. Such whom sinne doth not wholly sway, neither doth truth. Those that are against the Altar at Bethel, are for eating and drinking in Bethel, for countenancing something forbidden about Gods worship; mens carcasses pay for this and will, till they know how to account of every tittle of what a God speaks; till we become faithfull executors, of the will of a dying Sa­viour, we shall die.

We live in a very unhappy time; we are spectators of sinne and justice in height Men prize their sinne above their bloud. But as sinne is feated, so it will abide: if sinne be feated in the heart, it will abide there, till all the bloud of the man be spilt on the ground, yea, till all that which is ten thousand times more noble then this, to wit, the soule, be lost. I will tell you the pro­perty of the Word of God, in order to such a foule, as still keepes his sin, tis though sweet in it selfe, bitter to such; search­ing, piercing, tormenting. The word of God is quick and power­full, sharper then any two-edged sword, piercing even to the di­viding of soule and spirit, and this hee spake in order to them which abode in the stubbornesse of their heart, and flighted the promise of perfect rest, in that Canaan above. The heart strongly ingaged to evill, truth is very piercing: he that so loves sinne that he slightes the rest above, he shall have no rest here. You can­not imagine the sad boutes and fearfull expectations, that un­sound soules have, and yet this must continue, because the [Page 448] breath of the Lord like a River of Brimstone, keeps in this Hell, as it doth that below. The breath of Christ which you spurne against, by your spurning, lights a fire, and shall serve to burne you, though it will not to lead you. Christ puts to the sword all they which yeeld not, burnes and blowes up all that he can­not take. Did not our hearts burne within us whilst he talked with us? The breath of Christ is hot, it burnes within men accord­ing to that degree of unbeliefe and resistance it findes, in e­very one, without respect of persons. Did not [our Hearts] burne?

Sinners consider these things and repent, sucke in the dying breath of Christ, charge folly upon your selves. Who is it that speakes to mee? what would he have? who is it within me that answers, and what answers doth it make? There are fleshly rea­sonings, and carnall motions, take heede of them. Everybody will plead for it selfe, the body of death will do so, which is the death of the soule, but methinks the Word of God should silence all; If the voyee that speakes to us were considered as such a voyce, surely it would. In what posture your soules sit in an or­dinance, is all in all; If you thinke I speake these things as a man, as Paul saith, that it is onely a mans word, you will hush your soules asleepe againe, as soone as gone from the presence of a man: and yet ingenuity would honour mans voyce. The beast that spake to Balaam that beast, was honoured to speake with mans voyce, and that was throwne in Balaams face, that mans voyce from a beast would not calme his madnesse. The dumb Asse spake with [mans voyce]. But when man is honored to speak with Gods voyce, and to forbid your sin and your madnesse there­in, will you on for all this? how much more will this be throwne in your face? Consider with what voyce we speak, and for how little while this Oracle speakes in this earthen Tabernacle, and see how it will worke. To day if you will heare [his voyce]: this Tabernacle in which his voyce is and speakes, lasts but a day; to day, if you will heare his voyce sinners, doe; to morrow the tent will be removed, the vaile will be drawne, the Oracle will besi­lent, his voyce and our own too, will be gone out of our Mouthes, and hid from your Eares.

THe carryage of Christ since the fall is here hinted, hee doth worke and speake above our reach; when he goeth, he mak­eth a path like a Ship in the Sea, that no man can finde any thing after him, not a step: when hee speakes, his words are a great deepe, a Sea bottomlesse (i) of such vastnesse in all noble property, that no man can mouth them nor utter them after him, but stand dumb and silent; they are as the title saith here, [...] which is compounded of [...] & [...], they doe [...] occludere shut up the Tongue and Lips of man, that hee can say nothing. Divine prerogative we are to stand upon, There is a power opening and shuting things of eternall consequence in order to man in this life.

This power is purely spirituall: action is used to close the Eyes of the dead, but it is invissible; mans doome is written in the wall, and no hand seene; nor caracter legible in order to the man concerned, though all big and plaine, and hee spelled and personated in them, because Organs within, enervated; in which case man hath Eyes and sees not, Eares and heares not. They that see are made blind, but do they know how? action is used in this sad worke, but can any one explaine it to sence? for the time when it was done? or for the thing it selfe that is done? when went the spirit from me to thee? The poore creatures eyes are out, but when was it done? did the man feele it? can he tell the agent or the instrument that did it? or what wheele in the Clock is crackt, that the motion goes so false? The nature of this spirituall occlusive act is this, two spirits run their course, at last one is finally left, and so in the darke, and able to see no­thing according to the spirituall nature of it, so as to stir any noble operation in the soule: Faith, a Ridle; Selfe-deniall, a Ridle; Regeneration, a Ridle, a going into ones Mothers belly againe; the death of the body of death, the Resurrection and the Life, all these great things of the Gospell, strange things, [Page 450] and like the talke of a son to a barren wombe, laughed at. The s [...]uting up or the opening of the Kingdome of God in order to any, is a transaction onely by the spirit, cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive, but God hath revealed them to us [by his spirit] for the [spirit searcheth all things, the deepe things of God.] There is an internall caelestiall vertue, coacting with the soule, the giving or the suspension of which, is mans onely advantage or disad­vantage, to understand Gods Will; the suspension of in­ternall influence, keepes the soule spiritually darke, what ever other advantages it hath, and shuts it out from the Kingdome of Heaven.

This spirituall occlusive power is feated in Christ. For Judge­ment am [I] come into this World that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind. Concerning spiri­tuall judicature, it is proper to me, there is none good at this worke, but I saith Christ; to cast amist before the Eyes of the minde, and to darken the light that is in men, this onely I can doe: to cast a mist before the Eyes of mens bodies, this divells may doe, and such men as give themselves to them; but to cast a mist before the Eyes of mens soules, and to darken the light that is in them, and to make the things of eternall Life mysteries, and meere ridles, this is only Christs work. Christ can put out the Eyes of a Sampson, darken the greatest lights, and confound the greatest parts, that is speake ridles and parables at every word, things unexplicable to the most learned men; he can carry a darke Lantherne betweene the Egyptians and the Israelites, make a cloud to go betweene both, and to be darke of one side and light of to'ther: Christ was in the midst of that project, 'tis often said in the Booke of Moses that hee was in the midst of the cloud, that is, he was the onely author of that great mystery; 'twas no art of Moses nor Aron, nor any man else, but Christ. Christ hath a Kingdome, but tis not of this world, tis of that little World within: he hath the Keyes of every roome within you, he and he only opens and shuts these everlasting doores, and at what houre he will: every wheele in that curious artifice within, hath its motion or check from him: the spirit wee speake is of his [...]nction, tis in fulnesse given to him, to make every knee bow or breake, every eye blind or seeing of things in Heaven, of [Page 451] things in Earth, and under the Earth. This thing is better ex­prest by the Prophet, then eye can, The Key of the house of David will I lay open his shouldiers, so hee shall open and none shall shut; Isai. 22.22. Revel. 3.7. The donations of Christ are absolute, not such as ours which may and often are overborne; the Eyes hee closes, none can ever open; the Trees he curseth barren, none can ever make fruitfull, dung as long as they will; the things hee hides from mens eyes, they can never see more; his spirituall occlusive power, is as his power apertive, absolute, and above controule. Hee is the onely absolute at opening or closing the Eyes of the dead.

Ʋse 'Twere well if the right state of eternall actions and things, were seriously considered; what is in the power of Christ, and what he can do and doth, to a perverse Generation. Suffering in the outward man, is the least that Christ doth, to testifie dis­like of any mans course; and yet this, as poore sensuall creatures, we onely Eye. How doth God carry himselfe to the soule? how neer to it, or how far off from it is he? how plainly and cleer­ly, or how darkly and misteriously doth he move within thee? Is not thy soule in darknesse? Shut up under unbeliefe? in the valie of a shadow of death, fearing evill, the destruction of all? Darknesse makes feares the Oracle within speakes doubtfully, and the best Life hangs in doubt; the Malefactor hath his book, and cannot reade for his best Life, the caracters are so old and so mysterious; this is a great wound in the spirit, and it is a wonder to me that any one can beare this and beare up; yet so re­misse are men, till things grow ragingly desperate, and remedi­lesse, nothing is considered. Terrified sinners, Christ hath tyed a handkercher about your Eyes, you are upon the Ladder, ready for execution; can you read your neck verse, or not? Legit ut cle­ricus vel non?

A Gospel sence of misery, is the first step to remedy. Light is made to shine out of darkenesse; God closeth the Eyes, and then opens them. I am at the doore of Heaven, neere the Kingdome of God, my night will have a day, according to the course of of the Sun, it will be so. Let faith thus work, and thou wilt be blessed speedily. God makes light to [shine] out of darknesse; when he would make a shining State, hee usually makes it very [Page 452] darke first; very darke and very sad; and then reveales light ve­ry cleere, and makes a very shining bright Heaven. The order of the Sun what course it goes, what long nights it makes in some parts of the World, and then what long and glorious dayes, should be remembred and expected; this way comes in our bles­sednesse here. In a darke condition, when one cannot do as wee would, we must doe as we can, make advantages of little things. Sampson being darke and starke blind, made advantage of a lit­tle boy; do thou, said he, lead mee to this place or that, to the pil­lar where the house beares; so must you poore darke soules, which are starke blind in the best things, makes use of such little things, as before mentioned to be led by, till you come to finde Pil­lars, great Pillars whereon the house beares, to doe great ex­ploits.

Tis sweet to consider that sacred concealements are but for a time, and this time set by wisdome. [Vision] is but for an appointed time. That is a secret and a mystery to us, which to Christ is vision [the vision is but, &c. and shall be so to us; in his light wee see light: and in cases of danger and extremity, he doth hasten. When we are in a chariot of our owne conceits, a fiery Chariot, and Sa­tan running away with us, Christ saith to his spirit, go joyne thy selfe to that chariot, and interpret; and now behold a na­tion is borne in a day; a World borne of a day, a World of light; a Heaven borne of a day, of an hower. 'Tis yet more sweete, yea, most sweete to consider, when we can do nothing at all for our reliefe, neither the greater nor the lesser, not make use of a Lad to lead, when we cannot make the least motion toward the light, it makes motion toward us: the Sun findes out us, it findes lost persons and lost comforts; it bares it selfe about unto every one; who doth draw the Sun to this place or that? Christ is called [...], 2 Pet. 1.19. you reade it a day Star, the Latines rightly render it, Lucifer, because it doth lucem ferre, Christ doth beare about light over the World to every one that sits in dark­nesse and needs it.

THis expression meanes not totum but tantum, not altogether hid but very much hid, over what it is since the revelation of Christ in the flesh. A full comment upon these words are those of the Apostles to the Ephesians cap. 3. v. 4, 5. Whereby when you reade, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made knowne to the sonnes of men, as it is now revealed to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the spirit. Ceremonies were but a shaddow of good things to come, as great a distance between their condition and ours, as betweene shaddow and substance: their fruit had much shell and little kirnells: we have no shell, yet the kirnell bigger and sweeter to. The sensuall helps they had, spake for the most part no farther then sence. What all those carnall Ordinances did spiritually meane, we have in expresse words, and these words explained and applyed, with greater power and glory then e­ver, from the spirit of Christ. Mercies have their demensions, they differ in grouths. The drops that fall from Heaven, are of severall quantities, Christ hath in his hand blessings of seve­rall sizes, some bigger, some lesser; two talents, five talents, ten talents, concerning the glory above, tis disputed whether it be graduall, but concerning the glory of a Christian here, it is a resolved thing that it is graduall: there is migration in our glory here, going from glory to glory, from strength to strength; Milke and strong meate, babes and full age, crums and Flagons, love and abounding in love. Our Kingdome comes, our Kingdome here is a comming Kingdome.

Mercies are all shaped by Love, it is the property of Divine Love, to higthen dispensation still, till shee hath lifted the soule beloved fully into her bosome. Grace tis in the beginning lit­tle, a grai [...] of Mustardseed, in progresse great, in the end, all; to wit, Heaven which is all now doth Love fully possesse her be­loved, [Page 454] and now she rests and not till now; beyond Heaven there is no gradation, no step higher; Love hath got her full end, which is the full possession of what shee makes out to, and now rests. Love shapes Mercy so, as fully to bring about her end, and that is to bring the soule shee loves into her bosome, to the full frui­tion of her selfe, of whatsoever shee is; you may see this demon­strated in Christ: the Father loves him, and he gives him mer­cies greater and greater, and never leaves till hee hath lifted him fully into his bosome, to his right hand, (i) the fruition of all, John 5.20. The Father loveth the Sonne and showeth him all things that himselfe doth, and hee will show him greater workes then these, that yee may marveile. My Father hath given me great things already, but hee will give me greater, for he loves mee; and this will drop and drop till it hath dropped out all, it will never rest till it hath brought mee into his bosome. The love of God car­ries the same property and proportion to a Christian, and this makes the grouth of a Christian necessarily, as the grouth of a Crocadile, of which it is written; that hee groweth al­wayes, so doth a Christian, till hee bee transplanted into Heaven.

Ʋse. Tis trying this point, what truth is in you. Your graces are not so great but you may have greater; if this be not regarded, as you taste not grace what tang it has, so you understand not grace, what order t'as. Spirituall fulnesse speakes a deluded heart; hee that hath goods enough, enough for many yeares, enough to make his felicity for ever, and therefore rests, is a foole, hee knowes not his state, what hee has nor what he wants. Blinde men 'tis observed, do not dreame so much as men that see, because fancy in the day hath not so much nor so lively im­pressive imployment to set it at worke in the night; but blinde soules dreame more a great deale then they that see; This is one of their dreames among many; I have enough grace to bring me to Heaven I hope, and I care for no more, I love not to be pragmaticall. Some make a great deale of stir and run mad; tis extreame naught this, I like it not. Answ. this is one extreame, but there are two extreames, and vertue in the midst of them; dost thou eye t'other extreame? Some die with heate, others die with cold. Thou seest others too hot, may'st not thou be too [Page 455] cold? grace in the true knowledge of it is inviting, 'tis like some Liquids drinking makes thirstinesse and longing for more drinke; every degree of grace possessed, makes discovery of greater degrees not possessed; One Chamber of Christ hath a window looking into another far bigger and more glorious. Thou art entered into one thou sayest; dost thou looke into a­nother more glorious, and long to enter into it? if thou be a stranger to these things, thou art a foolish Virgin, that possibly hast knocked at the doore of Christs house a little, but art yet indeed entered into no roome; when Christ had opened the nature of spirituall bread unto his followers, that they did in­deed understand it, they fell a longing presently for more; what they had, discovered much more behind which they wanted, and therefore cryed Lord evermore give us of this Bread.

Ʋse This point is upbraiding; the light which shines upon us, is more glorious then that which shined upon our Fathers; that which hath beene hid from Ages and from Generations, we have made manifest to us; wee have mercies according to externall communication of the biggest: what have you according to internall communication? this will be looked after. This is a day of great things, a time wherein Christ brings about great things to our doores; our fathers day was a day of small things; yet if they were judged for despising their day of small things, how much more shall you be judged that despise the day of great things? tis the Apostles argument to the Hebrewes, and must be mine to you. Despite is a spiritull act, deliberate disaffecti­on to the loveliest things. The posture of our spirits wee least looke at, and this Christs Eye is most of all fixed upon. Ex­ternall carriages are all measured, and titled from the heart. God rules in the inside of his enemies, hee unbowells this Gene­ration, and Christens it in blood, according to its spirit. We offer despite to the spirit of grace, we tread under foot the bloud of the Lord Jesus; can wee tell whether this iniquity will be blotted out till this Generation die? The heart fired against truth, abides so; tis part of that unquenchable fire below; God allowes Satan to bee fueler in such a soule, till they both come to burne together in hell. Love lost, Christ cares not for the person, let him be what he will, if hee be the greatest man in [Page 456] the World, he will burne to death in that fire, which burnes in his breast against Christ. Our love now to be least, when grea­test love is tendered, can you imagine that this iniquity will be quickly forgotten? great heare makes great thunders, tis so now; the Sun of love shines mighty hot, and now wickednesse thun­ders, and so will Justice and righteousnesse too; believe it.

THe word notes two things, appareo et splendeo, vision, and shining vision, that is, according to Gospel speech, still in the letter and in the spirit, the understanding of words which one reads, by workes which one feeles; a voyce behind one, interpreting that before one; circumcision outward in the flesh, and this explain­ed by circumcision inward in the spirit. There is a narrative and an operative light; that which makes one talke well, and that which makes one walke well; that which enables one to pro­duce bookes for his authority in discourse, and that which en­ables one to produce his soule and his life for authority: here is my soule and my life, reade if it be not so as I say; let men and Angells, all the World reade if they will. The Manifestation which our Apostle speakes of here, is the latter, for he speakes of such as is proper to Saints, which is Divine demonstration, the person an Epistle, knowne and read of all men. [Yee] are our Epistle knowne and read of all men, 2 Cor. 3.3.

Divine demonstration notes two things, exscriptum & inscrip­tum, and Christ makes both. The written word is Gods mind copied out, exscriptum, a summary of his eternall counsell, in or­der to all without him: man is the principall party concerned in this, but unable to apprehend the counsells of God, though copied out to him; Christ therefore gives concurrence in this worke, and the first thing he doth in man is, hee makes appre­hension (i) hee enables the understanding to coppy out Gods copy, to make an exscript from his, and so to hold out a cleare [Page 457] and glorious Idea of Gods mind, and what he would have, to all inferior powers; to make a draught and survey of the King­dome of God, very lively to sacred fancy. This exscriptum is Scriptum digestum, the written word digested, and beholding by it as in a glasse Gods minde unto satisfaction, an Idea of Gods minde by meanes hereof, is made in the soule so lively, and answers so exactly, as face to face; this is the first worke of Christ, for the good of a poore soule, which is called a copying out of his fathers bosome, and pointing us by the hand to Let­ter after Letter. No man hath seene God at any time, but the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him, Joh. 1.18. [...] (i) plane ac dilucidè de­clarare, to open a thing very clearely and gloriously; Like the Hebrew word Higgid, Gen. 41.25. noting such a shewing as is by leading by the hand.

2 Divine demonstration notes inscriptum. When Christ hath made apprehension in the soule, the next thing he makes is af­fection; hee doth eternally seate things revealed, in all the pas­sions of the soule, and in each distinctly, as principles are pro­per to them; some in love, some in joy, some in feare, &c. and seates principles deeply in all these passions, and makes them all for him, and to vote him up still as chiefe over all, within and without: this is called in writing [...] not with Inck and Pen but with the spirit of the living God, 2 Cor. 3.3. in Tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart; and yet this is but a branch of that manifestation mentioned in my Text, [...] and the same word is used in the front of the Verse [...] mani­festly declared. Christs internall manifestation, is our externall manifestation, that which enables us to hold forth our light in Life as Saints. This demonstration is most sweete; Divine light is pleasant all along its course in the soule, in every roome of the soule, as in the understanding though a very out-roome, but most pleasant when seated in the will and affections, these in-roomes; then tis full of embracings; then the soule pursues his light, and is pursued with kindnesse from Christs internall presence. Divine-Light is very sweet in speculation, but a thou­sand times more sweet, when drawne out into conversation. Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them, hee it is that [Page 458] loveth me, and hee shall be loved of my Father, and J will love him and will manifest my selfe to him. Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them, &c. To have the will of Christ and to keepe the will of Christ, are two things; the one poynts at light in the understanding, the other points at light in the affection, which necessarily resolves it selfe into action, and upon this is intail'd the sweetnesse of Christs presence; this is he that loveth mee saith Christ, and he shall be beloved of mee and my Father; this is de­monstratio demonstrata, the builder banqueting in, and warm­ing of the house he hath built; this is the mystery of the Gospel, and manifested to none but Saints.

VVHat was a mystery and what was hid, is still so to all but Saints, but now is made manifest to [his Saints] What a long night some have! they have Job's wish, they give up the ghost in the wombe, and their eyes never see the Sun, no not when he shines brightest. Gospel-light is the clearest, plainest, and yet this is hid, unlesse to a very few. If our [Gospell] bee hid: the most are finally left. Never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, although ever making at it: that is a sad expression ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1 Death and Life are made paralell for length; one is everlast­ing, so is the other. Some never die, others never live; the fire of the Altar never went out; the holy Spirit which is the onely fire in the new Tabernacle, never goes out of some, and never comes in to other; hee never leaves nor forsakes some; though in the fire, though in the water, though in the belly of Hell, yet he comes to them: others he never comes neere, let them be where they will, doe what they will, pray, or cut themselves like Baals Priests. Tis all day in some parts of the World, tis all night againe in other parts; such is the set and fixed course of the Sunne about the great World, and such likewise is the [Page 459] motion of the Sunne of Righteousnesse, about the little World.

2 Another thing is this: Divine course is so steered as to fulfill will, mans will and Gods,Mans will. therefore there can be no wrangling or discontent in this matter, on no side. The will of the wick­ed is at an utter, and at a finall resistance of Christ, they bid the Almighty depart: for how long? for a weeke? for a month, and then come againe? No: he is in good earnest, for ever, as one that does not like such a man for a Husband of all the men in the World, and therefore bids him to come no more. When Christ comes to any soule, he comes a woeing, to gaine the soule for his onely solace and delight; a wicked soule hath no mind to this, he hath so much love to his lust and to his own course, and therefore if this be thy businesse saith he to Christ, depart for ever, let mee see thy face no more; it was Pharoahs Language to Moses, and yet Moses representing the person of Christ to him; and Pharoah in that, doth but represent to us, the person and practise of every wicked man, what he saith to Christ and the spirit, and to all that is holy, hee would see nor heare of these no more; hee loves darkenesse better then light, and would never out on't, nor never have light brought neere him. This thing is accomplished by God the soule would have a finall parture, God at a finall distance, that so hee might take his fill of sinne, and it is so: J will see thy face no more; thy night shall be as long as thou wilt, black and darke for ever, hence forth sleepe on and never open thy Eyes more.

Now mans will is fulfilled and Gods will too: for such sinners,Gods Will he sweares the eternall death of them, and hee cannot goe back. When soules are so wicked to bid him depart for ever, hee layes this much to heart, and remembers it well for ever, yea, every re­pulse of this Strength, Length, and Nature; yea, and all the cir­cumstances about it; and opposes to this sinfull will, a righteous will, of as much Strength and Length: he sweares a revenge which hath no revocation; hee sets himselfe at a finall distance from repentance, as the sinner hath Reade Amos the eight and the seventh, the Lord hath sworne by the excellency of Jacob, surely I will never forget any of their workes. This is spoken in order to Israels end; and what is spoken in order to many, hath its force in [Page 460] order to one. J will never forget any of [their workes.] Such persons as I have woed, and laboured by all manes to espouse to my selfe, for such to put mee off, yea to cast mee off finally, I will never forget this, saith God; I will set them at as great a distance from me, as they set me from them; and if there be any excellency in me, it shall run out all this way, in strength and length of Justice: this is paying the utmost farthing.

Ʋse. Sinners let this point entice you to consider your condition, when our Saviour had discoursed of one that should betray him and be lost for ever, a sonne of perdition which the Scripture had long before spoken off; how they all smote their breasts! Is it J? is it I? There are children of perdition now, such as are lost for ever, such as of old are ordained to this condemna­tion we have spoken off, to wit, a finall dissertion. Tis hard to determine who these be, because we have not Christs skill in this point; yet two things there are which more eminently hint such a state, Hypocrisie, and Malice. 1 The Kingdome of God comes nigh some men, they have tastes of the good Word of God, and of the powers of the World to come; sweete tastes, and then temptations intervene, and then all these sweete [...]angs and tastes of truth are lost, and the glorious throne and King­dome of Christ that was going up apace, pulled downe againe as fast, and demolished quite, and onely some out-workes left up­on the tongue, upon the eyes, and the other externall parts, to make a specious shew to the World: this gives sad suspition of a forlorne estate, of a child of perdition. When Christ comes so neere a soule, as to begin to sweepe and cleanse it, and to fit it for his dwelling, and afterward is thrust out, and all given up againe to more uncleane spirits then before, to make up tem­porary advantages of delight and profit, Christ now returnes no more; for this grosse Hypocrisie, wretched soules suffer finally; the last end of these men is sad, worse then their beginning; their soules abide in sinne, till they abide no longer in this world; an Hypocrites last-love to sinne holds him, though his first love to Christ would not.2 Pet. 2. Further authority concurring to this is that of Peter, where he discourseth of Hypocrisie largely and very sadly, yea very prophetically, as pointing at these times [Page 461] wherein we live. He speakes of such who had escaped the pollutions of the World, by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Vers. 20. and after­ward were intangled; and he speakes also of those which did ge­nerate these monsters, to wit false Teachers, Hypocriticall Pro­phets, such as Baalam, and then panells altogether, Fathers and children thus. Wells they are without water, Cloudes carried about with a tempest, to whom is reserved the mist of darknesse for ever. Truth hath lost its power; it is a stincking carcasse, and no Christian, whatsoever he saith;Vers. 17. and this stincking carcasse is to be buried for ever, in such a grave as hath no resurrection. Love to truth is lost, and therefore no eyes can be found to see it, so as to im­brace it and practise it; other things stand in the way and make a mist, that the man cannot see this nor that, not he; Hypocrisy raiseth this mist of darkenesse, and such fogges and mists as spring out of this, oft times abide for ever. That which is here named the mist of darkenesse, or the thicknesse of darkenesse, [...]. is translated in Jude blacknesse of darkenesse, tenebras densissimas denotat, it notes saith the Critick the most thick darkenesse; the mist of the night, which makes the greatest darkenesse, such thorough which no sight at all can be made.

2 The second thing which hints a child of perdition, one in utter darknesse, or one finally punished, is malice against the truth; per­secution of truth by unlightened persons. The Apostle encour­aging the Thessalonians, tells them, they had suffered such things from their owne Country men, and compares them that did it, unto the Jewes which crucifyed the Lord Jesus, and their own Prophets, who pleased not God and were contrary to all men, forbidding to speake to the Gentiles that they might be saved, filling up the measure of their sinne alwayes, [whose doome observe] for wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. The allusion here made plainely shewes, that these bloudy wretches were men of parts, noone Devills, as one of the ancients calls them, or mid-day Scorpions: tis written of this crea­ture, that he is most apt to strike and sting at noone, when Sun beames are brightest and hottest upon him. Innocent bloud shed by day light, speakes conscience feared, and conquered, and this is the last power that gives up in the soule; Divine Life is quite gone when this is gone; the last breath gone, is not sucked in againe. Conscience twisteth cords and binds the sinner, to keepe him in [Page 462] from his sinnes; but when all the cords he makes, yea, and himselfe too, are broken by the sinner, then is the sinner given up as a Samp­son in sinne, one unconquerable, and so left for ever. Consider sinners what fire burnes in your breast, and with what fuell, and you may guesse whether it be unquenchable fire or not, of the na­ture of that below, which by decree is to burne for ever: you are persons of parts; the great dangers we speake about, lies most amongst such as you. Truth is hindered in its course every where by you, within and without, in your selves and in others; for you to be oposites and adversaries to all men, to all good men and to all good things, persons and things of the noblest nature, tis very sad: write Lord have mercy upon such wretches, at their doore; wrath is come upon them to the utmost; [...] to the end, that is, which will make an end of thee: thy soule burnes with such a Feaver as will kill thee for ever. This generation hath a deadly countenance in my eye; mens hands are something tyed up now by common distresse, but with the tongue we are killed all the day long; men spit blood which is a sad signe, and they most which pretend most to more then ordinary knowledge, and yet are brute beasts as the Apostle Peter speakes in many things, and speake evill of things they know not, 2 Pet. 2.12. who saith he, shall utterly pe­rish in their owne corruption. This is so certaine that it is called an evident token of perdition, by the Apostle.

Matter of admiration and thansgiving, might also be suckt from this point, if we had time to lie longer at the brest; though all men forsake Christ, yet shall not Christians utterly; one might go this way and make sweete Musick. Our mercy is eternall; our miseries but for a moment. Christ doth but hide his face, when he seemes most out with us; he doth not cast off, nor put away, he hates that in order to his Spouse: though he give her to the Rod, yet tis not to the black Rod, to a fatall stroake. Our prime mercies are married to us, which is as sure as the being of any thing will afford; a marriage Knot holds we know, till the very being molders, which thing should take us much: it much tooke Solomon that God had spoken well of his house for a great while. The eternity of mercies, is that which makes them Heaven: such is the Sun that shines upon you Saints.

THe title of the Gospell, the subject, the object, the end of it, are all in this verse before us to consider; some of these, other verses have led us to the consideration of already, they will be passed by here; others present us with fresh entertainment, and there we shall sit down a while and feed. The Gospell is nam'd according to its nature, a my­stery; Moses vailed to a carnall Jew, Christ vailed to a carnall professour; a Sunne shining full in the face of thousands, and yet onely seen by one or two of them; one in a Tribe, two in a City; one in the midst of many, and yet seen but by one: There is one in the midst of you, whom ye know not, whom ye [see not,] thats the originall, John. 1.26. This is a mystery indeed: this title was given in the verse before, and then opened.

The subject of the Gospell is here specified, and amplified: specified, to wit, Christ, Which is Christ, &c. The Gospell hath Moses vertue in her bosome, he had one sat in his bosome which did wonders; wither and restore. Put thy hand into thy bosome, saith God, and when he tooke it out his hand was leporous as Snow. Put thy hand into thy bosome againe, saith God, and he did so, and behold his hand was turned as his other flesh, Exod. 4. 6, 7. Moses had a notable one, which sat in his bosome; the same hath the Gospell, and can doe as he did, to wit, put hands and hearts into his bosome, and make them leprous, and white as Snow; that is, make persons see their filth, and cry out, unclean, uncleane: and then can put these very leprous creatures into his bosome againe, and bring them out white and ruddy, incarnate Roses, as that of Sharon in the Gospell: the Gospell is the poole, that hath no lesse then an Angell, the Angell of the covenant stirring and healing cripled creatures in it; tis Beth­esda, a house of effusion, of the bravest liquid blood and spirits in the world, to wit, Christ crucified, this is the subject of the Gospell.

[Page 464]Christ the subject of the Gospell is here amplified by his Throne, and by the revenew belonging to it; Christs Throne is in the hearts of his people, which is Christ [in you] and this is a mystery indeed. This world lies in wickednesse, it lies over­flown with the deluge of sinne and wrath; the Dove hath an Arke in which she rides and flotes above this deluge, to wit, the heart of Saints; here he abides till this deluge be dried up, and the curse of the earth taken away, and all things restored again, and then hee will resigne his Throne to his father. Christ is specified from his Throne, and from the revenue of it, which is great and honourable; a vast estate, which is cald here riches, to whom God would make known what is the [riches] [...], which is not from Pluto to note riches which are from beneath, of which commonly the divell is in some kind the author; but the word notes here heavenly riches, of which God is not in some kind, but in all kind the authour, and therefore called riches of glory [...] of splendour, fame; the state of a Christian lies in orien­tall Pearles; all his goods, lands, beds, hanging; all full of spark­ling precious Stones, all riches of glory.

The end of the Gospell is here set down doubly, ultimus, & ultimatus. Salvation, and that which is necessarily conducing and subordinate to this, to wit, affection and affiance; the one of which is named in the end of the verse, hope, and set out in state, as it fastens upon its highest and last object Christ in Hea­ven, the hope of glory. The other is mentioned in the beginning of the verse, and called, [...], desire to know, affection to divine revelation above all things, to be well acquainted with the glo­rious mystery which belongs to faith and salvation; to all which the will of God hath given concurrence, in order to us Gentiles, after a speciall manner. [To whom God would make known] what is the riches of the glory of this mystery, &c.

Would make [known] [...] the word signifies desirous to know. Longing passions stir, when the soule is made alive. A Christian is a hungry thirsty man: Hee bares alwaies, and yet travels alwaies, ever bearing, and yet ever budding and blossoming, as some Apple-trees which have buds and blossomes upon them at the same time when full of ripe fruit. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life: his affection, action, his motion Heaven-ward hath [Page 465] life in it, everlasting life, tis as a tree that is growing, above ground or under ground, upward or downward, in root or branch, alwaies. Tis an expression in opposition to an hypo­crite, or one which beares much one yeare, and dies the next. His love withers, it doth [...], fall off, as the Apostle expresses it, as blasted blossomes. The affection of a Christian doth not so, tis as that tree of life in Eden, pleasant, fragrant, growing al­waies; yea (tis that tree of life) Christ in the soule, Christ in you.

The dishes at Wisdomes table are all very delightfull, and all carriage and entertainment there is very drawing, which is the ground we run still after him. In this mountaine shall the Lord make a feast of fat things, a feast of Wine on the lees, of fat things full of mar­row; and to hint to you that none of these are cloying, but very inviting, he addes, Wine on the lees, well refined, Esay 25.6. all Divine distribution, how fat, how rich soever, are so refined, that they de­light much, but not satiate nor surfeit a jot, that one may sit at Table alwaies, and feast alwaies, as they doe above: they have such an art above, to renge their Bread, and to refine their Wine, and to order every dish, that they are alwaies feasting, and al­waies taken, and ravisht, not at any time cloyed with their dainties. All the soule dainties which we have here below, are cooked and ordered above; the Manna of the Israelites was from Heaven ready cookt and drest for any ones eating, and so sent down to earth. I will raine Bread from Heaven, saith the Lord; it came down Bread, ranged, baked, all done above; ready for any ones nourishment below, without any use of mans paines or art: so doth all our soule dishes and dainties; yea all our soule rayments and ornaments, lawrels and priviledges, all that belongs to a Christian as a Christian, is shaped and ordered in Heaven; and this is the reason that all are still taking, inviting, and making appetite more strong; what ever one have, or what ever one knowes, yet still to desire [...], desire to have and to know more.

It comes to passe also from the pleasure of Christ, he loves to lie by streames and springs, where waters bubble up and runne continually; he loves brookes to runne alwaies by his doores where he lodges, as the Poets of old and men of high fancy, [Page 466] they delighted much to lie by springs and fountaines: therefore Christ cals for praying evermore, and rejoycing alwaies; he loves to have salt water and fresh, teares and triumphs, fresh motion of soule still spring out. Therefore when he comes to refresh thirsty ground, he doth not content himselfe to say, that it shall have the former and the latter raine, and dewes from Heaven every night, though this be much, but that the parcht grounds shall become a poole, and thirsty lands [springs of water,] Esay 35.7. it shall be thus: his pleasure is to live by wells and springs, pooles that bubble up continually.

Ʋse Consider the blessednesse of a Christian by this point, and be­come in love with it; he is alwaies in game hunting after Christ, and the mysteries of eternity, sporting and solacing upon things infinitely sweet. What the Scripture speakes of the natu­rall man, that in an opposite sence may I of the spirituall. Man is borne to trouble and vexation, as the sparkes to fly upward; so is a Christian, borne to delight and pleasure: he is a sparke alwaies flying upwards, and entring himselfe in Heaven. Motion keepes warmth, warmth keepes health, health is the basis of all delight and pleasure. An healthy person makes musicke and mirth with any thing. Motion alwaies towards Christ, and to­wards the Sunne, I am sure keepes warmth and health; our wo­ing and annointing of Christ, tis workes sweet to ones selfe, as well as to Christ: all graces are fresh and thriving whilst wate­red with sighs and teares after more. A spirit sound and healthy within it selfe makes all things without, how broken, sickly, consuming soever, matter of content, joy, and praise. A Chri­stian whilst laying out, whilst filling his box with precious Oyntment, powring it out upon Christ, he doth make a sweet odour all the house over, he refresheth Christ, his brethren, and himselfe. All Divine industry is succesfull, successe is the honey, and the sweet of labour: A man seekes and finds when he seekes after Divine things; a man that seekes God findes him, finding God is very sweet: A man that thus knockes, there is opening. Life comes in by putting out a little; two talents bring in five, five bring in ten, this makes triumph and praise: he that gets the incombe of Heaven, he that grows rich in God cannot but be and doe as they above, very blessed, and triumph much: this [Page 467] is the reason of that expression. They that seeke afto [...] the Lord shall praise him, Psalm 22.26. Such as are inquirers and searchers,Gen. 45.27. and mourners after the Lord, their hearts live; that is, solaced, abun­dantly cheared; tis explained by that speech of Jacob when he saw the Waggons which Joseph had sent to transport him, his heart livd againe, that is, he was abundantly cheared and com­forted. If this Scripture be not cleare enough read Psalm 84. vers. 6. Who passing through the valley of Baca or Mulbery-trees, make [him] a well. This is spoken of them which were travel­ling toward Jerusalem, thirsting after Ordinances and spirituall meanes, and the raine filled their pooles. Such hungry soules which are as empty ponds, gaping as it were to Heaven with wide mouth for replenishing, the Heavens open and fill these. Raine signifies grace and the ministration thereof in the Word. Drop downe ye Heavens from above, and let the skie poure downe righteousnesse, Esay 45.8. that is, let Christ poure downe grace upon soules that are as thirsty Land, which are as Daniel, persons full of desires.

As desirers to know and gaine, are such blessings to themselves, so to the Land wherein they live; transparent things are not only their owne beauty, but the beauty of things that are neere them: the sparkling of a Pearle is not onely its owne beauty but the beauty of the ring and the finger on which it is. Chri­stians that know, and desire still to know, that know and fol­low on to know the riches of the glory of the mystery of the Gospell, these are precious stones, living stones, as Peter cals them, sparkling Pearles, which are not onely their owne glory, their owne prosperity and safety, but the glory, prosperity, and safety of the Land wherein they live. Runne through Jerusalem, through every street thereof, and see now and know, see if there be a man that executes judgement, [and seeketh after the truth] and I will pardon Jerusalem. Interpret these words which way you will, they are strong to our purpose. If you thinke they mean morall truth, and execution of justice man to man; then thus I inferre, if seeking and thirsting, and diligence to be cleare and perfect this way, be a safety to a Land, and that faithfull Magistrates, and civill Governours, be the protection of a State, much more faithfull Christians and diligent Saints, that search and seeke [Page 468] after the highest truths, and the execution of the highest justice, the fulfilling of the first Table of Gods will, are a grand bles­sing to a Land; but I thinke the words cannot be taken in such a strict sense, all their Lawes were Divine, rightly understood, a totum homogeneum, given by God, and suited to that brave body, and not to be divided, no more then Christs will is now to be divided in any thing which he hath expresly prescribed. By truth therefore is meant Christ and his will, all that belongs to him in order to us; and by seeking truth is meant labour and diligence, as longing Christians exactly to know and doe the will of God: this very phrase is used by the Apostle to the Ro­mans, There is none that seeketh after God, they are all gone out of the way [...] exquirere, the word notes diligent and painfull searching out of things, through search till what is searcht after be found out; but thus these did not doe, and therefore were blind, and as full soules they were idle, and overly in the seeking after truth; and so sutable was their light and life, and therefore cast off. How contrary to right judge­ment, and to the welfare of this Land are they that seeke not after God themselves but seeke after lies, and hate and persecute them that doe otherwise, and labour to possesse authority that such as are desirous to know more of the Lords will, and are earnest endeavourers to doe it better and better, are the onely overthrowers of the Land, and therefore worthy to be throwne out on't. Tis against reason and against nature, as well as a­gainst religion: Bees throw out drones out of their hives, but doe they throw out them that are diligent, most diligent to bring in most and best honey? Men that thus speake and act should be thought of as they are, and made to taste of the fruit of their bad zeale, the Land would soon be a sorry place for thee, if such as thou hatest were out on't. What is hungring and thirsting after the world, ripping up the bowels of con­science to finde out more mysteries of iniquity, more crafty wilds in trading and traffiquing for gaine? diggers and search­ers in the earth, plunderers of Saints, sanctity, conscience, and Christ; are men of these spirits the onely safety and the onely blessing of a Land? God forbid it should enter into any soule to thinke so.

[Page 469]Such as would be desirous to know and cannot, must remem­ber this one thing, the heart must stand right to doe, or else the former cannot be; desires to know springs from integrity of intention to doe. My soule breaketh for the longing it hath to thy Commandements at all times. Davids spirit was set for action, the influence of this made that strength of affection, soule-breaking, and soule-longing. There be many damps and earth-quakes in an unsound spirit, these put out lights, flames and blazes. A heart unsound, hath love bending still some other way, then to that truth to which it seemes to pretend; water that hath fit and full passage under earth, will not spring and bubble up above it. Our Saviour speaking of trying times, saith, that the love of many will wax cold. When earthly things are going, the heart (as it is earthy, and hypocriticall) will be most greedy after them, and die in order to the pursuit of Divine things, to save the life of carnall; let us all take heed of this.

Ile speake a word to a case of conscience, and conclude. I am desirous and industrious to know, and to get Divine things, but I can make nothing of it. I am ever learning, but never come to the knowledge of the truth. To this I answer, Honey dewes you know fall in very small drops, so small that tis too bigge a word to call them drops, if I knew what else to call them; distillation as Balme, very small. In the warres which Alex­ander mannaged in Jury, the holy Land where this Balme grew, history saith the whole Army thought it well if they could ga­ther a spoonfull in a Summers day: So if we can in the length of our whole life, by all our travell and industry, searching and seeking, get but a little of the Balme of Gilead, a little more of the knowledge and love of Christ then we have, we should ac­count it well, and not dejectedly complaine.

ANy mercy, any thing that is or imports the least kind­nesse to man now, may be called riches, riches of glory, at such a great distance is man now from God. But the Gospell is great riches, to wit, as much as man hath lost, and more; it sets man as high as ever he was, and higher, which is riches of glory indeed, considering how glorious once man was. It must be a great deale to set up a broken man; but to set him up higher then ever he was before fallen is glorious riches, i. unexpresseable.

The Gospell in the intention of it is nothing but love. A voice of joy, a voice of gladnesse, a voice of the Bridegroome, and a voice of the Bride, a voice of them that shall say God is good, and his mercy endures for ever, Jeremy 33.11. This is the Gospell, and you see that there is nothing in it but joy and gladnesse: the Gospell is a salutation of love, of the sweetest love, it holds forth bo­soming love, i. marriage love, a voice of the Bride, and the Bride­groome, saith the text, i. the strongest love, glorious love: it holds forth love not to last for a little while, but to last as mar­riage love, yea to last longer then that can doe, mercy en­during forever, saith the Text, which is rich and glorious, that will hold its strength and its warmth; its a breast and bosome worth the being in, that will never be cold.

The Scripture useth three words, which will fitly serve to open this expression in the Text, what glorious riches the Gos­pell is. The Gospell is [...] Christ kind to man, or a word holding forth man friendship, which no other subject be­side doth: thats a rich and a glorious booke which when I o­pen, smiles upon me as such a creature, and no where else to be read the like. Man is a very miserable creature, and yet as mise­rable as he is, nothing speakes to him, no volume writes about [Page 471] him, but onely the Gospell; not with any matter of hope; any other Volume no sooner opened but man reads his doome in every line.

The booke of the creatures opened, which is a great Volume, and yet not a line in it that smiles upon man; nay any one may better looke into the booke of creation then man; man no sooner lookes into this Volume but all the creatures fall a blee­ding presently, as having espied their murtherer: thou hast murthered me saith one creature, and thou hast murthered me saith another, and this is the bloody tone to the very teeth of man throughout all the creation. The gronings of the whole creation are throwne as it were by each creature in the face of man, they all hold up their hands together against man and say, this is he that hath destroyed us. There is not a sinner upon the face of the earth, but is in some degree in Cains case, beset with all the creatures, every bush ready to fly in his face, to scratch and accuse him; all the creatures are out with huy and cry after man as their murtherer, which was the reason why Cain was so fearfull everywhere he came, the whole creation was up in an outcry against him. Man is the prime creature miserable, and yet the prime creature cryd out upon to be more miserable: man is not miserable enough yet; let me overwhelme and drown all saith the Sea let me not leave a man alive saith the deepe. Let me open my mouth, and eate up all the men in the world, saith the earth. Let me breake forth and burne all, saith the Heavens. There is a strong propensity in all the creation, to make an utter end of man, without the least compassion towards him in any breast. There is a joynt conspiracy in the creation, just as there was in Noahs latter time to swallow up all, and the creation shall obtaine its will upon all, the wicked world at last, and when that time comes you shall see what Gospell is in the creation; not a dram of mercy shall any wicked soule finde; so will Heaven, and earth, and the deepe conspire. And as for the Law, that is a Volume which heigthens all this cry, and avers the justice of the creation in its cry, and cries out for blood stronger then it. Not a dram of any compassion to be found in the breast of any thing towards man, no not scarce in man to man, Acts 21.1, 2. The Apostle after he had escaped ship­wracke, [Page 472] wondred to finde man-friendship, [...]. being cast upon the Island of Melita, the inhabitants there, saith he, made a fire for us, because of the raine, and because of the cold, and they shewed us no little man-friendship; he wondred, having escaped the Sea, that the people of the Island had not eaten him up, and therefore the words that follow are observable, When we came to land then we knew the name of the Island, Melita, quasi Melifluae insula, i. an Island flowing with honey, because he had found flowing mercie, double kindnesse by Sea and Land. The Gos­pell holds out this man friendship, tis a Volume full of com­passion to man, so doth the Apostle expresse it, Titus 3.4. But after that the kindnesse of man-friendship of God our Saviour appeared; expressing the Gospell.

The Gospell is [...] a volume that holds forth Christ, not onely as compassionate, but as very facile this way, and that is riches of glory indeed. Love and kindnesse, in order to any but Christ, are wrought things; there is a great deale of art to make some persons smile; and it is so generally in point of kindnesse and mercy; there must be a great deale of art used to any but Christ to bring them to it; men must be heated and warmed againe and againe, to make them beath and bend strait to my purpose; but Christ is facile this way, Titus 3. But after the gentlenesse [...] or facilenesse of God our Saviour appeared. [...]. Christ is gentle and facile towards man, ready to be brought on to doe him good in the saddest state, the word is so translated Galat. 5. The fruit of the Spirit is gentlenesse. Christ gives and forgives very much, and he doth it without much [...], easily, chearfully; tis his meat and drinke to doe his Fa­thers will, yea and tis his meat and drinke to doe our will so farre forth as it doth conduce to righteousnesse, and unto holinesse; tis his meat and drinke to give us meat and drinke, al­though it be his body and blood. Love comes from Christ just as showers from Heaven, and not as water out of a pump. I will come as the formes and the latter Raine saith the Prophet, and every word of this Gospell, and not such another word in any other Book to be found. As the formes and the latter Raine (i) very na­turally. Love comes from Christ just as leafes out of a Tree; those leafes you reade of in the Revelation, which are good [Page 473] to heale, bud out naturaly, and that but an illustration how love comes from Christ, it growes and buds out of it selfe where no body can by any art fetch it out; and then when buded out, smiles and lookes greene upon men: truly this is riches of glory indeed, and yet thus doe the greatest acts of mercy come from Christ to man. The Apostle to the Hebrewes mentions a great act of mercy, and he mentions this very circumstance with it, to wit, how facile it comes. But God willing more abundantly to shew his love to man and immutability of his counsell, did make an Oath. To this great act of mercy solemne swearing, to seale and establish man, God comes off very willingly, or with much strength of affection, and so the word is reade sometimes; hee was strongly carried this way, to sweare to establish and make weake hearts strong; God was in such a temper in this very act, as he was when he gave up his life: J have a sacrifice, and O how I am prest together within my selfe till it be sacrificed! which expression shewes the great willingnesse of Christ, to drinke off that deadly Cup. You have the same word used where the Apostle sayes love con­straines mee. This is the riches of the glory of the Gospell, it holds forth compassion with much strength, (i) bowels sounding very loud: The Apostle fastens upon this circumstance, to no to the kindnesse that comes from God to be exceeding riches, because it goes forth so facile, Eph. 2.7. That in Ages to come he might shew the exceeding Riches of his grace in his gentlenesse or facilenesse towards us. This doth note exceeding riches indeed, that Christ should bee facile in kindnesse towards man that arch Rebell.

The Gospel is [...] which is an expression used by the Father of his Sonne, [...]. to set forth that infinite rest he had in him for per­son and action as our Mediator, tis a terme that notes such large affection as is competent onely to God, such as is a Hea­ven to him. The Gospel holds forth Christ in this very frame of love towards man, even as one in Heaven, when he thinks of bringing man thither, which spirit is called a thing of highest glory, Luke. 2.14. [...], glory in the highest things? what are those highest things? Peace in Earth. And what next? [...] rest and solace in men, which is a high thing indeed, and may well be called one of the highest things of [Page 474] glory, that God should finde rest in man. As God speakes of Christ, so doth hee of those that are in him, this is my be­loved Sonne in whom J [...] solace my selfe, have had my Hea­ven from all eternity. And such a thing is it now for God to looke in Christ towards sinners; it is a Heaven to him, tis his rest to lie in the bosome of a sinner, to lie in the place where his Sonne lies, though in a Manger, which is riches of glory indeed, riches which make glory; Tis the pleasure and the grace of God to save, and so is the word translated, 2 Thess. 2. Where tis used in order to the wicked, having [...] pleasure in unrighteousnesse, &c. You may imagine how much the Word doth import being used to set out a sinners love and strongest affection to sinne. What a pleasure is a wicked mans sinne to him! Can you ex­presse it? why so says God, tis to mee now to looke towards poore lost man, and to sit downe in his soule. The Word is used by the Apostle elsewhere, 'tis my hearts desire that Israel might be saved, &c. Just as if the Apostle should have said, it would be my Heaven that Jsrael might come to Heaven, tis my Heaven to thinke that ever they shall have Heaven, and O that they might be called; and he speakes there but in the straine and spirit of the Gospell, the riches of the glory of this mystery that I am opening, the heart of God and the heart of Christ now to man.

Ʋse You see now what is the riches of the glory of this mystery, tis the proffer of mercy to man with much strength of affection, a proffer of Heaven in Heaven (i) as one in Heaven, a proffer of Life in Life or with Life: and so are all the dispensations of the Gospell typified, Revel 4. A throne was set in Heaven, to set out the things of Heaven. Let poore sinners know what is the riches of the glory of this mystery, and inrich themselves by it. Blessed are they that know the joyfull sound, which words point at Aarons bells; his going into the holiest of all, made a joyfull sound to them that could understand it; it pointed at Christ of­fering up his life for us, and yet doing it as it were with Musick, cheerfully and delightfully. You have had this mystery ex­plained all along my discourse; do you understand it sinners? then inrich your selves with it.

The Sunne is the riches and glory of all the World; such a [Page 475] Sunne is the Gospell of Christ; desire that this Sunne may shine into the little World; if the Sun did not shine in this great World, it could not inrich it nor glorifie it. The Apostle speakes of this very thing, to wit, the Gospell, and under this Meta­phor of the Sun, and he uses such tearmes as signifie in appari­tion and illustration. But after that the kindnesse and gentlenesse of God appeared, [...] the word is used to expresse the second comming of Christ, and that will be bright and glorious indeed, 2 Thess. 2.8. (i) in apparition, for otherwise it had beene of no force to those effects which he there mentions, a like place, 2 Tim. 1.10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortali­ty to light through the Gospell. It is plaine by these following words, that the apparition here spoken of meanes in apparition; death could not be otherwise destroyed, nor immortality be brought to light. And the learned agree that the word notes a mighty shining light that searches every corner of the heart: is the light that you have of such illustration? hath it brought life and immortality to light (i a holy life) that never end. There is a great deale of light now in the World, but when wee looke how it illustrates it selfe we are sad, because it comes to no more ordinarily then the light of a comet that falles, and the mat­ter that bore it resolving it selfe into a filthy stinck, to the great disgrace of the Gospel, to the death of brave persons and Kingdomes. What is it that makes such bloudy worke in the Christian World now but this, that the riches of the glory of this mystery, doth nothing in men? this hath made a long night to our brethren the Iewes, and is like to doe the like to the Gentiles.

The Gospell being riches, prize Christ and his Ministers; let them be glorious in your eye, which bring glorious things. Know which way the riches of glory comes to you, it comes but by one gate. Which puts me in mind of a story; In the County of Saba which signifies a mystery, when Frankinsence was brought into the chiefe City thereof, it was ordered by the Priests that it should come in but at one Gate upon paine of death, to wit that which they had consecrated for that purpose. Tis of lively use, the riches of glory come in but one way, by [Page 476] Christ and by the Ministry of his Word, and therefore keepe open this Cate; if all the money in your purses will do it, if all the bloud in your veines will do it, let all goe rather then this and the Gospel; when this departeth the glory departeth, the riches of glory departeth.

There is but one thing that is eminently accessary to the de­struction of the riches of glory, and that is hardnesse of heart. The Balme-Trees when they had wounded them to get the vertue of them to drop forth, they laid Wooll upon which the drops might fall, that so they might be sure to save it; so to gaine the riches of the glory of the Gospel, to save the drops that fall from Christs mouth, you must lay soft hearts, tender and fleshy hearts; otherwise you will die poore and miserable, notwithstanding all the riches of glory that are amongst you.

[...] Ethnick, This is the word in the originall by which we are called, it may be from [...] two words which sig­nify a minde accustomed to some thing, a heart evill and onely evill, that is, stout enough, and such neither can nor will be made otherwise: it speakes a nature of sinne, a body of death, one in the flesh and led by the flesh. I will discribe a Gentile to you generally and particularly: tis one uncircumcised in flesh and spirit, that hath not the externall ordinances of Christ, nor the internall efficacy, this is to speake properly and fully a Gentile, though where the latter is wanting under the fruition of the former, such are called Gentiles. For that he hath brought into my sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary to polluate it; Ese. 44.7. they which are cal­led here strangers were Gentiles, and their condition is described, they were uncircumcised in heart and flesh, and this to speake pro­perly and fully is a Gentile; one that is beside all culture, that [Page 477] that is without the visible Church, and without the invisible grace of such estate. There is a Gentile in the flesh, and a Gentile in the spirit, and a Gentile in both. The Apostle, makes this de­stinction and in these termes. Wherefore remember that yee being in times past Gentiles in the flesh were called the uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh, which is made with hands Eph. 2.11. They were Gentiles in the flesh as well as in the spirit, they were such that had not so much as that circumcision which was made with hands, much lesse that circumcision which was made without hands by the spirit.

A Gentile in the spirit, is one ignorant, without God in the World, that is, without the knowledge of God; it is explained so by another expression like this, that at that time, yee were without Christ, being Aliens, Eph. 2.12. And by another expression to them that are without the Law as without the Law, 1 Cor. 9.21. that is, such as had no knowledge of the Word of God, nor did ac­knowledge any such thing as a rule of life, but their own blind traditions and customes. Gentilisme is a meere Chaos, a little World lying all in confusion, darkenesse upon the face of the deepe; the understanding which is as the face of the soule, blind, not able to finde out God in his Word or Workes, what in es­sence, or what in existence, what hee is or what he doth, in Heaven, in Earth, in the soule of man, nor what hee will doe, though all these exprest, and told of at large; a Gentile in spirit is one that cannot see God nor feele after him, that can use nei­ther head nor hand, no reason nor sense divinely; one that fits in darkenesse, and cannot stir any power internall or externall, towards the true God. One that fits in darknesse, wich is an ex­pression I thinke in allusion to the Egyptians, who had thicke darkenesse, such obscurity of darknesse as the originall saith that they saw not any man his brother, neitheir rose any man from his place for three dayes mittacheaif de sub se, not from under himselfe, or not from off himselfe, and these were Gentiles, and in this, I thinke, the lively type of all Gentiles, who are in such thick darkenesse spiritually, that they sit stock still, not one can arise from of himselfe, to apprehend any thing out of himselfe, and above himselfe; that which hee worships is himselfe, the imagination of his own brain; his zeale is seated in blind prin­ciples, [Page 464] and this is his God that he knowes no God. As I passed by and beheld your devotion, I found an Altar with this inscrip­tion, to the unknowne God, and these were Gentiles, and this blind principle was [...] Inn [...]itten or written in them, for the Altar was but an emblem of their heart, they did hold out by this what was in them, to wit, a God adored, but no body could tell what, no not they themselves, any further then selfe; some carnall fancies hotly pursued, and after no other light would they search with braine or sense. The Apostle reproves them in this scope, though you have not the Word of God yet you have had the workes of God; if you had pursued these, as blind men that use their hands in stead of their eyes, and make a good shift to finde their way, you would certainly have found out God to better purpose, then this inscription quotes, and then relates the story of the Creation, viz. who hath made of one bloud all Nations, if happily they might feele after him, [...] the word notes touching or groaping with the hand, not able to im­ploy understanding, nor sense about the Word or Workes of God, to finde out God, which is just the state of a brute, and so are the Gentiles shadowed to be in Pauls vision; there were all manner of Beasts, in the sheet that was let downe to him, but no­thing else.

A Gentile in spirit is one blinde and obstinate, he shuts his eyes against some things and none must open them, opens his eyes to other things, and none must shut them: he loveth darknesse, bet­ter then light, and no body must stir nor wake his love till hee please; this obstinacy is well exprest by Christ, Mat. 18.17. if hee [will not] heare the Church, let him be as a Heathen, an Ethnick which is the same word, with the Text I stand on; if hee will not heare, let him be accounted a Gentile; a Gentile, is a wilfull person. Let a man be in Church-state, and under-light, yet if wilfull in sinne, loving darknesse, and against light, hee is as a Heathen, that is, he is a Gentile in spirit, hee is formerly and really a Gentile, onely he is not outwardly called so, he is not called so by men, but he is so by God. The Jewes, the greatest amongst them, the Scribes and Pharisees that instructed compa­ny, although of the Jewish Church, and eminent in Office, yet as obstinate and raging opposers of Peter and his Ministery, are [Page 461] cald by the Spirit of God Ethicks; and in the second Psalme, where the Prophet speakes of Heathenish great ones opposing Christ, applied it to them as fulfilled in them, Acts 4.25. when they were let goe they reported to their owne company, that is, to the rest of the Apostles and Disciples, all that the chiefe Priests and Elders had said to them, and when the Apostles heard it, they lif­ted up their voice with one accord, and said, O God which hath made Heaven and Earth, who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why doe the [Heathen rage] and so forth; and there cals them E­thnicks Gentiles, and because of this, that they were wilfull and raging in their blindnesse and wickednesse against Christ. This property also of stubbornnesse was lively shadowed in that Type of the Gentiles forementioned, there were such and such kinds of beasts in the sheet that was let down to Paul, and [wild] beasts, saith the Text, to note that this is one eminent property in an ethnicall spirit, wildnesse, headinesse, obstinacy in his blinde course.

Spirituall gentilisme is opened; have I not done two works at once? opened the Doctrine, and opened your condition? are ye not Gentiles in heart, though not so call'd? truth should be own'd whether with us or against us, or there is no remedy: confession of sinne is a necessary Gospell requisite, sinners can have no mercy without it; if ye lay not open your sinne to God, twill lay open you to God, Angels and men; and a soule laid open by the word, is one found out in the fact; when God hath found out and seised upon a sinner, for him then to deny the fact or seeke to breake away from him, as one that breakes bolts, by being more boysterous in sin, this man will die for it, and not have pardon, no not hope on't, hee'l not have his booke; there is not the least tender of grace to the soule, whilst convictions are strangled, but treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath, to burne hornets in their nest, seeing they will not come out: convictions stifled is like Powder in a mine, that when sprung it blowes up all, and no fire so terrible as this stifled fire, for renting, and tearing the soule. A mans soule dis­covered by truth, God hath found out the man, the effect will be this, the man will now prove a deare friend, or a desperate enemy to Christ, the vision of convictions make a man fall at [Page 480] the feet of Christ, or flee in his face, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? Wounds that goe to the heart, if they let not out cor­ruption and pride, they make men desperate and bleed them to death desperately; a proud man stab'd to the heart by the word, if it be not sanctified to let out his pride, he will spet the blood of his soule, in the face of him that wounded it.

Are you Gentiles in heart? then be so in name; doe not mis­call yourselves. Tis a thousand pities that many are called Chri­stians. You doe onely but flatter them, that flatter themselves enough, and too much; you helpe hug soules to death. The name of a Christian given to such a one that hath not the nature of a Christian, is satans chariot, in which he hath carried thou­sands to hell asleepe. Let persons and things be called as they are, let us name things according to their nature, let Divinity have its name, Morality its name, Barbarity its name. You give men their severall distances, as they stand ranked by a common providence one to another; but we doe not give men their di­stance as they stand all rankt by speciall providence, in order to God and the highest greatnesse. Let us follow Christ in this, say, some are neere, some are far off, some are in the Kingdome of God. The Kingdome of God is [in you] saith he to some; tis neere you, saith he, to others; tis far off from you, saith he, to others. Let us give all persons and things their due distances, in order to God, as they discover themselves. Doe not waste breath vainely, to make a gale, a pleasant gale, to blow soules faster to hell,Iitten gnatsabeth Prov. 10.10. which are sailing thither but too fast of themselves; He that winks with his eye causeth sorrow, saith Solomon, dabit dolo­rem, he will give sorrow; he that puts out his owne eyes, and o­thers to, he will give a great deale of sorrow to others, and yet keep a great deale more for himselfe; and yet this is common, blind lead one another neither knowes whether.

Make not a bad condition hopelesse, tis not so in it selfe, here. A Gentile simply as a Gentile, was without hope, because out of roade of God. Enter not by the way of the Gentiles, and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not, Matth. 10.5, 6. but goe rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, said Christ when he sent forth the word. The preaching of the word is the meanes of life, to whom this is denied death is concluded, the people necessarily [Page 481] perish, where this vision must not come. This was our condi­tion but tis not now; the channell of love is turned toward us, not from us; life is come amongst us, as the expression here is, the riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, or in them, saith the ori­ginall. The expression notes effectuall mercy is now revealed, an efficacious proffer; a light of life shines amongst us, such as makes sight, and makes blessednesse to us as much as to the Jewes; so is this expression explained, Matth. 4.16. tis called [...] a great light, and that which they did see; they which sat in darknesse [saw] great light, Matth. 4.16. All this was shadowed in giving the promise to Abraham before Circumci­sion, and before the Law, to note that the Uncircumcision, to wit, the Gentiles, should be partakers of the promise, as well as the Circumcision: And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen, through faith, preached before the Gospell unto Abraham, that is, before the Law, saying, in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the Nations of the earth be blest. Gentiles, you that see your selves such, Dogs, Wolves, Lyons, effectuall mercy is tendred to you. You that lie in the high way and villages, blinde, lame, halt, you are invited; the others had their excuses, some had bought Oxen, others Farmes, others had married wives; the meaning is, covetousnesse and voluptuousnesse, carnality did cut off the carnall Jew, and nothing but this will cut off you too. Undervalue every thing in order to Christ, which now invites you to him: the creature hath our hearts, which is a strange act, a man stretching out himselfe for the grave. The lust of the Gentiles spoyles them; twas shadowed by the Pro­digall; if any of you be come to your selves, like him, to returne and looke after Christ, you may finde grace and mercy as he did; If you finde your hearts averse, Christ will by his Word, if you attend it, perswade them. And he reasoned in the Syna­gogue every Sabbath, saith the Scriptures of Paul, and perswaded the Jewes [and the Greekes] Acts 18.4. the Spirit of Christ, is a Spirit of perswasion now, to the Greekes, that is to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewes. Perswasion, notes the power of the Word, the Word carried to the heart, and this Christ hath engaged himselfe to doe, Hosea 2.14.Gnal libbah. Therefore behold I will allure thee, and bring her into the wildernesse and speake [com­fortably] [Page 482] to her, the word is, to the heart. I will allure her, and speake to her heart. God in them ingaged himselfe to us, and stands obli­ged now to every poore soule that complains of his aversnesse to Christ, to allure these soules, and to speake to their heart.

AS there is an externall society, body with body, so there is an internall society, spirit with spirit. God is a spirit and sutes his society; he moves about corporeals, but holds communion and fellowship onely with spirits, drawes out himselfe here, his face, and his heart; that is communion, where one drawes out his heart. If any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels of mercy, Phil. 2.1. the latter explaines the former, what [...] the communion of the Spirit meanes, to wit, such an internall operation, as whereby the spirit of man is made like the Spirit of God for bowels and mercies, and so for all other Divine dispositions, a drawing out his owne heart, and his nature in ours, partakers of the Divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. There is [...], and [...], a communion of the Spirit, and a communion of the Divine nature I thinke the termes are expository, and note the Spirit so effectually ope­rating in the soule of man, as imparting its owne nature to it; such an operation or communication of Christ as this, is called Christ in us, because he leaves his Image and similitude in us; as you say sometimes of children, his fathers spirit is in him; and this is spoken similitudinaliter not formaliter, because of that similitude and onenesse of disposition, that is between father and child. God was in Christ, that expression poynts not at the Divine essence, nor cannot be proper speech so applied, but at Divine existence, noting how the persons in the Trinity doe act one in and by another; Christs being in us, carries some pro­portion to this, and is so applied by the Apostle. The eyes of our understanding being enlightned, that we might know the exceeding [Page 483] greatnesse of his power to us-ward, who believe according to the work­ing of his mighty power, which he wrought [in Christ] when he raised him from the dead, Ephes. 1.19. God was in Christ, that is, he did put forth an exceeding great power in him, and by this wrought in and by him exceeding great things, raised him from the dead; so saith the Apostle, Christ is in us; what's that? why he doth put forth an exceeding great power in us; and by this raiseth us from the power of sinne, satan, and selfe, and enables us to walke as spiritually alive, that is, according to the will of the Spirit of Christ, and not according to our owne lust; Divine communion at such a heigth as makes union and similitude to Christ, speakes Christ in us according to the Scripture using of this phrase. No act that Christ did for us, but there is a [...] a communion of the vertue of it in us; life, death, resurrection, ascention, that is, an importing of the same Spirit and power that did all these in Christ, according to such a measure, as to worke similitude to all these in us. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, or the participation of his suffering (tis [...]) being made con­formable to his death, [...] configuratus, made together in likenesse, one shapt and formed by another, so exact, that there is a consimilitude, one forme in two, as it were; consimilitude with Christ, is Christ in us.

The expression being opened, doe but note one thing, what a forlorne seat Christ chooseth in this world! great ones choose seats sutable to their ranke, places of great worth, rich, fertile, plea­sant. You may see the course of great ones in this by Lot, he chose the plaine of Jordan, which was for fertility and pleasant­nes like the garden of God, Gen. 13.19. Christ chooseth the poor­est and the meanest place in all the world; the poorest and meanest place in all the world, is the soule of man, this is poore in extremity, poore and naked, Revel. 3. your soules are starke na­ked: your bodies have some covering, and some estate; but your soules are destitute of all, not a ragge of covering, not a farthing of estate, utterly destitute. That which makes wealth and worth upon the soule, is the beames of loving kindnesse shining upon them, and these are utterly gone from the soule. My lo­ving kindnesse will I not utterly take from you. Tis a speech of [Page 484] dread, and hints what is our state naturally; Christ is utterly gone from the soule, not a beame of loving kindnesse shines upon it. There is nothing (to speake properly) within or with­out, that estate, but that which hath loving kindnesse wrapt up in it; things thus considered, man is the poorest creature in all the world, in the front of wrath, not any thing he hath, within or without, that hath a beame of loving kindnesse. What Job speakes of some externally, that may be said of him, and of all us internally and naturally considered. He cald them chil­dren of fooles, yea children of base men, Job 30.8. Beni beli Sem, children without name, that is, without any worth. As some are exter­nally of no worth, so are all of us internally, consider our condition naturally, and our soules are namelesse soules, worth­lesse soules: if you will give a name to your soules, you cannot in justice give them any name that imports any worth, but such as may import worthlesnesse to the utmost. The prodigall when he came to see the poverty of his inside, said, call me not by any name of worth, let my soule goe namelesse of any such title, I am not worthy to be called [thy sonne.] We may not be cal­led possessours of any thing naturally, no, not heires to any thing that is Divinely good; we are creatures of no hope in our naturall condition, nothing in possession, nor nothing in rever­sion, and yet such beggerly creatures Christ useth to sit downe in. Meeke sitting upon an Asse, Math. 21.5. An Asse is the poorest and the despisedst thing one of them that is, and yet this Christ chuseth to make his seat. Base things of the world, things which are despised hath God chosen, saith the Apostle; and as if this were not enough to set forth the worthlesnesse of the things he chu­seth for his seat, hee addes [...] & non existentia, and things which are not, that have no existence; our soules are so farre from any bravenesse of being, that it is most proper to say, they have no being at all; if you will call your soules any thing, call them things which are not; and yet in these things which are not, that is, of any worth, doth Christ looke him out a seat and dwelling, Which is Christ in you.

The seat which Christ chuseth is very mean, and very unclean, which is the second particular, which speaks the forlornnesse [Page 485] of a thing. Poore people and poore houses when cleanly, are desireable; but usually poore persons are nasty and filthy too; which makes them loathsom to us; and yet Christ chuseth the poorest and the filthiest places for his seat. Your uncleanest part is your inside, the soule is the sinke of the man, very excrement, very rottennesse; Psalme 5.9. wickednesses; Havvoth. the ex­pression notes extention, not a roome in the soule, but foule, very foule; so that it is more proper to call every faculty, and every operation, every organ, and organization wickednesse, then wicked. You have Elihu setting out this to Job notably; Why is thy spirit turn'd against God? and then speaking about the spirit of man, sets it out to the life what it is: it is filthy, saith he; it stinks, it stinks abominably: this is the case of every man, saith he. What man is he that is borne of a woman that he should be cleane? he puts no trust in his Saints, Job 15.16. Nithgnab. Nèèlach. the heavens are not cleane in his sight: how much more abominable and filthy is man abomin­able and stinking? The same word is used, Psalme 14.3. and so translated in the Margin, stinking: and this doth agree notably with the type; the grave, which is cald the heart of the earth, doth but resemble the heart of man, and there Christ took up his seat and his lodging; and what more filthy than the grave? tis stinking, nothing like it, stinking abominably; and yet in this doth Christ take up his seat, his rest, his solemnest rest; no place that is so solemnly possest and taken up as the grave; the seat which Christ hath here is a grave; our soules are a Golgotha; and yet in no place doth Christ so solemnly seat himselfe, as in the soule of man.

'Tis a mean place, 'tis an uncleane place that Christ chuseth to sit down in here, and yet this is not all, 'tis a place much haunted, which is the last particular, which speaks the forlorn­nesse of a place: you take but a fancy that this place and that is haunted with evill spirits, and you will not sit downe in such a place for all the world: this is reall and no fancy concerning your soules; there is no place in all the world, hell excepted, so haunted with evill spirits, as the soule of man, that room with­in us. Come out of the man thou unclean spirit, saith Christ; and Christ askt him his name, and he said my name is Legion, for we are many; but how many? that the devill himself could not tell, [Page 486] or would not, Mark 5.9. The invisible world is more populous then the visible: you have an innumerable company of evill spirits haunting one soule: the numerousnesse of diabolicall spi­rits infesting the soule, is hinted by that similitude of our Savi­our, comparing them to Fowles that flock to their prey; Some fell by the high way, and the Fowles came and gathered it up, saith the Text:Rev. 16.14. There be flocks of Crowes, and Rooks, and Ravens, and black fowle in the aire. And then, they are called Locusts in the Revelation, a creature more populous then any: History writes of them, that they foresee a famine, and then leave such parts, and flee in such a mighty company, that like a great thick cloud they darken the Sun for a great compas, that whole coun­treys of people see them as they flee, and fear lest they will light where they live, and devoure all. There is another title given to diabolicall spirits, to note etheir populousnesse in the pursuit of the soule of man; the devill is called Beel-zebub, an Idol, or God of flies, intimating that those evill spirits that haunt our soules here, are as thicke as swarmes of flies. There is another Scrip­ture that speaks to this point, Math. 7.21. This kinde goes not out, &c. There are it seems divers kinds of evill spirits. The result of all is this, Christ useth a very forlorne seat in this world.

There is a necessity of this, if he have to doe with us: for there are no other seats to be found here. It speaks the great condiscen­sion of Christ, and should be taken notice of by us, and men­tioned to his honour. [Meek] sitting upon an Asse. Consider or this expression how divine condiscension is observed and ex­told. Had not Christ been very meek and full of humility, he had never stoopt so low as to take a dwelling in us: the word you translate meek is [...], the Latine word parvus comes from it, which signifies little, meeknesse and humility is that which doth little one. The great God, oh how doth he little himselfe to come to live in us! how doth he obscure his glory to lie in a Stable, and in a Manger, brutish filthy places! and yet those did but typifie where his internall lodging, as God, is, to wit, in a stinking, loathsome, hellish place, the souls of men; the highest, the perfectest purity, to seat himself in the perfect'st impurity; The Apostle when he speaks of something a this side this, he cals it humbling and debasing himselfe: he humbled himselfe to the [Page 487] death, yea to the grave, yea to a spirituall grave, not onely to at base place for his body, which was quickly over, but to a base place for his soule, to wit, our soules, which grave lasts a great while. Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave: yes, 'tis left in our soules; and what is this but a grave? a place of rottennesse? a continent of devills? an uppermost, though not a neather most hell? Can a hell praise God? Can the grave praise Christ? The Scripture seems to put an impossibility upon what I exhort to. I am exhorting the grave to praise Christ, that hee would come there: if it be possible let the grave praise Christ, let your soules which are the spirituall graves of Christ, open their mouthes and make a resurrection of him and of his love, that lies there. Take up Hannah's song, The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth downe to the grave, and bringeth up; the Lord maketh poore and maketh rich, he bringeth low and lifteth up: He raiseth the poore out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dung-hil to set them among Princes, and to make them inherit thrones of glory; for the pillars are the Lords, and he hath set the world upon them, &c.

Ʋse 'Tis mighty consolatory this point where Christ lodges him­selfe, yea be it never so filthy or forlorne a place, he will make it absolutely blessed before he hath done. Doe but observe what he saith, O grave I will be thy victory: and the Apostle applyes this spiritually, and cheares the godly, the grave, death, and hell, they are all within you, and there lyes Christ, and he will be the destruction of all; though your soules be as the grave, full of rot­tennesse, full of filthy smels, a thousand times worse than any grave in the world; yet he that sweetned the corporal grave by lying in it, he will sweeten this before Christ hath done with the soule; he will not leave the least ill favour in it, not any thing that is sinne, or lookes like it; not any evill spirit, not any wic­ked spirit shall fift you, haunt you; he will make the place where he lyes even as pure and perfect as heaven: what is that which kils good people in this world, but when the grave opens and they see their misdeeds, and smell how loathsome they are: you see the grave open, you must also think who lies there as it were buried: you must as she Martha. look for the living amongst the dead, and remember what Christ hath said, That he will be the victorie, and rest, and cheare your soules with this; hath Christ conque­red [Page 488] the greater hell, and will he not conquer the lesser? hath he made victory over the grave, in which he lay under infinite wait of sinne and wrath? and will he not make victory over that grave, where some sinnes lye and no wrath? Certainly he will turne the grave into a Palace, and furnish it royally, and so hang it that it shall doe any one good to behold it. The soule is Christs in-room, and he is very curious about this; all appurti­nances to it shall be like the possessour of it, very exact, there shall be nothing called lignum, as the Roman Dames were wont to say, that is, meare wood.

DIvine things at a distance have their influence upon the soul; a word of heaven sets the soul a longing and look­ing after it, and this is called hope. Hope speaks an heire under age, knowing his inheritance, and expecting pos­session; writings are throughly read, propriety plainly found out, evidence about the man, yea evidence in him to shew: Christ [in you] the hope of glory.

As corporall nourishment passeth through severall concocti­ons, and the last the noblest, so doth spirituall nourishment: Hope is the last concoction of the soule, the last digestion of words and workes, by which pure bloud, spirits, substance and strength is delated and defused all over the state. The Scripture makes three concoctions, as Nature doth corporall, and Hope is the last; Tribulation worketh Patience, Patience Experience, Ex­perience Hope: and now the spirit hath spirit, hath it self, strength, setlednesse, therefore it followes, and hope confounds not. Provi­dence toumbles the soule, and the soul toumbles providence, and the first result of this is patience, the second result experience; what God is at present; and in the breast of this sits hope, what God will be, and smiles: till things worke to this last issue, the soule is confounded, as the Apostle speaks.

[Page 489]Hope sucks the sweet of the words and works of God to the bottome: that which lyes in the bottome of all, God saith and doth to a Christian, is heaven, what ever lyes utmost; the end is eternall life still to a Saint, what ever things are a this side. Things looke variously sometimes to a neare sight, and expli­cite repugnancy betwixt words and works, between such an end, and such meanes ordained to it, and yet all in an ultimate interpretation, carry an exact subordination to the soules high­est good. Hope is a great Peere privy to the depth of wisdome, to the intentions and resolutions of God, and to the harmony of all changes and turnings, how, when, and where they will meet in such a blessed end, and lies, and bathes, and sports her selfe in the consistances of all varieties with and towards her prime good: 'tis a grace to which felicity is alwayes in view, a halcyon that findes out a quiet place upon the most moving and boyste­rous body, to wit, the sea.

Hope, tis a soul free from a Consumption, fat and merry, eates not out its owne spirits, nor its owne marrow. Some kinde of Spiders eate out the Dam which sits upon them, as soone as hatcht: so do the thoughts and apprehensions of some souls kill the minde and spirit that brings them forth, they are such poy­sonous and eating things, they are so venemous, so fiery, so dark, so gnawing, so voyd of heaven, of any glimpse of it, and so full of hell, I reckon upon my afflictions from morning to night, saith Hezekiah, and I have cut off mine own life; his soule hatched such thoughts in time of distresse, as did gnaw out the bowells and. life of it selfe, that affliction became as death, and death as hell, which is the property of despaire and unbeliefe, to render persons as destroyed and damn'd already, as that expression is. As there be soules damn'd already, and in hell already, so there be souls saved already, and in heaven already: in heaven, whilst loo­king for it, apprehension of it in Christ so strong, so clear, what ever accidentals turmoile the outward man the while. Accoun­ting that the long-suffering of the Lord [is] salvation, 2 Pet. 3.15. tis a soule that hath so clear an apprehension, of the issue of all suf­ferings for Chirst, that the issue of them is in him already: what he expects is to him already in a degree, in judgement and ac­count, judging that the long-suffering of God [is] salvation; yea [Page 490] not onely in judgement, not onely in strong evidence and convi­ction, but in sweet contemplation, delectation and fruition, for 'tis a grace that speaks the love of God shed abroad in the soule; and experience hope, and hope makes not ashamed: why? because the soule now hath a good part what it hopes for; Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the holy Ghost which is given to us, Rom. 5.5.

Ʋse. Our felicity lies in noble principles: 'twere well if we had an impregnable estate in these times. Every thing is unsetled and al­most hopelesse, how is your spirituall condition? Every thing without hath made its will, and bequeathed it selfe to Death, Devills, Ruine, have your soules made their will, and bequeathed themselves to Death and Devills too? Ah my soule! what a sad state is this! Sinne reignes, though every thing runne to ruine, this doth not. The Sword of the Spirit can kill no sinnes, therefore it doth soules. O how consciences bleed! how ghastly are many soules now! more to seek for eternall safety then temporall. I know not what these wretches will doe, God and man are upon you, and against you, whi­ther will you flee? what will you doe for relief? Nothing destroyes hope, like an evill conscience. Now sinners tell me what is sinne now to you? Where is that sweet that did ere while so extraordinarily take you? what is that in your sinne that did hold you so fast and so long from Christ? Shew me now the kirnell of your course: You have been cracking shells a great while, and what now is the in-side of all? no­thing but Death and Hell? and in stead of your wonted joy, an afrighted soule, and a fearefull looking for of judgement, and fiery indignation? Now that which you chose should stand you in most stead, doth it thus cheat you? then write upon thy sinne, Vanity; upon thy heart, Thou hast delu­ded me.

I know not what will be the issue of these evill times, death is gathering to the heart apace, to the heart of Kingdomes, Estates, and the like; if it be there already in order to your soules, truly Justice is quicke with you, and you had neede looke about you. In swoning fits cordials be necessary, some­thing to be taken inwardly, that is Christ, he fetches life and [Page 491] hope: Christ [in you] the hope of glory. Sinfull fearefull wretches, there is nothing in you, but nature and the old man, therefore are you so weake and wicked in your course, so dreadfull in apprehension about the end. Men would do much sometimes in their owne strength, when a lively word takes hold on them, (but this cannot be) never considering how desolate all with­in is. Your eyes are not in your head, as the wise man speaks, that is, they are not in your heart, you see nothing within as you should. When conscience is fired by the word, you thinke to do this and that presently and then all will be well; and then fayle in the action, and so increase the flame. Conscience when a fire must have something dropt in to it, (things done without are nothing) to wit the bloud of Christ. Not a sparkle of hell is alayed without bloud, without the bloud of Christ, or the bloud of the soule. Application of remedy must be as the distresse lies, your hell is within you, and Christ must descend into hell, to do a sinner good, to set his soule in rest and hope, he must goe into the World, to save it, [...], Heb. 10.5. Christ must come into this World, and then into the heart of man that is in it, into the great World, and then into the little World, which he is willing to doe, and so expresseth himselfe, Heb. 10.5. When be in-entereth the World, sacrifice and of­fering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou fitted mee. Christ is fitted and ready to make in entrance, and this in-entrance is that, which makes peace and hope in the soule. Christ centered in the heart is at rest, when Christ is at rest in us, wee are at rest in him.

TIs hard to open this terme, yet it will be meete to make at it a little: if one can but get a glimpse of glory by humble industry, it will be worth the while; a little of Heaven and for but a little while, as Paul had, when on earth, tis very sweet in our sad and forelorne state. Glory is absolute [Page 492] perfection, as things come short of this they are defective, all defect destroyes glory, as glory is strictly and properly taken, so it is here: there be severall glories: the utmost of every such a being, is its glory. That may bee called glory in order to a Plant, or a Brute, which may not be so called in order to man, his being is so vast, and so receiving, unlesse this vast being, be fild up, and every veine and rivelet run as many fadome deep as they should, and as they did, when first made out from the fountaine, man cannot be said to be in glory. And therefore to speake properly, glory is a garment which God only weares and such as sit in his bosome, who have there that which is else no where, the utmost of such vast beings; this is generall.

We must by the command of our Text, speake of glory pre­cisely in order to man, and what that is you shall see in Christ, who brought mans glory from Heaven for him, and in the per­son and nature of man, wore it here, though the World could not see it, a curtaine of flesh being drawne before it, but the Saints then living, saw a glimpse of it in him. And the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld his glory as the glory, of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth, John. 1.14. The first Adam lost his glory; Christ held it, though the World far otherwise, and far worse then when Adam lived in it. What was Adams glory? The Image of God. What was Christs glory? The same: full of grace and truth. Were we but full of grace and truth, wee should be in glory, in Heaven here as Christ was. What was Christs glory, is our glory: his fulnesse was in way of unction and Office, and so shewes and assures, what is, and what shall be our glory.

Glory is holinesse and joy, in fulnesse: therefore is Heaven called a holy Heaven, Psal. 20.6; Christs fulnesse fully imparted, grace for grace; The soule come to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. The glory of the eyes, is to see, and to see perfectly; and so of the eare, and so of every other Organ Sinne hath rackt the soule and pul'd every lim out of joynt, bu [...] they are set againe by Christ here for a little use, but not so as they shall be; we go lame, and go in paine, our very holinesse is halting and afflicting, there is no glory in that. So farre as we come short of the Will of God habitually or actually, wee come [Page 493] short of glory. Wee all sinne and come short of the glory of God. The expression notes what is glory, to wit, full congruitie to the Will of God, such a congruity as excludes all sinne. Our inhe­ritance is undefiled [...], 1 Pet. 1.4. it is unspotted and cannot be defiled; the word used in the originall, is the name of a pre­tious stone too, which do what you will to it, you cannot ble­mish it; throw it into fire, tis taken out still more bright and cleare; such is our inheritance and state above, a glory that hath no in-glory or dis-glory, nor nothing can make disglorious; can any spot the Sun, though they should throw dirt at it? not the shaddow of sinne above, or imperfection, nor can by any diabollical art be made; there be that set their mouthes against Heaven, Psal. 73.9. that blaspheme the Tabernacle of Heaven, and yet cannot spot grace and truth here, much lesse can it be spot­ted above. Every one goes all cleane above, inside, outside, and nothing can defile either, they are of such an amiantous nature: there is no having and then losing above.

2 Fulnesse of joy: this necessarily springs out of the other; for as holinesse is, so is joy; tis the flower that holinesse beares, the greene leafes and fruit of the Tree of life. If wee could attaine a fulnesse of holinesse here, wee should have a fulnesse of joy, they are so connaturall; if we were in the condition of Christ for the one, we should necessarily be for the other. Our Saviour is expresly cleare in this. Jf yee keepe my Commandements yee shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandement and abide in his love; these things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remaine in you, and that your joy might be full. Could wee walke in Christs Commandements as he did in his Fathers, we should live in his bosome here, and be embraced with such embrace­ments and raptures as he was. If we had Christs holinesse, wee should have Christs joy remaine in us, and then our joy would be full: these things have I spoken to you that [my joy might remaine in you] that is such a joy as I have, that hath no want nor no expression, tis so full of glory and so full of sweetnesse (for that is the reason Christ gives it such a name my joy, because the nature of it is unexpressable in our termes, or in any Lan­guage amongst the Sonnes of men) in a suffering condition, when the soule holds tite in obedience, through the power of [Page 494] Christ it comes then mighty neere Heaven, and then observe what it hath, it hath Christs joy, joy full and beyond expression, joy unspeakable and full of glory. Full, joy is full of glory 'tis the spring of the Yeare, all things greene and florishing, smiling and singing. These things hint their state above and what glory is, tis fulnesse of holinesse and joy; as the one is proportioned to Christ, so is the other, we have his stature and his measure in both, brim­full. Our state here is a state of reception; and therefore asking and praying continuall worke; their state above is a state of plenitude, and therefore praying and asking work quite over; aske and you shall receive saith Christ; aske that your joy may be full, John. 16.24. Aske that asking worke and begging worke may be over; there be no beggars in Heaven, no not for joy, though that be a top mercy. Defect in joy is from the distance of some­thing that the soule reaches at; there is no longing in Heaven; that which wee account a mercy here is an affliction there: to thirst and pant after such and such Divine things, such and such heigths and depths of grace, we account it a great mercy to finde our soules in such a frame here; and yet this would be mi­sery above; there is no panting nor thirsting after any thing, be­cause no distance of any thing that is blessed; there is no darke­nesse, no twilight, no cloud of a hand breadth all that Heaven over, to hide any thing from any soule to sad him; all there, have all plaine and open to them, abundance of Revelations, a Hy­perbole of Revelations, it is the expression of him that was there a little while. [...]. Least J should he exalted above measure, through the abundance of the Revelations, 2 Cor. 12.7. tis abundance of Reve­lations indeed, for tis a personall beholding of God, and that is a Hyperbole of Revelations you will all grant, and yet tis very true, and me thinkes very plainly set out Exod. 33.17, 18, 19, 20. at the eighteene verse this is Moses request, J beseech thee shew me thy glory; observe how God answers to this at the 20 vers. thou canst not see my face; by which is interpreted what is meant by Gods glory, to wit, his face; what Moses before called Gods glory, that God himselfe, when he comes to English it to us, calls his face: but what then is meant by Gods face? why this also in the next words God himselfe interprets, There shall no man see [mee] and live, expressing his person, so that the glory of God accord­ing [Page 495] to Gods owne interpretation is a personall beholding of God, and this is a hyperbole of revelations indeed, and that which makes a hyperbole of joyes indeed [thou] shalt make mee full of joy with [thy countenance] Acts 2.28. which is a place paralell with the former, and poynts at the personall vision of God, which and which only makes full joy to the soule of man.

THe call of God, by whom, to whom, and to what, are the generalls exprest, and amplified in these two verses. The call of God now, is by men, whom wee preach, and where­unto [J] also labour.

Sinne is punished, weakenesse condescended to; immediate commerce was our life, it is now our death; we cannot see God, nor heare God and live (take both in a parallel speach) but wee shall doe both: 'Twas shadowed by the mediation of Moses, who talked with God upon the Mount, and in the Tabernacle; (which shadowed Heaven; as our spirituall Tabernacles now do) Face to face as a man talkes with his friend, Exod. 33.11. there was very immediate vision and commerce; though not personall, yet as neare it as it was possible for our frayle condition to beare, to be strongly preaching and confirming what Christ our Media­tor will one day bring us to againe, in that holy of holies, that glorious Tabernacle, where now he himselfe officiates.

The call of God is by men, to men; by some selected, to all in generall; whom [wee] preach warning [every man and teaching every man. Earth to earth; Potsherds strive with Potsherds of the Earth; wee must beseech and intreat every one, and with every degree of patience; wee must be beggers at every ones dore [Page 496] for Christ, for earth to go to Heaven, and if it will not be, earth must shake off earth against earth; we must shake off the dust of our feete against Adams sons: Earth is used to save, or to destroy earth, Goliah is kil'd with a stone, a little heape strikes downe a great. Goliah some thinke may signify a great heape, which if so, name and person did agree: and David who was but a little man, and with a little stone, strikes downe this great person: Earth kils earth, and earth buries earth, earth rings the Fune­rall of earth: by us though poore earthen Vessels, Christ sounds and sets forth who are dead eternally.

You know the call of God by whom it is, and to whom it is: to what it is, is the next generall, particularly to bee spoken to. Wee are cal'd to a perfect person, and in him to a perfect condition, That wee may present every man [perfect] in Christ Jesus. Divine vocation is in opposition to diabolicall avocati­on; we were called from God by Satan, and God cal'd us to him againe, simply, and circumstantially (i) not onely to him, but as fully to him as ever, to be [...] toti dilecti, wholly beloved:

Having thus divided the verses, wee will begin with the first clause thereof, whom we preaeh. The originall word [...] whom we exactly shew, or fully declare, [...] in this composition notes a superlative, and is to intend the expression like as it doth Luke 12.58. where our Saviour sayes of conscience, that it should not onely [...], but [...], That is, throughly draw, or per­fectly draw. The word thus opened, that which I would stand on is this, That Gospell administration makes exact illumi­nation. the Gospell hath a peculiar Idiom, nothing speakes so plaine and so full of every thing concerning man, as this doth. 'Tis [...] as the Apostle speakes, 1 Cor. 14.9. a word very significative, (i) very plaine and very full; every administrati­on humane, conducing to illumination, speakes darkely, and by halves, no language yeelds, vox bene significans: therefore are they which leane upon these helps children of darknesse, notwith­standing all their light, their hearts and lives full of lyes, a lie is in their right hand. (i.) In that wherein they are confident they are intelligent, they understand nothing: Gospel admin­stration makes that which the old Testament calls [...],Col. 3.24. Noting cer­taine know­ledge. and [Page 497] the new Jadang Isa. 6.9. Perception, a looking through things, (i.) it makes every thing transparent, manifest quite through, out-side, and inside. Yee see indeed, but perceive not: 'tis as if the Prophet had said, yee doe not Gospelly apprehend; your reception makes not perception, not vision quite through as doth the Gospell: therefore is the light of the Church of Christ compared to a stone most precious, as Jasper, Chrystall. He carried me away in the spirit, saith John, and shewed me the great City, holy Jeru­salem descending out of heaven, having the glory of God, and [her light was like to a stone most precious] even like to a Jasper stone, Revel. 21.11. Like to this is Cant. 6.10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, faire as the Moon, [cleare as the Sun!] By all which Metaphors is made manifest, that what light the gospell gives, is very cleare.

Ʋse. Gospel-Administration makes exact Illumination; what hath it done in you? what is your light under all the meanes of light you enjoy? paines is considered; tis so with you, tis so with God: you observe such under your tuition as are Drons, and sigh, ah, what a living plague have I pinn'd upon me! I am very industrious to instruct, to propagate wholsome princi­ples, I ravell out my Lungs, my Reines, my Braines, my life, and yet he sees not this silver cord, to be led to any thing by it; say what I will, doe what I will, all dyes at the doore, equity will not enter, Rectum non potuit ingredi, 'twill not goe in; they were so crooked, that right things and straghit things could not be made to goe in: Thus you complaine, and thus you see God complaines; he is sensible of painfulnesse and successelesenesse as you are. The Metaphor is taken from dense obdurate things, as stones, earth, which are such things of all other, that light can make least entrance into. The earth is the most deading and repelling body of resplendency of any body: They that are but a little way under the earth, are darker many fathome, then they that are under water, because Sunne-rayes can enter this bodie, and make light downe to the bottome, though very deep. As 'tis with bodies under earth, so 'tis with soules: worldlings, ear­thy wretches, your soules are under earth, you are in great dark­nesse, and light cannot come at you. The things under which your soules are, do so dead and dampe it out; incarnall soules [Page 498] there are great damps, which put out all the light that is brought in; know therefore what God complaines of: God bur­dened with any soule, that soule can be in no good conditi­on; a soule in utter darknesse, I meane, in such darknesse where no light can come, is abused both by fancy and consci­ence; deluded, tormented, and finall and fatall wrath brings up the reare. In darknesse, fancy is a brave light, an approved guide; and alas what conception of divine things this makes! Christ is I know not what, and I know not from whence, a­ny thing that the soule will, any thing that sinne will to make a long life for it selfe in the soule. We know whence this man is, but when Christ commeth no man knoweth whence he is, Joh. 7.27. What a strange Chimera is Christ to fancy! a big nothing! to carnall apprehension Christ is such a one as comes no man can tell whence. Fancy raises things so high, that no body can see them; this tumor in the spirit, 'tis such profound wis­dome, that it turnes man into a foole, and God into nothing. The foole hath said in his heart there is no God. He doth not speake such words formally; but his fancy resolved, and his con­ception of God rightly exprest, speaks God no God (i.) they speak such things of God as are inconsistent to such a holy being, and so destroy God.

God murdered, his bloud cries in mans conscience; mo­rall light is made to torment, when Divine light cannot en­ter; The higher rejection of God, the greater guilt falls up­on Conscience; this is not all: The light a man hath in this case, shall not serve him so much as to shift with, to evade the Huy and Cry of Conscience, but be arm'd against a man, and quickly to take hold on the Felon so guilty, and very resolute­ly, and irresistibly give the soule up to conscience, shift how it will, or how it can. Shimei was a rough-spirited man, and hid from the Hue and Cry of his owne conscience some space of time in that businesse about his dogged carriage to David, wherein he resisted some divine beames: but what they were, and how many, and how big, and bright, I know not: all his carriage in that bad businesse he called perversenesse, and against his Lord and King; and was himselfe of the house of Joseph, and therefore 'tis probable had some principles of [Page 499] light more then ordinary distil'd in that Line, and yet all those black circumstances of ill carriage towards David, not seen by Shimei a great while; at last they all revive, and Shimei's light quickned upon him, and by how much the greater in it selfe, the greater now against him, and gives him up, will he, [...]ill he, to a tormenting conscience. The words of the Story are these; and speak all that I have spoken, and more. Shimei came voluntarily to David as he passed over Jordan, one of the first of all the house of Joseph, and falls downe at Da­vids feet, Doe not remember that which thy servant did perversely that the King should put it to his heart, for thy servant doth know that I have sinned, 2 Sam. 19.20. Did not Shimei know that he had sinned before now? that he had rejected David as King, and so in him Christ? No doubt: but he made shift to hide things from Conscience till now, now his light was quickned and strengthned upon him, and would serve to darken things no longer, but to brighten and to cleare them, and so irresi­stibly, and with strong hand to give him up to the pursuer; and thus will all your light serve you, who reject the cleare light of the Gospell, and rest in other dark lights.

The light a man hath and abuses, to keep out more and better light, Christ will make this in the conclusion, to give up the man to conscience; now is the man delivered up to the ad­versary indeed, which is called in the originall [...], from [...], contra, & [...] vindicta, such an adversary as doth make revenge against one; when your carnall light hath deli­vered you up to conscience for abusing of it, conscience will be a revenger against you, 'twill revenge the quarrell of Christ, according to all that he hath against you: Vindiction of Con­science, ah, what a thing 'tis! 'tis a Granado shot into the house in the night when all are abed and asleep, which awakens with a witnesse, breaks open, teares open windowes, doors, eyes, bowels, and fetches the sleeper out peece-meale, and doth Sa­tans work to his hand, and makes a slaughter-house at home, and then brings every thing ready quarter'd out, and laies all peece by peece, joynt by joynt, faculty by faculty at hell doore, as neare Infinite Wrath as 'tis possible for things to be laid in this life. None kils so cruelly, nor buries her dead so for­lornely, [Page 500] so neare Hell as Conscience doth.

You that finde the truth of this poynt, that Gospell ad­ministration hath maturated understanding, made your light exact, you will be very blessed soules, you will be very quick in application of divine things, and proportionable in the frui­tion of them, blessing of them, you will not set short in duty nor rewards. At what hight we are in the understanding of Christ, we are in love to him; if perfect in one, so in the other; if perfect in light, perfect in love; if perfect in affection, per­fect in action; for love is fire; fire doth ascend all of it, every sparke; and therefore your burnt offerings were called gnola, ascension, because they did all ascend in a flame. Full Light will make you gnola, an whole ascension, holocautomata, a whole burnt offering; all ascending in a flame to Christ, that did so for us to God. Divine Light carries Energy with it, all tooles and instruments whereby all faculties and organs are made an­swerable to the eyes it opens; it makes not a blinde man open his eyes and lie still, but opens eyes in order to legs and armes, and all other joynts; when God opens eyes, he opens cares, opens all: David is a demonstration of this, and Christ. Sa­crifice and offering thou wouldest not, Charitha. but mine eares hast thou opened, digged open. Eyes were digged open, and eares together; when David knew what God would have, his Light warmed and o­pened his heart, and made that obedient unto it: and so Christ, if you apply the words to him, when he opened his Commission at his journeys end, when come into the flesh, and into this world, and unto offering age, to Priestly maturty for that Office, and saw what kinde of offering God expected, not such offering as under the Law, the bodies of beasts, but his own body, his Light inflamed his heart, and he proclames his Com­mission, what body he might offer, a body hast thou prepared [me;] and he longed to give it to its intended use, when he knew the intention of God concerning it: there is a proportion to this, in all the revelations of the same light in our hearts; Christ puts his honour here upon us as he doth above; as we shall have what he has in heaven, so we have in a degree what he had on earth; his spirit, and his peace, his light and his life: our life is said to be hid in him; tis bravely typified I think, Numbers [Page 501] 27.20. Put some of thy honour upon him, saith God to Moses, con­cerning Joshua; their Unctions were communicative under the Law: to shadow that, so should Christs Unction under the Gospell be communicative unto us; you will be a whole ascen­sion, which have a whole light; and hee that ascends wholly to Heaven, must needs have a sweet and blessed life on't.

[...]. The word here used may be pursued strict­ly, according to what it signifies as so compounded, or it may be considered largely, according to what it signifies, as so in severall Scriptures used. The com­position of the word, notes a putting of a thing into the mind from [...] which signifies the mind, and [...] which signifies to put. Divine words reach the heart, they put themselves into the minde, and into the soule. This resolution of the Text makes resolution to that question, Job 38.36. Who hath put wisdome into the inward parts, or who hath given understanding to the heart? The words of Christ doe this and nothing else; these doe [...], put things into the soule, wisdome and understanding into the inward parts.

The words of God have the advantage of their matter; they are pure. Justice is of Majesty, what shines with the beames of this is strongly impressive; O how forcible are right words, saith Job, that is words made up of rightousnesse, and thus are all Gods words necessarily, his breath is as himselfe pure. Breath is a very internall thing; this stinking speakes something filthy in the inward parts. God is light, and [in him] is no darknesse. Satan comes and finds nothing [in me.] No impurity, no unrigh­teousnesse in God, he must needs therefore breath purely. Purity is of great Majesty; when Adam bore the Image of God, his words were as thunder to all the creation; his words, yea his lookes went through and through. Purity and Majesty be joynd [Page 502] together, Cant. 6.10. Cleare as the Sunne, terrible as an Army with Banners; what is pure, is of great power and Majesty.

The words of Christ have the advantage of their forme. God opens his mouth in righteousnesse, and in wisdom. Some have good breath, but not good braines and gutterals to shape it and utter it. Children come to the birth & cannot be delivered, or else delive­red too soon, untimely births are not taking to looke upon none lodge such in their bosomes. Indiscretion turnes the point and edge of things that otherwise are very penetrating. The words of the wise are like goades and nailes, they goe into the heart: wis­dome takes the utmost of all advantage, which is very forcible, she sits her down in the center of a businesse, and takes into her bosome all the small lines that doe circumstance it, and so makes her motion in every thing effectuall, heart-reaching, and heart-working. The heart is put for wisdome in the old Testament, and I thinke for this reason, because wisdome is that which brings in all to the heart, words, workes, that which makes every thing like goads and nayles, piercing, or like honey dewes, so king, melting. Behold God is mighty, and despiseth not any, he is mighty in strength and wisdome, Choach leb Iob 36.5. tis strength and heart, or strength of heart. Wisdome is that which brings in things in strength to the heart, and so makes it strong upon the heart. Strength and wisdome are joynd together here, things that we say or doe are of strength, as this conjunction is kept, which is never sepa­rated in order to God. No word of God, no worke of God, but uttered and wrought in wisdome, which makes all his words like goads and nayles in entering.

The words of God have the advantage of their end. They are spirit and life, that is, they are intended above all words, to be spiritually forcible, they are appointed to be the Sword of the Spirit, that by which one spirit should reach another; the Spirit of God, the Spirit of man & e contra. And take unto you the Helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The Sword [...] from [...], saith a critick, that which fetcheth blood with delight; that which joyes to goe into the veines, and into the heart, the seat of life. Things move delightfully to their end, to that scope and center to which they are appointed. The center of the word is the soule of man, [Page 503] the words of God sinke downe into the eares. Let these words sinke downe into your eares, saith Christ, they are directed from one spirit to another; they may knocke without, but they will be restlesse, till they get in, into affection, or else into conscience, into the marrow and joynts, which are the inmost things of man; an in-roome they will have, Spirit will to spirit; the Spirit will use the Word, which is to be a Sword according to Divine appointment; being put into his hand as a sharpe wea­pon, he will joyfully sheath it in the soule, in one part or other of it, how painfull soever it be to man; hee will wound the spirit, pricke the heart, let it be never so deepe. The words I speake, saith Christ, they are spirit and life, that is, they are so instituted, to be of spirituall interpretation, and spirituall impression, to pricke the heart, yea, to runne it through. The weapon in the hand of the Spirit, is suted and fitted to its end, to its appointed worke; tis very sharpe, and very long, [...] romphaea, so tis cald, Revel. 2.12. jaculum oblongum, a very long dart to make through worke, save or slay; and therefore is this rod of Christs mouth cald a slaying weapon, Esay 11.4.

Ʋse Tis not safe I see by this poynt to have to doe with sinne any way, not to meddle with it in any part, neither with hand nor heart; there is no hiding place any where for sinne, no not within you; the word of God will get into you, twill ransacke every corner of your soules, and discover deepe things out of darknesse; twil strike fire with your bones, and kindle a fire in the midst of you, bigge enough to discover and lay open all the very secrets of your heart, but I purpose not to drive this way.

That which I would stand on is this: this point in hand mee thinks hath not yet demonstration enough, I would have you lend me one demonstration more: Doe you finde this by experi­ence, that the Word of God reacheth your hearts, and puts it selfe into your minds, and soules? our condition is very dolorous, tis darke night, and yet no man can tell how our night goes away; we cannot tell whether it be mid night yet, or what: I am afraid tis not neere day yet, because every ones doores are shut, and fast asleepe; many ghosts walking, which is very affrighting; yea, the holy Ghost walking, and knocking much at mens hearts, heads, estates, ready to knocke downe all, and yet cannot get in [Page 504] where he would be. England, when wilt thou throughly let in the Word of God? thy veines are very empty of blood now, is there no place yet for truth? Some consumptions make the stomacke nauceate, as others make it voraminous; though all parts be empty, yet no desire to take any thing in, to any purpose, but onely sip a little, which notwithstanding the consumption continues, and the body decayes and sinkes apace: tis so with a body politicke, as it takes in Christ and his Word, so is it in a languishing, or a flourishing condition. The civill State, and the Divine, doe as the soule and body sympathize; as the one prospers so doth the other, twas noted a great while agoe worthily by good Mr. Fox, upon the burning of some Christi­ans in Norwich, the same yeere there followed such a fearfull fire, as almost burnt downe the City: where note, saith he, that ac­cording to the state of the Church so is the Common-wealth, in adversity or prosperity: burne Saints, and Christ will burne Cities, Countries, Kingdomes; tis considerable therefore to observe, how we take in or cast out the Word of God. The Word is nigh thee England, tis very nigh thee [tis in thee] as that expression is Deut. 30.14. tis so nigh thee England, that I may goe on to say to thee, as he there doth to Israel, The Word is not in Heaven that thou shouldest say, who shall goe up for us to Heaven, and bring it downe to us, that we may heare it, and doe it: neither is it beyond the Sea, that thou shouldest say, who shall goe over the Sea and bring it to us, that we may heare and doe it; but the Word is very nigh thee, so nigh thee that in a sence it may be said to be in thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, that thou mayst doe it, that is, formally tis in thee, but not really, ministerially, but not magi­sterially, according to naked aspect, not according to energeti­call inspect.

I will open this latter to you. The Word of God gotten in­to the heart magisterially, is the heart strong in love with the Word, in love with the Word because the voyce of Christ, the voyce of a husband; The friend of a Bridegroome which standeth and heareth [him] rejoyceth greatly, because of the [Bridegroomes voice] John 3.19. You may see under what notion Christ and his voice is taken; as he is a Husband, a Bridegroome, and his Word as tis the voice of this Bridegroome. The Word got within [Page 505] the heart, marries the soule to Christ, that is, makes love to Christ above all; and now 'tould heare more words from his mouth, his first words are so sweet; could ever heare his voyce and never be tired; the friend of a Bridegroome [standeth] and heareth him. No posture is painfull, no continuance of time tiresome, that is, not of the Spirit, though possibly it may be of the flesh; twould heare him to day, to morrow, for ever; [rejoyceth great­ly] because of the Bridegroomes voyce, [...] gaudio gaudet, by joying or in joying, he joyeth; he is in good earnest, his joy is a reall joy, a joy that takes the whole heart. The Greeke word also signifies to bid farewell; the Word of Christ got into the heart, the Bridgroomes voyce heard in the soule, makes such a joy and such a delight, that the soule bids farewell to all sinfull mirth, and cals it madnesse; yea, it bids farewell to all other delights comparatively, and cals them vanities, empty things, if not sinfull things, vexing things, and so polluting at second hand, if not downe rightly naught and polluting at first hand, as soone as ever toucht. He that toucheth pitch is defiled with it: some things are so naught as to touch them defiles, to thinke of them, or speake of them: other things may be toucht and hand­led, provided we goe no further, but if hearted; if they come into the soule, they vex or bewitch, and so will not out againe without becomming sinne. The Word of Christ got into the heart, bids farewell to all joyes fading, to all joyes that will bid the soule farewell, that doth not bid them farewell first; it makes a joy transcending other joyes, and so no need of them; and not onely so, but a joy sufficing, such a vast being as the soule of man is: for the soule doth not cast off old delights, upon the meere excellency of some new found out, that some of later invention doth something more content; not upon this ground nakedly and simply doth the soule cast off old sinnes, for there are returnes to the same filth, unto mens old sinnes, and yet go­ing foreward to new too, these two are consistent in a bad state; the heart doth worsten it selfe still as it goes forth to any thing more carnally contenting; and being made worse, twill at last take up its vomit, eate againe an old sinne, by the strength and punishment of a new, and so hold what he hath, and goe backe and sinne over former sinnes againe, with more sensles­nesse, [Page 506] and with more presumption than at first he did commit them: and the reason is, because in old and new delights, he misses still something that he aimed at: but the soule doth cast off former delights utterly, upon such a present excellency of delight and joy as doth suffice and fill up the soule: now the Word of God got into the heart, the voice of the Bridegroom heard in the soule, or with the soule, it makes a full joy, such a joy as beside or beyond which the soule knowes none, nor desires none.John 3.29: This my joy [therefore] is fulfilled, said John: [therefore is fulfilled.] Wherefore? why that as a friend of the Bridegroome, he could stand and heare the voice of the Bride, spi­ritually heare Christ, eare and heart his words, take in, and take downe the drops that fell from his mouth. Though they are but drops that fall from Christs mouth here, in comparison of what falls from his lips above; yet they are so big that they fill the soule, every Grape of this Vine ounce grapes. There is a grape in forraigne parts, which because of the greatnesse of it, is call'd an ounce grape. Every grape of this Vine, to wit Christ, is an ounce grape, every drop from his mouth, an ounce drop, of so much juyce and liquor as fills the soule with joy; and the soule filled once, then it doth indeed bid farewell to all joyes and all delights, parts with all parting things utterly.

If you finde that the Word is of no spirituall force, that it doth not go into your soules, Christ in this case must be move'd. Divine institutions are not necessarily successefull; all meanes are so ordered that the soule in the midst of them should looke up to Christ. The word and Christ, as well as the creatures and Christ, are separable here below; though not above, and joyn'd together by faith and prayer. Many brave things may be spoken to us from the word, but we can receive in none, unlesse we have a higher helpe then the meere Word which we heare▪ There arose a question between Johns Disciples, and the Jewes about purifying; John answered the question briefly and pithily, A man can receive nothing, unlesse it be [given him from heaven] meaning not extraordinary graces and gifts for office, nor or­dinary as a Christian, John 4.27. Receptions and takings in of divine things, these are high things indeed, gifts from hea­ven. We may bring many brave things and lay them at your [Page 507] doore, at your eares; but the taking in of these into your heart, this must be given you from heaven. And blessed him that had the pro­mises, Heb. 7.6. 'tis more for a person to have the promises, then to have meerly the Word preacht to him. Abraham was one that had the promises, and yet he needed a super-benediction, to make all promises blessings to him, something from heaven, to make all the words he heard on earth, heaven to him; how much more need there a blessing from heaven attending men which have not the promise as Abraham had, but onely the Word sounded to them? The spring is in God still, therefore let no man mistake himselfe when he looks upon the Trunke. The Word is but a Pipe, and conveyance of the Spirit: All my strings are in [thee.] To have springs in our soules, to have words turned into works, working words, we must with the Spouse look up to God: Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the com­panions hearken to thy voice [cause me to beare it] Cant. 8.13. 'Tis the complaint of many poore soules, that the Word is of no power in them, that it gets within such and such, and they are melted and delated, and run out in strength of love to Christ: Why tell your sad story to Christ as the Spouse doth, the com­panions hearken to thy voice, cause me to heare it: such and such can eare and heart the Word, cause me to doe so too.

DIscipline is suted to the state of sinners; some are obsti­nate unruly, in thy filthinesse is [lewdnesse] Ezek. 24.13. to such belongs warning, that is, Blaming: Warne the unruly, saith the Apostle. Obstinacy is not a first, but a last growth of sinne, it notes a sinner of so long standing; a senior in sin, one almost ripe for wrath. The Word must be sharpe and keene when hearts are hard, to make their owne way, because the heart will not yeeld and give way. Reprehen­sion is not to goe alone without instruction; whom we warne we are to teach. Men are obstinate, because ignorant; as re­prehension [Page 408] is proper to men as unruly; so is instruction pro­per to them as ignorant: the one doth but lop sinne, the other doth grub it up by the rootes. Christ aimes in the Discipline he uses, at the rooting up of sinne: he hath a double property in his breath, he doth blast, and then blesse; blast by reprehensi­on, and then blesse by instruction, by breathing in right principles.

The nature of a Christians cleansing I am to stand upon. Go­spell-purification is full: Doct. 1 Christ doth [...], expurgare, purge out filth; filth is not detected and then cloakt and hid againe, dust is not swept together, and then laid behinde the doore, but throwne out. The eternall God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting armes, and [he shall thrust out the enemy from be­fore thee, and shall say destroy. Their enemies in Canaan shadow­ed the enemies in our heart, which Christ did not onely detect, but thrust out; he saies to his Spirit and to ours, thrust out sin, purge out therefore the old Leaven, kill and carry out the dead, and 'tis so; Christs words are actions; what he bids, what he commands his Spirit and our spirits to do, they doe; oppositi­on is strong between Christ and Satan, and yet the spirit of Ju­stice guides him in all that he doth to the most unjust and cursed things in the world: Christ doth no other to Satan and sinne, than they would doe to him; they have killed Christ, and thrust him out of the world, out of the great world, and they would doe so also to him in order to the little world. they would kill him and thrust him out of the heart. This, and no lesse, is in the nature of sinne, and without possibility of any thing else; and therefore compared to Thornes, and in a type named children of Belial, seeking to de-throne David: yea to take away the life of David, (i.) Christ, and therefore are but justly served so themselves. But the sons of Belial shall all of them as thornes be thrust away, because they cannot be taken away with hands, 2 Sam. 23.6. Belial signifies perversenesse, sine jugo, non ascendens, things that are without yoak, or things that will not ascend, such things Christ do's make to descend.

Christ doth [...], repurgare, he doth purge out, and then repeat this act for perfection sake. 'Tis in grace as tis in nature: there is in nature an expulsive power, and this can re­peat [Page 509] it selfe till all that offend be throwne out, and nature ful­ly quiet and at rest. Grace can doe thus, it hath an expulsive power to throw out sinne, and it can repeat this act, till all be throwne out, and Christ quiet and at rest in the soule;Veestroph. there­fore is Gospell cleansing called repurgation, Esay 1.25. I will turne my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy filth. The word is repurgabo, I will purge and purge againe, till I have taken away all filth, and made all pure, and therefore transla­ted purely purging: I will warne and warne againe, warne and teach, line upon line, precept upon precept, till all bee out that Christ dislikes, and all in that Christ loves, till dark­nesse be quite dispelled, and the sonne of righteousnesse risen. Righteousnesse for the nature of it, is as the Sun, pure, and ma­king the minde and the soule so; and therefore doth the Apostle Peter use this phrase, to stirre up your pure mindes, [...], 2 Pet. 3.1. mindes as pure as the Sunne, so the word signifies, which is by much purging: the widdowes childe that was brought to life neses seven times: and Naaman the Leper, he washt him seven times, and their legall sprinklings were seven times, all pointing at this, that grace in its course, doth double it selfe; warne and teach, make cleane and perfect work.

Christ doth purifie to and for himselfe, this necessitates full purification; when he takes any soule to refine, the patterne to which he workes is himselfe. Warning will not doe it, to make us like such a patterne; there must bee warning and tea­ching; a throwing out of filth, and a bringing in of grace; single action will not make the soule like Christ. The force of reprehension drives onely at negative grace; warning catries the strength of prohibition, forbids some evill; when this is laid downe, I am not like Christ; hee was not onely negatively good, but positively; he had no guile in his mouth to be war­ned of; but this was not all; to say that his lips were not foule, or were not sore, will not expresse their glory; they were as a thred of Scarlet, as the expression in the Canticles is, they had a positive glory and beauty, Grace was powred into his lips, Psal. 45.2. And therefore not only warning but teaching also is neces­sary, to sute our state to his, to make us like him: some acts to cast out, and others to bring in; we are cloathed with [change of [Page 510] raiment; 'tis a brave expression, Zach. 3.4. Iniquity is made to passe away, and then something is brought in the stead of it: and unto him he said, behold, I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee, and I will cloath thee with [change of raiment. Warning and Teaching are change of raiment, they speak the comple­ment of a Christian, full purity, sinne removed and grace in the place of it, and this necessary, because wee are shapt to such a patterne, to wit, Christ; Wee are renewed in knowledge, af­ter the image of him that created us. Col. 3.10. The mould accor­ding to which things are made spiritually new, is the exactest of all. Christs owne image was the patterne in the first creation, and this is the patterne in the second creation; if 'twere any pat­terne else, our purity might abate of fulnesse, and yet answer the authors intention. Christ doth purifie to and for himself; but this later I will not touch.

Ʋse. Saints are sad sinne is so lively; deformity seen is humbling; and this is good: 'tis also dejecting in some soules, and this is bad. I am so filthy I shall never be made cleane; so black, so ug­ly, that God will not know me; God knows who are his, when they themselves do not. Corruption in us destroyes not know­ledge nor love in God; he knows and bosomes a Lazarus, a man regarded of none, so diseased as curable by none, & yet hath both from Christ, favour & cure. Christ can love where none else can; heal, where none else can nor will. Power nor wil are not dispro­portionable in Christ, though ought so in us, in order to ma­ny particulars; let one lead, t'other followes alwayes. Hath grace begun with thee? 'twill finish; the love of God in order to such an end, hath the power of God wrapt up in it to accom­plish it; the word of grace, or the word making grace, is the power of God, till grace be perfected, 'tis the power of God to salvation; as the least seed by divine concurrence hath a vertue in it that will carry it on to maturity. Mourning hearts, think of the nature of Gospel-purification; 'tis full, but know how 'tis carried on to this fulnesse, by multiplication of acts, warning and teaching, and this multiplication continued; warning and teaching, Participles of the present tense, which note continued acts: there is purgatio, and repurgatio, a course of Physick, pur­ging and purging againe, things are not refined presently; fire [Page 511] must rise to such a strength, and then continue such a length, and this exactnesse of order, to prevent miscarriage, that the pre­cious metall desired may be fully attained, and not done to burn and consume it. Is thy soule long a cleansing? call it mercy, not misery; God tenders thy frailty, and the preciousnesse of the mettle, he is drawing out of the Ore; he would lose neither thy person, nor his work; the refining fire is as hot as thou canst beare it; thy purges are as strong, and as oft repeated as thy strength will endure, unlesse he should purge away life and all.

This you may be assured, that how filthy soever you are, your purification shall be full, the unction shall bee as the con­veighance through which its made, your spirits shall be as the Word of God that cleanseth it; and what purer thing than the Word of God? You shall be cleane through the Word, and cleane as the Word, pure as he is pure; this is bravely set out in a Metaphor of gold by the Prophet Zachary, the Pipe gold, and the Oile con­veighed in it gold too. What be these two Olive branches, which through the two golden Pipes, empty the golden oyle out of themselves? Zach. 4.12. Golden Pipes, and these have golden oyle out of them­selves: that which Christ doth give out of himselfe, out of his Word, and out of his Spirit, 'tis as himselfe, as pure, and as glo­rious in the nature of it, and at last in the degree of it, accor­ding to externall view, so as that the one is called by all that look upon it gold, pure and glorious, so shall the other.

2 This you may be further assured, that this shall be done freely; the utmost benefit, & not the least cost; look to the wounded man saith Christ, let all his wounds have Wine and Oyle, warning and [...]eaching, cleansing and healing, and I will pay all Josiah's filthy gar­ments are taken away from him by another, he is not at cost, no nor at paines to doe it himselfe; he gives nothing nor doth nothing. Our doing in our cleansing is defiling: if there do any thing appear in us tending to put away our filth, 'tis not of us, 'tis not we, but Christ in us that doth it; he is all in all, as well as all for all. He bids this and that be done, and 'tis so, his words wash us. Take away the filthy garments from him, set a faire Mitre on his head, Zach. 3. Christ lays out all, and demands nothing, which is admirable. Behold; I have refined thee, but not for silver, Esay 48.10. I chose thee in the furnace of affliction, &c. If one referre [Page 512] this Text to Egypt or to Babylon, 'tis of much life. When I did good to you in Egypt and owned you, it could not be for gaine and wealth, for yee had none, 'twas a furnace of affliction, a state of oppression and bondage; for my owne sake I saved you there, and so I will in Babylon; and so he doth every sinner: that Christ doth good to any sinner, purifie, cleanse, and cloath him, can­not be for any thing in him; because he chuseth us, as the Text saith, in a Furnace of affliction, in a stript condition, in a state of captivity. Captives have not store of treasure to ransome themselves: this well deserves a note of admiration in the front, Behold I have refined thee, but not for silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Finally, this may be assured thee, that Christ will compleat thy purification speedily, take speed as the Gospell doth. The heart is deep, nothing in the world like it; things of depth are not emptied nor filled presently, as men call presently, but allow Christ the liberty of his own Idiome and dialect in speaking, and so he is not slack, nor long a consummating the acts of mercy, no he is not long in consummating the acts of Justice, though he be longer ere he accomplish this then that a great deale. The Lord is not slack as men call slacknesse, saith Peter; and yet hee speaks there about wrath, consuming wrath; and yet he goes a great deale slower about this, being as I may say unnaturall to him, then about kindnes and mercy, being things in which he delights. If God be not slack as men count slacknesse, in consumamting ju­stice upon wicked men, surely he is not slack, as you poor sinners count slacknesse, in consummating grace and mercy: impatient Creatures think a little time a great while; unbeleeving Saints do this, as well as unbeleeving sinners. Doe but allow God so much time in order to all thine enemies internall, as Jerome of Prague did, in order to all his enemies externall, and I will assure thee in such a compasse of time thou shalt triumph over them all, & cito vos omnes, vt respondeatis mihi post centum annos, &c. thy stron­gest enemy cannot live above an hundred yeares: once in a hun­dred yeare, men, devils, sins, vos omnes, as he speaks, they shall all answer to you, for all the in [...]ury they have done to you, you shall judge and burne them which have burnt you so long.

VVHat these expressions as conjoyned with the foregoing import, and then the termes of it in themselves, may both worthily fall under consideration; that which they import as conjoyn'd with the former, is, that the heart of man is very hardly throughly wrought upon; all variety of action, warning teaching; all duration of action, warning, teaching, termes Par­ticiply exprest, to note the continuation of those acts; all art, skill, and exactnesse of action; wisedome, all wisdome; all these used to reach the heart throughly, and to bring a sinner home to Christ. The soule of man is with much difficulty, throughly brought home to Christ.

Doct. There be many devises in the heart of man as Solomon speakes,1 which make this that I say; I will note some of them. Every thing hath its defence, the heart hath many and all usefull by which it beares off the power of Divine things from seasing and taking hold of it; the heart will carpe and catch at the Ministery of the Word, this is one device by which the power of truth is destroyed; the dish that holds the meat is not turn'd well, and therefore the meate in it overturnd: the braine crackt, the minde triffles out it selfe; 'tas no power to pitch and fix upon things of weight, this habit lost, toyes and trifles only sute and take up the heart; divine ordinance toyed with, their heart is pluckt out, that which hath no heart, cannot go to the heart: if a sinner by any art, and craft, can pull out the heart of an Or­dinance, he will abide (there is no doubt) unstir'd in his sinne. There is a spirituall frensy, and madnesse is not easily cure'd; the old man sits at Table and playes with his fingers, hee can scarce see what meat is before him, and yet every dish is out of order; one speakes too quick, another too slow, one too plaine, an nother too darke: the stomack is poysoned, a worme is under the tongue, the eare itches, therefore every thing preached is beside [Page 514] the Text; no word [...] bene significans the soule doth haerere in cortice choke it selfe with a shell: teares Sermons into par­ticular sentences; sentences, into words; words, into sylables; sylables into Letters; strips expression starke naked from matter, and then hunts a shadow to hell; this expression is used, Mark. 12.13. they sent to Christ certaine of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch him in his words [...], to hunt him his words so the word signifies; that soule that hunts Christ and his Ministers in their words, is hunted by the divill from the matter: a criticall spirit hath as many dores to run away from Christ, and the power of truth, as there be words in the Greek Lexicon.

2 This brings mee to speake of another device of the heart, the old man can evade; he can catch others very nimbly and get loose himselfe as nimbly. The Serpent that dealt with Eve, could turne in and out, bend to and againe, wrigle every way at plea­sure; that Serpent is in our bosome: it was an emblem of our heart which will turne twenty wayes, to evade the power of truth; that which hath such a property to bend every way, is not easily broken; things that will bend double, will wave double and treble force ere they will breake. The art of evasion that the heart hath to put by the sword of the spirit, and to save the life of sinne, is of great compasse and depth, and runs it selfe into many branches, which I cannot run after now: summarily see a little of this art shadowed by the carriage of Saul, 1 Sam. 19.16. Saul had heard that David was at his house, and sent him to kill him there, and Michal let him downe at a window, and laid an image in the bed, and told the messengers that came to search, that David was sick, and thus turned the messengers a­way: and then they were sent againe to fetch David in his bed, that Saul might kill him in his bed: and by this time David was gone far enough, and nothing but the image could be seised on, which would endure wounds enough; and then Saul said to Mi­chal, why hast thou deceived mee so and sent away mine ememy? so when the life of sin is sought for by the word, sinners can lay an image in the bed, twenty excuses and pretences to conveigh the sinnes which they love out of sight, and so save the life of Christs enemy. How pleasing soever sinne be to affection, 'tis ugly to conscience, because condemnd by Christ; man can baffle [Page 515] one and mock the other. We reade of mockers of God, and they are such as baffle conscience with an image, so double and in­volve their motion before the pursuit of truth, likes a Hare before Hounds, deceiving and being deceived; deceiving (i) the force of truth is broken by wile; deceived, this the author to the Hebrewes explaines, the heart is hardened by this practice; least any be hard­ned by the deceitfulnesse of sinne; the heart hardned, is not easily wrought upon, 'tis the worst stone that any Artist can meddle with.

3 As the old man can delude, so hee can collude; as one faculty can and oft doth betray another, so all faculties joyntly com­bine to plead an ill cause: the old man can bribe every office in the soule, understanding, will, conscience too, as stout and as stiffe as this Officer seemes to be above the rest; conscience in­deed is the longest stander out for God, yet at last may be and often is silenced, yea, seared, and then its not onely passive in sinne, but joyntly active with other depraved and corrupted fa­culties. Conscience seard, the man is become a devill; to con­vert a devill is difficult indeed. Conscience seared, darkenesse now is great, and the sinner desperate; the light that was in the man, is beeome darknesse (i) put out; the truth that was taken into judgement, into affection, and according to some degree approved, is now disapproved; what was approbated is now reprobated; generally so; all powers transported into malice, and speaking joyntly like that rabble, crucify him, let the cleane spirit be not onely prisoned and tortured by violent action, but quite outed, and seven uncleane spirits come in the stead, that is, a perfection of evill. Conscience once feard, the sinner is as I may say a perfect sinner. As there is a perfection in good, per­fect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, and exhorted to in this life, which notes a degree of attainablenesse here: so there is a per­fection in evill, a child of the divill perfect, as his hellish Father is perfect; now wee know he is according to all powers against Christ and truth; understanding, will, conscience, a Creature transported, transformed into malice, one without all re­morse or reluctancy in pursuit of the greatest wickednesse. All fa­culties do lie one to another mutually [...] recriprocally as that expression is, and so conscience confirming, and making restipu­lation to all.

[Page 516]The soule is with much difficulty indeed brought home to Christ, tis a great deale of pitty; there is facillity enough in the soule otherwise, it will take in falshood presently, easily; in a moment is the soule a convert to sinne, to the fowlest sinne; Sa­tans births are quick; he shewed Christ all the Kingdomes in the World in a moment, saith the Text, Luk. 4.5. intimating how his children grow very big in a moment; the wise man speakes to this likewise, that their feet run to evill] and make hast to shed bloud, Prov. 1.16. evill is terminus inde terminatus, its applicable to to any sinne; the soule is facile to any thing that is naught: blood, is a terme that specificates, points out the foulest, the horridst child of hell. Man is easily brought to draw weapons of wick­ednesse, and stab the body, yea, stab the soule of an other, to wash his hands in the heart blood of another, and sport himselfe therein. Nature is a greater advantage then education, in any thing: Christ carries it by principles, Satan by constitution. En­gines are needlesse, paines needlesse, there is a current hellward. The soule is of great price, but not esteem'd so by it selfe; a man will sell his soule for a lie, and yet make the bargaine quickly. Satan loves a quick change, his commodities are deceitfull, and off best least considered, and therefore you have him shewing Christ all the Kingdomes of the world in a moment, saith the Text Luke 4.5. as Satan loves quicke action, so doth the deluded soule: for hee is, whilest deluded, upon Satans wings; the soule in temptation is lighter then vanity; what should poyse, to wit, judgement, is destroy'd by will and impure affections: tis in a gawdy chariot of Satans that takes, and he may run with it any whither with one horse with ease.

Ʋse. Sinners, we are upon things of great weight: consider well to what are you facile, to sin or to Christ? what you are most inclin­able to has your heart: if that be sinne, you are dead men: there are variety of temptations, the soule may pick and chuse, but what he chuseth is destructive; will is in the fact, and such crimes cut off without remedy, for Christ is deliberately refused: in choyce there is debate, two objects are in view at once, and in com­petition with affection: if the worst carry it by suffrage, Christ is cast and given up to be crucifyed, which is very bloudy action. The rejection of Christ is simul tempore, together in time, with [Page 517] the election of sinne. Sinne is ugly at first like an Harlot, but by society and frequenting, besots, and infatuates, and is more facily drawing then the mans owne wife, although far more beauti­full: facility to sinne, speakes the wards of conscience broken, the lock of the Cabinet spoyled, all the Jewells of the soule lying common gifts and abilities the servants of sin at pleasure, the heart past feeling, a beaten highway to hell.

The soule is of great price; Christ makes this estimate from being, we are to make it from property: who and how doth the soule love, such is the lovelinesse of it. The heart of the wicked is nothing worth saith Solomon, Prov. 10.20. Aversnesse to Christ is any mans wickednesse, if the action be the action of the greatest person in the World, 'tis his wickednesse; persons are not res­pected with God; actions are impartially lookt upon above, though not below, they are weighed in a ballance as Job speakes; nothing scand with more exactnesse then this, how much of Christ is in this man and his course: if this were but received, the soules of some of you which heare me this day, would bleed within you; Oh what will become of you wanton Londoners, which have so much of Christ before you, and so little of Christ within you, who are quickly any thing but understandingly and sincerely nothing? a Harlot is quickly gained, there needs not much wooing about her; light soules make heavy judge­ments: your spirituall crummes would be feasts abroad; you have no minde to that food which thousands as precious with the Lord Jesus as you, would blesse God highly for: your sinne makes many miserable, but your selves most, though yet you feele it not: surely Justice hath espyed us all carnall, for Paul, Apollo, for Cephas, for this thing for that, for nothing cordially but our lust.

Sinners, can you consider your selves? can you consider this time? you of this place? your advantages are great, do you know them? it will not be long ere our glasse be out, ere we meete be­fore Christ; the Sword of Justice is at all our breasts, all that you have heard will be repeated, all that you have rejected will be chronicled with the bloud of your soules, to beare witnesse against you, as long as Christ and your soules are. Opportunity is more then eternity: 'tas not so much time in it, but 'tas more [Page 518] advantage; you shall answer for all advantages, which are the waightiest things in the world; facility to Christ is now doubly needfull, soule hardning blowes are strucke apace, the Ax is to the root, hypocrites are not so borne with now as formerly, but ript up and carried forth from the sincere, like Judas, and A­nanias and Saphira; our misery is mercy in this: sinkes are loath­some; yet tis well that Christ so workes, that basenesse cannot hide it selfe: Drunken soules, and drunken bodies; pride, co­vetousnesse, malice, blasphemy, all sorts of sinnes that lay hid a great while, now shew themselves in their colours; speedy action and through action is now expected, upon paine of speedy and through detection and rejection.

THis terme perfection is not found in some Greeke copies, but read onely thus, That we may present every man [in Christ. Tis a reading very honourable, compa­red with other copies, for it intimates that to be pre­sented at the great day in Christ, is all. You may call such a soule what you will that is Noble, holy, unblameable, unre­proveable in Gods sight; as this terme perfect is interpreted, at the 22 verse of this Chapter; or, if there be any tearme amongst us more significative, you may use it and apply it, to him that is set downe before God in Christ; you may call him eximium ad­ultum, a man come to full age, a man singular, chosen out from among thousands by royall favour, such a one in whom the eye of God can see nothing amisse, no defect, no excesse, no presence of sinne, no absence of grace; a man come to his journeys end; all this the originall word will beare. As soone as one comes into Christ, then a mans journey as a Christian begins; the soule that is thus come into the Arke, when the Arke leaves floating and tossing the soule, and lands it selfe and its fraught upon the mountaine, in that place above, where God, Angels, and [Page 519] just men made perfect are, then tis come to its journeys end, then is man a perfect man.

1 All our perfection is in Christ. Perfection is of things above or below; both are in Christ. There is a creation here, which gives all parts of a perfect creature, and therefore cald perfect; new; all new. Old things are past away, and all things are become new, but this is not till the soule be in Christ. He that is in Christ, is a new creature. A man whilst in himselfe, whatever parts he hath, or advantage of externall tuition, he is an old crea­ture, that is, adhering to, and led by that which God of old condemned in the Angels and in Adam, private will, selfe will and worth, which is the originall of all evill within and with­out. A man in Christ, that is, a man in the grace and strength of Christ, renounceth this, to wit himselfe, his owne will, which is the seat and spring of all carnall lusts, and in no other strength whatsoever can he doe it; My grace is sufficient. The old man is bed-ridden, never goes out of his chamber, never out of himselfe, what ever brave things you discerne him doe or say; nor can. Perfection here is the through death of selfe, [I] am crucified. Crucifixion speakes many deaths; head, hands, feet, sides, brest, all wounded, nailed; it notes much paine, but through worke; all powers and parts of selfe, tortured, crying out eloy, much anguish and great earth-quakes; but selfe at last, quite giving up the ghost, [I] am crucified, the heart blood of all, that may speake me, in any thing that is good, is out; and this through death of selfe is wrought with no other engine but Christ; that with which selfe is crucified, is with Christ, I am crucified [with Christ.] This is the stone that slaies Goliah, that sinkes into the braine of the Gyant. Our being in Christ is the death of sinne, and the life of grace; as Jonas being in the Whale was the death of his pride; this makes personall action truly pure, that is of such rise, and of such reach as fully suits the Gospell, and without which none can be or act. The A­postle gives this bound to sanctity, if any be sanctified here, tis in Christ, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, 1 Cor. 1.2.

2 Sanctification, and glorification is in Christ. There is a fulnesse here, and a fulnesse hereafter; a perfection of quantity, and a perfection of quality: a perfection of quantity is that which [Page 520] Divines call a perfection of parts, as a child hath every finger and every toe, every limbe of a man, though these not growne to a mans maturity. Then there is also perfection of quality, which Divines call a perfection of degrees, when all parts and gifts are throughly come to maturity; the eye so strong, and so cleare as able to behold all things that are in God to blesse the soule; and so the eare hearing all things, the tongue tasting all things, the hand feeling all things, that are in and from that bles­sed being, to make the being of the soule like it: all this perfection is in Christ, and this by the pleasure of God. It pleased the Father that in him should [all fulnesse] dwell; grace, glory. Whatsoever God gives forth here, whatsoever he gives forth above, Christ is the continent in which tis laid With thee is the fountaine of life, and in thy light shall we see light, Psal. 36.9. There are streames and broad rivers which runne to soules here; the fountaine of these is with him; that is, the whole that God is to man in this world, or will be to man in the world to come, which is explained in that which followes, with thee is the fountaine of life, meaning Christ, in thy light we shall see light. In Christ wee have all the blessednesse that God gives in this world, and in him we shall see, that is actually possesse, all that God gives above. Therefore tis that David saith, All my springs are in thee, those that runne above; and therefore also are the rivers of pleasure there said to be at Gods right hand, the place where Christ sits. In Christ wee stand and see God here in every thing; in Christ we shall stand and see God above face to face, that which we cannot doe here and live, no nor there out of Christ; in his light we shall be able to master that great object, in his light we shall be able to see that great light, that dazles all the creation to behold, and then hath the soule all that ever it is to have; all that ever it desires to have. With respect to this wide scope I am upon, and af­firming concerning Christ, is Christ cald the heire of all things, Heb. 1.2. Earth, Heaven, grace, and glory. The Apostle is yet more expressely particular in this thing, and saith, that we are glorified in him. That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ might he glorified in you, and [ye in him] according to the grace of our God, 2 Thes. 1.12. In him we are heires, and in him we are actuall in­heritors.

[Page 521]Perfection is hotly pursued by all, to wit, a compleate state, though what it is and in whom, be mistaken almost by all. The soule of man is the greatest traveller that you have read off; if its travells could be written out, or if any volumne would containe them, you would say so: as full of motion as there be objects in the world and minutes in the day and in the night, to finde out one fully to blesse it selfe in, and rest, but cannot, because Christ is overlookt, and therefore dies in travell. Prudence will speak much of this in many experienced persons, yet Christ never the more regarded nor sought after; this is sad. Every cisterne is broken, every vessell full of leakes, saith the sinner, and yet he is found still stopping up these leakes, and going out againe to Sea, venturing Life, Soule, Heaven, all that ever is, in these broken bottomes: I tremble at no state but this. Conviction abused, conversion is farther off the man, then from him that is a simple sinner, that tasts no bitter in any dish at the Divils table. Folly found out, and yet made further triall of, the man will not, he cannot escape punishment; if the foole go on, hee will be punished. First-folly is pittied and discovered, that is, simple simplicity, simple sinning as one would say, when a man doth thus and thus for want of knowledge: but when the foole is found out, and yet will on, he will now die in his folly. Con­viction is sanctified, when experienced emptinesse of the crea­ture, makes the soule looke out where indeed fulnesse is; when the Canticles follow next after Ecclesiastes, when the soule with Solomon, having found and confest the vanity of the creature, falls a breathing and a panting after Christ.

Balaam was convinced: stopt with a drawne sword from Hea­ven, and yet would on, the Asse could not go, and yet Balaam would. God Iames and slayes things under us, that we ride with our affections like mad men, and yet we have no mind to alight and come off them: things we dote upon, God by some stroak or other upon them, makes them speake in our conscience like that Asse to Balaam, why wilt thou on O my soule any further this way? death is before thee, the sword of Gods displeasure is drawne, and at thy breast because of this wicked motion: stop sinner now, stop now, cast thy eye an other way towards Christ, and see what is in him, taste how good and gracious he [Page 422] is; no I will not, I will have the tother bout, I will spurr a lit­tle farther, and see to the utmost, if I can curse Jsrael and get that great pay proferd. There is a perfection of misery, as well as of felicity, and this forementioned is it, when a sinner will pur­sue his sinne to the utmost, go to the end of long suffering, then wrath comes inevitably upon him, and to the utmost: when the man say's that his sinne shall out-live every object, ere it shall cease, and rides every horse to death, to fetch and find out plea­sures to keepe his lust alive, then God say's that this lust shall out-live the man too, and then it out-lives all indeed, when the soule is rid to death. As there is a never pardoning of sinne till the soule die, so there is a never subduing of sinne (for these are necessarily subordinate) till the soule die never a taking off the love of sinne from the soule, till the soule grow sicke and die in love.

All perfection being in Christ, tis well onward toward all that neede it, such as are in distresse for grace, or glory, should so account and be incouraged. Sinne is a very burdensome thing, when God opens the eyes: the aggravations and multiplications of this by conscience, over-beare the soule much. When Christ puts not in, how shall I withstand so many enemies, get off so much pollution; what shall I do for this, what shall I do for that saith the soule. Why think on this, all perfection is in Christ, and because in him it lies ready for thee. Every good and perfect gift, as the Apostle James speakes: thou needest dispensations which have a perfection of goodnesse in them; Christ hath every good and perfect thing in him, and because he hath them; they are all ready to be bestowed on thee, to be bestowed for nothing: every perfect good he hath is a perfect gift, and comes downe saith the Text when the soule doth not fetch it. Thou hast many imperfections, and Christ hath many perfections, and thou canst do nothing to get these; not one of these: if thou couldest doe any thing, they would not come this way, for they are al gifts, perfect gifts, and come downe upon us, and are not puld downe, as the next verse doth there interpret, of his [owne will] hee begat us. As Christ doth begin, so he doth finish all of his owne-will. Christ is given, which is, summum or perfectum car­dinale, and then every good and perfect thing in him must [Page 523] needs be so too, gifts, and given freely with him as the Apostle speakes. Having given us Christ, hee will with him freely give us all things, Rom. 6.32. 'tis not an easy thing to bring the soule to belive every perfect good, to be a perfect gift, to be as perfectly a gift, as 'tis perfectly good. There is an order in grace, but no merit; first this thing is done, then that, but all freely; through this medium and through that, as a Pipe, through Preaching and through Praying, and through Hearing, but not for any of these: And therefore when a soule objects this, and objects that, he cannot doe this, nor he cannot do that; I will answer as many objections of this kind, as any one can possibly make; in one word; what ever you need, is a perfect gift, I cannot be­lieve, nor do no thing to make saith, yet there is no cause of dejection; faith is a perfect gift, more perfectly a gift, then in the formality of the thing perfect: so may it be said of all other things, that the soule complaines on; grace hath no merit, but order, which is this, when Christ would perfect a soule in him­selfe, he turnes a man off, and out of himselfe; out of crea­tures of Gods making, and out of creatures of the mans owne making, out of his prayers and all his duties; and this he doth sometime, by letting the man fall into sin, when proud of any parts or workes; and sometimes in a more mild sweet way, where nature is more meek and sweet; and then when the soule is turn'd off, and turnd out of all, he that is indeed all, presents himselfe to him, and woes and wins the soule; I will be a husband to thee, saith Christ, friends, riches, honours, whatsoever can be desired to make one blessed; the great world is han'gd upon nothing so is the little world, to wit, a Christian, brought first to be nothing: in understanding but a brute; nothing in action but worse then a brute, a devill, very poore, very poore in spirit, and then blest with a Kingdom; and now the soule that was nothing nor could do nothing for Christ or against sin, can do all; having regnum he hath proprium regni; having a Kingdome, he hath the proprium of that Kingdome, which is dominion over all; hee that is made a King and hath a Kingdom, doth not rule in this Town only or that Town, but over all parts in the Kingdom; and this order Christ will move in towards you that desire it; for this Kingdom and all belonging to it, is a perfect gift.

TO take soules from off themselves, and to set them downe in Christ, beares much by divine Ordinance upon our calling, and makes our worke very hard, which is noted in this terme, labour, [...], the word signifies such actions and industrie as faints, wastes, and weares out all; such a labour as Solomon speaks of, Eccles. 10.15. The labour of the foo­lish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to goe to the City. This Emphasis of the word is held forth to the Thes­salonians, to worke them to a reverend esteem of their teachers. We beseech you brethren to know them which [labour] among you, and are over you in the Lord, [...], which spend and waste themselves amongst you, to take you off from sinne, and selfe, and to set you downe in Christ, in whom onely soules are fully and per­fectly blessed. We are as Jonathans armour-bearer; whither so ever our Master goes, we are to goe after him, though we creep upon all foure. Your life is our death, your fatning is our leaning; your Raven-black haires, are our milke white. We are [...], 1 Tim. 3.2. Such as wax white with painfulnesse and watchfulnesse; reading, praing, sighing, mourning, and groaning for your good.

Coaction with Christ is no idle imployment; he doth not at­tempt small things, neither is he of small strength to keep pace with such weak agents as we are: 'tis hard work to draw in yoke with one that is double and treble in strength above me. We are [...], workers together with Christ, he attempts the grea­test things that are, and the most desperate; the taking of holds, strong holds, Canaanites, Hittites, &c. which dwell in Towns which are walled up to heaven, and founded downe to hell: he attempts the bloud and death of all, the conquest of this whole world; the generall making such desperate attempts, and taking onely Rams-hornes, a sling and a stone, such a fraile party as [Page 525] we are, you may easily think our work to be desperate, full of paine and perill: Had man been set to fight with man, one man with one man, that had been painfull worke; but man is drawn out to fight with beasts, the fiercest beasts; with Lions, Beares, Wolves, Serpents, Scorpions, yea, with devills; there was never such a fight in the grand Circue at Rome. We wrestle with such creatures as have no hold-fast to be taken of them, which have no armes, no legs, no flesh, nor bones; we wrestle not against flesh and bloud, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darknesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesses in high places, Ephes. 6.12. We are drawne out to fight upon all the disadvantage in the world, against creatures that are upon higher ground, that have pitched field in high places, that have no flesh to be wounded, nor bloud to lose, that can make ambushments at pleasure, being the rulers of the darknesse of this world; this is the Rhetorick of the Apostle.

We are Stewards of mysteries: sentence is past upon us to dye ac­cording to the Law which we have broken; onely we have the benefit of our book; but this book is written as books of such nature usually are, very mysteriously, with an old strange Cha­racter; our worke is to stand by and prompt soules concerning their neck verse, which is very painfull and trembling worke: the book in which sinners are to read for their life, is written with bloud, which is very inward and ominous inke. The Cha­racters and Syllables sutable, when put together into words, these words are spirit; The words I speake, saith Christ, are spirit. What is a more inward and hidden thing then this? and yet this are we to interpret; our worke is to be an interpreter betweene two of very remote parts, that live as farre asunder as heaven and earth, as heaven and hell, I might say; between Spirits, the spirit of God and the spirit of man; one whereof 'tis more pro­per to say, is in hell whilst out of heaven, then in any middle place between. Transactions between God and the soule, are the deepest, the weightiest, the intricat'st things in the world. A sinner is convicted, sentenced, carried to the place of exe­cution; his winding sheet wrapt about his shoulders, his hand­kerchiffe tyed before his eyes, his halter about his neck, his sen­tence written upon his forehead, in this shalt thou hang till thou [Page 526] bee dead; and yet possibly no internall intention concur­ring, or meaning the bloud of the soule: Divining in this case at the foot of the Ladder, what will become of him that is on the top on't sitting trembling; whether he will be turned off, or fetcht downe with a pardon, is extraordinary hard work to de­termine, and yet beares not upon any extraordinary office; no Angel is dispatcht from heaven, to be an oracle in this difficult case, but it lyes upon our shoulders by ordinance. The Priests lips are to preserve knowledge. If there be any divining in this ex­traordinary worke, tis not by extraordinary, but ordinary of­fice; there is not one from the dead to tell who shall dye next; no one sent from hell, to tell who is to come next thither. Things belonging both to the death and life of the soule, are made mani­fest by our ministration, by our labour; wee are the Heralds of Heaven, the Trumpet of God, in which he sounds Retreat and March, fight and victory, funerall and triumph; we are to sound sad and dolefull, sweet and joyfull; to tell who are slaine and who saved: our Travells are to all remote parts that are, into Heaven, into hell, into the heart of man where these two meet, to search the book of life, and the book of death, to finde whose names are written in the one, and to informe the persons. Paul could tell Clement and others, that their names were writ­ten in the book of life, Phil. 4.3. And whose names are written in the other, to wit, the book of death; and to informe likewise the persons. Jude could tell who were of old ordained to condemnation; we are to seek creatures lost in hel, which is hard work to finde, to search out things hidden in God, from ages and generations, which is harder worke.

Ʋse. The soule of man certainly is very precious to Christ, he sits up with it late, watches with it very long, burnes out many watch-lights to save it if possibly from dying eternally. Estima­tion is to be made of things, according to cost about it, pro­vided that the layer out bee prudent. When you let houses or lands, this comes in as a consideration, to heighten rent, what you are out in purchase, and repaire. Christ cannot be taxt for imprudence or improvidence, and yet he is at more cost and paines about the soule, then about any thing; not onely here and there a man is pickt out, to minister to the soule, but all [Page 527] the creatures in the world, are severally gifted, vertued, decked, and adorned, to minister to, and worke upon the soule: the words and works of God have all a harmony in this, they all therefore are and abide, which otherwise should all passe away, were it not to take and gaine the soule: there is a juice and Ver­dure, a spirit in every living creature, to incline it to serve man, and so to by as his soule to God. The multitude of prea­chers to the soul of man is great; some he had at the third hour, some at the sixth, some at the ninth; God and the Creation were preaching to man from the beginning; all creatures brought their full goodnesse to mans full view and use, to keep him fully good, but could not: he fell asleep in the fore-noon, in the mor­ning, when the primest and sweetest sermons were made, that ever the eares of man heard, and dyed in his sleep. Wee that come in labourers at the latter part of the day, we preach to the dead; our worke is to fetch the dead to life againe, to raise Lazars out of their grave, that have lain there long and stink; and yet how unsavory soever, how impossible soever our worke is, and seemes to be, we must upon the perill of the bloud of our own soules discharge it: our labour is spending and ending; we like Rachel dye in travell to bring forth sonnes and daughters to Christ: and yet woe to us, we shall dye twice, if wee hold not on this labour, and this travell. Certainly Christ hath put an high price on poore soules.

I am sadded to thinke how mis-judging some persons are of Christ and their soules: Doth Christ milke out his breast to ba­stards? such as are base borne, and no sonnes? Can he summe up nought, nought? many noughts to a great summe, and to a great price? A naughty tongue, a naughty hand, a naughty heart, a naughty conscience; all these naughty parts to a preci­ous whole? I answer, Christ doth prize naked beings, the soule according to its esse, though it hath never a good quality in it. What shall a man give in exchange for his soule? high price is put here upon the soule simply as it is such a transcendent being, beyond others: then againe Christ sets a price upon things according to what he can work them too; he can lay out cost and paines, mans meate, horse meat, seed and grain, of this kinde, and that; and plow in hope. Persons of art and skill put a [Page 528] price upon this and that grasse, which others tread under foote as weeds and nothing worth, because by such and such decoctions they know what precious things to bring them to. Nero put great price upon Thapsis a gigantine, Fennell; his great men about him wondred to see him send so farre for it, and put such esteeme upon it; but hee did so because he knew how to order it with Frankincense and other things, to take away the bruises of his body. God hath Frankincense by him, to wit, Christ; and though wee be but as Fennell a weede little worth, yet hee can tell how to order us, and shape us, so as to bring us to great maturity and price; and according to this, to wit, what he can do with soules, doth he put price upon them, though at present of little worth: and therefore let empty creatures judge righteous­ly concerning Christ and their soules. Would Christ be at paines and at cost to lay pipes to the cisterne, if he did not meane to fill it?

Be just in opinion concerning Christ, and mercifull in practice concerning us, and this is the last thing I have to say upon the point. Our calling is full of wasting labour, very painefull; easen it to us by your plyablenesse to Christ. Sinners are full of sores, putrified from head to foot, and yet will not be lanced nor drest; this is the killing paine of all our paynes, that all we do is rejected: Ministers would not be gray headed so soone, nor die so fast, notwithstanding their great labour, if it were but successefull; but this cuts to the heart, and makes us bleed in secret, that though we do much, it comes to nothing. I am pla­ced in an Hospitall, where there are so many score Diseased creatures, that 'twould pity any ones heart to looke upon them, and yet when I come to dresse them, they all curse mee in their heart; and one hides his wounds from mee, an other sees and sweares he is as well as I, in as good a condition as his Minister, and yet lookes as pale as Death: as black in the mouth, and in the eyes as if he were in Hell already; an other tumbles in blood and filth, and sayth, this is his Scarlet-shute, hee hath no other habit to go brave and gallant in: if he should not do so and so, he should die in the neast, and wishes those hang'd that contradict and trouble him: there is so many filthy breaths and dampes in the places where wee worke, these are the things that kill us [Page 529] more then our meere paine; there is so much conjuring in the spittle where we are placed, and so many eyes stare and looke so fiery and gastly, so many devils walking among the Tombes and Graves, where we are labouring to rowle away stones that lie at the mouthes of them. These are they that teare our Lungs, consume our Spirits. Our worke dies, therefore we die, not so much that we labour, as that we labour in vaine; wee can send none out of the Hospitall where wee are Phisitians, upon two Legs, but all upon foure; none goe out well, all die under our hands: all the solemnitis belonging to our company, are for the most part Funerall solemnities, going to the Grave with the dead in trespasses and sinnes: our invitations are, Sir, mourne with me I beseech you, for such a one that lies upon his eternall Death-bed, that hath Plague-spots in his breast, that lies raving, blaspheming, and much a doe to keepe him in his Bed, to keepe him from leaping into a worse, (if worse may be) from leaping desperatly into Hell. When our Ministrey petrefies, turnes hearts into stones, and these taken up and throwne at us, this kills us: the recoiling of our paines kills us, when our peace returnes to us, as Christ speakes. J have laboured in vaine, spent my strength for naught, saith the Prophet. When we spend our strength to make men more naught then they were, this wounds our heart, which should be considered of sinners; to kill ones selfe and ones Minister too which would save him, what a bloudy condition is this! the bloud of a Minister upon a mans soule, is more then the blood of many men; stubborne soules, lay this to heart. When the Poet would cure drunken­nesse in the Heathen Emperour, he said, remember thou drinkest the Blood and the Life of the earth, meaning the juyce of the Grape. So I say to you stubborne sinners, remember when you breake the heart of your Ministers by your stubbornnesse, you destroy the Blood and Life of the World. I would I could say any thing to breake the Iron sinnew that is in the neck of some sins and sinners. Be a friend to us in our worke, and be a friend to your selves: come off readily, and speedily to Christ, our work will be easy and your condition safe: hold us fight long, and I know who will fall at last with a witnesse. The warre betweene the house of David and Saul was long, saith the Text, 2 Sam. 3.1. the [Page 530] issue was answerable: had that malitious stubborne man layd downe his Armes, and readily yeilded to the Will of God, to Christ that came against him in David, hee might have found mercy, but he would stand it out to the last, and weary God and David his servant, till at last there was no remedy, and then all Davids Teares, Prayers, and brave services that he had done tooke place and effect with a witnesse. Make our life dole­full, and Christ will make your death dolefull, be as great as you will: stay long in the birth and kill Midwife, and you will be delivered in hell: ease us and ease Christ: for Christ striveth in us, we strive but according as be striveth in us; as saith the fol­lowing clause in my Text, striving according to his working, and therefore is Noahs suffering so long, in his paynes for that people, called the long suffering of God, 1 Pet. 3.2. London, England, the blood of many Prophets is upon thee is this nothing? the blood of God is upon thee, and God layes this to heart now: now he makes inquisition for blood, hee makes blood to touch blood, your blood to touch the blood of them whom you have kil'd in their labour, by your frowardnesse and wickednesse to Christ and them.

STriving] This word seconds the explanation given of the former, that the labour of the Ministery is very painfull, tis a putting off all powers externall and internall to it, to the utmost, tis a strife, contention, running for a victory, a fight, so the word is in severall places translated. Fight the good fight of faith. I have fought a good fight: in both places is the same word that here is translated, strive: fighting, running for victory, they are acts wherein the whole man intends it selfe, as in mat­ters of life and death. The worke of our calling is in the former word, generally and summarily exprest, in this word tis parti­cularly specified, as it beares upon its particular and proper [Page 531] cause. When we say such a one labours this satisfies not; what is his labour? this question is answered by this following word in order to our calling. Our labour is in some sence the worst, the sowrest; tis contention, spirituall contention, (i.) a conten­tion which hath its rise not from our owne spirit, but from the spirit of God, and its termination in the spirit of man. We strive not according to our own will, but according to his Word and Spirit that striveth and worketh in us.

Contention hath a bad and a good acceptation, the spirit lights on fire of Hell sometimes, and flames out of the mouth and burnes all that stand neere, in name, in whatsoever is deare; this is bad contention. Folly lurkes long in an unmortified soule, at last gets a head, and then words without wisdome or conscience toumble out one upon anothers backe, as if they should toumble downe all that is before them, but they throw downe him onely from whom they come. A fooles lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes; and in the next verse, a fooles mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soule, Prov. 18.6, 7. If standers by can keepe off the flame, this fire burnes no more houses then into which it comes. The flame that comes out of one mans mouth, if it be not suckt in by another, onely one tenement is consumed; folly is full of humour, humour dis­guiseth every person and action, and apprehends all for ene­mies, and so fights against, yea slayes with the tongue, deare friends for deadly foes, that is, as much as in him lies. Folly generates humour, humour is a bastard pride; now none so beau­tifull in any proceedings as the man himselfe; other folkes children are all untimely births, and mishapen brats, and de­serve all to be murthered with the mouth, and bit to death. Butchery is some persons trade, neighbours children kild; quar­tered, and hung out to sale every day for all that come by, and will buy; pride hardens, the heare hardned, the man will runne against any one with his tongue, till he can get other weapons, and spot himselfe all over with the blood of the best mans repute in the world, before his face. Contention is a mur­thering of a mans off-spring before his face, and throwing the blood of them in his face: thou didst say this, and thou didst doe that Pride hardens, 'tas this property in every soule; many [Page 532] hearts quard, and become sulpherous stones, the divell takes them up, and strikes fire with them, to burne all. Bad conten­tion hath alwaies a diabolicall concurrence more or lesse; many things may charge and load the Gun, but the Divell gives fire still and makes it off, and helpes to fetch out all that is within the man.

Contention hath a good acceptation, good contention is an expliced zeale against sinne. Sinnes are of severall sorts, some have their tongues cut out of their mouthes by conscience, and can nor dare say nothing of their course; others have their tongue in their head, and can and will say much for their sinne, though they die in the place. Parts being considerable, such habits are made use of, iniquity establisheth it selfe by a law in such a soule, what one can make't out to be de jure, tis a case to be pleaded, and the soule will plead in these cases with man, and the man will plead with any man, that his soule may hold its owne, and sin keepe warme where tis: parts and parties are there­fore now drawn out, and strong reasons brought forth; produce your strong reasons, saith the Prophet, Esay 41.21. Productions of this kinde, made abortives by truth, truth in strength drawn out against that which is false, enervating and silencing sinfull disputes and practices, is good contention. Thus did Nehemiah contend, Then contended I with the Rulers and sayd, why is the house of God forsaken? what evill thing is this that ye doe? did not our fathers thus? and brought all this evill upon them? Nehem. 13. Man must not move as a beast which knowes not the ground he goes upon: action must have authority, and the production of this authority is sometimes necessary; if this or that be not va­lid by rule, 'tis to be condemnd by the rule; and this is every ones priviledge, that hath ability and opportunity, by vertue of a generall or a particular call; by vertue of a generall call as a Christian, to resist sinne, and errour, which is a publique enemy and traytor to the State which any one may lay hands on; and therefore tis that Jude exhorted the Christians to put hand to this worke, as well as himselfe: when hee wrote to them of a common salvation, he wrote unto them also about a common enemy, and told them that they ought to contribute strength a­gainst such as well as he; twas needfull for me to write unto you, [Page 533] and to exhort you that [ye] should earnestly contend for the faith. You may thinke (as if he had said) that it is my worke onely, to contend for the faith, and against that which opposeth it, but it is so mine, that it is also yours by a generall calling; persons by the advantage of a particular calling, draw a greater force into the field against the common enemy, but others are bound to contribute what they have to this worke, as well as they. Wee are as men designed, and advantaged peculiarly, as Generals to lead in this sad worke, to which the Prophet speakes, Jeremy 15.10. Woe is me my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife. Jeremiah had a particular call from the wombe, to live as a So­lamander in the fire all his daies; these as gifted and wealthy persons, raise more force, and bring a greater strength into the the field then others can, but the worke beares upon all; The Apostle intimates it, in that hee speakes as putting into this worke onely as one, whereunto I also labour, and striving accor­ding to his working in me.

1 My purpose is to be precise in this point, and to pursue onely the divine nature of contention, which lies in two things, a holy rise, and a holy scope. Many bad things boyle in an evill na­ture, these now and then boyle over, and scald standers by, in something that is worthy: bitter language may come from a sweet spirit, but then the person is in a temptation, and his con­test against sinne sinfull and successesse, in order to what might be simply meant: at first setting out opposition externall which springs from any such bad principle internall, staines the nature of the act quite through; there is a warre from ones lust, as the Apostle James saith; the spirit within dissents some person with­out, and therefore spits in his face, when it speakes to him, that every one may know him, and have as low an esteeme of him as he hath. Affection prejudiced, in order to the person I deale with, and so opposition the fruit of an ill disposition, this is impure contention. Fire of this nature is heavenly, when it springs from love to the man, and hatred to his sinne: sinne is such an ugly thing, that it becomes no body, no not a friend; tis a blacke spot, but not a beauty spot in any ones face; set it where you will, cut it how you will; when love moulds words to discover so much to the face of him that thinkes otherwise; [Page 534] I would not have any one that I love, live or die in any thing that Christ hates: This is Divine contention, precious balme.

2 Divine contention hath a divine rise, a divine scope, which is to convince, and to convert; truth is lovely in the eye, as well as in the practice; yet hath many gainsayers in both; these must be replied to, till they have nothing to say to any purpose; ob­jections of waight are a considerable spirituall army, and ought to be encountered, though fooles must not be answered in their folly. There is gainsaying with tongue or conscience; dispute must be so steeld with truth, till one or both be silenced; the Scriptures are sufficient this way, they are given by inspiration, and profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for conviction, 2 Tim. 3.16. Weapons drawne out of the word, and so skilfully and re­verently used, till pride be stabd, and conscience speechlesse, and breathing out its last for the evill course it walkt in; this is handling the Word of God, and the soule of man, not deceitfully, but really, and is holy strife; deckes set a fire not to burne the ship, but to blow up them at top that would take the whole vessell.

Contention is not onely to stop, but to turne a sinner; tis a travell, and pangs cease not till satan be ruind, and Christ formd. Conviction and conversion are two things; a man may feele the evill of his owne way, and yet taste no sweet in Christs; vomiting is painfull, the stomacke takes great dislike and of­fence at what it opened its mouth greedily to take in; one would thinke in this case twere impossible that what is so violently thrown out, should ever be savoured, and taken in againe; yet not in this case, (therefore in no case with some creatures) is there an abhorring for ever. Dogs will returne to their vomit, and sinners, but shadowed in that metaphor: spirituall strife is to make certaine the state of a Christian; yea, to give the ulti­mate or utmost of this state; to make former vomitings, old sinnes, yea, old graces (i.) graces in such and such a degree, to be forgotten; to put forward, and to present every one perfect, in parts, perfect in degrees, which is the emphasis and connexion of the frontice terme of the Text, That wee may present every man perfect in Christ [whereunto] I labour and strive. Holy strife tends [Page 535] to bring persons to perfection, it is fighting a good fight; the issue of which is, the soule able to lay hold of eternall life; able to let go hold of sin, of any sin, and to take hold of any grace; of all grace, of eternall life. Running of this kind is in its scope as others, to obtaine, (i.) the glory of God and salvation of the soule; our fight of this kind, is not onely to kill, but to make alive; to make an eternall death and an eternall life; to make an eternall death to sin, and an eternall life to Christ.

Ʋse. Strife is common now, all the world is on fire; but tis so voyd of divine property, that I know not what will become of us all; tis hell fire that burnes onely to torment persons, and aug­ment sinnes; such is our lung and tongue contests at this day; as for other fights (the Lord be gracious to us) they are very bloody, but what their nature is otherwise, I am unskild to speake: heart fight makes hand fight; love was slaine before our wars began, or we had never gone together by the eares with any weapon, neither with tongue nor hand. Justice hath found us out, and turnd our inside outwards; what will be in the end God knowes; if the Spirit of Christ be wanting in contention, tis the saddest worke in the world, and of the most desperate issue, and yet nothing puts upon greater temptation this way. When a house is a fire a little winde will make the blaze very big, big enough to consume all; when David had his Sword by his side, how quickly was he over-heated by a foole? tis so in spirituall contests, when friends meet to argue, they are as soul­diers with their weapons by their sides; one foole now in the company, a little folly throwne out over-heats and fires all of a sudden, and sets all together by the eares, if Christ be not very gracious. Selfe must be first slaine in me, before I goe to destroy any part of selfe in another; otherwise I shall wound mine owne soule, when I goe to cure anothers; vain-glory is conceited, such a man is a reformer of all but one; this exactnesse, because it cannot accomplish it selfe, turnes into frowardnesse; and now he that cannot mend all will marre all; the froward soule sowes strife, saith Solomon, Prov. 16.28. These are the most dangerous persons of all: there is a strife of words, and a strife of matter; reason, not passion, must onely fight against folly; this makes conquest and honour; strength and vigour of matter, not vio­lence [Page 536] and virulency of words and lust; in this latter strife wee can doe nothing that is honourable to our selves, or benificiall to others; and therefore its a strife utterly forbidden by the A­postle, Phil. 2.3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory, but i [...] lownesse of mind let each esteeme other better then themselves.

Yet let not what is honourable be condemnd with that which is dishonourable. I am to strive with any to plucke a brand out of the fire; men come not out of the armes of a harlot with ease; tis not divine strife, but diabolicall that is our plague at this day, and this in no mans heart more, then in theirs that cry-out most of the divisions of the Land, sects, schismes, and factions. I have not a word to say for any one that walkes besides rule. That strife in sacred things, which strikes at mens honours, liberties, and the like, is fire not from above, but from below, and will keepe persons and Kingdoms low; the sword will never be turnd into a plowsheare, nor want worke in the world, while this spirit lives. Our weapons in divine things are spirituall; if we make them carnall, we shall abuse institution, and attempt to kill the King of the Jewes in the Cradle, to keepe our selves King; truth shall no sooner bud, but have its braines knockt out with a club; which hath been the effectuall argument of Antichrist, these many hundred yeeres; and the argument of Episcopacy now on foot in the field, which hath cost a great deale of blood to answer; and yet we are necessitated to answer, as we are oppo­sed; which should make us and posterity for ever after us, to ab­hor such kind of strivings, to advance the things that we thinke Christs.

DIvine action according to its first cause, is here mentio­ned: First Christ workes, and then a Christian. Christ is the Prince of life; ye have denied the holy one, and killed the Prince of life, Acts 3.15. That is the prime and first maker and breather of life: as Christ is the Prince of life, so he is the Prince of all the acts of life; that is, the preparations of the heart in man, as well as the answer of the tongue, are from the Lord. Ere divine actions are attempted, there are great thoughts of heart in a good man. How shall I move in this action congruous to the will of Christ? a Christian travels still to bring forth; now these travellings of the soule, as well as the birth it self, are all from Christ; the training and exercizing of armes, as well as the fight and conquest. He workes the will and the deed of his good pleasure. There is a first mover in order to the whole, and a first mover in order to the parts: the will is the first mover in order to the parts; not an organ or faculty stirres, not a thought workes or sits up a moment, with any content about any thing, till first the will will it: this first mover is not inde­pendent, not the originall of its owne influence upon other fa­culties: the first mover in order to the whole, moves the will, which is Christ; he gives the very desires and inclinations of the heart to things that are heavenly; according to his working, wee stir and work, the expression meanes this, that what we are as Chri­stians intentionally or actually, in thought, word, or deed, we are wholly of Christ.

Three words will comprise all that belongs to a Christian, though three thousand words will not expresse it, efficiency, suf­ficiency, al-sufficiency, and all these are of Christ. The first term comprises the very being of a Christian, esse Christianum: A Christian precisely so considered, that is, as divine life and soule is together, as one would say, and he is as Melchisedeske without father and mother, without any propagator in all the world [Page 538] but Christ: there is much variety of things in the world, and yet all of very knowne and very low birth; some are borne of bloud, that is, of very corruption, of very filth and excrement, which we call a praeternaturall Generation; others are borne of the will of the flesh; that is, of a naturall Generation; others of the will of man, that is an artificiall Generation, as all your structures of art and ingenuity, which are the birth of mens braines: but a Christian is none of these births, he came none of these wayes into this World, hee is of God; which were borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, 1 John, which is explained in the verses foregoing and applied to God-man, to wit Christ, to as many as received him, meaning believers, to them gave [hee] power to be called the Sonnes of God. The reception of Christ makes the conception of a Christian; as soone as the Babe stirres in the wombe, as soone as love-thoughts begin to leape in the soule, towards Christ and the things of Heaven, that very quickning is from the power of Christ. The Sonne hath power to quicken whom he will, and none else.

The power of Christ doth make life, and makes this life more abundant, that is, strong enough to shew it selfe in every action as such a life, as such a noble-natured thing. Not onely our efficiency but our sufficency is of Christ. The being of grace and the lively actions of grace, such a potent and vigorous being. 'Tis common to mistake speciall things: a Christian man is a likely man to act Christianly, therefore an able man, 'twill not follow: for life and strength, are two things: a creature may have a specificall life, proper enough to such a noble businesse, and yet not be able to doe it. As some workes and actions are proper to a rationall Life, to a creature indowed with reason, and yet such a creature not able to do such workes, because not indowed with reason enough: 'tas efficiency but not sufficiency, 'tas not the maturity of its being, the complement of its kind. The Apostle speaking of himselfe as a Christian, and in the per­son of Christians, yea, and speaking all this as under great ad­vantages, yet disclaimes a sufficiency as such a person, to act like himselfe; as a good man, to thinke a good thought; or as a good gifted man, to preach a good Sermon; not that [wee] are [Page 539] sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves, but [our sufficiency] is of God which makes us able Ministers of the new Te­stament. 2 Cor. 3.5. sufficiency hath its birth from God as well as efficiency; one degree of grace, doth not forme another, but every degree form'd by Christ. There is the grace of being, and the grace of strengthning: the sufficiency of a Christian to act as such a noble person, beares upon the latter. I can doe all things through Christ that [strengthens mee] hee doth not say through Christ that hath given mee life, but through Christ that gives concurrence and sufficiency to this life, in order to all that is to be performed by it. The word strengthen which the Apostle useth in the place before mentioned, is rendered by a very fit word [...] in-strengthning or corroberation, as one would say, an Oake and an Oake: there must be an Oake and an Oake, life and strengthning, life and life more abundantly; this is the ability of the soule to all things: his making, and his working and strengthning after made, which is cal'd a workeing hitherto. My Father and I worke hitherto: we strive according to present work­ing: not according to first making: striving according to his [work­ing] which worketh in mee.

3 There is sufficiency and all-sufficiency a man [...], able to all things. A Christian is strong in one grace, and weake in an other: strong at one time, and weake at another: this is almost every ones case: there is a state above all these eb­bings and flowings possible, a generall sufficiency, a generall Christian, an al-sufficiency, an abounding not in one grace but in all, not at one time onely, but at all times, in health, sicknesse, in plenty, in poverty: a full Sea that hath no ebbe, at no houre in the day, no at no season in the yeare; of such an estate as this doth the Apostle speake, 2 Cor. 9.8.9. God is able to make all grace abound towards us, that wee alwayes having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good worke. Wealth is an ambiguous terme, when we say such a one hath a great estate; we aske, where­in? in Money? or in Land? or in Houses? in Wares? or in Jewells, or the like? few persons have a great estate in all these, and yet its possible there may be a generall rich man, rich in every thing that is riches; rich in Money, rich in Land, rich in Jewells, rich in Houses, &c. So there may be a generall rich [Page 540] man spiritually, rich in Faith, rich in Hope, rich in Love; abounding in this gift, in that gift, in every gift, That speaks Christianity: if there bee any such, al-sufficient man, 'tis of Christ, being inriched [in every thing] to all bountifulnesse] which causeth through us thanksgiving to God, 2 Cor. 9.11. if there be any generall rich man, inriched to every thing, as the Apostle speakes, hee tells us to whom it must bee acknowledged; to God.

All good is of Christ; habit, act; nothing is of us, in me dwells no good; no mans state is hopefull till this principle be well setled in the soule. Mortall Diseases makes sometimes but little symp­tome: 'tis so frequently concerning the soule; Pride is a mortall malady, a soule that complements with Christ, about his eter­nall condition, wants are so few in number, and so small of consequence; the symptome of this is a senslesse spirit at the Throne of grace: God hath many a lie told to his face. God I thanke thee I am not as such and such, J am in a very hopefull state over many are, for I doe this and that. There is a stroaking of selfe in and after some performances: sometimes God is told of it, but often man: 'tis an implicite contradiction of the point in hand, all is not of Christ, something is of the man himselfe: hee observes his crawlings in Divine things, and they are very glorious in his eye, but doth not observe the Toade in his belly that he crawles with, to wit, selfe. Selfe-action hath this pro­perty, a man is much taken with his own motion; some Artists will pride themselves much in a peice they draw themselves, and will plead for it much, though there be little Art or Worke­manship in it in comparison of that which some others draw. Swallowes catch vermin as they flee: when they flee high, 'tis after Flies: when they flee low, 'tis after Flies: they live upon the vermine of their motion, and keepe their wings so long and so strong, with the imperfect animall they flee after. Christia­nity of this property is common, but I like it not: the mans Religion is sometimes of a higher and nobler, sometimes of a meaner and lower straine, as will best correspond observers but still in its scope, one, to catch Flies, to live upon some imper­fect thing that is met with in the motion; and when no Flies can be catcht, neither by flying high, nor flying low, no car­nall [Page 541] incouragement, then keepe the neast, the house, and do nothing. Christians that live upon the vermin of their moti­on, are up and downe, high and low, very uncertaine in sanctity and consolation, and this may characterise every man to him­selfe, that is not practically cleare in this point, that habit and act are both of Christ.

By-things lookt at, cannot bring in nor beare up, such a noble life as we pretend to when we professe a religious life; this life is according to every dram drawne from Christ, 'tis not from the speciousnesse of our owne action, nor from other folkes in­couragement. This time is full of straits, externall ingagements byasse men much, about internall and externall things; if this temptation were over saith one, I would take a better course. No thou wouldst not: courage to the things that are noble, springs not from any earthly advantage; if all secular authority in the Land, should say, they would secure thee, for any dam­mage that thou shouldest suffer, in pursuite of such a Religious cause, yet would thine owne heart fall off like the Jsraelites from entring the holy Land, and thou wouldest as they, step back, when at the doore ready to enter, who though Moses and Aaron bid them to enter, yet they fell off: so though Parliament and Synod were at thy back, and did incourage thee to enter, yet if thou have no other incouragement, thou wilt not step a step in the wayes of God; by the grace of God J am that J am, saith Paul; let all the men in the World be never so gratious to thee, yet wilt thou be as ungratious as thou art, to the day of thy death, if the grace of Christ do not put Spirit and Life into thee.

Externall inducement is nothing; that mans Religion is no­thing that thinks otherwise, and 'twill prove so to his shame and losse, if his eyes be not opened to see it. If a man speake meerly of a naturall life, that is, a life as a man, as such a crea­ture, then a man may say of externall good things, as Hezekiah of health and strength, and other outward advantages, in these is the life of my spirit: but if you speake of Divine Life, life to that which is Heavenly; in riches, honours, friends, parts, in no exernall thing, in no internall thing, but in Christ, is the life of my spirit; according to his working, not according to my own [Page 542] working, shall I worke for God, and for his glory. Stratagents and wiles, is much made use of in these times of woe; Satan uses it too: stay saith hee, till Parliament and Synod put life into thee, till they doe this, and they do that, ('tis good to honour authority, in that which is proper to such authority) but so you may stay till the sword of Gods wrath that is in the Land kill you all. Worke according to his working within you, and take heed of checking this, to waite for others working without you, to set you forward; strangle the quicknings of the spirit, and expect quicknings from men, and thou wilt be executed by conscience for the greatest murtherer in the World.

Our life beares upon the operation of Christ. Lets make Christ the fountaine, and then lets draw as much water of life from him as may bee. You see how exact and expresse the pro­portion is made, betweene Christs operation and our life; such operation; such life; we strive according to his working: there­fore lets set Christ at worke hard, and get as much divine o­peration and life from him as may be. Divine operation is the choysest mercy in the World; how full of life is my spirit when in the Hands of God! when hee hath it working and moulding of it! commend thy spirit therefore often into his hands, send him much worke. Spirits are so much imployed and over-wrought in the World, that Christ hath little or no work sent him, no house nor shop to work in. A man? no: an image stands before God in duty, a thing without a soule; no spirit sent to God to talk with: no soule, no child of the soul at home, to tell where the Parent is: children of the soule, I meane thoughts & de­sires, all sacrificed to devills, at the end of the earth; and thus farre from home must abide, and never be sent for home, who ere come to visit them, though it be Christ himself: what Divine operation can be in the soule, when the soule is so given up to gadd after worldy things? Divine operation is a very retired act two great Pears in conference & may not be interrupted (things in discusse, being of such great concernment,) the Spirit of God and the spirit of man. Divine operation, it is a vision from Heaven; of property like that of Pauls, that bindes the soule in order to all carnall objects that may make the minde gad; and in this vision as in that is a voyce, a still voyce, Saul, Saul, sinner, sinner [Page 543] why dost thou do this and that against me? but this still voyce, is full of life to the soule that stilly listens, this operation of Christ silenceth that noyse which is in the soule, by the operation of other things, and then is there a voyce from Heaven to the soule, come up hither O soule, thou must be above this and that, for the tranquillity and felicity of thy life. These are the operations of God, in which is the life and Heaven of man. All divine operation hath voyce, the word and the spirit goe together still, Christ workes and talkes, makes peace and speakes peace, makes war, and speakes it to conscience. You might know what God is a working in your soules, hee speakes it now and then very plaine to conscience: you that have eares to heare what the spirit saith; the spirit workes, and then it speakes what it workes; the spirit [saith] now and then in still weather, if you listen now and then you may heare what it saith. The spirit and the word go together, one moves and quickens the soule by the o­ther, Hell-ward or Heaven-ward; the one should be much dread­ed and the other much desired; Divine operation is a thing of the greatest concernment in the World, 'tis as the spirits in the blood; if the Pulse beate and worke not, spirits are all wasted, death is seized upon the state. Sinners, I know not how God workes in your soules, how hee hath stirred, or how he doth: onely know this, when he leaves pulsation, that is, ceaseth knock­ing, know that your life is departed: the operation and the pulsation of God, is the life of the soule; the life of the soules, is the blessednesse of the soule; as I am lively and agile in divine things, carried upon Eagles wings to God in all duties, so am I in Heaven. Get as much therefore of this operation and life, as you can. I speake this, because there is a great difference in Divine operation. There is an operation that makes [...] to will, and there is an operation that makes [...] all readinesse of minde to will, 2 Cor. 8.11. Act. 17.11. they received the word with all readinesse of minde, speaking of the noble Bereans. There is a great difference betweene Divine operations, and this makes a great difference betweene Christian and Christian, one farre more noble then an other; These were more noble then those of Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readinesse of minde; there was not onely [...] but [...]. Willing, [Page 544] but all readinesse to will, all strength and life of affection to Christ and the Gospell, which is the Nobility of a Christian: These are the Noble operations that I would have you long and looke after.

IN-operation simply, and in-operation extraordinary, are both to be stood upon a little, to open this expression unto you; the one will open the first part of this expression, which worketh in me: the other will open the latter part of the ex­pression, which worketh in me mightily, or in power.

In-operation simply considered, is a supreme act, making an eter­nall impresse upon the soule, for life or death. Things have their ad­vantage by position; so they may be put that every one cannot reach them nor finde them out; the heart hath this advantage, tis a hidden man, an inward creature. What you looke upon or touch, when you have to doe with a creature of your owne making, is flesh and bones; but the manhood of this substance, or that which makes this substance a man, is hidden within; so hid that none can reach, but by supreme power of its owne, or borrowed. Among these Nations shalt thou have no ease, but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and sorrow of mind, Deut. 28.56. The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart: a stone may be stirred and toumbled sometimes, when it is not broken: Consider the heart under this metaphor, as the Scripture doth, for some refractory properties of it, and this stone that lies at the center of the little world, cannot be stirred, nor the founda­tion of this little world shaken in the least but by a supreme power; The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart. Those in­ternall operations which make a wicked mans heart shake and tremble sometimes, they are from the Lord, and when the Lord takes off his hand, the stone lies still againe; lift and pull whoso will, as long and as much as hee will, the sinner stirres not; [Page 545] which is authority enough, that internall operation is a supream act. If this be not, Job gives further authority, and makes a higher instance. Consider the stone that lies at the center of the earth, the foundation stone of the little world, I meane the heart, as shaken, or as broken, and God doth it; God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me, Job 23.16. When a Christi­ans heart melts and is dissolved; take it in a refreshing sense, or take it in an afflicting sense, supreame power doth it: man can­not doe this himselfe; a sinner, a Saint, cannot move the stone in his bosome one jot; tis an Almighty act that reacheth the heart of any man; the Almighty stirs me within. Internall ope­ration is as I have said, a supreame act.

This act makes eternall impresse: Internall operation, is from a high hand, and of high concernment; tis of everlasting force: the Spirit is called an eternall Spirit, not so much in order to being, as in order to operation; the things that this Spirit worketh in us and for us, are life eternall: the workman, the workhouse, the worke wrought in this house, are all eternall: the Spirit eternall, the soule eter­nall, the workes wrought here, the carvings or cuttings, are eternall; unalterable; if Christ make but the least dint upon the heart, I may challenge all powers in heaven and in earth to even it. Operations externall are not eternall; not a worke you looke upon without, though never so great or glorious, but fades, and shall be turnd into its fitst nothing; but operations internall are eternall; what God doth in the soule, is to last as the soule; if he drop mercy into us, this drop shall last for ever, though all the mercies without us may be gone in a moment: if he drop justice and wrath into us, this drop abideth for ever. God is called immutable, not so much in order to being, as in order to action; and not in order to all action neither; but in order to internall actions; such as are done about the soule. I am God immutable and change not; Change not? in what? in esse? that is granted of all, and needs no affirmation; no, this is not the thing; but in operari: and about this many doubt. I have drop­ed mercy into the hearts of the sonnes of Jacob, and it shall never out; I have begun a good worke, a good internall worke, and it shall last to the day of Christ; it shall last unto Heaven, that [Page 546] is for ever; therefore is the Spirit, according to his presence and internall operation, called the earnest of Heaven, and the scale to the day of redemption; it makes impresse upon the soule so deepe, that abides for ever; the worke the Spirit doth in us, outstands the gates of hell; the Temple that Christ now builds in us, not a stone, not the least pin of it, moulders to all eter­nity, tis so wrought: tis so on the other hand, what he doth internally in poynt of justice, he doth it to purpose. All the world on fire without, you may sooner quench it, then one sparkle of the fire of Gods wrath, which he casts into a man; this is an everlasting fire, an alway punishment, as the Scripture speaks; Bow downe their backe alwaies, pointing at Doeg and Judas, and such like wretches, that were internally punisht. A man inter­nally smitten by the justice of God, his backe is broke for ever: take Job but as hee personates a wicked mans case; forbeare the application of it to himselfe, as he doth, being then in a temp­tation; let his person alone, but take the thing, as his apprehen­sion is opened fully in this poynt, to his triall for a time, and you shall have him speake notably, of the property of internall operation, in order to evill men. God is in one mind, when he is at worke in wicked soules, one cannot turne him; what his soule desireth that he doth, Job 23.13. If after great provocation, wor­kings and strivings without, by words and blowes, hee goe to worke within, to fit the vessell for wrath; if this be now the will of God, there is no turning of him, nor no turning of the point, nor edge of the tooles hee workes with; no terminating the effect short of the Authors intention: the Trinity in their action internall, to expresse this property of it are called agents hitherto. The Father worketh hitherto, and I worke; observe about what works Christ was, when he spake thus; he was about internall action, to wit, the curing of the cripple which had laine so long at the poole; which was a cripled soule, as well as a cripled body.

Internall operation is of eternall force; this is generall and indetermined: therefore it followes in the definition, tis of eter­nall force to such an expresse end, to life and death: that which Christ doth within about the heart, is vitall or mortall, to dis­patch the creature for his furthest end. To make miserable or blessed here, is not the furthest end of internall operation, though [Page 547] the furthest end of externall operation. Externall donations which are the workes of Gods hand, their furthest end is to make a sweet condition here; as riches, and the like, they will availe here. Money answers all; but they will not availe any fur­ther then here, for the felicitating of man; they will not availe in death, much lesse in judgement, to doe man any service: but the furthest end of internall operation, is to make cursed or blessed in death, and after death in another world, when and where nothing else can. There be gifts that be meere Spirit, which have not a jot of any carnall thing in them; these we call internall; these are moulded some by justice, some by mercy, and you shall see what their end is, by an instance or two. God hath given them a spirit of slumber, Rom. 11.8. Here hee speakes of operations all spirit; God hath given them a spiris of slumber; in­ternall workes, and the Prophet tels the end and issue of these; tis decisive, to dispatch them; they have a spirit of slumber, that they may goe away in a slumber; Shut their eyes, lest they should see with them; stop their eares lest they should heare with them, and convert, and be healed. Internall operation wee see dispatches the soule one way or other. Into whatsoever house ye enter say peace, and if that would not take, speak death: These were but emblems of Christs internall action. Into what house or heart Christ goes to worke, by his Word and Spirit, hee makes through worke; the Axe is then to the root; it makes excision or circumcision at least. All internall operation is to cut off sinne off the soule. He is a Jew that is one inwardly; Circumcision is that of the heart: When he goes to worke inwardly, he doth excise or circumcise, and thus I have opened the nature of internall operation.

The worst evill is curable, the greatest good attainable; this issues naturally from this point, that there is such an engine to be found, that can worke inwardly. Our greatest maladies are those that are within; that one plague that was upon Pharaohs heart, (to wit) the hardning of it, was more then the ten plagues upon his outward man. Evils are not rightly weighed; this is one of the greatest evils: they which strip us most of externall things, they are accounted greatest: no, they are not; that which gnawes upon the soule after outward things are gone, is greater. There is death, and the bitternesse of death, as Agag said; the one it [Page 548] is a greater evill then the other by farre. The death of husband, wife, child, or the death of estate, is nothing, if it be but a na­ked departure of these, if their ghost doe not walke afterwards in the soule, if there be not after their departure a bitter tang in conscience, as evilly got or as evilly kept; got with too little conscience, and kept with too much affection; the cup of affli­ction, fill it as full as the world, or as satan can, if God doe not put one Ingredient in it or other, to make it off with a tang and a touch upon the spirit, tis nothing: when a malady doth fester inwardly, and lights of some blood-vessels that carries it more directly to the heart, then it is a malady indeed; and yet in these cases there is hope, if taken in time, because there are things inwardly vertuall and operative: so we can say spiritually; the strongest poyson that the soule hath taken in, cannot render the condition desperate, because there are things of an internall vertue; operations that can reach the soule: Christ can purge the inward man, and can let the inward man blood; with his Word he can pricke the heart, any tumor or swelling in it, and let out all the watery or fiery matter that is in it; he can wound the spirit and then heale it; make clouds, and then expell them; make darknesse upon the face of the deepe, upon the soule that deepe part of man, and then make a Sunne rise in this hori­zon, in that more then halfe the little world that lies out of fight: when more then halfe the little world is drowned, when that in part of man is quite overwhelmed: yet then is not the case desperate; nor should any soule give it up as so. Misery sometimes arises to extremity; extremity is darknesse without any light; a whole Army engaged and routed; without fight­ings, within feares: the hand can doe no more, the head doe no more; all faculties have pumpt themselves dead in the place: I cannot thinke a thought to refresh me; the waters are come in to my soule, and come in so deepe, that I give up my selfe for lost. This poore soule hath more sorrow then is godly. Pres­sure is unkind, when it oppresses; oppression is not alwaies from another; I may be an oppressor to my selfe; and this is when I write death upon my person, because Christ hath writ­ten death upon all my actions. Wher thou canst doe no more, wilt thou give up thy soule for lost? if this should be generally [Page 549] practised, there would not a soule be saved. Waters are come into thy soule, and thy heart is overwhelmed; and yet in this deepe internall distresse, a Rocke may be found, something higher then thee may appeare for reliefe, by a supreame hand. From the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is over­whelmed; lead mee to the Rocke that is higher then I, Psalm 61.2. When the water is got in to me, and overwhelmes my heart, yet then there is one higher, and taller then I, that can pull mee out of these deepe waters; pull body out; yea, pull soule out, and save the heart when it is overwhelmed.

The worst evill is curable, the greatest good attainable, I see by this point. The greatest good in this world, is that which Christ most loves; that which he most loves, is truth in the in­ward parts. Wee are taken with outward beauty, and outward glory; Christ is not. All the glory of this world was shewed to him by satan, at once, and yet no temptation to him, affection not stird a jot; internall glory takes Christ much, truth in the heart; himselfe seated in the soule, is the greatest good in the world, to him, and to us; and this takes him exceedingly. If the Divell when hee tooke Christ and set him upon the top of a high place, could have taken Christ and set him downe in any mans heart, and seated truth in the inward parts of any one, though it had been the poorest person in the world; this would have taken him indeed: but Satan cannot doe this for Christ, neither doth Christ need it from him, he can doe it himselfe; he works inwardly, at a greater depth, and from a more underived strength then he; hee can take Chariot in his Word, and ride over all the great world, over all the little world, into every roome of the soule; into joynts and marrow, and set downe himselfe where he will; in conscience, in affection, in what in­ward part he sees good; in some one part, or in all parts: that is the greatest good in the world, when truth is in the inward [parts] (i.) not in one faculty, but in all; not onely in the un­derstanding, but in the conscience, in the affection, in every fa­culty; this Christ loves mightily, and what hee loves hee can accomplish; there is no torture upon him, affection larger then power, as tis usually with us. All power is given to him, to worke [Page 550] without, to worke within, in Earth, in Heaven; that is, in the more internall and heavenly part. Hee giveth wisdome to the heart. I will give my Lawes into your mind. By Lawes is meant all grace; and yet all this made a gift, and given into the soule that desires it. Christ gives things into the hand, yea, into the heart, all precious things, and derives them into all parts; and when all this is done in us, and the like laboured for to be done by us, in all others; then is internall operation in power; or then Christ workes in us mightily; which terme pointing onely at a gradation in the same operation, hath raveld out it selfe, according to what is difficult, in unfolding the former.