Several works of Mr. Iohn Murcot, that eminent and godly preacher of the Word, lately of a Church of Christ at Dublin in Ireland. Containing, I. Circumspect walking, on Eph. 5.15,16. II. The parable of the ten virgins, on Mat. 25. from ver. 1. to ver. 14. III. The sun of righteousness hath healing in his wings for sinners, on Mal. 4.2. IV. Christs willingness to receive humble sinners, on John 6.37. Together with his life and death. Published by Mr. Winter, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Eaton, Mr. Carryl, and Mr. Manton. With alphabetical tables, and a table of the Scriptures explained throughout the whole.

MAL. 4. 2.

But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall.

MAlachy is the proper name of this Prophet, it sig∣nifieth an Angel or Messenger, only with the ad∣dition of (') as is usual when common names are made proper. He is not so called, as if he were an Angel incarnate, as some have imagined, nor ye•• as if he had his revelation by Angels. But haply the name might be put on him without 〈…〉〈…〉foreknowledge of what the Lord would call him unto▪ haply 〈…〉〈…〉 Prophetical Spi∣rit it might appear that God would make h〈…〉〈…〉 Messenger: But however, such an one ••e was and 〈…〉〈…〉mporarie with Nehe∣miah, because he exhor〈…〉〈…〉 to the building of the Temple, as Haggai and 〈…〉〈…〉 those corru∣ptions among the Jews, 〈…〉〈…〉 the last, shew∣eth to have been among 〈…〉〈…〉 over the Jews, as marriage with 〈…〉〈…〉ng

the tythes, Chap. 3. 8. Depravation of Divine worship, Chap. 1. 13. and 2. 8. And that this is the last of the Prophets, they themselves acknowledge, therefore he admonisheth them that they should take heed to the Law of Moses, keep that, they might expect no more Prophets until the great Prophet, the Lord Jesus come (and John his fore-runner). God did in Baby∣lon * 1.1 cause Visions to perish from among them in anger. There is none to tell when this calamity shall end (said they in the Psal∣mist) and now again he causeth it to cease from them; that their expectations of the Messiah, that great Prophet, and of Elias his fore-runner might be raised, and that by the want of Prophecy they might be the more ready▪ to receive Christ that great Prophet, and to praise him when he should be revealed; the Law and Prophets Prophecy until John; Zech. and Elizab. and Simeon, and the Baptist, were so immediately before him, that they rather shewed him, pointed at him come, than prophesied of his coming.

After he had reproved those corruptions among them (as you hear) he threatneth spiritual Judgements on them: he tells them their expectations would be frustrated, they looked for the day of the Lord, as if that would heal all their troubles: No (saith the Prophet▪) it shall be such a day as you dream not of: they looked for peace, but behold trouble; for light, but behold dark∣ness; they looked for a day of shadowing from the displeasure of the Lord, but behold (saith he) the day of the Lord shall burn like an Oven. What day this is, is very much questioned, some would have it to be the day of the last Judgement only, and suitably they understand the rising of the Sun of righteous∣ness to be his last appearing, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, illustrious appearing: But this seemeth not to be the All, if it be intended here; but this seemeth not to be a time for growing up as Calves; now is the time of perfection in glory. Nor yet secondly do I take it on∣ly of the day of their calami••y, when they suffered so much under the Grecians, Kings of Syria and Egypt, the Seleucidae and Lagidae▪ (the two leggs of that Image in Dan. as some un∣derstand * 1.2 it.) though this also might partly be meant: But this day I understand to be the time of Christ's appearing and mani∣festation to Israel; which to some would be a day of grace and rejoycing indeed, to others a day of gloomyness (according to

that in this third Chapter; The Angel of the Covenant shall sud∣denly * 1.3 come into the Temple, but who may abide the day of his com∣ing? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like the Re∣finers fire, and like Fullers Soap. And (alas!) the most of them would be found but dross, and stubble, which must be purged away, they could not abide the fire. So when they rejected the Lord Jesus, how fearful a day came on them? who could abide it? At the destruction of Jerusalem 1100000. slain, (beside near 100000. taken captive) This day burned like an Oven; O! a devouring fire it was: so fearful a thing its to have a day of grace, a day of Christ come on a people, and yet they sleight it and reject it: Greatest love rejected, turns into greatest dis∣pleasure; flaming love into flaming wrath; heat of affection into a burning of an oven, a furnace. Hear and tremble (Brethren) at this, we who now have a day of Christ, and a day of grace, lest we find it in the end such a day as this, so terrible to us.

But now, lest those mourners in Zion (that did wait for the consolation of Israel, did fear the name of the Lord, were tender, and did tremble at this his word) should be discouraged; he opens here a creek to let them in to hide themselves; provi∣deth a shadow, a skreen to set between them and this consuming fire, in the words of my Text, But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness (saith the Lord) arise with healing in his wings: Ye that tremble at my word shall not be scorched, nor this smell of the fire pass on you; as it was with the three children. The day of the Lord shall be a wounding to others, but it shall be a healing to you: they shall be cast into a burning oven as stubble or hay, but ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall.

So that the words are nothing else (as I conceive) but a Co∣venant of grace tempered into a cordial for poor drooping Spi∣rits, which might now be ready to faint to hear how terrible a day this day of the Lord would be, which they had expected, promising themselves so much happiness in it, and their expectati∣ons should not be frustrated, he would not make them ashamed of their hope.

But unto you that fear my name, &c. Here is Christ promised (who is the Covenant, the substance of it, the mediator, the

surety of it) and with him all things else: Syn••••hdochi under∣stood in these few things here implyed and expressed, as light, and healing, and liberty, and growth, going on from strength to strength, growing fat, and flourishing, prosperping into a King∣dom, yea an everlasting Kingdom. The Text then you see (being the summ of the Covenant of grace) must needs be a bundle of promises made to such as fear the Lord. I may not stand to open each of them, until I come to speak particularly to them, lest I hold you too long in the porch, and we not be able to view any of the inner rooms of the Text, so full of sweetness and comfort.

Therefore first we shall speak to that promise of Christ, unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and yet before we speak to the promise it self, some∣thing we must say to the notion under which he is represented in this promise, and that is a Sun of righteousness; from whence we will observe this Note.

That the Lord Jesus is a Sun of righteousness. * 1.4

There are two things (Brethren) here to be cleared. First, that he is a Sun to his people. And secondly, a Sun of righteous∣ness, and what is meant by that.

First then, for that he is a Sun; if it be granted that its he who is here meant, there need not much more to be said to make it good. And that its a particular promise of Christ-God, manife∣sted in the flesh (surely) none will question: for who else is it that's that good Physitian that can give healing but he? I am the Lord * 1.5 that healeth thee; but that will appear better afterward. Let me add for the present a Scripture or two more to back this with, That Christ is held forth to us in Scripture, under the Metaphor of a Sun, arise and shine (saith the Lord to his people in their low and afflicted state) he commands Babylon to come down, * 1.6 so he would have his people to lift up their hearts, arise out of the dust wherein they had wallowed: Why, what is the mat∣ter? thy light is come, the glory of the Lord is risen on thee: and who is this but the Lord Jesus? is it not he that was given to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, to be the glory of his people Is∣rael? * 1.7 the Sun is the glory of the heavens and earth, when it

breaks out, it maketh a glorious day, and every thing glorious whose beauty before did not appear, yea puts glory on things that had none before; its strange to see (Brethren) things how glorious (even over-dazling the eyes) they appear, when the Sun shines on them, which have little or no glory at another time. And here in the second verse, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: But the Lord shall arise on thee. Well, its he that is that light, that is that glory of the Lord. Add but that place in Luke, where he is said to be the day-spring from on high, visiting us through the tender mercies of our God: its true, the word there is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉), which signifieth * 1.8 either the rising of the Sun most ordinarily, or else the place of the Suns rising, the East; or else some render it, a branch that did arise out of the root of Jess. But me thinks that is not so agree∣able to the scope of the place, for the next words are, to give light to them that sit in darkness: therefore we may here note, that the day-spring, or rising of the Sun, is put for the Sun it self by a Metonymie, and the Sun by a Metaphor put for Christ, he is the Sun, which rising, maketh it day; yea some there are that would have it understood of the Sun at noon-day, of the rising of the Sun to the meridian, where it shineth most gloriously and most hot, according to that in Matthew, where the Sun riseth * 1.9 they wither that spring up quickly, and have no root; that is, the Sun arising to its height, then it scorcheth and withereth. And this I will not altogether reject here, because this seemeth to be spoken then comparatively, because the promise is made here to the comfort of such as did then fear the Lord, and may after∣ward fear him, which could not be, except the Lord Jesus this Sun of righteousness had had some influence on them; therefore this may seem to be meant of his rising to the height of the in∣crease of his glory, when manifested in the flesh. I mean the glo∣ry of light manifested to us, though it were his own diminution: but haply more of this afterward. Now I will consider it only absolutely, that he is this Sun. The Lord is a Sun and a shield, * 1.10 and how can he so be, except it be in Christ, as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself? So of a consuming fire, he * 1.11 becometh a refreshing Sun to his people, in his influences on them.

But wherein is Christ said to be a Sun? We might follow the

Metaphor very far, yet not too far neither. We abhor that dotage of the Manichees, who said Christ's body went no further then the Sun, but there it was incorporated, on which account they worship the Sun. But we will a little instance in two or three particulars, wherein the resemblance holdeth between Christ and the Sun.

First, the Sun is one, and therefore called Sol from Solus, he on∣ly hath the ruling of the day ascribed to him. And so, Brethren, the Lord Christ is one, though he be two natures, yet he is but one Christ, one person; though he be God and man truly, yet he is but one Jesus, one Mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ, he speaks of him as man, not excluding the God-head: but to suit to the weakness of poor unbelieving creatures, * 1.12 we may go the more boldly to him, the distance between us now being not so great, he having taken part of flesh and blood, * 1.13 whereof the children, his poor people, are partakers. Its true, many false Christs there have been, and some there are now in * 1.14 our daies; but these, alas, they are but blazing Comets, make a little streaming light for a while, and fall into a filthy slime at last. There are also some Parelii (as they call them) images of the Sun made in a cloud, fitly disposed for such a reflexion of his beams. But alas! how soon do these images and appearances vanish, as soon as by any disturbance the clouds cease to be so disposed; the Image of a beauty in a glass, in water, is far from the beauty it self: So do all false Christs, and false Saviours who∣ever vanish. He is but one.

Secondly, the Sun is the glory of the heavens. Moon and stars have their glory, but one star differs from another in glory; but there is none like to the glory of the Sun. O! the Lord hath * 1.15 put the excellence of glory on the Lord Jesus; he is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the shining forth of his Fathers glory: he speaks * 1.16 here of Christ as incarnate, as the glory of God did shine in the face of Moses, so that the people could not behold; so now the glory of the Lord shineth in the face of Jesus Christ (as the * 1.17 Apostle hath it) so that we cannot behold it, it dazles our eyes stedfastly to behold this his glory, as it doth to behold the Sun in * 1.18 his glory: Here is the glory of his grace, the glory of his wis∣dom, of his mercy, his power, and all in Christ: he is the glory (as it were) of divine attributes, they all shine forth in him,

each with his peculiar glory. The Temple, the glory of the Lord filled it, so that they could not stand before him to minister sometimes. So, Brethren, now the Lord hath placed his name in Jesus Christ, he hath filled him with his glory: therefore (saith the Prophet) the glory of the Lord is risen on thee: that is, Jesus * 1.19 Christ is manifested to thee: was not his glory so great as to con∣found John, though a vessel fitted to be filled with those glorious revelations from-him? He fell at his feet as one dead at the sight * 1.20 of him in that vision. How glorious is an Angel, that the very sight of him was an astonishment to John? what is the Lord of the Angels? If the Moon be so glorious, what is the Sun?

Thirdly, the Sun is full of light in it self, and filsall things capable of its light, and yet hath never the less; the twinkling Tapers of heaven, they have each of them their light, some more some less: and the Moon hath much light, and giveth much; but what's borrowed light? First, she hath it not in her self, nor in such abundance as the Sun hath. So its here, the Saints they are lights of the Sun (as our Saviour saith) but alas! like poor * 1.21 candles that burn dim, and sometimes through the thickness of the damps of corruption in our hearts, burn blew, and are ready to go out for the most part〈…〉〈…〉 but as the light in the socket, some∣times up and sometimes down, and every moment a man would think it would go out▪ the Angels and spirits of just men made perfect, are like stars shining more gloriously and constantly: But alas! nothing to the Sun, he sheds the light abroad through∣out * 1.22 the whole hemisphere at once: Set up many lights at once in a dark night, they will give light but a little way, and how poor and weak a〈…〉〈…〉light, so that when the Sun shineth they appear not at all; and that the Sun should so long fill the world with his light and have never the less, this is admirable. But this is but a shadow (Brethren) to the light of Jesus Christ; he is the * 1.23 true light, that is, such a light as that nothing else deserveth to be called a light in comparison of him; as far as the subject is re∣cipient, a glorious spirit is before a vile body, so far is the light of Christ in its own nature above the Suns light. And then for fulness there is no comparison, though there be hardly any thing obvious to ou•• senses (which are to ••et in light to the understand∣〈…〉〈…〉) that is more glorious, and so is more ••it to set forth the

Lord Jesus his fulness of Light by. Light maketh manifest all things; and that that maketh things manifest is the Light: now * 1.24 the light of the Sun, its true, discovers much, that before it arose appeared not; but its possible to hide from its light (Brethren) in the depths of the earth, in the bowels of man, it discovereth not any of those, much less the secrets of hearts, there's no suit∣ableness between such a cause and such an effect. But the Lord Jesus, he searcheth all the deep things of men, the very Marrow * 1.25 of their bones (which is the deepest, and hath the most coverings upon coverings) he searcheth them. So doth Christ the ends of men, which are the most hidden usually in all their designs, they are deep as the Marrow in the bones, cloathed over with flesh, and skin, and bones, pretence upon pretence, but Christ this Light is so piercing, that there is no hiding any thing from it.

Fourthly, The Sun, his Tabernacle is in heaven; there he made a Tabernacle for the Sun; there is the seat of the eye of the world, from whence he views all that is under his Govern∣ment; * 1.26 there is his Palace, and from thence he dispenceth light and influence. So, Brethren, its with Jesus Christ, he hath his Tabernacle in heaven, that is, in his Church, (for so oftentimes the Church is called) there the Lord placeth his Tabernacle; as he saith of Israel of old, I will place my Tabernacle among them, * 1.27 and dwell in the midst of them. He walks in the midst of the gol∣den Candlesticks to behold them, to be nigh them, to dispence of * 1.28 his light to them, and of his influence. So doth the Sun commu∣nicate of his light to the Moon, and to the Stars in heaven, and to the inhabitants upon earth. We are not to understand all this of Christ his person meerly, but Christ, as held out in his Ordi∣nances, in his Church, therefore he is said by the Church to make manifest the mercy and wisdom of God; his Ordinances are the raies and beams (as afterward we shall speak, when we come to open that part of the Text.) But his Tabernacle is the Church, thence he shines forth on many others, as the earth is lightned by the raies from heaven.

Fifthly, From the warming of the Sun; how cold and frozen are those Northern parts of the world, because remote from the Sun? how cold is the hemisphere when the Sun is set for a time? ••ow warm when it shines▪ So the Lord Jesus it is that's the

Author of heat; the Winter is past, the Summer is come, the * 1.29 rain is over, the flowers appear on the earth, and the voice of singing of birds heard: that is, Christ is revealed in the power of his love to poor sinners; this is that which warmeth the cold∣est heart when we are frozen in our affections; and as waters frozen up, cannot run this way nor that way, so we can do no∣thing, nor move towards God. Then, Brethren, its a sight of the Sun of righteousness, the Lord Jesus, a hot gleamfrom him that thaws all, and melts all, warmeth all again: and therefore in this respect also, he may be compared to the Sun.

Sixthly, because of influence (which may be, they say, where there is no heat nor light at least) and therefore Philoso∣phers tell us, that by the influence of the Sun, the gold is con∣cocted in the bowels of the earth, whither its light cannot come. And this is that (Brethren) that calls forth the fruits of the earth, that in the winter for fear of cold were retired, the sap recoiling to the root, there to be preserved until a season for it: Now the Sun, the heat, and warmth, and influence thereof calls it forth again; so that the grass, and fruits, plants and herbs, put forth, bud and blossom (as we see it in the spring) so the face of the earth is renewed. And so its in this case, the Lord Jesus * 1.30 from heaven shineth forth, and conveighing secretly the power∣ful influences of his Spirit, and of the Word to poor sinners (though they were as dead and dry sticks before, as trees that are starven with the frost, and seem dead) then they put forth again, then they grow green and flourishing, then the heart of a sinner that was little worth before, becometh a golden Vial full of odours, its concocted, then the spices flow forth in the garden inclosed.

Seventhly, the Sun dispels the mists and fogs which are un∣wholsom, would poison the air; yea, and thick clouds which would muffle up the Sun from us, we know this by daily expe∣rience. So doth the Lord Jesus (Brethren) all the mists, fogs, and clouds of sin, he dispels them for his name sake, he blots out the transgressions of his people as a cloud. Its the very heat (Brethren) of the love of Jesus Christ, that consumeth, (as * 1.31 I may say) melts away those clouds, that they intercept not our communion and fellowship with him. O! there is not a day, but the streamings of our filthy hearts would gather into a thick

cloud and cover his face from us, were it not that the warm beams of his love did continually dispell them and scatter them; we should never enjoy the light of his countenance an hour toge∣ther, if it were not for this; and for his names sake he doth it. And so the cloud of sorrow, let the diseases of the people of God be what they will, never so great and black clouds they are com∣passed about with; their day is a day of gloominess and thick darkness, how come these to be dispelled? is it not the Sun of righteousness breaking forth on poor sinners that doth it? one sight of Christ as reconciled to him puts an end unto all.

Eighthly, the Sun is the cause of the sweet intercourse be∣tween the earth and the clouds, and the clouds and the earth: for its the Sun that exhales the vapours from the earth, and draweth them up into the middle region of the air, and there with the cold of the air its condensed into a cloud, and hangs until it be dissolved, and render it self to the earth again to make it fruitful: and so the dew is in like manner begotten, only is not far lifted up above the earth, and with the cold of the night is congealed into little drops, and so sweetly distills. So the Lord Jesus, he draweth out the hearts, the affections of his people in prayers, sweet breathings after himself; and these prayers come down again sometimes on the same soul, sometimes on another place: they fall, but abundance of sweetness, and bles∣sing, and mercy is poured out by this means on poor creatures, whereby they become fruitful.

Ninthly, The Lord Jesus may be compared to the Sun, for that the Sun Giant-like rejoyceth to run his race, and who can turn him back? alas! all the clouds that gather about the Sun, that to our apprehensions might haply seem to threaten a blotting of it out, a clogging of it, they are all below it. Its true, prayer once did hold him in his course, and it looks like a word of com∣mand, Sun stand thou still: and so prayer may do much with Je∣sus * 1.32 Christ, but not hinder him in his course, riding on in his tri∣umphant charriot, conquering and to conquer, enlightning poor dark places and people. Before we come to the other, we will a little apply this to our selves.

First then (Brethren) if the Lord Jesus be a Sun, then they * 1.33

that have this Sun risen on them, they are children of the day; if the Sun be up, it must needs be day; and is not the Sun up Brethren, among us? is not the Lord Jesus gone forth as a Gyant to run his race among us? we now have a day of Grace among us, and how long, or how short it may be, I know not; Brethren, it seemeth to be declining in some respects, and the shadows of the evening growing low; O that we would be perswaded, and stirred up to do the work of our day, in this our day! our great work, which is to work out our salvation with * 1.34 fear and trembling. I doubt, if the Sun should set, and the night come on you, wherein no man can work, you should have * 1.35 this work yet to do many of you, especially, brethren, you in∣to whose hearts the Lord Jesus, this Sun of righteousness hath shone. O how should you walk as children of the day, not in surfetting and drunkenness! I mean not with meat and fire only, * 1.36 but with any creature-comforts, and delights on this side Christ; away then with all the works of darkness, all practices which did suit better with the times of ignorance and blindness and now walk as becometh the light and the day, that the Sun may not be ashamed to behold you.

Secondly, Such as the Lord Jesus then hath not risen on, * 1.37 they are yet in darkness, children of the night, and walk at un∣certainties, know not whither they go. Alas, many a poor soul thinketh he is as sure to go to heaven, as he is to die, when he is in the very rode to hell; only some go in the broad trodden path, open prophane impudent sinners; some steal thither behind the hedge; they are going to hell, but in a closure, walk hidden from others and from themselves. Many night-Birds there are among us, children of the night indeed, though in one respect many of us may be said to be children of the day, because Jesus Christ in the dispensation of the Gospel is held forth unto us, as they are said to be the children of the Kingdom; yet in * 1.38 respect of the inward revealing of Christ in the heart, I doubt many of us are strangers to it; though we fly about in the light, yet we are but Owls and Bats, darkness agreeth better with us; our souls are full of darkness, our works are nothing else but works of darkness. How sad a consideration is this Brethren, that in the midst of light we should be children of darkness! 〈◊〉〈◊〉 noon-day, when the Gospel is at the heighth, and Christ, the

Sun as it were at the meridian, we should be stumbling and groping as at midnight, not knowing whither we go.

Then thirdly, As there is this difference of persons where Christ cometh, from them where he cometh not, so it is in fami∣lies * 1.39 and people. Brethren, what a sad people and family is that where they are all in Egyptian darkness! Jesus Christ is not risen unto any soul among them, they know him not experi∣mentally, but they are all in blindness: Alas, none can help ano∣ther, * 1.40 the Israelites and Egyptians (though they dealed among one another) in one family there was light, in the other there was nothing but gross darkness that might be felt. O who would live in such a family! who would not haste out of such a condition? you would think that a sad conditioned house, that the light of the Sun and warmth of the Sun never entreth into, of all places you would not live in it: this is is nothing brethren, to the total absence of Christ, where neither Husband, nor Wife, nor Fellow-servant, nor Children, none of them have had the Lord Jesus shining into their hearts; Gross darkness shall cover the earth, (saith the Prophet) But on Zion shall the Glory of the * 1.41 Lord arise. Look into what families, brethren, you put your selves: no man would content himself to live in a dungeon con∣tinually; that family is worse where Jesus Christ hath never come.

Fourthly, Then take notice how sweet a condition it must * 1.42 needs be, to have an union and fellowship with Jesus Christ, especially where that fellowship is constant: truly light is sweet, And it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun (saith Solomon): * 1.43 but alas, that is nothing to a sight of Christ! poor sinners in a dark condition, when they become sensible of it, will tell you what its worth to have a glimpse of Christ, of the light of his countenance: poor creatures that for half an year together are without the Sun, will tell you how sweet a condition it is to have the Sun shining on them. Mary Magdalen will tell you, (when she wanted her Saviour, her Lord) with many tears, what a want it is, and what a joy to have his presence. O what light is there in that soul: what joy, what peace, what comfort, what warmth, what melting over the Lord Jesus! it is a little heaven on earth indeed, this enjoyment of the Lord Jesus.

Fifthly, We may hence learn then brethren, whence cometh all * 1.44 our light, and all our warmth, and all our fruitful influences,

whereby we spring forth, and bring forth abundantly, it is from the Lord Jesus. Thy heart was as very a dungeon as any, full of darkness and bugs, frogs and serpents, and how came it to be lightned, but that the Sun of God was pleased to shine on thee, yea into thy heart more then another, and freely with his pre∣sence to scatter those lusts thy soul was full of before. Art thou enabled so much as to bud, to think a good thought? its from hence, because that the Sun of righteousness hath arisen on thee; thou hast received some influence from him: doth it come to a blossom, a good word, holy communication? its from the same principle: doth the fruit knit and grow up into a ripeness, increase into an holy action, an holy walking with God, whence is it but from the Sun of righteousness? doth the Marigold open? its according to the heat of the Sun * 1.45: do our hearts open? are our hearts enlarged? hence it is (Brethren) forget not the foun∣tain, we are apt to think, the sparks are of our own kindling, &c.

Sixthly, Then (Brethren) we should hence learn to whom, to your all give the Praise, the Glory of all. Let the Moon and Stars then fall down before this Sun, as it was in Josephs dream: they shine but with a borrowed light, and the borrower is servant to the lender. How do the Birds each morning chant and chirp, when their little spirits are revived by the Sun rising on them? and shall our mouths be sealed up, when the Sun of righteousness hath visited our hearts, quickned them, enlightned them? The Stars you know appear not when the Sun ariseth in his Glory: O dear friends, so should we when the Name of Christ cometh in competition with our names, not appear, be con∣tent to be nothing, to decrease, so he may increase; Let him have the Glory of all.

Seventhly, Then (Brethren) learn to prize the Lord Jesus, * 1.46 set a true esteem on him: should we want the Sun for one moneth, what a value should we set on it? it is true worth in∣deed, brethren, to value things by their enjoyment, rather then by their 〈…〉〈…〉ant: now thou hast the Sun-shine it may be, many a sweet refreshing warming from the Lord Jesus, O prize it; every one is looking at and admiring a Comet, but who con∣sidereth the Sun? who admireth that? prizeth that? how much ado hath the Lord Jesus with us to bring us to this? he is fain to put us in a dungeon, to make us bear the iniquities of our

youth, to hide his face, to make us walk in darkness, before we will prize it; what a grief is this to him? is it not a trouble to our selves? and what a folly is it Brethren, to grieve the Lord Jesus, and grieve our own souls, when we might save all this? O labour then to do it; beg such a heart of Jesus Christ.

Eighthly, Then Brethren, shut not the windows against the * 1.47 shinings of this Sun of righteousness: sometimes the Lord Jesus getteth within a sinner for all his fence and guard, light cometh in at some chink, beginneth to discover the condition in which he is, sheweth him the filthy vermine that are ready to run away with his soul, that the heart swarms withal, that he saw not before: and yet alas, he maketh a shift to clap to the win∣dow, to smother the light with both hands, puts it away, he desires not the presence of it; this is a sad condition, when men are ignorant, and will be ignorant; when the Lord Jesus would * 1.48 have healed them, and they would not be healed; O how canst thou tell, whether ever thou shalt be healed till thou die? O take heed Brethren, of this! it is the way to bring the blackness of darkness on you, to provoke God to clap the everlasting chains of darkness on you, wherein you may be reserved to the last day. Oh it is a sad saying, that, Let him that is ignorant, be ignorant still; the time may come, when the hour of darkness shall fall on your souls at the day of death, that you * 1.49 would give a world then but for a glimpse of that light you now shut out, and fence your selves against; when your works of dark∣ness and secret pleasures of sin (for whose sake you have done it) do fly in your face, buffet you, ready to tear your throat out, hale you before the judgement-seat of Christ, O then for a sight of Christ, but he is far from you; no, he would have enlightned you, but you would not; Therefore now the things which belong to * 1.50 your peace, are hid from your eyes. He might pitty Jerusalem, and weep over her, but alas her condition was past cure; I would the condition of many a poor soul here were not such; yea Bre∣thren, the people of God themselves, take heed of sh〈…〉〈…〉ing out the light of this Sun of righteousness; for what will become of the light in the room, when its fullest of light, if the windows be clapt too? will it not be cut off? will it not become a dun∣geon? we complain many times of a dark, and sad, and dead condition: the truth is, Brethren, we have shut him out, we

have thought; Oh now we are full, now we have knowledge and heat enough; we have been so warmed with the influence of Christ on us, now it matters not for altogether so strict a walking, now we have gotten the light of his countenance; this is a secret fro∣wardness of our hearts, and then he is provoked to withdraw, and alas, we are in darkness again. Therefore take we heed Bre∣thren, how we hide the face of God in Christ from our selves by such wantonness under the beams of Grace.

Ninthly, Then Brethren, learn we not to rest in the common * 1.51 influences of this Sun, the Lord Jesus he shineth on the good and bad, Brethren, but he shineth only on the heads of some, but into the hearts of others (as the Apostle saith) the * 1.52 passages between the head and the heart are opened, and the light seizeth on the will and affections, as well as the under∣standing; the Sun may shine on thee, thou mayst have much knowledge, and an head full of notion, and yet be but a weed; for it shines on the weeds as well as on the flowers; on the dunghill as well as on the garden; the dunghil never savours so bad, as when the Sun beateth most on it. O what steams are there then, enough to poyson a man! Ah Brethren, the shining of Jesus Christ, on some poor sinners, what doth it but raise steams of lust within? men are more vile, more wicked, their guilt greater, their condemnation surer, their sins more loathsom to God then any others; therefore stay not here (Brethren) except we find that the light we receive from Jesus Christ do scatter our lusts, for they will not endure the light that is saving indeed: except thou find that it change thee indeed, and transform thy heart into his image from Glory to Glory: if thou find thou art rather changed from dishonour to dishonour, from one vile affection to * 1.53 another, (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Apostle cals them) all the light thou hast received, is nothing. * 1.54

Tenthly, They are not friends to Christ then Brethren, that * 1.55 would make more Suns then one; what, is not the Lord of Glo∣ry a glo〈…〉〈…〉s Sun enough? is there not a fulness of light in him; sufficient for us all? a fulness of heat and influence in him for us all, but we must be flattering our selves and others into a ri∣valship with Christ? how gross are the Papists in this point? making the Saints their mediatour of satisfaction and interces∣sion both? I do them no wrong: they are the words of their

Missall, praying for pardon by the merits of their Saints, and praying to them to intercede for them: yea and to the Virgin to command her son; O horrid! but in them its not so much, because either they are in Egyptian darkness, and denied the means of light, or given up to strong delusions to believe a lye; * 1.56 but for us that have the light of the knowledge of Christ in such a rich manner among us, and yet have a Pope in our bellies, the indignity is much greater to Jesus Christ: how prone are we to set up our own works, as our Saviour? who can say his heart is clean, and throughly purged from this evil? O that we were but ashamed of it, and were able to say that we do it not in our hearts; for then its not so deeply chargable on us, (as I doubt) its on many of us. Therefore take heed of this Brethren, of setting up any spark of our own kindling (or of his kindling) in us, in defiance to the Lord Jesus, in opposition against him, or partnership with him in our salvation, in our comfort, or peace, or joy of faith: if we do, and give him not the whole, we do much dishonour him, and shall find that we much wrong our own souls. No readier way (Brethren) to bring an eclipse, then when the Moon wil be interposing between the Sun & the Earth.

Eleventhly, What enemies are they then to Jesus Christ and to * 1.57 Mankind, that would pluck the Sun out of the Firmament? would we not account him a desperate enemy that would en∣deavour it? and are they any better? are they not much worse, who would pluck away our Christ from us? whether they be sins, or lusts within, which do indeed rather cloud or eclipse at most. But there are some who would even pluck him out of his throne that the Father hath set for him in Heaven, in his Church, such as deny the Lord that bought them, such as will not yield him to be the most high God, equal to the Father; * 1.58 though Christ counted it no robbery, they count it a robbery for him be equal with him. Can a creature-Christ be a sufficient Christ to give light, and life, and healing to poor sinners? will this ever satisfie any tender conscience, quiet any trouble〈…〉〈…〉ul? let it go then for a damnable heresie, and let us abhor it, and beware of it; for nothing is so gross, but in these times Sathan * 1.59 finds some vent for it; and bewail it (Brethren) that ever any poor creatures that expect salvation by Jesus Christ, should at∣tempt such an high indignity against him? what is it but to kiss

him with Judas, and yet to betray him? with Joab to kiss the Son, and yet to stab him? he that would bring the Sun down to the light and condition of the Moon, were a wretched man, but this is nothing to the case in hand.

Twelfthly, Then admire (Brethren) the tender mercy of the Lord that would give us such a Sun, the Lord Jesus, the Sun of * 1.60 righteousness! if he had left the world in a Chaos at first, and never commanded the light to shine out of darkness, never set any Sun in the Firmament, who could have charged any thing on him? But he knew what a miserable world it would it be with∣out the Sun, and how little of the beauty, and excellence, and perfection of his works, and wisdom would appear, if there were no Sun. But here (Brethren) shining forth more of his ••enderness and bowels unto poor Sinners in a dark and dead con∣dition, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the day-spring from an high hath visited us; here are the soundings of his bowels toward us indeed, when we were forlorn and * 1.61 helpless in our selves, to cause this day-spring from on high to visit us. And truly for us in this Land, how long have we had the Sun of righteousness risen on us? and that yet it is not set, that he is not altogether eclipsed by the world of iniquity; that he hath stood still (as it were) and not hastened to a setting; this is unspeakable mercy, admire it, bless the Lord, be filled with his praises!

Thirteenthly, Brethren, Then let us be exhorted to set our * 1.62 selves in the warm Sun. I mean, to wait diligently on the Lord Jesus in his Ordinances, for these are the Orb in which he moveth in his Church, the Heavens, and doth, as it were, wheel about the Church in them, as the Sun in the Orb, to communi∣cate his light, and heat, and influences; and therefore its ob∣servable, that David saith, I had rather be a door-keeper in the * 1.63 house of God, then dwell in the tents of wickedness; why, saith he, The Lord is a Sun, and a Shield, Glory, and a Defence round about them, therefore he would be a door-keeper in the house of God; because there, and then, and to them, he is a Sun in a special manner. O Brethren, have you not experience of it? where and how come in your warmings on your spirits? is it not in the Ordinances of Christ? doth he not breath there, and feed there with his people? if a man should be so

peevish as that he would not have the Suns influence, except he did shine in his chamber, did move there, or shine on the earth, or move there, were he not most justly deprived of them? Here Brethren, here in the Word preached and heard, in the Seals, and Prayer, and all the Ordinances of Christ he will be found of his people, and above others in private; be much in maditation of the sweetness, the riches of his love to poor Sinners, such as thou art, this is to set our faces Brethren; towards the Sun. O how will this clear the eyes of an Eagle indeed, one that is gloriously born of heaven, though Owls are blinded by it? How will this (Brethren) darken the beauty and glory of all things here? You complain of earthliness, and you are fast glewed to the world. O beg of God, that he would turn your eyes toward himself, toward the Lord Jesus; behold this Sun in his strength and glory, and see if this do not make all things else dull to you, to have no excellence in them, in compa∣rison of Christ, that you shall cry out, none but Christ, none but Christ. O Brethren, this would make us sparkle, like Diamonds, lying under the influence of the Sun: its for want of this that Christians are like Diamonds in the dirt; this will make us sparkle, as Moses face did shine; this Brethren, is the way to contract the beams as in a burning glass, and set the heart on fire with love to Jesus Christ; then our affections will flame, then shall we be a zealous people of good works; otherwise not.

Fourteenthly, Arise then and shine, thou poor fearing soul, * 1.64 that liest in the dust, be inlightned, lift up thy eyes thou that languishest, and thy spirit is ready to faint within thee, thou art even dying, and couldst with fears of thy condition: Oh thy light is come! is not the Sun in the Firmament, though he may be clouded from thee? what though there be much darkness in thee of ignorance, of discomfort, thou walkest in darkness and * 1.65 seest no light, the Sun may be up, though it appear not? it may be day with thee (poor soul) and thou a child of light and of the day, though thou beholdest not the Sun, nor the b••••ms from the Sun; if thou hast not the light of the Sun, the light of his countenance, thou mayst have the influence of the Sun not∣withstanding, that reacheth the parts where the light cometh not. And be not discouraged at the enemies of Christ: what though the clouds of ignorance, errour, prophaness and ido∣latry

gather together, and seem to threaten the Sun? Alas, how soon can he dispel them, consume them with the brightness of his glorious appearance? what if the Dogs do bark at the Moon, the Church, or at Christ, the Sun? will that hinder him in his course? what though the People when they are scorched with the heat of the Sun (as some Pagans are) do curse the Sun? can they hinder his course? O no: as a strong man he will run his race, and who shall hinder it? and those that will not be made fruitful he will burn up and consume; therefore be not discouraged; and thou that hast much deadness, and coldness, and hardness, be not discouraged, there is influence enough in Christ, go to him, labour to act faith on him, set thy self under his influence, wait on him in his Ordinances, and see if it come not into thee, to warm, to melt, to make fruitful in the work of the Lord.

Now for the second, which is, that Jesus Christ is the Sun of righteousness. But lest I should dwell too long on the Text, if▪ I should at large handle every part, therefore I will rather sum up several things in one Observation, and its this.

Ʋnto them that fear the Name of the Lord, the Sun of righte∣ousness shall arise with healing in his wings, or d••th arise with * 1.66 healing in his wings. Wherein I will labour to unfold seve∣ral things, and then come to the Application of all to our selves.

First then, What is meant by them that fear the Lord? here in this place of the Prophet, I conceive by the coherence of the Text, that hereby are meant such, as when the Prophet had de∣nounced the fearful threatnings of Judgement, The day of the Lord to be as a fire; oven, to consume the stubble, &c. they were afraid, they feared the Lord and his judgements; they were apt to be too much dismayed at it; but he tels▪ them, that to them it should be a day of healing, and liberty, and light, and refreshing to his people. The people of God may, and ought to be afraid of the judgements of God, when they hang bound up in a black cloud, but yet in the womb of a threatning; and so Josiah was afraid, and rent his clothes, and humbled himself, * 1.67 his heart was tender, and he did tremble at this fearful word, the judgement threatned against Hierusalem. A stout, stubborn,

brawny, hard heart never melts nor moveth, but such as those are afraid; or else if judgement do break out, and the decree bring forth, the clouds pour out upon Sinners, then they are afraid. So David was afraid of the judgement of God executed on * 1.68 Ʋzzah, and afraid of the Angel of the Lord. Now to such as these, the Lord promiseth a Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing; such fear hath torment in it and anguish, and therefore hath need of healing; but is this to be restrained either to their persons, or to their conditions? surely no: the pro∣phesies are Divine, they are of the nature of the author, with whom 1000 years are but as one day, therefore we are to allow to them a greater latitude, such as is agreeable to them, they are not fulfilled punctually at once, but have springing accomplish∣ment, * 1.69 and germinant throughout many ages, though the height or fulness of them may refer them to some age; and of all other prophesies, it is most true of that of Christ, with respect to the saving vertues of his blood to his people; therefore for persons we must not confine it to them, no nor for things, to that sort of fear which seemeth to be meant by the series of the con∣text; but this as all other promises of God are applyable to any condition of poor creatures, to which its suitable. As that of Joshuah, I will, never leave thee, is applyed to want in outward things, and to encourage them to walk without covetousness. * 1.70 Therefore;

Secondly, Fearing of God, may be meant such as God hath begun to work on, hath convinced them of sin, and of wrath by reason of sin; there is a fear wrought in such an heart, as the poor Jaylour came springing in and trembling; and the three * 1.71 thousand in Acts 2. To such as these the Promise may be apply∣able, That Christ will arise on them with healing in his wings; though I know not that its to be taken in any equal latitude with this fear, for there may be such a conviction and fear, and yet haply never any healing for them.

3. Such as fear the Lord and his Goodness (as the Prophet hath i••) Such as fear his Name, though he himself be in Heaven, * 1.72 and they cannot see him face to face, as Moses did; they seek not 〈…〉〈…〉t s••gns of his presence, though they see him but darkly and through a glass: though they see him not, being invisible, ••et by his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they know him; and the greatest part of his

name is Mercy (as you have it in Exodus) and his name speaks * 1.73 his nature, the Lord, the Lord God, gracious and merciful, long-suffering, &c. O! such as these, they shall have the Sun of righteousness arise on them; if they have but little, yet they shall have more: Some they have had, else they could not be fearing him in such a manner as this is, for this indeed is a part of the Covenant of grace made good to them already, that he will put his fear into their hearts; and this here is nothing else but the dis∣playing of the same Covenant of grace to his people. Alas! many times the people of God that fear his name, are under cloudings, sometimes in respect of temptation to sin, they are sore pestered with them: Sometime the prevailing of sin over them, to the darkning and disquieting of their souls: Sometime they are in darkness and see no light, and yet fear the name of the * 1.74 Lord. Now to such as these the Sun of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings.

But secondly, what is meant by the Sun of righteousness? That Christ the Covenant is meant, I told you before; but for a reason of this title, why a Sun? you have heard at large. But the Sun of righteousness, why so called, is a further question; and for answer to this, let me speak a few words.

First, One reason may be because of his perfection; there should nothing be wanting in him, he should have all perfections which were just and fit for such a Mediator to have; and so some think there is a Hebraism in the words, the Sun of righteousness; the righteous Sun, the absolutely perfect Sun: and this is a truth, in this Sun there was no spot, no wrinkle, no darkness, no defi∣ciency of glory, of light, of heat, of influences, of pains in wheel∣ing about his Church continually for their supply and refreshing; but this is not all.

Secondly, Because in him the righteousness of God was emi∣nently conspicuous, therefore he may be called the Sun of righte∣ousness; Some imperfect footsteps of righteousness there are in the creature, of holiness and conformity to God, some lineaments of his Image, but very naked, they want their filling up, and garnishing with colours, and will do while we are in the body: and there are so many blots, and blurs, and stains, that it scarce appears many times; witness the choicest examples of the Saints, as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Moses, if you look on him at the water of Meri••ah, you

would scarce have thought him so meek a man; and so David in * 1.75 the matter of Ʋriah, and his dealing with Mephibosheth. These were shadows cast on the beauty of Christ in them, that it was not so conspicuous; the glass is dimmed, and defiled, and so not so transparent: but now the Lord Jesus is a pure glass of divine attributes and perfections, and therefore of this righteousness here spoken of. And secondly, conspicuous in him was the vin∣dictive righteousness of God; it is true his justice is manifested in calling sinners to an account, as he did the Angels, the Sodomites, the old world, and us in our times, his dealings do speak him to * 1.76 be a just God: but never any so much as his dealing with Christ, though a Son, and equal with him in all essential glory; yet if he will be surety for poor sinners, he must as it were for a time vail his glory with raggs of flesh, because the children partake of the * 1.77 same; and though the Son of his incomprehensible love, yet if he will so appear under the sins of his people, he shall find them like a poisoned garment, inflamed with wrath, he must drink up the cup to the bottom, though he were amazed at it, and com∣passed about with fear, surrounded with fear (as the Evange∣list hath it) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, though it cost him a bloody sweat, put * 1.78 him into an agony. A strong potion (Brethren) that casts the Lord of Life and Glory into such a sweat as this, though it lay him under reproach and shame, cloud Gods face from him, cost him the very blood of his heart, and all the joy▪ of his soul for a time; though he put up strong cries and tears, God will not be intreated to let the cup pass from him, not spare him at all. O! here the Justice of God is conspicuous in him. (Brethren) ne∣ver * 1.79 was there such a pattern of righteousness in God as this, that he would not spare sin, though in his dearest Son of his love. O then! shall sons by adoption think to make bold with sin, and not smart for it in some measure? Take heed you watchless, care∣less walkers before God. O! what shall become of poor sinners then, that are never the better for all this, whose sins shall be charged on their own account? Did it amaze the Lord Jesus? With what hearts do you think (sinners) you shall be able to look an angry God in the face, when his flaming indignation shall stream forth on your souls to all eternity? O! think on it sin∣ners, and tremble: but this by the by.

Thirdly, He may be called the Sun of righteousness, as I con∣ceive,

as he is the fulfilling of all the promises that were made of him. The Lord made many promises, as the seed of the woman * 1.80 shall break the serpents-head; and that in Abraham, in his seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed; and that a Virgin should conceive and bear a son, whose name should be Immannuel, God with * 1.81 us; signifying the union of natures in his person.

Now if Christ had not come according to the promise, where had been the truth of God his righteousness? and therefore saith the Apostle, it was to declare his righteousness for the re∣mission of sins, that are past, through the forbearance of God; * 1.82 when all the Fathers had believed in him to come, and to be re∣vealed, they dyed in faith, not having received the promises, that is, not having seen Christ come in the flesh for the accomplish∣ment of their redemption, though afar off they beheld them and embraced them: Abraham saw his day and was glad. Now what had become of the faith of all these, grounded on the faithfulness of God who had promised; they without us, saith the Apostle, were not made perfect, though through forbearance * 1.83 (as it were) their sins were passed over; yet they would have returned on them again, if Christ had not come according to the promise; and therefore herein now Christ may be said to be the Sun of righteousness; but this concerneth most his first appearing in the flesh, though for these ends and purposes, for which he doth arise unto every poor believing soul. Now therefore he is the Sun of righteousness in this respect also, as well by his ari∣sing on any soul that stands in need of him now, as by arising on them then: for if God should fail in any of them which he hath given to Christ, where were his righteousness? This is the third.

Fourthly, Another consideration wherefore he may be called the Sun of righteousness, is this, because he is the meritorious cause of our justification in the sight of God, therefore he is cal∣led, the Lord our righteousness; he was set forth (saith the Apostle) for a propitiation through faith in his blood, called * 1.84 the righteousness of God, as he accepteth of the satisfaction of Christ, as God in Christ paid the price of it, even the blood of God (as he imputeth it to us, or for Christs sake doth not impute our sins on us) Enter not into Judgement (saith the Psalmist) * 1.85 with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified; not by

the works of the Law, but by the blood of Jesus: in this respect he is called a Sun of righteousness.

Fifthly, in that he doth by his influences on the hearts of his people work on them a similitude, a likeness to himself, to his Fa∣ther, and so beget an inherent righteousness, putting inward prin∣ciples and seeds into their hearts, from whence flow all manner of holy conversation; in this also he is the Sun of righteousness: the Apostle is clear in this, he is made of God to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption; which sanctifica∣tion * 1.86 is sometimes called in Scripture righteousness. So, he hath chosen us in him to the adoption of Sons, that we might be holy and unblamable, that by him we might be brought to such a * 1.87 state and condition, by beholding him, by lying in his beams with our faces towards him, with open face. Now all shadows, * 1.88 and ceremonies, and vails, (such as in the Legal administration of the Covenant of grace were on him) being taken away, we are changed into his Image from glory to glory. In all these re∣spects he may be called the Sun of righteousness: and thus much for the second thing.

The third then, What is meant by the arising of this Sun of righteousness on them? if we understand it with respect to the people of God, of those times that feared his name; then it can∣not be understood (Brethren) as if that Christ had never shi∣ned on them: for, how come they then to fear the Lord, if he had not yet owned them as his people in Covenant? but it must be understood thus, that they should behold him in a more glo∣rious manner arising; they that should live to see the day. Many waited for the consolation of Israel, as Zach. and Simeon, * 1.89 and many others, who could not have done it if they had had no influence from Christ on their hearts; therefore we must say, that even among the Jews, yea and before, many of them had a dawning of light, had some glimmerings of Christ, he did shine through all the darkness and shadows of the Ceremonies: Christ was held forth in them all, but only as the beauty of the picturre is in the shadow. But now we have the very image of the things, (saith the Apostle.) So that this rising on them (Brethren) * 1.90 may be as the rising of the Sun to some height, rather then his first appearing: for I find that in the Gospel of Matthew, so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is rendered. When the Sun is risen, it wither∣eth: * 1.91

that is, when its up and at an height, then it wither∣eth.

So now, (though before they had the dawning, I say, some scattering beams fore-running the glory of the Sun) yet now * 1.92 they should have it in greatest glory, for he came that his people might have light and might have it more abundantly.

But now to us (Brethren) on whom he hath shone so long, he may be said to rise, as he breaks through any clouds of dark∣ness, on us, as the Martyr at the stake cryed out, Son of God shine on me: he meant, that he should shew him the light of his coun∣tenance, break in on the heart with more light and warmth, whereby he might be armed against that tertible death he was to encounter with; and the Sun in the Firmament broke out in a glorious manner through the thick clouds, as an Emblem, if not an earnest of the other; and a visible evidence or testimony to the standers by, that it should be so. So that now I conceive, when on any poor soul in his first agonies, the throws that he hath to bring forth the child Jesus, his troubles of heart for sin, and thick darkness on him the Lord Jesus breaks forth on the soul with a glorious discovery of his love, yea with an hint of his love, its arising on him; and so as the increase of the glory of his people Israel: the glory of his people Israel is called his arising on them; so where the Lord doth in a more eminent * 1.93 manner appear to his people, either after desertion in respect of comfort and peace, or after desertion in respect of holiness, there he may be said to arise on them. And thus much for the third.

The fourth thing is, what is meant by the wings of this Sun of righteousness? this is so much the more difficult, by how much the more Metaphors it is cloathed with, one on another: For first, the natural Sun is said to have wings. And secondly, then this Sun of righteousness being compared to the natural Sun, is also said to have wings; that we may therefore a little unfold it, let us first see what are the wings of the Sun, the natu∣ral Sun, and for that we must know it is Metaphorical: the raies, the beams of the Sun are said to be the wings of the Sun; we read of the wings of the morning, wherewith the Psalmist * 1.94 would flie away to the ends of the earth; what is that but the dawnings of the day? the eye-lids of the morning, as Job calls * 1.95

it: the first breakings of light, when the Sun peepeth above the Horizon, the raies and streamings of light scattered before the appearing os the Sun: the Sun is as it were the eye of heaven, governing and viewing the earth; and the dawning of the day is as it were the eye-lids, opening before the eye do appear when it awakeneth. So Caryl and Mercer. they are called the wings of the Sun, (as is conceived) for several reasons.

First, because as wings and feathers compass, clothe and adorn the fowl whose wings they are; so the rayes do clothe, and com∣pass, and adorn the Sun as it were; how naked would a bird be without his feathers? and how naked would the Sun be without his raies and beams?

Secondly, because of the swift motion of the Sun, not only in his diurnal course, as in Psalm 19. He rejoyceth as a Gyant to run his race: but no sooner is the Sun up, but he doth in a manner spread his raies to all the Hemisphere, as a bird quickly when she riseth spreadeth her wings abroad; and therefore the Egypitans Hieroglyph. of the Sun, was a fowl spreading long wings every way.

Thirdly, because the wings of a fowl, are those under which she gathereth her young, cherisheth them, refresheth, warmeth * 1.96 them, that they may grow and increase: So here, the wings of the Sun are those whereby the creatures in their kind are healed and cherished; as you know how the body will be benummed, and languish with the cold of the night: when the Sun beams come to beat on it again, how doth it quicken and revive?

But now for the wings of the Lord Jesus, what are his wings as he is the Sun of righteousness? whatever answers to this Sun-beams are his wings; and what are these? In a word then, I take them to be the Word and Spirit especially; not excluding other Ordinances of Jesus Christ, but these especially; yea (truly) the Spirit in the Word, and in other Ordinances of Christ, I take to be these wings here spoken of. The Spirit in the Word, even whereby he cometh and preacheth to men, even to them that were asar off from Christ, is said to come and preach peace; by which also (saith the Apostle) that is, by the Spirit, he went and preached to the Spirits in prison, that now are in prison, but not * 1.97 when he sent to preach to them; the Spirit of Christ in the Word which Noah preached to them (who was a Preacher of righte∣ousness)

the Lord Jesus went and preached to them: I say, * 1.98 these are the wings of our Sun of righteousness; and so they are called haply for divers reasons.

First, that these proceeding from him, even as the raies of the Sun, which are his wings, proceed from the Sun, as the Sun sends forth his beams and influences in a powerful manner; so Christ sends forth his light and his truth, the Spirit as a person in the Trinity proceedeth from him as from the Father, but as to his * 1.99 office, to be an enlightening Spirit, a quickning Spirit, a comfort∣ing Spirit; so he proceedeth from Christ; I will send you the Com∣forter * 1.100 from the Father; he poured out of his Spirit on his Apo∣stles and many others, who were to go forth in his name, and preach the Gospel to the Nations; and the Word he sends it * 1.101 forth, out of his mouth proceedeth a two-edged sword, which is his Word.

Secondly, as the beams supply the absence of the Sun, so doth the Spirit of Christ supply his absence; therefore while he was yet present, the Spirit was not yet given, not poured out in that ful∣ness; but when he was to go, he comforts his Disciples with this, that if he went, he would send them the Comforter, another * 1.102 Comforter; himself was one, and he would send them another, and that was his Spirit, and he should lead them into all truth, bring all things to their remembrance, and be their Comforter, and help their infirmities, and so supply the absence of Christ. Yea better then if he himself were with them; as we use to say, the Sun is come into such an house, when the beams thereof are come in, which do supply the absence of the Sun, and better it is for us to have the beams, then the Sun in our houses.

Thirdly, because of the swiftness of the opening of the glory of Christ to the last ages of the world. O! how swift are the beams of the Sun in a moment darted from heaven to earth, and over-spread the whole Horizon? So the Lord, his Word being quickned by the Spirit, doth run very swiftly (as the Psalmist * 1.103 hath it) in how short a time (as the age of the Apostles) did it overspread the Horizon, gotten as far as Rome, and how mightily did it prevail, though the Jews did contradict, and blas∣pheme, * 1.104 and endeavour to take off the wheels of his Chariots, yet it went on never the slower for that, it grew and multiplyed;

Converts unto the face of the Church were as thick as the morn∣ing dew on the face of the earth, which is generated by the * 1.105 Sun.

Fourthly, as the beams of the Sun carry light, and heat, and refreshing along with them to the poor languishing earth, and other creatures, so doth the Spirit and the Word, and the Spirit in the Word carries light with it; thy Word is a light to my feet; and indeed it is not Christ considered alone, but as he is held out in the Gospel that is here resembled to the Sun of righteousness, * 1.106 as I told you before; their sound is gone forth into all the earth; that is, of them that preached the Gospel of peace and recon∣ciliation through Christ. And for heat; O! how doth many a poor creature come under an Ordinance with an heartless mind, cold and dead, and his heart doth burn within him, while the * 1.107 Lord by his Spirit hath communion with him in those Ordinan∣ces? and what refreshings do arise to a poor weary soul, when the Lord createth the fruit of the lips, peace, peace, certain un∣doubted peace, he doubleth it for emphasis: that peace which * 1.108 passeth understanding: and it shall surely be so, and suddenly too, not long, he delights not to hold poor souls in anxiety & trouble, only what he seeth needful for their humiliation, fetching them off themselves and sin, and making Christ sweet to them indeed, that he may be precious to them. Other reasons might haply be given, why the Spirit, and Word, and Ordinances are compared to the Sun, which are the wings thereof, but this shall suf∣fice.

The fifth thing, what is meant by healing, and indeed this is large, and as large as our spiritual maladies are: some say, there is nothing more wholsom then the Sun; where it cometh with its beams, how doth it purge the air wherein we breath, con∣suming the noysom vapours that arise, and would infect it quick∣ly, purging the earth from its dregs, or else we should quickly find the offensiveness of it? So the Lord Jesus by the breaking forth of his Spirit in the Word of Truth, doth heal the air, con∣sume and scatter the venomous errors of men, wherewith we should quickly be all poysoned, were it not for this, that be makes manifest their folly to all men, and they proceed no further. He heals the waters, the waters of the Sanctuary: how often have they been polluted, yea poysoned by some, and the Lord hath

healed them again by his Spirit. Again, he heals the earth of its barrenness; in Winter the earth seemeth to be languishing, and all things withered and dead, when the Sun returneth how doth it heal it? To its here (Beloved) it is the Word and Spirit that opens the earth, moistens the earth, sweetly refresheth it, calls forth the fruits thereof: The fruits of the Spirit they are called, as the fruits of the earth are called, the precious fruits, put forth by the Sun and by the Moon (which shines by a derived influ∣ence * 1.109 from the Sun:) how precious are the fruits of the Spirit, (Brethren) love, meekness, joy in the Holy-Ghost, humility, self-denyal, these are the precious fruits put forth by the Sun, the Lord Jesus, by his Word and Spirit beating upon our barren hearts; indeed he maketh the barren Wilderness to become a garden of God. Again, he healeth, he reviveth the spirits which languish and are ready to go out, as the poor Birds that in the Winter are hard put to it, and some lye you hardly know where, as if they were dead or dying: when the Sun returneth, how doth it refresh and revive their little spirits that were left be∣fore? The night brings a heaviness and burthen along with it to the body, but the morning, when the Sun ariseth, how doth it enliven and lighten? Oh! so its in this case, many a poor soul can say by experience, that when darkness hath been long on them, they have no light, no comfort, no refreshing, no breath∣ing of the Spirit to their apprehensions in his Ordinances on their hearts. O▪ how have hands hanged down, and their knees feeble, and knock one against another for feebleness, and that which was within them was ready to dye: But now, no sooner hath the Lord Jesus, the Sun of righteousness looked on them, but they have had their ankle-bones strengthened, the joy of the Lord is their strength, as Neh. 8. but I intend not here much * 1.110 to expatiate, only these two or three things.

First then, the first thing in this healing which is brought un∣der the wings of the Sun of righteousness, is pardon for our sins; who forgiveth all-thy iniquities, and healeth all-thy diseases: these are exegetical one of another, or may so be looked on. Sin * 1.111 (Brethren) cuts off a creature from God, and so maketh a wound, which now is healed and made up when they are pardon∣ed; Make the heart of this people fat, and let their ears be heavy; their eyes closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, or * 1.112

hear with their ears, or understand with their hearts, lest they should be converted, and I should heal them: which Mark reads * 1.113 thus, lest they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them. So then forgiveness and healing are all one; and its one thing surely included, in that of the Prophet Hosea, I will heal their back-slidings, I will love them freely; the justification freely by * 1.114 his grace, (as the Apostle calls it.) Poor sinner, thou that ever knewest what sin was, what a wound it was to thy soul; knewest that thy pardon is a healing to thee. So then this arising with healing in his wings, is by his Spirit in his Word; he conveyeth the blood of Jesus Christ, the merit thereof, maketh it over to the poor soul that believeth, to the doing away of all the guilt. So as a Sun of righteousness, properly he healeth: and this is the first.

Secondly, He taketh away also the anguish and trouble that did arise from sin to the soul; as when a wound is healed, you know the anguish and smart is taken away, though while it is healing, (it may be) when searched and tented, there will be smart and sore, yet afterward its taken away by degrees: I know some of you have felt, and haply some at present may feel the grief of your wounds. O! how they will throb, and beat, and burn, and smart sometimes: broken bones are nothing to a broken heart, nor the broken flesh any thing to a broken bone: the Lord heals the broken in heart, he bindeth up their wounds; I have seen his waies, and will heal him, saith the Lord; he speaks to * 1.115 the condition of a poor disconsolate soul under the wrath of God: He was wrath and smote him, yea he hid him and was wrath: * 1.116 O how this troubles a poor soul! he cannot but have his heart full of darkness, and terrour, and trouble, that hath the face of God hidden from him; well, saith the Lord, though he did walk frowardly before me, gave me not my ends in smiting him, yet I will heal him: and wherein doth this healing consist? Alas▪ in restoring joy and comfort to him; the poor soul now was over-whelmed with sorrow, his heart now was ready to sink and fail within him, and lest it should so do, he will heal him; and how is this but by his Word and Spirit therein, which is the comforting Spitit, he will create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him. Here is a healing indeed, the healing of broken hearts, and bro∣ken bones; its the work that the Father sent the Lord Jesus for * 1.117

into the world, in an especial manner, that he annointed him for, poured out the Spirit upon him, annointed him with the oyl of * 1.118 gladness above his fellows, that he might speak in due season, that he might bind up the broken spirits: Now the Lord Jesus, Bre∣thren, our dear Saviour, he delighteth to do this will and work of his Father. O! he loveth to be doing with broken hearts: And O that we had some work for the Lord Jesus this day, he is among us now, to see if there be any heart in this condition, that he may heal us; its his delight to do it. Well, this is a second, he hath his cordials, as well as his purgatives, his lenitives as well as his corrosives.

Thirdly, he cometh with healing under his wings, as to take away the anguish, so also to purge away the filth of it, to heal the running putrifying sore, that it may not run, and defile, and pollute all that a man taketh in hand: How much more (saith the Apostle) shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences from dead * 1.119 works, that we may serve the living God. With corrosives he eats down the proud flesh and the dead flesh; he dryeth up the bloody issues: then the person was healed when she touched Christ, but the hem of his garment. This is that which troubles many a heart more then the guilt of their sins; and indeed the returning and recoyling of sin on them again and again, occasioneth the questi∣oning of their peace and comfort that they have had. O, how one cryeth out of this sin, and another of that sin, and walks heavily and sadly! Well, the Lord Jesus he will arise with healing under his wings for all these distempers.

Fourthly and lastly, another healing is the taking away his an∣ger manifested in outward calamities or diseases in a people or person, I will heal their back-slidings and love them freely, for mine anger is turned away: either to turn away the affliction, or at least the anger, which is the sting; the inflamation of any afflicti∣on whatsoever, if it be but an itch, a scab, if it be fired with the anger of God, it shall be enough to consume and destroy: the Lord challengeth it as a priviledge, See now, that I, even I am he, and there is no God with me, I kill and I make alive, I wound and I * 1.120 heal, I wound their comforts, wound their peace, lay them a gasping, a dying; art thou not he that kelled'st Rah. and wounded the Dragon? So Job, he maketh sore, and bindeth up, he woundeth * 1.121 and his hands make whole. Come say they, let us return to the

Lord, for he hath torn and he will heal us, he hath smitten and he will bind us up, after two daies will he revive us, and the third day * 1.122 we shall live in his sight; Healing upon the returning of poor sinners is a choice mercy indeed, and all from him, their returning in order to healing, and the healing unto returning. Behold I will bring it health and cure, I will cure them, and return to them abun∣dance * 1.123 of peace, after be had threatened to destroy them in his an∣ger by the Caldeans; So then it may be (Beloved) that the trouble of spirit thou hast had for sin, God hath laid his hand on thy family, on thy person, and all little enough to bring down the pride of thy heart, and to take away the iniquity of thy cove∣tousness, and wean thee from the creature. Well, he will return if thou return to him, he will return, he will heal thee; or at least take away the anger that inflameth the Visitation (which is a kind of healing; Brethren) though we are kept under it. But thus much for these particulars touching healing.

You see then, what it is that is held forth in this Doctrine, That Jesus Christ will arise unto them that fear his name, with healing under his wings: that is to say, by his Word, and Spirit, and other Ordinances, conveigh to them pardon, and cleansing, and peace, and comfort, and freedom from calamities, or the evil of them; and I hope it is sufficiently proved by the several par∣ticulars; there have been many Scriptures produced to prove it in each particular; therefore we will not any longer insist on that part, but come to the Application, which will be di∣vers.

First, we may take notice (Brethren) hence, what a compre∣hensive evil sin is, for if we speak of healing (which is the * 1.124 main thing in this Doctrine) it must needs lead us, being a rela∣tive to some distemper or other, that is, to be healed, whether it be a disease, or whether it be a wound, or both, for diseases many times are caused by wounds; that its a disease, a wound might easily be proved in the first place, as by that of the Prophet, The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint, from the Crown of the * 1.125 head, to the sole of the foot, nothing but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. O! how loathsom are these sores! do we not read of the plague of the heart, a hard heart, the stone in the heart; in that place of Ezekiel, where he speaks of his people * 1.126

under the notion of a flock to be fed and guided? the diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was brokon, diseased and sick. I might here by an enumeration of particulars, shew that every sin almost, according to Scripture analogy, is a disease; To begin with the head, Brethren, is not blindness a disease? and is not ignorance a blindness of the mind, whereby we are * 1.127 alienated from the life of God? (Dear friends) consider it, how many among us, poor creatures, are groping at noon-day? the light that is in them is darkness, and O how great is that darkness! and is there not also a self-conceipt and pride, whereby we think * 1.128 of our selves above what we ought, and from hence it is that we grow more in the head than in other parts, a dangerous disease; there is much knowledge among many of us, but little heat, little warmth on the heart, little holy walking according unto it: Ob∣structions between the head and the heart, is none of the least diseases among us. Is there not corruption of Judgement? and is it not a dangerous disease? if we had never thought so before, our times would have taught us this, the leprosie in the head, a man of unsound principles is leprous, and one of the worst kinds also. O, what a vertigo hath taken many! they run round, until they be giddy, and fall, and break themselves. Be∣loved, there are strong carnal reasonings in our heads, whereby almost, we will make any thing good that we would have for∣ward; we shall make it seem reasonable, that we may, cum ra∣tions insanire. Go from the head to the heart, and see, is there not a stone there? and that is none of the least diseases: is there not a plague there? O what hardness of heart▪ and what stub∣borness, and what frowardness of heart there is? we might in∣stance * 1.129 in many: (Brethren) are there not eyes full of adultry, like fleams grown over them, which do blind? are there not * 1.130 pearls in the eyes, when the world is dear to us? what is our covetousness else? and what is envy but a blood-shotten eye, which proceedeth from a heart full of vexing? and is not lust a feavour, yea an ulcer on the liver, or a dart thrust through it? and what is rotten communication, which men make no more of, and vain and foolish discoursing, but the rottenness of a grave, but the rottenness of lungs breathing forth continually? O, how some mens tongues are set on fire of hell! can utter nothing * 1.131

but blasphemies and oaths at every word. But we might be endless if we should go to particulars. How many of us have a dead palsie, past feeling, commit all uncleanness with greediness? (saith the Apostle). Sinners, you little think what you are do∣ing, while you are going on in a way of sin: as alas, are not many of you this day in this condition! you are either con∣tracting or strengthening the diseases of your souls, making fresh wounds in your consciences. Ah! how lamentable were his con∣dition that were wounded head and heart, full of sores putrify∣ing, that the very sight of him, and savour of his wounds were enough to make all others ubhor him! yea, he is so far from seeking remedy, he wounds himself more and more, maketh them deeper and deeper, increaseth his diseases, he careth not how much he inflameth them; this is the condition of every poor sin∣ner you see: O! what sad creatures are we, that have so many sicknesses on us, and each of them deadly; and how much more many then together? and if we feel nothing at all: he that is in the most deadly palsie or lethargie feels nothing at all, would be let alone, cannot endure to be stirred, because that maketh him sensible of his condition; O! such a mans condition is very dangerous: and is not this the case of our souls Brethren? O! what malignity is in sin? the poyson, and filthy∣ness, and hurt of all diseases and wounds are little enough to set it forth by: and how sensible are we of a wound, of a disease of the body? & how insensible of the diseases of the soul? Well, in or∣der to a healing, the Lord give us a feeling. But this is but the first.

But a little further to open the nature of sin on this occasion, which our Doctrine administers to us; that which is to be heal∣ed, you have heard is sin, and that which needeth healing is either a disease or wound (they are correlatives) that you have heard already; it is therefore compared to many sorts of diseases, wounds, and putrifying sores, and bruises: But now I will speak a little (Brethren) to the ill qualities and consequences of sin, considered as such; which may tend to turn our hearts against it for the time to come.

First then, there is pain and anguish in most diseases, and in every wound and bruise, and especially in cankerings, festered sores; this is a proper passion of a disease, to have pain; and tru∣ly, Brethren, so hath every sin a pain with it first or last; it is

true, the cup of pleasures goeth down merily with Sinners, but when its down, it is a cup of trembling to them: do but look on Gain, when he had sinned in pouring out his Brothers blood, he quenched his bloody thirst, but kindled a fire in his bowels, * 1.132 which did consume him; Oh every one that meeteth me, will kill me; fear hath torment, (as John saith) and see how full of fears a poor sinner is! The wicked flee, when none pursueth; the very stones and beasts being at enmity with them, they fear they shall be murthered by each of them. And how did Foelix tremble, when Paul disputed of righteousness, temperance, and * 1.133 judgement to come; as long as they can keep out the sight of God, as they think, they are well: But bring a Sinner, and set him, as it were, in the face of God, let him but look on him as a righte∣ous Judge of all the world, and most mighty to execute his pleasure on Sinners, and then tell me, whether the stoutest hearted-sinner do not quail, as usually at the hour of death? for truly for the most part, men seldom seriously eye their con∣dition before then. How did the Jaylour spring in trembling, (in the Acts) Ah the Sinners in Sion are afraid, Fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites; who among us shall dwell with the * 1.134 devouring fire? who shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Alas, the stubble will not endure before the fire! no more can sinners endure to look on God, as a consuming fire, it maketh the very heart ach, except altogether hardened from his fear to behold him; because they know themselves guilty, and lyable to those burnings. There is (saith the Apostle) a certain fearful look∣ing * 1.135 for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. Can a poor condemned Prisoner look on the Iudge, think on the Tree on which he must be hanged, on the fire but with fear and trembling? Can Belshazzar read his sentence on * 1.136 the wall, the hand-writing, but with terrour, his knees knocking one against another? Ah Brethren, methinks Sinners that are yet in their sins, should not read a leaf in the Bible, (each leaf concerneth him, is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doom) but he should even smite his thighs together, there is so much terrour and fear ac∣companying sin: Memoria testis, ratio index, timor carnifex, saith Bern. As the Saints have some antipasts of Heaven, a bunch of Grapes before they come to Cannan, an earnest of that joy unspeakable and full of Glory so doubtless Sinners they have

some hours of darkness coming on them, some wrings and gripes of a guilty conscience, that sometimes made some of them run to an halter, to a sword for ease; none knoweth the hell of a guilty conscience, but such as have felt it. Oh the wrackings, the distortions of the Soul! The pulling of the very heart in pieces, and the rending of the very Bowels in pieces, with these imprisoned passions in the Soul!

But secondly, Even in sinners that repent (Brethren) though the wound be then healing, there is pain also you know: Now the Lord Jesus cometh in mercy to rouze the soul, to shame it out of its evil courses: and is shame nothing? a man cannot hold up his head, he is confounded: ye are now ashamed, (saith the Apostle) of the things which ye have done before: * 1.137 can you look back on your former vain and filthy conversation, and your hearts not be ashamed, your consciences not be ashamed? there is inward shame and confusion, though it appear not outwardly. So in that place of Ezekiel, Thou shalt remem∣ber thy ways, and be ashamed, that thou mayst remember, and be * 1.138 confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee. There will be a godly sorrow which works repentance, and never was there any re∣pentance without sorrow; there's a pricking of the heart, and * 1.139 pricking in the reins, Acts 2. 37. There is no rest in the flesh by reason of the sin and broken bones, That the bones which thou * 1.140 hast broken, may rejoyce. Is it not sin that turns away the face of God? and what then can arise to the soul but trouble? Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. This is the first thing, there is pain in sin and trouble, it troubles our hearts, and troubles our houses, as it did Cains; troubles the City and Coun∣try, troubleth Israel.

Secondly, In sin (Brethren) or accompanying it, there is weakness and indisposedness, when its but growing on us, it seizeth on the spirits, the vigour first. So how lazie and list∣less are we for divers days bef••••e it do appear? and much more afterward. Morbus is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 * 1.141 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. How wonderfully doth sin unbefit us for duty? we even move to it as an arm or foot out of joynt; when a man endeavours to bow it one way, it falls quite another way▪ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Lust; where they are in prevalency, they are like to wens in a mans body, which suck up the strength & nourishment; that which should supply the rest of the members, it turns to its own swelling. So doth pride turn that which should humble us, that which would inflame our hearts, and melt us, to it self, and so weakens us, keepeth our love at an under, that we cannot so livelily & vigorously serve the Lord. We complain of our weak hands and feeble knees, our indisposedness to the service of God: believe it, this is the reason of it, sin unmortified, * 1.142 this makes men reprobate to every good work: men of no judgement, * 1.143 no dexterity at all to it; When we were without strength, Christ died for the ungodly, and while we were yet Sinners, Christ dyed * 1.144 for us; they are convertible terms, a sick man, a lame man, a wounded man, we cannot expect they should walk, or work, or run in a race, it utterly unbefits us for any thing that is good; this is a sad evil that is in sin, as a disease or wound.

Thirdly, There is filthiness and deformity in sin also: O what a sight it were to see a poor creature full of running sores from * 1.145 head to foot, all running and rotting; what filthiness is here, and and deformity? So when a poor soul hath a lust, a sore running, and never ceasing, how sad a condition is this? Brethren, how strangely will a fit of sickness change a person, that the rarest piece of beauty in the world, quickly becometh a gastly sight, every part contracting its deformity from the sickness, all withered and shrivelled, joynts loosed, the eye dead and dull, the face thin, the knees feeble, the hand trembling, and what not; Brethren, if the Lord open our eyes to behold in the glass of the word, the deformities of sin and filthiness, as we may see the lothsomness and ugliness of a disease, we should for ever be haters of it; but I will say no more to this head, That sin is a disease, a wound.

Ʋse 2. May be then to put us on to be more serious in viewing our selves in the glass of the Word, the Law of God, that we may see * 1.146 what creatures we are, and loth our selves; our wounds are so many that we are all one wound, and all one disease, there is no sound part in us; how pale and lean do our souls sometimes look with envy at others? how are we swelled with pride? how great and unweildy are our bellies with this? O how do some of

our bellies cleave to the very dust! we are bowed down, as the woman in the Gospel. O how lamely do we walk in the ways * 1.147 of God, halting between two, have a double object, and one foot in the wayes of God, and another in the way of sin; alas, how many wounds have many of us, that we never searched to this day? if we did but know them, it would pluck down our fea∣thers, the proudest of us; and for some of us, we have great need of this admonition, because alas, until we see our selves wounded, see our deformities, we shall never care for healing, for having his comeliness put upon us; no, nor can the people of God put a rate upon the mercy, nor the rich, exceeding rich Grace of God in Christ, whereby they are healed, except they have before their eyes, the many wounds and running sores they are healed of; When Paul saw that he was the chief of the Sinners, then he advanceth the free Grace of God, that it had abounded, yea * 1.148 superabounded; which a soul cannot admire the Lord for, except he see, and behold how sin hath abounded. O then let us be all perswaded to this duty, to eye our selves more often, more seriously, in the glass of the Law of liberty, the Law of Christ, and therein see how often, how grievously we offend him; see what deformities are upon us, that it may be admired how the Lord can love such as we are, and Sinners that are yet, in sin, that they may be willing to accept of pardon and deli∣verance in and through Christ; for truly we are not any of us willing, until we be reduced to extremity; then the Marriner or Merchant will cast out his goods, when there is necessity for it, but not before. Therefore let all of us be perswaded to this duty in the second place.

Thirdly, Let us be instructed in this truth, that healing is not in us. I am the Lord that healeth thee, saith God to Israel, and therefore the Lord promiseth the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings, which were needless, if healing were in our selves; some creatures, if wounded, healing is in themselves, as some fish are said, if wounded, to heal themselves with their own slime; a Dog licks himself with his tongue. Brethren, sins are not such wounds as will heal themselves of their own accord; neither as if a man have a slight cut it may be, he heedeth it not, it heals of it self; believe it, the least sin, the least wound thou makest in thy conscience, in thy soul, it will

not heal it self, nor will a lust heal it self, and wear away of its own accord, as some diseases will, though no physick be ad∣ministred. It is a deadly disease, it seizeth upon the vitals, and then you know it is a matter of great difficulty and skill to cure it; no nor can a man cure himself: if he could, to what end did the Lord Jesus undergo all? why he was smitten for our trans∣gress••••ns, if we could have been healed by any strength of our own? no, we were without strength, when Christ dyed for us, as the Apostle bath it, and as to other things, so to this great work; did the Lord do any thing in vain? much less then would he do the greatest thing that ever be wrought in vain; alas, who * 1.149 can pardon sins but he? who can bind up the broken in spirit, but he who was sent into the world for this very end? who can pour wine and oyl into the wounds, but the good Samaritan? who can give rest for the anguish of the wounds but he? we cannot heal our selves; if the very marrow of our bones were distilled into continual tears, and all our moysture, it would not make a balm to cure a wound of sin, nor a cordial to support in one swooning fit; there are many considerations wherefore we cannot do it; and therefore the Lord in pity and bowels to∣ward us, sent us his Son to be our Physitian, because we poor sick creatures need the Physitian, which we should not, if we * 1.150 could heal our selves; our wound is incurable, and refuseth to be healed by us.

First, alas, We know not our diseases, our distempers; you know a disease is half cured, if curable, when it is known in the cause; if a Physitian mistake the disease, and mis-applications accord∣ing to his mistake, quite contrary to the disease, this is the ruin of the Patient; such Physitians are of no value, and such should we all be, and are; For we cannot know our sins, nor the plague of the heart; who knows his errors? if we discover one lust, that it breaks out in such a manner, that it cannot be hid, yet there is ten for * 1.151 one that we never saw; and how can we then heal them? now the Lord Jesus seeth our hearts through and through, and knoweth all the malig〈…〉〈…〉y and poysonous humours that lye there, and therefore knoweth how to purge them out; we know them not.

Secondly, We have no desire to have them healed at all; we 〈…〉〈…〉w not what healing means, being not sensible naturally of

our distempers, and sores that are upon us: no man desires that he knoweth not. We think we are in health and strength of soul, in as good a condition as any, need nothing, and yet are poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked, just like a poor man, * 1.152 the strength of his disease works him off his senses, (as we say) he thinkeeh he is well as ever in his life, when alas he is drawi••g nigh the chambers of death, his disease is so much the more dange∣rous. Brethren, sin 〈…〉〈…〉s our heads with such fumes of pride and self-confidence, and carnal reasonings, that we are ready to conclude all is well with us, and I doubt many of us whom this concerneth, will put it away from us upon this very account; We are whole, need not the Physitian, so we have no desire to be healed; the tender of a plaister by another to a man that think∣eth * 1.153 he hath no wounds, it is ridiculous, they are more ready to mock at it, then receive it; so far are Sinners from providing an healing for themselves, because they are not sensible of their need of it, they desire it not. Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways, we are well enough without it; yea more, * 1.154 we have no desire to be healed, because we are in love with our diseases; not as a man that hath an issue, he knoweth doth him good, would not have it stopt; but we have many bloody issues of sin, and because of the pleasure, and delight, or pro••t, or humour, or some things, we please our selves with them, for we are loath to part with them. Augustine himself was loath to be healed so soon of his lust, not yet Lord, not yet, said his heart, when he prayed for healing; the disease hath seized upon the will it self, so that it is pleased and taken with the sickness, the ill sa∣vour of our wounds, the stench of them is sweet to us, while we have a stinking nostril, and therefore no marvel if we can ne∣ver heal our selves; there is need of this Lord Jesus to come with healing under his wings.

Thirdly, We do reject healing and the Physitian; When he * 1.155 would have healed us, we would not be healed; therefore much less can we do it our selves. I would have purged thee, and thou * 1.156 wast not purged, &c. Brethren, how often hath the Lord Jesus called upon us all, and have we not many of us as often refused? Hath he not stretched out his hands all the day long? all the day of Grace, which hath continued long with us, and we have been a rebellious, a disobedient people, we would none of his counsel;

either it is too mean, as Naaman said when he was bid to go and wash in Jordan seven times and he should be cleansed, What, are * 1.157 not Abana and Phar••ar, Rivers of Damascus, better then all the waters of Israel? so proud dust and ashes, the Lord opens a foun∣tain for sin and uncleanness, proclaimeth to every poor sinner, who ever will let him come, let his disease be what it will, bathe in this Fountain, he shall be healed: what saith the proud sinner, are there not waters of our own, will not our own repentance do it? we are very backward, through the pride of heart, to re∣ceive even gratis, as that proud Papist said, He would not have heaven gratis; this Pope is in all our bellies; therefore the Apostle calls it a submission they would not submit to the righteousness of * 1.158 God in Jesus Christ; So we look upon the blood of Jesus Christ as an unholy, a contemptible thing, will not trust wholly to this grace; or else if not too mean, yet the way that God go∣eth to work with a sinner to heal him, it is too severe, a bitter potion they must take down: what, must we so much bewail our selves, must we search and try our ways, rake in our wounds? this we cannot indure, this will cost us much smart and anguish, as it did David, and Peter, and Ephraim; poor foolish crea∣tures! we had rather dye of our wounds, then to have them searched, far from that temper of David we are Search me, and * 1.159 try me; though some of us, I hope, have been so exercised in the work of searching and mortification, that we can many times say with the Psalmist, Lord search us, but alas, many of us it is otherwise with, we come not to the light lest our deeds * 1.160 should be discovered, it would shame us; you know Ahab could not indure to hear of his sins, he hated M••caiah, * 1.161 and that cursed principle is in all our hearts; we would be hu∣mored and daubed, and have the hurt of our souls healed slightly, because we cannot digest the severity and sharpness of the medicines; we are afraid of the wrings and gripes, the Prayers, the Fastings it will cost us, and therefore we are ene∣mies to it.

4. If we were never such friends to it, if we would never so fain be healed, it is not in our power, it is above the sphere of our activity; if the stripes had been laid upon us, which were laid upon Christ when he was whipped with Scorpions; alas, every

blow would have cut us in sunder, and given us our portion in that lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever. You see brethren, that they fetched blood at every blow of our blessed Saviour, who was equal with his Father, having an infinite Power and Spirit to uphold him; and yet, O how he ran down with blood, dropping upon the ground! when the world was to be drowned and overwhelmed, all the veins of the earth were, as I may say, opened; so now the Lord Jesus, when his Spirit was overwhelmed and amazed, as I may say and the Lord in a manner * 1.162 would now swallow him up, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? all the voins, the channels of his body were opened: O how the blows did even almost fetch away the soul of our Saviour! witness that Out-cry: what had become of poor man i•• this had been laid upon him? Beside, who can pardon our sins? is there any but God that can pardon sins? and is not this a great * 1.163 part of healing? who can speak peace but he? He will speak peace to his people, he can do it with one word of his mouth; he cre∣ateth the fruit of the lips, peace, peace; assuredly he createth it peace: who can subdue a lust? all the maceration of the body, that the frame of Nature will bear, will not do it; as it is said of Hierom, though his hair did even stand upright with fasting and lying upon the ground, yet all would not do to subdue concupilcence; he should have taken Gods way, and then his help would have come in; no, no, I will subdue their iniqui∣ties, they are too stiff-hearted for any but the Lord Jesus; none * 1.164 could break the heart of sin but he, by being broken himself for our iniquities; nor can any do it to death, though wounded, and bleeding, and the heart be broken, but he himself; it is above the creatures power: therefore we see what poor helpless crea∣ture we are there is need of the Sun of rightcousness to arise with healing; all our influences upon our own hearts will not heal the least distemper.

The third Use shall be then, to shew us the great necessity that we all of us have of Jesus Christ; The whole need not the Physitian, but they that are sick, but the sick need it: now * 1.165 alas, what is the world but a great Hospital full of diseased creatures? here lies one sick of the Stone, another of the Palsie, a third of a Dropsie, some Lunatick, out of their senses, some

of the Gangrene of Error, which is dangerous for in a few hours it creepeth to the heart: men sleight the Physitian while they are in health, but once sick and wounded, then how welcome is he! what need had the poor Traveller, that fell among theeves, that left him wounded and half dead, of the Samaritan, that came and poured in wine and oyl; alas, what had become of him if * 1.166 God had not so ordered it for him? when a poor Israelite was wounded with the fiery Serpent, though he might not so much heed the Brazen Serpent before, yet now he seeth his necessity * 1.167 o•• looking to him, that he might be healed, his neces••••y would promp him to it▪ if the poor blind man do but hear of Christ passing, O how sensible he is of his necessity and cryeth out to him Jesus thou son of David have mercy upon me; but here is the misery of it, the diseases and sicknesses of the soul are stu∣pifying * 1.168 they seize upon the vitals and spirits in such a violent manner, that if not at first yet after a little while they are past feeling. and therefore our great work is to bring poor creatures to a••sence of their condition, until then they will not accept of the glad tidings of life and salvation by Jesus Christ; how ever this argues our necessity of Christ to be so much the greater; thou feelest not that thy hearti stony and hard, and therefore thinkest that when the sad condition of such a sinner is display∣ed, it belongs not to thee at all▪ alas, thou art so much the harder; tell such stony creatures they have need of the blood of Jesus Christ to dissolve this Adamant, he being the ••oat slain for us as well as the Lamb; for the Passover might be either a * 1.169 Goat or a Lamb, and the Lord Jesus is our Passover; thou thinkest this concerneth thee not: alas, poor sinner, thou hast so much the more need of the blood of Jesus Christ. How doth a tender-hearted Physitian pitty his patient that he seeth despe∣rately sick, and yet so stupified as that he will not be perswaded of his condition; and O that we could look upon you, and speak to you sinners with such hearts! when we tell you of the plague of the heart, a most deadly disease; you know when the infection getteth to the heart, in that disease, there is scarce any remedy for it: so it is with sinners: and yet alas, how hard is it to perswade them of this! they are in as good condition as any, they have no more plague sore upon them then another: dear friends remember it, the plague is in all our families, these diseases

are in all our families, and in many of our own souls; and whether we see, it or see it not, there it is, and our necessity of Christ is so much the greater, by how much the less sensible we are of it; he * 1.170 that saith he seeth, when he is blind, had the most need of a care of all others; he had first need of a cure of his e〈…〉〈…〉or, his mis∣judging of his condition, and then a cure of his disease, what sad moan would Parents make if they had all their children lying of the sickness, what out-cries would there be as in Egypt when one in a house was dead? and yet alas poor sinners see not that their children are born leprous, all over leprous, filthy, and yet they see it not: O brethren, what need there is of Christ to come to all our houses, for Salvation to come to all our families, to heal and cure our souls, our children our servants that are all desperately sic of some disease or another!

Fourthly, ••hen such as to this day have never been healed, the Sun of Righteousness hath never arisen with healing in his wings, there is no healing to be had from under the wings of Christ: know men will be apt, either to play the Empericks upon themselves, or else to go to some Mountebank or another; but alas, they are Physitians of no value, healing is not in them, the poor creature may spend all upon such Physicians, and yet be never the near when he hath done▪ the poor woman in the Gospel, since her bloody issue continued so long it argued she * 1.171 never came to Christ all this while, if she had, she had been healed long ago: thy sores run as violently as ever, and that continually polluting all thy ways truly ••his is an argument that ••hrist hath not arisen upon thee for when he ariseth upon a s••ul, he doth it with healing in his wings; brethren. it may be you have lain at the waters a great while, but you have never been put into them; you ma•• have lived where Christ hath been preached, but it is the Spirit that is the main thing that carrieth the healing vertue from the Lord Jesus, and until he come and breathe in the Ordinances, they are nothing, brethren what shall I say to you, is it not the condition of the most of us? are not our lusts as strong and lively as ever they were? are we not as blind wretches groping at noon day, some of us, as ever we were? are not our hearts as hard as ever? yea, hard∣er, for the stone increaseth and groweth day by day; are we not as licentious, as loose, as proud as ever? why should this

be, ifyou had any thing to do with Christ? it is a sign that such a * 1.172 sinner hath never touched Christ to this day; for no sooner did the woman touch him, but vertue came from him; the least touch of faith doth it: O what a faithless generation are we then! O how many of us are in this condition! what a sad thing is it that we should thus throng upon Christ, and so few touch him? but one poor woman in a whole throng come and steal a touch of Christ, O if she might but touch him, she should be healed; and so haply now in a Congregation, there cometh in one poor trembling sinner, with his affections stirred, his desires are up, O if I may but touch him, I shall be well; when for the most part that is not our error. Now dear friends, what have you been doing all this while, have you eat and drank in the presence of Christ? have you heard his Word and Gospel wherein he is lifted up, as the healing Serpent, so many years, and yet not healed? have you so often received the Lord his Supper, the outward part of it, and yet are not healed? what, have you been praying, and reading, and coming to hear, until you have one foot in the grave, and yet not healed? what have you been doing all this while, that you have never got a sight of Christ, a touch of him to this day, that you might be healed? Ah, sure you have spent your time, your money upon the Physitians that cannot heal you, you have gone to the Disciples in stead of Christ, you have expected healing from the Ordinances themselves, and expected it haply from us in whom healing is not; as they lookt upon the Apostles, Why look ye upon us, as if we had done * 1.173 this by our own power? O no, it is Jesus Christ alone can heal, and therefore if you are not yet healed, he did never arise upon you to this day: It may be sinners will be ready to say, what if Jesus Christ hath never risen upon us, is that such a great mat∣ter? Indeed I doubt we make a light matter of it; but I will tell you what a great matter it is, you are yet in your sins, and it is a very great hazard but you may die in your sins; if he never rise upon thee, thou shalt undoubtedly die in them; and is this nothing? O but you will say, God is merciful, it is his nature to be merciful, he triumpheth in exalting that perfection, and making it glorious: It is true, brethren, but it is in Christ, all light and healing is from the Father, but he hath filled the Son now with inlightning and healing influence, so that they who

will have it, must have it from the Son, he hath all power com∣mitted * 1.174 to him, all the medecines are his now, and the power of applying them is so, that he heals whom he pleaseth; therefore dream not of it, you that are wicked transgressors, that have not your sins healed, that God will be merciful to any but in Christ; O but we may have our sins healed though it be not yet; It is true, thou maist be healed, and this is somewhat: but consider what a cold comfort this would be to a man that had the plague seised upon him in a violent manner why, faith he, it may be heal∣led, and yet alas, be never looks after the Physitian, nor ••••e Physi∣tian after him, but groweth worse, and worse, and yet he may be healed: It is true, if the Lord do not cut thee off before, thou maist be healed; or if God swear not in his wrath thou shalt never enter into his rest; or say to thee, thou shalt never be healed: O these secret things belong not to us; the Father hath put them in his own power, and we presume upon our courses of sinning, as if we knew them, were privy to them, and knew certainly that we should have a day of grace, an hour of mercy; this is desperate, if thou die in this condition, with all thy run∣ning sores upon thee, from head to foot, no sound part, but loathsome wretches; what, do you think the Lord Jesus will put such into his bosome? Well consider this for the fourth Application of the Doctrine: Such as are not healed of their lusts, they have never had Jesus Christ arising upon them as yet, they never knew Christ to this day; let our knowledge be what it will, our parts be what it will, our seeming following Christ be what it will, and thronging upon him never so much, we never yet touched him, he never yet shined upon our souls; O how many such poor▪ Christless souls hear this Word this day!

5. Then, let us labour to raise our spirits in admiration of the riches of grace in Jesus Christ, given to poor sinners, to provide a healing for us; that when we had faln from the height of mercy, or rather grace and goodness, and so had all to be broken and bruised our selves, broken our b••nes, that he should provide a healing for us, when we could never think of such a mercy; what were we more to him then Angels? if he had let us all lye under our broken bones, under the wounds we had made in our selves, and diseases we had contracted, who could have had

any thing to say against him for it? this the Apostle maketh an argument of his love, and it is doubtless a heightening of it, to consider how free it is, that their wounds should not be cured, and ours healed, when both alike curable to him? and consider∣ing * 1.175 that they might have been much more serviceable to him, then we being creatures of a more glorious, active nature then we are; yet he took not hold of the nature of Angels.

But consider we first the infinite disproportion between the Physitian and the Patients: were it not wonderful condescention for a K〈…〉〈…〉o come off his Throne, to buckle himself about the business 〈…〉〈…〉eal a worm that hath been trodden upon? O it pitti∣eth him to see them bleeding, and therefore he maketh it his business to cure them; brethren, you would think this strange, but this is the case; yea, this is but a shadow, Iacob is but a worm, and that the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings should descend from his Throne, from heaven, disrobe himself, as I may say, put * 1.176 on rags, and all to have to do with the wounds and diseases of poor sinful dust and ashes, worms and no me〈…〉〈…〉 Brethren, my tongue is not able to express it; we would thin〈…〉〈…〉 a great mat∣ter, such of us as live in the highest honour, wear soft raiment, are delicate in all things, to take up a poor creature in the streets, that is full of sores, cast out to the loathing of his person, to search the wounds, have to do with those loathsome sores; O what love were this! it may be we could be content in pitty to give money for others to do it, but to do it with our own hands, there is the trial▪ and yet this creature is of our own kind: but what are we to the Lord, or to his Christ? who would do this for a Dog, for a Viper, a Serpent, a Toad, if wounded, if sick and diseased? can we conceive what tenderness it must be above what we have; it may be we would not kill or destroy such a creature, but if otherwise hurt, would we heal them? O herein is the love of God to poor sinners! high above our thoughts, as * 1.177 heaven is high above the earth: alas, we are more ready to tread upon Serpents and Dogs, we would cast them out, put them away from us, it is but a dog. Ah, dear friends, what are we that are strangers from the Covenant of Promise, as we are all, until he entereth into a Covenant with us? we are as dogs, as he speaks to the Syraphinitian woman, all such unclean creatures; yea, we are a generation of Vipers, as full of venom

of sin as a Toad is full of poyson, and that is our nature as soon as we are born; yet alas, the Lord Jesus would not have such as we to perish but rather then it should be so, he himself would become our Physitian: O here is rich grace!

Secondly, In that the Lord Jesus like a Son of righteousness indeed, doth not stay until the poor sinner, the patient do send for him, do come to him, but he is the first in the motion; you know Physitians of eminency and worth, do not use to go up and down to bespeak their patients, to proclaim it up and down who hath any work for them; no, they are too hi〈…〉〈…〉 that: if any will have to do with them, let them find the 〈…〉〈…〉out, let them waite upon them; Mountebanks use to do so, they must hang out a bush, else it will not be known that they profess they can do any thing; pardon the comparison, for our Saviour com∣pareth his coming to the coming of a Thief; and if a Moun∣tebank be no better; yet the comparison is tollerable by that of our Saviour himself, I say, he will rather come to sinners then that they shall misc〈…〉〈…〉; he came to seek and to save that which was lost: for alas, the lost creature never will seek him, but wander, and loseth it self more and more, therefore we are compared to wandring sheep, we all like sheep have gone astray, yea, the very Saints themselves when once they have been found, yet will * 1.178 lose themselves again, as David, I have gone astray like a lost sheep, seek thy servant; else we should never find the way to Christ again; dogs and such kind of creatures, if lost, will find the way home, again, but a sheep will not; so when we are ut∣terly lost, Repent, for the Kingdom of God is come unto you. saith our Saviour; O repent and turn, for the Gospel, and the grace * 1.179 of the Gospel is come to you; the Kingdom of heaven goeth a begging, as I may say, cometh and knocketh at this door, and that door; at this family and that, to see if they will give enter∣tainment to Jesus Christ, whether they will be healed, this day is Salvation come to thine house, saith the Lord to Zacheus; it came to him before he came to Christ; though he did indeed * 1.180 run a little for curiosity sake before Christ, to see his person, yea, our Saviour inviteth himsel•• to him, he invited himself to come to his house; so, did not the Lord Jesus come to seek Paul, and where did he find him but in blood, up to the ears, even the blood of the Saints? may we not set to our seals to

the truth of this? That he is found of such as never sought him; * 1.181 may we not say truly, that alas, our own souls, and our own fami∣lies were poor, dark, ignorant, hard-hearted creatures, that never thought of Jesus Christ, until he first came and brought healing to us the Son doth not stay until he be called up, but he riseth of his own accord upon the world; Brethren, the Lord Jesus * 1.182 this day, though by the mouth of a Babe, and uncircumcised creature in heart and lips, doth invite you, all is ready, and then he cals, this is a part of the message I have from Christ this day, and it is a sweet one, to invite every poor wounded Sin∣ner, * 1.183 ev〈…〉〈…〉 poor diseased creature to come to Jesus Christ for healing; and O that I could bespeak you, as he himself would be∣speak you, were he upon earth, with such a melting heart and sence of your condition. O why will ye die? is the expostulation * 1.184 of the Lord Jesus; why will you die of your wounds, of your plague-sores? here is balm for you, here is healing for you, if you will but accept of it; O do not slight it, do not run away from the Physitian; Hath the Lord Jesus been at all this pains to procure▪ a medicine, and shall we cast it away, and slight it?

Thirdly, Here is the riches of the Grace of God toward poor Sinners, that though we cannot tell our Physitian what we ail, yet he knoweth our diseases, and from him it is that we are convinced of our condition in this respect; Physitians are not able to see into the inward parts, into the veins, the arteries, the liver, the heart, but they judge according to outward symptoms, or according to the Patients relation of his disease, and how often do they miscarry and mistake? but here is such a Physitian, he so heals, as that he knoweth all our diseases, he needs not feel our pulse to see how they beat, he can tell where there is a poor burthened soul, or a sin-guilty soul, knoweth all the guilt, and ta••es notice of it first, and from his own notice of it, takes oc∣casion to heal it. I have seen his ways, though he was walking * 1.185 on in the stubborness of his heart, though he were smitten, he saw not his own ways, how froward they were, nor his own heart, how hard it was; but saith the Lord, I have seen his wayes▪ and I will heal him; Alas, how long might Paul have been before he had known his disease, except the Lord Jesus had opened it to him, come and convinced him of it: and so in the case of Da∣vid and Peter.

Fourthly, Yet further consider the riches of Grace, Sinners, herein to you, herein held forth in that, notwithstanding all our unkind dealing with him, yet he giveth not over the work; would not an able Physitian take it ill, that his Patient should go away from him, and run to a cheating Mountebank, and prefer him before him? were not this enough to lose a Phy∣sitian? Alas, do we not all do so? He stretched ont his hands all the day long to a gainsaying and rebellious people; one runs to one * 1.186 thing, another to another; The Prodigal to his husks, rather then to his Father; and the poor woman to her Physitian of no 〈…〉〈…〉lue, ra∣ther then to Christ; if Sinners can make a shift to lick over their sores with a good tongue, a smooth tongue, crying peace, peace, where there is no peace; a sad condition, when Conscience is quieted upon mistaken grounds; if they can quiet it with a little duty, they are well; if they can skin over their wounds, they are well enough; they will stick any where, rather then come to Je∣sus Christ; and yet for all this, he is ready to heal them. O, how do Persons beside themselves abuse their Physitian? many times fly in their face, and so do Sinners; now the Lord Jesus cometh with his cordials in one hand, his purgatives in the other hand, ready to purge, to cleanse, to heal us, and we fly in his face, use him most unkindly; and yet for all this, he is not overcome, giveth us not over, until he hath healed us of this, and all the rest of the distempers of our souls. O how do you think the Lord Jesus can endure to be kicked in the very bowels, to have his blood trampled under foot by poor Sinners, that he cometh to heal! and yet he doth endure it, and for all this healeth them. Is not all this unkindness? what can move him to give us over? surely many of us are able to say it, that if his bowels had not been unsearchable, we have so often grieved him, and kicked against him, even since he had to do with our souls in a way of healing mercy, that we had been un∣done for ever. Oh here is unsearchable mercy, we wound him, and grieve him, and yet he heals us: we sleightly esteem of him, of his blood, of his mercy, of his love, even while he is pouring it out upon us, and he so dearly loveth us, that his blood is not too dear for us, no nor his Spirit, nor his bowels, nor any thing; O here is rich Grace indeed to poor froward-hearted Sinners!

5. Herein the riches of Grace doth appear to poor Sinners,

that it is not the multitude, nor the depth, nor the loathsomness of our wounds, or deadliness of our diseases, that discourageth him, to make him turn his back upon the work, and let us alone. O saith the Physitian, when he cometh to such a Patient, he hath the plague, it is seized upon his heart, upon his vitals, it is past my ski〈…〉〈…〉, it is but labour in vain, if the spots appear, there is no hope, no healing; but now the Lord Jesus, he never m••dleth with a Sinner, but he hath the plague in his very heart, not only the sores running upon their tongues, and upon their hands, but in their very hearts, and all the blood, and spirits poysoned, and yet he is not discouraged, he takes it in hand: truly some of us, if we consider how deeply rooted our ••nsts were in our very hearts, it is matter of admiration, that ever we were healed; and though for the present there are, it may be, grudgings of the old disease, whereby we are a grief to him, and a grief to our selves, yet that the plague is cured at the heart, or curing rather; alas, do you think the Lord Jesus did not know what a weary hand he should have with us before he began with us? he knew what ulcerations would be continually breaking out that must be lanced and searched, and yet never turned his back upon his work upon this account; when the Chyrurgion meeteth with a * 1.187 poor creature, that is full of wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores, that have never been opened, nor mollified, but a long time have festered and rotted; O, saith he, I am not able to en∣dure to have to do with such a Patient, the very stench of his wounds and ••ores is such, I am not able to bear it; Brethren, this is nothing to sin, the most loathsom running sores are no∣thing to the rottenness of sin: O, it is the superfluity of naughtiness, * 1.188 it is the very scum of scums, the very excrement of the Devil: now how can we think that Jesus Christ should endure the stench of our loathsom souls, full of running sores? and yet he doth it, when he cometh to heal us, he never yet gave over any that he undertook to heal, because of the greatness, the multitude, the loathsomness of his diseases; I know poor misgiving hearts will be ready to sit down and mourn, as poor creatures without hope, when they consider how many their sores are, their di∣seases are. O what loathsom running sores, bloody issues! and they are loathsom to our selves, that see little or nothing of them, and that have a stinking nostril, their minds whereby they con∣ceive

of things, are impure themselves, and so cannot apprehend them as so loathsom; but the Lord Jesus that seeth them to the bottom, knoweth the venom of them, the loathsomness of them to the full. O sure they are much more to him, sure he will never have to do with such a rotten soul as mine, saith one; such a rotten heart, such a wretch, so besotted with the world, as I have been, so unclean a wretch as I have been; this is a mistake, the riches of Grace in Jesus Christ would never be so made ma∣nifest, the exceeding abundance of Grace, if he had not to do with such sinners as thou art in thine own apprehension; with a Paul, a Manasses, a Magdalen, with the chief of Sinners; O say not your cases are desperate, there is no healing for your wounds; nothing maketh a Sinners case desperate, but his own despairing, his final unbelief, his despair of the mercy of Christ, the faithfulness of Christ in this great undertaking of poor Sin∣ners.

Sixthly, O what tenderness is manifested in the manner of the cure! and it must needs be so, when bowels themselves are the constitution of the Physitian; where love it self, and compassion it ••elf setteth the Physitian awork. Brethren, can you ima∣gine when a Father is a Physitian, and hath a poor diseased child, or wounded, cryeth out for healing; can you imagine with what an heart he goeth about it? if it would do the cure, he could be content to endure all the lancings, take down all bitter potions; O every grone and out-cry of his Patient goes to his heart, he is so tender; by these affections the Lord is pleased darkly to shadow out to us his heart toward us; Even as a Father pit∣tieth his children, so the Lord Jesus pittieth them that fear him; that * 1.189 are wonnded in any kind, either in their peace, or in their holi∣ness. But this will appear, if we consider but a few particu∣lars.

First, In that he himself hath taken the bitterest part of the physick; O the wormwood and the gall! they went into his bowels; the Lord Jesus doth not delight to cure by lancings, by searings, and canterizings; no: but he took down himself the purge that set him upon such a sweat as you know; alas, it would have drunk up every drop of our blood, and moy∣sture, and marrow, that we should never have seen through it; this he takes himself, himself is lanced you know by the Soldiers,

and from thence came water and blood, the ingredients of the healing medicine for poor Sinners for ever, being rightly tempered: like a tender Mother, if the child be sick, it must be purged; she her self takes the purge, endures the wrings of it in its working, that the effect may be suckt by the child who lies at the breast; this is but a resemblance of this rich Grace in Jesus Christ. Brethren, we see, if men were our Physitians, what they would prescribe us, their purgations, and pilgrims, whippings, macerating our flesh, until they bleed and die; but the Lord Je∣sus doth not so; if either the Physitian or the Patient must die in this case, rather then the poor, diseased, wounded Patient shall die, the Physit〈…〉〈…〉 himself dieth, that we might live, that his blood might be our cordial, his flesh, our dyet, and his blood our dyet-drink, that continually by little and little might heal us; O what manner of love is this! Brethren, who would do so? let a Father but examine his heart and see, could he do so for his child? though a Mother may take down much bitterness for her child, yet would she be content to open a vein, to bleed to death, to redeem its life when ready to perish? I know David * 1.190 in his passion said, Would God I had dyed for thee; but if Ab∣salom had been alive, and in cold bood he had been put to it, I question, though his affections were strong to his Son, but they would have been as strong to himself; Self is a mans nearest friend; but now the Lord Jesus you see, did it for his poor sinful people, yea for strangers, for enemies: Brethren, consider of it, If any of us were Physitians, here is a poor wounded creature lies in the way, as the poor man in the Gospel, fell among thieves, left wounded and half-dead, which of us now could find in our hearts to open our own veins, and be emptied of all our blood and li••e, that such a poor wretch might be supplied? now this the Lord Jesus doth for such Sinners as we are; Brethren, if there must be pouncing and pricking, he endures it: lancing, he endures it; contusion, he endures it; For he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquites, the chastisement of our * 1.191 peace was upon him, and through his stripes we are healed: his stripes are not the bodily buffetings, his crown of thorns, and * 1.192 such things were nothing in comparison: no, it is the lashing of his spirit, the wounding of his soul, the travel of his soul, the agonies, wrestlings with his Fathers displeasure to an agony,

when God laid on him so heavily, that he was ready to faint and sink, and his soul almost fetched at every blow. O dear Saviour, that ever the cure of such sinfull dust and ashes should cost thee so dear, and we so little prize it! But,

2. That which he prescribes to us, though there be some bit∣terness in it, yet no more then must needs; it may be a sprink∣ling from the top of the cup of trembling, which may put us into a fear and trembling, so much as he seeth needfull to imbitter sin to us: it is true, if love were perfect here below, while graces are imperfect, and our ingenuity perfect; the looking up∣on a crucified Christ for us, would be the greatest imbittering of sin to us in the world; but we are very dull an〈…〉〈…〉ow of heart, and therefore a little taste we must our selves, that we may gather from thence what the Lord Jesus indured for us: we that never felt what a wounded Spirit meant, and what the clouding of the face of God from us meant, though we may hear of the suffer∣ings of Christ, we are not able to be sensible of them, and so not to prize that love as strong as death; but when a poor creature hath had a drop or two of scalding wrath fall upon his conscience, a lash or two, though gently, upon his spirit, that maketh him roar in the disquietness of his ••oul: O thinketh he then, if a drop or two be so full of terror and amazement, what then was the whole Cup? what was the dregs? how should I have born that, if my blessed Saviour had not taken it off for me? That which did so parch him who was the Green Tree, that he said he thirst∣ed, surely would have consumed the dry: If he were as a Bottle dryed in the smoak, it would have consumed us to ashes: If it made Him sweat in such a manner, it would have altogether dissolved our frame, that we should have perished for ever: O * 1.193 if a little wrath, when God hideth his face be such a Hell in ma∣ny souls, What a Hell then had Jesus Christ in his soul, when wrath was poured out to the utmost? for he was not spared a jot. And then to make us out of love with sin, wherein doth lie the very heart of the core and of the cure, surely such are the bowels of God in Christ, that as he delighteth not in the death of a sinner, so neither doth he delight in bringing the crea∣ture to life, through so much bitterness and grief, if any other means would so effectually work us out of love with sin as this; for the Wise God surely would take the most effectual course; it is all needfull, else he would never do it.

Why, but you will say, that hatred of sin is never kindly, ex∣cept the love to Jesus Christ be the ground of it? ye that love the Lord hate evil; this takes the ingenuous spirit off from Omis∣sions and Commissions.

It is true, but yet consider brethren, wherefore do we love Him, but because he loved us? when his love is revealed and ma∣nifested, this warmeth, melteth the heart, indeareth the soul to him; until the Lord Jesus be pleased to open and unfold his bowels of love to a sinner, he will never love him; now whereby should we estimate the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners, but by the unsearchably rich 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he paid for them? O the price of every drop of that blessed blood that run trickling down to the earth, especially if it be considered by what means it was squeezed out of him, this setteth a rate upon his love; it is not love in word, but in deed and in truth; if nothing else will be a price to redeem them but his blood, it shall go; he is not dear of it to the last drop; yea not to part with it by opening a vein, but to have it extract out of the veins by the pores of his body: O by the unspeakable weight of wrath upon his Spirit! Now how can we judge of this, except we have had a little taste of it our selves? when we are put into a little sweat in our own wrestlings with the displeasure of God, O then we see what our Saviour indured for us: If a man would set the highest estimate upon love among men, this should be the rate of it; would they willingly have the face of God in Christ hidden from them for a year or two for the dearest friend they have in the world? you that have felt what this lash∣ing of your Spirit is, that your breath was even gone at every blow, and you were ready to perish, and you had fainted ex∣cept you had believed some secret undiscerned support. Tell me, would you redeem the life, yea the souls of your dearest friends that you had in this world by lying under a wounded Spirit, ha∣ving a Hell kindled in your souls that should burn all your days? I cannot tell, I know dear Friends will do much one for another: O saith one, I could lay my hands under their feet to do them good: O I could redeem their lives with my own, Would God I had died for thee! and haply because he saw he was in such a sad condition for his soul; but David, wouldst thou have been con∣tent * 1.194 to roar all thy days in the disquietness of thy soul, to have his waves and billows to go over thee, not to wade in the shal∣lows,

but to be in the depths, to be overwhelmed with the dis∣pleasure * 1.195 of the Lord, and that for Absolom? if so, it is much, but it is nothing to this of Christ; therefore this is the truest estimate we can take of his love, and surely the higher our thoughts are, and deeper of the love of Christ, and the larger, the greater will be our hatred of sin, our loathing of sin, which when it is wrought, the cure is wrought; what, shall I play with the knife that hath pierced the heart of my Saviour? Shall I harbour that in my bo∣som that was the sting of my blessed Saviour, the poyson where∣of-drank up his Spirits? surely no.

And then Secondly, This will heighten our love to him, and we shall be loth to grieve him when we love him: O he hath in∣dured enough already for me, he ha••h been wounded, yea so wounded, as to be all over gore for my-sins, and so much, as to be but all one wound, and shall I grieve him more? I am perswaded that the experiences of all our hearts that ever tasted of his love, will subscribe to this, that this is the great reason of our so often grieving of Jesus Christ, because we have so little impression upon our hearts of his love to us, and consequently so little love to him; either we never had a strong impression, or else by de∣grees it doth wear out, and should be renewed by a serious con∣templation of these things which we neglect, and that is the rea∣son; else we should be very tender and fearful of grieving him after the manner we do daily.

But then Thirdly, our own smart under the sence of his dis∣pleasure will do something: do you think that the remembrance * 1.196 of the wormwood and gall will not do something, make sinners afraid to meddle with sin, and all little enough too? so the Fa∣ther, when the childe walks frowardly, takes him up, Ile make you remember my fingers a good while, saith he; so the Lord deals with his people, but this is nothing to what the Lord Jesus in∣dured for us; he had the brunt; he broke the waves of the dis∣pleasure of his Father, who is the rock of our salvation; though we that are lifted up upon that rock, may be under water some∣times by those waves, yet the force of them is broken upon Je∣sus Christ, else they would dash us to pieces, having not co-assist∣ance enough to break them. If ever Peter were solicited to de∣ny Jesus Christ again, do you think that the remembrance of this, O how dear it cost me, was not an awe upon him? and so for Da∣vid;

after those dolefull complaints from him, while under the sense of his fathers displeasure; do you think he was not more afraid of stollen waters, though sweet, and bread eaten in se∣cret, though pleasant, after God had kept him awhile, shut him up, as I may say, in the Chambers of death, made him walk there awhile, to make him know what he had done in sinning away the light of his countenance?

But Thirdly, That which he himself prescribeth, even the bit∣terest of it, it is no more then he enables the creature to bear; if he do lance our wounds, and put us to some grief, withall he gi∣veth a Cordial that stays us from sinking; it is true, a right hand cannot be cut off, nor a right foot, a man cannot be dismembred, but there will be some anguish and trouble; nor a lust mortified, but it will cost us some heart-aking, but then he quickly stanches the bleeding, keepeth the heart from sinking, fainting, he will not suffer us to be tryed above what we are able, but maketh a way to escape; he doth not leave us altogether without his presence * 1.197 when we are in the dark, though we see him not; I say, if it were not for this, I know the lot of Judas and Cain would fall upon every such sinner, nor will he keep it a jot longer upon us then he will lengthen out our patience. But what is all this Brethren to what our blessed Saviour hath taken down for us? If dark∣ness be so sad to us, who never had but a glimpse of the light of his countenance, what was it that the Lord Jesus felt then, that had it in that fulness the creature was capable of, and propor∣tionably greater, by how much the more iniquity was laid to his charge? So that in a word, it is our blessed Saviour that was wounded, and we healed; all that is done to us is but as a scratch with a pin to those wounds of his; he felt all those wrings and pangs, and we have the effects of the working of the Physick; is not this unsearchable riches of Grace, that we should be heal∣ed after such a manner as this!

Seventhly, He doth all this most freely, expecteth no reward, as Physicians you know do: the poor woman in the Gospel spent all that she had upon the Physicians, but when she came to Christ, he asked her nothing, only willingness to accept of delive∣rance, to believe his power, his willingness to save, and this is no∣thing to a reward; yea, and it is he himself that giveth the wil∣lingness to be healed; he went up and down throughout the Sy∣nagogues

and the villages, healing all their diseases; was it not the freest gift that ever was given, to give himself, his life, his blood a ransom for poor sinners? alas, he knew we had nothing to give him, and yet he cometh nevertheless freely; for all he aimeth at is, that his grace may have the glory, and be made glo∣rious, and the poorsinner may be saved; and therefore whether they have any thing or nothing, it is all one; yea, if there be any thing that the creature looks upon, as his money, the Lord Jesus is so far from taking it as a reward, that there is nothing hinders him more then this; it is one of the great diseases indeed of the soul, this holy self, that Jesus Christ cometh to heal; poor sinners are full of sores, wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores, full of corruption, every one hath his bloody issue: now our du∣ties, * 1.198 or holiness, which sinners sometimes so much stand upon, the Apostle thought them gain once; they are but as the filthy clouts upon our sores, that are ••ull of the runnings of our sores, as menstruous cloaths, defiled with our bloody issues: we think to plaister our wounds with them, to salve our consciences with a few duties, but alas they come off like filthy clouts from run∣ning sores, and are these a reward for the Lord Jesus? When a Physician cometh to heal a person of the Plague, O saith he, I will reward you, you shall not take all this pains with me for no∣thing; you shall have the rags that come off my sores, for your pains: Is not the Physician much beholding to him think you? So it is here, we have nothing but such rags to give the Lord Je∣sus, and alas they must be washed clean in his blood; our ser∣vices healed as well as our souls, before they be worth any thing: therefore I say, he himself freely prepareth the Lances to open the wounds, convinceth the poor creature of his condition; he himself takes the pains to open the vein, to empty the creature of himself, to cure him of that Plethory: He it is tempereth the Physick, is at the charge of it; O the richest Cordials in the world! tempered of his own blood and water, by his own Spirit, to support the poor creature when ready to faint: he sitteth over his people, even as a tender Father over a weak wounded childe, and with what a heart you may imagine; he provideth Messen∣gers of his own to be with them, to minister to them, to watch over them, and himself is alway at hand. Ah dear Friends, that ever the Lord Jesus should set so high esteem upon poor sinners,

when we were in such a loathsom condition, as that he would dwell in flesh, and take part of flesh and blood, that so he might have somewhat to make a restorative of, a healing medicine of, that we might not perish; one drop, every drop of his most precious blood, with respect to the value which the God-head put upon it, is more then if a world of pearl could be decocted into a cordial; and yet he spared it not: that he should visit sin∣ners with this salvation, with his corrosives, his cordials, with his healing vertue, and power, and his heart, so ready to put it forth from time to time; this is unsearchable riches of grace, to do all this freely. Yea,

Eighthly and lastly, it will appear in this, that the Lord Jesus brings his heart full, and his hands full of reward with him to a poor sinner, so that he will be but healed; you see foolish chil∣dren when they have fallen and wounded themselves, they must be hired to let the Father or the Chyrurgion heal it, put a plaister upon it; but cryeth out as undone, had rather do any thing then be healed; but alas, who would do it to a stranger? it may be thou seest a poor leprous creature lie languishing at thy gates, and thou canst heal him, but he is not willing; either he is in love with his disease, or distrusts your good will, or faithfulness, or something, but he is not willing to be healed: now where is there a heart so full of tenderness as to be willing to offer him a reward? I will give thee thus much, or thus much, if thou wilt but let me heal thee, for I pitty thy condition: Brethren, a King and his subjects fall out, they rebel against the King in the war, the subject is wounded even to the death, except there be more then ordinary care taken of him; now the King, his heart re∣lents, he cometh to him in the prison, and doth not upbraid him with his unkindness, nor pride, nor stubbornness, but intreateth him he will give him leave to heal him, that he will but suffer his wounds to be searched, to be healed, to be closed, so that he may not perish, he will pardon all that he hath done amiss, begs of him to accept of him, he will make him the second man in the King∣dom, he shall be near to him, if he will but suffer himself to be healed: Is not this rich mercy indeed, is there any such Paragon to be found? Surely no: but lo, this is in Jesus Christ, and more, for he not only promiseth a reward upon our healing, but maketh the poor creature willing also, willing to part with his

lusts; and to speak the truth, I take this to be the greatest part of our healing, when a poor sinner that was in love with sin before, loved his lusts as much as his life; O his merry companions were as dear to him as his very eye, or his right hand, he could no more part with one then the other, and so his gain of unrighteousness. Now when the Lord by proposing of objects, which have a great force, but that is not all, but by a sweet and yet powerful bowing of the heart, maketh the poor creature willing to be healed; so that now he cryeth out with Augustine, How long Lord, how long? this man is in a great measure healed, and this is the work, and yet he rewardeth for this, promiseth a Crown, giveth grace, and glory, glory with himself, fellowship with him, to lye in his bo∣som to all eternity. O here is unsearchable riches of grace! Bre∣thren, I have only, if so much, brought you to the vein where these riches lie. O that you would dig a little by serious con∣templating upon it. You will find more then I am able to speak.

Sixthly, Another Use shall be this, to warn us that we do not upon this score, because that Jesus Christ will arise with healing under his wings upon poor sinners; therefore to make bold with sin; it is no great matter, the healing vertue of Christ will be so much the more magnified. O how desperate is this! would you not think that man were out of his wits, that upon presumption upon the skill, and tenderness of the Physitian, should without any care how, or where, wound himself, and gash himself, he hath a Physitian that will heal him; you that dare be so bold to sin, that grace may abound, and make work for Jesus Christ, know this, this day, you know not what the grace of Christ meaneth, * 1.199 that make such a use of it: how did this stir the Apostles spirit? God forbid: he doth, as I may say, recoil; as a man startled at some horrid sight. O the Lord forbid you should suck such poyson out of so sweet a flower! This concerneth two sorts of persons; First, such as yet never knew what this healing vertue of Christ is, only by the hearing of the ear, they hear the Lord Jesus is able to heal the most desperate wounds, and that he is willing, and therefore they make bold to continue in sin, they may go on to inflame the reckoning a little higher yet, it is all one with Christ to pardon millions as mites, to swallow up mountains as mole∣〈…〉〈…〉 it is true, if thou respect his power; but how dost thou

know that he will do it for thee, sinner? or what hope hast thou, or canst thou have while it is thus with thoe? Its true, if sinners do not sin away the day of grace, he is willing; but did ever Je∣sus Christ tell thee that thou shouldest be healed particularly, though thou go on rebelling against him, wound upon wound up∣on thy poor soul? Surely no, be not deceived sinners, these are the insinuations of the wicked one, this is such Gospel as the Devil preacheth, when he preacheth Christ as an Angel of light, but in the close, you will find the Law instead of the Gospel; such presumption and security usually endeth in dispair, the time may come, that you that make so little a matter of it, may cry out and roar, O your wounds, you refused to be healed; what if the Lord then say to you, your iniquities shall never be healed, you shall dye in your sins; what will become of your presumption then?

Secondly, it concerneth the people of God, that have had it may be some experience of this healing vertue of Jesus Christ, that have a long time been groaning under the loathsomness and anguish of their wounds, and now at the last are healed through abundant grace. O take heed of returning to folly any more; will you make bold with sin, that have known what it cost our blessed Saviour, and what it cost your selves? what it cost him, when as he would himself purge our iniquities; he took the Phy∣sick, and thou enjoy••st the cure; but is it no more to us. Bre∣thren? the heaviness of his soul to the death; must he bleed to death, that we might not bleed to death, that our bloody issues might be stopt? did it cost him an ecclipse of the light of the countenance of his Father, and wilt thou make so light a matter of it? walk so watchlesly as we do, to go on to grieve him, as we do some of us? O it is the want of keeping that fresh upon our hearts, what the cure of it cost, that is the great cause of our so often relapsing. And so we forget what it cost our selves; it is strange that the burnt child doth not dread the fire: dost thou not remember when the Lord came to search thy wounds, what it cost thee when he went to the bottom of them? O dost thou not remember the stench of them, when he came to pluck off the hard crust grown upon them, and let thee see and be sensible of the filthiness in them? is this forgotten, that thou makest no more of sin? O dost thou not remember the time when thou wast even

weary of thy self, a burthen to thy self, thou couldst not rest ma∣ny a weary day and night, it cost thee many an aking heart, and yet now so soon art making wounds again, making work again for Christ? Surely this is very ill requital of all that riches of grace. Or what, can we heal the breaches we make upon our peace by our recidivations when we please? It is true, if a man had his panacea in his pocket, that whatever disease he fell into, whatever wound he should make upon himself, he could cure it again when he pleased, it were somewhat like, there were some colour; but have you the treasuries of grace in your own keep∣ing? have you? or hath any man a pardon in a box, as the poor deceived Papists are grievously mocked? Surely no; Alas, we can make wounds, but we cannot heal them, we can make a shift to break our faces and bones, but we cannot heal them again, it is in his hand; and will it be for our comfort then, to grieve him by such careless walking? what if he resolve to grieve thee, and give thee enough of thy back-slidings? Will it not be bitter∣ness in the latter end? though he may heal it, it may cost thee ma∣ny a throb and much smart for this wantonness; Brethren, take * 1.200 heed of this: O sickness is chargeable, it may cost thee mourning all thy daies.

Seventhly, Then let it be for Exhortation to us all, that we get under the influence of this Sun of righteousness. Sinners, we have all of us need of the Physitian, for there is never a whole soul among us, though to our own apprehension some of us think it is well with us, yet it is not, we are full of wounds, the whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint, the Lord Jesus hath * 1.201 sent me to tell you where you-may have healing, and to perswade you to come to him; but alas, I am a child and cannot speak. Where is there healing to be had you will say? you know that as well as you can be told; why then, how cometh it to pass that you come not to Jesus Christ, he hath set open the Store-house, the Treasuries of pardoning-mercy, and healing-mercy, inviteth all that will to come, and yet you come not? Surely, either you do not believe this report, or else you do not believe your need of Jesus Christ. O consider what hath been said to that part, and the Lord help you to believe, and perswade you to come to him, for indeed it is he that must draw, and make poor sinners willing to come, or else they will never come to him, only he doth draw;

one way is by proposing the object, by holding out a crucified Christ for them. And therefore let me a little propose something to you to perswade you to come to Jesus Christ.

1. Your need of Christ you have seen; for we are all wounded, yea even to the death, bitten with fiery Serpents, the venom whereof inflames our souls, and therefore a Physitian we must have or else dye: Now there is no healing in any other, but through his stripes; if you know of any other Saviour that can deliver, can heal you, take him; follow after him; but I must tell you, when you have spent all, you must be fain to come to Jesus Christ for healing; and is it not better to come before you have spent all upon other Physitians that cannot cure when all is done? O that sinners could but believe this! I tell you truth, Bre∣thren, a Plaister of any thing else; made of our own sorrow, or tears, or righteousness, or good works, or whatsoever, it is so far from being a healing, that it will venom the wound more, and maketh yet further work for Jesus Christ, if rested in as a cure. I say, you may make a shift to stop the Orifice of the wound with a balm of your own procuring, but all the while the sore eats into the soul so much the deeper, wrankles within. O now the Lord Jesus, he beginneth at the bottom, and so heals it up; say not then, Are not Abana and Pharpar, Rivers of Da∣mascus, better then all the waters of Israel? when we must go and * 1.202 wash in Jordan if we be healed.

2. Consider this, the longer you conceal your wounds and hold off, the worse will it go with you; for either the Lord will let you go on and never heal you, but let you languish away in these waies of sin you please your selves so much in; or else if he do, the longer the wound is wrankling the worse it will be, the harder it will go when it cometh to be searched; when David had turned his back upon Christ for so long in the matter of Ʋriah, it cost him somewhat, it made him roar when the Physick came to work, the Lord withdrawing from him haply as long. O that while you are called to day, sinners, now while healing is tendered, you would accept of it! the Lord make you will∣ing.

3. Do but consider, what thronging there was to Christ for healing of their bodily distempers, they brought them from all * 1.203 parts to him, such as could not come themselves; and would

there not be the like now if he were upon earth? O how would poor Creeples set the best foot forward to come to him, and such as had diseased creatures, Lame, Blind, Palsie? &c. O how would they take themselves bound to bring them to Christ for healing? and what, is the body more then the soul, Brethren? You would think you were undone if you were lamed, and could not stand upon your legs; why this is nothing to have a heart and a heart. Such a man is lame, one leg shorter then another, or walks with one foot in an higher way, and the other in a lower, and so halts, and is this nothing? O, what would a tender mother give now, if she had all her children and self under the plague at once, or lying of the stone or gout at once, one cryeth, and another cry∣eth, never pain like theirs. What would a mother give now for such a Physitian, and how ready would she be to carry them to him? what is this to the plague of the heart, and the stone in the heart? and yet no out-cries at all, nor care at all, nay the Lord Jesus cometh himself, is first in the thing, visits with his sal∣vation, moveth, intreateth to accept of pardon, of healing, and yet you will not; what shall I say more, Brethren?

4. Consider, that the Lord Jesus is most freely willing to heal poor sinners; do you think if the Lord Jesus had not been in good earnest, and hearty in the work of salvation of poor sinners, he would have prepared such costly cordials, made up of his own spirits and his own blood, that so no disease might be so deadly, but the soveraignty of the Medicine should be as lively? Surely no; did he ever refuse any that came to him for healing in the Gospel, for healing of the body, but rather while they came for healing of their bodies, he did ex superabundanti gratia, heal their souls; they came to ask crums of him, as the poor woman, and he giveth them the childrens bread, his flesh and his blood to eat and to drink, to be food and Physick to heal and nourish them; you have heard at large, that none that come unto him he will in any wise cast out.

Therefore, Brethren, let me beg of you to labour with the Lord, and with your own hearts, and never give it over until he hath brought you, and set you directly under the beams of this Sun of righteousness: for the more direct they are, the more power they have, you know the reason: beams of the Sun in winter will not heal the earth of its barrenness and frozenness,

but its bound up: and so some may have some glancing influ∣ence from Christ, some kind of tasts, and yet notwithstanding not amount to an healing, though to an escaping of the polluti∣ons of the world, outward acts, yet it is not healed to the bottom; there are some lusts indeed, that are like sullen weeds, that will not live except it be in the shade and darkness, as in wells, and pits, and the like, where the Sun cometh not; and therefore, wherever the light of the Gospel cometh, these are presently done away. Some things are so gross, as if there be but a glim∣mering of light discovered, they fly away, will not endure it; but there are some secret lusts lie so close to the heart, have cast out their roots so there, and are so fastened in the spirit, that ex∣cept the Lord Jesus do shine in his strength into such a soul, they will never up, they will never wither nor dye, nor the soul be healed; but thus much for the Exhortation.

Lastly, I shall speak a word of refreshing to such as tremble at this Word, and every Word of God; are indeed sensible of their condition by reason of sin, and many sad complaints they make; I may imagine, but the Lord heareth the moan that every poor sinner maketh over his wounds, and over his diseases, be∣fore the Lord; as you shall have a poor creature that feels he is wounded, the heavy groans he fetcheth, one cryeth out of the broken arm, another of a wounded head, a third of the stone, a fourth of the plague: O how it throbs and smarts, when the Lord opens sinners eyes to see what they have done, which they never saw before, thus it is with them: Why now poor sinner, is this thy case, dost thou see and know thy wound? know this day, there is healing for thee, cast not away thy hope; for so poor creatures are ready to say, is there any healing for me? there was never wound sure so deep as mine. O never was there disease so loathsom, so full of pain as mine! yea, here is a promise, the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings upon them that fear him; and now thou beginnest to be afraid of him: though before thou knewest him, thou madest nothing of rebelling against him, yet now thou dost: as they say, bring a man that is guilty of anothers murther before him, he will bleed afresh. So the Lord Jesus, when a poor sinner, guilty of his blood, suppose the worst, and this is that which wounds thee now, why his blood will issue afresh to heal poor sinners; what is it that thou art

troubled with, is it in thine eyes, is the eyes of thy understanding darkened? he will heal this: how ready was he when the blind men cryed to his that they might receive their sight? you know he healed them. What, wouldst thou have thy memory healed of its slipperiness and treachery? he will heal that, he hath done it for many a one in a strange manner. What is it? thy thoughts it may be are wandering and vain, he will heal that; what is it? thy love it may be is full of dissimulation, is not out of a pure heart, and not ••ervent as it should, he will heal that; and for thy will, of its pronness to sin, this sin, that sin, thy own iniquity, he will heal that: and so for the Irascible part, he will heal thee of those fears, and troubles, and inordinate passions, vanities, lusts, and vain desires.

O but saith one, my disease is a Relapse, I have found strength against such or such a lust, but I have fallen back again! Be it so, he will heal their back-slidings: though it be true, if any sins be * 1.204 talents, these are they. Yea, he will forgive an hundred talents as well as thirty pence; back-sliding is a kind of compound of all sins; so much the sadder it is, by how much there is a slighting and undervaluing the blood of Jesus Christ, wherewith we have been purged and cleansed; but is this thy trouble (as this No∣vatianism is in every poor troubled conscience) to question, Whether ever God will pardon or heal, if they fall after repen∣tance? though I must tell you, usually it costs them more smart; yet the Lord will heal even such as these; what, was not Davids sin a back-sliding, and Peters a back-sliding? the most fearful sin; and the most remarkable sins pardoned and healed, were back-slidings, only thou must be content to endure something for the healing of those fearful wounds thou hast made in upon thy soul, for there is no wound cured in a moment, nor without any an∣guish; and all that he laies upon thee is nothing, the smart is nothing, though the plaister lie long upon thee before it be heal∣ed, to draw the sore to a head, to break it, to draw it, to heal it, there▪ will be some time, but he will heal thee poor sinner; if he have made thee weary of this sin, desirous of healing in∣deed.

And for you that are crying out of broken bones, it may be there are some whose condition this is, that do fear the Lord, and obey the voice of his servants; it is the greatest fear of thy soul to * 1.205

displease the Lord, to grieve him, happy soul with whom it is thus; but thou art over-cast, thou art clouded, thou seest no light, thy bones are broken, thy spirit is wounded, O who can bear a wounded spirit? Be of good chear man, remember this, hath he not promised it, that he will arise upon them that fear the * 1.206 Lord with healing in his wings? he will heal those broken bones, and the flesh wherein there is no soundness by reason of thy sins, he will heal it, and he is doing of it, though thou art not sensible of it; he pittyeth thee, and knoweth how to pitty thee, for himself was ecclipsed, though the Son of righteousness, that he might know how to pitty them that suffer in the like kind for the time to come; he knoweth thy frame, what thou canst bear, and he will not let thee sink O thou of little faith•• though he may fright thee, as he did his Disciples, the cloud will be over again, only thou must wait for him; he knoweth what it is to be without the light of his Fathers countenance as well as thou, and he knoweth what thou canst bear; therefore be not discouraged man: and beside, thou hast his promise for it, only look to it, that thou fear him, that thou put not forth thy hand to iniquity, that thou say not with that wicked King, Why should I wait for the Lord any longer? he that shall come, will come, in the best season. When the mercy will be most sweet and seasonable, himself may have most glory by it, and thy soul most refreshing.

O but saith another, I am not healed I doubt then, for alas, I find, though haply I break not out as before, to uncleanness actually; yet I have eyes full of adultery still, I find the dispositi∣ons, and inclinations, and yieldings of my heart strong to mine own iniquity still, some to one and some to another. ••or answer to this: Is this thy burthen, thy grief that it is so? dost thou loath thy ••elf for it? dost thou hate it? wouldst thou fain have it rooted up? thou art healed in the greatest part, there is the core fetched up from the bottom, though the wound be not altogether healed up, it is the work of longer time then haply God hath been dealing with thy soul; but be of good chear man, lay thy self under the Sun of righteousness, labour to improve the Co∣venant of grace, wherein he shines most gloriously; he hath promised he will circumcise thine heart, and thou shalt be able to love the Lord with all thine heart, and that he will subdue all ini∣quity * 1.207 for thee; and see if he be not as good as his word in his own time, which is the best time.

We have already endeavoured to open the main promise in this bundle, and apply it, with what advantage the Lord and your own hearts can tell; you have heard at large that Jesus Christ is a Sun of righteousness, and that he will ari••e with heal∣ing in his wings upon them that fear him. So that there is Christ promised, light, and heat, and healing, reviving and quickning promised, and through him. And now we are come to speak to the liberty which is promised with Christ, which is none of the least considerable Appendices of our justification through his blood, and though you have not long since heard somewhat up∣on this subject, however, if you hear but the same things, the Spirit of the Lord may breath where and when it pleaseth, we may meet with him sometimes in hearing the same things, that at another time he hath not been found in.

—And ye shall go forth: This is principally, as I told you, spoken to the Jew; to the Jew first, but also to the Gentile; as all the Gospel promises, they were first preached to the chil∣dren of the Kingdom, when the Gentiles were strangers from * 1.208 the Covenant of promises; but now the Lord hath made them nigh in the blood of his Son that were afar off; in Christ all the promises are Yea and Amen to them, as well as to the Jews; I told you at the first, that we are not to confine promises made to times and persons, except by unavoidable nece••sity, where the matter promised is such, and the promise such as can agree to no other time or person; no persons or peoples condition can become like to theirs to whom the promise is made, or are not capable of the thing promised, as the promise of the Messiah to come of David; and that in Abrahams seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed, &c. therefore this is a promise concerning all the people of God, as their conditions become alike, yea all that fear the Lord in any of these senses we have already spoken to.

By going forth here, some understand, a going forth of this life, or a going out of the grave, which is a prison indeed to some, though not properly so to the Saints, but a place of repose until the appearing of Jesus Christ; So Alap. citing Tert. and Jer. the reason is, because they took that which is spoken of the day of the Lord in the foregoing verse, of the day of Judgement, That day which should burn as an Oven; but I do rather con∣ceive that it is not meant of the day of the last Judge∣ment,

but the day of the fearfull desolations of Jerusalem, out of which yet the Lord did deliver and save his own people; and the rather I conceive so, because of the growing up like Calves of the Stall, promised afterward: now if that be the day, there is no room then to grow any higher, to spread any further, but as the tree is cut down so it lies; there is then in the words a pro∣mise of an inlargement from under restraint, wherewith their spi∣rits were bound up, as I may say, and were imprisoned, and this we shall see (I hope) is very great; only take here the note of ob∣servation from the words.

The Lord Jesus rising upon a soul, brings inlargement to that soul * 1.209 or people, ye shall go forth. For the prosecution of this I shall pro∣pose this Method. First, give you the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the quod, that it is so, Secondly, the quid, what this inlargement is which cometh▪ along with Jesus Christ to a Believer. Thirdly, the quare why it is so: And Fourthly, the Ʋse of the Point.

First then for proof of this, peruse a Text or two in that E∣vangelical Prophet, who doth very eminently hold out Jesus Christ, I the Lord have called thee in righteousness: there is the Call of Christ: And I will hold thee by thine hand, or, hold thine hand: there is the support of Christ in that great work: and will keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant to the people; for a light of the Gentiles: He is indeed the Spirits of the Covenant; the marrow of the Gospel; the very Spirits of all the promises is Christ; the speech is ••igurative. Well, but what is he to do? To open the blinde eyes; to bring out the prisoners from the prison, * 1.210 and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house. Minde you therefore, the Lord Jesus was willing, as I may say, to be impri∣soned in our body, if I may so say; or if not, in other respects he was in prison, that he might set his people free, bring them out of the prison: even as Paul when he might, would not go free, except they came and fetched them out of prison. So here, sinners would never go out, except the Lord Jesus came and fetched them out. A Prince for Rebellion casts his Subjects in∣to prison, in the dungeon, there they lie, and would lie and rot there, their stomack is so great, they will not ask for deliver∣ance; nay, if they would, they cannot set themselves free; the

Prince cometh with his own hands, knocks off the bolts, breaks the bars & gates, and bids them follow him: so the Lord Jesus doth for sinners. So again, in that place of John, If the Son make you * 1.211 free, ye shall be free indeed: there is much liberty and freedom, and you will not hear of your being in bondage; but saith our Saviour, to set at Liberty is not the work of every one: it is the Son that only can make you free; and if he make you free, you shall be free indeed. The Lord Jesus you know came into the world, not only to work out salvation for his people, but to preach the salvation he did work out: not only to shed his blood, but to preach remission of sins through his blood, as the Apostle hath it, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? * 1.212 Which at the first began to be spoken to us by the Lord, and after∣ward by those that heard him: so that he himself preached sal∣vation; he himself did work it out, for no other name is given un∣der heaven: now he preacheth this as a main part, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach good ti∣dings unto the meek, he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted; He was anointed, there is his Office; and because anointed as a Prophet to preach it, therefore the Spirit of the Lord was up∣on him, poured out without measure, he was gifted and fitted for it; which though some understand of Isaiah, as well as of Christ, yet of Isaiah but as the type: Well then, to proclaim * 1.213 liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound. Now surely if this be the substance of his preaching, where he cometh and revealeth himself inwardly to a soul, in a soul, giveth himself to a soul, there must needs be a going forth out of the prison, out of the bondage, wherein the poor soul was held: so we have it in that place, saith the Lord again, even as in chap. 42. so chap. 49. of Isaiah, I will preserve thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, &c. That thou mayest say to the * 1.214 prisoners go forth, to them that stand in darkness, shew your selves: and it is no more with God but dictum ac factum, his words are operative words; mark you, they shall Go forth when the Sun of righteousness ariseth upon them; his Commission is his work, for to say to the Prisoners, Go forth; if he bid Lazarus come forth, he cometh forth; he calls the things that are not, as if they were; commands light out of darkness, and so commands Deliverance and Liberty for his poor people that are bound: I

hope none will say this is all Old Testament proof; for this is Gospel as clear as the Sun, and to take away all ground of a ca∣vil, read but Luke, and you shall finde this is the very Text our Saviour preacheth upon to the Jews; tells them, that day this Text was fulfilled, that is to say, that he was the anointed of the Lord; the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, because he was ap∣pointed to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the broken heart∣ed, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight * 1.215 to the blinde, and to set at liberty them that are bruised; but I may not wast any more time, it is but burning day light to hold a candle to the Sun: It is written with a Sun-beam, except you shut your eyes you must needs see it.

The second thing, Is the quod, what this inlargement, or freedom is that is here promised? and truly this is a large que∣stion, and wherein most of our work will lie: each of us in the general acknowledge a slavery, a bondage we are under, from which the Lord Jesus doth speak to his people to go forth, yea brings them forth; but we have not a distinct understanding of it: and alas, I am the meanest of them, who make it their work to preserve knowledge; yet as I have received, I shall endeavour somewhat this-way to open the nature of this liberty.

That we may the more clearly proceed, we must distinguish of freedom or liberty into Civil and Spiritual; Civil, is a freedom of ma••s person from servitude of men, so that he shall no more be under ••he yoke; and thus the Jews misunderstood our Saviour when he spake of freedom; If the Son do make you free, you shall be free indeed: why said they, We are the seed of Abraham, * 1.216 we are free-born, and we never were in bondage to any man; they meant sure they were never particularly sold for ser∣vants to any, else bred in bondage to any to be their servants, not meaning their publick state, but private, else they much did forget themselves; for they had often been in captivity and bon∣dage, as in Egypt and Babylon, and at present under the Romans; but this is not the liberty we chiefly aim at, nor may we extend it to this bondage, any further then it is a curse: now we know the Apostle tels us, that if a man be called, being a servant, care not for it, for such an one is the Lord his Free-man, neither bond ••or free: is there any difference? they are all one in Christ; therefore our Saviour did not come to break all yokes off the

neck of Servants, or to deliver all such relations; no, but it is meant here surely of a spiritual Liberty, a freedom of the soul from its thraldom; nay himself cometh to be a servant; did he not rather sanctifie such a condition and relation then abo∣lish it?

Secondly, Then taking it for spiritual Liberty, that is to say, a freedom from Spiritual evils, the subjection whereunto is a bon∣dage to the poor creature; we must know yet further, that we may take it either in a larger, or in a more restrained sense; in a more restrained, only for that liberty and freedom which the Saints have ever had through the Lord Jesus, since the Covenant of Grace was preached to them, and they closed with it; for we must know that ever before Christ came in the flesh, Believers believed in him to come; they had a liberty through him as to the main parts of it, and necessarily to salvation, though haply not in that degree that now ordinarily Believers indeed have that freedom: but there were some yoaks upon them then, which now we are delivered from, they are broken from off the necks of the Saints; yea, and such as were pinching yoaks indeed, but yet less considerable by far, then those from which they were de∣livered and set free; so that now we see there is a larger liberty, and more glorious, which the sons of God have; which will bet∣ter appear when we come to speak to the parts of it, only this I thought good to premi••e, lost any should think that liberty be∣gan only when Christ was revealed in the flesh; for it was the smallest part that then was added, though, I say, the other li∣berty from the sore condemning, destroying bondage of the soul they had before, haply is now heightned to believers; and so much by way of premise.

For the opening of this spiritual Liberty, we shall consider, 1. Its Subject. 2. Its Causes. 3. Its Parts, extensive and inten∣sive, if we may so speak, that is to say, the degrees of it.

First then for the subject of this Liberty, they are all Christi∣ans that are so indeed; therefore it is called Christian Liberty, not only from Christ the Author, but from the Subjects, they are Christians, Believers, both Jews and Gentiles, Bond or Free, Male or Female: Jerusalem, saith the Apostle, which is above, is * 1.217 free, which is the Mother of us all; all such then as receive the Gospel, as the poor are said to do, all those upon whom the Sun

of righteousness doth arise, they are set free, they do go forth: for the partial subject of this liberty, that will better appear when we come to speak of the parts of this liberty; some are for the free∣ing the minde, some the will, some the conscience, some the whole man, but of this afterward.

Secondly, Then for the causes of this liberty which is here promised, we shall speak to some of them.

First then, The principal efficient cause is, the Father, Son, and Spirit; the work of the Trinity ad extra, are individed: the Father it is that cals us to liberty; Ye are called to liberty, (saith the Apostle) use it not as a cloke to the flesh. I marvel * 1.218 (saith the Apostle) that you are so soon removed from him who hath called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel. The Apostle meaneth the calling to liberty, which he cals the Grace of Christ; and that Doctrine of the false teachers that would sub∣ject them again to the Law and Ceremonies, and to that bondage, subvert their liberty, he cals it another Gospel. And for the Son, we have it: If the Son make you free, you shall be free in∣deed; and stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you * 1.219 free: false Brethren came to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage. And for * 1.220 the Spirit, it is as clear: The Law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death: the * 1.221 mighty, powerful working of the Spirit, is called the Law of the Spirit, as the powerful operation of Sin, is called the Law of Sin; and so in that place, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liber∣ty: and so the Spirit of Adoption it is, that succedeth the Spi∣rit * 1.222 of Bondage, and setteth us free from that Bondage.

Secondly, The impulsive cause is meerly his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his good pleasure, yea, his tender mercy, his bowels: So it is in the Ori∣ginal, The bowels of our God, whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us: there is the arising of the Sun of rightousness upon * 1.223 us, and the effect of it you have before: That we being delivered from the hands of all our enemies, might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, &c. It is not misery is the mo∣tive only, else he would do it for all as well as some, for we are all of us in the same bondage naturally, one as well as ano∣ther.

Thirdly, The meritorious cause is the blood of Jesus Christ,

no less then the blood of the Kings son is the price of the liberty of poor Slaves in bondage: this must needs be tender mercy in∣deed, rich love indeed: so saith the Apostle, That through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the Devil: * 1.224 no less then a Kings ransom is paid for the liberty of every poor creature that is made free, and therefore he took upon him flesh and blood; because the children were partakers of the same, that he might die for them, and to deliver them that for fear of death were in bondage all their life-time, of which more afterward; we are now speaking to the meritorious cause the price of his pre∣tious mercy, even the blood of Jesus Christ.

Fourthly, The means of conferring or conveiging this liberty to poor Sinners, is the Gospel of liberty, the Covenant of Grace held out in the Gospel is the means; and this is plain in many places; As in that of Isaiah, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; * 1.225 therefore he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the Captives: if * 1.226 ever any preaching was the Gospel, Christs preaching was, and the Covenant, who himself was given to be the Covenant to the people: sure he would preach nothing but that, or in subordina∣tion to that, as he doth preach the Law too, as would easily appear: but we may not digress: and so in tha•• other place of Luke, * 1.227 where either that or some of the fore-cited places in Isaiah are quoted: Ye shall know the truth, (saith our Saviour) and the * 1.228 truth shall make you free: by truth there, I take it is not meant indefinitely, any truth whatever, no, nor a scriptural truth, but the Gospel of truth, which is called the truth: Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ: it is such a truth, so pure and precious: For his word is like Silver tryed and purified seven times: (that is * 1.229 to say) his Promise, therefore he concludeth, That the Lord will keep them, he will preserve them for ever: and so pretious, so confirmed by miracles, that all other truth scarce deserveth the name of truth in comparison of it: either it is not so pure, but hath some dross, or else not so pretious. O they are preti∣ous Promises indeed! as the soul knoweth right-well, when he cometh to stand in need of a Promise, and the sweetness of it he sucks out, and it letteth down the sweetness of it upon the soul; but take a parallel Scripture to shew that Gospel is called the truth: The Apostle speaks plainly, For the hope which is laid up

for you in heaven, whereof you heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel: and again to the Ephesians, In whom also ye trust∣ed, * 1.230 after that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salva∣tion, in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise. So that this is the truth then, the knowledge whereof shall make us free; where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty; that is clear, as you heard before; Now how is the Spirit given but by the Gospel? Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? which is that hearing of Faith * 1.231 by the Word of Truth; the foregoing Verse, even that which held forth a crucified Christ to them, hearing of Faith, not the rumour of Faith, but hearing is such an hearing, as whereby a man believeth; and Faith by a Metonymie, is put for the Word of Faith, as the Gospel is called sometimes, because Faith there∣by is begotten; now by this the Spirit is received, and therefore liberty cometh; and therefore the Gospel is called the ministration * 1.232 of the Spirit, in that place of the Apostle, because therewith the Spirit is given and ministred to poor creatures; whereas the Law works Bondage and Wrath, Therefore Jerusalem is free, which is above; (that is to say) the Church builded upon the * 1.233 Covenant of Grace is free, is the Mother of us all, but enough of this; The Gospel is the outward instrumental cause.

Fifthly, the inward instrumental cause or Con. as some will have * 1.234 it, which I shall not now dispute; that is faith, whereby we close with this Covenant; it is the Word of Faith and hearing of Faith, (that is to say) of the Gospel, so as to work Faith, whereby the Spi∣rit is given which brings liberty to the soul. Alas, many hear the Gospel of liberty which we preach, and few do receive it, few believe it; for it appeareth by woful experience, we are yet in bondage, we have never gone forth to this day, many of us, though we have had as much preaching of the Gospel as any other; Jerusalem that now is, (as the Apostle cals it) was in bondage * 1.235 then, though they had the Gospel preached among them a great while, they believed not; except the Spirit therein be con∣veyed, the Gospel is but a dead letter as well as the Law, and a deadly letter also: and so much for the causes of this liberty or freedom which cometh by Jesus Christ.

The third thing under this head, is the parts of this liberty or freedom, which we shall consider two ways. First, Extensively,

in their latitude•• And secondly, Intensively, in the degrees of each of these parts in its latitude. But that we may the better understand it, we must know that liberty is a relative, and respecteth some bondage, some imprisoning or shutting up, from which this liber∣ty is a deliverance, ye shall go forth: and therefore to set off the lustre of this glorious liberty, it may not be amiss to run a paral∣lel between them. That there is such a bondage under which every poor creature without Christ, is held, we shall at present presuppose, though afterward haply I shall come to prove it: I would not here too far digress before we come to speak of the parts of the bondage, to which the parts of liberty will be opposite and correspondent. I shall say in a few words, something to the Author of this Bondage and Tenure of it, and but a word or two.

For the Author of this bondage under which poor creatures are without Christ altogether; and in part also many times when they are under Christ, and under Grace.

First, Some part of it is to be ascribed to the Lord, so far forth as it is meerly vindictive, or an inflicting of a just penalty upon Sinners for sin, so far we may ascribe it to God, as will more plainly appear in the following Considerations. The Law * 1.236 which genders to Bondage, it is his Law, and holy, and just and good, though it gender to Bondage: nor will it follow, because we are delivered form it, therefore it was an evil in it self, but only per accidens, by reason of our corruption, and so the Spirit of Bondage which in some is vindictive, when he binds and ham∣pers a Sinner with the cords of his sin, haply never intending that he shall see through those terrors to his comfort; this is from him, and justly; or else if it be in order to a settlement, to a peace, to an Adoption, a Sonship through Christ, as pre∣parative to the receiving of Christ, this is from him; and so several other parts of it are from him under this Consideration.

Secondly, But so far forth as any part of it is sinful, there it is from Satan, and from our own evil hearts: for darkness cannot come from the light, nor can any thing unclean come from that which is altogether pure, no more then a clean thing can pro∣ceed from an unclean, as the bondage under sin, which more at large afterward we shall discuss.

Secondly, For the tenure: for being in bondage, we are in

bondage to some person properly; to some thing impro∣perly, and by a kind of Prosopopeia we are said to be in such a bondage; now there is some Tenure (as I may say) wherein they do hold us in bondage, there are three or four tenures (if I may so call them) whereby we are thus held under Bondage, until Jesus Christ come to set us free. First, A Sale▪ Secondly, By Birth. Thirdly, By Captivity or Conquest. Fourthly, By Tyranny and resignation of themselves up to such a vassallage: but a word or two to each of them.

First then, There is a Bondage by Captivity, when People are taken Captives; this is so common, there is none can be ig∣norant of it. What are the Turks Gally-slaves but the prey of their piracies? all is fish that cometh to the net; so it is in this case; This is one Part of the Tenure, we are taken captive by Satan even at his pleasure; Of whom a man is overcome, of the * 1.237 same is he brought in bondage; this is the military Law, the Pri∣soners were ever the Conquerours slaves; we have seen it but too evidently with our own eyes, we have born witness to it in our dayes, wherein there hath been so much leading into ca∣ptivity, and so much complaining in our Land; So Satan he * 1.238 hath overcome us in our first Parents, we were overcome, and ever since he holds fast his hold he had of us; and though he let Sinners enjoy a little chain sometimes, so that they are ready to think they are at liberty, yet alas he takes them alive at his plea∣sure; * 1.239 you see a beast of prey sometimes so sportful as to play with the prey, and, let it go a little, it runs, and thinketh it is free; but alas all this while it is under the command of the beast of prey; as Pharoah would let Israel go, so they would not go far, he fetcheth them in when he pleaseth.

Secondly, There is also a Bondage by Sale, as you know Joseph was sold into Egypt for a servant; and nothing more ordi∣nary then selling and buying of servants; he is bought with thy money, saith God to Abraham, Gen. 17. 12. & 13. (distin∣guishing of servants) he must needs be circumcised, whereby it appears, they had a more absolute power over them, then they had over other Servants bought of any stranger, which is not of thy seed; thy bond-men and thy bond-maids shall be of the Hea∣then, not of thy brethren, Of them shall ye buy bond-men and bond-maids, Levit. 25. 44. These were to be even as a Pos∣session

to them, ver. 25. and their power was so absolute over them, that though they smote them with the hand or a rod, so * 1.240 that they died, if they continued a day or two before, they must not be punished for it, for they were their money, which was somewhat an hard bondage to them; truly brethren, thus it is, We are sold under sin, (as the Apostle saith) speaking of himself, who * 1.241 was not altogether freed from this bondage, he was sold under sin, being carnal, (that is to say) in part, as in that first of the Corin••hians, They are called carnal, that were as Babes in Christ; so far as sin prevailed, so far the bondage did appear, he was sold in the first transgression. Now there is another selling where∣by a man doth sell himself to commit wickedness, as you know Ahab did. Paul did not now sell himself, but was under the former sale, and in such a bondage he could by no means alto∣gether * 1.242 free himself from; he could not shake off his chains and weights that did hang upon him by reason of this bondage; but now Sinners, they sell themselves. Such as Ahab, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? saith he to Elijah: I have found thee, because thou hast sold thy self to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord; and so the Israelites are said to sell themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, making their Sons and Daughters pass through fire, &c. Now by this Sale, the Sinner passeth himself over into the power of him that buyeth him, yet more and more fully. Quod venditur, transit in potestate ementis: The Devil knew the mean∣est of his, the price he pays, a little pleasure of sin, a little profit; he cares not how often there be a bargain between him and the soul of a Sinner; a man that for a little pelf will venture and hazard his soul, he shall have it, or else it shall cost the Devil a fall; I speak not of Witches selling themselves to Satan, for the accomplishment of some lust, to satisfie some dis∣content, but of every lew and wicked Sinner; he little knoweth what he doth, that goeth on in a course of Sin; every new transgression and satisfaction to the flesh is a new price, (as I may say) laid down in your hands for your souls to become slaves to the Devil. O how many times hath he bought many of us! and have we sold our selves to do evil in the sight of the Lord? the ambitious man for the satisfaction of his lust, sels himself to commit wickedness; as the covetous you see in Ahab, to have his desire, would not stick to murther, to

suborn witnesses to swear falsly; the ambitious person would not care to swim through a Sea of blood to the Throne, they are slaves to the worst of Tyrants, a lust; it would make a man tremble to read the fearful things that are done upon this ac∣count, specially by the Ottomans, the great Turk, who rivits him∣self in the Imperial Throne, with the bones of his murthered brethren, as one expresseth it. O how dear a rate do men give, who sell their precious souls for a spurt of pleasure, for the plea∣sures of sin for a season, they are not alway in season neither; or a little profit of sin, a little unjust gain, they pay not twenty, nor an hundred years purchase, but if the Lord do not intervene with the purchase of the blood of Jesus Christ, they pay eternity for it, and when they have so sold their souls to commit wickedness, what can they give, or what would they give in exchange for their souls again? a world full of honours, and pleasures, and * 1.243 profits then, alas, would be nothing to part with, if they might but have them redeemed, when it is too late; this is another way whereby sinners come into bondage.

Thirdly, By brith also there is a bondage; as you know the children of them who were taken captives were captives, they were sold themselves, that were sold, and with them their chil∣dren, therefore such servants as the Israelites bought with money, * 1.244 how many so ever they did beget in their families, they were all servants and bond-men; so Abraham had so many servants train∣ed, born in his own house, 318. I had servants born in mine house, saith Solomon. The Israelites indeed, if they did sell them∣selves through poverty, or became servants, they did continue * 1.245 until the year of jubilee, but must not be ruled over with rigor, as they might rule over strangers, nor must be kept as bond-men for ever; but the strangers they might buy of them, and leave them as a possession for ever to their children, that is to say, both them and their children; they might buy, and so sell them again, and leave them to their children, and therefore all born in such a condition were bond-servants; so we find in that place when our Saviour told them they should be free indeed, if the Son made * 1.246 them free; why said they, We are Abrahams seed, and never were in bondage by birth; we are free, not as the seed of the Canaanites, * 1.247 who were bond-men, and they never were in bondage to any, they were not sold as servants; poor blind creatures could see no * 1.248

further then a civil bondage or liberty. Now truly Brethren, thus we are all of us bond-men and women by birth, being all strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel, and Covenant of promises (as the Apostle speaks) they are the children of the pro∣mise only, that are free. We are all the children of wrath by na∣ture, not a mothers child of us free-born; if any by nature should have been free-born, surely the seed of Abrah••m according to the flesh; but our Saviour tells them their liberty was but imagi∣nary; if the Son did make them free, they should be free indeed; this is the third.

Fourthly, by tenure and usurpation there is a bondage also; as we see it in the case of Israel in Egypt, they were bond-men in Egypt, and they made them serve a hard bondage, it is called * 1.249 the house of bondage; they made them serve with rigour, so saith the text, in all manner of service; the design of the King being to weary them out by degrees, and yet to advantage himself by their service, while they were wearying out, this was their wise dealing with them, lest they should be too hard for them; and truly of this nature is the bondage wherein the people of God themselves are in part, though the Devil have no title to them, the price being paid for them to the justice of the Father, yet he as a tyrannical ••aylor, loath to let them go, and therefore he loads them with chains, laies heavy temptations upon them, and sin rageth to lose its servant, and therefore tyrannizeth, and the Law in the members carryeth captive to the Law of sin, and this is one great grief to the poor child of God, that though sin do not raign in their mortal bodies, yet it tyrannizeth over them, and with a strong hand many times holds them down, so as that they are not able to stir hand nor foot: but more of this afterwards.

Now for the parts of this bondage, with which the parts of that liberty or freedom we are to speak of will run parallel: We shall devide this bondage into these two general parts, it is either to sin, or else to the black concomitants, which are very many; we shall particularize some of them, and thereby our liberty will the more plainly appear.

First then for sin, it is clear we are in bondage to sin, either to∣tally or in part, all of us by nature altogether in bondage, for we are sold under sin; and though it be true, that sin is only a

privation of good, and disposition to evil, and so properly can∣not be said to rule over us, yet by a prosopopeia we are said to be in bondage to it, therefore we are said to be sold under sin; sold * 1.250 under it, and therefore in Scripture it is, that sin is called an old man, corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and this old man it is * 1.251 that hath the poor sinner under his power, and ruleth him with subtilty. O they are deceitful lusts, ••he counsels of sin, the fetches, and tricks, and devices, depths and methods of a sinful heart, who knoweth Brethren? he carryeth it so slily, that many think them∣selves * 1.252 at liberty, as free-men as any the world hath, yea so free, as to promise to others liberty, and yet themselves in the mean time are the servants of sin; and not only so, but the•••• are Laws of sin which carry a strength with them, and the poor creature under them must obey them; and these Laws are nothing else but the wills of the flesh, as the Apostle calls them, an arbitray * 1.253 government here beginneth and takes it rise. Hoc volo, sic ju∣beo, &c. saith the imperious person. If a sinner begin to question what reason there is in such an act, he is prompt∣ed to sin, bloweth out the candle; hoc volo, &c. let my will be a reason, I will have it so. So many lusts, so many wills, and is it * 1.254 not a bondage to be under these? Ye were, saith the Apostle, the servants of sin, but now ye have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine delivered unto you; and so in several other places: whosoever committeth sin, saith our Saviour, is the servant of sin. * 1.255 You talk of being Abrahams seed, and never being in bondage, this is nothing to my purpose, I speak of a bondage to sin, and he that commits it is the servant of it; he that works it industri∣ously, is a drudge to his lusts, as alas, how many of us are? and he that curiously works it is an Artist. O with what art can some * 1.256 mon lye, and cheat, and cozen, and play the hypocrites! these are the servants of sin. O when one fulfills the lusts of the flesh, and of the mind, maketh provision for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof! This man is a servant of sin: the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life, the love of profits, the love of pleasures, and the love of pride, when men give themselves up to satisfie these, study their lusts, how to fulfill them, this is a bondage under sin with a witness.

Now blessed be the Lord, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath delivered us, as many as believe, from

this bondage, so the Apostle breaks out pathetically, Thanks be * 1.257 to God that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine delivered unto you; now saith he; be∣ing made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness; and this is set forth by our death to sin; ye are dead, saith the Apostle to the Col. and your life is hid with Christ in God; now death * 1.258 puts an end to all bondage 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as Job speaking of it, the small and great are there in the grave, and the servant is free from his Master. A woman, saith the Apostle (speaking of sin, of the Law with respect to sin, as afterward we shall speak somewhat) she is bound to her husband as long as he liveth, but if he be dead, then she is free. So it is in this case, death breaks all the iron yoaks and bra∣zen gates, therefore saith the Apostle, he that is dead is freed from * 1.259 sin; not as the vulgar and some read, is justified, as if our justi∣fication and sanctification were confounded; for here the Apostle is speaking of our Sanctification, or the death of sin, crucifying the old man, of being buried with Christ in body, and so dead to sin; now saith he, he that is dead, is free from sin; the Con. is comprehended in the Antecedent, he is freed actually from sin, Sin shall not have dominion over you, saith the Apostle, no iniquity shall have dominion over you. Thus believers are freed from sin, * 1.260 whereas before we were under a cruel bondage; you that have ex∣perience of this liberty, what it is to be freed from your former lusts which you served, foolish and hurtful lusts; the Lord teach you to prize it. * 1.261

But secondly, now for the Con. of this bondage to sin, there are many and very dreadful, which every poor sinner is under, which are also as parts of this bondage.

First then, hence it is that we are in bondage unto Satan, that we are under his power, that we are in bondage by nature to him, as the Jaylor, it is clear, the Spirit that now rules in the * 1.262 hearts of the children of disobedience: he rules there, setteth up his throne there; & service to such a Master cannot be a freedom, but a bondage, a cruel one. A Master that delights now natural∣ly in nothing but mischief; though it be but to swine, yet he * 1.263 would do mischief, much more then to poor sinners; and there∣fore he is said to lead captive poor creatures at his pleasure, to take them alive; and indeed, it is the Devil that binds the pinching yoak upon us, his loins are laid upon the back of a poor sinner,

and his being the Tyrant, doth help the former prosopopeia, whereby bondage is ascribed to fo••, Zech. 1. 15. the heathen helped forward; &c. Not as if sin would not work and keep the creature in subjection, or were a dead Law of it self, and must have a Prince, a King to put it into act; no, no, if there were no Devil to aggravate our bondage, we should find the rage of lust very great, and their commands very peremptory, but yet however he is not idle, he stirreth up, and endeavoureth to en∣rage our lusts more and more; the Devil stirred up David to number the people: Why alas, David had that pride and fleshly confidence in him that was ready enough to provoke him to it, but the Devil helped it forward, his concurrence with sin maketh it the more powerful; as the Spirit of the Lord acting our graces, so doth the Devil also, though with some difference, act our cor∣ruption: was it not the Devil that filled Ananias and Saphira * 1.264 their hearts? he had filled them as his throne, and so had laid the commands of sin, of their lust, of their carnal fears, that they were over-born by them: and so he entred into Judas after the * 1.265 sop: he came to our Saviour, and he found nothing in him, and yet he would vex him with his temptations notwithstanding: but alas for us, he can come within us, he hath matter enough to work upon, and he can come within us to the very fancy, and there secretly work: now the Saints, they are delivered from this Con. which is a part of the bondage also; he rules no more in them, for they are not the children of disobedience; our Saviour saw when the Gospel went forth to be preached, Satan falling like lightening from heaven, he came down with a witness, * 1.266 was dethroned, cast out: the strong man armed holds all in quiet possession, that is to say, Satan holds the heart of poor sinners quietly, while he hath his armour, their ignorance, and this car∣nal reasonings, and corrupt affections, and stubborn wills, while * 1.267 these are his, he is safe enough; but now let the Lord Jesus come and take away the armour, change the heart of a poor creature, and then alas, he is spoyled of all; therefore he is said to spoil principalities & powers, & to make an open shew of them. So that he hath led captive; taking captivity actively or passively: * 1.268 actively, he hath led him that did lead his people captive, now * 1.269 captive himself: or else passively, those were led captive by Satan; now the Lord Jesus hath captivated them to himself, brought

them under his own dominion. Satan cannot now any more challenge them as his own, nor rule over them as his slaves, and this is another piece of this liberty, to go forth of the paw of this Lyon, the jaws of this rouring Lyon, that goeth about seeking whom he may devour.

Secondly, another part of this bondage is the guilt of sin, which is an obnoxiousness to the wrath and displeasure of God, * 1.270 whether the creature ••eeth it, or seeth it not, he is under condem∣nation, his guilt is the Obligation which bindeth him over to an∣swer it at the great day of Jesus Christ, as you see offenders are bound over to answer it at the Assizes or Sessions; this is guilts work in respect of the soul; now we look upon a guilty person that is bound over as a prisoner, if he go under bayl he is under a bondage by reason of this guilt. So it is here, the Law of God * 1.271 is that which shuts up a sinner, as it is in that place of the Apostle; so that we are, as I may say, in prison; and a man under guilt, whether he sleep, or whether he wake, he is a guilty person and under bondage; specially, if it proceed so far as to a condemna∣tion, as it is in this case, every unbeliever is condemned already in the Court of Scripture; for God doth mannage in this liberty concernments of our souls by a Law, by a Law he acquitteth or condemneth, and so unbelievers are under this bondage also; from this now every child of God is set free, there is no condemna∣tion to them that are in Christ Jesus, their guilt is done away, * 1.272 their surety hath satisfied justice, hath paid the debt, laid down the price, and therefore all being cleared, the poor creature is set free from that part of his bondage. Is not this an unspeakable freedom to have all the guilt of our sins that ever we commtited taken away? but this is but the second.

Thirdly, another Con〈…〉〈…〉 is this, the darkness which from sin ariseth, and is, as I may say, chains upon the soul, and no small part of this bondage; Dungeons you know are usually dark places, and therefore darkness is put for the prison, some∣times, as a Synonyma, to bring out the prisoners out of prison, in that place of Isaiah, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house; and so again, that thou maist say to the prisoners, go * 1.273 forth; and to them that are in darkness, shew your selves: The dark∣ness you know imprisoned them in Egypt, no man stirred out of his place, none went forth nor came in by reason of the dark∣ness;

and so the night imprisoneth men, shutteth up their works and employments, night cometh when no man can work, which is the night of darkness, by removing the Gospel; or else the night of death: Now when the Sun of righteousness ariseth upon a soul, he shall go forth of this darkness or prison.

Here it will be enquired what is meant by this darkness, which is a part of this bondage. First, by darkness, I mean a state of ignorance; gross darkness covereth the earth, saith the Prophet; ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; that is to say, so dark as that nothing but the abstract would * 1.274 suffice to set forth their condition. Now truly, ignorance may well be lookt upon as a bondage, for it is the very beginning, the principal of all our bondage, and therefore when the Lord speaks of delivering a poor sinner from the power of sin, he saith, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us * 1.275 into the Kingdom of his dear Son: mind you, from the power of darkness, darkness is the power of Satan, he is the Prince of the power of darkness, as some render that place: were it not that sinners are blind-folded, do you think they would be led by * 1.276 Satan into so many horrid things? O if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; Father forgive them, they know not what they do. Alas, the Panther hideth his head when he allureth the beasts, the sweetness of his smell, or beauty of his * 1.277 skin, only the Drag is said to flie from him, Isid. li. 12. 2. See Mead upon Revel. p. 2. p. 52. Alas, they see not the head, which is ready to affright them and devour them; and not only is it the ground of this bondage, but of all the rest; how cometh it to pass that poor souls are plunged into such desperate gulfs of despairing, and such breaking bondage in that kind, but because they are held in ignorance, they do not come to know the Father and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, he keepeth them in ignorance of the * 1.278 promises, the sweet and precious promises of Jesus Christ. O dear friends, it is impossible, were it not for our ignorance of that love of God in Jesus Christ, and that riches, exceeding riches of grace that is in him, and his thoughts that are above our thoughts, that there should be so many cloudings, such fear∣ful plunges as many poor souls are put unto, yea many times even after they are once delivered from them; why now I say, when the Lord Jesus cometh, ariseth upon a soul as the Sun of righteous∣ness,

he dispels this ignorance, discovers sin in its own colours, and indeed worse it cannot be set forth in; therefore the Apostle saith, that sin might appear to be sin; and then he opens the trea∣suries * 1.279 of the Promises of the Covenant of Grace, to let a poor sinner see there is enough for him there: though his sins be great, yet mercy is transcendantly greater: if he have mountains to be covered, the Lord hath a sea to swallow them up; if multi∣tudes of sin, there is multitude of mercies: there is love, which will cover a multitude; and so by discovering himself thus, and our selves to our selves, he by degrees setteth the creature at Li∣berty from those fearfull apprehensions of God, and from that delight in sin, which formerly he had taken; so that now no longer will he serve it. But a little more▪ plainly, take a Scripture or two for it, in that of Isaiah, To proclaim liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound; the opening of * 1.280 the prison, some read it so, and so do our Translators, though it is acknowledged by the learned among us, that the latter is no where else used in this sense for the prison, nor for the prey, as some others use it; and therefore some do take the word to be but one, and render it om••im••do apertionem, so that the doubling of the Letters here are Emphatical, and by way of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, though then Manaph here remaineth as a difficulty, for words so doubled use not to be so joyned together: so that some would have it here nothing else, but a very large opening of their eyes, and say that it is used most properly, if not constantly, of the opening of the eyes: and surely this is the way of Gods deliver∣ing his Captives, and agreeable to the text here; the Sun arising in the morning opens the eyes, setteth the senses at liberty from * 1.281 that prison of darkness they were in in the night; and elsewhere it is manifest in that of Luke 4. 18. To preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blinde: and again the Psalmist, The Lord looseth the Prisoners, he openeth the eyes of the * 1.282 blinde; therefore Paul was sent to open the eyes of the blinde, and turn them from the power of Satan to God, and from dark∣ness * 1.283 to light; for we must know that this bondage is of the soul, the faculties thereof, and chiefly the will: Now the Lord when he cometh to deliver us, dealeth with us as with men; and there∣fore, first opens the eyes of the mind, and draweth us with the cords of a man, with arguments over-powring our reason, and

then, with the cords of love, sweetly thereby inclining our hearts, and bowing our wills, and then the poor creature come∣eth forth out of this bondage; before we see we are in prison, or see the loathsomness of it, the darkness of it, we are in love with it, and will not go forth.

But Secondly, This darkness comprehendeth another, and that is Error, or rather this ariseth from the other, and therefore we shall speak to it apart, Ye err, not knowing the Scripture, nor the * 1.284 power of God; he saith not, ye err, not knowing immediate Re∣velations, but not knowing the Scripture; for there the light is in the Lanthorn, if we will behold it; now this error, of what kind it will be, it is a snare of the Devil, and therefore it is a bondage. The Apostle there speaks of Heretical Doctrine, held by such as do perversly oppose themselves against the Ministers of Jesus Christ, who hold out the truth as it is in Jesus. He sheweth how Timothy is to carry himself to them, in meekness, instructing them that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance, to the acknowledgement of the truth; Re∣pentance is a turning from sin to God, and to the contrary * 1.285 Grace or Vertue, and that is the acknowledgement of the truth; therefore their sin was some corruption of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will, out of the snare of the de∣vil; a sad snare it is: if the devil can but get so far within a man as to dazle his eyes, to blinde them, he may lead them whither he will; if he can but corrupt their judgement, especially in funda∣mentals or practicals, then they are his own, they are fast enough, he carryeth them captive, takes them alive even at his pleasure. Now our liberty from this part of bondage also is by the arising of * 1.286 the Sun of righteousness upon us; the Spirit maketh us free, as he is a spirit leading his people into the truth; not only the notion, but the practise of it also; & we have an anointing, whereby we know all things, saith the Apostle, speaking of Antichrist: it is needle••s for me to speak to you of him, you have an anointing will teach you to avoid th••se his errors: O happy is that soul, that hath such a Guide! such a Leader to lead him forth out of prison; even as the Angel went before Peter, else between sleep and * 1.287 wake, hope and fear, he might haply have mist his way. So the Lord Jesus cometh and giveth his Spirit, and bids the soul go

forth: alas, whether should they go? they know not the way, * 1.288 as Thomas said; why saith he, ••ollow me, I will lead you, as he in his word hath therein revealed himself, and maketh it out by his Spirit to his people.

Fifthly, There is another part of bondage, under a slavish obedience, that is to say, such an obedience to the Law of God, as nothing but a slavish fear is the principle of it; and truly, this puts on men to do many things; they know it is written, Cursed is * 1.289 he that continueth not in every thing that is written in the book of the Law to do it: Now this sticks with the poor soul, God re∣quireth me to love him with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength; and if I do not, I am cursed; therefore now he buckles a little to it, as far as such terrors will carry him; but alas, he is not able to do it; like a slave that doth his task, while his Master stands over him with a rod; or because he is sure to be beaten, if he do it not; not out of any love to the Master, nor to his service at all, what a grievous bondage is this? Let but any Apprentice, that hath a hard Master, whom he serveth meer∣ly out of fear, as the Egyptians did their task, because if they did them not, they must be beaten: and this maketh the yoke very heavy and uneasie, also it pincheth exceedingly. Now when the Lord Jesus cometh to a soul, he breaks this yoke, the Law * 1.290 genders to bondage; the curse of it hath the very seeds of bon∣dage in it: Now I say when the Lord Jesus cometh, ariseth upon a soul, letteth him see that he hath undertaken for him, not only the curse of the Law, being made a curse, but hath set his love upon him, hath paid all the debt, will take him to be his son, no more as a servant; O now when the soul beginneth to be sensible his condition is changed, that he is a Son, and now hath not a cruel hard Master to serve, but a Father that will pity and spare where he falleth short of his duty, let him do his best; this doth much facilitate the work, maketh the yoke easie, and the burden * 1.291 light, his Commandments are no more so grievous to the soul, as they were before: Now the Law of Christ is a perfect Law of Liberty to him; before it was a Law gendring bondage; for alas, before it was only preached to the ear, and that under the * 1.292 penalty of such a curse, now it is written in the heart; now there is an eccho in the soul resounding, Thy will Lord will I do, * 1.293 when he speaks any thing; as the Law of love was upon the

heart of Christ, in the work of our Redemption; now his Law is in our hearts, and therefore we delight to do his will in some measure, I delight in the Law of God after the inward man, as the * 1.294 Apostle saith; as a Servant it may be for a while under his Master hardly used, yet afterward he changeth his manner of dealing with him, offers him great immunities, it may be, to be of a Ser∣vant, Son in Law to the King: O now the Servant will be bo∣red, he will now become a willing servant, and not be dragged to obedience by terrors and fears any more, but willingly yieldeth up his members weapons of righteousness to holiness: now the * 1.295 service is hearty and free; his people shall be a willing people in the day of his power: O saith the Apostle, Ye were the servants of sin, but now thanks be to God, ye have from the heart obeyed the form of doctrine delivered to you: from the heart, that is to say, out of love, it cannot else well be from the heart; for whom we dread with a slavish fear, we hate, and while the soul looks up∣on God, as such a Judge, as a cruel Master, and his Law a cruel, bloody Law, nothing but blood and ruine to them that come not up unto it, there is a hatred of God, it is impossible to love him, or his service; and then the service such a man doth, it is not from the heart; a man may serve sin, and yet do some service to God out of a slavish fear, as most unbelievers do; therefore they pray, and therefore they read, and therefore they do many things, and yet serve sin; but they never obey from the heart, until this work be done, the Law of love be written in their souls: now you shall go forth, you shall obey no more out of fear, but out of love: this is a Fifth.

Sixthly, From the terrors and fears before a mans conversion, which usually seize upon the creature, in order to it; for truly, before the Lord hath to do with our hearts, we are so dead asleep with the opium of sin, that there must be somewhat to rouse us, to awaken us; usually there is a spirit of bondage, which works fear and dread, and terror in the soul, that is to say, when the Spirit of Christ, breathing in the Commandment, maketh sin ap∣pear to be sin, exceeding sinfull, and opens some of the terrors which sin doth breed in it, witnesseth to the poor creature, that he is in a state of condemnation, that there is no way but one with * 1.296 him: O now the soul beginneth to be amazed, and startled, and knoweth not what to do! this runs him to the heart: he had

many afflictions and troubles in the flesh before, never any came so near as this; and no marvel, because the Spirit▪ of Jesus Christ hath wounded him at the very heart. Brethren, the Law of God is, as I may say, an Habeas Corpus, or rather Animam, appre∣hends, or claps up a soul, as I may say, puts him in prison; and therefore the Apostle useth that expression; mind you, the Scri∣pture hath concluded all under sin 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hath shut us up together, all concluded under one prison▪ in one dungeon, that * 1.297 the promise, which is of Faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to them that believe; but before Faith came, we were kept under the Law: I pray you minde it, we were kept as in a Garrison, as the Learned interpret it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be∣ing shut up together unto the Faith, which should afterward be revealed: it is just as it is with a Prince, he proclaimeth Pardon to all his Rebellious Subjects, but withall he sendeth out his Mes∣sengers, his Pursuivants, to apprehend, throw in prison, keep un∣der Bolts and Shakles as many of them as he can apprehend; this is not contrary to his mercy, nor proclamation of Pardon, but in order to it, subordinate to it, that so his Pardon, offered might be accepted, they might sue for it: So it is here, the Law doth thus shut up a soul, as I may say; as when there is an High-way open for a man to walk in, but he will go another way, there it is hedged up; at last he is so hedged in, he cannot tell which way in the world to get out again: O then! if he could but finde the open way, he would go in it: So it is in this case, the Lord ma∣keth this terror and this bondage a means to their inlargement. Ah blessed Prison! that is only to make poor creatures willing to be at liberty; well, now this the Lord Jesus when he cometh and revealeth himself to a soul, he brings him out of these la∣byrinths of fears and terrors; letteth the poor creature see, that himself is the way, and the only way; he hath undertaken the work for his people, only if they will believe, though they have no strength in them to do any thing, nor to extricate themselves from the difficulties they find themselves in, by reason they can∣not fulfil the Law; yet he is the mighty one upon whom help is laid, and withal letteth them understand how his bowels do yern over them, and how his heart is open, ready to inlarge them; and so perswadeth them to close with him; and then they go forth when faith cometh; so Christ is the end of the Law, and the

••aw a School-Master to bring us to Christ: But that is but the Sixth.

Seventhly, Another part of this bondage, is those after-claps of fears and terrours, that after Christ hath been revealed to, and in a soul, may befall the creature; alas, you find it so, they may be clapt up afterward in the pit of noise, the horrible pit, and be in the deeps, and in darkness; and like Jeremiahs dunge∣on, * 1.298 sink in the mire, where there is no standing, they feel no bottom of their misery, their fears are overwhelming; or like Jonahs * 1.299 Whales belly, they are in the belly of hell, and all the waves and billows of God go over them: O this is sore bondage! however it be true, that the Spirit of God is never any more a spirit of bondage to them, to witness to them they are children of wrath * 1.300 afterward, yet he doth not say but they may have bondage again; and all fear hath torment, and is bondage to the Spirit, it doth fetter it, and shut up and contract the spirits exceeding∣ly. Now I say, the darkness of a mans own heart, which doth naturally gender, fear, and Satan to help, and the frowns of Gods displeasure for the present, though he do not witness any more that a man is a child of eternal wrath and displeasure, these may bring the poor creature into sad perplexities; Well, yet the Spirit of the Lord Jesus when he cometh, brings also liberty with him from this bondage; David will tel you so; and Heman will tell you so: do but consider what conditions they were in? how came they to be delivered? O lift up the light of thy countena nce upon me; * 1.301 Son of God arise upon me, shine upon my soul, and then I shall be healed. O restore to me the joy of thy salvation, make me▪ to hear joy and gladness, &c. Well, the Promise doth extend even to this bondage also, and to this may we refer the next: I will speak of it distinctly.

Eightly, There is another Bondage, and that is the fears of death and judgement, whereby many a poor creature is kept in Bondage all the days of their lives; (as the Apostle saith in that to the Hebrews) to which I will speak a few words; He came; (saith the Text) and took part of flesh and blood, that through death be might destroy him that hath the power of death (that is to * 1.302 say, the Devil) and deliver them that through fear of death were all their life-time subject to Bondage. Brethren, death it self is a terrible thing, the Simplex could say, but hardly could he

tell the reason of it; for them that have no fear of God before their eyes, but have put out the eye of reason, and live like Beasts, giving up themselves to commit wickedness with greediness, though while they can keep off the apprehensions of death, they may go on merrily, but when that seizeth upon them, it marrs their mirth, it maketh a change in their faces, and they are not: now truly death is not so terrible in it self considered, but that the stoutness of a mans spirit, specially where there is no other consideration of it, he may overcome it, and live above the fears of it, as the Heathens some of them did; but now a man that knoweth indeed what death is, not only a disso∣lution of the union between the soul and body, taking down this mouldring Tabernacle, but a Serpent with a sting it is, where * 1.303 sin and guilt lies upon the soul; it is the beginning of sorrows, the arrest of the soul to judgement to come, to receive its doom for all its bloody evils he hath been guilty of. The wordling is not willing to give up his soul, O he knoweth, he can never an∣swer for his wasting of his spirits, and spending his time to lay up treasure here, and in the mean time neglecting his soul and Jesus Christ, and tenders of Grace; he knoweth this well enough, and therefore he will not yield up his Spirit, they shall take it from him, as it is in the Parable; This night shall thy soul be taken from thee: and so for any other sin; and now I say this maketh death * 1.304 terrible, and by reason of these fears of death, men that have any sight or sense of their condition, they are in Bondage all their lives long, yea, even the people of God themselves are in some measure under this bondage; and according to the measure of the discovery of Christ to them, and the power of faith in them, is this fear, and this bondage broken, and the Lord Jesus came for this end, to deliver them: alas, before his coming the Saints may be specially meant here, who had indeed the knowledge of Christ to be crucified for Sinners, and beheld him crucified, though darkly in the sacrifices, &c. and in the promise from the foundation of the world, but yet notwithstanding they had not that confidence usually, but there was more room for doubtings and fears, because they died still without the accomplishing of that promise; now though such as had an extraordinary mea∣sure of faith and a prophetical spirit, might see this clearly, and so it might raise them much what above this bondage, yet ordina∣rily

I believe it was not so, that they had such clear conviction of the freeness of grace, and the abundance and riches of it in Jesus Christ, and therefore it did not so f••lly quiet their Spirits in respect of fears of death and judgement, they did not so clearly see the sting pluckt out; therefore the Apostle saith, those Sacri∣fices, though they did hold out Christ, could not make the * 1.305 comers thereunto perfect, and therefore they were often repeat∣ed; But now the Lord Jesus he hath by once offering, for ever perfected, compleated their salvation, and therefore you shall find, that the Apostle and others do so triumph over death, and the grave, and sin, as we hardly find any before the coming of * 1.306 Christ; and it must needs be so, because now the Spirit, which is the liberty of the Saints was poured out in a greater measure, and therefore we may understand this of a general state of the Saints before the coming of Christ; the arising of this Sun of righteousness indeed, hath shone into the very chambers of death themselves, to let us see tha•• there is not that real terrour in it, that otherwise, except himself had gone through it, and broken the bars of it, and pluckt out the sting, and sanctified it as a passage to our Glory as well as to his own, we should still have been in as great bondage as they were in this respect, and there∣fore Simeon saith, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word: now he had embraced the Lord * 1.307 Christ not only in his bodily arms, but had a clearer discovery also of him to his soul doubtless: and the sence may help faith also.

But then secondly, According to the measure of the faith of his people is the degree of their liberty from this bondage; alas, it is terrible to many of us, yea, such as do believe; but their faith is weak, and the perswasions of sense are strong, and hold down the soul many times, but the Lord Jesus came to deliver his people also from this bondage, and according to the degrees of his manifesting himselfto the soul, will the soul go forth from these fears: and though Aristotle died doubtful whither he should go, and yet cried out, Ens entium, & causa causarum miserere mei; Yet the Apostle, and those that attained that pitch, to know that when our tabernacles are dissolved, we have an house eternal in the heavens: to know, the sting of death, and victory of the grave is swallowed up by Je∣sus * 1.308 Christ, it left its sting in his side; to know that when we

are dissolved, we shall be with Christ; and know how much better that will be to the soul, that is well studied in these things, and grown strong in the faith that is in Jesus, he will de∣sire to be dissolved and to be with Jesus; O here is a going forth now, a liberty and freedom indeed, by the arising of the Sun of * 1.309 Righteousness upon us.

Ninthly, A freedom or liberty from the Govenant of works; What saith the Law? Do this and live: continue in every thing that is written; now when the soul cometh to see how spirittual the Law is, and how earnal he is, and sold under sin, that it binds not only the thoughts, but the desires of the heart, that there must not be so much as a vain thought pass through his soul, but if there do, this Covenant knoweth no mercy; alas, this keep∣eth the poor creature under much bondage, and trouble, and doubting concerning his condition; now we must know that this is not a bondage of Gods putting upon us, (though he gave us the Law) but of our own making; the Lord gave the Law with Evangelical purposes, it was added because of trans∣gression; it was added, that the Covenant of Grace, that it might convince poor creatures of their condition by s••n, and not to be their Saviour, or a Covenant of life to them; When the Commandment came, sin revived, and I died: (saith the A∣postle) * 1.310 that is the work of it indeed; but now we would needs make it to be a Covenant of works, and look upon it so: and there∣fore do what we did in obedience to this Law as for life, expecting to be saved by our own works: and so the Hebrews, the Jews to whom that Law was first given: we see, how they would not sub∣mit, they would not stoop to have this yoke taken off from them, they would not submit to the righteousness of Ged, but would have a righteousness of their own; they had two strings to their bow, and as long as either of them would hold, they would not * 1.311 yield to be righteous by the righteousness of God in Christ: the one was their freedom by Birth, They were the seed of Abraham, and not the seed of the Bond-woman, and therefore what need they care for this liberty: the other was their own works, they made account their own penny was good silver enough, though the Lord knoweth it was but reprobate silver, they went about to establish their own righteousness, they would be justified by a Covenant of works. And so there were some that came, and

endeavoured to turn aside the Galathians to another Gospel, by teaching them they should again put their necks under this yoke, not only of Ceremonies, though that be one thing to the Jews, if not to the Gentiles, that never were under it; but it is the Law, the Moral Law, as a Covenant of Works, else to what end doth he mention the curse therein: And if ye be justified by the Law, Christ shall not profit you, you are fallen from the Do∣ctrine of Grace. Well now, the Lord Jesus, when he is revealed to a soul, delivereth him from this: though I must tell you, it is an harder matter to get clearly off it, then many do ima∣gine; and even the people of God themselves shall find, that too often they are turned aside to the bondwoman from the free, from the Covenant of Grace to a Covenant of Works. Again, from the Law as provoking, for that is the Bondage chiefly the Apostle speaks of: Rom. 7. But the more clearly and fully the Grace which is in Christ, is revealed to us, with the greater power he ariseth upon us, the more fully are we set free from it. Here we might discuss the question, how far we are delivered from the Law, and how far by Jesus Christ? I will rather re∣serve that to another place, and proceed to conclude this part.

Tenthly, There is a kind of bondage the people of God are under, even that weakness, and straitness, and deadness of heart towards God: you know that sickness doth weaken a man ex∣ceedingly, in so much that he can scarce go upon his legs, he is a prisoner a great while under that weakness, from all action to purpose; let but a poor prisoner be under hardship a while in the prison, and how feeble will he be, and scarce worth the ground he goeth upon? a while longer he is a prisoner under that weakness, so it is here; therefore saith the Psalmist, Then * 1.312 will I run the ways of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. Now the Lord Jesus when he cometh in with par∣don, speaking peace, smiling upon the soul, filling the heart with joy unspeakable, this joy of the Lord is the strength of the soul, he goeth forth, even as a man to his labour in the morning when the Sun ariseth, that drousiness, heaviness, deadness under which he was a prisoner before, being now removed.

Eleventhly, There is a liberty and freedom also from outward afflictions, for these are also an appendix of the Law, a part of the execution of it; and therefore the Lord doth set his people

free from the fear of these, before they come, which is a kind of bondage upon them. Secondly, From the presence of them when they are come. Or Thirdly, From the evil of them, the pinching, and wringing, and galling of the yoke.

First, In respect of the fear of them, They shall go forth: he speaks here plainly to the believing Jews, they were afraid of the judgments of God in the threatning while they did but hang over their heads, and they were in a kind of prison, or bondage by rea∣son of this fear; Well saith the Lord, Fear not, you shall go forth, the Sun of righteousness shall arise upon you. Job was afraid of his sorrows: take and compare Job the none-such in the East, a most eminent Saint, and Paul in the New Testament: and the * 1.313 one you find; he is afraid of his sorrows, Paul he glories in his tri∣bulations, you never hear him complaining of his sufferings, no nor feared them, he knew that bonds and imprisonments did abide him in every City, but he cared not for any of these things, he * 1.314 had a richer discovrey of the Grace of God in Christ, then Job had, and clearer it is like; and therefore this set him free in a great measure from them: and indeed his soul that knoweth the things that are freely given him in Christ, knoweth now that he is his Father, and what ever shall befall him, it shall turn to his good, what need he much to fear.

Secondly, They shall go out from the presence of them, this the Lord doth many times for his people what though the day of the Lord burn like an oven, and burn up the chaff and stubble, and devour them root and branch, I will be an hiding place to you, saith the Lord, You that fear my name indeed, and tremble at my word: O the Sun of righteousness shall arise upon you, and by vertue of his death ye shall be delivered as the Jews were in Egypt, By the sprinkling of the blood of the Passover upon the Posts of the Doors, which did represent and typifie the blood of Jesus Christ: * 1.315 and in that place of Z••ch. Mark you, saith the Lord, concerning his peoples Deliverance out of Babylon, a type of spiritual deliverance * 1.316 and freedom of his people: as for thee also by the blood of the Cove∣nant, I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the Pit wherein there is no water; this is done by vertue of the Covenant of Grace, where∣by this freedom and going forth is made out to Believers, there∣fore you may observe, when the Lord cometh to deliver Israel out of Egypt, he ushers it in thus. I remember my Covenant: the * 1.317

difference between the deliverances of Israel and other people are, the one is a Covenant mercy, the other a common mercy meerly. Well now saith the Lord, ye shall go forth of the burn∣ing, even as the children in the Furnace, it burned, but they esca∣ped, the Lord Jesus was with them, so shall ye go forth; and the Lord did provide a little Zoar for his people in the destructi∣on of Jerusalem, many of them escaped to Pella as the story go∣eth, a little Town beyond Jordan; and so the Lord doth seal the 144000. before he brings those bloody calamities upon the earth, * 1.318 the persecuting world, and those in the ninth of Ezekiel, O who would not be in Covenant with God! they shall go forth.

Or thirdly, They shall be freed from the destroying evil, the hardening evil of affliction, which is a bondage, and a sore one too, being bound in affliction and iron; and so Job in the 13. ch. * 1.319 ver. 27. God writeth bitter things against him, and puts his feet in the stocks, and all his affliction together is called Jobs captivity; he was, as I may say, resigned up to the pleasure of Satan for a while, who led him from one affliction to another, but the Lord brought him out, and brought him off without the evil, the De∣vil expected that he should curse him and dye, curse him to his * 1.320 face: now I say, the Lord maketh his people go forth, brings them through; and not only so, but without any of the hurt seizing upon them. Sinners are the harder for being in the fire, but they are melted, as very a stone as Pharaoh was, he began to burn in the fire, and be hot, and a man would have thought his heart had given, but it was a stone still; but his people came out melted, refined with this Epiphonema to all their afflictions. O it was good for me, I could not have been without it, much of my dross * 1.321 is gone by it; and thus the Lord maketh his people go forth; ••e shall go forth.

Twelfthly, There is one more, and that is the yoak of Ceremo∣nies & traditions of men, I will put them both together; the Cere∣monies were a yoak you know, circumcision was a hard service, to draw blood of their children at eight daies old, their journeys to their feasts at Jerusalem, their offerings and oblations, they were very chargeable, insomuch that they grew weary of them, and snuffed at them, &c. And for the Traditions of men, they are a grievous burthen where their Doctrines are taught and received; * 1.322

the Apostle comprehends both-under that word, the rudiments of the world, whereunto he would not have them be brought in * 1.323 bondage again, the difference of meats and drinks, &c. the Lord Jesus hath let us loose from those observations, and therefore it is a desperate doctrine, a doctrine of Devils, or at least of them that speak lies in hypocrisie, to forbid to marry, and command∣ing * 1.324 to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving; and blessed be his name, that by the rising of the Sun of righteousness among us, he hath brought us out from this bondage generally: and if he would be pleased to shine among the poor ignorant Papists, that they might but come to the knowledge of his will, doubtless this would be quickly shakt off with them also, but you have the parts of this liberty.

For the degrees of it, we must know this, that it is not in the same degree to every believer, you have already heard, how that before Christ's coming it was not in such power as since; Ye shall go forth, hath been accomplished in many respects since the ap∣pearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the more faith and the clearer sight we have of Jesus Christ, with the greater power, and splendor, and glory he shines upon us, the more of the riches of his grace we come to apprehend, the more fully and perfectly to rest upon that grace, the more shall we find that all these bondages shall be broken we have been speaking to; but thus much for the two things, which is, what this liber∣ty is.

Which are the arguments for the further confirmation of the * 1.325 Doctrine, Where the Lord Jesus ariseth upon a soul, there is liber∣ty and enlargement.

First, from the very nature of that gift of grace, the arising of the Sun of righteousness upon them, what is this but the gi∣ving of himself unto a soul, revealing himself in the soul, as the * 1.326 Apostle speaks, it pleased the Father to reveal his son in me, by which means that darkness and terrour is taken away in great measure; Christ is all in all: the bondage you heard before, it is * 1.327 either sin, or the sad effects of sin; the revelation of Christ an∣swerably, is either for holiness, or else by joy and comfort, wherein he meeteth with both the other, the guilt, the bondage he takes away, to that end himself was made sin, that knew no sin, * 1.328 that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; it is the

power of Satan, him he overcame; yet the power of sin that is broken also, sin shall not have dominion over you, &c. If it be terrours, fears, whatsoever, our blessed Saviour where he maketh himself manifest to a soul; is enough to take away all, but this you have in effect had before, therefore no more of it here; he adopts us all, Joh. 8. 36. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, was used in some Cities in Greece, as Grot. noteth:

Secondly, another Argument shall be this, that they might serve him, therefore they shall go forth; while a man is under bondage he is at the command of such as he is in bondage unto, and therefore cannot serve another Master whatsoever; this spe∣cially respecteth that part of the bondage which concerneth sin and Satan: when Satan had filled Ananias heart, could he obey * 1.329 the will of Christ? No, no more could Ahab that had sold him∣self to commit wickedness; it is impossible for a man to be a slave of sin, and a servant of Christ at the same time. I speak not what a man may do for an act or two, but a man that doth work sin, * 1.330 labour it, hammer it in his brain, forge it there, art it and pollish it, and with great dexterity, for such a man to serve Christ, ye cannot serve God and Mammon, saith our Saviour, mentioning one lust, they are contrary one to another; When a man doth * 1.331 wickedness with both hands earnestly, there is never a hand left for Christ's service; that is compleat service indeed, when it is from the heart, as seemeth by that opposition, thanks be to God, * 1.332 that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine. So that the heart is the main thing, if that be gone after sin, we cannot serve the Lord Jesus heartily; and then for the carkass, the lip, the eye, the tongue, he matters it not; therefore first, the Marriage-yoak must be broken between the soul and sin, before they can be married to another, even to the Lord Christ to serve him, ye are become dead to the Law, that, ye might be married to another; when ye were the servants of sin, ye * 1.333 were free from righteousness; mind you, if under the command of sin, you are free from righteousness, it hath no commanding * 1.334 power over you at all; and if a man be under the commanding power of Christ▪ there sin hath not the command of him, we must be dead to sin, and so free from sin, as the Apostle saith, he * 1.335 that is dead, is free from sin, or else we cannot be alive to God to serve him. Brethren, I know that every man would be thought

a servant of Christ, and we look upon him as the off-scouring of the world, and not worthy to live among men, that would not serve the Lord; poor creatures, while we are under the com∣mand of sin it cannot be, when a man yieldeth his members instru∣ments * 1.336 of unrighteousness to unholiness, and yet pretends to be a ser∣vant of Christ. What is this but a mockery? but be not de∣ceived, God is not mocked: would you not take this to be a mockery, if one come and tells you, O Sir, I will be your servant if you will give me this or that reward, but you must give me leave to do all the service I can to your enemy, you shall have the name of my service, but your enemy shall have the reality of it: is not this a mockery?

Thirdly, That their services may be more chearful, therefore he setteth them free from their bondage, and this respecteth that part of bondage which concerneth the Concomitants, even sor∣row, and fears, and terrours, and the like; the Lord doth not love to have his people follow him whining, he loveth a cheerful giver and a cheerful doer of his will, it is much for his honour that his servants should lift up their heads; for what would we say to see a poor servant go discouraged, and as if scarce worth the earth he goes upon, amazed with fears, with sor∣rows; sure such a servant hath a hard Master, that he hath so * 1.337 little joy of his life, therefore the Lord Jesus maketh his people go forth out of the horrible pit, setteth them free from all their fears, and terrours, that they may with a cheerful and a large heart serve him; here is love indeed, that the Lord doth so sweeten his yoak and his service, as that his people shall delight in it, therefore saith he, that we might serve him without fear in * 1.338 holiness and righteousness all the daies of our lives.

Fourthly, that their services to him may be more strong then otherwise they would, a man under bonds brought down with bard bondage, cannot do the service which another man can, but the▪ joy of the Lord is the strength of his people, as in that of Neh. 8. 10. therefore he doth enlarge their hearts, that they may run the waies of his commandments, takes off the fetters for this very end; a poor child of God under terrours and fears, or under the prevailing of a lust, have, as I may say, their hands manacled, they cannot fight, their feet are fettered, they cannot walk, much less run.

Fifthly, Yet one more, and that is, lest a poor soul held under bondage too long, should put forth his hands to sin, this respects specially the bondage of sorrows and fears which are ready to swallow up many a poor creature many times, my spirit is over-whelmed * 1.339 within me, saith the Psalmist 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 like case; the Lord will speak peace (saith the Psalmist) unto his people, that they may not * 1.340 return to folly any more; for if the Lord should lay his hand upon them, continually pressing them, they could not alway hold out, but if they can find no pleasure in God nor in his waies, they would be inclinable to return to their pleasures of sin, as in that Psalm, let not the rod of the wicked alway rest upon the lot of the * 1.341 righteous, lest they put forth, &c. as you see the Psalmists heels were almost thrown up, and himself upon his back, his faith upon its back in this very respect. O saith he, if it be thus, I must be plunged every morning, alway in the net, under the yoak of affliction, * 1.342 in affliction and iron continually, surely I have cleansed my self in vain; and these rods are the rods of God of a lesser nature, those with which the spirit is lashed are most sore, and therefore the soul might be in danger to depart to iniquity, to return to sin again; how soon did Israel resolve of making them a Captain to return again? N••h. 9. 17: If the Prodigal return in such distress to his Father, and he should keep him hungring and languishing, when * 1.343 he hath not so much as husks to eat; surely this were the way to put him upon it to return again to riotous courses: the peace of God keepeth them with God, &c.

Sixthly, Again, because the spirit would fail which he hath made, if he did not in due season break the yoak, set them at liberty; as a tender Father will not lose his child for want of * 1.344 the rod, no more will the Father of spirits for want of ••••shing our spirits; yet on the other hand, a tender-hearted Father will much less lose him by over-doing of it; as he will not spare him, indulge him to death, so neither will he whip him to death, hang ••rons and fetters upon him until they eat into his soul and con∣sume him. O no, when the Father seeth the spirit of the child to fall, and he beginneth to swoon under his rod, under the yoak of fear, which hath torment, be it what it will be, then he letteth the rod fall out of his hand, fals a kissing of the child to revive him again; we must preserve the spirits, and maintain nature in Physick, and if purgations have wrought the patient off his

strength, there must be a restoring with Cordials, 1 Cor. 10. 13. he will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able, &c. he will not suffer his people to perish, and sink, and go away in prison and bondage, and therefore he causeth them to go forth, and doth arise upon them to that end.

For the Application of the point, there are several uses to be made of it.

First then, take notice from hence what a grievous bondage the service of sin is, this is the principal part of the bondage, and all the rest are but the product of sin; sin is pregnant, it hath the seeds of all those terrors, fears, sorrows, slavishness, deadness, straitness, and all the rest in its womb, but it self is the chief, and therefore we are said to be sold under sin, and sin is said to have do∣minion over us; so many lusts, Brethren, in strength, so many * 1.345 pairs of fetters there are about our legs, and how then is it likely that a sinner should run the waies of Gods Commandments! but I hope by what hath been said already, it will be granted, that a condition of sin is a condition of bondage; only a little to ag∣gravate this consideration to you, and all little enough, I doubt, to startle sinners who are in this condition.

First consider, it is the basest, most sordid thing that can be; you know a servile condition is mean and base in comparison of liber∣ty and freedom, take it at the best; but to serve the basest of men, who would not abhor this? what spirit would stoop to be a drudge to a Master, to rake Channels and cleanse Jakes, who would not abhor this? Brethren, this is nothing to sin, to the slavery of sin: as it was the greatest honour in the world to be a servant, a son of God; Moses the servant of the Lord, David my servant: As you know servants do much bear themselves up upon the honour of their Masters. So it is the basest servitude in the world to be in bondage to a lust, for a man to sell himself into the hands of sin and Satan, for a moments pleasure of sin, this is base: It is brutish for a man to subject his understanding and will to the passions of his lust, dishonourable base passions; * 1.346 for beasts are led by their appetites.

Secondly, As it is base drudgery, so secondly the poor sinner hath so many lusts and so contrary to serve and satisfie, that he must needs be distracted between them; one commands him this way, and the other commands him that way; as now for a man

to serve his pride and covetousness, or his luxury and covetous∣ness, these are contrary, and distract, and distort the mind, and hurry him hither and thither, he can enjoy no peace in his own spirit at all; you shall see a man that will spend at no aim when he is in company, and none seemeth to set less by the world then he at such a time; but afterward, when he recollects himself, then he must run, and drudge, and hurry himself and all his family, and drive faster then they are able to bear, and all to make up that which he hath consumed upon his lusts, is not this a miserable bondage to be under such contrary lusts?

Thirdly, Yea consider that these lusts are most insatiable, in drinking up a mans time, and spirits, and strength, and will never * 1.347 leave a man while he hath any thing to lay out upon them more. So you know the Prodigal spent all that ever he had upon his lusts, all his patrimony, his time, and strength, and spirits, and all; and so the wanton doth upon his Dalilah, and thou mourn at the last, saith the wise man, when thy life and thy body is consumed, and * 1.348 say, how have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof? except it have all the precious workings of the soul, it is not satis∣fied, it must have all the thoughts, be in them all, though God be in none of them, all that precious water must drive this mill; as for covetousness, now how is the soul under the power of that lust, as I may say, hanged up like a meteor in the air, as the Evan∣gelist hath it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be not hanged up as meteors in the * 1.349 ••ir, as I may say, between heaven and earth; and be not careful, ••aith our Saviour, be not divided, distracted in your cares. O ••hat they shall eat, and what they shall drink, how they shall ac∣complish this and that design, what a drudge is any man that is under the power of this lust, he doth nothing but root in the world? in other servitude, if that a servant were maimed or dis∣membered, lost an eye, yea or but a tooth, they must be let go * 1.350 for their eye-sake, or for the tooth-sake, but here sin doth no∣thing but wound the soul, breaks a man, consumeth him soul and body, and yet will not let him go; sin doth put a mans eyes out, that so it may have the more full compleat command over the poor creature, and stops the ears, and strikes out the teeth, and distasteth the pallate, so that any thing of God hath no more re∣lish then a chip to a soul, maketh the poor creature lame for any lust harboured in the soul, maketh a man go with an uneven pace,

and halt, he cannot go uprightly, and so it weakens the hands and maketh feeble knees, and indeed like a woolf in the flesh, or a greedy wen, devours all the strength, and yet will by no means let the poor sinner go free.

Fourthly, It is a growing bondage, the longer a man continu∣eth in it, the faster he is held with the snares and bonds of his sins; in the transgression of an evil man there is a snare, saith So∣lomon, * 1.351 and every act of sinning doth fasten the snare so much the more upon the soul with bands of iron and brass, yea of adamant; the longer they are in this dark and filthy dungeon, the deeper they sink into the mire and clay, where there is no standing, the heart groweth more hard through the deceitfuluess of sin. O the cup of delights is a bewitching cup, and the more a man drinketh of it, the more he may; every drop of oyl you cast upon the flame, maketh it the harder to be quenched, every act of sin∣ning doth strengthen the habit, as in all other cases, and dispose a man so much the more strongly, incline him to the same sin again, and so there is so much the more ado to get the heart off from these lusts; there is many a poor sinner among us, I believe, can speak by experience what a miserable bondage it is, and what a growing bondage it is, the further a man goeth in it, he goeth still further into the prison, binds the yoak upon his neck so much the harder and closer, insomuch that a gray-headed-sinner you shall seldom see recovered out of the snare of the Devil, though sometimes we may: This the fourth.

Fifthly, it is so durable a bondage, that it abides in part, even where a soul is brought under the command of another principle, it doth continue in a great part in many a gracious heart, as in this place of the Apostle, I am carnal and sold under sin; he saith * 1.352 not he was, but he is carnal; that is to say, in part, as those in that first to the Corinthians, are you not carnal? that is to say, * 1.353 hath not the flesh a great sway with you, when you are so divi∣ded and full of strife and emulation, and one for Paul, and ano∣ther for Apollo? &c. and therefore the Apostle did walk heavily under the sense of the chains which were upon him, not altoge∣ther shakt off. O wretched man, who shall deliver me? I am * 1.354 carried captive by a Law in my members to the Law of sin. O strange, that in the Apostle, so sanctified, so mortified a creature, yet the Law in his members should have such a strength as this

is, to carry him captive; though the spirit do lust against the flesh, yet the flesh doth lust against the spirit, so that they cannot * 1.355 do the things they would; they are under bondage in part, though notunder the reign of sin; yet it usurpeth, and tyranizeth, and laies its commands upon a poor believing soul, as if he were al∣together his own; sin will not let go its hold altogether, but if it lose the Cittadel, the Tower, the chief Fort, the Will, yet it will lurk in some of the out-works still; if it lose the heart, it will hold by the heel still, and hang about us, that we cannot walk at liberty in the waies of his Commandments.

Sixthly, The reward to the service and bondage of sin, what is it but bondage upon bondage? you have heard how many sad Concomitants there are of this bondage of sin, doth it not subject to the curse, to the wrath of God? it is not only an unprofitable service, what fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? that is to say, what good had ye by them, ye are now ashamed of them: that is the reward, as you see in the case of Adam, it laid him open and naked before the Lord, both without covering for the shame, and without defence against his displea∣sure, now he wanted somewhat in stead of his innocency to skreen him from the everlasting burnings, or the presence of God, who * 1.356 is a consuming fire, yea the wages of these things is death, whose end is destruction, saith the Apostle, whose glory is in their shame, whose God is their belly, who mind earthly things; a man will hardly be∣lieve this, that the savouring of earthly things is so dangerous a service, being so pleasing as it is to men; alas, you little think what you do, you have heard some of you, how many evils do attend it, you little know what wounds you get, a wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away; this is nothing to the wound of the conscience. O what pains sinners are at to store up gun-powder at last to blow up their comforts and their souls and all; would you not think it a sad servitude where a master should delight in nothing but the cruel wounding and goring of a mans self, this is nothing indeed to the service of sin, you will one day find sinners, the truth of this, whether you will believe it now or no, that sin is big with terrours, and fears, and amazement, that sin doth nothing but wound the soul, the conscience, though you feel it not for the present; many and * 1.357 many that have been as sensless as many of us are, that yet at

last mourned and said, O how is my flesh and my body consu∣med! O what a wretch was I to serve sin, to lay out my self for sin, that now hath nothing but woe and misery, nothing but racks and woundings to reward me with! O what a reward is it Brethren, to pass fro m the chains of your sins here, to those ever∣lasting chains of darkness!

Se venthly and lastly, it is inextricable, as to our selves, we cannot open the prison doors, nor loosen our fetters, the cords of our sins wherewith we are held, and bound over, as I may say, to Judgement. O I know the poor creature, specially when his eyes are open to see what a condition he is in, will be making ma∣ny an attempt, sometimes to break prison, sometimes to loose his bonds, but it will not be; O what resolutions and vows you shall have many a sinner make, specially after a passion in their spirits, when their eyes are a little open; O they will never return to their folly any more, and it is the next thing they do. O the bands of our own making are too slender to pull a poor creature out of the mire and clay, they all break even as a thread of Tow when it cometh to the fire, and there the poor soul sticks; no, nor is it the prayers nor tears of our own that can do it, for you shall see, and haply some of us know it by experience, though it be wonderful to see a man pray and sin, and weep and sin, mourn and sin, go on in the same course of sinning a long time, some of our souls I believe know this, we pray and are not willing to be delivered, as Aug. did, and so mourn upon the sight of the grie∣vousness of a sin, but it prevails not to for sake it. O no, if any of all this would have done it, what need the Lord Jesus then be annoin∣ted for that work, to preach deliverance to the captives, and the opening of the prison doors to them that are bound: surely the Lord would do no nothing in vain: but so much for this Appli∣cation.

Then it may teach us the vanity of all conceit of liberty or * 1.358 freedom, or going forth before the Lord Jesus come and shine upon a mans soul, then they shall go forth, not before; what is the reason that the most of men can satisfie themselves with their condition as they do, but they have some conceit they are at li∣berty; were sinners perswaded that they are under the domini∣on of sin and Satan, &c. could they eat, or drink, or sleep?

what a fearful thing would we think it, if the Devil had but power over our bodies, to carry them whither he pleased, to shatter and shake them at his pleasure? but what is this to the having power over the soul, over the will, the affections, the mind, by keeping them in blindness? and yet sinners do not be∣lieve they are in such a bondage, but think they are free, nor do I think there is any one thing doth keep more poor creatures in bondage then this, they think they are free; but let us see a little the vanity of such conceits.

First, Some are so gross, as to think they are born free, when as you heard before, We are born the children of wrath, we are * 1.359 all born in the house of bondage, in the Prison House; and there∣fore, we as well as our Parents are under bondage. Can a slave bring forth any other then a slave? If many of us look to the * 1.360 Rock whence we are hewen, as the Prophet speaks, we shall find that our very Parents were the servants of sin, and it may be li∣ved and died so; and what then? were they the slaves to Satan, and can we be Christ his Free-men by Birth? It cannot be sure∣ly. It is very strange, that men that know their Parents to be loose, wicked, prophane, earthly, carnal crearu••es, that yet should bear up themselves with this priviledge, they are born free, they are Christians by birth, such men little know what go∣eth to make a Christian; can the bond-woman bring forth chil∣dren that are free?

Secondly, Others have a fairer pretence for it then this, they think they are free by birth, because they had faithful believing parents, we have Abraham to our Father, and we being his seed, * 1.361 how can we be in bondage? I must confefs, Brethren, this is some∣thing to me, for as Satan hath servants born in his house, in his * 1.362 kingdom, so the Lord Jesus hath in his; if bond-men were born bond-men, and servants were born in the house, then God hath servants also born to him, and his servants are free in that sense, that they are his servants, and therefore it is remarkable in that of Leviticus, they must let their servants go free, and their children * 1.363 also, for they are my servants saith the Lord, whom I brought out of Egypt; which was a Type of our spiritual bondage: mind you, the Lord calls them his servants, his children, as well as others; only note here two or three things for the clearing of it.

First, that this is by grace and not by nature; for by nature and natural generation, no man can beget, nor woman bring forth any child that is free; no, though they themselves through the riches of grace are made free, yet their children by nature are the children of wrath as well as others; yea, though they be∣long to the Election of grace, and be saved whether they die in infancy, or come to the acknowledgment of the truth, and believe, as the Apostle did; yet by nature they are the children of wrath, a sad condition our poor children are in by nature, if parents did but well lay it to heart; but what then doth this hinder, but that by grace they may be free, though by nature they are bound? as the Apostle himself by nature was a child of wrath, under the curse of the Law; that is to say, and in bondage, but by grace he was free; and why might not the Lord by grace make him free sooner if he pleased, as well as later? is it not all one with him, can he not make children free as well as men if he please? are not men purely receptives in the first grace, and are not children as passive and receptive as any?

But secondly, there is a freedom invisible and saving, and a freedom visible, and both by grace; the freedom invisible, when a soul is actually set at liberty from the power of sin and the bondage of his corruptions; or else visible, when there is ground for our judging they are so freed; now many are visibly free, that are not invisibly free at all: so there is many an hypocritical professor, that carries it so like a free-man of Christ, that it would puzzle the most discernable spirit to discover that he is under the bondage of sin or Satan, and yet he is so invisibly haply, but vi∣sibly he is free, that is to say, appears to be so: appears to be in Covenant with God, for that is the freedom; therefore where∣ever Christ is spoken of, as to preach liberty, it is said still, he is given as a Covenant to the people; so many appear to be in Cove∣nant, and so visibly are such, that invisibly are not▪ and so the chil∣dren of such holy parents, who are in Covenant with God, are visibly free, though invisibly they may be in bondage, that is to say, they are in visibly in Covenant with God, that is to say, we have ground to judge charitably and hopefully of them, that they are in Covenant with God, and if they so die, that they are ••aved by vertue of that Covenant there; which for my own part, I know no other revealed way of salvation, and therefore if

we deny them this, we must either say there is no grounded hope of their salvation, and I would be loath to be such a durus pater infan••um, to deny all visibility of salvation to them: Or else we must say, the Lord hath left nothing upon record, whereby we might have any comfort concerning little ones that die in that condition; which what an impeachment it were to the wisdom & grace of God in Christ, I wish men would impartially consider. And if they will say they may be saved, can it be without the invisible grace? have they not corrupt natures, and the seeds of all sin in them? and can any unclean thing enter into heaven? and therefore sure they must be freed from sin: and will we grant them the invisible grace, that they come under that which is nar∣rower, and shall we deny them that which is larger? would you think that man himself, that should yield that a man may be in the Kings bed-Chamber, but he may not be in the Pallace; or a man be in this house, and yet not in the City, which is much more large and comprehensive?

But thirdly, I conceive that this visible freedom of theirs is to be limited with the time, until they come to discover the contra∣ry; as an hypocritical professor, to us he is visibly a Saint, and free, until his leaf do fade and fall, and that be taken from him which he seemeth to have, as it is in that of the Evangelist; now the child is upon his Fathers root, the Lord owning them with their parents in the same covenant of grace; yet if afterward, when they come to understanding; and by the rule of Christ they are to own the covenant themselves actually; if they do disown it, they shall be cast out as well as Ismael was, and therefore it is I suppose, that our Saviour reproveth the Jews when they stood now at age, and should have minded what themselves had done, now standing upon their own, and not upon their Fathers root, they should have owned the Covenant themselves, and be∣lieved, that so they might have been free indeed invisibly; but though they never wrought the works of Abraham, to believe in Christ to come, and now in Christ come, they should have be∣lieved; but wrought the works of the Devil: yet they bound themselves up with this, that they were the children of Abraham, they were so indeed; and this in their infancy was ground for a believing hopefully of them, specially if their Parents were Be∣lievers; but now the Lord required themselves, I say, to own

the Covenant, and walk worthy of it, else that would not stand them instead; it is just as if a man that maketh a profession of Christ gloriously for a while, and in the judgement of all that behold him he is a gracious man, but yet he falls off, draweth back to perdition, the latter end of such a man is worse then his be∣ginning, yet he bears up himself, O I am a Christian, I have pro∣fessed * 1.364 Christ as well as you, and yet at present is thus stubborn and rebellious; do you think this would satisfie any mans spirit * 1.365 concerning him, is not here as much vanity of hope concerning his condition, as in the other case?

O but some will say, what a Doctrine is this? can a man be free in any sense, and yet come into bondage again, and perish af∣terward? are not the gifts and calling of God without repen∣tance? therefore that children should be free by vertue of this * 1.366 Covenant, and yet afterward become the servants of sin and Sa∣tan, and be so desperately wicked and prophane, this seemeth de∣rogatory to grace, and that any that have been in Covenant of God and free, should now be bound with everlasting chains of darkness? It is no derogation from the truth, nor from the grace that came by Jesus Christ that it should be so; for mind you, it is one thing to be free in the account of God, and another thing to be free in the account of the Church and people of God; God judgeth not as we judge, visibly we judge, and he judgeth that which is invisible: now it is true, one that hath been truly inwardly delivered from the bondage of sin, and so gone out of prison, he can never be reduced to such a condition, cannot pe∣rish; and so that man that is, or ever was invisibly in Covenant with God, can never come to that place of darkness; but such as only visibly and in appearance did own the Covenant, or were in Covenant, may miscarry; how many glorious professors that made a great shew for a time, and sprang up as fast, and flourished as much as any, that yet now are the fuel for those everlasting flames? what could men judge of them, but that they were in Covenant with God, and so free-men and delivered from the * 1.367 prison, from the bondage, yet alas were in the hold of sin to that day? and why may it not be so, and allowed in this case, as well as in that? may not the children of the Kingdom be cast out into outer darkness? I could wish that were well considered, the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer dark∣ness;

we will allow professors a communion and fellowship with us as free-men, as men in Covenant with God, whose profession so oftentimes prove rotten and unsound, and think this profes∣sion is a sufficient ground to declare to us they are in Covenant with Christ, and yet we will not allow Believers children to be in Covenant with God, because afterward they come to walk con∣trary to this Covenant: Nor do we think the declaration of God, that he doth own them as his, as his children, his servants, as holy to himself, to be as sufficient to make it out they are in Cove∣nant with God: For my own part, I see not the pretended dif∣ference, but if there be any advantage in the visibility of being in Covenant with God, I take it upon this hand, for I do and shall make more of a word of God, where the Lord hath said it, that they are his in a way of grace, though it prove to be but visibly, not invisibly, then I shall make of any mans profession in the world, which can amount to no more then a visibility, or at least I shall make as much of it.

Well but then, suppose thou wert a child of Abraham, of be∣lieving parents, and so wert free and in Covenant with God visibly; yet alas, this will not now stand thee in stead to salvation, no more then a profession of a temporarie faith will do an hypocrite; thou workest the works of the Devil, art a very drudge to Satan, and the world, and thy own hearts lusts, and yet will hang thy hopes of salvation upon a being born free, we are Abraham's seed; if any seed of Believers since the Cove∣nant, should have been saved and freed, inwardly and savingly, * 1.368 by being the seed of such parents, when themselves came actual∣ly to renounce it in works, to deny the Covenant in works, they might have it by Abraham; but yet you see our Saviour tells them, the Son must make them free, before they could be free; therefore this is a vain conceit, the Lord perswade poor sinners against it.

Secondly, some there are, that because they feel nothing of such a bondage as hath been spoken of, therefore they conclude there is no such thing upon them, they do not feel any such thing as fetters and ginns upon them, they never were under any such slavishness of obedience, under any such terrours, nor under the command of their lusts, they think they are Masters of them∣selves, and can command their passions and appetites as well as

any others, and therefore sure they are free. This is a deceit also. The more undiscerned the bondage is, the more sure it is; it was the slateliness of some Princes, they would not be seen by their subjects, nor make their persons too common, they should feel the weight of their loins, but not see them, to keep up an esteem among them; if they had made themselves too common haply, and too cheap, it might have weakened their authority: So it is in this case, sin and Satan will not be seen haply in the business, they know if it should appear to a sinner he is in bon∣dage to them, it were a dangerous step to dethrone him, and de∣vest him of his commanding power over a poor sinner; for who, if he did see himself thralled to so base and bloody an enemy as Satan is, would endure it long? and therefore he keepeth them in darkness, from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to * 1.369 God; therefore it is the first work of grace to open the eyes, as in the case of Paul, who art thou Lord? he knew not, nor did he know his persecution was a sin; he was so far from it, as that he thought verily he ought to do many things against that way: * 1.370 And truly so it is with many a poor soul, they think they are as far from bondage in sin; as he that is furthest, whereas they are altogether in bondage: A man in errour, if of a lesser or grea∣ter moment, he is in the snare of the Devil, and yet he thinks himself free, specially before admonition; else fundamentals are written so clearly, that after the first and second admonition, if * 1.371 administred with such clearness and tenderness as it ought. Dear friends, I doubt there are some of us, that it never came into our hearts seriously to consider, scarce to suspect that we were in bondage; do not your hearts bear witness to this truth? believe it, such are in the greatest bondage of all others ordinarily. I know it is true, that even from the child-hood, under gracious education, which the Lord hath promised a blessing to, as one of his Ordinances, with it may be in∣stilled so insensibly, as that a man may scarse ever know how it came to pass; but yet that he is free, he may know, as the blind man said; but I speak of sinners, that it is too apparent; alas, if they did, or could but search, and try, and ponder their waies, that they are in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity, and yet think highly of themselves, as Ma∣gus did, that they are some body: O this is a grievous deceit.

Thirdly, There are some, that because they part with some sin, they think they are free; it may be they were before drunkards or blasphemers, now they are reformed, and not guilty in this kind, therefore they think they are free, they have gone forth; when alas they are held in the cords of another lust; it may be run from one extreme to another, reel from one pit to another, and truly one chain upon the soul will hold it fast enough; one foot in the snare holds it as well as if the whole body were restrained; if Satan have but one cord about us, * 1.372 he takes us alive at his pleasure; Because that they pass one Gate in the Prison, they think they are presently out, no: Bre∣thren, there are iron Gates and Bars yet to be opened, there are more lusts yet to be shaked off, before you can look upon your selves as free; Sampson must have his Dalilah; Herod, his Hero∣dias, though he did many things.

Fourthly, Some think they are free, because it may be they forbear the outward acts of rebellion: so be they can keep them∣selves * 1.373 unblamable and unreprovable of the world, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they heed not what is within. Brethren, what is it the better to have the hand and the foot out of the snare, and the heart be intangled? a man may through fear, slavish fear of God, or else fear of men, fear of shame, or the like, forbear to act, and yet the heart love and like the sin well enough. The Dog is not offended with his vomit, though he bring it up, he liketh it well enough, it is only some pain at the stomack which he cannot brook. So you may pluck away the iron from the Loadstone, but it hath a lingering after it still; and so Phaltiel when his Wife was taken * 1.374 from him, he parted with her indeed, because he durst not other∣wise chuse, for the dipleasure of the King would wax hot against him; he might lose his liberty, if not his life, if he had refused; but saith the Text, He went mourning after her, he did it with an unwilling heart. So may a man part with sin, the practice of it, but yet his heart cleaveth to it still; he may cast it away when the coal is fired, but yet he could be content if the fire were out, to put it into his bosom again; Brethren, Is it thus with us? we dare not let down sin haply, swallow it, for fear it prove bitter∣in the belly: but yet we will roul it under the tongue as a sweet morsel; surely this is not to go forth, to be set free from this bondage, therefore do not mistake your selves: it may be thou

dost not gripe and oppress in bargain, dealing hardly or over-reach, but thy teeth water at it, thou couldst digest it well enough thou durst, thou dislikest it not, because it is sin, and displeasing to the Lord, thou art not yet free.

Fifthly, Some think they are free, because loose Liber∣tines promise them liberty, when themselves are the servants of sin; Truly Brethren, if ever hell were broke loose, now is the time: * 1.375 the Devil never enjoyed more chain then now, specially as an Angel of light: it is come to that pass now adays, that men think they are never free, until they have broken the bands of Christ, and cast away his cords from them, until they have broken * 1.376 the yoke of Christ from off their necks: sons of Belial, that will not endure to he yoked, though never so easie; O these Ordinances, and Duties, and Services, they are a bondage, they are poor and beggerly rudiments, to which they will not any more be in bon∣dage: they will not any more be Priest-rid den, as they call it: and as for Sabbaths, and Prayers, and Hearing, and Reading, and Meditating, these are poor empty things, and a burthen it is to bear them, they are weary, and snuff at it, as in Malachy. It * 1.377 is true, they are empty to them that have not communion with Christ in them: Else as David saith in the like case, The soul may there be filled with marrow and fatness. But now mind what saith the Apostle, When themselves are the servants of sin; I do observe it, and it is worth the noting, in the example of such as would not have their necks under the yoke of Christ, his Ordinances, but live above them; have the yoke upon them, usually they are persons under the command of their lusts; and are these likely persons to teach men the way to liberty? surely no.

Sixthly, Some think they are freed and delivered, if they do but attain that knowledge which the Apostle speaks of, in the use of in∣different things; they scruple not any thing, as clean or unclean, in * 1.378 meats, or clothes, or days, make no difference at all, and hereupon they make account they are free, whereas this may stand with a bondage unto sin notwithstanding; O how may such men in the very use of this part of their liberty enslave themselves to sin, to their lusts? it is but a pretence many times, their liberty is; they wil use the creatures liberally, and without scruplicity and nicety, will nor suffer their consciences to be coy or tickle in such smal things wherein they have a liber••y, whereas the very truth is, they

have no command of their Lusts nor Appetites, and then liberty▪ is the cloak of it; they are so impotent they cannot forbear meat or drinks; or such & such rich apparel, as is a question, whether it become them or no; they are brought under the power of these things, and yet liberty is the pretence: Surely brethren this is not to be free neither: so much for this second Use, whereby we may perceive, how many of us, that, it may be, think we were ••ree, are yet in bondage to this day; these mis-conceits of free∣dom set us not free: a Prisoner dreams his chains are fallen off, and he walks up and down at liberty; but when he awakes, alas, his bonds are upon him still.

Seventhly, No nor yet is every one that doth endeavour to fulfill the Law of God, yet set free: there is many a diligent soul, very industrious and laborious, it may be, and as they think, for heaven, that would put the most of us to shame in this point: and yet all this while alas they are working in their fetters, in their bonds, yea they do twist and work bonds, they are held in the cords of their own services, stick there and never go further, these are not free neither: it is not Moses any more then Abraham, that can make free; it must be the Son must do it; yea, truly, for my own part, I take it, that these poor souls that are under the Law as a Covenant of life, are in the most dangerous condi∣tion: for alas, they are in love with their bondage, and so much the more, because they take it for freedom: A man is in love with his Fetters, because they are gold, he maketh account they will buy his freedom, when he pleaseth: when any offers to take them away, what, would you have me to part with my gold? O no: And so many a poor creature is in love with a Sepulchre full of rottenness, and dead mens bones, because: it is painted and garnished: how hard a matter is it to perswade many a Justi∣tiary among us, that he is in such a bondage, and stands in need of this great power of Christ to make them free? &c. Well then, do we move as heartless Christians do? like Watches, with out∣ward motion? come duties from us, like fire from a Flint? alas do we what we do by constraint, or of a willing mind.? are we a free people? is love our constraint? as the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5. &c.

3. Ʋse. Shall be then to take notice what an incomparable * 1.379

benefit the Gospel is, that brings such glad tidings unto poor souls in bondage, in prison: Brethren, do but imagine how welcom tidings it would be to a company of poor Gally slaves, to tell them, your Prince hath laid down your ransom for you, and hath sent to proclaim Liberty to you, if you will go forth: O how their hearts would leap within them for joy, they could hardly believe it at first, but would be like them that dreamed there in the Psalms; but when they come to themselves, surely they would rejoyce more in it, then if they had found great spoils; you have heard it is the Gospel preached, whereby this Liberty is held out, yea and conveyed; for the truth shall make you free: * 1.380 and now to a man that is in love with the prison, and not willing to come out, the tenderings of Liberty is not so much; but he that is weary of the nastiness of the Prison, of the weight of his chains; he whose spirit is overwhelmed with the pre-appre∣hensions of his condemnation, and, it may be, never expected to come out of his prison, except to be led to Sentence, or to the Execution: now for Liberty to be proclaimed to such, and free∣ly too: O what a benefit is here? Brethren, if it were not for this Gospel of glorious Liberty, what were the world but a prison, a dungeon full of poor miserable Caitiffs, shut up under sin to the revelation of the righteous judgement of God, at * 1.381 the great Day: it were better for us to die assoon as we are born, were it not for this Gospel: What miserable comforts were our Riches, our Honours, our Friends, and Relations, were it not for this Gospel? A man in prison, liable to condem∣nation, under Bolts and Shakels, tell him of wearing soft ray∣ment, or Royal dainties, faring deliciously every day: alas, it goeth not down with him, he is a prisoner in bondage, nothing can be pleasing to him, it deadens his heart, his rellish to all things else; liberty would be a sweet welcom message to him: Brethren, this is the tidings of the Gospel.

4. Ʋse. See here and admire the riches of this Grace of the * 1.382 Gospel in Jesus Christ, that he should proclaim Liberty to the Captives, notwithstanding their wilfulness in throwing them∣selves into these chains, their willingness to continue in them, and unwillingness to go forth, to go out of them; notwithstanding their being worn out, as I may say, and spent in this bondage, so

that they can very little be serviceable to him. For the first of the aggravations of the bondage, which tends to heighten the free∣dom and deliverance from it, that we wilfully plunged our selves into it: if a man be taken captive by the Turk against his will, we pitty him much; but if he wilfully throw himself upon them, this takes away much of the compassion; yet this is our case: did not Adam sell us in the first transgression, in which respect we are all to this day sold under sin? yea more then so: alas, what * 1.383 sinner is there almost that liveth to any years, but he sells him∣self with prophane Esau? sells his soul, and his hope of heaven, and all for a Mess of pottage, for a little moments satisfaction to his lusts: Nay, do we not all subscribe to that act of selling us under sin, when we so willingly imbrace our chains? In so much that some do even wear their chains as their ornaments, glorying in their shame, that is to say, making their boast of their wicked∣ness. And that yet notwithstanding, when no eye pittied poor sinners in this condition, they themselves were so far from pit∣tying themselves, that they were pleased with the prison: all men in the like condition with themselves, cannot pity them; the Saints alas, want bowels to such as willingly are in bondage: that yet the Lord, who is most slighted in all this, should pitty and make a way for their deliverance; this is unspeakable, rich grace! that the Lord should, as I may say, study a course to make them willing to come forth; to which end all the sad and fearfull Characters of this bondage in Scripture are; to which end is the Law given, that sin might appear to be sin, and exceed∣ing sinful, and the bondage very great, that they might thereby see themselves shut up: to this end, all those sweet invitations, and powerfull expostulations with poor sinners in the Gospel; O why will ye die? why will ye perish and rot in prison, since there is a ransom found for you? the Lord takes no pleasure in your death; and why will ye delight in your own death? O * 1.384 what powerfull Rhetorick are these loving intreaties, expostu∣lations, the yearnings of his bowels over them? his tears over Jerusalem, when they would not be gathered under his wings? * 1.385 and all this to make the poor sinner willing; and when all will not do, that he should even put forth a power upon their wills and hearts, inclining them to it by a sweet, and yet strong, though not compulsory influence of his Spirit upon them, this is admi∣rable!

what tenderness was there towards Lot, that when he lin∣gered * 1.386 and delayed, the Angel took him by the hand, and brought him without the City, and bid him haste for his life: truly there is not a soul delivered from this bondage, but there is as much ex∣ercise of the patience, and bowels of Christ toward them, to make them willing; yea to take them by the hand, when they linger and make excuses: as those in the Gospel; I will follow thee, but let me go and bid farewell to my friends: I must not come off abruptly from my old Companions in sin, but take leave of them handsomly: I must go bury my father, saith another; but the Lord Jesus takes by the hand, plucks us out, as I may say, by head and ears, before we will come out.

Again, consider how we have worn out our selves in the bon∣dage and slavery of sin, and with these fetters upon our souls, or else spent so, that now he may even say, we our selves may say of our days, there is no pleasure in them: so Luke 4. 18. to set at liberty them that are bruised, Dimittere confract••s in remissionem, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which words are not in Isaiah 61. neither Hebrew, Greek, nor Latine, but they are added 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by Luke, as some conceive: ••atabl. and others, read them v••lneratos, persons wounded, shattered, worn out with the hard bondage and service they were put to; bondage is a weary thing at the best; but when a man is such a slave, as that he must like a Gally Slave, work like a horse in the service of sin: O what pains sinners do take with both hands! earnestly they come to iniquity, and so exhaust their spirits, the best milk and marrow in the bones, so that they are as dry sticks, that are good for nothing; and yet that the Lord Jesus should to such proclaim liberty, bring them forth, that are able to do him no service in a manner; so the thief upon the Cross: and so the Jew that Andreas is said to convert, hanging upon the Cross: and so many a gray headed sinner, that * 1.387 never ceased serving sin, yet now, &c. Truly, if the Lord Christ should set us free, with a respect to any service we should do him afterward, I doubt none would ever be set free: for Brethren, what can we add to him? if thou be righteous, it profiteth him * 1.388 not at all; he is a God infinitely perfect in himself, our good∣ness extends not to him; all the best of Lebanon, and the wood * 1.389 are not enough for a burnt offering, so great a God he is; and yet though he be not advantaged by our service when we are set at

Liberty, but what commandments he giveth us to observe, and giveth us hearts, inclineth our hearts thereunto, they are for our own welfare, as in that of Deuteronomy. The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath, for his good, his advan∣tage; * 1.390 and so is all the services: or if it were, yet alas (I say) how are we broken many times with the bondage of sin, so that we are fit for nothing, the understanding and affections so weak∣ned and wasted, and besotted with sin, that afterward we can do little for him, because of that sad effect sin hath left upon our souls, and yet he delivereth us: this the fourth.

Ʋse 5. Then it shall it be for Exhortation and invitation this day to every poor sinner, that is in bondage, that they would * 1.391 close with this promise, that they would go forth: O Sinners! that you would but accept of Deliverance and Liberty, that now the Lord Jesus, after so dear a purchase of it, doth tender to you; you see he is willing, he came on purpose into the world, to preach and proclaim liberty to the Captives: Now art not thou a Captive? and hast thou no minde to be set free? And for some Motives to stir us up a little, at least to a consideration of our con∣dition, and what we do all this while.

First, Consider this is the acceptable year of the Lord, as in that of Isaiah: O it beginneth with the preaching of the Gospel; indeed the acceptable year, minde you, acceptable to Jesus Christ: It pleaseth him wondrous well, if sinners be willing to come out of prison, to be set at liberty: there is many a poor soul that thinketh with himself, I am willing; if the Lord Jesus be willing that I shall go forth: O it is the acceptable year of the Lord, there is nothing more pleasing to him, then to see the ransom he hath laid down for you sinners take effect, and bring out many out of bondage; the Apostle applyeth it to the times of the Go∣spel; There is joy in heaven, &c. The Father of the Prodigal, * 1.392 how willing was he? and then it is the acceptable year to sinners too: O how did men that were in bondage long for the Jubilee, and breath and pant after it, especially if their bondage were hard? that set them all free. Dear Friends, Consider, this is the great Jubilee, proclaimed solemnly with the Silver Trumpets of the Gospel, that every poor creature, that will, may go forth out of prison; yea, that if now they go forth, the Lord Jesus is * 1.393

willing we should; but if we shall trifle away this year of the Lord, which we know not how long it may last to us: either the Gospel may be taken away from us, or else we from the Gospel; or else the things which concern our peace in the Gospel be hid * 1.394 from our eyes, that we shall never see them: O that sinners would but consider this, these seasons the Father hath kept in his * 1.395 own power, that sinners might be afraid to trifle away one Sab∣bath, * 1.396 wherein this grace is offered, for fear that it never be offer∣ed more to us: If the Servant did neglect to take the opportu∣nity of the Jubilee, he must be in bondage, he and his, until ano∣ther Jubilee, and so he himself was like to perish in that service.

There were only three things that did hinder their going free in that acceptable year: 1. Either they were strangers, and of the cursed Canaanites, who were doomed to bondage; now there was * 1.397 no going forth for them: Or else 2. The Matters would not let them go free: Or else 3. They themselves had no minde to go free, and so bound themselves for ever to their Masters.

First, I say, The Strangers: alas, the Jubilee was not proclaim∣ed to them; and therefore, though they might he willing to go free, yet they could not, they were as good never think of it, it concerneth them not; and the Masters knowing this would never let them go free; surely, this is not our case, though the * 1.398 time was, when we were sinners of the Gentiles, and afar off, and the year of Jubilee was not proclaimed to us; yea, the Lord Jesus forbid his disciples, to go into the way of the Gentiles: If * 1.399 this were our case, then there were some excuse for our continu∣ing in bondage; and thus it is with many a poor people under the Sun this day; the Lord Christ hath never said to them that sit in darkness, go forth, else haply, Tyre and Zidon would have done it sooner then Coraz and Bethsaida.

Secondly then, the unwillingness of him to whom we are in bondage, to let us go free: it is true, sin is unwilling to let the sinner go; alas, how shall lust be satisfied and served then? And so is Satan, as long as ever he can, he will hold his hold; but doth not the Lord threaten the hard hearted Jews, since they would * 1.400 not let his people go out of bondage, that he would proclaim a Liberty to them, to the sword, and to the famine, and to the pestilence? Pharaoh was very loth to let Israel go as long as he

had a being, therefore he was destroyed: And so sin and Satan, they will not let the sinner go; O how a mans lusts do cling about him then, when he should go free! what, will ye forsake me now, have I not brought you in so much content, so many sweet hours you have had of repose in my lap, so much gain and advantage, have you not lived by me, and will you now leave me? these will stratle the soul; and then for Satan, either he multiplyeth his baits, maketh the best of every thing in the way of sin that now beginneth to be laid open, to find colours and glosses to put upon them, or else he rageth and tells the soul, thou go free! dost thou think that now thou hast served sin so long, Jesus Christ will accept of thee? and indeed, all that his wit or power can do, he bestirreth himself, now he seeth his kingdom go∣ing down, and his yoak breaking; I, but remember this, that the Lord will break him to pieces, tread him under-feet if he refuse to let you go, the Lord will pluck you out of his hands, destroy his power.

Thirdly, Our own unwillingness, for if the servant said, he loved his Master, and his Masters service, and he would not go free, then the Jubilee served him in no stead, he must have his ear * 1.401 bored to the door-post by the Magistrate, and so be his servant for ever; either this might be as a punishment of his contempt of liberty, now he might have liberty, which is rather to be cho∣sen, as the Apostle saith: and the Lord out of a tender respect to them, as his people, that he hath bought out of bondage, would not have them kept in bondage by their Brethren; Now if he would not go free, but loved his Master so well; that he preferred his service before freedom, he should have this torment and pub∣like shame, to be bored through the ear: And I tell you Bre∣thren, it will not be the piercing of the ear that shall be the re∣compence of your refusing of this liberty, but the piercing of your hearts, as with a sword, when you come to see what your bondage will bring you unto; or else secondly, That now they must never go out of their Masters doors without his leave, the servitude must be stricter then ever it was; and so truly I do be∣lieve, Brethren, that now, where the acceptable year of the Lord is preached to sinners, they have liberty offered, and they will not accept of it; that now they are more fully under the command of Sat••n and sin, then they were before. Thirdly, that

hereby might be signified the willingness of their service for the time to come, that they had, as I may say, their ears opened now to what ever their Master should command them; and so in that Psalm; Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not; but mine ear hast thou bored or digged, so the words may be read, that is to * 1.402 say, thou hast made me willingly obedient to thee to the death, & that obedience is better then sacrifice; and truly this is the saddest of all the rest, when men shall give up themselves with a fuller will to serve Sin and Satan then ever they did before, in stea•• of going forth; O let us fear and tremble before the Lord, lest while liberty is proclaimed, we in stead of going forth, be bored in the ear, and become Satans servants for ever, never go forth from our bondage.

Again, Consider yet further, that the day if liberty is pro∣claimed; it is the day of the vengeance of our God also, as the Prophet hath it; as if he had said, if it be not a day of liberty, and of going forth to you, it will be a day of vengeance to * 1.403 you as well as to the enemies of Christ; for what desperate love is this, to sin against Christ? that when he hath been at so much pains and cost to purchase a liberty for us, and we re∣fuse and reject it, will not part with our chains, will rather rot in prison then come forth, what can be expected but wrath to the utmost to come upon such a soul? O surely the Gospel will be the savour of death to death to such a soul, a savour of bondage to bondage and everlast••ng chains of darkness will be their bonds for ever: Brethren, think of this before the prison doors be shut and barred, before you be sealed up unto this destruction.

Lastly, Consider how sweet and precious Liberty is, even ci∣vel libetty, how sweet a thing it is; else men would never expend so much treasure and blood as we have done for it: Ah, this is nothing to a freedom from sin, and from other bondages which arise upon sin unto the soul: Ask but any poor creature that is newly come out of the dungeon, out of the horrible pit, where there was no standing; will they not tell you that liberty is * 1.404 sweet? it is not to be expressed: If Paul had not been free, he had had many a lash by those cruel tyrants. If the soul be not * 1.405 free, it is liable to perish, to be whipped▪ to death, to eternal death with Scorpions; ask but any of the people of God, who

have been wearied and almost worried with their lusts; O the iron entered into their soul, they did sit in darkness, in the dungeon many a sad day and hour, and at last Out of the depths they have called to the Lord, he hath set them free: O what an Heaven upon Earth they found it when they have been de∣livered in any measure from this bondage! what would they take to be in the same condition again, specially under the command of their lusts? not all the world; brethren, the Lord perswade your hearts now, now while it is to be had, before you be called for out of prison to the judgement, that you may go forth and enjoy this glorious liberty.

O but you would say, Alas, what should we do in this case? we are convinced; it may be some poor soul ma•• say of himself, that this is a miserable bondage we are in, even by sin and the con∣sequents of it, and we would fain be set free, but we know not which way to go about it; we are in a maze, a wilderness, a labyrinth, a du••geon: we grope, and grope, and cannot find the way out: O what shall we do? it may be this may be the case of some of our souls; I will tell you what you shall do.

First Deny your own policy, and wisdom, know, they will not set you free; Judas had much knowledge, and yet he hanged himself; you will rather by depth of reasonings plunge your selves deeper; the Gospel is foolishness to them through the pride in their carnal knowledge.

Secondly, Labour to know the Gospel in its tenor, and to close with it, to believe it, you shall know the truth, and the truth * 1.406 shall make you free; truth truly known will set a soul free; this truth is the truth of the Gospel, for Grace and Truth come by Jesus Christ: and it is observable that they are both put together; Sanctifie them with thy Truth, saith our Saviour, thy Word is Truth.

There are three things here considerable.

First, That there must be a through acquaintance with the bondage that we are under, and the better condition of service; how much the service of Christ is to be preferred before that of Satan; for the truth is, while a man knoweth no better, he will be content to serve the worse; there is never a sinner under the dominion of sin, but thinketh he is the freest man; and the people of God that are bound up in their Spirits to such a strict way of

walking with God, he thinketh they are the men in bondage; but alas, it is because he understandeth not his own condition: nor is it a slight hint of such a thing that will usually prevail to a freedom from all sin, therefore you must labour to study what this bondage is, see what thou art exposed to by reason of it, and see what a prfect freedom the service of Christ is. O what great * 1.407 reward there is in the very keeping of his Commandments; joy is such an inseparable attendant upon obedience, that some mea∣sure of it followeth every good action, as the very heathens themselves acknowledged; much more then, when the Lord Je∣sus is the Master, and his service the work.

Secondly, Thou must be acquainted with the commands of Christ; his precepts are pure, and they have an influence upon the heart that believeth them, to bring him out of that bondage, to set him free: I do believe nothing more keepeth many a soul in bondage; he knoweth not what the will of Christ is in such or such a particular, else he would do it. Be acquainted with Christ the summe of the Gospel, you shall know the truth; that is to say, what he hath done to set poor creatures free became a servant obedient to the death, was in bondage, in prison, in the horrible pit, how he was put to it to overcome, &c.

Thirdly and principally, thou must be acquainted with the promises of the Gospel that are made to this end; it is their ex∣cellency to help forward our freedom; this part of the truth well known, so known as to be closed with, will make every poor creature free, ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free; and so this in the text, the Sun of righteousness shall arise * 1.408 upon you with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth: and so many other places, sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are * 1.409 not under the Law, but under Grace: It is the very tenure of the Covenant, and of the promises in Scripture, that he will deliver his people, save them from all their uncleannesses, and subdue all ini∣quities for them, yea though they work iniquity with both hands, Vers. 3. Either we know not these things, or else we make not use of them, we act not faith upon them; the Lord doth love to have his people use the importunity of faith, for nothing is so importunate as faith, nor offers, as I may say, such violence to heaven as that doth. O Brethren, the Lord help our unbelief, and forgive our neglect of our faith in this point; if thou canst

act it but weakly, yet put forth some act of faith, hang upon these promises, tell the Lord he hath caused thee to hope upon this his Word, else thou couldest not hope, and thou dost hope in this Word, else thy heart would altogether sink within thee; and will he now make thee ashamed of his hope, hath his promise ever failed a poor creature, and will it now fail thee?

But beside this, dost thou find thy heart moved, made willing indeed to part with sin? Art thou in good earnest in this busi∣ness? O yes, saith the poor soul, I would rather then my life be set at liberty, for what good will my life do me, if I must conti∣nually serve sin, and grieve such bowels of love towards me in Jesus Christ? have you searched, do you know your hearts in this point? it may be thou hast not that heed of trusting thy heart further then thou seest it, it will deceive thee then; but if thou hast searched it; and beg'd of God to search it, and thou▪ dost not find but he hath through infinite riches of grace made thee willing to come out if thou couldst tell how: I tell you Bre∣thren, if this be so, the chains are fallen off from your hands, and the bolts from your legs, your freedom is in a great part ac∣complished, only thou canst not find the way out of the prison. O then follow Christ, follow his Spirit, when he moveth thy heart at any time to search and try, maketh thee tender, puts thee into a frame to bewail the evils of thy heart, take the hint up and be doing, follow him and he will bring thee through one iron-gate, and through another, and thou shalt find thy self at the last set free, and know thy liberty, and the things freely given thee of God.

O beg the Spirit, for he is the cause of liberty, it depends up∣on him as light upon the Sun, and the Spring upon the Fountain; he applyeth what Christ hath done for us, knowing the deep things of God, he revealeth them, he only convinceth and an∣swers objections, &c.

The sixth Ʋse of the point shall be several admonitions or ex∣hortations to them that are set free from this bondage; thou hast * 1.410 had the Sun of righteousness shine upon thee, and art gone forth from sin, from that bondage, those fears, terrours, darkness and distractions which sin brings upon poor creatures, thou remem∣berest the time when thou couldst do nothing but sin against the

Lord and grieve him continually, thou couldst not cease to sin, thou wast under the command of sin, and now through grace, ex∣ceeding rich grace, the gates of the prison are open, the Lord hath pluckt thy feet, thy affections out of the snare; What doth the Lord thy God require of thee? this should be the next enqui∣ry of the soul, me thinks, after so signal mercies.

First, surely he expecteth thou shouldst give him the glory of all, praise him, and exalt him alone: alas, what are the calves of our lips, they cost us nothing, the poorest have this, and the richest have no more in effect but this, if thou be able to do little for Christ, yet thou maist praise him, thou maist admire his rich grace, make his name glorious? Truly Brethren, I believe some of us are able to say by experience, that our unthankfulness for the freedom we have had, hath been an occasion of our being clapt up, for all the design of God in Christ, in redemption of poor creatures, is to make his mercy and grace glorious, as he did his power in the creation and wisdom; Now how is it made glori∣ous among us, but by our acknowledgment of it, our lifting up the Lord Jesus not only with our hearts but our tongues; art thou brought back again into darkness, and into the prison after some refreshing? Consider, wast thou thankful for what thou hadst? we are all sick of the leapers disease in the Gospel, ten were * 1.411 cleansed, but where are the nine? I doubt scarce one in ten of us do praise him according to what he hath done for our souls, and those that do▪ yet scarce for one act of his loving kindness in ten, in bringing of-us forth; it may be he delivereth us ten times from a dead heart, before we once give him the glory. O this Popish principle of pride that is in us; is that which seals: up our hearts and stoppeth our mouths from praises, but opens it in com∣plaints, in discontents, when we want such a mercy. O if our f••eece be dry when others are wet; we are ready to question, why doth the Lord deal so with me rather then with another, why have I not as much enlargement of heart as another, as great gifts, freedom of speech, and utterance, as great grace in any kind? Why am I not set above these wretched carnal delights as well as others of his people? as if, God should do any thing for us out of respect to us, we had deserved any thing at his hands; where∣as we may rather expostulate with our selves, O why is it not worse with me then it is? why am I in no sorer▪ bondage then I

am? where I am once overthrown, it is mercy I have not an hundred times been over-thrown with-my lusts. So on the other hand, it stops our mouths for returning unto the Lord for what he hath done for us; we may many of us thank our selves for much of the bondage that is upon us, that we so much complain of. O if every time the Lord setteth our frozen spirits a melting, every time he setteth our straightned hearts at large, we instead of lifting up our selves, we could and did but admire that grace, magnifie him, loath our selves, would he not much more delight to enlarge us? O therefore look to this.

Secondly, Thèn look to it thàt ye stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free; I speak not so much here * 1.412 to the yoak of Ceremonies which the Lord hath taken away al∣together, but I speak specially to our freedom from the dominion of our sins, the freedom from the Law as a Covenant of life, and from outward pressures and bondages; you know our fears were great when we saw this cloud of blood but hanging over our heads, and many of thè precious ones of God, I know, when I was little and scarce able to take notice of such things, yet I have been an eye and ear-witness of the sad complaints made before the Lord of it. Now hath God delivered us from this, stand we fast in this liberty.

But first thèn, for that of sin and our lusts, hath thè Lord bro∣ken the yoak of them, set thee free when thou didst groan under it? O take heed of returning to folly any more; hath he spoken * 1.413 peace to thy troubled soul, loosed the cords of thy sins wherewith thou wast held, and wilt thou be tampering with sin again? This was the madness and perversness of Israel, they would make them a Captain and return to Egypt again, to the house of bondage, when they had been but a little tryed in the Wilderness; but we have no such discouragement upon us as to put us upon such re∣solutions, but meerly the unfaithfulness of our own hearts, and unsteadfastness of our own spirits: the Apostle speaks of some, who having escaped the pollutions of the world, they did return with the dog to the vomit, with the swine to the mire; the condition of * 1.414 such a soul is worse then ever it was, he brings seven other spirits worse then himself, and the latter end of thàt man is worse then his * 1.415 beginning. O whén the Devil can but fasten upon such a poor creature again, that once hath gotten out of the prison, like a cruel

Jaylor now he will lay more fetters upon him, now he shall be even over-whelmed with temptations, now his feet, his head, and his heart and all shall be put in the stocks, have their bolts and chains upon them. Sinners, you never make work for Christ, but you make work for your selves, lay a grievous foundation for much bitterness to your own spirits; a little care, a little watch∣fulness here, may prevent heart-breaking afterwards, which we do necessitate (as I may say) Jesus Christ to by our back-slidings; to this end therefore flie sin, as Moses fled from the face of his Serpent; flie youthful lusts, make hast away, the Devil and sin will pursue hard, and cast this golden apple in our way, this and that occasion; O take heed of them. So the Apostle, flie * 1.416 fornication, and flie Idolatry, &c.

Secondly, Take heed of returning to that Covenant of works, or Covenant of life, which was a yoak of our own making; if our blessed Saviour hath been pleased to break it, set us free, shall we ret••rn to that bondage again? I doubt this is a great cause of much sorrow and heavy walking before the Lord of many a poor creature: O he cannot do this, and he cannot do that, and therefore he doubts all is not well with him, whether he have any thing to do with Christ? It is true, if he had made our doing, our perfect obedience the condition of his Covenant, it had been somewhat, but he hath not, but faith in him; take from him for all ends and purposes, not only for pardon, but for strength, for food, for victory over our sin. Now we go off this, and therefore we move so heavily and cannot stir, but are like a door off its hinges, a Chariot off its wheels, bring much bondage and trouble upon our selves, and much of our time and pains is spent in poring up∣on this, and getting healing again for this, which might be spent in glorifying him. * 1.417

Therefore beg of God to this end, that he would establish you with his Princely Royal Spirit, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty; the Son maketh us free by his Spirit; and there∣fore David maketh that prayer, as being sensible of this. O beg * 1.418 this Spirit for establishment, the Lord will be intreated, he puts arguments into our mouths, and giveth us the greatest encou∣ragements to beg the Spirit, of any other mercy that I know of, as being the greatest mercy, and the principal of all Gospel-grace, and therefore being so great a gift, poor sinners might be

affraid to ask, but saith he, you are Fathers whose affections are * 1.419 finite and mixed, you are not pure love, yea you are evil, and yet will give good gifts to your children, much more will God give the Spirit; this the Apostle is earnest with the Lord for, that he would stablish and strengthen his people to every good Word * 1.420 and Work, for grace is but a creature, and so is weak, cannot consist of it self without him, therefore be earnest here.

Thirdly, Since we are delivered from outward pressures, the yoak that did gall the necks of the people of God as before; hath the Lord set us above our enemies, hath he before our eyes brought our Egyptians down in the red Sea of blood, and shall we return thither again? I speak not of the same bondage, I hope the Lord will keep his people from that, but I speak of a worse, to be delivered from a tyrannie of man, to return to a tyrannie and dominion of sin; it is sad, the heathens could say, Servitus gravissima est sibi ipsi servire, it is the heaviest yoak for * 1.421 a man to be yoaked with his own ends and interests, to seek him∣self, serve himself, specially his sinful self, to make provision for his lusts. It was a sad character of Rome that Angustine giveth her, Victrix gentium captiva vitiorum. What are we the better for being delivered from that bondage? if such as were humble then, and low, and meek, and self-denying, now are high, and fierce, and self-seeking, proud and wanton, and luxurious, their whore∣ing, hawking, and hounding, and spending their time in such sports which should have been laid out in publike service, was lookt upon as a great evil, God caused their houses and lands to spue them out. I wish we be not beginning to come under that worse yoak, now we are delivered from that of oppression; was it not better for Israel to work in the Iron-furnace, in the brick∣kill, then to be enslaved to their lusts in the wilderness, and there to perish? and was not Babylon better for them, then to be at li∣berty, and yet to become slaves to their lusts, to their Idols? Brethren, I pray you let us look well about us every one; it is true, the day of the Lord, it hath burned like an oven among us, and many have been as stubble fully dryed put into it; the bryers and brambles that did scratch and tear the people of God, they are consumed, God hath gone through them and consumed * 1.422 them; and are we any thing the better, are we not worse? If we now melt away with the sweetness of our liberty, grow luxurious

and wanton, wanton in opinions, that men know not well what they would be, but any thing, so it be new and the thriving way: and wanton in apparel; are there not as many slaves to pride, to vanity, to self, as there were then to the lusts of other men? I beseech you, which is the worse, to be at the mercy of another mans lusts, which can but reach the body and effect our sorrow for a time; or the mercy of our own merciless lusts, which will work our woe and ruine? O therefore look to this then, if set at liberty, slie sin; as he said to Lot, flie for thy life, &c. slie fornication * 1.423 and youthful lusts, &c. said the Apostle.

The third part of the Exhortation then shall be, to take heed * 1.424 how we abuse this our liberty, as saith the Apostle, not using our liberty as a cloak of malitiousness; haply alluding to the manner of persons. The Apostles scope in that place leadeth us to one part * 1.425 of the sense of this abusing of our liberty, and that is to think they are so free now, that they need not have their necks under the yoak of men at all, for that goeth before, exhorting them to submit themselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake; to be subject to the higher powers and subordinate powers, is very consistent with this spiritual freedom▪ was there ever any so free as our Saviour, who is the Son that maketh us free? and yet * 1.426 did not he submit? submit to his parents, was subject to them, and subject to the powers under which he lived, because his King∣dom was not of this world; and would it suite with the head, and will it not suite with the members? But I hope I need not speak much to this. But there is much more wherein we may abuse our liberty as children, by a carrying it frowardly and rebelliously against their parents, upon pretence of liberty: and servants that are under the yoak, it may be think they may do much in this case, more then they have warrant to do, because they are free, it may be, and their Masters haply in bondage under sin, therefore shall they despise them? No, but count them worthy of all * 1.427 honour, serving them in singleness of heart, as unto Christ; not for by-respects and ends, for fear of their displeasure, but for Christs sake to do it: this is freedom indeed.

But to speak a little more generally, many men think when once they have gotten their necks out of the yoak, from under that bondage, and those fears that they have been under, they think now they are at liberty, they are past all the worst, when

they have gotten a little peace, and therefore though before they walked mournfully before God, and were diligent in following hard after him, now they slack their pace, grow remiss, they have their consolations, the loaves they would have, and now they may take their ease. O this is a horrible abuse of this liberty, for therefore the Lord speaks peace, that we might not return to folly; * 1.428 and we quite cross, because he hath spoken peace to us, therefore give up our selves to folly; is not this to walk contrary to him? and will he not walk contrary to you? is not this to make our liberty a cloak, an occasion to the flesh, a handle for the flesh to * 1.429 take hold of, and so to bring you into bondage again, and so make more work for Christ to set you at liberty again? Brethren, can we make our liberty a cloak to the flesh, and do you think the Lord will not pluck that cloak over our ears, and shew us our nakedness again, and make us know how we come by it again, be∣fore we have it? and therefore take heed of this, I beseech you, lest your liberty degenerate into licentiousness; Maxima libertate minima licentia, said that Antient.

But yet more particularly, take heed of abusing of your liberty in the use of things lawful in themselves and indifferent; it is a sign of a heart that hath little fear of offending God, that dare walk just at the very brink, upon the very line of destruction, be∣tween sin and lawful liberty, if it can be assigned▪ You find the Apostle of another Spirit, rather then offend his weak Brother, * 1.430 he would never eat meat while he lived: why how would he live? rather upon herbs, and fruits, and such things, then to eat flesh as long as he lived too. I tell you Brethren, in our daies, though there is much discourse of liberty, there is little true use of it, when a man will offend all the people of God, and his Brethren, rather then he will part with an excrement; and a woman rather then sorbear her spotting, and painting, and bed∣lam nakedness. If the things be lawful in themselves, which I think they are not; or a man will rather grieve all the people of God then cross his humor, this is sad.

Again, Brethren, one man may have a greater liberty then another in this case, and another greater then he in another case; as for instance now, Abraham might look upon Sodom when it was flaming, but Lot might not, because there he had his desirable things, lest it should draw back his heart from the journey now

commanded him; and so if a man do but observe when tempta∣tions and lusts meet together; where his corruption lies, what is the scum of his heart, and what doth use to fire his lusts, there he may not give himself such a liberty as another may, whose temptation lies in another thing: as if a mans temptation lie to excess in eating, in drinking, it is not lawsul for such a man now to look upon the wine when red, &c. to come in the dan∣ger of such a temptation; and so if a man have eyes full of adulte∣ry * 1.431 that cannot cease to sin, he may not behold an object that another may, whose temptation lies not there.

In a word, look to it Brethren, that we serve one another in love, this is opposed to using our liberty as a Cloak to the flesh, to bear one anothers burdens; Brethren, we are not at liberty one from another, we may not say with Cain, Am I my Brothers * 1.432 keeper? we ought not to despise the infirmities of the weak, be∣cause they see not as we see, and therefore are grieved and offend∣ed at many things that we make nothing of; here we ought to bear their infirmities, to cover them, to labour to inform them, * 1.433 and forbear them, not despise them; become all things to them that we may lawfully, as the Apostle became all things, but a sin∣ner, * 1.434 to gain them; this is serving one another in love, and the la∣bour of love either to God or men is a free service indeed; we are rather ready to serve our selves one of another, for ought I per∣ceive, generally it is so, then serve one another in love. Bre∣thren, I doubt there is little love for Christ sake, though there may be some for our own, and then all the liberty we talk of, it is but bondage; the Law of love is a Law of liberty indeed, but enough of this.

Fourthly, Then look to it, that we being free from sin, we be∣come the servants of righteousness; that is to say, that you give * 1.435 up your selves, yield your selves unto God, unto Christ, as instru∣ments for the holy Spirit to play upon, as instruments, tools, weapons of righteousness for the Lord to make use of, even as he pleaseth, this is the end of all that liberty held out in the Co∣venant of grace, that we being delivered from the hands of all our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteous∣ness * 1.436 all the daies of our lives: Now hath the Lord then set thee free, brought thee out of the horrible pit, broken off the shakles, knockt them off, set open the prison? what can we do less then

this? spend our selves now in his service. O if men would but consider, how much of their strength and spirits sin hath had, while we were under that bondage: Me thinks it should put us on so much the more earnestly, specially considering how our service addeth nothing to him, it is for our own good, as you heard before, and it is all he expecteth for delivering of us. What poor Gally-slave would not most willingly yield to a Noble-man to be his servant, where his service is honourable, and pleasant, and delightful, so be he would redeem him? why this is the very case.

Beside, if we consider the fruit here, and the reward here∣after; the Apostle puts both together, and I will not put them asunder, the first-fruits, and the harvest, they have their fruit unto holiness; the more we serve the Lord Christ, the more easie, pleasant and delightful will his service be, the more our souls will shine with the beauty of holiness; as the bondage groweth by continuance, so doth the freedom by this service. I dare say, the more acquaintance any poor heart hath with a diligent, close, humble, upright walking with God, the more pleasant the waies of God are to him; yea, and the more holy that man groweth, it must needs be so, because he hath more communion with the Fountain of holiness, even God in Jesus Christ, and the Spirit also: would you be holy, Brethren? would you be more and more freed from the remainders of bondage which are upon you? Believe it, the only way is to lay out your selves more in the ser∣vice of Christ; the Spirit of Christ will delight to be where he is entertained; where his motions are received, every hint is taken, and followed, and improved, and the more that spirit then dwells in the heart, which is his contrary principle lusting against the flesh, the more the flesh must needs go down in a soul. But the end is that will make up all. O the reward will be according to our works; when a man is rich towards God, hath been faithful in a little, faithful in a great deal, hath laid up a good foundation against the time to come, O how shall such shine in glory! Me thinks our eyes should be a little forward, the eye of faith, as well as altogether backward to Christ, and what he hath done for us, to what he hath prepared for us, and therefore he himself pro∣poseth himself as a pattern to us in this very respect, looking un∣to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, having laid aside * 1.437

every weight, being set free from this bondage, then run, looking to Jesus the Author of our Faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, despised the shame; endured the clouding of his Fathers face from him, that was the weight that made him hang the head; it is the proposing of the end that sweetens the means, health that is aimed at, how it sugars many a bitter potion, a man will endure any thing in such a case: Well, though we may have much ado with our froward and backsliding hearts, and be many times wearied with them; yet give not over, but run, & work, and so work, as men set at liberty, not in chains, chearfully and strongly upon all the former con∣siderations, and this will be a right use of our liberty in∣deed.

Fifthly, Then be not brought under bondage unto men, that is to say, to have our consciences inslaved, either through the fear of men, or favour of men; surely, if the Spirit of Christ be in us, as it is, if we be his, it will free and make us go forth from this bondage: You have seen it in all experiences, when they threatned the Apostles, commanded them they should not * 1.438 preach in that name; the Spirit that was in them did break all those bonds, though it taught them 〈…〉〈…〉ot to rebell, to be tumultu∣ous; for it is pure and then peaceable, the wisdom that is from this Spirit, yet it taught them not to regard it; whether it be fit to obey God or man judge ye? they rejoyced the more, that they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christ; this wind that bloweth where it listeth, it bears down all opposition, there is no resisting of that Spirit that speaks and acts in them. See the Mar∣tyrs, how it did triumph over their adversaries, they overcame their cruelty by the invincible patience, and yielding their bodies to a torment, rather then their consciences to the cruel com∣mands of sinners, which tend to their wounding. Was there ever such a slave as Canaan a servant of servants shall he be; when another man, a great person, is a servant to sin, and thou * 1.439 for advantage or fear art a slave to him; is not this to be a servant of servants? to have this curse upon thy soul in the highest degree, to be a slave to a slave, is the deepest slavery that can be imagi∣ned: Therefore take heed lest such a bondage creep upon us at unawares, for our hearts are deceitful; take heed of sinful compliances with the prevailing evils of the times for advantage,

this is to be a slave to men and to humours, and not to be free-men to Jesus Christ.

But if you would stand fast in this liberty in all these respects, then truly we must see to it, that we do not grieve the holy Spi∣rit of Jesus Christ; for this is the principle of our liberty, where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty; and according to the pro∣portion of his presence with, and working in any heart, is the li∣berty and freedom of that soul; he first works liberty, knocks off the bolts of the soul, pulls out of the horrible pit, he only answers our doubts, satisfieth the soul that is in bondage, by witnessing love to the soul, by applying the blood of Jesus Christ to the soul, this the Spirit doth, and he only establisheth the soul in this liberty, establish me with thy free Spirit; indeed, some∣what else may loosen a man, as to the outward practise from sin, but the Spirit only can loosen the heart from sin, and only can dissolve the sodering of corrupt affections, whereby our hearts and their sinful objects are sodered and glued together, and then the heart is broken from sin, as well as for sin, nor can any thing else keep up the soul in the enjoyment of that liberty by this Spi∣rit; and therefore if we would keep up and maintain our spiri∣tual liberty, we must be sure to keep in with the Spirit; if we grieve him, he will grieve us, and leave us to fight with our own strength, and fall under sin, and so come to bondage again in part, to the grief and wounding of our spirits; some of us alas it may be, thought once we had been free, but have been brought into bondage again, and held under the power of sin, in terrours: we are ready to wonder when the lusts we thought had been dead and buried, do rise up again, captive us to them; but won∣der not at it, for how often is this holy Spirit grieved by us, which is the principle of our liberty? if we consider this well, it will put an end to our admiration; if we would keep our liberty, not return to bondage, grieve not the Spirit.

First, he is grieved when he is neglected and slighted, his mo∣tions to put us on to such a duty, we shift and shuffle, and make one excuse or another, and will not do it; either to set upon a du∣ty we never performed, or to do it in another manner then we have done at another time, this grieveth him; as for instance, he puts us on to reprove our Brother for a sin, not to suffer sin to lie upon him, and we smother it, we think it more offendeth

another then us, or else it is an unthankful office, it is the way to lose a friend, to be accounted a busie-body, we see that men for the most part cannot bear a reproof, but they will snarl at least, if they do not turn and rent us, and bear us upon their backs. And therefore we neglect our duty, and so for any other; now alas, how often are we guilty in this kind?

Secondly, Take heed of all impurity, uncleanness, for he is a pure holy Spirit and will lie clean, he cannot endure a nasty place; this will grieve him, if it be pollution of the flesh, or pollution of the spirit, if harboured in the heart it will grieve the Spirit; and then as a man grieved, he departeth, that is his grieving in∣deed; properly he is not grieved, God is not subject to any pas∣sion, or fears, or sorrows, &c. because all things are alway present with him, he seeth what we would be, before he had to do with us at all, but then, when we do actually thus pollute our selves, he takes occasion to depart, to leave us to those evils, and to fill us with our own back-slidings.

Thirdly, Take heed of sinning against conviction, against light, this is dangerous indeed, you may come to be shut up in darkness for this, to be bound in affliction and iron, to endure sad things upon your spirits; for if the Spirit of Christ who con∣vinceth you this or that is a sin, be so far slighted as you heed it not, what if he then forbear? and is it not righteous he should forbear to shine upon your graces, that you should see any thing that is ought in you? So that you shall walk in darkness and see no light: will not this be a paying of you home in your own coyn? David could not be ignorant what his sin was before he committed it, and yet you see, he ventured upon it, and what it cost him.

Fourthly, Take heed of deliberate sinning, when a man hath time of consideration of his sin, to argue the case pro and con, as we use to say, and doth revolve with himself, O this is sinful, if I do it I rebell against God, I do what in me lies to undo my self; O but saith lust, man it shall be satisfied; God is merciful, there is time enough to repent, or it will easily be healed afterward. Now upon such deliberations as this, if a man will sin, there is much of the will in it, and so much the more wicked, and therefore now the spirit must needs be grieved; what can such a poor creature expect but to be brought under bondage? as you see it in David,

his plotting and contriving the death of Ʋriah; these sins in cold blood, when a man is not under the sudden violent heat of a temptation, and yet will sin, O this grieves him much; if a pot be on the fire and the scum rise, we throw it out, we expect it would rise; but if no fire be under, and yet a scum arise, O this is so loathsom, it is not to be endured.

Fifthly, Take heed of Ranker and Malice, of grudgings of heart one against another, as the Apostle saith, grudge not one against another; prejudices, heart-burnings, grudgings upon in∣juries, real, or conceived and imagined: O this grieveth the Spi∣rit, who is a Spirit of pure love, and will have them that look to enjoy him, to be a people of love, to cover much, bear and forbear, and forgive in love, for love will cover a multitude of offences.

Sixthly, Take heed then of pride, of being lifted up, for the Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of humility: O he loveth to dwell in the lowly spirit: if we be lifted up we rob him of his honour, to arrogate that to our selves which he hath been working for us, to think we are something of our own, of our selves: he will let us know, to our sorrow, that we have nothing in our hearts but darkness, and bondage, and sin, and that all was from him.

Seventhly, Take heed of unthankfulness for what he hath done for us: when the Spirit of the Lord Jesus shall be at all this pains with us, contest with the quarrellings and disputings of our own hearts, against our own peace and comfort, and answer all our objections, and still our complaints, and seal up love upon our hearts, remove our trembling and fears, dispell our darkness, cleanse our loathsom hearts in a great measure of those lusts that did so much prevail against us, and we shall forget this now, and not return to him the praise, but either to grow into carnal se∣curity, and when we have rest from that which galled us, with the nine leapers, go our waies, never mind whence we received it, or else so much pore upon the remainder of our sins, as not to exalt that grace whereby we are in so great a part delivered? O this grieveth him, and therefore he may justly let us step back again, or let loose upon us again those lusts, that we were delivered from their strength, and never prized the mercy; that we learn to ad∣mire that grace; much more might be added, but this shall suffice.

The next use of the point shall be for satisfaction to some doubts, since we are delivered and set free from the Law, as you have heard from that; It may be thought, First, that the Law was an evil, that it is such a priviledge of the Saints to be deliver∣ed from it. Secondly, It may be doubted how far we are set free from it, and therefore I will speak a little to each of them; for the first.

First, the Apostle meeteth with it, or rather prevents it, for seeing that carnal reason would be so ingenuous as to find out that cavil among others, against the Doctrine of faith, and of freedom from the bondage under the Law, as the strength of sin special∣ly; What shall I say then, saith the Apostle, is the Law sin? that * 1.440 we are said to be delivered from it, and that sin hath its strength from it? and so deliverance from sin is a deliverance from the Law, as the strength of it. Or, is the Law death, since sin by this means doth work death? No, saith the Apostle, the Law is holy, just and good, the Law giveth no occasion to sin; but sin takes occa∣sion, sin will not endure to be contradicted, it sucks poyson out of that holy and good Law of God; meeting with opposition, it swells and rageth, so that indeed it is sin that is the evil, the Law is holy and good. O but the Law it works wrath, and works death, and can this then be good? and how can it be such a mercy to be delivered from it? is it a favour to be put into gold∣en fetters? supposing the Law to be good and holy, yet since it is, as we may say, ginns, and fetters, and bolts, though of gold, to hold the poor soul in, to keep him in and up as in a prison, is this so good then? To this I answer, It is true, by the Law is the knowlege of sin, I had not known lust, except the Law had said thou shalt not covet; whether in the last command, or in each com∣mand, now I will not dispute; but the first motions, thoughts, risings and bubblings of corruption, I had not known them to be sin, but that the Law hath said, thou shalt not covet: Why, but was that then that was good made death to me? saith the Apostle: You must know the Apostle speaks here of a death, which is the receiving, as I may say, the sentence of condemnation in his own spirit by conviction, for this is all his knowledge of sin, that sin by the commandment might appear to be exceeding sinful; this is the dying there mentioned, sin revived and I dyed; which is in order to liberty, to make the poor creature see his necessity of

Jesus Christ, that so he might make out after him, to make a par∣don welcome, therefore he casts poor sinners into fet ters under this Law: So that if you look upon it in this subserviency to the Gospel, though the creature may be put to much grief by it, yet it is good; when pardon is proclaimed, that a Prince should cast those rebells into prison, to make them willing of a pardon; the Gospel is a savour of death to death you know, and yet it is a sweet savour in them that perish, and them that are saved; the Gospel is never the worse for that: and if the Law prove fetters to a poor sinner; to keep him under bondage for ever, and bind him over to everlasting Judgement, this is through his own wickedness, that he will not accept of deliverance in the Gospel where it is preached: the Law is never the less good and holy.

But the second is the main thing, how far we are said to be freed from the Law of God, and how we are not freed from it?

First, we are delivered from it as a Covenant of righteousness, do this and live; that is to say, be thou exactly conformable to this Law for ever; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, want of suitableness to this Law is a sin, and every sin, the wages of it is death; if thou break it but in one, thou art guilty of all. Alas, Brethren, the Law was weak through our flesh, and could not justifie, it could discover sin, as a glass, but not purge it; it could work wrath, work it out, but it could not pacifie, therefore the Lord Jesus came and took upon him that name, the Lord our righteousness, and he is now, saith * 1.441 the Apostle, the end of the Law for righteousness: It was a School-master to whip us, to fright us, out of our selves to Jesus Christ; therefore every soul in Christ now is delivered from the Law as a Covenant of life, that is clear; but this was mentioned be∣fore.

Secondly, Now from the rigorous exacting of obedience; for according to the Law, nothing is obedience, except perfect; if a man miscarry in one thing he is guilty of all, there must be a do∣ing of every thing written, yea in the fullest, most spiritual sense of it; yea a continuance in every thing to the end, or else it is not obedience; but now the Lord accepteth of the desires of the upright heart, he heareth the prayer of such as desire to fear his name: the will now goeth for the deed, where the poor soul

striveth to do and is not able; Dear friends, how sad a condition were we in many times if the Lord did so rigorously exact our obedience? how often do we come to pray, and can say nothing in his presence, can scarce sigh or groan? and in hearing and speaking his Word, though we do stir up our selves to watch: O how often do vain thoughts run away with our hearts? now if we were under this exacting of the Law, what would become of us? what had become of Paul when he did the things he hated, the things he would not, &c. if he had been under the rigour of the Law? If there be first a willing mind, that imprimis Brethren, doth legitimate all the following Items, though never so weak; now the Law is in the hand of Christ, as a Father who pittieth and spareth us; alas, what had become of the best of us else long * 1.442 since? thus we are delivered.

Thirdly, From the curse of it, Gal. 3. 18. our Saviour being made a curse for us, so that the curse of it doth not lie upon us to sink us, that is to say, the weight of the wrath or displeasure of God; Nor yet as a compulsion to obedience to this Law; as slaves and very wretched sinners may do much for the fear and dread of this curse of God, but this the Lord delivered his people from, he maketh them a willing people, he now sheweth them greater reason against sin then ever they saw, now opens to them the grave, they see the rottenness of it, which they saw not before, now he opens his treasures of rich grace in Christ, and so by mediation of the understanding works upon the will, sweetly inclining it to God, though there be a moral swasion by apposition of object, as a Lamb is led by a green bush up and down; yet this is not all, there goeth more to the taking away the stone in the heart, and giving a heart of flesh, which doth most what lie in the making the will flexible and plyable, not so much in sorrow, and tears, and meltings, which doth many times accompany it, and sometimes not at all, or very little: Pharaohs heart was hardened, for he obeyed not, he was stiff and stubborn, and therefore said to be a stone: Now I say, a moral swasion will not reach to this, a man may use much oratory to a stone, and yet it remaineth a stone still; a Preacher may hold forth sin to be sin, and exceeding sinful, and hold forth Christ crucified by them and for them before their eyes, and yet alas, all will not do, they remain stones still: No, no, an enclining of the heart; he

turns the hearts of men whithersoever he will, as he did the heart of Esau to Jacob upon his prayer, there was more then a swasi∣on; * 1.443 and as he did the thief upon the Cross in the midst of his torments and agonies of death, then to think upon a Christ, then to have his heart towards him, that never regarded him in his life-time, and in the midst of a people reviling him, as you know, and upon the Cross suffering and dying, and yet then to be wrought upon, argues a wonderful divine power put forth up∣on the will. Well then, when the will is overcome, we are made free to the service of Jesus Christ; now we can delight in the * 1.444 Law of God after the inward man; it was a weariness to a sinner to hear the Word, specially if it came near to him, he could not endure to be grated upon; and a weariness to pray; now he de∣lights in these things: So far we are delivered from the curse, as the great inforcement of Obedience.

Fourthly, From the provoking power of the Law, as you have often heard; now that Law that was the occasion of the rebelling of lust, is hid in the heart, that we might not sin against * 1.445 him; this is a great change indeed in a child of God from the former condition, when before, God would put his yoak upon our souls, we writhed and pluckt away our neck, would not en∣dure it; now it pleaseth us to be under it, it is sweet and easie to us now, it is a provocation to obedience, that before was a pro∣vocation unto sin.

But now on the other hand, we are not set free from the Law, as a Law, a rule of holy walking, of new obedience; our Saviour did not by fulfilling the Law destroy it, but accomplish it; because we were not able of our selves to do it, he under went the rigour of it, and took away all the condemnation of it, that it might be an easie yoak to us; and wherefore have we a Law written in our hearts, which is but a counterpane, as I may say, a dispositi∣on to do the revealed will of God, except we have this revealed will of his to be a rule to walk by? hath the Lord Jesus then * 1.446 lightned the yoak, sweetened it, given us his example, chalked out our way thereby as a pattern to us, and given us strength also to do it, and shall we refuse this holy Law, as a rule to walk by? it is true, it is not now in the hand of Moses, as a School-master, to lash, to terrifie, to bring us to Christ, when once we are in him; but now it is a rule in the hand of Christ, in the

hand of a tutor, that with all gentleness doth lead us by his Spi∣rit into all truth; that is to say, not the knowledge, but the practise, that is, to be led into the truth: man may know much, and yet be far from being led into it, know nothing as he ought to know; now it is a rule in the hand of a Father, be∣fore it was a Lyon terribly roaring upon us, hell, and wrath, and ruine, and so it is still to every unbelieving creature, who are under it, as to the satisfaction of divine Justice by suffering, that is to say, under the curse, though as a Covenant of life none is under it since Adam, for I conceive it was not given for that end; but under it, as to satisfaction of divine justice they are: now I say it is terrible to such, but when the Lyon is killed by our Sampson, there is sweetness in it, out of the eater came meat: the very Law of God that is terrible, condemning, affrighting a poor guilty sinner; it is the delight of a David: indeed not a page of the Book of God, but is, as I may say, a hand-writing against every wicked wretch, wherein he may read his doom; and not a page wherein there is not something that ministers consolation to a Believer: for to see the terrours of the Law, which is a wounding, death, overwhelming a sinner; is a raising of his Spirit to consider what he is delivered from; well then, now it is a Law of liberty, Jam. 1. 25. his commands are not grievous, 1 John 5. 3. but yet we are under those commands still. So the Apostle was not without the Law, but under the Law to Christ; we make it not void by faith, but establish it: But thus much shall * 1.447 serve to be spoken to this.

The last Use shall be a word of comfort to poor creatures that are yet under this bondage. Something of encouragement I may give to sinners that yet are rebelling against the Lord Je∣sus, though if you continue so doing, there is no hope for you; yet know this, that the Lord Jesus hath laid down a ransom suf∣ficient for all, and publisheth this liberty to all; he setteth open the prison doors, and if then you will not go free, thank your selves: but of this before. I doubt such sinners as these will be snatching at the comfort which belongs not to them. Therefore mind it Brethren, you that please your selves in sin, are given up to the waies of your own hearts, while you are such, it is not my work to comfort you at all; catch not at it, it concerneth you not; but I speak to poor sinners that are sensible of their

condition, that are striving, strugling, groaning under the bondagè, the yoak of sin, or the concomitants thereof, which you have heard spoken to so at large. Alas, may one say, I doubt all is not well with me, if where Jesus Christ cometh into a soul, revealeth himself in a soul, he brings liberty with him to that soul, then I am a poor creature without Christ to this day, for alas, I am in grievous bondage; O there is bondage of ••ears, and bondage of sin; It is true, I do something saith one, but I doubt it is nothing but a slavish obedience out of fear; for this we must know, Brethren, that though it be true there is a fear which is meerly slavish, when a sinner looks upon god as a severe terrible Judge, his Law a cruel bloody Law, while he seeth no mixture of mercy and love, and yet with Foelix, trembles; or as they at the deliverance of the Law, when God revealed himself in so terrible a manner, trembled, could not endure the sight; now a man un∣der the curse of the Law, he endeavours to do what he doth up∣on this ground, because of terrours; but a child of God he hath a principle of love, it is mercy, it is love, it is tenderness in Jesus that setteth him a going; terrours indeed do amaze, and astonish, and fright him out of himself; but it is love in Jesus Christ that setteth his soul a work to do his will; yet so Brethren, as that you must know there is not all fear banished out of the soul; but that we may the better understand it, let us consider 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a little di∣stinctly.

First, there is to be a reverent fear of the Majesty of god in all his people; let us serve him with reverence and godly fear, saith * 1.448 the Apostle, for our God is, &c. a great God, and greatly to be feared: what an awe there is upon a poor peasants spirit when he appeareth before a mighty Prince? so here, and I doubt we have most of us cause rather to complain, that there is not so much of this holy awe upon us as there ought to be, O serve the Lord * 1.449 with fear, and rejoyce with trembling: fear not, saith Moses, for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces: Fear not: that is to say, be not dismayed, astonished, God is come now to give a rule of obedience, that you may serve him with reverence, holy fear and trembling.

Secondly, There ought to be a fear of offending God, as * 1.450 a Son his Father, though he were sure never to be scourged for it; or because he is his Father, and carryeth so much love toward

him, so tender of him, and good toward him, therefore he would not offend him.

Thirdly, There ought to be a fear of the judgements of God upon others; David was affraid of his judgements, when the Angel of the Lord was there; he durst not go up to worship be∣fore the tabernacle in Gibb••••n, because of the Angel of the Lord, I am afraid of thy judgements, &c. * 1.451

Fourthly, We may fear chastizements, the thing I feared is come upon me, saith Job; since we know we do so often offend him and grieve him, we may expect and fear it; yea it is hardness and security for us not to fear.

Fifthly, A man, a child of God may have a fear of everlasting damnation, which serveth to rouze him up when he is growing secure, when ••e hath drowned his evidences, blotted them; and it is necessary it should be so, for why else doth the Holy-Ghost, even in the Gospel, inculcate this upon the Disciples, fear not him * 1.452 that can kill the body, but fear him that killeth soul and body: And so, if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye, but if by the Spirit ye morti∣fie * 1.453 the deeds of the flesh ye shall live: these threatnings surely would not have been written to Believers, except they were to make some use of them, to be as an awe upon their spirits to keep them from sinning, to be a quickning to their souls.

Now on the other hand it is true; that there ought not to be in us such a fear, as to distract us; to drive us from, to weaken our Spirits, to disable us from duty, to cloud and drown all our de∣light in his waies, to blot out our apprehensions of his loveliness, and compassion, and bowels, so as to beget hard thoughts in our hearts of God, which will produce hatred of him; such a fear ought not to be in us, and though there may be a spice of it sometimes, even in the best, when they are not themselves, yet this is not the prevailing principle in the soul, but an holy fear of offending him, which ariseth from a mixture of love to∣wards him, and holy reverence and awe of him, and of his Ma∣jesty and Greatness; and truly Brethren, this is no enemy to spiritual liberty; But I must not dwell so long, upon things.

But secondly, the main thing that I know most troubles a gracious heart, is, that he finds himself so much under the power

of sin; O I find not this freedom, this liberty you speak of, I am a wretch then under the power of my corruptions: O the sad complaints to Christians, to men continually, from some poor dis∣consolate souls! and to speak a little for their consolation if the Lord breath in it.

First, Brethren, you must know this, that as sin hath had a time of settling and rooting, there will be a time of unsettling it; thou art of yesterday, it may be, and dost thou think to be so free the first day, as they that have many years been wresting, and fighting, and praying, and fasting, and mourning, and be∣lieving down their lusts? This is a great mistake: it is infinite mercy that thou hast thy hands let loose, and thy feet out of the mire and clay, and that thou art set upon a Rock, that thou hast now a standing and liberty to fight, thou must not expect a li∣berty from fighting and conflicting with sin while thou art in the flesh; mind you the Apostles two or three verses of the same Epistle to the Romans, he saith, the Law of the Spirit of life, the powerful working of the Spirit of life, hath set him free from the * 1.454 Law of sin and death: and yet a few verses before, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death? thou groanest under the burthen, whereby it appears thou art delivered in a great part; thou art willing to be freed, and when the will is disintangled, the man is free in a great part.

Secondly, Brethren, know this for your comfort, that your labour is not in vain; striving against sin, fighting with it, you are sure to overcome, though sin lie hard upon you, you shall over∣come it. First, the Lord he is able to break all the bonds: if he will deliver Peter out of prison, what shall hinder? his chains shall fall from his hands, the Iron-gates shall open of their own accord before him, nothing shall be able to hold them; It was somewhat hard for Israel to believe that they should be delivered out of Egypt, and somewhat a strange Message of Moses at * 1.455 the first; even as one should be sent to the great Turk to tell him, the God of the Christians commands him to let them go; but God tells him and them, that he is that he is; I am hath sent me, the great God, who is being it self, and from himself, he is what he is, he is able to destroy the Egyptians; dost thou believe this, that he can subdue thine iniquities, thy strong, impetuous, vio∣lent

lusts? Secondly, then he will do it, he heard Israel groaning under bondage, and came down to deliver them, he remember∣ed * 1.456 his Covenant; it was his faithfulness, Brethren, that brought him out, the self-same day the Lord delivered them; and the Lord will keep time to a day with thee that groanest under this bond∣age, if thou wer•• but humbled, if it had done its work upon thee; for that and such like ends he would not suffer sin to prevail upon thee any longer, for he letteth not lusts loose upon a soul to woorry it, but to humble it, make it out of love with sin, to drive it to himself, to make it for ever cleave closer to him; now there is promise upon promise for this, you shall know the truth, and the * 1.457 truth shall make you free; he speaks this to his Disciples, who did already know it in part; know himself, the truth, the way, and the life; and the truth in opposition to shadows, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, and it shall make you free; how many promises are there? as in the text, therefore surely he will do it: Now what an encouragement it is to fight, when we are sure to overcome; yea, to endure hardship in this conflict.

But thirdly, consider it is the very office of Jesus Christ; the work which he received of his Father is to destroy the works of the Devil, to destroy strong holds, to lead captivity captive; * 1.458 therefore he came into the world: if it had not been for such poor creatures as are under bondage, there had been no need of Christ, he came to give himself a ransom for many▪ and to preach deliverance to them, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, you have heard already, and therefore he was annointed of his Father, and received the Spirit, that he might set open the pri∣son doors: Now poor burthened souls, if any such, whose body of∣sin and death presseth them down sore, and they walk heavily, go•• to him, spread your condition before him, put him in mind wherefore he came into the world, to set open the prison, to loose the prisoners; and thou hast an infirmity, and haply been bound with it many years, beseech him to exercise his Office towards thy poor soul; the Lord loveth to hear his people earnest and im∣portunate, to plead it thus with him; but if thou canst not, yet be sure he will do the work which his Father hath given him to do; and what is that, but to set at liberty such prisoners as thou art, that groan under the burthen and bondage of their lusts?

Fourthly, Consider how pittiful a heart he bears to his people labouring under corruption; when we are weak, it may be, some∣times the spirits of a poor creature are spent in labour in other services, and he thinketh he should be as lively then as at another time, but it is not likly so to be, and therefore when natural vi∣gour decaies in old age, though there may be as much upright∣ness, there cannot be so much vigour appearing in service alway; Now men are apt to have sad thoughts of themselves upon this account, and so in other cases when wearied out; our Saviour is tender and pittiful, he takes notice of every groan under it, when thou canst not help thy self but art foyled, and he pittyeth and spareth. O saith he, to his Disciples, could ye not watch with me one hour? and at such a time as that was, when our Saviour * 1.459 had most need of their watching wich him? alas they were asleep: Well saith he, I consider your weakness, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak: The Lord is ready to make the best of our condi∣tions, and therefore be not altogether discouraged, though thou hast a weary hand with thy self, with thy own base heart.

Fifthly, But some will say, O but they are grievous workings of sin that are in my heart, whether they rise from within or from without, my heart closeth with them, and they are very horrid, and I know not what to think concerning it: But I say, was Paul buffeted, and canst thou think to escape? truly Brethren, I take it, the Devil befools himself much in putting a soul upon horrid sins, because that is the way to settle the soul so much the more fully, when the bit is bigger then will down; when Egypt dealt more hardly with the Israelits then before, it made them cry out, and then the Lord heard; so it may be, a soul was not so fully delivered from a sin, but he doth stick, as I may say, in the skirts of it, but now this maketh him cry out, more willing, more earnest to be delivered.

Sixthly, Take heed lest anguish of spirit so far prevail, as that thy soul refuse to be comforted, as the Psalmist saith; and the Israelites could not believe by reason of anguish of heart, when God had sent them a Saviour to deliver them; it may be it * 1.460 is so with thee.

Seventhly, There will come a time when thou shalt be altoge∣ther free, thou shalt never see the Egyptians more, which now

pursue thee and trouble thee, me thinks that the thoughts of this should refresh us, and make us desirous and willing to depart, Well then, whatever thy condition be in respect of the world, it may be afflicted, it may be friendless, it may be in other kinds, Oh me thinks one thought of this, that thou art free from guilt, and hast a free access to the Throne of grace, might exceed∣ingly support thy spirit. But thus much for this use of the point also.

—And grow up as Calves of the stall.

We are now come to the last promise in the bundle, and it is not the least considerable: That bondage under guilt, under sin, in its prevailing, could not but be a hinderance of growth, there∣fore if we lay so much weight upon the order of the words, something seemeth to be held forth of that nature, that this growth is a Concomitant of that liberty and enlargement pro∣mised before; but I will not hang too much upon that, though it be an undoubted truth; yet whether it may be argued strongly enough from the order of words, I will not urge.

Ye shall grow, or increase, or be multiplyed, as some render it; and the same word is read for spreading themselves, the horse∣men * 1.461 shall spread themselves, or they shall be multiplyed, as others: Sometimes it is taken for springing up, Gen. 2. 9. Job 31. 40. Our translation is very suitable; some read it exilire, to spring, and leap, and wantonize, as Calves use to do when loosed from the stall; But I rather much adhere to our translation, and the meaning is, ye shall increase, and grow, and come on, you shall not stand at a stay, and be alway at a pass, but grow. But what this growth is, of what it is meant, will be the Question; whether of a temporal or spiritual growth, a taking root in the world, & growing up and flourishing, which is spoken of the wicked, and sometimes the word is thus used for increasing, though thy begin∣ning were small, said Bildad to Job, yet thy latter end should greatly * 1.462 increase; that is to say, his habitation should be made prosperous at the last, if thou wert innocent in his sight. So Solomon, it is said of him, that he was great and increased more then all that went before * 1.463 him: And so Rovanellus takes it here for an increase of glory, digni∣ty, riches and prosperity; and so in that place of Jerem, when the

Prophet first concluding, however it were, yet God was righteous and good to his people, yet he would plead with him con∣cerning his judgements, Wherefore doth the way o•• the wicked pro∣sper? * 1.464 Wherefore are all they happy that deal treacherously? thou hast planted them, yea they have taken root, they grow, yea they bring forth fruit; though this be another Metaphor of a tree, the other of a sensitive creature. In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning thou shalt make thy seed to flourish, * 1.465 but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief, and of desperate sor∣row: There it is taken for all manner of outward prosperity; but indeed me thinks this, though it may not be excluded, yet should not be the main thing here intended; for alas, though it be a great mercy to a people to be richly laden with benefits, blessed with the abundance of all things, so as that they may wax fat: yet if this be abused and they kick against God as Je∣surun * 1.466 did, there is little comfort in it in comparison. It is true, it doth not necessarily follow, because here is the summe of the Covenant of grace, therefore earthly promises are to be excluded, for they are a part of the Covenant also, so far as good for us, and all included in that, I will be thy God. Godliness hath the pro∣mise now as well as then, of the things of this life, as well as of * 1.467 that which is to come; yet I shall rather speak to the other, the growth in spirituals; that is to say, the daily renewing of the inward man, the increase of their sanctification, and holiness, and grace; this I take here to be meant, and specially meant, and therefore thus we shall understand it; the promise is amplified by a comparison, grow ye shall as Calves of the stall; the word for stall signifieth an inclosure, a coop, any place made for to fat Cattle, or other creatures in; and we know that usually such do grow exceedingly, else there is a great deal of cost bestowed up∣on them in vain, and therefore our translators read that in the Proverbs, better is a dinner of herbs where love is, then a stalled * 1.468 Ox and hatred therewith.

There may be three things haply couched in the comparison.

First, that they shall grow in quantity as calves; calves shoot up and forth very much when they are in the stalls, do grow much more then if at random they run up and down; none grow so much as they: and therefore this is used to set forth the great∣ness of the growth.

Secondly, in fatness and sweetness, they grow very much, a stalled-Oxe is fatted very fat, which is much sweeter and better then another; so they grow not only in quantity but quality, as we shall see hereafter.

Thirdly, the speediness of the growth haply is in this compa∣rison, they grow faster then other creatures of the like kind when they are put into the stall, and therefore they are said to grow as the Lilly, not only in beauty, which was greater then So∣lomon himself in all his glory had, but in speediness, for they say, this flower groweth much and discernably in one night; and * 1.469 though it be true, sudden growths are the more suspicious, yet God can, and sometimes doth work them, even with truth, as in the Miracle, he quickly turned water into wine; which he doth every year, though in greater time, by the operation of the Sun.

In a word then, the Holy-Ghost useth this simile to them, being rude and weak of understanding, that they might the better un∣derstand it, and have the greater assurance of it, that it should be so, therefore he propoundeth it so cross, saith Calvin.

But this as well as the other we must look upon as a Concomi∣tant, yea an effect of the appearing of the Sun of righteousness to us, his arising upon the soul, that is the grand promise; all things else are promised and given for him and with him to us, and this among the rest, the going forth out of the prison was one, and this growing is another of the genuine and sweet effects of the rising of the Sun of righteousness upon them that fear him; so that take it in this connexion, and then the note is this.

That soul or people that are under the influences of Christ, of the Sun of righteousness, are in a growing condition, they shall grow; * 1.470 there is not a soul that hath union and fellowship with the Lord Je∣sus, but he shall grow; ye shall grow up as, &c.

For the proof of the point we need not so m••ch, there is a notable place there in the Psalmist, they that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God, the righte∣ous * 1.471 shall flourish like a Palm-tree, and grow like a Cedar in Leba∣non. Here you have growth promised, and flourishing, and to whom it is promised, and whence it cometh, and the comparisons

whereby it is set forth, in these two verses growth is promised, they that are planted they shall grow and flourish; a tree flourisheth not except it grow after it is planted; when it is planted, alas it is little and ••••ender, haply but a ••eed, then it groweth up. 2. The persons to whom promised, they are such as are planted in the house of the Lord, that is to say, the Temple, which was a Type of Christ, and the Church of Christ, so that they must be in him, as afterward we shall speak; they shall flourish in the Courts of Gods house, by Communion with him in his Ordinances. 3. The com∣parison, as a Palm-tree, which the Naturalists say, though cut * 1.472 down to the ground, yet springs up again, groweth up again. If a tree be out down, is there any hope it should grow up again, in that * 1.473 of Job? Yet this tree will grow again: if the Church, to take it o••f the whole body, for so we may as well as of single persons, if they be cut down to the very ground, so wasted as that there is scarce any visible, as in Eliah's daies, he thought he was alone, the Church then seemed to be all withered or grown over with nettles and brambles, to have no plants of righteousness in it, but yet then it shall grow again, and when persecution rageth and cuts it down to the very ground, yet he maketh it grow again; or of particular persons, though they be brought to such exigen∣cies sometimes, as to say, their hope is perished from the Lord, and * 1.474 their faith seemeth to be extinguisht with the violence of temptation, yet they shall grow again and increase. But the Palm-tree it groweth upward against the weight that oppresseth it, it will not be kept down, but groweth through all persecution, affliction, yea sins and falls, as afterward we shall have occasion to mention a little more fully. And like Cedars, grow tall and strong, and abide, as the Cedar is not subject to rottenness, nor decy with age. But for further proof, take that in the Psalmist, who pas∣sing through the valley of Bacah, make it a well, &c. they go * 1.475 from strength to strength, from army to army, or from strength to strength, passing through a solitary valley abounding with Mulberry-trees, which they say grow in dry and barren places, and so there is much difficulty in the passage for drought and other necessities, yet they dig up fountains, they make it a Well, a Cistern, they search the Scriptures, fetch up somewhat of con∣solation from thence; and notwithstanding all the difficulties, yet they go from strength to strength, walk towards Sion; all this

was typical. And so the Apostle, whom beholding as in a glass, we are changed into his image from glory to glory; every degree of * 1.476 grace hath its glory, but we are changed from glory to glory, from a spark into a coal, from a coal glowing, to a flame. What else is the meaning of those Parables of the Mustard-seed, it is the * 1.477 least of seeds, or less then others, then many others, the Cypress∣feed is so small as can scarce be discerned, and yet a great tree groweth of it; but this is small, and yet a great tree ariseth from it, Tremel. writes strange things of the Mus••ard-feed-tree in those Countries; this, it is true, is meant of the Kingdom of God without us, the administration of the Kingdom, the Word of God, how it grows; but that is not all, the Kingdom of God with∣in us, within the Saints, where it cometh with power; doth also spread it self more and more, as Leven also hid in the midst of the meal, by degrees spreadeth it self further and further. So then you see the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that it is so, that persons under the influence of Christ the Sun of righteousness, that have communion and fellowship with him, they grow in grace. And so, the path of the just is as the * 1.478 shining light that shineth more and more to the perfect day; or, as the morning light, as some read it, that you know groweth from one degree to another, until the per••ect day.

The next thing will be then to open the nature of this Spi∣ritual growth, that we may understand what we speak of, and then we shall a little further confirm it, and apply it.

And the opening of it I shall deliver in several propositions as distinctly as I can; for the right understanding of the meaning of it: note in the first place, that growth is a motion or mutation from a less to a greater quantity; as you see a babe, though it be a man in a smaller letter, and have part for part, yet they are small, and grow to a greater bigness; the child grew in stature, saith the text, and in favour with God as well as with men. And * 1.479 so a plant or a seed is little at first, but it groweth to a tree, to a blade, and the s••al•• to the ear, and the full corn in the ear, here is a motion from a less to a greater quantity: So a Calf of the stall must needs also shoot forth. Now for grace, you know it is either Relative or Inherent, and accordingly we must understand the * 1.480 growth; Relative grace, as that of remission of sins, and justifi∣cation in the sight of God, and adoption to be sons and daughter,

this, if lookt upon as the act of God, it will be hard to say, that it is intended or remitted, that there is a growth or motion from a lesser to a greater quantity, for remission of sins being the act of God, we cannot say that one mans sins are more pardoned then anothers, that believeth as well as he. So we cannot say, that one believer is more a Son then another, they are all the chil∣dren of the most high; though a child grow in stature, yet his re∣lation groweth not, he is a Son the first day he was born, as well as when he is at the perfect stature, this is plain; though every Son be not a Joseph or a Benjamin, yet he is a Son as well as any; which by the way ministers much refreshing to a poor weak soul, that eyeth his stature and growth. O he is so weak, such a babe, a child in comparison of some of the people of God, which are strong in faith, and can give glory to God, when they are doubt∣ing and scrupling every step they go, yet I say, though this be a burthen, yet the main whereupon the comfort of a poor creature hangs, is alike to all, there is no growth; there the weakest, poor, sickly, froward-hearted child, is a chi••d as well as he that is strong∣est, healthiest, most serviceable; and though faith be weak, yet the relation of one is alike, the purchase, the price paid, the ransom is alike to all that believe, though it be but in some more weakly.

Only here mistake not neither, though this relative grace grow not, as of justification or adoption, yet the knowledge of this grace arising from the reflexion of the soul upon its self, and the shining of the Spirit upon the works of grace he hath wrought in the soul, this is capable of a growth, it may be that a man may be a child of God, and yet not know it; alas, how long are our children children, and we look upon them so, and hearts and bowels yearn and tender them, and yet they know not that they are children; we need go no further then common experience for this: do we not see many a precious soul that lies at the feet of Jesus Christ for mercy, whose souls are sick of love for him, who prize him above all? O they are willing with all their souls to close with him for all ends and purposes, if he be but willing * 1.481 to close with them; they think they are not children, nor that they do not believe, when they do believe; for this very willing∣ness of Christ in sincerity, is believing, and therefore they think they are not children, when they are dear in Gods ••ight: what

think you of him that walks in darkness and seeth no light? do * 1.482 you think he can see his relation to God in Christ without that light? Surely no.

Again, another he hath some probability which begetteth an opinion in him concerning his condition, and that he hath re∣ceived this special grace from the Lord, and been partaker of this love, to become a Son of God: others they rise higher then * 1.483 this, and have a strong confidence, and some a full assurance, and know that they are the Sons of God, that their persons are justi∣fied, * 1.484 they can triumph with the Apostle, who shall lay any thing to their charge? can say, my beloved is mine and I am his: and my Lord and my God, with Thomas; they know the things freely given them of God, even by the Spirit of Christ: yea the same person, Brethren, may grow from such a doubting of his condi∣tion, to such a probability, such a perswasion, such an assurance of his condition, this therefore admitteth of a growth, but not the relative grace it self, but only our sense, feeling or know∣ledge of it: and so much for that.

Secondly, There is a grace inherent, which is indeed as the root; and the acts and issues of it are, as I may say, the fruit; but this grace within we shall speak to as most nearly concerning this purpose; the fruits I have spoken to, you know, at large upon another Scripture, and I would not in this discourse interfere with what I then delivered; or if we speak any thing to the fruits that grow upon these internal inherent graces of the Spirit, as likely enough we shall, yet we shall not consider them as fruits rising from such a root, but as growing fruits, being bettered, impro∣ved according to the growing of the principles from whence they flow.

But for the grace inherent, by that I mean all those habits or gracious dispositions of the heart godly, as that of faith, & that of love, and humility, and sincerity, and spirituality, and self-denyal; these things and all the rest in the habit or disposition of the soul is the subject of this consideration; and these Brethren, you know they are but qualities, though divine qualities, and there∣fore though growth or augmentation, according to terms of Art or Logick be not properly ascribed to them, yet according to Rhetorick, it is proper enough to speak it of any thing under a Simile, that it groweth, if it any way increase, as if a quality:

Now the light, for instance, or heat in the fire, or Sun, that is in∣tended or waxeth more clear and more hot, this may be called a growing-light, or growing-heat, because that as in things that properly grow, there is an addition of one quantity to another, whereby it increaseth; so here, there is an addition of one de∣gree of the quality to what was before, whereby it is more intense then it was before; therefore when we speak of grace growing, the speech is figurative, taken either from plants or sen∣sitive creatures, that all their beginnings are small, but afterwards grow up to their pitch.

Secondly, A thing is said to grow properly, you know, when the increase is made, not by opposition as they call it, but by an inward receiving, that is to say, it is a nutrition, as the means; it was a custom to cast every one a stone, and make a great heap, * 1.485 as upon Achan and Absolom: Why at first it was little, but every stone maketh some increase of the heap, and yet it grow∣eth not properly; so a snow-ball, it is greater with rolling, but this is not properly growth nor augmentation; but it is when there is somewhat inwardly received, which by inter∣changes in man, at last is turned into his substance, and maketh an increase of it, as a man doth his food, and a r••o•• doth the juice of the earth, which is concocted and becometh nourish∣ment to the branches, whereby they grow and increase; this is properly growth.

Now to apply this proposition to the case in hand, when we speak of growing in grace, either we say the grace it self grow∣eth, or else persons do in this or that grace. If the former, then this doth not so suitably hold, for the grace, the habit of faith, of love, cannot properly be said to receive inwardly this or that nourishment, but as qualities, have added to them such or such degrees, and so increase. But if we say, that a soul doth grow or increase in this or that grace, then it will hold somewhat more exactly, which is also a metonymical speech, a met onymie of the subject for the adjunct, to say the person groweth, when indeed it is but the habit of grace which is increased, the person continu∣eth the same. I say, then it holdeth somewhat more near, though haply the Simile will not yet run upon all four neither; nor is it to be expected, the poor believing soul then receiveth nourish∣ment inwardly, that is to say, that which is nourishment to his

faith, to his love, whereby he groweth therein; some deeper knowledge of the riches, the exceeding riches of the grace of God, the riches of the Covenant of promises, whereby his faith is increased; and so somewhat more of the height, and depth, and breadth, and length of the love of God in Christ towards him he knoweth, which much heighteneth his love to Christ again. Now remember this is not by any thing external; external additions to a thing may make it appear the greater, but not really the great∣er; as a mans cloaths make him seem bigger then he is, yet he is the same in them and out of them, no bigger at all; there is ve∣ry great difference between a weight hanged upon a Clock, the more weight, the more the motion is hastened; and a child that went but timerously and weakly, the Spirit of life within him prevailing, that he can run faster, and so groweth in stature and agility, there is much difference; & so there is much difference be∣tween an hypocrites growing in appearance, in duties, in services, in zeal, which appears to us, for we can but judge the root by the fruit; therefore we think they are grown there, but all this while are mistaken, for it is not the root of the matter within, it is some external weight, and that is hanged upon their affections; some by-respect or another to their credit, their profit, their Kingdom, as Jehu, that setteth them a working so fast more then before; there is great difference between such an one and a child of God, such as David, whose heart was perfect, who from the inward revelations of Christ in them, discoveries of his love, teachings of his Spirit, and quicknings, they grow up more and more, there is much difference I say. But this is the second, I am affraid I shall be too tedious herein, yet I hope this will not be unuseful to make things as plain as I can, as we go, that we may understand what we speak of.

Thirdly, The thing that groweth remaineth the same, though increased, the body that grows it is the same body still, though much increased; as a child and a man, he is the same person when a babe and when a man, only he is much increased by a continual nourishment: So it is here, a mans grace is the same, the same habit of faith and of love, but groweth much stronger, as in the case of Thomas and the rest of the Disciples you see it; it is the same that was a tender plant, and now is become a strong Oak or Cedar, only now it is more rooted then before, and grown

up and spread it self; though a child of God have many shakings with contrary winds, temptations and false Doctrines, and some∣times his knowledge may be corrupted, and sometimes his faith may be shaken, yet I believe he is never pluckt up by the root, and then planted again; when once he hath received that grace, and obtained that mercy, to be faithful, to believe, and have the graces of the Spirit implanted in the soul, these are never de∣stroyed altogether; once alive to God, and that life never fails, because the principle, the fountain of it, that feeds it, never fails; the seed of God abideth, as the Apostle saith. It is true, there may be sickness, and weakness, and wounds, and distempers that may * 1.486 hinder the growth of a child, but yet he liveth and groweth af∣terward again, yea more then he did before haply, and this is the case; and though David and Peter broke their bones, though they be sore shaken, yet they are not pluckt up by the roots, as trees dead and so planted again, nor doth any grace of Gods planting wither away altogether, like Jonah's gourd: the reason that is given for the withering away of some of the corn that * 1.487 was green, is because it had not root. This the third.

Fourthly, Another consideration to make out further the na∣ture of this growth, is this, there must first be a life before there be a growth, either vegetative, or sensitive, or rational; you know if there be no life in the tree, if it have not a root alive to maintain it, it groweth not at all, stands at the same stay for pro∣portion, and groweth dry indeed, and rotten, and fit for burn∣ing, and so there must be life in a man before he groweth, when he is dead all growth ceaseth, there is nothing but dissolution up∣on dissolution then; and so it is in this case, there must be a root, a planting into Christ, a grafting into him by his ingrafted word; before we can grow up in him, we must be one with Christ, for * 1.488 you know that which had no root withered; it may make a shew for a time and flourish, even as the grass upon the house top, but it withereth before it groweth up. Paul may plant, and Apollo * 1.489 may water, but it is he the Lord that giveth the increase, he that mini∣stereth seed to the sowers, both ministers bread for your food, and mul∣tiplies * 1.490 your seed sown, and increaseth the fruits of your righteousness: Now this he doth in and through Christ, for he is the only pipe through which grace is conveighed to us, as things here are to be noted, to make this out fully.

First, that all the nourishment is from Christ, as the breast∣milk is from the mother that brought it forth; so it is with us in * 1.491 respect of Christ, he travelled, his soul travelled with us, he was big with us, and O what sharp travel he had, such as never was, nor can be the like again, and he supplies the nourishment, the Word and the Spirit he promiseth shall never depart out of his peo∣ples mouths; and this is that the Evangelist hath, of his fulness we * 1.492 receive grace for grace; the sincere milk of the Word is his, he pre∣pareth the sweet cup of consolation in the promises; so many precious promises, so many breasts a child of God hath to suck continually, there he hath prepared nourishment for our faith, and so in our tryals and experiences, there is nourishment for our faith, and for our humility, and for our love, and all this is from him.

Secondly, But then beside this, there is a forming power, a power of concoction, digestion and assimilation, to turn these nourishments into the very substance, for so the Apostle, Some preach Christ of envy, saith he, supposing to add affliction to my bonds; the Devil and his Angels of light preach Christ, but with no good intent, not to gain credit but dishonor to the Go∣spel at the long run; we see it by too woful experience; well saith the Apostle, I know this shall turn to my salvation, through * 1.493 your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ; if a man take never so much down, if he have not a power to digest it, and turn it into substance, succum & sanguinem, he shall never grow by it: alas, do we not see many live under the Word, the sin∣cere milk of the Word, and seem to draw as hard at the breast as any, hanging upon the Ministers lips, that should preserve knowledge, and yet grow not, come not on? there wants this di∣gesting faculty, the Spirit of Christ to mix the word with faith; * 1.494 then when it is so mixed and concocted it groweth indeed, the Word groweth, then the poor Believer groweth, his faith grow∣eth: And so the Apostle in that to the Corinthians; who behold∣ing as in a glass, there is the nourishment, the Ordinances, the * 1.495 beholding Christ in them, but the power of concocting these, turning them to strength, is the Spirit, we are changed into his image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord; as there * 1.496 is not similitudinis, but identitatis, the glory as of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth; there is the truth in general,

that it is from Christ, and more specially that this power is his; in that one place to the Ephesians, from whom the whole body fitly * 1.497 joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, mak∣eth increase of the body; he speaks of the growth of the Church in general, but there is par ratio for the growth of each mem∣ber, for it is one part of the growing of the whole, that the mem∣bers grow in stature as well as in number; and so in that place to the Colossians, Let not man beguile you of your reward: as a Judge▪ of the race of masteries prescribes, it is an exorbitant course to ••un out of the way, and then promise you the reward for it; this will be but a beguiling of you in a voluntary humility, and worship of Angels, &c. and is worshiping of Saints any better then this voluntary humility and yet some there are that beguile poor creatures of their reward, promising them, if they run in this course they shall have it, not holding the head; me thinks an ingenuous Papist reading this, should begin to suspect their way, since to worship Angels, and such voluntary humility as God never commanded, as not to approach to Christ without a mediation of Saints, which he never commanded, is voluntary humility, and so this is not to hold the head Christ Jesus, from which, from the head, all the body by joints and bands have nourishment ministred and knit together, increaseth with the in∣creases of God; it is the increase of God, because he is the Author * 1.498 of it, or else because of the greatness of the increase and its ex∣cellency, for so the name of God is often used in the old Scri∣ptures, and their phrases the Apostles do often keep in the New. You see the nourishment is ministred from the head, as the sap is from the root of the tree, and it is his effectual working whereby it is turned to an increase of our faith and love; and therefore that soul that is not really and truly in the Lord Jesus, though he may for a time flourish, yet he will wither; he may be green, and yet be but a weed, and they grow fast, but they are not upon a right root, they spring not from such a seed, and therefore at their perfection they will be but wild Oates it may be, or Tares, which for a great while are so like to Wheat, as some of the An∣tients speak, that it is not to be discerned from it until it come in∣to the ear; and so many an hypocrite may have as broad a leaf, as green a blade, in externals: not be behind any for enlargements,

and parts, and notions of the knowledge of Christ; and yet alas, though he had more and more degrees, this is not a spiritual growth, this is not from the head, from the root, the Lord Jesus, as a root of saving life. I deny not but he giveth those gifts and parts, but it is not as head of the invisible Church, who alone shall be saved; though as head of the visible Church there may be a communication of some fatness and sweetness of the Olive to them; that is to say, the Ordinances and priviledges of the Church, which an hypocrite may enjoy, & yet be cut off when * 1.499 all is done, and thereby he may make some progress of know∣ledge, and a formality, but yet this is no true spiritual growth; this should make us look well about us, and see if our water do arise from this fountain, it will spread it self until it come to a river, grow broader and broader.

Fifthly, As it is from him, and therefore we must be in him be∣fore we can grow with this spiritual growth; so this growth in grace is a growing up into him; and good reason, if of him and by him be all things, that to him should be all things also; if Ri∣vers be from the Sea, they return to the Sea again; there may be * 1.500 two things in this one expression of growing up into Christ who is the head.

First, that we grow up into a nearer fellowship and commu∣nion with him who is the head; and this is most sure, whether the growth of the members where it is, the faster do draw more and more yet from the head and other parts where the nourishment is prepared, I shall not meddle with, but this I am sure of, the more grace any soul receiveth, the more yet he may, it is in order to further fellowship and communion with the Lord Jesus; which is indeed an argument whereby the grace of Christ is as highly advanced as by any other whatsoever, that he should therefore increase the strength of his poor weak children, that they may draw more strongly from him, and their hearts more enlarged to receive more abundantly from his fulness; as a strong child will draw harder and harder still, the arms of the trees as they grow stronger and stronger, so they suck more juice from the root still to feed them and carry them on▪ Now I say, this is sweet to the soul, and it may be a character also of our growth; if we do grow in grace indeed, we shall grow up into him, we shall find a greater drawing of our hearts after him still,

and suck more strongly from him: This the first.

Secondly, another thing comprehended under this growing up into Christ may be this, that all our growth is to his honour, it ends in him, who alone is exalted by it, it is the honour of the head when the members grow and become by the communicati∣on of the animal spirits, more vigorous and active, and fit for the discharge of their several works, this is the glory of the head; this may be understood two waies. First, it is the end of the thing it self, finis operis, the thing doth much advance him, when others behold such a fulness of strength and power flowing forth from Jesus Christ upon the members; to see the members of a body languid, and weak, and withered, it is not for the honour of the head, specially if generally so, though there may be also particu∣lar causes, as obstructions, and the like, but these are not so visible. What an honour is it to Christ to see a poor soul th〈…〉〈…〉 now is as weak as water, like the poor man in the Gospel, Lord help my unbelief, that ere long through the supply of grace from Christ, is able to say, My Lord and my God; to see a poor soul lie lan∣guishing under a lust, and not be able to stir, and yet ere long able to triumph over it; to see a poor soul that ere while was cleaving to the ground and to the dust, could not get up the heart, and now after a while upon Eagles wings running without weariness, and walking without faintness, is not this to the honour of Christ? But secondly, It must be so intended by us, else our growth is not right in the end, our end in desires of, and Gods end in working; we must look to the end, Brethren, we desire strength against this and that corruption, to wax more valiant in this fight, to con∣quer, to triumph over them; we would have such a measure of knowledge, such a measure of faith, but what is our end; is Christ the end in all this? is it that we may more advance him? Ah that soul that indeed groweth into Christ, Brethren, grow∣eth downward into the root, can be content to be any thing, to be nothing that his blessed Saviour may be advanced; so it was with John: Ah so with David, if the Lord will lay me aside, and I * 1.501 must not build him a Temple, but my son must do it, it is the Lord, why should I not submit? So if Moses must not bring them into Canaan, he is contented. O he would not have Joshua in another case envy for his sake, he wished all the Lords people were Pro∣phets, God would have the greater glory: when the Lord of••er∣ed

to make of him a greater people, O what then wilt thou do to * 1.502 thy great name, the enemies will say then, that thou broughtest them out to destroy them; he had rather die, and perish, and be nothing, then God should be dishonoured. O dear friends, let this be considered, if we grow, we grow up into him; I say, it may serve for a piece of tryal; though delivered in this place, I would have my whole discourse as applicatory as may be.

Sixthly, In a true growth we must know, there is an uniformi∣ty, as you know one member groweth in the body as well as another if it be a true growth; where some of the members re∣ceive no nourishment, but all the growth is found in the root, this is a disease, and not the effect of the principle of life within them; as you see it in the Rickets, a disease now ordinarily known by that name; but this uniformity is two-fold.

First, in respect of the Church.

And secondly, of each particular member thereof, in regard of the graces of the Spirit which are growing in them.

First then, for the Church of Christ, there is an uniform growth there, that is to say, the Lord Jesus doth not communi∣cate his sap, and vigour, and vertue so to one, as to spend it on him, and leave another without, but every wild Olive grafted into the Olive, either visible or invsible Church; the visible there is meant in that place of the Apostle, in whom the whole body being, * 1.503 &c. they receive accordingly, either the common influences of the Spirit with the Ordinances, whereby they grow up in that which we call common grace, and one as well as another; there is none sure but thriveth more or less.

Secondly, for the invisible, there is none so grafted but he groweth, he is one Spirit with the Lord, and therefore sure must needs grow that hath a continual supply of the Spirit, as the Apostle in that forecited place; the Lord Jesus in his invisible bo∣dy, hath no withered arm nor legs, whatever there be in the vi∣sible, whatever dead and drie sticks may cleave to the visible Olive, there is none so cleaveth to the invisible; it is impossible a soul should hold the head, and hold inward communion and fel∣lowship with him, and yet not to grow; but this is but for the Church, which thus uniformly groweth, one member as well as another.

Now secondly, for particular members, they also grow, and

that uniformly also; grow not in one grace only, or in this grace, or that grace, nor in another, no, but they grow uniform∣ly; that a man should be all faith and no love it is impossible, or all love and no knowledge it cannot be, there must be an uni∣formity in growth, if right; that were more like a wen and its growth, then growth of the body; you would not esteem that a growth, that a man should grow all in the eye, and it should become as big as the body almost, so that he could see wonderful∣ly, but in the mean time the rest of the parts are as small as when they were born; grow in one grace, and grow in every grace, grow in sincerity, and grow in humility, grow in faith, and grow in love, & grow in all. A timpany, a growth of one member more then all the rest is monstrous, and so it would be in grace: Now though through defect or super fluity in natural causes, there may be a monstrosity in a birth or growth, yet it cannot be in respect of Christ, who doth alike extend his influence to the growth and increase of one as well as another grace which he hath begotten in the soul; so that if a man find he thinketh he groweth in faith, and thinketh he groweth in love, and yet grow not in zeal for the glory of God, groweth not in tenderness of heart and plyableness to his will, this is not a right growth: Alas, how many of us then do not grow in grace in∣deed?

Seventhly, Though there be an uniformity in growth, yet we must not so understand it, that every member groweth in the same measure with another, and yet may grow also in its due proportion; and so also in respect of graces, there may be some∣what of truth in it: but to speak the more distinctly:

First, consider the members of the Church of Christ, and our selves, if we be such indeed; though all the members of the Church of Christ do grow, yet they do not grow all alike in the same measure; the Apostle saith, according to the effectual work∣ing in the measure of every part; so that you see each part hath * 1.504 a measure, every member hath not the same relation, the same office in the body, and so doth not require the same measure of strength, or the same quantity or greatness. Yea if it have a greater quantity then is meet, it is a burthen and an hindrance, as if the joynt of a finger should grow as much as the joynt of a mans knee, would it not be monstrous? and yet both joynts

grow, but each according to its proportion, so that they grow all ••que, but not ••qualite••▪ one as well as another, but not one as much as another, uniformiter, and yet difformiter, if every finger were as big as an arm, what an hand would there be, hold∣ing no proportion to the body, though the rest grow, this over-groweth its proportion. It is true, every child of God is not a David nor a Paul, nor is every one called to those great under∣takings that they were; the more eminent places in the body of Christ we have, the more we must look to it that we grow: If a man be a Magistrate or a Minister, I tell you Brethren, it is not enough that they be as other men in grace; and yet alas then, what disproportion do some of us make in the body of Jesus Christ, that stand in that relation to the body; and yet O how do other members over-grow us? Brethren, they are not to be blamed for their growing so fast, but we for our growing no fa〈…〉〈…〉∣er, nor any more proportionable to our relations; for a Magi∣strate to have no more courage nor zeal then another man, that is not called so to put it forth, is unsuitable, and so for wisdom and knowledge; and so for Ministers, are we as arms in the bo∣dy, and have scarce the strength of a little finger? O how can we work for Christ, do the works of our conditions? if you see some eminent, as blessed be his name there are eminent, and have their measure of growth to their condition, you should be fol∣lowers of them, follow after as hard as you can; therefore Mi∣nisters should be ensamples to the flock, in faith, in puriry, in ho∣liness, 1 Tim. 4. 12. an example to believe in word, in conversa∣tion, in faith, in purity, &c. But alas, Brethren, may we not ra∣ther some of us take examples therein, how weak is our faith? yet I say, where there are such of eminency, and thou canst not reach them, yet be not discouraged because thou canst not get so much light as the eye hath, be not discouraged, it is required there more then in another; nor so much strength as an arm, a leg, when thou art it may be but as a little finger, only there may be a proportion; yea I will tell you Brethren, pitty us, pray for us▪ Magistrates and Ministers, for I do verily believe there are none fall so much short of our proportion of growth in grace according to our relations as we do: But this is but the first.

And then secondly; for the graces in every believer; now

the measure of every grace its growth, as I think, is much more hard to determine, whether all graces do grow according to the proportion of the growth of any one of them; that is to say, whether love to God, and zeal to his glory, do grow according to the measure of every mans faith, and so patience according to the measure of his faith; indeed I am at a stand here; if that one habit of grace did beget another, faith did beget love, it would be the more clear, because then according to the strength of the causes, the effect would be; a strong cause, a strong effect, the habits of grace in us being not voluntary agents; but I take it for granted that the efficient cause of all grace, one as well as * 1.505 another, is the same Spirit of the Father and the Son; it is the supply of the Spirit, as the Apostle calls it, whereby we grow in any grace; now the Spirit of God being a most free agent, is not tyed up by a necessity of nature to work alike upon the same heart, to the increase of every grace; though he do work to the growth of every grace, yet whether he doth equally work to the increase of them all. So that what proportion of grace a Believer hath in one grace, he hath the same proportion of strength in another, is doubtful; specially since the Lord, who works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure, knoweth what tryals he hath for every one of us, some in one kind, some in ano∣ther, some greater tryals for their faith, and some for their self-denyal, and some for their love, may accordingly work; but this is not so much material, if we can find we grow in every grace of the Spirit, whether we do grow alike in the measure of love, as in the measure of faith, or zeal, or spiritualness; as it will be very hard to judge, considering how hard it is to judge of the strength of our habits by their acts, which may accidentally be inter〈…〉〈…〉it∣ted and interrupted, and considering whatever knowledge we have at the best, of the faculties of our souls and their workings, and so of the habits of grace in them. So I take it, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is not so much considerable if we could come to know it, only if we be sure we grow in all, and that we grow according to the mea∣sure proportionable to our condition or relation to the body: this the seventh.

Eighthly and 〈…〉〈…〉stly, that I shall speak to the opening the na∣ture of this growth in grace; growth here hath no determined 〈◊〉〈◊〉 until death, until we come actually to the spirits of just men

made perfect; in nature there is a determinate time for growth in quantity, which is properly growth about thirty years; the causes of it, I leave School-men to dispute, it is not so proper for us in this place; in nature there is in this life, yea haply when life is half run up, the maximum quod sic, as they call it, but not in grace: No, while we have breath, we must be grow∣ing, the hoary head must be found in the way of righteousness, going forward still; the path of the just must be as the growing light, * 1.506 shining more and more to the perfect day; this we pray for, that his will may be done by us on earth, as the Angels do, with that perfect * 1.507 plyableness, forwardness, chearfulness that they do it; this we must press after, to come as near it as we can, even the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, to a perfect man, which perfecti∣on I take not only for a perfection of parts, as in some other places, where many are said to walk before the Lord with a per∣fect heart; as a seed is a perfect seed though no tree, and a child, a babe, is a perfect child, though not at mans stature, perfect; yet this I so take in this place, therefore remember this, Brethren, while we are here we are growing, if our growth be right; there may be some accidental hinderances, of which afterward, which for a time may hinder, but yet we shall afterward grow and ne∣ver cease: sit stil, set up a Herules power, and with a ne plus ultra, there is no such thing in grace, Brethren, until it be swallowed up in glory; & therefore the desires of the Saints that have tasted indeed of this grace of God, they are still kept above what they have received; do but observe it, and you shall find it so. O they would have more still, they are not strong enough to resist temptations, they would have more softness and easiness of spirit toward God, to echo to every hint of his will, thy face Lord will I seek: and this much tends to their growth, even as the appetite after meat and nourishment, doth to the growth of the body. O how strong is it in children when they are growing! but of that afterward: haply, you see then there is no time limited, no, never until you awake will you be satisfied with his likeness; remember this Brethren, I doubt many of us forget our selves * 1.508 here, and think we may loyter and grow lazie when we are come to such a pitch; believe it, if your growth be right, it will be continual, you will go on still, and in old age be fat and flourish∣ing, as the Psalmist speaks; thus it ought to be, and thus God

hath promised it shall be and if it be not, it is for our want of be∣lieving, closing with it, improving of it for the growth of our * 1.509 graces: but so much for the opening of the nature of this growth.

For the Arguments, I will not trouble you with many, only something I shall speak that way; and the First shall be this, Be∣cause of Christ the Author and Finisher of our Faith, who works * 1.510 in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure; his works are perfect, he goeth through-stitch with his works, he doth not bring his people into the Wilderness and leave them there, but unto Canaan; you see, if he create a world, his work is perfect, he leaveth none of his works without the last hand and file to po∣lish them; therefore when he looks upon them himself, he saith, they are very good: we may be apt to have over-waining conceits of our own works, and therefore the Orator giveth a prudent advice, to lay aside our writings for several years, until the strength of our affection to that which is our own be wrought out, and it may then appear as a strange thing to us, that so we may the more impartially judge; but this is a rule suited to the weakness of poor passionate bemisted creatures, but for the Lord, he is not subject to any such thing as passions, all things being alike present to him from eternity, and therfore cannot be taken with any newness of excellency in any thing, therefore what he saith is good, is very good; and was it not a perfection of his living creatures that they should grow and multiply, grow in number, and then the young substance in stature to perfection; and will he, think you, be more wanting to the new creature, will he leave it until it have all its due perfections, until every priva∣tion be filled up with a perfection? Surely no; must there be nothing wanting of perfection where he would make his power and his wisdom glorious? and will there be any thing wanting, think you, when he cometh to make his grace glorious, as he doth in the work of Redemption? Surely no; no, no, Brethren, whatever God doth, he doth it like a God, if he ruine, he ruines to the utmost, so as no creature can, even soul and body, and that for ever; and if he save, he saveth to the uttermost, from all imperfection and weakness in his people; if God be as the dew to Israel, he shall, he must needs grow as the Lilly; this is * 1.511 such a dew so sweetly distilling upon our souls; O the gentle

soft rain upon the mown grass, maketh it to spring again, grow again; so a soul, though cut down, as I may say, very low, sometimes with a sharp temptation, yet a refreshing from the presence of God, O how it maketh him spring up again; grace we use to say is of a growing nature, and therefore, though like a grain of Mustard-seed, yet it groweth, or as the seeds of the Cypress-trees, which they say are so small, as they are hardly dis∣cernable, * 1.512 and yet they grow to a great tree; and so in that place, thy talent or pound hath gained ten pounds; we our selves do not * 1.513 gain it, though we traffick with it, yet it is ascribed to the grace it self: no, Brethren, nor can his grace in us increase it self, for though it be a divine quality, yet it is a creature, though the new creature, and therefore weak, and cannot support it self, much less increase it self; it would quickly languish, and faint, and die, were it not for a continual influence from the Lord Christ to supply it; were it not for this supply of the Spirit, would the members grow think you, could they extend themselves from one dimension to another, if it were not for the nourishment they receive? no more can his grace grow without a continual supply; as the light, you know how in a moment it vanisheth, if it be but cut from the influence of the Sun; there is a glorious morning without clouds ariseth upon us, the whole hemisphere is full of light; if the Sun should now set, would that light grow think you to the perfect day? Surely no; it would be night presently; now we have a swelling stream, it fills the Channel, and over floweth its banks, to the inriching of the ground about it, but cut it off from the Fountain, or from the Sea, and what will become of it? so that the growth, the continuance of the stream is from the fountain; so it is in this case, though a mans gifts and grace rise never so high, and over-flow at his lips, at his actions, to make others also fruitful and to grow, yet if there be not a continual supply from the Fountain, would it subsist, would it not languish? therefore this is the comfort, that he is an Au∣thor of it, I the Lord, hast thou not heard, hast thou not known, * 1.514 that I the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth faint not, nei∣ther am weary, and therefore though you faint and languish, yet I faint not, saith the Lord, I will renew your strength therefore, and ye shall run and not be weary, though now you cannot lift up your heads; therefore this is the first reason: It must needs be perfect,

every good and every perfect gift cometh from the Father of lights, if any be more perfect then another, sure they are the gifts of his grace, but this is but the first.

The second Reason may be an auxiliary to the first, The Lord will perfect the work of grace he beginneth, and therefore there is such an increase, as the Apostle calls it, the increase of God: * 1.515 now why is this? because he hath appointed a measure of a ful∣ness of stature to be attained by us, before we be made meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light; a child, while a child, is scarce able to mannage an inheritance, he knoweth not what it mean∣eth; and so for a weak Christian; and therefore mark you what our Saviour saith, ye must be converted and become as little chil∣dren, else you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; he saw some * 1.516 pride, and swelling, and ambition of their spirits; well, faith our Saviour, this must be fetched out of you one way or other, either by love, or by the rod, or both, before you will be fit to enter into glory. O how heavenly and sweet do the Saints generally grow before the Lord takes them? Brethren, if so glorious a building as the temple of God be intended, will every rough stone, a rough-hewn-Christian be fit to lay in that building? O no, surely those knotty pieces shall be plained, and smoothed, and pollished before they be laid in that glorious Temple in heaven: remember it, I say, Brethren, there is a meetness for heaven, and though haply many of us care not for it, we would not be too meet for it, lest we be taken to it before we be willing to part with the world; never fear that, while thou hast such a heart, it is well if thou be not so far from it that thou never come thither, thou needest not fear coming thither too soon. But there are two causes which seem to call for a word here to open them.

First, what will you say then to persons, that it may be no sooner are converted but they dye; what time have they to grow in grace, and to come to this meetness of the inheritance of the Saints? Remember what was said before, that growth is not alway in all of the same pace: What if God will create one Adam in perfect stature the first day, and the rest grow to it by degrees, why may it not be so? what if some grow as the L••••lies, * 1.517 shoot up quickly, much in a night, and others are longer about it; if all must grow and come to this fittness before he take them;

and so if the Lord be a whole year turning water into wine in his ordinary way of providence, which is wonderful, and at ano∣ther time, though not so often, do it in a moment; who shall say to him, what dost thou? this is as perfect wine, as fit to be drunk, as rich and full of spirits as the other; so the thief upon the Cross, he made a large progess in a short time; for I tell you, to believe in the Lord Jesus and confess him, and at such a time as that was, was no small power of grace, when himself was under the agonies of death, and Christ under disgrace and the shame of the Cross, and crucifying and dying, yea under the displeasure of his Father, crying out, My God my God why hast thou forsaken * 1.518 me? when he was forsaken of his Father in a sort, and forsaken of all men, ye•• and of his own Disciples also, none of them then durst openly ••cknowledge him, and crucifying, at that time Peter had denyed him, they all fled from him before, though some of them stood and looked on, yet if they had been put to it at that time, it is a question what they would have done; therefore our Saviour in tenderness towards them, would have them be let go, * 1.519 as you have it, when himself was taken; now at such a time as this, when heaven and earth, looked black upon our blessed Saviour, to own him, to despise the shame of the Cross at the first dash, and to reprove his fellow that was crucified with him, it was a great measure of faith: Ile tell you Brethren, it is like he that wrought that in him, had wrought a like measure of love, when he told him, he should this day be with him in Paradise: what such a wretch as I, that all my life time have lived so wicked∣ly, and now am dying under my guilt; and in one day, at the last moment to be translated into a glorious Kingdom? O this could not but surely much enlarge his heart in love to the Lord Jesus, and that is the perfection of the Law: and so we see some Christians that grow more in a moneth, in a year or two, then many do in many years; some are foolish children that stick long in the place of breaking forth, some make haste, and run much in * 1.520 a little time, and therefore this hinders not but all should grow to their measure appointed of God, before they come to heaven.

And for the children of Believers; how can they come to this pitch, you will say, how can they grow ••o such a height of growth? for answer,

First, It is worth the noting, that even they who deny them the priviledges of the Covenant of grace, which are visible and outward in the Church of God, yet dare not profess, whatever they think to the contrary, but that they are saved, or may be saved, and profess tender thoughts of them; they are not such duri patres infantum, as to exclude them out of the Kingdom; it was the Disciples fault you know, and so it may be good mens now, to hinder them from coming to Christ; they thought they were but troublesom guests to him, they were capable of little, and therefore forbad them, but they got a rebuke for their labour; what, saith our Saviour, is it not clear enough, even from the old Scripture, for there were no other then written; and they had means to know that they did belong to Christ and * 1.521 the Kingdom, else he would not have reproved them, Do you not know to such belongs the Kingdom of God? you might have known and ought to have known, and therefore you deserve a rebuke for it; and so it may be good mens faults now a daies, but yet they dare not exclude them from the Kingdom of glory.

Secondly, It is to be noted, that no unclean thing shall ever enter into that place; Children by nature are the children of wrath, poor leprous polluted creatures, and therefore if there be not a pardoning grace and cleansing mercy for them, how can they enter into glory? and because we cannot apprehend how it should be conveighed, shall we therefore deny it? are we not all of us pure receptives in the first grace, and are not infants as * 1.522 purely receptives as we? Yea, are they not more purely receptives then we? for though it is true, they have the same seeds of re∣bellion, the same spawn, the same venomous poysonous nature with our selves, miserable sinful off-spring, of miserable sinful pa∣rents; yet according to their own principles, they cannot put it forth into such actual rebellion as we; and do not the acts increase and strengthen the habits, and the stronger the habits are, the stronger the opposition is against Christ, and therefore they are more purely receptive then we are: and therefore,

Thirdly, What hinders but they in as short a time as the thief upon the Cross, may be brought to as high a degree of grace as he, though in an unspeakable manner? Was it not more then ordinary that John leaped within the womb at the voice of the

mother of the Lord? it was more then ordinary, else the mo∣ther * 1.523 would not have wondered at it, though a miracle it were; truly, Brethren, every work of grace is a miracle, and the greater miracle it is, to work upon a desperate, prophane, hard-hearted sinner, that hath all his life-time been working wickedness with both hands earnestly; to make such an one in one day fit for heaven and glory, as the thief upon the Cross, where there is greater opposition, is not this a greater miracle then the other? Beside, let it be considered I beseech you, what our Saviour saith, he that receiveth not the Kingdom like as a little * 1.524 child, cannot enter into it. It may be some will say, this is nothing, he compareth his Disciples to Doves and Sheep, &c. and so he doth to a little child, this proveth nothing: But let it be con∣sidered and weighed; and then I leave it to the judgement of im∣partial persons; he saith not only, you must be like children, and like Doves for innocency; he saith not, you must be like chil∣dren for humility, and want of envy, for love; no, but ye can∣not enter except ye receive the Kingdom as a little child: the com∣parison lies in the receiving the Kingdom, as well as in the quali∣ties; so that except little children did receive the Kingdom, how can the Disciples be compared to them in receiving the Kingdom? how can they be, as I may say, made the very standard in receiving the Kingdom of God? we must receive it as little children re∣ceive it; you never find such a like speech of Doves or Sheep, that we must receive the Kingdom as Doves or as Sheep, because they are not capable to receive the Kingdom, it was ne∣ver appointed nor prepared for them: Now if little children be made, as I may say, the pattern for humility, self-denyal, which I tell you, Brethren, goeth far in Christianity. O which is the first step? humility, the second humility, the third humility, it reacheth to the top of the Ladder; and not only so, but the ve∣ry pattern in receiving the Kingdom of God. Surely then, such children as we allow, as we must allow some, else the comparison were not true nor rightly framed, they must be allowed to be as holy as any others; truly Brethren, me thinks if we consider how much innocency there is in these little ones, which is not in us, O how we have rebelled all our daies, which they never have done; played the hypocrites before the Lord, which they never have done; dealt falsly in his Covenant, which they never

have done; have such strong lusts in act and vigour, and strong habits of sin, pride, and envy, and hatred to oppose the workings of grace in us, which they have none of; me thinks it might easily be yielded unto, that former supposition, that many of them are saved (and who dare deny it) that they have grace, and a great measure, so as to be made the standard of receiving the Kingdom; therefore they may quickly come to a great height: but thus much for this reason, I am carried further then I had any thought, when I first minded it as an Argument.

Thirdly, Another reason may be, because the greater our growth is, the more honour he hath from us, and the more servi∣ces, and we the more comfort; this doth much what concern the growth of such as are of years of understanding, for to such I speak; I give it therefore as a reason, only of the growth of per∣sons of understanding, though some part of it may reach others.

First then, hereby God hath the more service: Alas, what service hath a Father or Mother from a little child when it hangs upon the breast? many a weary hand she hath with it in its fro∣wardness, but no help at all, but when grown up it will do some∣thing; * 1.525 so while a poor Believer is weak and feeble, feeble knees and weak hands, alas can scarce stand upon their legs, every little wind of temptation or doctrine is ready to blow him over, and * 1.526 stagger him, he stands scrupling and trembling at every step, and doubting, he cannot set a foot before another, but the Father is fain to take him by the hand and teach him to go, as he did Ephraim; this is the great time of Gods taking pains (like a * 1.527 tender-hearted mother) with his children, and truly if his bow∣els were not as a mothers bowels, yea much more infinitely, he would never endure to handle us so tenderly in all our weakness and loathsomness; now when we are grown up into Christ, are strong in his might and power, then we are able to do him some service, and he expecteth it of us, though the Lord knoweth we often requite him as Ifrael did after all his tenderness, he nourish∣eth and bringeth up children, feeding us with the bread of hea∣ven, Manna is our daily bread, the Lord Jesus, he maketh out somethng of him to us continually, whereby we grow, and presseth the promises by his own Spirit, that they may give down their milk and sweetness to us, and when all is done, we rebell against him, even to the breaking of his heart, as he speaks after * 1.528

the manner of men; but this costs the people of God dear, who∣ever they be, though it be true the Lord hath no need of our service, we profit not him at all, he can work deliverance for his people and Church, if there were never a Hester to pray nor mediate to the King, some other way he will do it; yet he ordi∣narily useth the service of his people; and alas, that our reward may be the more abundant, our Crowns of grace may be the more weighty, so that there is not a step from the very Cradle to the Crown of glory, but all is grace, and growing, until it be swallowed up of that fulness.

Secondly, He is honoured indeed so much the more, Brethren, by our growth, fortes oreantur fortibus: O when his people come to that strength, to bear the Cross of Jesus Christ, to deny themselves, to hate their lives for his sake, which the Disciples at all times were not ripe for; how doth this honour the Lord Je∣sus? O what Spirit is that whereby they are acted, that even their enemies themselves have been confounded with the consi∣deration of it, and so when they are strong in faith, giving glory to God; a man weak in faith, a child, a babe that staggers at every difficulty, is questioning upon every occasion whether God be with them, as Israel, because they had no water; O, said they, * 1.529 is, God among us? because there was no water; now this is not to his honour, to have children live in a family together, eat and drink of the best, and yet to be alway children, weaklings, as I may say, consumpsit, this is a dishonour to their Father and Mother; so it is in this case, what is more choice, Brethren, then the bread from heaven, this wine and milk which is to be had in Jesus Christ, which Believers live upon; and yet if they be weaklings, how doth it dishonour Jesus Christ? his flesh is * 1.530 meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed: but if we come not on with it, it will be hard to perswade men so; but where they see us go from strength to strength, that we can do singular things * 1.531 for Christ, in prosperity, in affliction, which others cannot do: O they will be ready to say, surely that which these men feed * 1.532 upon is rare and excellent diet indeed: Now, Brethren, alas, this glory is nothing to God, it is only that he may be acknow∣ledged among men in the way of his grace, which addeth nothing to him, but to poor creatures it doth, yet it is all he requireth, and he is jealous of it indeed: Now for infants, truly Brethren,

though they act little among men, specially while properly in∣fants, that cannot speak for him, thence they have their names Infants; there may be little appearance, yet the very considera∣tion of this, that the Lord should infuse grace, yea such rich grace, as you heard, into them, me thinks should take us up sometimes with more admiration then we are taken up with it; for I say, no man dare deny but that they may have grace, and some of them have grace, and all of them that die in infancy for ought we know, have: Now how admirable is it? but God hath made it vi∣sible in some extraordinary cases, as in John; is it stupendious that the like babe should leap in the womb for joy at the hearing of the report of Jesus, more then the most of Believers likely would have done upon a bare report? Beside, how many in∣stances of little children wrought upon, even as soon as they can speak, I say, that can make it appear in an admirable manner, and to call God Father at very tender years, yea know him to be their God, and they his, and that they shall have a Kingdom prepared for them; me thinks these things are enough to convince us; there is no such necessity of years, Brethren. And then, is it not the more admirable, is not Christ more to be admired? Again, it is much for the comfort of his people, and truly this the Lord hath much in his eye, next to his own glory, which indeed is much magnified by the comfortable walking of his people; the more then a man groweth up in the knowledge of the things free∣ly given of God by the Spirit of Christ, the more comfortably he * 1.533 walks, such are an ornament to their profession, an encourage∣ment and invitation of others to enter upon the same waies, when they see the faces of the Saints that shine, to be anointed with the oyl of gladness, and the Kingdom of God in them, to * 1.534 consist in righteousness, and joy, and peace, this encourageth others, that otherwise would be disheartened: Now I say, the Lord is very tender of his peoples comfort; do but observe it, and you shall find, Brethren, the blood and Spirit of the Lord Jesus to run through all the veins of the Scripture, and all for the consolation of the Saints; these things I write to you, that your * 1.535 joy might be full, and that through consolation of the Scripture we might have hope; else why are there so many promises so often repeated again and again? how many promises of remission of sins set forth in various expressions every way, to affect and meet

with every mans condition, but that his design is the comfort of his people? and wherefore are the examples of the Saints propo∣sed to us; their falls, their restoring again, but for our comfort and hope? surely this is the design, Brethren; and therefore surely, he will carry on his people in the knowledge and under∣standing of them, the closing with them, else the work is done but imperfectly; for what though the righteousness of God be revealed in the Gospel from faith to faith, except there be an eye * 1.536 opened? and as the light groweth clearer, so the eye groweth stronger and clearer to behold it: it will be little matter of com∣fort to the people of God; what is a man the better as to com∣fort, to have rich means, and knoweth nothing of it at all? and then to grow in grace, in all the graces of the Spirit, Brethren, this doth wonderfully help to the comfort of the Saints: What is the complaint of the most of men? O they cannot l••ft up their heads, they cannot carry a cheerful heart; why? O they think they are hypocrites, they are not right with God, or they are in unbelief, they cannot believe in Jesus Christ, they cannot do this or that, or they cannot see that there is any thing right in them: Why Brethren, it will not satisfie a tender heart, except he see and discover somewhat in himself of Gods working; now when it is, small as a Mustard-seed, as a Cypress-seed, it is scarce discern∣able, but as it groweth from strength to strength, at last he com∣eth to see it, when sincerity of h••art doth more ordinarily and strongly prevail against the sly and subtile insinuations of sin upon the heart. O then the soul can see that his heart is right with God; and so for faith, when it is strong and acts strongly upon the Lord Jesus, the soul doth even feel that it doth believe, and so an end is brought to all those sad complaints; let men of cor∣rupt minds say what they will, Brethren, the appearances of grace in the soul, is a notable evidence of our being cloathed with the righteousness of Christ, when we walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; for a man to pretend to have no condemnation upon him, and yet walk after the flesh, loosly and vainly, wicked∣ly, * 1.537 and yet never doubt nor question his condition; I say, that man is in a desperate security, a lethargy, it is very great odds but he perisheth in it; the Apostle saith, such shall die; and they say, they shall live; but they will one day know, whether Gods Word or theirs shall stand▪ Well then, this much furthers

their comfort, and this is one of the Lords great designs for our good, that we should walk comfortably, and therefore he brings o•• that his work; that spark in a great deal of green wood, that smothers, and smokes, and puts out our eyes almost with weep∣ing at it, he bloweth it up by his Spirit more and more, and bringeth judgement to victory, victory over our corruptions through the strength of the Spirit, and so victory over our doubtings, fears and discomforts. O what riches of grace is * 1.538 here! but thus much for the Arguments of the point.

For the Application then; First, this will speak the sad condi∣tion of two sorts of persons, and those are,

First; Such as make a profession of Jesus Christ, and yet grow not, are at a stand; we do innovere but not promovere, like a horse in a mill, go round, and are at night where they were in the morning; they go round in a formal compass of duty, but alas, grow not by it at all; look upon many professors, and consider what they have been, and shall you not find they had as much life seven years ago as they have now, they are grown in faith nothing, their faith is still as a grain of Mustard-seed, if they have any at all indeed, as they may, its true, and yet not grow for a time; the Apostle speaks of silly women, that are alway learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth; and * 1.539 there are silly men among us that are alway learning and yet are not come to the knowledge of the truth: Some indeed I pitty much, there is a natural defect in their understandings, by media∣tion whereof all this growth is perfected, and it is so great in some, that they will hardly ever be able to apprehend much of the wisdom of God in a mysterie, it is well if they understand the main thing, without which there is no life; but these are not the persons I speak of, but such among us have wit and parts enough, can understand, and manage, and improve any thing else they take in hand, and yet in the matters of their souls, they take up their rest like tyred Jades that will go no further: the Apostle reproveth the Hebrews for it sharply, that when for the time they might have been teachers of others, yet we had need * 1.540 to be taught our selves the first principles of the Doctrine of Christianity: truly Brethren, me thinks you that have long known Jesus Christ, and have gray hairs upon your heads, and are found in the way of righteousness, when you see young strip∣lings

out-grow you, and apprehend much of the mysteries of Christ which you do not, this should be a shame to you: it is a * 1.541 strange sottishness and security that seizeth upon men, in respect of their souls: they would think shame that a young man of little or no experience should know them, to manage their trade bet∣ter then themselves, that are of so long standing and experience, but here they are content to be out-stript, and content themselves with any thing; that your grace should be so small, as I may say, in the seed still, so small as a seed, and scarce discernable to this day; O what a sad thing is this! now your salvation is nearer then when you believed, and you are as far from being meet for it, as when you believed. O how unfit are we for death, though we have one foot in the grave already some of us, and we do not heed this? Surely, if this be a truth, that those who are planted in Christ do grow, and thou canst not find thou growest; what canst thou conclude, but one of these two things?

First, that either thou hast all this while deceived thy self, and thought thou hadst the root of the matter within thee, and hadst it not, for if thou hadst, thou wouldst have grown: The King∣dom of God will not be alway as a grain of Mustard-seed, and that which is in thee haply appears to be no more; and is not this a sad condition, Brethren? is it not high time for you to look about you, when you are grown to such years, and never have been planted into Jesus Christ, never made one with him to this day? I say, a man that findeth he groweth not at all, he is where he was so many years ago, hath cause to fear this; and me thinks this should startle us, a company of lazie professors, that never matter whether they improve or no.

Or else secondly, which is bad enough, that thou hast some sad disease upon thee, that hinders thy growth: surely somewhat is the matter, Brethren, it is not right with you; if you have a child stand at a stay for two or three-years, while it should grow, you see it is a living child, but it groweth not; O surely it hath some disease or another, some obstructions hindering the course be∣tween the head, and heart, and the members, and you fear such a child will not live. O that you would but apply this to your souls! sure you have some desperate disease upon you, some ob∣struction or another; it may be the world is gotten between you

and the root, and the head, which is Christ, and so the communi∣cation is hindred, you grow not up into him, draw nothing nearer to him at all; doth it never enter into your hearts to con∣sider this, Brethren, are you not afraid of perishing in such a condition? I am sure your condition is sad, that a growing sen∣sible Christian would not be in your case for a world; and are you not sensible of it? it is so much the worse. O how will you answer it, Brethren, considering how much influence you have had from on high, the Ordinances, the fat things of his house in abundance, the sincere milk of the word you have had in this place for a long time, more then most places have had it, and yet your souls have prospered no more under it; you have had five Talents, and yet it may be many that have had but two, but one, have out-stript some of you; where you have had five Sermons, five opportunities of grace, many a poor soul would have been glad of one, and yet such it may be stronger in faith, more in hu∣mility, more spiritual minded then we are; can you answer this at the great day? But thus much for this first.

Secondly, It sheweth us the sad condition of such, as instead of growing in grace, alas they grow worse and worse; as the Apostle saith, evil men and seducers grow worse; and indeed, we * 1.542 must know this, Brethren, we do grow either better or worse, as haply afterward we shall have occasion to speak to at large; either the house of David groweth stronger, or the house of Saul; either the flesh or the spirit prevails in the hearts of the people of God; there are two sorts of persons whose condition is under this consideration.

First, Such as have profest the name of Jesus Christ, and yet alas, though they were green for a while, now their leaf is fallen, their light is gone out, they are fallen from their place of stand∣ing among the Saints in appearance; never was there an age more fruitful in such barrenness then this is; alas, like a Fir-tree shaken with the wind, they lose their fruit, yea, are turned up by the roots, and now are become as a dry stick, fit for nothing but to burn, the latter end of such men is worse then their beginning, * 1.543 they are trees twice dead; not only dead by nature, but have lost their profession, which was a visible life, whereby they did appear to men to be alive; and is there any hope of such a tree living again? truly, Brethren, very little; I have oberved

it, and I wish I could look upon it with a more trembling heart, that such men as these grow worse, fall off and decline, they are the saddest, hard-hearted, desperate, prophane wretches afterward; or the most besotted worldlings, and seldom are they recovered. I know not whether I may speak to any such at this time, I hope the best things of you; if there be any such, let me tell thee, thou art in a more dangerous condition then those that never knew God to this day.

Secondly, Such as never yet had appearance of being planted into Jesus Christ, and so no growth in them, but are yet in their * 1.544 naturals; know this day, you are growing worse and worse, the Gospel doth not return in vain, you are worse every day then other, every Sermon then other; the Gospel is a savour of death to death to you; as there is nothing doth condemn sinners like to * 1.545 the Gospel rejected, so nothing doth harden sinners more then the Gospel, and those precious promises which men give the hearing to, day by day, but alas that is all. Isaiah, the most Evangelical Prophet, he cometh with a make you the ears of this * 1.546 people heavy, that hearing they might hear and not perceive. If the Son be not kissed when he is offered to sinners, but they turn their * 1.547 backs upon him, he will be angry; if the more worthy person be suitor, and be denyed and slighted, and the heel lift up against him, will not this provoke him think you? surely it will: therefore God doth usually give up such to a reprobate mind, yea even for * 1.548 despising the light of nature, much more the Gospel, and giveth them up to hardness of heart; you shall ordinarily see where the Gospel cometh at the first among a people, it works more mightily then afterward; at first, though men are prophane, yet they have not had the Sun-shine to harden the Clay into a Brick; the Word of God, this Gospel and means of growth, it is as fire, the coals of love, and either they do melt, or else burn sinners into stones and bricks, and sear their consciences that they are even past feeling, hence it is we have so many desperate∣ly wicked persons among us. O how sad a condition is this Bre∣thren, to be growing worse and worse under the greatest mercy and love that the Lord manifesteth to any! Sinners, in good ear∣nest, do you think it is the way to heaven to grow worse, and worse, or the way to the Chambers of death? Thou knowest thy self to be a more desperate prophane wretch then formerly,

making no conscience of that which heretofore thy soul it may be hath trembled at, now it goeth down without regret, or else if not in open prophaneness, if thou meltest away in secret wick∣edness, that no eye takes notice of, and art worse and worse, what will the end of these things be? the Saints that grow, they grow up into the likeness, and image, and glory of Christ, they grow up into him; and thou growest up into the likeness of the Devil, up int〈…〉〈…〉im; What will become of you? O that sinners would but lay these things to heart: if heretofore thou wast over∣taken with a sin, it may be it was some trouble to thee; now thou wilt work the works of the Devil, thy will is ingaged, and so much the more haynous the sin is; what can you expect, Bre∣thren? O that God would open sinners eyes, that they might but see whether they are going, what they are doing, and they could but consider what bitterness this will be in the latter end, to grow worse and worse.

The next Ʋse shall be then, Brethren, to take an account of * 1.549 our selves, whether we grow or go backward yea or no; this is not the work of every day, Brethren, for it will hardly be dis∣cernable, if we daily should put our selves to the tryal, we should do nothing else, it would eat up that time, and those endeavours to grow, which ought to be laid out upon it, that so it may af∣terward appear; a man that should spend every day in casting up his whole Books, to see how he groweth in his estate, would h••nder himself of those endeavours to thrive that must be used, else he cannot thrive; besides, this growth is not the work of a day usually, though sometimes it may be so; but of moneths, or a year, or so; if a man should sit by his tree, or set his eye upon his child to behold his motion or growth, he would lose his la∣bour, it is better seen afterward, as in another place afterward shall be spoken; besides, if we should daily judge of our growth and try it, alas what inconstant judgements should we make of our condition; for some daies we are up, and some daies down; it may be some daies under the power of a temptation, and other daies set at liberty from them; sometimes the Merchant mak∣eth a losing bargain, sometimes a winning; sometimes his cash cometh in, and sometimes he is all in disbursments; therefore he must not, he cannot judge of his estate, whether he prosper or

thrive by this or that day, but after a while he should look to it, cast up his Books, see how it standeth. Brethren, it is impossible to perswade a Merchant, except he be Bankrupt, and knoweth it is so, and therefore hath no mind to look upon his misery, else I say, you cannot perswade a Merchant but he will take his set times for perusing his Books, casting up his accounts, and not let it run too long neither, for fear of the worst, and if any should advise him to the contrary, he would take him to be his enemy, suspect him for one that would undo him; and yet alas, how easie are we to believe Satan and the world, when they shuffle us off from this work of casting up the accounts of our souls? I think we may all of us, or the most of us, plead guilty here; have we our times, Brethren, we set apart for this work of self-searching and tryal? not an hour in a moneth, or many moneths; when we come to the Lords Supper, an hour in a quarter, or a day in a year, yea, do you ever perform this duty at all? truly, it is an ill sign when we are so backward to search; the Lord perswade you to the duty: you heard before how sad a thing it is to be at a stand, not to grow; and beside, how canst thou be thankful if thou take not notice of it? he loseth his glory, and that will neither be for our advantage nor com∣fort.

And here I hope it may not be beside the Text, to speak of growth, under that other ordinary Simile, of growing like trees or plants; in Scripture, nothing more ordinary, then that where Believers are compared to trees of righteousness, and branches in Christ the Vine; and what is included in this comparison here, as to the growth in quantity, increase in quality, and good∣ness and swiftness of it, I hope I shall meet with in the other.

First then, look whether you grow more into the root, you * 1.550 grow downward, for if a tree grow not in the root proportion∣ably, you know it will be top-heavy, and every blast is ready to over-turn it; that soul groweth to purpose, that groweth then in the root more; now what is this root but the Covenant of * 1.551 grace, as you have heard? when God would cut a people down by the root, he would dis-covenant them; now the Lord Jesus is the main of the Covenant, and therefore called the Covenant he and his Spirit are the great promises of the Covenant; Chris•• * 1.552

as he is tendered for righteousness, for holiness, for redemption, and all. Now there are three graces specially which respect the root Jesus Christ, whereby we may be said to grow in the root, and therefore let us labour to search and try our selves by them.

The first is Faith, Brethren, whereby indeed we are planted into him, and as that grows, so we are said to grow in the root; time was when our faith was but as a grain of Mustard-seed, but now hath it deeper rooting, faster hold of Christ; do we now embrace him more closely then we did? time hath been it may be, when we have understood little of the Covenant of grace, and so consequently could give but an assent to what we under∣stood of it, and an answerable consent; but dost thou now un∣derstand it more, to give a firmer assent to the truth of the thing? wherein the Lord hath promised to give his Son, and with him remis∣sion * 1.553 of sins, that he will remember them no more, and blot out their ini∣quities; thou assentest to this truth now more then thou didst be∣fore. O the bloodiness of thy guilt was that which dismayed thee, the horridness, the filthyness, the multitude, the aggravations of thy sins; now thou seest and consentest to the truth of it, that God will swallow up all, they shall be (though scarlet) as white as snow; though the time was, the sight of thy sins did as much amaze thee, as the sight of the Egyptians did the Israelites, O thou knowest not what to do; now thou canst look upon them as swallowed up in the red Sea of the blood of Jesus Christ. O a Sea of mercy, a red Sea of precious redeeming blood! what will it not swallow up? dost thou find it? O observe, Brethren, how you grow in your assent to it; and so for mortification, subduing iniquities, because thou hast been prest and pestered with thy lusts, thou hast been ready to ••ay, all men are lyars, in thy haste: O notwithstanding this Covenant of grace, I find my corruptions strong and lively: but now thou dost not up∣on this account question the Covenant, but assentest to it, and * 1.554 closest with it, consent as well as assent, and so waitest upon God for the fulfilling of it until his time; he that believeth, maketh not haste; though he make it not to grow, yet this is all thy sal∣vation, here thou hangest thy hopes, and off this thou wilt not be beaten, though heretofore thou hast found, alas, thou couldst hardly fasten upon it at all, do you find this? Bretheen, see

in what degrees: if we grow not here, we grow not at all to any purpose.

Secondly, And that which is indeed included in the former, is that of self-denyal; if any man will be my Disciple, he must deny * 1.555 himself and take up his Cross; Deny himself; all that is desirable in himself, all that he lookt upon as conducible to salvation, whether his works, or gifts, or duties, his priviledges, or what∣ever; It is true, we had a root of our own in Adam, but that worm of sin hath smitten the root, and it is withered, and it is but rottenness, and therefore there is no growth to be expected from it but what will be rotten: Now Christ alone in the Co∣venant of grace is the root, and the more we grow off our own root, the more we grow into him, as the root: Now consider this, Brethren, it may be the time hath been thou hast builded much of thy hopes and comforts upon what thou hast had in thy self. O if thou couldst but do this, and that thou couldst be quiet and take comfort in thy condition: now, though thou do more or do less, whatever thou art enabled to do through him, dost thou find that thou canst bless him for it, and yet go out of all, and be as though we had never done any thing, counting all but as menstruous cloaths, and yet not the less, but the more en∣couraged, that our own righteousness is not the bottom, be∣cause then it could not be sure, but we have such a root as never withers, even Jesus Christ. Alas, how far short are we in this? though we have seen it many times, when we would be standing upon our own bottom, that we cannot stand upon a thing that stands not under us, but sinketh, only upon the Rock Jesus Christ, yet we have not learned this many of us I doubt: this hinders our growth much; as if a vessel be indeed afloat, yet so shallow, keepeth so near the side of the shore, as that it ever and anon strikes upon the ground, it can make no considerable progress, and is in danger of smiting beside: so it is in this case; well, consider then, this hath been our case, we could not launch out into the deep, perfectly trust to that grace revealed in Christ, we must have one foot upon the ground, we must feel something of our own under us, or else we could not be quiet; is it thus with thee now? that thou ar•• more come off this, thou canst now though thou see nothing in thy self, yea when there is most ap∣pearing in thee, yet wave all, come clearly off it, and alone cast

thy self upon the waters, commit thy self to the deep, where no bottom is to be felt; this is growing in the root in∣deed.

Thirdly, In humility; this is another which indeed doth fol∣low upon the other, and must needs do so, for nothing emptyeth more then faith, nothing layeth the soul lower, and indeed this is the prospering grace of the soul; that soul that is lifted up, as the Prophet saith, is not right within him: Learn of me, saith our * 1.556 Saviour, for I am meek and lowly: O when the soul is thus low, then it is hungry, and thirsty, and poor in Spirit; and then it sucks from the Lord Jesus, then a taste of his love is sweet to the soul, then the Spirit being ready to yield to God in every thing, to do all his will, God is ready to yield to the soul in every thing that he requireth agreeable to his will; how do we grow in hu∣mility, Brethren? examine this, it is the first, and second, and third, and every step of Jacobs Ladder; dost thou find, that whereas thou wast wont to over-look and undervalue in compa∣rison of thy self; now rather thou thinkest in good earnest, that every one fearing God is better then thy self, because of the vile∣ness of thine own heart, thou seest; before thou couldst not bear a reproof, but if thou didst not turn and all to rent him that re∣proved thee, though with never so much mildness, yet thou wouldst snarl, and quarrel, and be ready to cast as much as that came to, into his own teeth that reproved thee; now if thou be re∣proved, thou hast nothing to say, but fearest thy heart, it may be too true of thee, now it is welcome, thou lovest them that reprove thee so much the more; Brethren, it may be heretofore you would be apt to complain of your selves, and of your own vile∣ness, and make sad mone, and yet if another speak but an ill word of you, yea, if they speak no more of you then you de∣serve, you could not bear it; now if they speak ill of you, art thou ready to lay thy hand upon thy mouth, sure the Lord hath bid them speak evil, and there is cause enough for it, and they * 1.557 cannot say worse of me then I am. O here is a growth in humili∣ty; before thou wert ready to envy every one that had more gifts, or more grace, more of the hearts of Gods people then thy self; now thou art ready to say with Moses, enviest thou for my sake? thou canst sweetly submit to his disposal of thee: the * 1.558 least thou hast is more then thou deservest. O this is that which

obtains much of the Lord, when thy heart is in such a frame, it is fit to receive; so Jacob, he was less then the least of his mer∣cies, it was an argument wherewith he pleaded with the Lord; thou art content to be any thing, though in never so mean a degree of service to him, so be he will be but thy Father and own thee; if thou mayst not be with him in the transfiguration upon the mount, if thou mayst be but a Disciple, if thou mayst not get within the cloud with Moses, nor be a Benjamin; yet if * 1.559 thou mayst be a Son and a Subject, though no Favourite, this is that thou art contented with. O here is a growth! Brethren, search and try, are we come to this pitch, or how far are we gone herein? is it better with us then it hath been in this re∣spect?

But then secondly, we must try whether we grow upward yea or no, as well as downward; and this I shall consider according to the chief faculties of the soul, the mind and the will, and speak somewhat to each of them.

And first for the mind, the understanding. 1. Do you find, Brethren, that you grow and increase in the knowledge of his will, that the darkness that is upon your hearts naturally, doth vanish by any degrees? do you find the vail doth wear thinner that was upon your hearts, that you begin to behold the Lord Jesus with a more open face then before? time was when you were babes in understanding; are you new men and women, or are you past the state of babes? Alas, I doubt if the treasuries of our hearts were laid open, we should find them very empty of this heavenly knowledge, how few can bring out of their trea∣suries both new and old? This will appear in these two things * 1.560 specially.

First, if you be apt to be tossed up and down with every wind of Doctrine, and are not-stablished in the present truth, but your minds are floating, and hovering, and ready to settle upon any thing that is presented to you, though contrary to what you have received, it is a sign that you are but children in understanding; how easie is it to deceive children, to put upon them Counters instead of Gold, to make them part with the one for the other? and how easie is it to lead captive silly-women, as the Apostle * 1.561 calls them that are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; a weak eye that cannot discern between * 1.562

things that differ, hath not his senses exercised to discern: it is very easie to put one thing upon them for another; truly Bre∣thren, these times have the name for times of great light, and greater knowledge then there was before, and I do believe that knowledge shall encrease by going too and fro; but yet for all that, mens eyes are very weak, they cannot discern between light and darkness, but put darkness for light; for what is the ground of all errour, is it not the ignorance of the Scripture and the power of God? and was there ever any times more fruitful in errour then these are? Alas Brethren, what strangers are many of us to the very principles of Religion, if examined, in them that pretend to such high discoveries and revelations of Christ in our times, such have need of milk, and not of strong meat; the wisdom of God in a mysterie is a riddle to them; the * 1.563 Apostle spake it to them that were perfect, that is to say, grown men and women, in opposition to babes: Well then, look to it, if you find your selves easie to be shaken, to turn with every wind of Doctrine like a weather-cock, it argues you are but children, but babes; you may perswade a child to any thing, to be of twenty minds in an hour, because alas, he hath no sound well-grounded knowledge of any thing, you may perswade him to part with his meat, his drink, for a toy, or by some pretended loathsomness in it that is not, and so it is with poor, weak, igno∣rant souls; how do we see many cheated out of Ordinances, out of duties, out of close walkings with God, as things of no mo∣ment, by the cunning craftiness of them who lie in wait to de∣ceive. It is a sad thing to see persons that should be of great∣er knowledge then ordinary, that in things so much controvert∣ed, as they are now a daies, can in a few daies time be so tost with a wind of Doctrine, as to take up a strange, a contrary practise; this easiness to forgo our principles, argues we are childish and weak.

Secondly, Are we grown in understanding? you will find it by this; thou wilt not be so ready, so easie to take offence as here∣tofore thou hast been: alas, before men are acquainted with the waies of God at all, you see they are offended at every thing they see; the Jews were offended with the meanness of Jesus Christ, his descent, that he was the Carpenters Son, he was not like to be the Messias; alas, it was the weakness of their under∣standing,

they did not consider those Scriptures, where it is said there should be no beauty in him that we should desire him; and that * 1.564 he should come meek and lowly, riding upon an Ass: and so they were offended at his Doctrine, when he told them, they must eat his flesh, and drink his blood, they could not conceive of it; and many of his Disciples went backward and walked with * 1.565 him no more. And so sinners, O they stumble at every thing in the people of God, when they consider them, and pry into them, and find they miss it, and fall in their duties, they are prejudiced strongly against the waies of God upon this score; alas it is igno∣rance, they know not that they have a corrupt principle within, whereby they are laid open to sin, when lust and temptation meeteth, except the Lord do wonderfully keep them; they expect they should be as the Angels in heaven, altogether spotless and pure, even while they are upon the earth, and therefore they are offended. And so a weak child of God, that is newly come on to grace; alas, every little thing in the way they stumble at, for this offending is nothing else but stumbling upon a thing, so as to hurt themselves by it, either by being drawn to sin thereby, being encouraged to sin thereby, or else by being grieved at it without cause; you know a child cannot get over that which a man maketh nothing of, but he stumbleth and falleth: so the Apostle, where he discusseth of the use of indifferent things, saith he, All * 1.566 men have not this knowledge, that an Idol is nothing, and therefore if some weak ones, see a Brother that is strong eat of that which was offered to an Idol, which he knoweth to be lawful for him to do, he is offended at it: this argues weakness: now have we found it so, that we have been apt to take offence at any thing, at every thing in others almost? and now we can bear; it argues we see more clearly the grounds of such actions; but thus much for this.

Secondly, Another part of this growth upward, I place in the will, which is indeed the main, the commanding faculty of the soul, and indeed wherein the main of faith doth lie, and of other graces, as of tender-heartedness, and the like: dost thou find then that heretofore thy will was more unsettled and wavering, being as I may say, halting between two, thou wast not able to come up so fully, to such a resolution for God and for Christ, as to trample all under-foot for them; thou wouldst have them, but

either hadst some reservation, in such a case thou wouldst be sa∣ved; now thy resolution breaks through all whatsoever, this is growth indeed.

A man of a weak resolution for Christ, alas if a temptation come, to deny him the allurements of the world, he forsakes him with Demas, and imbraceth the present world, or the frowns of the world, he draweth ba••k to perdition; or else is foiled with * 1.567 Peter, or at least much abated in his zeal, groweth to a more in∣differency * 1.568 of Spirit, would joyn Christ and Moses together with the temporizing Jews, to keep themselves from being persecuted; and as Peter himself afterward, alas his resolution was not yet so strong as afterward for fear of the Jews, he did forbear to walk with the Gentiles as before he had done, and so was an offence to them. Ah dear friends, it may be some of us can tell the time when for fear of men we have sadly miscarried, is it better with us now? have we now more courage? have we for fear of shame come to Christ with Nicodemus by night? and now are we not * 1.569 ashamed of Christ nor of his Gospel? As the Apostle, he was not ashamed of it, though it were persecuted, and though his meanness of speech were despised, his preaching in a suitable man∣ner to the subject, which is a great part of a Preachers duty, he was not ashamed: Well then, now consider, doth the Lord give thee such boldness, such courage, such resolution of heart, as to hold fast the Word of his patience, the suffering-truth? it may be we may be tryed in this point; if we be not grown we shall mis∣carry as heretofore we have done. Alas Brethren, a little touch with a finger, a little blast will blow a c〈…〉〈…〉d over and over, but if we be grown, we shall find greater resolutions against sin, to avoid the occasions of it; do you find, Brethren, O the yielding frame of your hearts to sin, to weakness, every day it is weaker then heretofore, and done away, that now you can peremptorily deny a lust, deny a temptation? O you may not do this and sin against God! then we are grown in the will indeed: and the more strong we grow in these resolutions, the more we grow in this respect; but if we cannot cease to sin, Brethren, we are where we were; it may be we may be sometimes affected a little with our sins upon a flash or pang, but have no power nor * 1.570 strength to resist our wills, our wills are as weak as water to any thing that is good, and against sin; we grow not, Brethren.

Again, as thus downward and upward, so see how we grow in fruitfulness; we have spoken at large to that subject, that we must bring forth fruits, or else we cannot escape the Axe; now I speak of the measure of the growth therein; a young tree of the first year, cannot be expected to bear so much, as when better grown; no more a young Christian: here I would only mind you of two things.

First, that we bring forth more fruit, that is, that we do more for God then we have done, and for his people, and for our own souls; it may be thou hast heretofore, but now and then prayed to God, dost thou now do it more often? it may be three times a day with Daniel and David: It may be heretofore thou gavest but little to the relief of the poor Saints and others in distress; dost thou now give more and more, proportionable to thy estate, as the Lord hath blessed thee? for that is the proportion which * 1.571 the Apostle maketh; and so where heretofore thou didst speak but now and then a savory word, now dost thou grow in that? is thy communication much more seasoned and savoury? is it all savoury, tending to minister grace to the hearers? heretofore thou hadst it may be scarce a thought of God in a day; now he is the object of the workings of thy soul, the thoughts of him are pleasant to thee, this is an high condition, it argues thou hast grown, thou art in a growing condtition; but this is not all, Brethren.

Secondly, Is that more fruit you bring forth, better then it was before? is it more mellow then formerly? or if thou bring forth no more in number, is it more in weight? for God takes not our services by number but by weight; and it is a sot∣tishness of the poor blind Papists, to think that God is pleased with their much speaking, with pattering over so many Avy Maries and Pater Nosters, or principles of the Doctrine of Christ. I wish our practises be not too like theirs; It may be heretofore thou couldest not enlarge thy self in prayer, and now thou canst; and thou thinkest thou art much grown, it may be in bulk, but not in goodness; are thy prayers now more, the breathings of the Spirit of Christ within thee, and less of thine own Spirit? O how much strange fire mingled with our sacri∣fices, and strange incense, strange zeal, even our own passions, instead of a zeal for God! Now Brethren, is our zeal and fire

more pure, coming down from heaven, even from the Spirit of Jesus Christ, warming our hearts? Look to this, do we find that we grow more spiritual in duties, in prayer, do we act our faith more strongly, wrestle with God in spirit more then in words? children are apt to be taken with bables and pictures, and flowers in the corn, and we w••th sweet and quaint expressions; but now have we learned to worship him more in spirit and in truth; to know that the great work of our duties lie in the frame of our hearts toward God, in prayer, in preaching, in hearing of the Word? It is childishness, Brethren, for one never to be well, or to place so much in it to be alway upon the lap and dandled; do we find that now we would rather be made serviceable to him, and do it with more pure hearts, more pure ends, not for our selves, but for his glory, we ask not gifts, parts, * 1.572 grace, to spend it upon our lusts as heretofore; not ••or our own peace, that we might take our ends, but that we might be fitter instruments in his hands for his glory, not for our own praise and honour among men. O look to this, I tell you there is nothing sticks closer to us then this; now doth this sowrness, crabbidness of our fruits wear away by degrees; is it better with us in these respects then before? this is a sign of growth indeed.

I will add but one more, and that shall be this; Dost thou ••ind that thou growest by the opposition thou meetest with in the work of grace, either from without or from within, or any way whatsoever?

First, I say, from opposition without, grace will grow and gather strength, and this either from men or from the Lood; from men, when they oppose the way of God wherein we walk, we must look to it that we grow so much the stronger, for that is the na∣ture of grace, Brethren; as when Paul preached the faith which once he had destroyed, and the people were amazed, saith the * 1.573 Text, and they spake of him as a changling, is not this he that wast∣ed them that called upon his name in Jerusalem? but Saul waxed so much the stronger, and confounded the Jews that dwelled at Damaseus, proving that this was the Christ. As the fire, they say, is hotter by antiperistasis, in coldest weather; the Palm-trees they grow like as you heard in the proof, that raiseth it self up under a weight of opposition. Well, look to this Brethren, I do not * 1.574 mean an Ish〈…〉〈…〉elitish spirit, that is against every one, and every

mans hand against it; and that a man should out of a cross, crooked disposition, do any thing, or vex and gall persons that op∣pose them; but grace will then be stirred up as the fire by the wind, that bloweth it this way and that way, it is in vain to blow it out, to offer it, for it increaseth the flame; there is no resisting that Spirit, whereby the Saints a〈…〉〈…〉ted; look to it, is it thus with us, or do we find that opposition from men doth cool us, dis∣courage us, dishearten us, so that we dare not own the Lord Je∣sus and his truth and way? Truly, it is to be feared it is not right with us.

Secondly, From the Lord, there is some opposition sometimes, he wrestleth with us; Jacobs wrestling with God implyeth some * 1.575 opposition of God, as I may say, he wrestled with him, let me go, saith he, this stirreth him up so much the more earnestly to lay hold upon him, when the Lord would take his leave of him; and you see the poor man in the Gospel, when he was rebuked for crying after Jesus Christ, he cryed so much the more earnestly; and * 1.576 so our Saviour when he was in that great agony, or striving un∣der the displeasure of his Father, saith the Text, he prayed so much the more earnestly. So the Lord doth sometimes hang back * 1.577 or hide his face, that he might draw out more and more his peo∣ples hearts toward him, as a Fisher draweth away his bait to make the fish follow it the more eagerly. Well, consider this now, do we thus grow, even by opposition? if the Lord say to us we are dogs, not fit for childrens bread, can we conclude the worst against our selves, and yet gather upon him for the crums at the least?

But then there is opposition from our selves, from within, and that is from the rebelling of our lusts, they rise and swell, and many times over-bear us, we are foiled; do we grow by this? this may seem somewhat strange, that the acting of sin should tend to the encreasing of grace, for that we must know, that it is not proper; for every act of sin properly doth strengthen the habits of sin, and the stronger sin is in the soul, the weaker grace is like to be; as the more the water cools, the less heat there is re∣maining in it; but it is by accident, as water cast upon a coal∣fire, at present it seemeth to put it out, but afterward it burns so much the hotter and fiercer. So grace takes occasion hereby to stir up it self so much the more, to set it self so much the more

in opposition to it; it maketh a child of God so much the more humble, so much the more watchful and full of prayer, if it be right with them, and neither sin nor Satan gets by this at all. So if Peter be tost in that sieve of vanity, that temptation, and fall; O how it humbles him; and how afterward it fetcheth him off his own bottom! how valiant he grew for Jesus Christ? And Hezekiah his pride in the business of the King of Babylon, how it tended to humble him so much the more; do we find it thus? doth sin increase our grace, increase even by our falls? do we get ground of them yea or no? if not, it is not well with us. And thus much shall serve for the tryal.

The next Ʋse then will be for Exhortation to us all. If we find that we have none of this, we grow not at all, we are a com∣pany of poor formal professors, we are at a stand for proficiency, we know not what it means; I should advise all such, Brethren, to look to their standing, their being in Christ; it may be you have been deceived all this while, and except you be in him, ex∣cept the Sun of righteousness be risen upon you, it is in vain to put you on to grow, as to the event, though not as to the discharge of our duty. A rotten root will not carry the branches on to any increase, they may be at a stand a while, but they will wither and rot, and perish as well as the root; look to your foundation, Bre∣thren, me thinks I should not need to press this upon you, you know for the notion as well as it can be told you, that except you be in him, you can bring forth no fruit, much less can you increase in fruitfulness. If you do not shut your eyes, Brethren, & wink with them, as they in the Gospel did, they stopped their eyes lest they should * 1.578 see with them; the Sun of righteousness is ready to arise upon you, are you willing to have it so? would you have him to arise upon you? would you be made one with him? would you be found in him as the root, the head from whence righteousness and holiness proceedeth? deceive not your selves, Brethren, Christ offers himself to you all, every one that will may come and take him for his head, for his root, and so grow up in him; if thou wert willing, then what is the reason thou art not in him? well, surely then thou art not willing, (whatever thou pre∣tendest) he would gather thee under his wings, as a Hen the Chickens, where they grow apace from the heat they are

cherished with; but ye would not, ye would not; look to this in the first place.

Secondly, you that are alive through grace, and have this union with Christ, and yet it may be find you grow little, or hap∣ly can scarce see that you have grown; now will you be exhort∣ed in the name of Jesus Christ, in the Apostles words, Grow in * 1.579 grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; Labour to im∣prove, to come on, to be fat and flourishing, content not your selves to be babes in Christ, no nor young men, but grow up to be Fathers. The prosecution of this Use, the general Exhortation, I shall first lay you down some particulars, wherein among others specially we are to labour to grow, because haply if we rest in generals, each hearer hath not his skill to bring it to particulars. Secondly, the motives to enforce it. And thirdly, some general helps to growth, and then come to some other Exhortati∣ons.

First then for the first, wherein specially we are to look to our growth; and first in knowledge: we must ••ook to it that we grow in the first place; as the Apostle hath it in that forecited place, Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ: * 1.580 Knowledge is not here put by way of contradistinct. from grace, as if it were no grace, but as being that special grace which doth so much promote and further the growth of all grace: beside, the Papists tell us, ignorance is the mother of devotion, and that faith is better defined by ignorance then by knowledge, but the Holy-Ghost cals faith knowledge, by his knowldege shall my righteous ser∣vant justifie many, that is faith sure; and this is life eternal, to know thee the only true God; now do but observe it; they boast them∣selves * 1.581 so much of Peter, and how little they own him in this point; for saith he, grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord▪ Jesus Christ, the knowledge of a crucified Christ: Now saith the Papists, this is the way to errour and schism, and ignorance is the mother of devotion; just as the Jews made their boast of Mo∣ses, and our Saviour confuteth them by Moses whom they so much boasted of, there is one who accuseth you, even Moses, in * 1.582 whom you trust, for if ye had believed Moses, ye had believed me, for he wrote of me. So there will be one that will accuse them in this point of knowledge, even Peter, in whom they trust. So the Apostle, that ye may grow up in him, speaking the truth in love; the * 1.583

speaking the truth in love, is the way to grow up in Christ; and so the receiving the truth, and the receiving of it in love; a well-qualified knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified; and therefore the Apostle desired to know nothing among them but this, if they knew Christ and him crucified, this knowledge would * 1.584 produce whatever else is requisite for them, not by its own power, but the Spirit of grace carrying it on. And so the Apostle to the Colossians, increasing in knowledge, or the acknowledgment of God, and strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, to all * 1.585 patience and long-suffering with joy. So the wise man himself tells us, a wise man is strong, yea a man of understanding increaseth * 1.586 strength: Why, but you will say, may there not be much know∣ledge and yet little grace, and therefore is this too necessary to grow in knowledge? I answer, It is true, there may be much knowledge where there is little grace, as in many an hypocrite; * 1.587 and many know much, but they know nothing as they ought to know it; but yet however there cannot be grace without know∣ledge, a compe〈…〉〈…〉t considerable knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified; Fuel may be where there is no fire, but the fire will not burn nor continue if there be no fuel; knowledge, is as I may say, the very oyl, the very fuel wherein the flame of the Spirit liveth in the soul, do but observe it, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, grace and truth, therefore grace aboundeth * 1.588 now in the time of the Gospel; he came that they might live, and live more abundantly, because he came to reveal the truth in a more clear, full manner then before; when the vail is taken away, saith the Apostle, that was upon the face, then beholding Christ * 1.589 with open face, we are changed into his image from glory to glory: and truly there is all the reason that can be for it, for whereby grace is begotten, by the same means it must needs be preserved and increased: Now it is by the knowledge of the truth that we are begotten to God, therefore the Spirit is promised to be sent forth to convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and * 1.590 of judgement. And so saith the Apostle James, he hath begotten us again of his own will by his word of truth, and therefore by this means grace is kept alive, by our keeping this knowledge; and increased by the increasing of this knowledge; Sanctifie them * 1.591 with thy truth, thy word is truth, saith our Saviour, concerning his Disciples; ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you

free; he speaks here of a further progress, for they were his Dis∣ciples already, only he promiseth them further freedom and li∣berty from sin, and this through the knowledge of the truth; how do men that are not right escape the pollutions of the world, but through the knowledge of the truth? as it is in that place, the * 1.592 knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: and how come they to wallow in their vomit again, to return to wallow in the mire, but by imprisoning and smothering the truth? the prin∣ciples they have received put out the light, and then they may do what they please: the truth is, Brethren, all grace is conveyed through the understanding of men and women, because the Lord works upon us as reasonable creatures, and therefore proposeth things to the understanding, that it may Judge of them, assent to the truth of them, and judge the goodness of them, and then pro∣pound them to the will to receive them, to close with them, they * 1.593 that know thy name will trust in thee; the great reason wherefore poor sinners are strangers from the life of God is because of their ignorance, as the Apostle saith, therefore the heathen call not upon * 1.594 God, because they know him not; and therefore so many of us call * 1.595 not upon him as we ought, because we know him not; either we neglect it, or else do it in a slight slubbering manne〈…〉〈…〉t is because we know not God, what a God he is, searching the hearts, great and glorious, and jealous: what is the reason that poor creatures trust not more perfectly to the grace that is revealed, but because the eyes of their understandings are no more opened to behold the unsearchable riches of the grace which is in Jesus Christ, which is able to swallow up all their mountainous sins, wash out their spots, though never so deep; pay their debts, though never * 1.596 so deeply charged: if poor sinners did but know this, they would trust more perfectly; what is the reason we are so familiar with sin, and make no more of it? it is because we know little or no∣thing of it in comparison: Ah poor creatures, those that cruci∣fied * 1.597 Christ knew not what they did, else they would not have done it; and poor sinners now that stand it out in this their day, and slight the offers of grace, alas you know not what you do, else you would not do it; therefore if you would grow in any grace, all graces, in faith, in love, in any thing else, you must labour to grow in knowledge. O Brethren, if we had but a clear under∣standing of the dimensions of the love of God, the freeness

and fulness of it, that he should set his love upon such vile, fil∣thy, polluted wretches, such as had no comliness, but loathsom∣ness upon us, and to bring us so near to himself, to be one with him, to be one Spirit, and live and reign for ever with him as Children, as a Spouse: if the soul did but know this, O how would it love 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lord Jesus again! would men be proud, if they knew this as they ought to know it? O no: therefore look that you grow in this: there were never more wayes and means to come to the knowledge of Christ, and him cr••cified, then now, if we be not wanting to our selves shamefully: we cannot conclude ignorance of these things: this is the way to grow. A man of understanding increaseth knowledge: learn * 1.598 of any body.

Secondly, Labour to grow in faith; the Disciples were sensible of this defect, therefore they prayed, that he would increase their faith; Faith hath a wonderful influence upon the soul in respect of all the Graces of the Spirit; Be it unto thee even as thou wilt: * 1.599 Mat. 15. 28. sa••••h our Saviour to the Woman of Canaan; if we were but strong in Faith, if women would have their Wils, this is the way; and if men would have their Wils, this is the way, to labour to be strong in Faith; Faith is that whereby the union and communion with Christ is maintained; it is that whereby the soul cleaveth to him, and therefore according to the strength or weakness of that Will, the growth in other re∣spects be also; a strong Faith draweth strongly from him: all the nourishment is from him, and the suppl••es of the Spirit whereby it is digested, is from him; Now a strong Faith draweth these from the Lord Jesus more abundantly to the soul then a weak Faith: this is that whereby we suck the milk out of the breasts of consolation, the Promises; we feed upon Christ, Eat his flesh, which is meat indeed, and drink his blood, which is drink indeed, no nourishment like to it; we do by Faith partake * 1.600 of the fatness of the Olive, and therefore accordingly grow in other Graces; One saith of it, that it is Faith that virtually is all Graces, because Faith fetcheth in the supplies of Christ to enable to all whatsoever; therefore it is that we are patient in tribulation, because we believe; and impatiency, it proceedeth from the want of Faith; he that believeth, maketh not haste; hence it is that we turn aside from following the Lord, that

there is so much unevenness in our walking; we cannot walk uprightly with God, because of the weakness of Faith; if a man did believe God to be al-sufficient, to have all fulness of good in him, and a full defence from evil, to be a Son and a shield, would men for a little credit, a little honour to avoid a little trouble in the flesh, turn aside from followin〈…〉〈…〉he Lord? surely they would not. How often doth our Saviour rebuke his Disciples for the littleness of their Faith? they had Faith, but it was very little; How long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? saith he in one place, where they could not cast out the Devil: And will not God take care of you much more then of Sparrows? O ye of little Faith! had they so much of his pre∣sence with them, teaching them, and yet were but of little faith? * 1.601 Our Saviour was displeased with it, he knew they could never do much to honour him while their Faith was weak: as now in the Gospel, and more difficult cases, as Num. 11. &c.

But may he not much rather take us up for this: the Spirit was not poured out as now he is, and we have more then the bodily presence, even the Spirit of Christ, and great encourage∣ment to beg that Spirit, whereby we should exceedingly grow in this Grace; may he not say to us, O ye of little Faith, why do ye doubt? why do you walk so pensively, and hang the head, to the dishonour of my Grace? may he not say, O ye of little Faith, why do you perplex your selves, and rack your selves with cares of the World, what ye shall eat and drink, and how ye shall be prvoided for? doth not your heavenly Father take care of you? O ye of little Faith, why do ye in every per∣plexity and trouble, as men at a loss, run to this creature, and that creature, and not to the Lord wherein your help doth lie? O ye of little Faith, why do you, when means fail, then cast away your hope, as if there were no help in God? as if be∣cause the streams were dried up, therefore the fountain must needs be dry also; therefore Brethren, labour to grow in this Grace: if ever you would do any eminent service for Christ, or honour him, set the crown on him in any condition, labour to be strong in Faith.

Thirdly, In that Grace of Love, labour to grow therein. First to the Lord himself, to Jesus Christ: It may be thou dost love him, and according to the measure of Faith and Knowledge

of him, the soul will love him usually, but we must labour to love him much more; love, we take it kindly if it be from the meanest person, and so doth the Lord Jesus. O love the Lord ye * 1.602 his Saints, you cannot love him too much; do you alway err in his love: the more you love him, the more you may, for * 1.603 there is no end of his perfections, his love, his mercy, his bowels towards you, there is no searching of them, you may go yet deeper and deeper, and find a ground for the increase of your love still; you love Relations, Husband, Wife, Children, and more for relation, then for any excellency in them: many times fond we are: O that we could be so fond of Jesus Christ! how sick of love was Rachel, yea sick to the death for children? and so is many a fond mother; O we cannot live without * 1.604 them: Ah how few are thus sick of love to Jesus Christ! well, lobour to love him, and to this end.

First, Labour to present the Lord and Jesus Christas most lovely to thee; while thou entertainest hard thoughts of Jesus Christ, thou canst not love him; if thou thinkest thus with thy self, I would fain have him, but he is not willing to have me; if thou look upon him as rigorous and cruel, and one that delights in your blood, it is impossible that you should love him: O no, labour to present him to your selves, as one whose bowels are continually yearning over poor souls, poor sinners, one full of compassions, full of mercy and tenderness: he desires not the * 1.605 death of a sinner; the Lord Jesus Brethren, is altogether lovely; it is true for his holiness, his purity, as well as his grace and mercy: but this is that which most moveth to love, at least while we are under weakness, it is an high pitch to love him for the beauty of Holiness that is in him. Think often then seriously upon it, what dear thoughts the Lord Jesus had to poor sinners; that rather then they should perish, he would interpose between them and the everlasting burnings, though be were sorely scorched for it; O will not this draw love! look upon him with his precious blood trickling down, and one drop overtaking another; O what haste did love make! O how lavish was his love! he would not spare any pains, any travel of soul, that sinners might live; and can you but love him then? O what an heart must that creature have, that can look upon the Lord Jesus wrestling with strongest wrath of his

Father, so that he needed the Ministry of Angels at that time, and yet not love him? try, see whether such considerations as these will not heighten your love to him? we complain of want of love; Brethren, we cannot love a thing we know not, or that we consider not: see then if you do not find still some new beauty in him, for which you should love him yet the more.

Secondly, Let it be much upon your hearts, how much he hath forgiven thee. Alas saith the poor soul, if I knew that, that my sins were forgiven, I should love him indeed abundant∣ly: It may be thou hast not a full perswasion of it; but hast thou not a good hope through Grace? and such a lively hope, as setteth a working out the scum, the pollution of thy heart more and more? Is not this cause of great love to him? why, he hath not left thee to sink in despair, and perish: O how * 1.606 much did that sinner love him! because he had forgiven her much, therefore she loved much. Dear friends, could this be, think you, without her heart dwelt upon this consideration? it was fresh upon her spirit: O the more she considered it, the more appa∣rent were the riches of Grace towards her: O so many Devils cast out of me! would the Lord Jesus have such precious thoughts toward such a wretch as I? what, an Harlot, a filthy, unclean wretch, and would he think upon me? and pitch his love upon me? and pass by many others that had it may be but one devil, and make love to me that had seven? O she could not hold; her bowels within her were ready to break; she must love him, she must hang upon him, even upon his feet; she must wash him with her tears, and wipe them with the hairs of her head; though before as harlots use to do, she had been much in tricking and trimming her head, yet now they shall be dishrifled, and now they shall be a Towel to wipe the feet of Jesus Christ: O here is love! kiss his feet, if she may not kiss his lips, and blessed soul that had such an heart given her! Now Brethren, consider this, have not some of us had seven devils, have there not been seven abominations in our hearts? O it may be, we have been * 1.607 fornicators, adulterers, filthy unclean wretches, as vile wretches as ever breathed; now consider this often, is it so indeed? hath the Lord looked upon such as we have been, pitched his love upon the vilest of us, and to make us so nigh to himself, and shall

we not love him? O where are such workings of love towards the Lord Jesus, as that poor woman manifested! our hearts are dead and dry: So the Apostle Paul, His love of Christ con∣strained him; O he was the chief of Sinners, and the Lord did * 1.608 so eminently save him, and call him out of darkness, when he was in the very height of his wickedness, that then mercy should ••eet with him! that then a pardon should descend from hea∣ven, when he was fighting and rebelling against heaven! and he should be conquered by the love of Christ, whose heart was full of blood against him! O this lying upon his spirit, did in∣dear his soul to Jesus Christ. Ah dear Friends, I beseech you consider this; some of us sure, that hear this, this day, our hearts do tell us, we have been the chief of sinners, never viler then we: and hath the Lord met with us? not as an enemy, but poured out upon us such a stream of love, as we could no longer withstand it? and yet do we not love him accordingly? O la∣bour to grow in love to Jesus Christ!

Thirdly, Mind the particular experiences thou hast had of his love and tenderness to thee. So the Psalmist, I love the Lord, * 1.609 because he hath heard my voice; when he was in distress, then he cryed to the Lord, and he heard him, therefore he would love him; how many deliverances hath the Lord wrought particularly for us? specially he hath kept us from sinning such a time, and such a time, so that thou didst not go on to the wounding of thy conscience, the dishonour of his name, and wilt thou not therefore love him? O dear friends, how often hath he shaken the rod over thee, and yet hath spared, and canst thou not love him? yea, though a child thinks the rod cannot stand with love, yet when he cometh to lay away childish thoughts, and to understand as a man, he loveth his father so much the more, that he hath chastened him, and not suffered him to take the way of his own heart; so should it be in this case. But consider, how many sweet experiences hast thou had of his love? which it may be many a poor creature would have given a world for one of them; many a kiss of his lips: thou scarce ever appearest before him, but thou hast a smile from him, some refreshing, some melting; doth not this indear thy heart? consider these things; there is many a poor child of God, that scarce ever findeth such sensible refreshings,

and yet hang upon him, and loveth him; and O it is pure love indeed, when we hang upon him, though he frown upon us, though he seem to shake us off, not to heed us nor regard us; yet our souls it may be are sick of love for him, we must follow him still. But thou that hast such fore-draughts of his love some∣times, yea many times, O the remembrance of these me thinks should much increase love to him. Now this is of very great moment, for it will make us more abundant in the work of the Lord, and with much more ease it will come off: Paul laboured * 1.610 more abundantly then they all, and it was nothing to him, O he loved much; and so it will be with us if we could get our hearts to it. What was it think you, that carried our Saviour so chearfully through all his travels, and griefs, and slightings of men? O it was his love, nothing is hard to love, therefore labour to be like-minded, to grow in love to the Lord Jesus.

But secondly, To grow in love one towards another, this is mat∣ter of rejoycing to the saithful over-seers of the Church of * 1.611 Christ, we are bound to thank God alway for you Brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity, or love of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth. So again, as touching brotherly love, you have no need that I write unto you, for ye are taught of God to love one another, and ye do the same thing to all the Brethren which are in all Ma••edonia, but we be∣seech you Brethren to abound more and more; you have it in that place of the Apostle to the Corinthians, that to be full of contenti∣on * 1.612 and dividing zeal, is a sign, not of growth, but childishness. I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, and I am of Cephas, and I am of Christ; are you not carnal? that is to say, I could not write to you as spiritual, as grown men, but as carnal, as unto babes in Christ, such in whom the flesh did much prevail; surely Brethren, the way of love is the edifying-way, and therefore the body is said to edifie it self in love; knowledge puffeth up, and from that * 1.613 pride cometh contention, as the wise man speaks; but love edi∣fies. O how would the Church grow, and the Saints grow, if all the heat, and zeal, and pains which is laid out in maintaining breaches, factions, separations one from another, did all run in one stream to build up one another in our most holy faith, to make that our business? It is sweet when the members have that care one of another, that out of a pure spirit of love to consider * 1.614

one another, to provoke to love and to good works: Now if there be rents and schisms in the body, there will not be that ••are one of another, and therefore no marvel if the Apostle note such, nigro carbone, mark them that caused divisions contrary to the Do∣ctrine * 1.615 that you have received, and avoid them, set a cross upon their doors, have no fellowship with them. You know in the body, if there be a breach, a dismembering of the body, or some members out of joint, or fearful wounds, there is a grief of the spirit, and the growth is hindered: So it is in this case, when the Churches walked together with singleness of heart, then were they mul∣tiplyed, * 1.616 then they prospered and increased indeed; the Holy-Ghost is grieved with bitterness, and wrath, and anger: when the Sea was divided for Israel to pass through, it was weakened, but when the waters were united again, they are said to return to their strength; so when the waters run in one Channel, which is love, O how strong is the Church of Christ! it groweth mightily then, then the Egyptians, the enemies of Israel are drowned in it; but so many fractions, so many streams, it being divided into each of them, is easily passable by the enemies: the Lord give a Spirit of love. O if there were but more love in Ministers to people, how would they do more then they do? or at least, in another manner then they do. And so in people, if they would be more earnest for their Ministers then they are; therefore if we would grow indeed, labour to grow in love to all the Saints, wherever indeed the image of Christ is, and to love them with a pure heart, unfeignedly, as the Apostle saith.

Fourthly, To grow in humility, to grow downward, to be willing to decrease, so the Lord Jesus may increase. Ah Brethren, if we * 1.617 were put to it, it may be we should find it very hard to be laid aside (as I may say) as David was to the building of the Temple, because he was such a man of blood; or as Moses was for his unbelief at the waters of strife. O the daily working this upon our hearts, what we were, and what we are, through grace in Jesus Christ; what infinite riches of grace is manifested to the vilest of sinners; this will make us lie low before him; but enough of this before.

Fifthly, In mercy, in bowels and compassions to persons in neces∣sity and distress; O be ye merciful as your heavenly Father is merci∣ful, take him for o•••• pattern, and there will be continual room for * 1.618

growth and increase. So the Apostle exhorts the Corinthians, that as they abounded in other graces, so they would labour to abound * 1.619 in this also. Ah where are bowels, Brethren, towards one ano∣thers souls? with what tenderness did the Apostle stand over the souls of those poor people, warning them day and night with tears? And our Saviour over Jerusalem; now I tell you again weeping, saith the Apostle. O that God would give such a heart to us, and such a heart to his people! indeed there is little ten∣derness and bowels one towards another, little pittying one ano∣ther while under temptation; we can rather raise our hearts one against another, stomack one another, entertain prejudice one * 1.620 against another upon this account; but a spirit of meekness, and love, and tenderness, in restoring, setting one another in joint, if we be faln, is not found among us, or very little: O labour to grow here, and then to abound in works of mercy, to give, and give much, liberally, and do it with a tender heart, an upright heart, out of obedience to God, not for ostentation.

But fifthly, Labour to grow in softness of heart, to see the stone wasting day by day. I do not mean by softness of heart, only an aptness to melt into tears, for many an one may have a soft heart, that cannot weep at all, though most dispositions are apt to it: and where it is, it is a sweet expression of the heart towards Christ often-times; though I must tell you, there may be much of this, and yet much hardness of heart; many tears shed, and it may be upon the consideration of sin, and yet the heart hard to this day; the softness of the heart, Brethren, lies most what in the plyableness and yielding of the spirit to God, when we are ready to do all the will of God; as David, I have found David my * 1.621 servant, one that will do all my will; that is ready to say, speak Lord for thy servant heareth, Lord what wouldst thou have me to do? Now alas, there is many a wretched heart, that it may be under a passion, weeping at the apprehension of sin, and yet go away and return to it again and again; the heart is not plyable, but stubborn: wherein did lie the hardness of Pharaohs heart? it lay in this, that he would not harken to the Lord, nor let Israel go, though he had had so many judgements, and so many delive∣rances, yet all would not soften his heart; no, the iron sinews in his stiff neck, they remained such still, though sometimes he seemed to relent, yet alas, no sooner the hand was off, but the heart was

more hard then before, he strouted it out, and would not yield to let Israel go. So when the Lord heapeth mercy upon mercy to melt out the s••one in the heart, to make it like wax to the fire, to the mould, to be put into a fashion, and it may be sometimes it draweth a few tears from the eyes, but the heart is never the more plyable to God. And so he cometh with rod upon rod, blow after blow, and yet doth it gently, and all to foften and make the poor creature more plyable to him; it affecteth a little sometimes, but is not the heart as stubborn, as unteachable, as far from yielding to God in all things as before? O this is the softness; as a piece of joyners work, it is all glued together, one part to another. Now then it is dissolved and broken, when the glue, the soder is melt∣ed, and one piece falls from another; so it is here, our hearts and their sinful objects are glued together by carnal affections; now then the heart is said to be broken to a softness, when these affe∣ctions are dissolved, when our hearts and our objects of sin fall asunder each from the other; labour to grow herein, Bre∣thren.

Sixthly, To be more spiritual in holy duties, more inward in our Communion with God; you have heard this spoken to in the try∣all. O labour then to grow in spiritualness, in prayer, to pray with more faith, with more fervency, with more purity of heart, not to ask any thing to spend it upon our lusts. In meditation to keep closer to it without distraction, and so to read, to hear, to do all these duties in a better manner: but enough of this al∣ready.

Seventhly, In your holy walking with God, and with your selves; as the Apostle saith, we be seech you Brethren, by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received of us how ye ought to walk and please * 1.622 God, so you abound more and more; when a man walks with God alvvay, setteth the Lord as before his face, as the Psalmist speaks, then he vvill be able to vvalk pleasingly to him, vvhen by faith he seeth him that is invisible, that is to say, God to be pre∣sent vvith him, and knovveth him, to ponder his vvaies; O hovv eareful shall vve be then of our thoughts, as vvell as of our vvords and actions! and this vve do by faith, believing his pre∣sence vvith us, and his all-seeing eye to be upon us still, upon our hearts, and all their vvorkings; according to the prevailing of these persvvasions, and the constancy of them upon our spirits,

vvill our vvaies be ordered: such a man vvill not dare to har∣bour vain thoughts in his heart, though they vvill rudely rush in, as a ruffian may rudely offer violence to a chast Matron, she vvill not endure it; so it is here, O no, I dare not: as Joseph you see; and then vvalking vvith our selves by more and more re∣stection upon our selves, upon our actions, our waies: the very truth is, the want of this is the great cause we grow so little, or if we do, that we can take so little comfort in it; herein lies the excellency and glory of a man above a beast, that he can recoyl upon his own actions, therefore labour to improve this. O be more in it, reproving your selves when you find you have done amiss, whip those vain thoughts which pass through your souls, and give them their Pass; exhort your selves, stir up your selves, comfort and chear your selves in your God, which you cannot do, except you be much in this part of an holy walk∣ing, even reflecting upon your selves and your own state.

Eighthly and lastly, that I shall speak to, shall be this, To la∣bour to grow more and more in that assurance of your relative grace; your adoption, the growth and other grace, its true is a great help unto it, but labour to improve it to that end: how chearful∣ly might many a poor soul walk, if they did but know the things which are freely given them of God? O beg the Spirit to be a witnessing, a sealing-spirit to you more and more. And do the * 1.623 same diligence, saith the Apostle, to the full assurance of hope unto the end; we do content our selves with a hope-well, which we ought not to do; we should strive to this of Thomas, * 1.624 My Lord, my God; my beloved is mine and I am his; canst thou say so upon good grounds? thou mayst be a justified and a sanctified person, which is done by the direct act of faith, which is acted upon the Word of Promise, and Christ in that Promise, which the poor soul doth close with, taking Christ for better for worse; but now this is by the reflect act of faith, and is grounded upon experience of our own condition ordinarily. I see, I feel, that I do believe, that I have chosen the Lord Jesus for my por∣tion, and therefore he is mine and I am his; I have many sealings of his love to me, many kisses of his lips, it is given to me to believe, to be upright with him, I can approve my soul to him as Peter, Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee; * 1.625

thus the soul by laying up those experiences that it hath of God and laying them together, doth from all come (through grace) to be able to conclude, that the Lord Jesus is his, to a full assu∣rance of hope and faith; and what an heaven upon earth is this? Well, labour after it, though your conditions may be safe with∣out it, yet not so comfortable to your selves, nor so honourable to him, nor so profitable likely to others, all which considerations, if well weighed and improved, I presume are motives enough to it.

You have the first thing in this general Exhortation, and that is, wherein we are to labour, to grow and increase. Now for the Motives in a few particulars; and truly the first shall be that in the very Text, we must labour for it, because he hath promised it; therefore we must pray for it, and use all other means, for prayer is one, as afterward we shall speak; God had promised he would bring Israel into Canaan, but they must fight for it first, to dispossess the Canaanites: and so he promiseth health and strength to his people as choice mercies, but they must eat, and drink, and use Physick as often as occasion serveth; and it is an encouragement so to do, because God hath promised us those things so far as good for us, therefore use the means; he promiseth fruitfulness to the earth; what, shall the plough-man therefore cast the plough in the hedge and never strike stroak? it is true, if God bid them stand still, and only see the salvation of God, it is somewhat, else they must work, and serve provi∣dence in the use of means; so here it is promised, O, saith the Apostle, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is * 1.626 he that worketh: Labour to be more spiritual in prayer, to grow therein, for it is his Spirit that beareth the heavier end of the burthen, he helpeth our infirmities; let this be an encourage∣ment * 1.627 to stir up our souls to it, because it is promised; think not Brethren, it is enough to sit still, and wait when this will fall in∣to your mouths, or that an idle complaining will do it; no, no, you must be up and doing, and labouring to use the means, and the more, because he hath promised.

Secondly, Every man would grow and come on in other things, therefore we should much more labour to grow in the best things; you would your selves, and have your children come on and thrive in body, you think their meat is not well be∣stowed,

(as we use to say) if they should not prosper at all, but should devour, like Pharaohs lean kine, and be never the fatter; you would grow in your names, and in your estates, and every man would be adding bag to bag, house to house, land to land, and here they never think they are come to a full growth. O that the Lord would but make you half so dilgent in taking half the pains to grow in grace, as they do that grow in the world, how should we prosper? It is observable, that the Apostle saith of Gaius that good man, he wisheth he may prosper, * 1.628 even as his soul prospereth; it seemeth the good man, his inward man was renewed, though haply his estate or his body might wax old and decay, yet his soul prospered, and he maketh that a pattern of the prosperity of his outward man; may we not say on the other hand, O that your souls did prosper, even as your bodies prosper? You are fat and flourishing, and feed your selves * 1.629 without fear, much pampering of the flesh, but the poor soul, O how lean, and thin, and consumpsit it is? what fat purses, and lean souls? Brethren, whatever you profess while it is thus, I must tell you there is much preposterousness in your endeavours, that all this ado should be made for a lump of clay, and the soul, the precious soul, the price of the blood of Jesus Christ neglected; men can rise at midnight, and with end•• to follow their business, set it forward, if need so require, and other occasions, &c. O if we could be perswaded to use but the like diligence for the soul upon the like occasion.

Thirdly, Consider, if you grow not, you decline; either you increase or decrease, either you ebb or flow, wax or wain, for it is like a man that rows against the stream, if he go not forward, he is carried backward. So it is here, we have a stream of lusts to row against, and if we go not forward, be sure we go backward, and therefore if you observe it, the Apostle doth threaten the Hebrews upon this account (because they went not forward) * 1.630 with Apostacy, they were in danger of falling away quite from God that go not forward, therefore consider this seriously, and surely it will put us on to look to our growth; there is not an Or∣dinance wherein we appear before the Lord, but either we soften or harden, we get something or lose something by it, it re∣turneth not in vain, not the Word, nor any other appointment of his.

Fourthly, Another shall be this, we cannot else withstand enemies, bear crosses; alas, a child is over-born by a touch, he cannot withstand a potent enemy, therefore we must labour to be strong men, whom resist, saith the Apostle, stedfast in the faith; * 1.631 there is no stedfastness but by faith, nor any resisting but by this stedfastness; if we give ground, the Devil will pursue the victo∣ry, if we turn our backs upon him; now we cannot keep our ground except there be some strength. Its true, every child of God is born with his armour on him, as is fabled of the race of those Giants; so the Saints have their breast-plate of faith to keep the heart, and the shield to preserve the body, but as they grow in strength, so are they able to weild their shield, yea it groweth stronger and more able to bear off a blow. Alas, our Saviour saw his Disciples were not able to bear a temptation at that time, John 18. 8. therefore, let them go, saith he, to them that sought for him, if ye seek me; let these go; as yet they were not grown to that stedfastness; but now, what if the Lord should for holy ends give Satan liberty to sift thee to the very bran, and thy faith be weak? O what sad work will there be then in thy soul? therefore our Saviour prayed, that Peters faith should not fail him; but yet you see how near it was, and what it cost him; and so except we be grown in wisdom and un∣derstanding, we shall be ignorant of his devices; and he will take us alive at his pleasure, because we know not where he will have us, nor what his methods of deceiving are, that there we might watch. And so for crosses, it is not a child can bear the cross, specially if great; some little affliction they may bear, as you see our Saviour did train up his Disciples to it by degrees: at first only they threatned them, and charged them not to preach * 1.632 in that name of Jesus Christ; then afterwards, when by that expe∣rience of the power of God with them, they were somewhat grown, then they were scourged and imprisoned, and as strength grew, so afflictions grew: we are not able to suffer much for Christ: while our faith is weak, our love is small, our patience in∣considerable, therefore we must labour to grow in every grace of the Spirit.

Fifthly, Because the stronger our graces are, the more dis∣cernable they will be; this was hinted before in the arguments of the point, and this will put an end to many sad complaints

that a child of God maketh concerning himself, when his grace becometh more visible, not only to others, but to himself, by reason of the greatness of it, and the Spirit of God shining up∣on it to discover it. O how comfortable may such an one walk!

Sixthly, Consider the end of all the Ministry and Ordinances God hath given, it is for our growth, as in that place, therefore he gave some Apostles, some Evangelists, same Pastors, for the edi∣fying * 1.633 of the body of Christ; now, hath the Lord been at all this pains, rising up early, and sending messengers upon messengers, one after another, and pouring out the gifts of the Spirit, to be∣fit them for that work, and all to build us up, and yet we are chil∣dren and dwarfs? What a shame is this to us, and what a grief is this to God? and is not this the way to make him repent of the good he hath done unto us, and to withdraw them?

Seventhly, A very hypocrite, Brethren, may grow in some things, and therefore we had need look to it, to go beyond them in our growth; an hypocrite may grow in parts and gifts, may learn to pray and preach most plausibly; may make long prayers, with those hypocrites, though they grow not inwardly at all, therefore take heed of sticking here: or because thou growest more civilly, escapest the pollutions of the world, and yet alas, art the same in disposition, a swine in nature; yea, there may be a growing in assent to the truth, such a saith as the Devils have, which maketh them tremble, and some kind of affection too, as Herod had; but by how much we see there is danger of being deceived, by so much the more narrowly we had need to look to it, that we grow there, where there is no deceit; grow in the spiritualness of service and duty, in that of self-denyal, humility, and saving-faith, and love.

Eighthly, Wicked men grow worse and worse, and why should not we grow better and better? Shall Satans Kingdom so increase and grow strong, and shall not the Kingdom of Jesus Christ grow stronger also? how much the more need had we to stir up our selves in this respect, considering how many grow worse and worse?

Ninthly, The stronger we grow in the habits of grace, the more easie will our acting of grace be to us; we come off so hard with a duty, as with prayer, or the like; what is the rea∣son?

but because we are so weak in the Grace of prayer, so un∣acquainted with it: O how a man delights to do the things which he is befitted for, and habituated to! O how quickly are some mens spirits up in duty, like tinder to the fire of the Spirit; or like the spirits of wine or oyl, quickly fired: there∣fore God would have the fat offered up, it would quickly take fire; and when our services come off with delight and cheer∣fulness, then the Lord is pleased with it; so you see, They re∣joyced they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ; * 1.634 and yet a little before, were so weak, that they all forsook him; what a difference is here? and so they rejoiced that God had given them such a willing heart to lay out themselves upon the Temple, * 1.635 to build an House to the Name of God; when a mans love and mercy is weak, what he giveth, it cometh hardly from him, like drops of blood (as we say) but afterward he can freely, willing∣ly emptie his purse for Christs sake; this is one way Brethren, to make the Commands of God not so grievous to us, as they seem to be, until we be thus grown.

Again, We must grow to our pitch, before we can enter in∣to the kingdom: Mat. 18. 3, &c. Therefore upon all these considerations, let us be exhorted to make it our business to improve, to grow, to wax stronger and stronger day by day; But thus much for the Motives.

For Helps, that will be the next enquiry what we should do to grow in Grace; since it is so necessary a work lying upon us all? And I might speak distinctly, First, To the Grace which is inherent in us, wherein our holiness consisteth; and Secondly, That wherein our comfort consisteth, even the know∣ledge of our relative state to God; But the main thing is that holiness, those several Graces of the Spirit, each whereof shining with its own lustre, and yet by the symmetry and conjuncti∣on with the rest, make up the perfect beauty of Holiness.

First then in general, If thou wouldst grow indeed, and art in good earnest in this matter, thou must exercise Grace, if thou wouldst grow; what a rich treasury is that of the Mind, above that of a mans Che••t? the more he useth of the one, the more he hath; the more he useth of the other, the less he hath. How did the Talent increase but with the using? that is signi∣fied, by putting them out to the Changers; and so the Talent or * 1.636

Pound gained five Talents, or ten; therefore it is observed by so me, that the Scripture in commanding or requiring any Grace of us, doth directly and immediately command the Acts and the Habits obliquely, as the Fountain to the Stream: So Baxter saith. The way to get away our indisposedness to Prayer, saith Luther, is to pray it away: exercise that Grace according to the ability given, and thou shalt find it grow: it is much to be preferred before an idle complaining, a diligent soul that is up and doing; thou findest thy Faith is weak, it may be thou canst scarce call it any thing, but unbelief: labour to act it, put it forth often: the nature of it lies in the souls sincere willingness to take Jesus Christ, to have him for a Saviour and Lord, to save from iniquites, as well as from the condemnation of sin now, though weakly put forth, the acts of willing Jesus Christ, as he hath offered himself, and thou shalt find it will grow: often be rowling thy self and thy burthen, poor bur∣thened soul upon the Lord Jesus: cast thy self upon him, and thou shalt find as much rest in it for the present, so also an in∣crease of faith, and a feeling also, that thou dost believe after a time. And so for other things: alas, is there a day that goeth over our heads, but there is use for Faith? it is the very life of a Christian: The life I now live, I live by the Faith of the * 1.637 Son of God; and therefore as much need of the exercise of it daily, as of any vital acts whatsoever; and you shall find, you have occasions for it, either some temptations from your own hearts, some corruptions stirring and disquieting your peace, or some scourgings from without, some buffetings of Satan, some deadness and security growing upon you daily: O there is daily need of acting Faith, as there is to eat and drink; therefore Israel, their Manna was their daily food; and if they were daily stung, they must daily look up to the Serpent; and * 1.638 which of us is not? though you have a Lamp lighted; Brethren, There was enery morning daily a triming of the Lamps of the * 1.639 Sanctuary, and pouring oyl into them afresh: you know, they will not continue, but go out in obscure darkness, except there be a feeding of them with oyl; this we may do, and this we ought to do; and indeed, a man that exerciseth not his Grace, is, as if he had none; neither hath the strength, nor the com∣fort of his Grace; for Habits are for Acts, and then Acts

strengthen the Habits again. The Learned Aristotle said, A wise man differed nothing from a fool, if he exercised not his wis∣dom; and saith the Wiseman, Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise; the Act is that chiefly commanded, and that chiefly rewarded of God; the exercising of Grace, and that whereby it groweth, which is the main thing here I mind: Hath not every day its evil sufficient to it? now if faith ••e not * 1.640 upon the wing, what a condition is that soul in? therefore exercise it: use legs, and have legs And so for love; put it forth, exercise it toward the Lord Jesus daily, and toward his people, that is the way to grow. Brethren, how do benummed limbs that have no feeling nor strength, gather strength, but by rubbing, and chasing, and exercising of them? though a mans legs be so benummed, falling for a step or two, he can scarce set them to the ground, yet use them a little, and they will come to themselves again: If Merchants money lie still, it is a dead thing, it increaseth not; but they must turn it up and down, and re∣turn it, use it, and exercise their trade with it, and it groweth. And truly I am perswaded, it is the great reason we are many of us so weak as we are, we lie complaining and making sad moan before the Lord of our weakness, and yet are careless in the ex∣ercise of the Grace wherein we pretend we would grow: The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour; * 1.641 we may mourn our selves away off our legs, and spend our days in lamentable complainings, and shall never be the better, except we put forth into act, what we have already re∣ceived; if we be not faithful in trading with a little, will he give us more? action and motion increase heat: if you see a poor creature lie starving, ready to perish for want of fire, his legs are stiff, cannot hardly move them, is that the way to help him? no, up to the fire, up, and exercise your limbs, rub them, chafe them, if you would get heat and agility into them.

Secondly, See to it, that we exercise one as well as another: for there is such a sweet harmony and dependency of the Graces one upon another, that they do one strengthen another; the acts of our Graces, do, (as I may say) co-operate, and sweetly conspire to the promoting one of another, (that is to say) of the acts, and these acts then strengthen the habits. As for in∣stance,

you see in an Arch, one stone strengthens another, take away one of them, and all the rest are ready to fall upon your head; and therefore the Apostle exhorts so earnestly, That they should add to Faith, Temperance, &c. not as if they could add * 1.642 one habit to another, for they are infused together, but the acts are to be added one to another; For if ye do these things, (saith the Apostle) then ye shall not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ: yea, you shall never fall: yea, you shall have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom; The strength of a building, you know, lies not in the strength of one piece, but in the due compacting of it, and joyning part to his part; if there be never so strong beams, if the other parts be weak, the rafters, the wall-plates, or such considerable pieces, and not well joyned together, the building is weak, and will easily fall: therefore if you would be strong, and grow indeed, look that we exercise all the Graces of the Spirit we have alrea∣dy received; not only Faith, nor only Love, nor only Humility, nor only Self-denial, but all: labour to act them all: and Tempe∣rance, and Heavenly-mindedness, &c. and you shall find, that as each Grace doth grow by the exercising of it self, so by the exercising of them all; they will have a mutual influ∣ence each upon the other, to strengthen one another: the act of Faith will strengthen the acting of love, and that will strengthen faith again, and so for the rest.

Thirdly, If you would grow in Grace, You must be much in prayer: for a man of much Prayer, is a man of much Grace, and therefore the Prophet puts them both together: He will pour out the Spirit of Grace and Suppli∣cation. * 1.643 And so the Apostle Jude, But you Beloved, build∣ing up your selves in your most holy Faith, praying in the Ho∣ly * 1.644 Ghost: and there is the like reason for building up our selves in any other Grace: praying by the Spirit of God, is the way you see, to grow in Grace: there is very great reason that Prayer should be a great means of increasing Grace. First, Because in Prayer, there is the greatest exercising of Grace, of all Grace usually, of any other service we do to God: there our repentance is exercised, for you alwaies find the Saints in drawing nigh to God: David, and Ezra, and others, that still they begin with bewailing their iniquities, expressing their

sorrow for them: because no man was to appear before. God, but with pure hands, and pure feet; and therefore since we * 1.645 gather soil continually, there is need of acknowledging our iniquities, and then he is faithful and just to forgive them; there * 1.646 is the exercise of Faith, if any where, else that is it whereby we wrestle with God in Prayer; Prayer is indeed a wrestling with God, as Jacob, it was his faith whereby he overcame, and got the blessing; a man must pray in Faith, else it is nothing worth at all; God accepteth no service, but where there is Faith mixed; there is Love exercised toward God, and to his people; we go to him, it is an acting of our desire toward him, our delight in his presence, and love to his Saints, when we can * 1.647 pray feelingly for them: And so Humility: O saith Abraham, * 1.648 Who am I, dust and ashes? And Jacob, I am less then the least of thy mercies; In a word, all the Graces are set awork in prayer, that is a working prayer indeed; our thankfulness and all our supplications in all things are to be made known, &c. Every * 1.649 wheel is set a going in the soul, if it be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an effectual prayer; and therefore by the exercises of the Graces they are increased; do you think that by acting Faith upon the Pro∣mises, pleading them? (as Jacob did) Thou saidst thou wouldst * 1.650 do me good, &c. and so in many other places: Remember thy Word to thy Servant, whereupon thou hast caused me to hope: (saith the Psalmist) That this doth not increase Faith, and so the acting of Love: increase it therefore. Luther, a man of much Prayer, was a man of much Grace, of much Courage, and Zeal, and Faith, and Diligence in the Service of God. And that fa∣mous Servant of God, Mr. Bolton, It is said of him, that six times a day he prayed: and so others: observe it when you will, where you see a growing Christian indeed, follow him to his Closet, you shall find that man a man of much prayer; So David, and Daniel, &c.

But Secondly, There is another reason for it: Because Pray∣er doth carry the soul to a nearer communion with God: O it is the gaining acquaintance with God; acquaint thy self with God, that thou mayst have peace with him, and thou shalt * 1.651 have prosperity: and therefore when Job discovered such weak∣ness in his impatiency, saith that friend of his, Surely thou re∣strainect prayer from the Almighty; if thou didst maintain com∣munion

with God, it would not be thus with thee. Now whi∣ther * 1.652 should we go with empty vessels, but to the fountain? whither should poor, weak, wounded, lame, feeble creatures go, but to him that hath all power to heal and strengthen them? God hath treasures of grace, it is true, and he is not streight∣hearted, he giveth liberally; but the treasury is lockt, and prayer * 1.653 is the key, and faith the hand that turns it; we must to the trea∣sury, if we would be rich in grace, rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom; which of us would be poor, if we had a warrant to go to the Treasury, to fetch what we please? O what pains would there be, the Treasurer should have imployment enough: if God would but perswade us it is so in this case, we should visit him more, the great Treasurer of heaven, the Lord Jesus, in whom all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid; yea, and of faith and all grace, for of his fulness we receive grace for grace. O how * 1.654 would we ply him, give him no rest, he would have much more of our company, but that we have slight perswasions of these things, and make use of prayer as a duty and a task many of us, and not a singular means of improving our graces: Brethren, were we but as much in Communion with God as David, we might have the strength of David; it is but ask and have, knock and it shall be opened; the Spirit which works all this, will not be * 1.655 denyed, if you ask, and ask not amiss, as you heard lately. God * 1.656 will expend willingly his treasures of grace upon us, and pour out the fulness of his Spirit upon us, but he will be enquired of for these things.

Well then, if we would grow in grace, we must be much in prayer; I do believe some of us can speak it but too experimen∣tally, that when we have found corruptions prevail, and our selves foyled and brought under, this hath been the reason, we have restrained prayer from the Almighty; either we have neg∣lected this duty, or else we have been slight and slubbering, shuffled it, if not out of doors, yet to the very door; and gene∣rally observe it, we can more easily find time for any thing then for prayer, every other business hath its hours to attend upon, but if any thing be neglected, it must be prayer, or else posted over. Whereas, alas, it would no more hinder our business then our meal-times do, which must be had: and I know, Brethren, that some of us are able to say it, that we have seen when the

prospering presence of the Lord hath been with us, we have come on more, and done more in a short time, then at another time, in many times as long a time; and yet so wretched hearts we have, that we content our selves with any thing in this duty, if we appear before the Lord, we think it is enough; we do not strive unto prayer, and watch unto prayer, and labour by blow∣ing the green wood, that will hardly kindle, to get it on a flame, before we go out of his presence. O Jacob would not let him go without a blessing: Brethren, in what a sad manner do we many * 1.657 times rise off our knees, with our hearts further off from God then we came: is this to obtain a blessing? no, no; we must take pains in this work, if we would grow: the Lord perswade our hearts.

Alas, you will say, you have prayed, and prayed, and yet for ought you can perceive, you grow not: To this I might an∣swer many things.

First, Dost thou find that hereby thou never gettest thy heart in a better frame? art thou never wrought up to some sweet frame of heart in respect of faith, and love, and humility? Why here is an improving, this is the main thing in prayer; when we can find our hearts wrought up to such a frame, it is the very growth it self in a great part, therefore thou art mistaken.

Secondly, If thou do not find it may be sometimes such warn∣ings, and notwithstanding all the pains, thon hast sometimes been blowing at the coal, until thy arm ake with holding the bel∣lows; and thy heart akes, and yet thou canst not get thy faith and thy affections into a frame, but thou art as dead and dull as before. Now in such a case observe it, dost thou not gain thus much by it, to have viler, lower thoughts of thy self, to see the necessity of an high-Priest the more feelingly; this humbleth, * 1.658 this emptyeth of self more, and is not this a growth in grace? Yea, and no small improvement.

But thirdly, If thou be put to wait for an answer, know, it is the excellency of faith to wait upon him, to hold out as the wo∣man of Canaan. And Jacob wrestled all night with God. So Da∣niel, * 1.659 his answer cometh not as soon as he began to pray, but he must wait a while, he must go through with his duty, and after∣wards the answer cometh; if the Lord give thee a heart to wait

upon him, to hang upon him, not to give him over; Brethren, you are growing, and you are not aware of it, it is no easie mat∣ter to wait upon God. Alas, a poor sinner in a mood sometimes, and in a flash under a stirring Sermon, O he will go and pray, and if an answer come not presently, there is an end, it dyeth; but a child of God, he waiteth upon God, he will have no nay, if he will not answer at one time, he will to it again and again; as Paul sought God thrice for the removing the Thorn, before * 1.660 he had an answer. And so Elias, seven times his servant was sent, and brought an answer of nothing appearing, and at last * 1.661 but a little cloud; and his prayer was fervent too, as appears by the story.

Fourthly, You must grow upon God, knock harder; if he come not at the first, cry louder, cry out so much the more; im∣portunity will overcome him at the last; yea if by the delay of * 1.662 an answer, as thou thinkest, thou be kept praying, and more and more fervently; there is nothing, Brethren, wherein we more grow then in prayer it self, where the Lord exerciseth us with such occasions, as put us on to stir up all our strength to wrestle with him. Well, the Lord perswade our hearts to a diligence in this duty, for we are as averse from it as from any. O how our hearts do hang back? and if the Lord perswade us not, and by the invincible bonds of the Spirit, bind us close to it, we shall see by woful experience, how quickly our slippery hearts will either shift themselves out of it, or else into a formality in the service.

Fifthly, Observe your answers also; take heed of being al∣way complaining, as if we had received nothing, or were nothing grown, whereby God loseth the glory of what he hath done for us already, this is not the way to procure more, this is the way indeed to grieve Gods Spirit, which is the Spirit of prayer; and then if he be grieved, we shall find a woful declining in prayer, and then our growth will go on but very slowly. I be∣seech you pardon me for standing so much upon this point, to press it upon you, I know many of you cannot but see the necessity of it; and truly observe it, since these times of outward prosperi∣ty of the people of God, mind it in your own cases, lookers on may easily observe it, and since our hands have been so full of the world, if there be not a declining; and indeed I think (If I am

mistaken, I should be glad to be mistaken) that this is the main thing wherein we are hurt, we are so upon hurries, and so thronged, our hearts, and heads, and hands so full of the world, that we cannot have those times and seasons to work our hearts up in this duty; it is sad when our hearts have most need of pains-taking with them, as in such cases they have, that we should find least time to do it in: What can become of this think you?

Fourthly, Another help to this growth in grace will be this; Conscientiously and diligently to use the Ordinances, all of them, as well as that of prayer; I speak to that particular, because it is of so general concernment, running along with all the rest, for sanctification of them to us. You heard before, that knowledge is the great means whereby our grace doth grow; it is convey∣ed through the understanding, the consent of the will to close with Christ, it is greater or lesser according to the apprehensions which the mind hath of Christ, of his goodness, his loveliness, the necessity of him, &c. therefore, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, and whom beholding as in a glass, we are changed into his * 1.663 image; this glass, what is it but the Ordinances of God? O, how fat do men grow that fare deliciously every day? is there not great difference between feeding upon husks when the kernel is gone, and feeding upon the finest of the wheat? how quickly will the weakest man grow strong, feeding upon the one; and the strongest weak, when he feedeth upon the other? Alas, when it came to that, the Prodigal was almost beaten off his leggs: Why the Ordinances of God, they are a feast, a feast of * 1.664 fat things, marrow and wines upon the less well-refined; in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make to all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well-refined; What are these but the Ordinan∣ces of God? these are the green pastures and still waters, with * 1.665 these he promiseth to satiate the soul of the Priest with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord: And my soul shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy * 1.666 house, there it is; and in the 63. Psalm, the Psalmist longs af∣ter * 1.667 the enjoyment of God in his Ordinances, in his Sanctuary, O, saith he, my soul shall be satisfied with marrow and fatness: * 1.668 What can be said more, Brethren? Is not this the way to grow

fat, to increase? and did not God give therefore Pastors and Teachers to dispence the Ordinances for the edifying of the bo∣dy? in that place to the Ephesians. Well, but all this will not do, ex∣cept we make use of these Ordinances; mind you, they are the fat things of the house of God, we must have them in the stall, in the coop, in the fold, in the house of God, that is to say, the Church of God, if we would flourish indeed; as the Psalmist speaks, they that are planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish * 1.669 in the Courts of our God; and therefore the Spouse in the Can∣ticles was so earnest, Shew me where thou feedest thy flocks, where * 1.670 thou makest them rest at noon: Alas, many poor Believers may be to seek where the Lord Jesus feedeth his flocks, specially in these daies, wherein there are so many pretences to the way of Christia∣nity, which is but one; but at least, me thinks this will follow from those Scriptures, that the house of the Lord, the Courts of his * 1.671 house is the Church of God; therefore we should inquire where the flocks are fed, that we may walk with them and among them, it is the way where the Lord Jesus is found then ordinari∣ly; and indeed I do desire to pitty such as yet cannot see this; but this is not all.

Secondly, There is the use and improvement of the Ordinan∣ces, which is much more necessary then the other; desire the sin∣cere milk of the Word: milk, for sweetness and nourishing; and * 1.672 sincere, without mixture of errour or humane wisdom: Alas, Brethren, if we come not to it with desires, get our affections up when we come to it, and look not to it that we digest it when we have heard it, we are not likely to grow by it: Alas, alas, no marvel we are so lean in our souls some of us, as if God bad in heavy displeasure sent the curse upon us: what is the matter? we come to hear the Word, but with what affections? come reeking out of the World into it, with our heads, and hearts full of it: the stomack is full already, there is no room for the Word to take place in our hearts: and we are much for hearing, but di∣gest but little. Ah Brethren, this meditation upon what we hear, we are all of us short in: that is the man that groweth indeed, as in the first Psalm, he shall flourish that meditates day and night: For my own part, I am perswaded, that upon a Sabbath-day, it is not so much how much we hear, to spend our whole time in it, that there is no time left for chewing upon it, for working

it upon the heart by meditation: No plough-man would do so, think he never plougheth and soweth enough, and never maketh use of the harrowing. Alas, much of it is stoln away, he hath little increase; we go ••ow out of the presence of God, and into the world again over head and ears, without any care to work the Word upon our souls; how can you expect to prosper in your souls? you may have fat purses, but you are like to have but lean souls, you digest not your meat; a Physitian will tell you it is not how much you eat, but how much you digest, that tends to health and growth. And so for the other Ordinances of the Supper, there is meat indeed, and drink indeed; but do we look to it to improve that Ordinance for strengtheuing of faith, to * 1.673 get our graces up, our appetites up, our faith, our love upon the wing when we come, to act faith and love in the Ordinance, to draw from the Lord Jesus, to drink and drink abundantly? Alas, wisdom hath killed her beasts, and mixed her wine, and furnished * 1.674 her table among us; and we come indeed, but without wedding-garments many times, and without appetites, and so we are cast * 1.675 out, and instead of receiving Christ, more and more of him, we are more hardened, Satan entereth into some poor souls. Ah, no marvel then if they grow not in grace. If we had not the fat things of the house of God, Brethren, it were something, but the Lord hath not denyed them to us, his table is richly furnished; the dainties are the same, though the Maidens that are sent forth now to call you are weak and unworthy, that should not dero∣gate from the esteem of the feast; now what can we say for our selves? if we will play with our meat, if we will not fall on when we come to it, if we matter not for digesting it, where Bre∣thren, will the guilt lie? O be humbled for that we have neg∣lected this salvation so much as we have done, though it may be we have not mist an opportunity, yet that we make no better use of them then we have done, that is the first step to a refor∣mation of it: Do you think this vvere a pleasing carriage of a child, vvhen he is poor, and lean, and ill-favoured, his Father provideth a rich banquet, royal dainties for him, setteth them before him, intreateth him to fall on, he complains of his vveak∣ness and faintness, and yet vvill not eat; this is frovvardness, it is not pleasing to God, vvho hath so richly provided for us; to hear his people complaining alvvay of their vveakness in faith,

and vveakness in love, and all graces of the Spirit; and though he hath provided such dainties for them in his Ordinances, as never eye savv, nor any tasted, but a Believer, and they might be fat and flourishing, if they vvere not vvretchedly vvanting to themselves; they complain, and complain, but never mind it; to eat, to feed, to improve the Ordinances for this their grovvth: I have spoken the more largely here, because I knovv, Brethren, I knovv it is our ovvn vvretched neglect of our selves in this case, that is the great cause of our vvant of grovvth.

Fifthly, Another help shall be this, labour to get the distem∣pers of your souls healed, that hinder your grovvth: it is impossible vvhile a man hath a Woolf in his flesh, or a greedy vven that sucks all the nourishment from the body, that he should grovv: Alas, every one of us can best tell vvhere our diseases are. Some have obstructions betvveen the head and the heart, the passages are not opened, and so they grovv indeed in the head, but the heart is poor, and dry, and vvithered, all notion, and no affection; hovv little affection have vve the most of us? nothing ansvverable to vvhat vve apprehend of the riches of grace in Jesus Christ, all is not vvell vvith us, Brethren. Alas, hovv many of us have surfeited of the vvorld and the comforts there∣o••? and so our appetites are lost to these dainties and fat things of the house of God, vvhereby we should grovv up like Calves of the stall. O for Christs sake, and as you love your souls, take heed of the vvorld and love of it. Ah, vve little knovv hovv close it sticks to us, and hovv indiscernably it insinuates it self upon us? It may be we consume all upon our lusts, make all we have received but a stepping-stone to raise our proud spirits up∣on; how apt we are to be admiring our selves? this was well done, and that was well done by us: instead of admiring rich grace to such poor dust and ashes as we are; this dammeth up the fountain, Brethren, this provokes God to withdraw his Spi∣rit, and presence, and alas, what can vve do then? then vve see vvhat vve are. Well, if we would grow, we must begin at the right end, we must labour to get these lusts that do prevail, down; if a child have such a disease as the Rickets, or some other dis∣ease upon it, you may give it all the nursing, and tending, and feeding that can be, it will never grow uniformly, but all runs into the head. It is in vain to complain of the want of growth,

the way is to go to the Physitian, get some prescription for the healing of the disease; and so we must look to it, Brethren, if any object come between the Lord Jesus and your hearts, and so interrupt the sweet and saving influences of Christ from you, you cannot grow; you see that shrubs in the Wilderness, that never see where good cometh, or plant a Tree or Plant in such a dark place where the Sun never cometh, but is kept off by this or that hinderance, it will not grow; and so under trees that shade the Sun, and keep the rain from the seed, most herbs will not grow; and so it is in this case; therefore look to this Bre∣thren, in the name of Jesus Christ, as ever you hope to recover your selves, and to grow indeed.

Sixthly, Labour to make special use of the promises of God, that particularly concern this matter; I know this is reducible to that former head of exercising-grace, and particularly the grace of faith, because this is a special object whereupon the act is to be exercised; but for orders sake, we shall put it distinctly by it self in this place; is this the grievance of thy soul indeed, that thou growest not? Why here is a rich Treasury in the pro∣mises, which if it were drawn out, cannot but much further our growth.

First then, search out these promises, they are many, I cannot give you them all, a taste I will, to help the weak; What a sweet promise is that in the first Psalm? look upon it as such, they shall be like the tree planted by the rivers of water; Brethren, nothing ordinarily kills trees more then drought, I think, and thus to have moisture with heat, they must needs grow and flourish; therefore in that place of Job, a tree, though cut down, yet through the scent of water it will sprout again: Now there is a sweet pro∣mise to that end; and so, they that are planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish; this in the Text, they shall go forth, (it is * 1.676 a promise) they shall grow up as Calves of the stall. And that in Hos. 14. 5. God will be as the dew unto Israel, and he shall grow up as the Lilly, and spread his roots as Lebanon; grow in rootedness, and grow quickly, and grow in beauty and sweetness, the smell shall be as Lebanon; here the growth is set forth under that metaphor of a tree, or plant; the dew, you know, upon the mown grass, maketh it spring again, else it would wither; and the corn for a time as dead under the clod, yet the dew maketh it grow up; or

as the corn that seemed to wither away, the dew refresheth it, and maketh it revive indeed. I will not burthen your memories, take but one more, and that is in the Prophet Isaiah, to them that have no might he increaseth strength, and he giveth power to them * 1.677 that faint; to them that have no mights, the original is very empha∣tical, the plural with the Hebrews, as some note, when it is affir∣mative, setteth forth the abundancy, the eminency or excellen∣cy of any quaility or vertue, as wisdoms for wisdom, in many places in the Proverbs; that is to say, the most excellent wisdom or abundance. So in the negative, it often signifieth the great want in an eminent degree of such or such a qualification, as here, such as have no strength; that is to say, very little, none at all, such as faint and languish, then you know strength is very little. So again, they are a people of no understandings, in the plural * 1.678 number; and again, there is no safety, or salvation, or deliverance wrought in the earth: there is no deliverance at all: the meaning is not, there are not many deliverances, but there is not any at all; and so here, such as have no mights it is in the Original, and we read such as have no might. Alas they have no strength, to those he will increase might. Now I say, gather together such promises as these.

Secondly, Not only so, but dwell upon them in your thoughts; it may be at the first or second sight of them, there will be little arising to the soul from them, but you must dwell upon them, as the Bee doth, that will not off the flower until she hath gotten some sweetness from it; So do you, make these promises the ob∣ject of your meditation: can you have any thing sweeter to me∣ditate upon then a promise in such a condition as this is? Sure Da∣vid, when he meditated upon the Word of God, and his medita∣tions were sweet to him, were not only the commands but the promises: these indeed are the honey-suckles to dwell upon; these * 1.679 you shall find much refreshing in: break the bones if you would have the marrow in them. You will not be able at first to find the depth of these promises, to apprehend the fulness of them, except you dwell upon them, and then you can never further im∣prove them to your comfort.

Thirdly, More then this, you must ••ay your mouths to them; these are the breasts of consolations; if the child will have any thing, he must draw, and draw hard sometimes, and the mother is

fain to help in some cases to press it down too, & all little enough; the child is pleased and taken to see the breast, but this will not feed nor nourish; no more will our beholding the promises, ex∣cept we suck, and suck strongly; and the Spirit of Jesus Christ is ready, Brethren, to press those breasts, to make them give down their milk, their sweetness and fatness to us, specially in prayer before the Lord; take the promises that concern this condition of yours, tell him he hath been pleased to make such gracious pro∣mises; he was free, and might have been so still if he had pleased, but now he hath ingaged himself to give strength to them that have no might; and Lord, here is a poor soul that hath no might, no strength; I am in a poor, lean, faint, languishing con∣dition, wilt thou not make good thy Word to thy poor crea∣ture? thou hast caused me to hope upon this Word, thou hast put the breast into my mouth, or at least thou hast shewed it thy poor creature, and wilt thou not make it give down its sweetness to me? O make good thy Word to thy poor creature. Lord I am in a declining condition, I am even withering, and lose of my greenness, growing yellow, or that which thou hast done for me lies under the clods; thou hast promised to be as the dew unto Is∣rael, wilt thou not make good thy Word unto me? and so thou hast planted me in thy house, and promised I shall grow and flourish, &c. Press the Lord thus with his Word, O he loveth to have his bond sued in the Court of heaven. I dare undertake that such a soul that is thus stirred up to act faith upon the promises of God, that soul is in a growing condition. Brethren, these are the wells in the valley of Baacha, the wells of salvation, you must draw from them, and then you grow from strength to strength.

Seventhly another; I shall name but this: The greatness of the object whereupon your hearts are to dwell much, and that is God himself, for there is nothing doth greaten the mind more then the greatness of the Object, whereupon it is conversant; you see it by experience in all things, what low minds, what poor and weak apprehensions they have that are exercised upon low objects, never rise higher; what heightens the mind of a Prince, but the thoughts of a Kingdom? What difference is there be∣tween the mind of the meanest Mechanick and the deepest Poli∣titian? Such difference must there needs be between the heart

of a man that is poring alway upon low things, and God is very little dwelt upon. It is said of Moses, that is the ground * 1.680 of it, he waxed great, saith the Text, not only in body, but in mind and Spirit; he waxed strong in Spirit, was a man of a great mind; his eye was upon him that is invisible, the great God Jehovah Elo∣him, who giveth being to his promises, keepeth Covenant with his people, and is Mighty, Almighty, can do what he will do in heaven and earth, and all deep places: This made him so great: there∣fore he was above the fears of the Kings wrath, he cared not for it; Before indeed he was afraid and fled, he then had not had so much converse with God, and contemplation of him, and know∣ledge of him, as afterward he had. Well then, you say your faith is weak, you know not how to get it strengthened, lift up your thoughts to this great object, do but peruse his name a little now and then, yea often, the Lord, the Lord God, gracious and merciful, &c. See if there be not an abundance there to swallow up all thy doubts and fears; O thou art a miserable * 1.681 creature! it is true, but he is a merciful God, and thy misery is but the misery of a creature, and his mercy is the mercy of a Creator, a God; and what are thy thoughts of thy misery, when thou hast aggravated it to the height as much as can be? they are but finite thoughts, and his thoughts of pardon and mercy, they are the thoughts of a God, infinitely above thy thoughts, either of misery or mercy; if his thoughts of mercy and pardon were not more then ours, we were in a sad condition, for then they would never answer his thoughts of our misery, which are infinitely above ours of our own misery. Alas, but I am the most vile unworthy wretch in the world, O you know not what I am; alas, is it for such an one as I to believe? Sup∣pose so; he is gracious: O it is most free, infinitely free what he giveth, he looks for nothing at thy hands, only acceptance. O but sure I have wearied out his patience, he hath waited upon me so long; he is long suffering. O but I have such an abundance of sin, my heart is so full: there is an abundance of goodness, abundantly pardon in him, yea and truth also, &c. Alas, but I shall never hold out, nor keep my heart with him, I shall quick∣ly back-slide: But he it is that keepeth mercy for thousands; O if our hearts were but much in meditation of God, his name, the Lord our righteousness; and this name, his works, the great

things that he hath done, how would it raise our spirits to be∣lieve, and how would it increase our love to him, and our fear of him? There is mercy with thee, that thou mayst be feared; we should * 1.682 find a very great influence upon all our Graces, to increase them, even from the greatness, the fulness, the riches of this Object: O his Almighty Arm! whereby he laid the foundati∣ons of the heavens and earth, and hanged the earth upon no∣thing; and what then, though thou be nothing, he can lay a foundation of eternal comfort, and an heavenly Kingdom, as well as the earth upon nothing; and bestow his riches of Grace, as well as his power and wisdom upon nothing: therefore labour much to improve this great Object. O it will take the heart much off these poor little nothing vanities of the world, it will make us contented with our portion, it will arm us against all the fears of men and lights of the world; what will it not do, if the Lord be pleased but to breath upon our endeavours, in fixing our hearts upon this so high an Object?

Eighthly, Another is, to use the Society of growing Christi∣ans; there is much in the communion of Saints, which presup∣poseth an union, maketh increase of the Body, to the edifying of it * 1.683 self in love; as the Fellowship of the Graces of the Spirit, and their co-operation or working together, doth help to strengthen the whole; so the Fellowship of the Saints tends very much to building up. So the Church, When they continued together daily with one accord, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with one consent, with * 1.684 one heart, then the Lord added to the Church daily, such as should be saved; and not only so, but hereby the hands of the people of God are strengthened, and their spirits quickened: the fire groweth to a flame, when many brands are laid toge∣ther; if there be but one live coal, and many dead ones, lay them together, and there will be an increase of the heat; he that will walk alone, and apart from the communion of Saints, I do believe, shall quickly know by his own spirit, what the want of them is; but now there are some that are move growing and grown then others are: alas, how many are under diseases, the world, or somewhat as bad, that they are at a stand, proced not, or rather decline? there is little to be got by the fellowship of such: no, no, the people that we find are so full, they are over flowing continually, their lips feed many, they are

bringing out of the good treasury of their hearts, things both new and old; they are still telling what the Lord hath done for their * 1.685 souls, or still they are stirring up others; you shall receive some∣thing still, if your own hearts be not out of frame to receive: O how the example of a lively, sensible, diligent, close-walking Chri∣stian will provoke us? (as the Apostle saith) Your charity hath * 1.686 provoked many: it will put us upon it, to follow harder after God, To do the same diligence with them, to the full assurance of hope to the end; wherefore else are the experiences and examples of the Saints in Scripture written? what David found, and Jacob found by experience of God in prayer, wrestling with him; and what their fallings cost them both; but that they being dead, might yet speak to us, and with us, and we might converse with their living examples, though themselves be dead: even as faithful Abel being dead, yet speaketh; and why should there * 1.687 not be such a Fellowship of Saints to communicate what they have found of God? I do believe, Brethren, some of us may with thankful hearts bless the Lord, that ever we saw the faces of some of his people, that we have by their examples, and by their words been much quickened, much stirred up, much provoked; therefore if we would grow, converse with such; if thou be weak in faith, find out some of the people of God whom he hath made eminent, strong in Faith, converse with them; and if they be not very communicative, as some are more reserved, whereby they are not so profitable to others, draw it out from them, dive into their experiences, how they came to that measure of Faith, wherein they can so glorifie God, and walk so chearfully before him. And so for Humility and Tenderness: where thou findest any eminent in these, make an improvement of them, joyn thy self to them in a more special manner; labour to get somewhat from them, this is a special help to growth in Grace. And for knowledge of your relative State, lay together your experiences you have had of God; beg his Spirit to shine upon them, else you will see nothing but by his light; but a word or two more to this afterward. Thus much for the General Exhorta∣tion.

I have a double Exhortation, which is more particular: and then a word of Comfort, and so shut up all. For the particu∣lar Exhortation.

First then, Be sure that we grow according to our measure; For every part hath a measure according to the effectual working, * 1.688 in the measure of every part. I doubt many of us that should be as the eye to the body, have much less light in us then other parts of the body; and such as should be as the arm and hands to work, alas, are like little fingers for growth, come on poorly: How should Magistrates grow, and Ministers grow, and such as bear an Office in the body of Christ? they should be much more grown, their Faith should be much more strong then other mens, because they have greater works lying upon them then * 1.689 other men; and who is their sufficiency, but Jesus Christ? and how is he strong to any of us, but according to the measure of Faith? If Paul had not had a strong Faith, he had never done the works of his condition with such unwearied pains; no, nor Moses, nor Joshua; Faith it works by Love: a weak Faith can do little, and is not this the reason that some of us in these em∣ployments, * 1.690 alas, act so poorly for Christ? our faith is weak, and so our knowledge is weak: few Apolloes mighty in the Scri∣ptures, able to convince gain-sayers, therefore the Apostle exhorts young Timothy to give attendence, do his diligence in read∣ing as well as in Exhortation; give thy self wholly to these things, that thy profiting may appear to all men. As Jerom, I think, * 1.691 said he did, discere & docere, as he learned a lesson, so he taught it to them; there is a double score then, upon which Ministers are to labour to grow. First, upon their own account, because they have greater works to do, and greater temptations usually to grapple with, then others have; for the Devil is most malicious against the Light-bearers, such as have the Torch in the hand to give light to others, Even the light of the know∣ledge * 1.692 of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus: He knoweth they are labouring to pull down his Kingdom, and do you think he * 1.693 will not labour to pull them down, their souls down? O how his finger itches to be winnowing them, as he did the Disciples! * 1.694 he desires it, he begs it; as he did to molest Job, that Pillar of Religion in those parts, so he would buffet and exercise the poor Ministers of Jesus Christ: I know not what others have, but I am sure some have their hands full, and their hearts full. O what need then to be men grown, and strong in Faith, to re∣sist stedfast, of knowledge in his depths and devices! But this * 1.695

is not all: Secondly, Because the growth of others doth much depend-upon our growth: are they not as the bones to the body? when they grow no more, the body groweth no more: They are called Pillars in the house of God; and what proportion the pil∣lars * 1.696 bear to the house, the bones bear to the body. No marvel, If Teachers be such as know not what they say, and whereof they affirm; (as the Apostle saith) That their hearers also be like those silly women, alway learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. O what need then had young Timothies to * 1.697 be stir themselves wholly to these things, because alas, else they wil be able to say nothing either for substance or manner, that may be for the edification of the body. It is true, there are no new re∣velations now: the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect to every good work: but how short do we fall in our understanding of them? it is matter of sadness, and would be more if our hearts were more sensible to consider, that for ought we know many are dwarfs, because we are so our selves; Brethren, help us for your own sakes.

But there are others also that should be exhorted to look to their growth, that it be proportionable to the means of Grace you have, and do enjoy, according to your time of standing in the Church of Christ; how long hast thou been planted in the house of the Lord? many years: you should be Fathers in Israel, and Mothers in Israel, as Deborah was; and is it so with you? Brethren, It is very sad to consider, that some among us that have hoary heads, found in the wayes of righteousness, and have so long been in that way, and yet are so heavy, and so dull, and so ignorant, and so little Faith and Heavenly-mindedness, that there are many Christians that are but of yesterday, out∣strip them in many things; is not this a shame? therefore la∣bour to answer your mercies, your experiences, your light and means you have enjoyed by your growth, for this is expected; assure your selves, there is not a Talent but shall be accounted for; and if you perish not, yet you are not like to have a full reward, you will suffer loss: for a Calf of the Stall to grow no fatter then another, that hath not such feeding, it will not be born: to be like Pharoahs lean kine, devouring all before us, and yet be never the fatter, but as poor, and lean, as if we had never lived under a lively searching Ministry, as you of this

place for the most part have done; assure your selves, Brethren, your guilt is very great; to be watered every moment, and yet be as dry, and hard, as if you had never seen when good had come.

Thirdly, Another particular Exhortation shall be to help one another; Brethren, were we not wanting one to another in this respect, we should be a people much more strong in the Grace which is in Jesus Christ. But alas, you will say, is this in our power to help one another to grow? all the supply comes from Jesus Christ the Head; It is true, it doth so principally, Phil. 1. 19. Joh. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 3. 18. But he communicates by the medi∣ation of instruments, there is a supply of every part, by that which every part supplyeth, (saith the Apostle) as you see the * 1.698 spirits conveighed from the head to the lowest parts, it is by mediation of the other parts between the head and the foot; before it cometh thither, it passeth through some others. I know the Lord Jesus is not bound up to any instruments, he can teach by his own Spirit, yea, and always doth, sometimes without means, sometimes breathing in the means, and this is most ordinary; and therefore something we must look to it, that we supply every one of us; you have heard it is the end of all Christian Society to build up one another, and it is the end wherefore the Lord intrusteth us with such Talents, to lay them out for the good of others, whereby our own Talents grow in the using, and we are instruments in the hand of God, to improve others; hath the Lord then: revealed himself to thee? thou wast in an horrible pit, where there was no stand∣ing; thou sunkest yet lower and lower: hath the Lord set thy feet upon the Rock? what then, wilt thou keep this alway to thy self, when called to speak of it? mind you, Christ and Da∣vid, * 1.699 they speak of it, what God had done; And many shall hear, and fear, and shall trust in God: it encourageth them▪ wherefore doth Paul so often speak what he had been, and he had obtained mercy? O that others that should come after, might believe, and never be discouraged by their sins, though never so great. And so the Psalmist, Again, my soul shall make her boast in God, the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad; this * 1.700 poor man cried to the Lord, and he heard him. No sooner did Andrew find the Messiah, but he tels Simon: O we have

found the Messiah. And so Philip saith to Nathaniel: and the * 1.701 woman of Samaria, she no sooner had the knowledge of Christ, O she was full, she was big, until she was delivered: O come, and see the man that told me all that ever I did: is not this the Christ? * 1.702 I would (saith the Apostle) that your hearts might be knit to∣gether * 1.703 in love, and comforted, &c. that to this end you should know what conflict I had for every one of you; wherefore are we delivered out of temptation, but to set up way-marks? O take heed how you come there, warn others that they come not neer such a temptation: when thou art converted, streng∣then thy Brethren: and therefore comforted, that we might * 1.704 comfort others; and therefore indued with knowledge, that we might feed many. Now truly Brethren, as the Apostle saith of the solemn meeting, so I may say of the occasional meetings together; it is not for the better many times, but for the worse; and how a sad a thing is this? when Saints shall meet together, to have so sweet an opportunity of stirring up one another to love, to good works, that either we shall spend the time in * 1.705 foolish talking, and jesting, and looseness, and looseness of Spi∣rit: I tell you, Brethren, observe it, you little know what hurt you do your own souls by this lightness, nor what hurt you do to others: do you never reflect in the evening, what you have been doing, what company you have been in, what you have done, what you have gotten? methinks it should make our▪ hearts ake, to consider this day, through the lightness and frothiness of my Spirit, I have not only sinned my self, but drawn others to it: this is not to grow, nor to help, but hinder one another. Or else we are discoursing of the world, of this and that bargain; or else raking into the infirmities of others, and pleasing our selves with that, specially of those: that are not altogether of our minds, whereby our spirits are imbittered, not to stir up one another to bowels and com∣passions to them. How many such opportunities doth the Lord put into our hands, and we have no heart to them? shall I beg of you, and of the Lord this day, that there might be a labouring either to do, or receive some good: O think every moment ill spent in the Fellowship of the people of God, that is not thus improved; and indeed if our hearts and mouths be not set a work thus, they will be working upon somewhat which is

worse, to the grieving and wounding of our spirits, and grieving Gods Spirit: Thus much for this Exhortation also.

The last Ʋse then, shall be a word of comfort to every poor believing soul, that it may be, from what hath been said, may be discouraged. If it be thus, that such as upon whom the Lord Jesus is arisen, they are in such a growing condition, then what shall I think of my self? alas, I am weak, am very feeble, am at a stand, &c. For answer, I shall say a few things.

First, There are several states and statures in Christ, there are babes in Christ, and such as have need of milk, and not strong meat; as the Apostle saith, ye have need of milk: I could not * 1.706 speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ; that is to say, such in whom the flesh was very strong and pre∣vailing; * 1.707 So the Apostle John writeth to all the Saints under three states, some were babes, some young men, in their strength and vigour, some old men, Fathers of grown experience in the waies of Christ; Fathers in Israel, and Mothers in Israel; some are but just entred into the School of Christ, some are of a middle form, some of the highest, some are but gotten within the door of the house of God, and happy it is for them that are but once within, for then they shall go further and further: Others are gone further, into the inner Chambers, and are acquainted with the Lord Jesus in the most inward manner; What then, wilt thou conclude, that because thou art not a man the first day, or pre∣sently, therefore thou art no child of grace? No, suppose thou art but a child, and weak, and every temptation over-turns thee, draweth thee aside, yet remember thou art a child: though thou be not a strong deeply rooted Cedar, yet thou art planted it may be lately: though yet for the time we might be men spiritual, perfect, as the Apostle saith, to bear the wisdom of God in a mysterie, and yet are babes; it is matter of humiliation, but not of despair.

Secondly, Another is this, that the people of God, though they are in a growing condition, yet it is not so to be understood, as that every moment they grow, they have their declining fits; trees and plants, you know, have their Winters, and children have their sicknesses and fits, when they are at a stand, though afterward haply they shoot out so much the more for it; and so many times the people of God do, they are under a distemper

for a while, and decline, and a man would think they were even withering and dying, but it reviveth again; many times grace in the hearts of the children of God, through corruption, are like the light of a candle ready to go out, even in the socket, but yet afterwards they are stirred up, they trim up their Lamps, shine more clearly and sweetly then before: I say, do not con∣clude therefore thou art no child of God, because it is not alto∣gether with thee as it hath been: thou hast found thy heart much more large toward God, much more tender, &c. Brethren, we may lose our first love, and grow cold and dead, yea and it is pos∣sible * 1.708 for a child of God to dye under such a condition, and yet not miscarry in the main, though it is not so comfortable for him, nor so honourable for God; therefore take heed of concluding your state by what you feel at present; it may be some tempta∣tion hath prevailed, some distemper is upon thee, therefore thou must heal that, get that removed, and thou shalt see thou wilt grow.

Thirdly, Even then thou mayst be growing in the root, for there must be a time for that, Brethren: when we are least in our selves, and see we are nothing, can do nothing, specially being sensible of it: O how this humbles us! we are no losers by this, our roots cannot be too much spread, nor the foundation too much strengthened; this driveth us the more to Christ, maketh us the more seriously inquisitive after our state, to be sure to look to our grounding and establishing upon him, and this will fit us for further growth.

Fourthly, In the next place know this, that even then, when there is nothing appearing, thou thinkest thou art nothing, hast nothing, all seems to be withered, no fruit appears, even then the Lord seeth the root in the ground: though wee see it not, he takes notice of it, and is pleased with it; though Jobs friends think he was a withered branch, cut off from Communion with God, yet he had the root of the matter within him: come into a garden in the summer, how pleasant and how glorious it is furnished with all variety of plants and flowers; in the winter there is nothing appeareth, they are under ground; but now the Gardener, he knoweth what roots he hath there, though they appear not, and he can tell you what plants he shall have spring∣ing up in the spring, and he is choice and tender of the places

where they grow, as if they did appear and put forth; the Lord knoweth, if there be but the root of the matter in thee, if never so small, if right, he knoweth it, and he knoweth the thoughts afar off, long before we think them, he knoweth our works afar off, I know Abraham, he will command his house after him, to keep * 1.709 my Commandments; the Lord knoweth what sinners would be if they lived, and therefore many times cuts them off; and he knoweth what his people would be and will be, though for the present under a temptation, under a cloud, and seem to be all withered and dryed up. Is this nothing? Brethren, he knoweth what root, what seed he hath sown in the heart, and that it will put forth; Say not then, surely thou art not regarded of God, because thou dost not appear to thy self to grow at every mo∣ment.

Fifthly, Alas, but you will say, if I did come on thus and thus, as such an one doth, it were something like. I answer, it is good to follow the pattern of fruitful and growing-Christians; but what if God will not give thee that measure that he giveth ano∣ther? What if thou be but as a little finger in the body, and such an one is as an arm? canst thou expect then to grow as much as such an one? is not he wise, and knoweth best what measure is good for us? Secondly, For that thy desires are yet higher then thy growth, it is good for thee, desire growth as much as thou wilt; and I could wish your desires were more earnest, for then your endeavours would be more answerable then they are; but if thy desires be in good earnest, and thou makest it thy work to grow and come on, and yet canst not reach thy desires; should this discourage? No; thou shouldst be encouraged, and bless the Lord that thy desires are kept up after more and more; that you say not sufficit, for this is the way appointed of God for growth, that still the desires of his people should be upper∣most; and for my own part, I think there is not a better sign of a growing, then an eager stomack, except it be a disease, which can hardly be in spirituals, though a man may desire also to hear more then he digests. See, the Church was following Christ, and yet saith she, Draw me, I will run; We go after thee, but we * 1.710 would run.

Sixthly, Growth is not sensible, is not visible until afterward; that degree which is in the motion is not perceived until after∣ward:

you see trees, and plants, and children, they have grown, but if you sit by them, set your eyes upon them to see them grow, and cannot discern it, and should complain, alas, they grow not; would you not bewray much weakness? So it is in this case: A Merchant, it is true, casts up his daily accounts, what cometh in, what goeth out, but he doth take the state of his condition but now and then: So should we, though daily we examine our selves, how we gain or lose, such a day, in all pas∣sages; yet to examine the state of our growth in the general every day, is to little purpose, as I told you before; the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation; both the Kingdom of God in * 1.711 the administration of it groweth insensibly, as the falling of the dew from the womb of the morning; thou hast the dew of thy youth, and God will be as the dew to Israel. So the seed sown, is said to grow while he that sowed it sleepeth, he knoweth not how; it is vain to observe it while it is growing, but afterward it will ap∣pear.

Seventhly, Though it may be thou grow not in affections so much as thou thinkest, thou maist grow notwithstanding in the understanding, and in the will, in the main part of the soul; for the passions indeed, they are the lowest part, and yet we are apt to place most in them. O if we can be but so and so affected 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a rapture of joy, a melting into tears, it may be with many of us, is more then a sweet yielding Spirit to the will of Jesus Christ; this is a great mistake. It may be heretofore, when the matter was new to thee, thou wast more affected with it passionately then now thou art; as you see new things do affect our nature most, which, as some well observe, is the reason wherefore chil∣dren are taken and affected with every thing at the first, because every thing is new to them, which men are not, except with things which are so to them. Beside, as the blood groweth cold∣er in old age, and the spirits are not so agile, there cannot be ex∣pected that vigour of affection in old persons, and weak, and sick persons, as in young▪ persons, this is the case. Besides, these passions they are wonderful unconstant, and there is no judge∣ment by them at all, they do so strangely ebb and flow; some mens natures are more passionate, apt to grieve, to be affected with every little thing, and there a little matter will set their passions afloat; others are more stock-like, it is much that

moveth their affection: Now a little thing will not move them. But suppose that thou dost not grow in these so much, how is thy understanding? dost thou grow there, abound in the know∣ledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? before thou wast empty, knew∣est very little; now thou hast a Treasury of knowledge, and thou goest on herein: do we grow in our judgements, Bre∣thren? dost thou not value Christ and grace at a higher rate then before, counting all things dross in comparison of him? dost thou not cleave to the Lord with more full and strong purpose of heart then before? this is growth indeed to the purpose.

Eighthly, If thou grow not in bigness, dost thou grow in sweetness? this is growth Brethren. At first, Christians run up * 1.712 to a great height, a pace they grow in knowledge, but afterwards they grow in the sanctifiedness of that knowledge: Alas, when they know much, they know little as they ought: Now thou comest to know it as thou oughtest, so as to humble thee, so as to endear thee to Christ more: Now thou art more peaceable, more apt to forgive, less censorious, hast not so much of that dividing spirit that formerly thou hadst: dost thou grow, I say, in sweetness therefore, if thou grow so? so much in heat? this is the fatness and the sweetness of the growth, and there is great comfort in this.

Ninthly, In the last place, as David said of the Covenant of God, and his family, though he make it not to grow, yet saith he, this is all my hope, and all my salvation; yet he trusted in him. * 1.713 It is God that maketh it to grow (Brethren) and he is free, and rich in his influences; and what if he make it not to grow for a time? what then? wilt thou question all his work in thee? No, no, but rather labour to believe it away: Here are many pro∣mises, trust in him, though he make it not to grow; hang upon him still for this growth, and if he still make it not to grow, yet still make this thy salvation, his Covenant: if he see not such a measure fit for thee, be humbled for what thou findest to be the obstruction, but cast not away thy confidence, though he make it not to grow: and thus much for this.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 74. 9.
• * 1.2

  Da••. 2. 33, 41, 42.
• * 1.3

  Mal. 3, 2.
• * 1.4

  Doctr.
• * 1.5

  Exod. 15. 26.
• * 1.6

  Isa. 60. 1.
• * 1.7

  Luk. 2. 32.
• * 1.8

  Luk. 1. 78.
• * 1.9

  Mat. 13. 6.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 84. 11.
• * 1.11

  2 Cor. 5. 19.
• * 1.12

  1 Tim. 2. 5.
• * 1.13

  Heb. 2. 14.
• * 1.14

  Mat. 24. 14.
• * 1.15

  1 Cor. 15. 41.
• * 1.16

  Heb. 1. 2.
• * 1.17

  2 Cor. 4. 6.
• * 1.18

  1 Cor. 1. 14. The wisdom and power of God.
• * 1.19

  Isa. 60. 3.
• * 1.20

  Rev. 1. 15, 16, 17.
• * 1.21

  Mat. 5. 14.
• * 1.22

  Heb. 12. 23.
• * 1.23

  Jo••. 1. 9.
• * 1.24

  Eph. 5. 13.
• * 1.25

  Heb. 4. 12.
• * 1.26

  Psal. 19 4.
• * 1.27

  Lev. 26. 11.
• * 1.28

  Rev. 1. 13.
• * 1.29

  Cant. 2. 11. 12.
• * 1.30

  Psal. 104 30.
• * 1.31

  Isa. 44. 22.
• * 1.32

  Josh. 10. 12.
• * 1.33

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.34

  Phil. 2. 12.
• * 1.35

  2 Cor. 4. 5.
• * 1.36

  Rom. 13. 13.
• * 1.37

  2.
• * 1.38

  Gal. 1. 16.
• * 1.39

  3.
• * 1.40

  Exod. 10. 23.
• * 1.41

  Isa. 60. 2.
• * 1.42

  4.
• * 1.43

  Eccles. 11. 7.
• * 1.44

  5.
• * 1.45

  Peter mel••s because Christ looks on him. 6. Gal. 1. 2, 20. Not I, but the Grace of God in me.
• * 1.46

  7. Psal. 89. 15. I will walk in the light of his countenance.
• * 1.47

  8.
• * 1.48

  Jer. 51. 9.
• * 1.49

  1. Cor. 14. 38.
• * 1.50

  Luke 19. 42.
• * 1.51

  9.
• * 1.52

  2 Cor. 4.
• * 1.53

  2 Cor. 3. 18.
• * 1.54

  Rom 1. 26.
• * 1.55

  10.
• * 1.56

  2 Thes. 2. 11.
• * 1.57

  11.
• * 1.58

  Phil 2. 8.
• * 1.59

  2 Pet. 2. 1.
• * 1.60

  12.
• * 1.61

  Luke. 1. 78.
• * 1.62

  13.
• * 1.63

  Psal. 84.
• * 1.64

  14.
• * 1.65

  Isa. 60. 1.
• * 1.66

  Doctr.
• * 1.67

  2 Kings 22. ch. 11. 19.
• * 1.68

  Psal. 119. 120. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Chr••n. 21. 30.
• * 1.69

  Bacon ad∣vancement of Learning. li. 2. p. 121.
• * 1.70

  Iosh. 1. 5. Heb. 13. 5.
• * 1.71

  Acts 16. 29. Acts 2.
• * 1.72

  Hos. 3▪ 5
• * 1.73

  Exod. 24. 6.
• * 1.74

  Isa. 50. 10.
• * 1.75

  Psal. 106. 32. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sam. 19. 29.
• * 1.76

  Phil. 2. 6.
• * 1.77

  H••b. 2. 14.
• * 1.78

  Mat. 14. 34.
• * 1.79

  Mat. 26. 39, 42.
• * 1.80

  Gen. 3. 15.
• * 1.81

  Isa. 7. 1••.
• * 1.82

  Rom. 3. 25, 26.
• * 1.83

  Heb. 11. ult.
• * 1.84

  Ier. 23. 6.
• * 1.85

  Psal. 143. 2.
• * 1.86

  1 Cor. 1. 30.
• * 1.87

  Eph. 1. 4, 5.
• * 1.88

  2 Cor. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 5. 2. Made sin that we might be m••de the righteousness of God in him.
• * 1.89

  Luk. 2. 25.
• * 1.90

  Heb. 10. 1.
• * 1.91

  Mat. 13. 6.
• * 1.92

  Joh. 10. 10.
• * 1.93

  Luk. 2. 32..
• * 1.94

  Psal. 139. 9.
• * 1.95

  Job 3. 9.
• * 1.96

  Mat. 23. 27.
• * 1.97

  ••ph. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 17.
• * 1.98

  1 Pet. 3. 19.
• * 1.99

  Psal. 43. 3.
• * 1.100

  Ioh. 15. 26.
• * 1.101

  Rev. 1. 16.
• * 1.102

  Ioh. 14. 16.
• * 1.103

  Psal. 147. 15.
• * 1.104

  Acts 19. 20.
• * 1.105

  Psal. 110. 3.
• * 1.106

  Rom. 10. 18.
• * 1.107

  Luk. 24. 32.
• * 1.108

  Isa. 57. 19.
• * 1.109

  Deut. 33. 14.
• * 1.110

  Neh. 8. 10.
• * 1.111

  Psal. 103. 3.
• * 1.112

  Mat. 13. 15.
• * 1.113

  Mark 4. 12.
• * 1.114

  Hos. 14. 4.
• * 1.115

  Psal. 147. 3.
• * 1.116

  Isa. 17. 18, 19.
• * 1.117

  Luk. 4. 18.
• * 1.118

  Isa. 61. 1, 2.
• * 1.119

  Heb. 9. 14.
• * 1.120

  Deut. 32. 39.
• * 1.121

  Iob 5. 18.
• * 1.122

  Hos. 6. 1.
• * 1.123

  Jer. 33 56.
• * 1.124

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.125

  Isa. 1. 5, 6.
• * 1.126

  Ezek. 34. 4.
• * 1.127

  Eph. 4. 18.
• * 1.128

  Rom. 12. 3.
• * 1.129

  1 King. 8. 38,
• * 1.130

  2 Pet. 2. 14.
• * 1.131

  Jam. 3. 6.
• * 1.132

  Gen. 4. 13. 14.
• * 1.133

  Acts 24. 25.
• * 1.134

  Isa. 33. 14.
• * 1.135

  Heb. 10. 27.
• * 1.136

  Dan. 5. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.137

  Rom. 6. 21.
• * 1.138

  Ez••k. 16. 61, 63.
• * 1.139

  2 Cor. 7. 10.
• * 1.140

  Psal. 51.
• * 1.141

  Galen. Arist. Ethic. lib. 1. c. ult. cited by Regn. on Hos. pag. 77.
• * 1.142

  Heb. 12. 12.
• * 1.143

  Tit. 1. 16.
• * 1.144

  Rom. 5. 6. & 8.
• * 1.145

  Isa. 1.
• * 1.146

  Ʋse.
• * 1.147

  Luke 13. 11.
• * 1.148

  1 Tim. 1. 15.
• * 1.149

  Isa. 61. 1.
• * 1.150

  Isa. 15. 18.
• * 1.151

  1 Kings 8. Psal. 19.
• * 1.152

  Rev. 3. 17.
• * 1.153

  Mat. 9. 2.
• * 1.154

  Iob 21. 14.
• * 1.155

  Mat. 23. 27.
• * 1.156

  Ezek. 24. 13. Prov. 1. 21.
• * 1.157

  2 King. 5〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.158

  Rom. 10. 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.159

  Psal. 139. 23.
• * 1.160

  Ioh. 3. 20.
• * 1.161

  1 King 22.
• * 1.162

  Mark 14. 33, 34.
• * 1.163

  Psal. 85.
• * 1.164

  M••c. 7. 18.
• * 1.165

  Luke 5. 3.
• * 1.166

  Luke 10. 30.
• * 1.167

  Num. 12.
• * 1.168

  Luke 18 37. Ephe. 4. 19.
• * 1.169

  Exod. 12. 5.
• * 1.170

  Ioh. 9 41.
• * 1.171

  Luke 8. 43.
• * 1.172

  Mat. 9. 21.
• * 1.173

  Mat 7. 16. Act. 3. 12.
• * 1.174

  Matth. 11. 27.
• * 1.175

  Heb. 2.
• * 1.176

  Isa. 44.
• * 1.177

  Isa. 55. 8.
• * 1.178

  Luke 19. 10. Isa. 53. Psal. 119.
• * 1.179

  Mat. 3. 12, 28.
• * 1.180

  Luke 19. 5.
• * 1.181

  Isa. 65. 1.
• * 1.182

  Mat. 23. 4.
• * 1.183

  2 Cor. 15. 19, 20.
• * 1.184

  Ezek. 18. 31.
• * 1.185

  Isa. 57. 17, 18.
• * 1.186

  Isa. 65. 2.
• * 1.187

  Isa. 1.
• * 1.188

  Iames 1. 19.
• * 1.189

  Psal. 103. 13.
• * 1.190

  2 Sam. 18. 33.
• * 1.191

  Isa. 53. 5.
• * 1.192

  1 Pet. 2. 24.
• * 1.193

  Isa. 54. 8.
• * 1.194

  Psal. 42 7.
• * 1.195

  Psal. 88. 6.
• * 1.196

  ••am. 3. ••9.
• * 1.197

  1 Cor. 10. 13.
• * 1.198

  I••aiah 64.
• * 1.199

  Rom. 6. 1.
• * 1.200

  Prov. 14. 14.
• * 1.201

  Isa. 1.
• * 1.202

  2 King. 5. 12.
• * 1.203

  Luk. 6. 19.
• * 1.204

  Ho••. 14. 4.
• * 1.205

  Psal. 5••.
• * 1.206

  Prov. 18. 14.
• * 1.207

  Deut. 30. 6.
• * 1.208

  Eph. 2. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 20.
• * 1.209

  Doctrine.
• * 1.210

  Isa. 42. 7.
• * 1.211

  Ioh. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 32.
• * 1.212

  Heb. 2. 3.
• * 1.213

  Isa. 61. 1.
• * 1.214

  Isa. 49. 8. & 9.
• * 1.215

  Luk. 4. 18. & 21.
• * 1.216

  Ioh. 8. 33.
• * 1.217

  Gal. 4. 24.
• * 1.218

  Gal. 5. 13. c. 1. 6.
• * 1.219

  Ioh. 8. 36.
• * 1.220

  Gal 5. 1. c. 2. 4.
• * 1.221

  Rom. 8. 2.
• * 1.222

  2 Cor. 3. 17. Rom. 8. 15.
• * 1.223

  Luke 1. 74.
• * 1.224

  Heb. 2. 14.
• * 1.225

  Isa. 61. 1.
• * 1.226

  Isa. 42. 7.
• * 1.227

  Luke 4. 18.
• * 1.228

  Ioh. 8. 32.
• * 1.229

  Psal. 12. 6, 7.
• * 1.230

  Col. 1. 5. ver. 13.
• * 1.231

  Gal. 3. 2.
• * 1.232

  2 Cor. 3. 8.
• * 1.233

  Rom. 4. 15.
• * 1.234

  Gal. 3. 2.
• * 1.235

  Gal. 4. 25.
• * 1.236

  Gal. 4. 24.
• * 1.237

  2 Pet. 2. 16▪
• * 1.238

  Psal. 144. 14.
• * 1.239

  2 Tim. 2. 26.
• * 1.240

  Exod. 21. 21.
• * 1.241

  Rom. 7. 14.
• * 1.242

  2 King. 21. 20.
• * 1.243

  Mat. 16. 26.
• * 1.244

  Gen. 14. 14.
• * 1.245

  Eccl. 2. 7.
• * 1.246

  Lev. 25. 46.
• * 1.247

  Ioh. 8. 33.
• * 1.248

  Eph. 2. 12.
• * 1.249

  Exod. 1. 13.
• * 1.250

  Rom. 7. 14.
• * 1.251

  Eph. 4. 22.
• * 1.252

  2 Pet. 2. 29.
• * 1.253

  Eph. 2. 3.
• * 1.254

  Rom. 6. 17.
• * 1.255

  Ioh. 8. 34.
• * 1.256

  Rom. 13. 14.
• * 1.257

  Rom. 6. 17, 18.
• * 1.258

  Col. 3. 3. Iob 3. 19.
• * 1.259

  Rom. 6. 7.
• * 1.260

  Rom. 6. 14.
• * 1.261

  1 Tim. 6. 9.
• * 1.262

  Eph. 2. 2.
• * 1.263

  2 Tim. 2. 26.
• * 1.264

  Acts 5.
• * 1.265

  Luk. 22. 3.
• * 1.266

  Luk. 10. 18.
• * 1.267

  Luk 11. 21, 22.
• * 1.268

  Col. 2. 15.
• * 1.269

  Eph. 4. 8.
• * 1.270

  Joh 3. 18, 36.
• * 1.271

  Gal. 3. 23.
• * 1.272

  Rom. 8. 1.
• * 1.273

  Isa. 40. 7.
• * 1.274

  Eph. 5. 8.
• * 1.275

  Col. 1. 13.
• * 1.276

  Eph 2. 2.
• * 1.277

  Luk. 23. 34.
• * 1.278

  John 17.
• * 1.279

  Rom. 7. 13.
• * 1.280

  Isal. 61. 1.
• * 1.281

  Isal. 42. 7.
• * 1.282

  Psal. 146. 8.
• * 1.283

  Act. 26. 8.
• * 1.284

  Matth. 22. 1••.
• * 1.285

  2 Tim. 2. 2〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.286

  Ioh. 16. 13. Ioh. 1. 2, 20.
• * 1.287

  Acts 12. 18.
• * 1.288

  Ioh. 14. 6.
• * 1.289

  Gal. 3. 10.
• * 1.290

  Gal. 4. 24. & 3. 13.
• * 1.291

  Mat. 11. 28.
• * 1.292

  Iam. 1. 25.
• * 1.293

  Isal. 40.
• * 1.294

  Rom. 7. 22.
• * 1.295

  Psal. 40. 6. Exod. 21. 5. & 6. Rom. 6. 19. Psal 110. Rom. 6. 17.
• * 1.296

  Rom. 8. 15.
• * 1.297

  Gal. 3. 23.
• * 1.298

  Psal. 40. 2.
• * 1.299

  Psal. 88. 6.
• * 1.300

  Rom. 8. 16.
• * 1.301

  Psal. 4. 15.
• * 1.302

  Heb. 2. 14.
• * 1.303

  1 Cor. 1. 15. 5, 6.
• * 1.304

  Luke 12. 20.
• * 1.305

  Heb. 10. 1. & 14.
• * 1.306

  1 Cor. 15. 56.
• * 1.307

  Luk. 2. 29.
• * 1.308

  2 Cor. 5. 1.
• * 1.309

  Phil. 1. 23.
• * 1.310

  Gal 3. 19.
• * 1.311

  Ioh. 8. 32. Rom. 10. 1, 2.
• * 1.312

  Psal. 119. 32.
• * 1.313

  Iob 9, 28.
• * 1.314

  Acts 20. 23.
• * 1.315

  Exod. 1••. 13.
• * 1.316

  Zech. 9. 11.
• * 1.317

  Exod. 6. 5.
• * 1.318

  Rev. 7.
• * 1.319

  Psal. 107. 10.
• * 1.320

  Iob 1. 11.
• * 1.321

  Psal. 119. 71.
• * 1.322

  Mal. 1. 13.
• * 1.323

  Col. 2. 8, 20.
• * 1.324

  1 Tim. 4. 2, 3.
• * 1.325

  3.
• * 1.326

  Gal. 1. 16.
• * 1.327

  Col. 3. 11.
• * 1.328

  2 Cor. 5. 21.
• * 1.329

  Acts 5. 1 King. 21.
• * 1.330

  Ioh. 8.
• * 1.331

  Mat. 6. 24.
• * 1.332

  Mic. 7. 3. Rom. 6. 17.
• * 1.333

  Rom. 7. 4.
• * 1.334

  Chap. 6. 20.
• * 1.335

  Rom. 6. 7.
• * 1.336

  Rom. 6. 19.
• * 1.337

  Psal. 40. 2.
• * 1.338

  Luke 1. 74.
• * 1.339

  Psal. 77. 3.
• * 1.340

  Psal. 85. 8.
• * 1.341

  Psal. 125. 3.
• * 1.342

  Psal. 73. 2, 13, 14.
• * 1.343

  Luke 16.
• * 1.344

  Isa. 57. 16. 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.345

  Rom. 7. 14.
• * 1.346

  Rom. 1. 26.
• * 1.347

  Luk 16.
• * 1.348

  Prov. 5. 11.
• * 1.349

  Luk. 12. 2••.
• * 1.350

  Exod. 21. 26.
• * 1.351

  Prov. 29. 6.
• * 1.352

  Rom. 7. 14.
• * 1.353

  1 Cor. 3. 1, 4.
• * 1.354

  Rom. 7. 24.
• * 1.355

  Gal. 5. 17.
• * 1.356

  Phil. 3. 19:
• * 1.357

  Prov. 5. 11. Prov. 23. 29.
• * 1.358

  Ʋse 2.
• * 1.359

  Eph. 2. 3.
• * 1.360

  Isa. 51. 1.
• * 1.361

  John 8.
• * 1.362

  Eccl. 2. 7.
• * 1.363

  Levit. 25. 41, 42.
• * 1.364

  Heb. 10. 2.
• * 1.365

  Mat. 12. 45.
• * 1.366

  Rom. 11. 19.
• * 1.367

  Mat. 13. 6. They had not root, though they had blade enough. Mat. 8. 12.
• * 1.368

  Joh. 8. 44.
• * 1.369

  Acts 26. 18.
• * 1.370

  Acts 26. 9.
• * 1.371

  Tit. 3. 11.
• * 1.372

  2 Tim. 2. 16.
• * 1.373

  1 Tim. 3. 2.
• * 1.374

  2 Sam. 3. 16.
• * 1.375

  2 Pet. 2. 19.
• * 1.376

  Psal 2. Mat. 11. 28.
• * 1.377

  Mal. 1. 13.
• * 1.378

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cor. 8. 7.
• * 1.379

  Ʋse 3.
• * 1.380

  Ioh. 8. 3••.
• * 1.381

  Gal. 3. 13.
• * 1.382

  Ʋse 4.
• * 1.383

  Rom. 7. 14.
• * 1.384

  Ez••k. 18. 31.
• * 1.385

  Luk. 19. 42.
• * 1.386

  Gen. 19.
• * 1.387

  Fullers Lives pag. 38 8.
• * 1.388

  Psal. 16. 4.
• * 1.389

  Iob 35. 8.
• * 1.390

  Deut. 6. 24. Mar. 2. 27.
• * 1.391

  Ʋse 5.
• * 1.392

  2 Cor. 6. 2.
• * 1.393

  Lev. 25. 9, 10.
• * 1.394

  Luk. 19. 42.
• * 1.395

  Acts 1. 7.
• * 1.396

  When liberty was proclaim∣ed from Baby∣lon, some would stay there, &c.
• * 1.397

  Lev. 25. 45, 46.
• * 1.398

  Eph. 2. 13.
• * 1.399

  Mat. 10. 5.
• * 1.400

  Jer. 34. 15, 16, 17.
• * 1.401

  Exod. 21. 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.402

  Psal. 40 6.
• * 1.403

  Isa. 61. 11.
• * 1.404

  Psal. 40. 2.
• * 1.405

  Acts 22. 19.
• * 1.406

  Ioh. 17. 13.
• * 1.407

  Psal. 19.
• * 1.408

  Rom. 6. 14.
• * 1.409

  M••ca. 7. 17.
• * 1.410

  Ʋse 6.
• * 1.411

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 17.
• * 1.412

  Gal. 5. 1.
• * 1.413

  Psal. ••5. 8.
• * 1.414

  2 Pet. 2. 22.
• * 1.415

  Mat. 12. 45.
• * 1.416

  2 ••im. 2. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 18.
• * 1.417

  Psal. 51. 12.
• * 1.418

  2 Cor. 3. 17.
• * 1.419

  Luk. 11. 13.
• * 1.420

  2 Thes. 2. 16.
• * 1.421

  Seneca.
• * 1.422

  Is••. 17. 4.
• * 1.423

  1 Cor. 6.
• * 1.424

  1 Pet. 2. 16.
• * 1.425

  Gal 5. 13.
• * 1.426

  Luk. 2. 51.
• * 1.427

  1 Tim. 6. 1.
• * 1.428

  Psal. 85. 8.
• * 1.429

  Gal. 5. 13.
• * 1.430

  1 Cor. 8. 13.
• * 1.431

  Prov. 23. 31. 2 Pet. 2. 14
• * 1.432

  Gal. 5. 13.
• * 1.433

  Rom. 15. 1.
• * 1.434

  2 Cor. 9. 19, 22.
• * 1.435

  Rom. 6. 22.
• * 1.436

  Luk. 1. 74.
• * 1.437

  Rom. 12. 2.
• * 1.438

  Acts 4 19.
• * 1.439

  Gen 9. 25.
• * 1.440

  Rom 7. 12.
• * 1.441

  Rom. 10. 4. Gal. 3. 25.
• * 1.442

  Mal. 3. 17.
• * 1.443

  Gen. 32.
• * 1.444

  Rom. 7. 32.
• * 1.445

  Psal. 119. 22.
• * 1.446

  Mat. 5. 17.
• * 1.447

  Rom. 3. 31.
• * 1.448

  Heb. 12. ult.
• * 1.449

  Psal. 2. 11. Exod. 20. 20.
• * 1.450

  Hos. 3. 5.
• * 1.451

  1 Chro. 21. 30.
• * 1.452

  Mat. 10. 28.
• * 1.453

  Rom. 8. 13.
• * 1.454

  Rom. 8. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.455

  Exod. 3. 14.
• * 1.456

  Exod. 2. 24.
• * 1.457

  Joh. 8. 32.
• * 1.458

  Luk. 11. 21, 22.
• * 1.459

  Mat 〈…〉〈…〉1.
• * 1.460

  Exod. 6. 9.
• * 1.461

  H••b. 1. 8.
• * 1.462

  Iob 8. 7.
• * 1.463

  Eccles. 2. 9.
• * 1.464

  Ier. 12. 1 2.
• * 1.465

  Isa. 17. 11.
• * 1.466

  Deut. 32. 15.
• * 1.467

  1 Tim. 4. 8.
• * 1.468

  Prov. 15. 17.
• * 1.469

  Hos. 14. 5. Mat. 6. 29. Iohn 2.
• * 1.470

  ••octr.
• * 1.471

  Psal. 92. 12.
• * 1.472

  Pli••. lib. 13.
• * 1.473

  Iob 14. 7.
• * 1.474

  Lam. 3. 18.
• * 1.475

  Psal. 84. 7.
• * 1.476

  2 Cor. 3. 18.
• * 1.477

  Mat. 43. 31, 32, 33.
• * 1.478

  Pro••. 4. 18.
• * 1.479

  Luk. 2. 52.
• * 1.480

  Mat. 6. 27.
• * 1.481

  Phil. 3. 8.
• * 1.482

  Isa. 50. 10.
• * 1.483

  1 Iohn 3. 1.
• * 1.484

  Rom. 8. 34. Cant. 2. 6. Iohn 20. 28. 1 Cor. 2. 8.
• * 1.485

  Ioshuah 7. 26. 2 Sam. 18. 17.
• * 1.486

  1 Iohn 3. 9. & 2. 14.
• * 1.487

  Math. 13. 21.
• * 1.488

  Math. 13. 21.
• * 1.489

  Psal. 129. 6.
• * 1.490

  2 Cor. 3. 6. 2 Cor. 9. 10.
• * 1.491

  Isa. 53. 11.
• * 1.492

  Isa. 59. 21. Iohn 1. 16.
• * 1.493

  Phil. 1. 19.
• * 1.494

  Mal. 2. 7. Heb. 4. 2.
• * 1.495

  2 Cor. 3. 18.
• * 1.496

  Iohn 1. 14.
• * 1.497

  Eph. 4. 6.
• * 1.498

  Col. 2. 19.
• * 1.499

  Rom. 11. 17.
• * 1.500

  Rom. 11. 32.
• * 1.501

  2 Sam. 5. 16, 17.
• * 1.502

  Numb. 11. 29. Exod. 32. 12.
• * 1.503

  Eph 2. 21.
• * 1.504

  Eph. 4. 16.
• * 1.505

  Phil. 1. 19.
• * 1.506

  Prov. 16. 3.
• * 1.507

  Eph. 4. 13.
• * 1.508

  Psal. 17. 15.
• * 1.509

  Psal. 92. 14.
• * 1.510

  Heb. 12. 2. Phil. 2. 12.
• * 1.511

  Heb. 7. 25. Hos. 14. 5.
• * 1.512

  Mat. 13, 15.
• * 1.513

  Plut. l. 11. c. 2. cited by Trapp upon Mat. 14.
• * 1.514

  Isa. 40. 28, 29.
• * 1.515

  Col. 2. 19. Col. 1. 11. Eph. 4. 13.
• * 1.516

  Mat. 18. 3.
• * 1.517

  Hos. 1••. 5.
• * 1.518

  Luk. 23. 40, 41.
• * 1.519

  Ioh. 18. 8.
• * 1.520

  Hos. 13. 13.
• * 1.521

  Luk. 18. 15, 16, 17.
• * 1.522

  Psal. 17.
• * 1.523

  Luk. 1. 41.
• * 1.524

  Luk. 18. 17.
• * 1.525

  Heb. 12. 12.
• * 1.526

  Eph. 4. 14.
• * 1.527

  Hos. 11. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.528

  Ezek. 6. 9
• * 1.529

  Rom. 4. 20. Exod. 17. 7.
• * 1.530

  Iohn 6. 55.
• * 1.531

  Isa. 55. 7.
• * 1.532

  Mat. 5. 47.
• * 1.533

  1 Cor. 2. 12.
• * 1.534

  Psal. 45. 7.
• * 1.535

  Rom. 14. 7. 1 Iohn 1. 4.
• * 1.536

  Rom. 1. 17. Eph. 1. 18.
• * 1.537

  Rom. 8. 1, 13.
• * 1.538

  Mat. 12. 20.
• * 1.539

  2 Tim. 3. 7.
• * 1.540

  Heb. 5. 12.
• * 1.541

  Prov. 16. 31.
• * 1.542

  2 Tim. 3. 13.
• * 1.543

  Mat. 12. 45. Iude 12.
• * 1.544

  Isa. 55. 11.
• * 1.545

  Iohn 3. 19.
• * 1.546

  Isa. 6. 10.
• * 1.547

  Psalm 2.
• * 1.548

  Rom. 1. 28.
• * 1.549

  Ʋse 3.
• * 1.550

  2 King. 19. 30.
• * 1.551

  Mat. 3. 10.
• * 1.552

  1 Cor. 1. 30.
• * 1.553

  Isa. 43. 25. Ier. 31. 34.
• * 1.554

  Mica. 7.
• * 1.555

  ••lat. 16. 24.
• * 1.556

  Hab 2. 4. Mat. 11. 29.
• * 1.557

  2 Sam. 16. 10.
• * 1.558

  Numb. 11. 29. Exod. 32. 1.
• * 1.559

  Mat. 17.
• * 1.560

  Eph•• 4. 14.
• * 1.561

  2▪ Tim. 3 6.
• * 1.562

  Heb. 5. 14.
• * 1.563

  Heb. 12. 5.
• * 1.564

  Mat. 13. 15.
• * 1.565

  Zech. 9. 9. Iohn 6. 66.
• * 1.566

  1 Cor. 8. 7.
• * 1.567

  2 Tim. 4. 10.
• * 1.568

  Heb. 10. Col. 6. 12. Gal. 2. 12.
• * 1.569

  Ioh. 7. 50.
• * 1.570

  2 Pet. 2. 14.
• * 1.571

  1 Cor. 16. 4.
• * 1.572

  Iam. 4. 3.
• * 1.573

  Acts 9. 22.
• * 1.574

  Psal. 9 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.575

  Exod. 32.
• * 1.576

  Mat. 20. 31.
• * 1.577

  Luk. 22. 44.
• * 1.578

  Isa. 6. 10. Mat. 13. 15.
• * 1.579

  2 Pet. 3. 18.
• * 1.580

  2 Pet. 3. 18.
• * 1.581

  Isa. 53. Iohn 17. 3.
• * 1.582

  Iohn 5. 45.
• * 1.583

  Eph. 4. 15.
• * 1.584

  1 Cor. 2. 2.
• * 1.585

  Col. 1. 10, 11.
• * 1.586

  Prov. 24. 5.
• * 1.587

  1 Cor. 8. 7.
• * 1.588

  John 1. 17.
• * 1.589

  2 Cor. 3. 18.
• * 1.590

  John 16.
• * 1.591

  Iohn 8. 32.
• * 1.592

  2 Pet. 2. 20.
• * 1.593

  Psal. 9. 10.
• * 1.594

  Eph. 4. 18.
• * 1.595

  Psal. 79. 6.
• * 1.596

  Eph. 1. 18.
• * 1.597

  Luk. 22. 34.
• * 1.598

  Prov. 1. 5.
• * 1.599

  Luke 17. 5.
• * 1.600

  Ioh. 6. 15.
• * 1.601

  Faith may grow obje∣ctively, when more is re∣vealed.
• * 1.602

  Psal. 31. 32.
• * 1.603

  Prov. 5. 19.
• * 1.604

  Gen. 30. 1.
• * 1.605

  Cant. 5. 16.
• * 1.606

  Luke 7. 47.
• * 1.607

  1 Cor. 6. 9, 10.
• * 1.608

  1 Tim 1. 13, 15.
• * 1.609

  Psal. 1 16. 1.
• * 1.610

  2 Cor. 5.
• * 1.611

  2. Thes. 1. 3.
• * 1.612

  2. Cor. 3.
• * 1.613

  Eph. 4. 16.
• * 1.614

  1. Cor. 12. 25.
• * 1.615

  Rom. 16. 17.
• * 1.616

  Act. 2. ••6, 47. Eph. 4. 30, 31.
• * 1.617

  Iohn 3. 30.
• * 1.618

  Luk. 6. 36.
• * 1.619

  2 Cor. 8. 7.
• * 1.620

  Gal. 6. 1.
• * 1.621

  Acts 13. 22.
• * 1.622

  1 Thes. 4. 1.
• * 1.623

  Rom. 8. H••b. 6. 11.
• * 1.624

  Iohn 20. 28. Can. 2. 16.
• * 1.625

  Iohn 21. 17.
• * 1.626

  Phil. 2. 12.
• * 1.627

  Rom. 8. 26.
• * 1.628

  3 Iohn 2.
• * 1.629

  Iude 12.
• * 1.630

  Heb. 6. 4.
• * 1.631

  1 Pet. 5. 9.
• * 1.632

  Acts 4. u••••.
• * 1.633

  Eph. 4. 12.
• * 1.634

  Acts 5. 41.
• * 1.635

  1 Chron. 29.
• * 1.636

  Luke 19.
• * 1.637

  Gal. 2. 20.
• * 1.638

  Exod. 16.
• * 1.639

  Exod. 30. 7.
• * 1.640

  Mat. 6. 34.
• * 1.641

  Prov. 12. 25.
• * 1.642

  2 Pet 1. 5. to 12.
• * 1.643

  Zec••. 12 10.
• * 1.644

  Jude 20.
• * 1.645

  1 Tim 2. 8.
• * 1.646

  James 4. 8.
• * 1.647

  James 5. 16.
• * 1.648

  Gen. 18. 32.
• * 1.649

  Phil. 4. 6.
• * 1.650

  Gen 32. 12. & v. 9.
• * 1.651

  Iob 22. 21.
• * 1.652

  Luk. 13. 5.
• * 1.653

  Iam. 5. 5.
• * 1.654

  Col. 2. 3.
• * 1.655

  Luk. 11. 9.
• * 1.656

  Iam. 4. 3.
• * 1.657

  Exod. 32.
• * 1.658

  Exod. 28. 38.
• * 1.659

  Mat. 15. Gen. 32. Dan. 10. 12.
• * 1.660

  2 Cor. 12. 7.
• * 1.661

  1 King. 18. 42.
• * 1.662

  Luk. 11.
• * 1.663

  Iohn 1. 17. 2 Cor. 3. 18.
• * 1.664

  Isa. 25. 6.
• * 1.665

  Psal. 23.
• * 1.666

  Ier. 31. 14.
• * 1.667

  Psal. 36. 8.
• * 1.668

  Psal. 63. 5.
• * 1.669

  Psal. 92. 12.
• * 1.670

  Cant. 1. 7.
• * 1.671

  Psal. 92. 12.
• * 1.672

  1. Pet. 2. 2.
• * 1.673

  Iohn 6. 55.
• * 1.674

  Prov. 9.
• * 1.675

  Mat. 22. 11.
• * 1.676

  Psal. 92. 12.
• * 1.677

  Isa. 40. 29.
• * 1.678

  Isa. 27. 11.
• * 1.679

  Psal. 104. 34.
• * 1.680

  Exod. 2. 11. Heb. 11.
• * 1.681

  Exod. 34. 7.
• * 1.682

  Psal. 30. 4.
• * 1.683

  Eph. 4. 16.
• * 1.684

  Acts 2. 46.
• * 1.685

  Mat. 2. 35.
• * 1.686

  2. Cor. 9. 2.
• * 1.687

  Heb. 11. 4.
• * 1.688

  Eph. 4. 16.
• * 1.689

  Ioh. 15. 5.
• * 1.690

  Gal. 5. 6.
• * 1.691

  1 Tim. 4. 15.
• * 1.692

  2 Cor. 4. 6.
• * 1.693

  2 Cor. 7. 5.
• * 1.694

  Luke 23. 31.
• * 1.695

  1 Pet 5. 9.
• * 1.696

  Gal. 2. 9.
• * 1.697

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Tim. 1. 7. 2 Tim. 2. 6.
• * 1.698

  Eph. 4. 16.
• * 1.699

  Psal. 40. 3.
• * 1.700

  Psal. 34. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.701

  Ioh. 1. 44, 45.
• * 1.702

  Ioh 4. 24.
• * 1.703

  Col. 2. 1, 2.
• * 1.704

  Luke 22. 32.
• * 1.705

  Eph. 5. 4.
• * 1.706

  1 Ioh. 2. 13, 14.
• * 1.707

  1 Cor. 3.
• * 1.708

  Rev. 2. 4.
• * 1.709

  Psal. 39. 2. Gen. 18. 19.
• * 1.710

  Cant. 1. 4.
• * 1.711

  Psal. 110. Hos. 14. Mar. 4. 27.
• * 1.712

  1 Cor. 8. 2▪
• * 1.713

  2 Sam. 23. 5.