The tempestuous soul calmed by Jesus Christ;: being an extract of several sermons, / preached by Anthony Palmer, pastor of the church at Bourton on the Water in Gloucester-shire.

The Tempestuous Soul Calmed by Jesus Christ.

MAT. 8.23,24,25,26,27.

And when he was entred into a Ship, his Disciples followed him.

And behold, there arose a great tempest in the Sea, insomuch that the Ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

And his Disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord save us, we perish.

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearfull, O ye of little faith? Then he arose and rebuked the windes and the Sea, and there was a great calm.

But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this that even the windes and the Sea obey him?

THe Words contain an en∣tire work and miracle of the Lord Christ, so that we need not look for co∣herence; They are usual∣ly held forth by Divines to set forth the presence of the Lord Jesus

with his Church in all the tempests that come upon it; which, if I conceive, may without wresting be also used to discover the presence of Christ calming a particu∣lar soul in all the tempests that befall it; At least, by way of Allegory it will hold; as Austin saith there is such a spirituall use to be made of every miracle of the Lord Christs.

And in this sense I shall make use of them, and so unfold them into these six Ohservations.

• 1. When Jesus Christ draws in a Soul to himself, he usually raiseth a tempest in that soul. There arose a tempest, &c.
• 2. The Soul when thus in a tempest, it comes in a perishing condition to Jesus Christ. Lord save us, we perish. &c.
• 3. Jesus Christ seems for a time to take no notice of a soul in such a tempest and perish∣ing condition. He was asleep, &c.
• 4. True faith may be mixt with much weak∣nesse and fear, and yet may engage the heart of Christ to succour; Why are ye fearfull, O ye of little faith.
• 5. A word from Christ can rebuke that tempest upon a Soul. He rebuked the windes, &c.
• 6. The Soul that is thus calmed is filled

• with the wonders of Christs power and love; They marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this that the windes and Sea obey him?

These I shall open in their order.

When Christ draws in a Soul to himself he usually raiseth a tempest in that soul.

The word for a tempest in the Originall is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which properly signifies an Earthquake which causeth a shaking of che Earth; The same word is used by the Septuagint in Ezekiel frequently to sig∣nifie a rushing winde, a noise, a shaking: Now then this doth very well fit our pur∣pose to discover this tempest upon a poor soul as drawing in to Christ, which is a kinde of earthquake, a shaking of an ear∣thy heart (whose principles and aims were earthly) as promised by the Lord Christ, Isa. 11.4. And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, when he comes in with a rushing, and a noise, like the voice in Ezekiels Vision, Cap. 3.22. when the awakenings and enlightenings of the Word and voice of God fall in (shaking the spirit of a dead sinner) like the noise of many waters, Rev. 11.15, Thus when the fear of a miscarrying soul laies hold upon it, such a kinde of sha∣king

and tempest is upon it. Now the Lord ordereth it to be thus with a Soul for these Reasons.

1. God causeth a glimpse of his holi∣nesse to passe by a Soul, that the Crea∣ture by such a reflexion from God, may see in some measure what sin hath done upon him, at what an infinite distance it hath set him at with the most holy God, how unlike unto him sin hath made him; That he may in some measure see and feel what he is, when the great and righteous God takes him in hand, which makes him ready to cry out with Peter at the appea∣rance of Christ to him, Depart from me, for I am a sinfull man, Luk. 5.8. And as Moses in his self-abasement, when God appeared to him, Exod. 3.6. Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God: And ver. 11. Who am I that thou shouldst send me? A glimpse of God cau∣seth such an abasement upon a soul, and even a shaking to be upon it, That the creature may magnifie the greatness and purity of God, and be vile in its own eyes before him: This is the first Reason of it.

2. He raiseth such a tempest and sha∣king upon a sinfull worm, To cause him

in part to taste what a bitter cup it was, he could so delightfully and boldly quasse of, yea, to have a taste of that bitter cup that Jesus Christ drank brim full of his fathers wrath, that if one dram of it be so unsupportable to a soul, what were the full vials of it that were poured forth upon the sinless soul and body of Christ? that thence when we come to see him we may be pierced and be in bitternesse for him.

Yea 3. That a Soul may truly and in earnest feel and discern its need of such a Jesus to bear and deliver from that wrath; When such a glimpse of God upon it, such a shaking, such an abase∣ment in its own vilenesse, such a tasting of wrath, then a Christ to quiet and calm a desolate soul is worth looking after in∣deed.

But it will presently be enquired whe∣ther every Soul is brought into Christ this way?

I will first open the height of this tem∣pest upon a Soul, and then I will satisfie this Query. It is thus, When God mu∣sters up our sins, and sets them in order before our eyes, Psal. 50.21. When he will make sin appear exceeding sinfull to

be abounding sin; When God writes bit∣ter things against a Soul, and makes it to possesse the iniquity of its youth; I need seek no further then the 38. Psalm, for this tempest, and the 88. In both of them you have a description of this tem∣pest upon a poor creature; Thine arrows stick fast in me, There is no rest in my bones because of my sin; Mine iniquities are gone over my head, and are a burthen too heavy for me to bear; Troubled, and bowed down, and go mourning all the day, filled with his terrours, as Heman: To this (as it may be conceived to have been the case with David and Heman, in both these Psalmes) is usually added some sharp af∣fliction, either of sicknesse, or of the im∣bittering some choice creature-comfort our spirits were inordinately let out un∣to, which causeth this shaking and tem∣pest to be the more grievous, that we be∣come (as David speaks) even as broken vessels under the mighty hand of God.

This also, by the sufferance of God, is often heightned by Satans violent as∣saults, black and horrible suggestions, blasphemous accusations, representing sin as unpardonable, joyns with an ac∣cusing conscience and all our fleshly rea∣sonings,

that God is in a way of destroy∣ing and beginning of wrath here, and therefore is apt to suggest self-destru∣ction, so crossing Gods design, perswa∣ding the Soul to fly from God as an Ene∣my, when Gods main design is mercy to turn it to him.

Now then, take all these, the appear∣ing of a great and holy and terrible God, shaking a poor earthly creature, the powerfull awakenings and enlightenings of his Word, a sense of his fierce wrath, the dread of a miscarrying soul, the bur∣then of sin, the accusations of conscience, the afflicting hand of God, the desperate assaults of Satan, these like several windes make a tempest in the whole man, and make it to cry out, Thy waves, O Lord, and thy billows go over my soul, who is able to abide thine appearance? These, like se∣verall windes meeting in a cranny of the earth, make a concussion and mighty sha∣king upon the spirit of a sinner, when the Lord thus takes him in hand.

Now to answer the question, whether every Soul be brought in to Christ such a way in the height of this tempest?

This is more then I dare assert, yet that many a poor Soul comes thus shipwracht

Christ, thus tempestuous and forlorn, I know I need not insist to prove; This I may call the storming of a Soul, when Christ takes a Soul by his great power, suddenly breaks down all the strong holds and high things, 2 Cor. 10.5. This is usually the way of an open sinner, though not in the same height, neither in every open sinner at his first conversion; But then sometimes Jesus Christ takes a Soul, as I may so speak, upon easier terms, brings it in, leni afflatu, with a more gentle gale, yet so, that in the pro∣gresse of it there will be some shakings, something of this tempest upon it, though the Soul hath a glimpse of Christ, and his hand more sensibly supporting it; which I clear thus.

First, If the seed of grace be sown ear∣ly in the heart (as sometimes it is) that some Souls cannot remember the first work of it, yet if the Soul grow up to any measure of experience, it must be more shaken in order to its further sub∣duing and purifying; It will meet with some kinde of tempests ordinarily, I ne∣ver spake with any as to this Point, but more or lesse did allow of it: But when the work of God is begun at some fur∣ther

ripenesse of years, then certainly it shall meet with what I have set forth in some measure; Consider, for a Soul to be awakened out of the deep sleep of car∣nall security, which sin hath bound him in, To have Satan the strong man dispos∣sest by a stronger then he, To have the guilt and filth of sinne discovered by the holy Spirit, To have Christ destroy the works of Satan, the power and peace of corruptions that will set against him, with all the reasonings of flesh and bloud mu∣stered up, To have, in a word, the se∣cure, dead, earthy, dark, hard, proud, a∣theisticall, unbeleeving heart of an obsti∣nate wretch, of death to become life, of darknesse, light; of a stone, flesh; To have a grain of faith, break through all naturall impossibilities, spirituall wicked∣nesses, all discouragements within and without, when nothing within us to help forward beleeving, but every thing a∣gainst us (as I shall further shew:) Though all these be not enough to hin∣der the Lord Jesus, when he by his strong arm will work, Isa. 43.13. I will work, and who shall let it? yet certainly this work is not wrought forth in a dream (as we use to speak of things insensibly done) not

without some shaking and concussion upon the spirit, something of this tempest upon it, partly in the beginning, and partly in the progresse of conversion; Fides non fit sine multo motu, saith Melan∣cthon, faith is not wrought forth without much motion in the Soul; Yea, I might here shew into how many tempests from without and within, many a poor Soul (specially such whom God will most humble and fit for some speciall service) fals into, how many overwhelmings of spirit and gusts of temptations it is fre∣quently shaken with, but I intend to keep my self chiefly to the discovery of the souls first approach to Christ.

It may yet be further enquired, What is the lowest measure of such conviction, in the bringing in of a Soul to Christ? In this there have been extreams, somtimes, I presume, gracious men giving forth the tenour of their own conversion as a ge∣nerall rule to all others; But in this case I may safely assert, that the first work of the Spirit is to convince of sin, Joh. 16.7. And that such a convincement that shall give a creature such a sight of sin, that it must appear exceeding sinfull, to be a∣bounding sin, Rom. 5.18. to be tyranni∣zing

fin, filthy sinne, condemning sinne, which must not only flote in the head, but convince the conscience, and affect the heart, that it must needs humble and a∣base a creature as he goes out of himself and rowls upon Jesus Christ; yea, he shall come in a perishing condition, as I am to shew in the next Point; To deny such preparations and qualifications (not such I mean as of our selves but from the spirit) is to reason against the method of the Spirit witnessed by Scripture and ex∣perience; If the spirit of a sinner be na∣turally bound up in blindenesse, hardness of heart, insensiblenesse, security, peace, then it will not make out for salvation by Christ, till the Spirit of God comes upon that blindenesse, &c. and so causeth the Soul to discern its own condition; and this, as the rebellions of our hearts begin to be subdued by that spirit, causeth a mu∣tiny, distemper, some kinde of tempest in the whole inward man, till the Spirit draweth vertue from Jesus Christ more and more to work some measure of sere∣nity and composure upon it, as we are to shew in the close.

3. Say some, This is a way to bring a Soul into bondage and tormenting fear,

No such matter, 'Tis the way to bring him out of it: in order to the delivery from bondage, that bondage must be first discovered to and owned by the captive, which naturally he feels not, as above; To shew the captive his bondage, in or∣der to his suing for deliverance, is the way for liberty, this clear Rom. 8.17. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of A∣doption, implying, ye are not now under the Law, and so in bondage again, as once you were, intimating they were so, and felt themselves to be so, and that the Spirit did reveal it, and so brought them out of it, and wrought forth and witnes∣sed Christ to them, whereby they cried Abba, Father,

4. How long is a Soul to lie in his bon∣dage humbling himself? Till he cast up an eye to Jesus Christ to seek liberty in in him; Certainly, though a Soul is to renew his humblings under his bondage, ye not so to lie under it, but presently to make in to Jesus Christ to be freed from the guilt, condemnation, bondage, service of sin, pleading his own gracious pdrposes to him, as expressed, 1. Joh. 3.8. 'twas his purpose to destroy the works

of the devill, as I will pursue in the third point.

And thus briefly I have opened what I here mean by this tempest in a poor soul, seeking Christ, and life, and peace in him, the way, and lowest measure of it.

If Jesus Christ by his Word and Spirit doth thus awaken, enlighten, convince, raise some kinde of tempest in a poor soul, before it truly seeks out for life and peace in him; Let me in the first place speak to the secure peacefull soul that perswades it self it hath hope enough for heaven, good interest enough in Jesus Christ, and yet is not acquainted in any measure with such workings of the spirit as this coming in with an awakning voice upon the naturall blindenesse and securi∣ty, and bondage thou art bound up in. Let me tell thee, Soul, Better were the fiercest tempest upon thy spirit then such a calm: 'Tis sitting with folded arms un∣der the shadow of death; 'Tis sinne in its power, bondage, peace upon thy spi∣rit, the strong man Satan keeping peace, that thou maiest sleep the sleep of Death.

But you will say, What, will you disturb

the peace of my conscience that I have enjoyed all the daies of my life?

Ah Soul, miserable peace, miserable calm, none of Christs making; Spare me a little, let me then freely bespeak thee; Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light, Eph. 5 Oh, awake from thy deadly calm and peace; Hear the voice of the Son of God and live, Joh. 5. Sinner, drowsie, care∣lesse, heartlesse sinner, that hast been all thy life time subject to bondage, Heb. 2.15. Hearken, consider, arise, thy secu∣rity, safety, and peace, is the death of sin upon thy soul: a captive in a dungeon of darknesse, and with fetters about thee, and seest it not! this is thy temper, thou hast been at ease from thy youth and set∣led on thy lees, Jerem. 48.11. Thou hast heard the first work of the spirit is to awake to Christ and Heaven, to hear the voice of God in thy Soul, rushing in upon thy sinfull peace: So Adam Gen. 3. when after his sinne he had thought to lie hid from God in peace covered with his fig-leaves, he heard the voice of the Lord God in the Garden, and then they were afraid, and further saw their own nakednesse; What voices

of God were they? Adam, where art thou? Hast thou eaten of the Tree I com∣manded thee not to eat of? To the Woman, What is this thou hast done? v. 8, 9, 10. &c. So the Lord speaks to a soul at first, some∣times in an Ordinance, sometimes in a sudden voice out of it. Soul, where art thou? what is thy state and condition as to eternity? what provision for heaven, if thy soul should be now taken from thee? What is this thou hast done so presumptuously and peaceably to sinne against thy God? to side with the devil and the world against the peace of thy own soul? What is this thou hast done to neglect the care of a desolate soul? what will it profit thee to gain the whole world and lose thy own soul, and to be a castaway? a castaway from the holy, blessed, eternall rest of God into the company of devils in endlesse unredeem∣able torment: What Soul, what means thy eager pursuit of vanity, and so heart∣lesse to the things of heaven and eterni∣ty? With some such voices God speaks, and then the soul is made awake for hea∣ven, and then it cries after God, confes∣seth, humbleth, bemoaneth, chargeth it self, then the Lord directs that soul to

means ordinarily, whereby he will do it good, and reveal the way of life in Christ unto it, to destroy the power of sin in it, and then though after back-slidings and much unsetlednesse, and wavering, many reasonings and temptations, as shewd, the soul settles in some good measure in the tastings of the power and love of Christ in it, as I shall further shew; Oh that such a voice or any of these might secretly glide in the soul of any poor creature that hath hitherto withstood it, and might cause the deep thoughts of e∣ternity to seize upon thee: Let me rea∣son with thee, as in the counsel of God, to raise a tempest in stead of that peace, fear it not, for I will shew thee a Christ to calm all, to destroy sin, to set at li∣berty, to fill thy soul with joy and peace that shall never be taken away, never fear to passe through such a tempest, bet∣ter go to harbour in a storm, then perish becalmed in the sands. Why then, in thy most serious and retired thoughts be put∣ting such Questions as I have mentioned to thy self, if thou art moved and excited by these, and such like: then this is the voice of God in them, if all that is with∣in thee is stirred up to seek after Christ

and our interest in him.

First, Then Consider with thy self what it is thy heart most earnestly pur∣sues, (if thou hast not truly found and sought Jesus Christ, and life in him;) 'tis certainly to compasse some such worldly design which may render thee esteemed in the world without depen∣dance on other men, estimation with men, riches, pleasures, to make up (as thou thinkest) a full contentment, these are the goodly pearls in the eyes of a na∣turall man, consider then how empty and disquieted thy spirit is left after such a pursuit made good, and presently the thoughts of some new one, or else thy spirit will languish in the former, and grow weary of it.

Secondly, Consider the miserable un∣certainty of all outward enjoyments, how liable to spoil, lose, decay, Pro. 23. they taken from thee, or thou from them in a moment: Much might be said to this.

Thirdly, When thou hast compassed all thy designs, so much earth thou canst call thy own; thou must at last be con∣tent with just so much as will cover thy carkasse, a feast for worms. Now com∣pare this with the salvation of a soul.

First, What it is that is to be saved, A Soul, a precious darling Soul, a Soul worth more then the whole world, Luk. 9.25. Consider what a value God puts upon Souls, the whole could not be a ransome for one Soul; had the whole Creation been in mans power, and he had offered it to God for the sin of his soul, it had not been a valuable price; No, the bloud of the Son of God was the high price of Souls; Ah consider the pre∣ciousnesse of a Soul, and it will awake thee.

Secondly, Compare this with what the Soul is doing till 'tis ensafed in Christ, 'tis treasuring up wrath till the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God, as if not wrath enough in hell already, 'tis treasuring up more; that wrath that made the holy Son of God cry out as 'twas poured upon him; the everlasting weight of wrath of the just avenging God; all the judgements that ever thou heardst or readst of, are but as mercy to this; Now consider with deep thoughts of heart, if all thy pursuits of outward enjoyments here, will poize salvation from such, such wrath.

Thirdly, Compare it, with what the

full enjoyment of salvation is: and here we are swallowed up, the holy, blessed, full, eternall rest of God, with a weight of glory, crowns of glory, transform∣ed to be made capable of enjoying it, where we shall never be tempted to sin, nor sin any more: Oh to be in the bo∣some of Jesus Christ, filled with the full∣nesse of love, continually satisfied, and yet never nauseated, pleasures, peace, rest, joy, glory, God hlmseif, whose presence thou shalt as fully enjoy as a glorified creature can possibly be able!

Now then I say, consider, if the salva∣tion of such a precious Soul from such unsupportable wrath to such a fullnesse of glory with the infinite God, be worth hazarding for disquieting earthly acco∣modations, enjoyments, to cause thee so securely to neglect such salvation, Heb. 2.3. where mark, 'tis not said, the open scorning the means of such salvation; but the neglecting of it.

Yet a little further, Consider 3. things as to this condition here below, that thou maist not think thy good is all in expe∣ctation.

1. That the least of Jesus Christ is bet∣ter then all the world, shouldst thou on∣ly

suffer with Christ here, more glory in it then in all the world; The Spirit of God and of glory resteth upon thee, 1 Peter 4.14. The reproach of Christ is better then the pleasures of Pharaohs house, Heb. 11. how better that sweet and hea∣venly fellowship with him, thou maiest here attain unto, that thou maist be able to say, Thou hadst rather have one hour with Jesus Christ, then all the treasures of the world for ever; Ah, hadst thou one taste of his love, how wouldest thou thirst after him, though this be as a riddle to a dark carnall heart that knows and savors him not.

2. Consider, That all these restlesse desires, affections, and windings of thy heart, shall. be raised and refined, and meet with that abundant satisfaction in Jesus Christ, far above what thou canst propose to thy self in the pursuits of things here below, solid and durable soul∣contentment, Prov. 8.18. though with some disturbances by reason of distem∣pers from sinfull flesh, yet 'tis here, The more of Christ, the more composure of spirit, sweetnesse, rest; which is not so in the more gain of earthly advantages, these do only widen and enlarge, but not satisfie desires.

3. Consider, that with Jesus Christ thou hast the promise of all other things best for thee, Rom. 8. what wouldest thou have more, unlesse thou wouldst be thy own carver in the world, and not take in the wisedom of God to dispose them to thee? Say, Men of the world, they would make as sure provision as they may for themselves and families, and so contrive, design, eat the bread of care∣fullnesse; but let thy purchase, gain, and interest thou aimest at, be thy part in Je∣sus Christ, Count but all things losse to win Christ, and then thou gainest right to all things, and so if thou wantest any outward mercy, 'tis not because God thinketh it too good for thee, but not so fit for thee; God seeth that mercy would haply lessen thee in the sweeter closer en∣joyments of Jesus Christ; why then, con∣sider, if that be the reason why the Lord withholds such and such things from thee thou wilt consider now I have more of Jesus Christ for it, and so no looser by the hand, no need of repining of spirit in me, but to want them chearfully and gladly; yea, this will be thy blessednesse, that whereas now thou canst not misse such or such things, but thy heart sinks

within thee, then thou wilt know how to answer all thy cares of spirit, and see the wise hand of God ordering all for thy good; So that here's the way to provide all, to unsafe all, to sweeten all, to have part in Jesus Christ, to be earnest in the pursuit of him, till he will say unto thy soul, I am thine, and a Covenant passed between thee and him, and he is fairer then the children of men, and all beauty and goodnesse in him, then, whereas o∣thers, have meer creatures, thou hast the love and goodness of God in them, thou hast the not by common providence, but by a covenant of love, by Jesus Christ, by promise, the least mercy is sweet unto thee, for the kindenesse of God is in it.

Take then these three together, the least of Christ better then all the world, all enjoyments which are promised in the creatures eminently in him, with him the promise of all other things; What can thy spirit be opened to more? O wretch∣ed principle of Atheism and unbelief! what hath sinne and devils done upon a poor worm, that he should in the dark∣nesse, deadnesse, emptinesse, disquietness of the creatures be seeking light, life, ful∣nesse, contentment, which they are not

able in the least measure to give, and one drop of Jesus Christ and Grace brings them all as fountain'd up in him.

One word more, and (I trust) thou shalt say thou art inexcusable, O man! Rom. 2.1.

If these things be so, and there it thus but one choice in the world that can qui∣et the restlesse spirit of man, the chosen one of God, in whom his soul delighteth for ever, why do we lie doting and puz∣ling our selves in darknesse, and disquiet∣ing our selves in vain, why do we not break off these Idols from our hearts, and call them in, and set them to Jesus Christ? Oh let my soul choose him, let him be the dear, dear choice of my soul, give me him or I die!

2. If he be the chosen of God, the de∣light of his soul, Isa. 41.1. the heart of the infinite incomprehensible God can be delighted, satisfied, filled, from and to all eternity, with and by him, well-plea∣sed and never weary of him; Shall not the finite spirit of a poor creature be o∣vercome with the ocean of his goodnesse that is in him? shall it be afraid and stand reasoning, whether it shall have earth or him? Oh the folly of the sons and daugh∣ters

of men, to hear of such a prize, such an Indies of all sweetnesse and treasure, and but a short time to venture for him; (loose him now, and give a thousand worlds for him hereafter, and now gain∣ing a look from him) (though now his bowels more yearn, and his heart beats and pants after souls with more fervency then all the creatures desires can make in one) yet that wretched creatures ensla∣ved to a cursed peace, kept by Satan, ido∣lizing empty nothings, fullfilling lusts that restlesly hurry them up and down, should have lower, baser thoughts of Christ then of the basest thing they en∣joy; for they will not misse one of them to gain him; the poorest meanest thing they enjoy hath more of their heart, more care and thoughts of their spirits toward it, then Jesus Christ hath. Consider thy own heartlesnesse how seldome thou art in the thought of Jesus Christ, and eter∣nall life in him; how seldome the deep sense of salvation in him is upon thee; and this 'tis, thou must needs say, 'tis thus with me, wretch that I am! what do I be∣stow the strength of my spirit upon? why then poor creature as thou art, what shouldst thou do but like that wise Mer∣chant

man Mat. 12. who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it; Ah such a pearl the pearl of God, the pearl of heaven and earth, the pearl of souls, 'tis sweetest Jesus Christ, whatever is pre∣cious is laid up in him: Now then, sell all that thou hast, how so? that is, be contented to venture the losse of all for Christ, and thou gainest ensurest all, as shewd, yet all thy riches, pleasures, en∣joyments under thy feet for Christ, let all, all, and ten thousand times more go, so thou hast Christ; Ay, but how shall I buy him? Will gold and silver do it? The meaning is, to gain him, 'tis spoken comparatively, As Merchant men will sell all to buy a pearl of inestimable price; so will poor souls that truly be∣leeve these things to be in Jesus Christ as the holy Spirit of God, and the experiences of his own witnesse to be in him, divorce their hearts from all, venture all to winne, to winne Jesns Christ. But must I then cast off all, my calling, all my possessions? No, but subject them to the pursuit of Jesus Christ, get them loosened from thy heart, let it not be a weight upon thee to de∣presse

thy soul from soaring after him, keep them but as under-things, things thou must have or be without, and not be the lesse blessed, and so in obedience to God and submission to his good plea∣sure, be industrious in thy calling: but the motions, strength, aims of thy spirit, to win and enjoy, love and honour Jesus Christ, and such will the Father honour, Joh. 5. No losse of time to seek him in his word, no self-deniall for him, no motion or good word for Christ in sincerity, no witnesse for his Kingdom, Gospel, Peo∣ple, but the Father treasureth it up, and will put honour upon thee for it.

And now having thus a little dwelt upon this, to take off all Objections from thy ensnared heart; Be not afraid to be awakened, and deeply considering the state of thy poor soul, though distempers and disquietnesse arise, though it be tem∣pestuous with thee for a time, see the blessed and glorious recompences of it, by the Lord of life and glory here and to all eternity; Aud now I will conclude thee as stupid as a worm groveling in the earth, as thou dost, if these so weighty and important considerations doe not upon thee, being such as Jesus Christ left

to move and pierce the Rocks of mens hearts, to leade them to life in himself, and such as if thou putst them off, will be as Swords in thy bones, will flash back upon thee as a thousand Witnes∣ses against thee, if thou receive them not into thy heart, if thou receive them not into thy heart, as thou wouldest do things that are most pre∣cious to thee; Why doth Christ so often knock and thou wilt not own him? thou art gone abroad or asleep: In a word then, either put in thy plea to God, or submit and own it, that 'tis better to passe through a small tempest to Jesus Christ, then to enjoy a world of empty contentments here, and be a castaway, under the furious tempests of Gods wrath for ever and ever: Ah Soul, once get hold on the skirts of Jesus Christ, and he will anchor thee to a safe harbour; windes and waves, sin, conscience, fears, unbelief; Satan, all obey him; A word from him quiets all; Be not like great debtors, afraid to enter into the conside∣ration of thy debts, thy sinfull estate for fear of disquietnesse (that is, to resist the strivings of God with thee, and he will not strive alwaies) but set the sins

of heart and life before thee, though they swell to a numberlesse summe in bloudy characters, I am yet to shew thee Jesus Christ the best and safest pay-ma∣ster in the world. But thou wilt say, What is that to thee? spread them before God and seek him to sue all thy Bonds and Debts upon Jesus Christ, and God will take him thy Surety, 'twas the good plea∣sure of Jesus Christ to cancell and kill them all, they did their worst upon him, so get to him, and in him, and the worst is over, and all the blessednesse I have pointed at is thine, but I shall prevent my self: These I have laid down as a∣wakening, exciting considerations to a poor soul, to whom the experiences of these things are yet but dark, and so the Lord blesse them to thy soul, and I passe to the next thing.

2. Saith a poor soul, Well, I have had some good thoughts Christ-ward, and have made resignment of my self unto him, but I fear I am too much asleep as yet; That may be; Therefore be more awakened, look back to the sins thy soul hath been divorced from, but not so, as to loosen the present hold thou hast on Christ, but to humble and abase thee

more, and so cause thee to pursue and prize him more: Haply thou art a soul whom Jesus Christ takes more gently to himself by degrees, with a softer hand, and so the tempest not so great: But if the least of him be better then the best of all the world to thee, a Covenant with him, He is a chosen one and pearl to thee, yea, if it be thy daily mourning he is no more a pearl unto thee, no more precious, thy heart so dull, and then thou callest to him to come and make a more powerfull and fuller abode in thy soul, then be sure he is thine, though a trembling jealousie upon thee to the contrary. Now if the Lord in much mer∣cy hath awakened thee by this or any other voice, or more awakened thee then thou wast, I would still keep thee company in this discourse till thou findest in Jesus Christ what I have here propo∣sed to thee; And so to shew thee yet fur∣ther of the dealings of Christ to thee, as thou comest as a way-faring soul to him, in the next proposition.

* 1.1When a Soul comes savingly, it comes in a perishing condition to Jesus Christ: Lord save us we perish; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we are lost, or are in a lost condition; lost, do

thou save us; This doth rightly answer to the heart of Christ, and his purpose revealed in the Gospel, I am come to seek and to save, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that which was lost or ready to perish; that really is so, and that shall see it self to be so, Luk. 19.10. So in that threefold Parable Luk. 15. to set forth such a sinner that Christ draws in to his salvation, I have found my Sheep which was lost, ver. 6. Rejoyce with me, I have found the piece that was lost, vers. 9. And so of the Prodigall, Let us eat and rejoyce, my Son was lost and is found, ver. 23, 24. 'Tis Christ's rejoycing to finde sinners lost in themselves; To this pur∣pose Paul, Phil. 3.9. That I may be found in Christ, implying, he was lost in him∣self; Now to open this, how a soul is said to come to Christ in this lost and pe∣rishing condition.

First, Perishing in sinne, such a sight of sin as before is described, if it stay in its sinne, it must certainly perish; Sinne cannot ensafe; The least sinne is able to damn, much more the multitudes of them that lie undischarged upon it.

Secondly, A Soul that comes truly to Christ, comes perishing in its own strength; 'Tis likely, those who were

ready to perish in the Ship with Christ in the tempest, that they toiled long in their own strength, rowed with their own oars, with much painfulnesle, till they saw all was in vain, and then they throw down all, Master save, or we perish; So a poor creature after some conviction and awakening, 'tis apt at first to be toyl∣ing in its own strength, its own naturall sufficiencies, sets to repentance, duties, obedience, in its own strength, turns in the outward man from the grosser evils of his waies, but then backslides again, and all because he would be his own deli∣verer, work for and by himself, at least contribute something himself; But to come weak and strengthlesse to Jesus Christ, helplesse in it self, this goes hard, To acknowledge to the glory of God and our own shame; That if any thing be left on our score, to make good with God, perish we must, this goes to the quick; indeed our pride and self-love is very unwilling to yeeld to this, a crea∣ture would not be found to be at such a totall losse with God, so farre to have spoiled and undone himself; to be so wholly weakened and deadned by sin, as not to be able to help the Lord Jesus one

little in saving us, but the whole stresse must be laid upon him: yet thus it is, when we were without strength Christ died, Rom. 5.6. And so when Christ comes to give a soul the blessing of his death, and to estate him in it; It causeth the soul to know and feel that it is without strength, and helplesse, and then 'twill be at his feet perishing in it self without him; No∣thing is more strongly setled upon the spirit of a sinner then this self-sufficiency, and opinion of its own power; He can pray, repent, hear the Word, receive, be just, do all, and acceptably enough to God, as he deemeth, and still on the lees of his own strength, not knowing what belongs to the spirituall performance of any duty, and so befools himself; Now this is the first thing a soul coming into Christ, is to perish in, in all its own strength.

3. It is to perish in all its own righte∣ousnesse; 'Twas in vain for these poor men in the Ship, to be hiding themselves In cabins of their own, when the Ship was so tossed and shaken; to lie nuzling in their own wares, though never so pre∣cious; No, all the precious merchandise must over-board, passe for nothing; So when a soul comes to Christ for help, all

its own cabins of its own righteousnesse must be cast away; All thy former ser∣vice of hearing, praying, being just and sober (if thou werst so) which was thy cabin, thy covert in the room of Christ, must be lookt upon as thy sins, as that which is but an abomination in the pure eyes of God, Pro. 15.8. The prayer of the wicked (that is, of every person out of Christ) is an abomination to the Lord; As for thy publique worship that haply thou reposest most in, What saith the Spirit of God of it, Isa. 1.13. vain oblati∣tion, abomination, it is iniquity, the solemn meeting, they are a trouble to me, I am wea∣ry to bear them, And as for private prai∣ers, plainly saith he, When you make them, I will not hear them, v. 15. And why? be∣cause the sins of such a person are not pardoned, his person not justified, he is not in Christ, he doth not sanctifie Gods Name in his services, not direct∣ed to right ends, and so hatefull to the pure and righteous God; And yet fond man is apt to hide and secure himself in these things, as Adam in his fig-leaves; So he prays a little, in a customary dead-hearted manner, with some kinde of outward reverence: so he gives alms, goes

to publique worship, is righteous to men: (things good in themselves, if aright, and to right ends performed;) And if he slip, a little repentance of his own added, and Christ to make up what he wants, this is the hold of the most, and sends as many souls away empty from Christ, as any thing whatsoever; What formall profes∣sours, I mean, the common bulk of the people of this Nation, reach so far as a Pharisee in all the duties they boasted in? And yet observe and do it with deep thoughts of heart, that in Mat. 23. when the Lord Jesus preacht his last Sermon to them, after he hath seven times pro∣nounced woes unto them, he puts this confounding question to them, Ye Gene∣ration of Vipers, how shall you escape the damnation of hell? ver. 33. Most (indeed) perish within the pale of the Church up∣on this account. That in Rom. 10.3. a∣mong many others is very remarkable, They being ignorant of Gods righteous∣nesse, go about to establish their own righteousnesse, and have not submitted to the righteousnesse of God; 1. Igno∣rant, how holy and perfect that righte∣ousnesse is, in which God will accept of and justifie a creature; Ignorant of the

righteousnesse of the Law, considering not that the holy and spirituall Law of God reacheth to the heart and spirit, and that one motion awry, if we stand to that, damns a soul for ever, or that the worth of his repentance and duties can make God amends for what he fails, as shew'd; and ignorant of the full and acceptable righteousnesse of Christ (though per∣haps some generall notion of it in the brain, and able to discourse of it, yet as to sound and spirituall discerning of it, and closing with it, ignorant of it) and so goeth about to establish his own righte∣ousnesse; And so is establishing that which the Lord will destroy, establishing that which he should be perishing in, and so doth not submit to the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ; through ignorance and pride, and self-conceit, doth not submit unto it, never beaten out of and perished in their own, that they might submit unto Christ, to be accepted for Christs obedi∣ence, and not for their own; And yet having thus submitted, to delight in all the holy will of God also,

3. A soul must perish as to any support in its priviledges, of being baptized, a pro∣testant, of the true Church, and the like,

being no Papist, no Heretick, nor Schis∣matick, as people are wont to boast them∣selves; Though these are priviledges, yet to build a safe condition upon them with∣out Christ and regeneration, is a most dangerous sin.

4. A soul must perish in all its outward comforts, as to be a refuge for him, some∣thing hath been said as to this already: The spirit of a man being an active mo∣ver must fasten and feed upon something, and having lost God and communion with him, it turns to the creatures, and would satisfie it self upon them, which bearing no proportion to it, cannot af∣ford him fulnesse; Therefore convinced of this, it is resolved to throw them off, and seeing them altogether insuf∣ficient to cover him from the wrath of God, to appease the conscience, to give one dram of blessing to his soul, he comes to Christ, as having rested (such a rest as it was) in perishing things, and sees if he staies upon them, he must perish in them.

In a word, Consider all those lying Refuges, which a soul findes out to hide himself and pacifie conscience with, there doth the searching God finde him our, and drive him out of them, and unfastens

his hold of them, then doth God as it were throw him at the feet of Christ, then Christs bowels yern after him, and laies hold upon him; Then will that soul tell the Lord Jesus that he is come to perish in his view, under his eye, if he do perish, but resolved to look after no other help∣er, if his good pleasure be not towards him; I will yet step aside to speak to a soul, that hath not yet thus perished in all but Christ.

Why then sinner Consider, here's that will take down thy plumes, thy im∣bred self-conceit and self-flatteries that will undoe thee, if thou any longer hear∣kenest to them; and yet walks up and down as self-conceitedly, as if all thou trustest in were as safe as heaven.

1. As to thy sin; I have pleaded with thee before, but a word more, Darest thou pretend to be safe in thy sin an hour more? Darest thou walk upon the brink of hell, and smile upon it? Tell me, Dost thou beleeve sinne as certainly damnable (while thou art in it, unpardoned, not fled to Jesus Christ) as God reigneth in the heaven and is just? Dost thou be∣leeve it? sure thou dost not; else thou dost not give rest unto thy spirit till thou hast

found a Saviour to take thy sin away, and his Spirit witnessing the same effectually unto thee: Oh then, come and be as thou art (and be not too proud to own it) a perishing sinner at Christs feet; How poor and trembling will a perishing man be, that lies wholly at the mercy of another? So is it with thee, thou hast not so much as bread for thy soul till thou comest perishing and hungring after Jesus Christ.

2. As to thy own strength a word more; If it be so, that thou art strength∣lesse, helplesse in thy self, not able to move one step towards God savingly of thy self, thy heart as dead and weak as water; how poor a creature may this make thee in thy own eyes? Is it likely that what thou hast done hitherto, and performed toward God hath been in thy own naturall strength, and so not accep∣ted? oh then go and pleade with God to give thee a heart, even upon his own free promise, Jer. 31. I will give them a heart to know me; Helplesse sinner what wouldst thou have more? Hast thou not a spiri∣tual heart? I will give it, saith God, and give it for humble asking; Oh art thou willing to turn at Gods reproof; then Be∣hold,

I will powr out my spirit upon you; Behold, take notice of it, as the most en∣couraging promise thou canst fly unto; Turn thy face to Christ, and hear what he will speak, even upon those unanswer∣able arguments he laies down in his Go∣spel, yea, beseech him but to turn thee to him, and himself to thee, and he will do it; O then go presently to him, while thou seest the way open, and ear∣nestly beg his Spirit, and pleade Christs own promise: And that spirit shall be an humbling, subduing, praying, renew∣ing, quickning, mortifying, guiding, com∣forting Spirit in thee; And so thou shalt learn to perform all in the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

3. As to thy own righteousnesse let me have one word more with thee; Know, that though thou maist make a good estimate of thy self, and that others do so also, in the things thou dost towards God and man, yet Consi∣der, that what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination to the Lord, saith Christ, Luk. 15. To be round with thee, Darest thou imagine to stand and appear before the infinitely righteous, holy, heart-searching God, in such a patcht

up defiled covering, as thy own doings and performances make? Wilt thou lie down wrapt in a cobweb (such is thy hope in this, Job. 8.13.) to cover thee from the piercing storms of God, or to hide a heart full of iniquity and hypo∣erisie from the eye of God? or dost thou think that Jesus Christ will joyn righteousnesse with thine? In a word, in stead of being a well-conceited Pharisee (for 'tis uo better) Go and be a poor sinner at Christs feet, and be willing to let him have all the glory in thy salvati∣on; Even put on Jesus Christ by an humble, free, totall resignment of thy self unto him, to undertake thy cause, as hath been shewd, to work all thy works for thee and in thee; And in stead of thy own defiled righteousnesse, thou hast stood a tip-toe in, the entire obedi∣ence of Christ shall be thine, and thou shalt appear before God in that full, pure, spotlesse, acceptable righteousness of the Son of his, in which the soul of God is infinitely delighted; Ah Soul, what a change is this, to part with filth and abomination, for the glorious righ∣teousnesse of the Son of God, to be clad in it, and even shine forth before God in it.

4. Well, do the same as to any consi∣dence in all thy Church-priviledges, of being baptized, being a Protestant, no heretick; Do the same as to all creature-refuges, as hath been shewed; and being undone and shattered in them, do not dare to be safe in them any longer, no, no pretension to safety, till thou shalt be safe in the Lord Jesus, by a clear and full closure with him, till thou hast him in thy arms by faith, thy soul embracing and twining it self about him, till he shall say unto thee, I am thine, and thou shalt finde power and vertue coming from him.

From what hath been said maist thou now with deep thoughts of heart say thus within thy self; Ah wretch that I have been, fond, self-pleasing, self-flattering wretch; how well conceited of my self, how able thought I my self to do every thing, how confidently have I stood be∣fore the perfect God in the performance of my carnall duties, when they were as filthy as sin could make them, and God was loathing of them? Now I see one Jesus Christ is ten thousand times better then them all; Now I will cast anchor into him, now I will contend for him as

for life; Now I will enquire, seek, wait upon his voice (his spirit enabling me) till I shall finde him, and all those Bles∣sings are reported to be in him; Now I will be diligent in duties upon a better account, not as they are able to render me accepted and justified before God (so I do and ever will renounce them) but as means (blessed be God) to conveigh Christ to my soul, and as the testimony of my obedience to him.

And now, if by the Lords blessing un∣to thee what hath been said, or thou wast such before, even a more perishing sin∣ner in thy own eyes, take yet what far∣ther is implied in the heart of these words, Lord save, I perish, which may be enlarged in such a plea as this; Oh blessed Lord Jesus of Life and Glory, Here's a soul at thy feet with the weight of numberlesse sins upon it, but not one dram of righteousnesse to cover him; a desolate, forlorn, shipwrackt worm, that stands bound over in thousands of debts to the just and dreadfull God of heaven and earth; But hath not so much as one mite to pay him, unlesse with the forfei∣ture of my immortall soul; Here I come with thee, as thou hast commanded, and

throw my self upon thee; He venture an immortall soul with thee, If thou hast not treasures enough to spare lying by thee, the infinite merits of thy own bloud, If thou wilt not freely satisfie for me, and take the debts of my sins upon thee, and so stand between a just God and a condemned sinner; If thou hast not favour enough with the righteous God to prevail for me; Oh I must perish, everlastingly perish.

Lord] It implies thou art mighty and able to do it, for all power is committed to thee; If there be not power enough with thee, thou who art the mighty God, the Prince of Peace, and so able to rescue my darling soul, I am contented to sink before thee; but thou, thou alone art the Lord of Life; oh magnifie thy great pow∣er upon me, and even be my Lord, my Lord, other Lords beside thee I would have none, Lord save, &c.

Save,] 'Tis for a great and weighty matter that I pleade, that I come unto thee for, No lesse then to be eternally saved, saved from the everlasting wrath and vengeance of God, saved to ever∣lasting life and glory in the glorious pre∣sence of God for evermore; O thou Sa∣viour

of men (that's thy Name and ho∣nourable Title) didst thou not passe through many abasements, when thou wast upon earth, very unsuitable to thy glorious person? didst thou not drink of a most bitter cup, full of the wrath of divine justice? And was not this then in thy heart, did not this then bear thee up, that thou shouldest save? ah save poor helplesse souls, that could never have been saved without thee; Oh, hadst thou not infinitely delighted in saving lost souls, thou hadst never been at so much pains and travell and cost in the work; Oh therefore Save, Lord Save; Yea, Save,

I perish;] Must, will perish, If thou dost not save; Save, for the waters are come over my soul, I am sinking with∣out thee; Master, Master, I perish Luk. 8. Master, Carest thou not that I perish? Mar. 4. Oh let it never be told in Gath, that even a complaining, forlorn soul perish∣ed at thy feet; What, at the feet of a Jesus? Alas, if thou carest not that I pe∣rish, who will? If thou pitiest not, who will or can? Oh for the honour of thy own Name pity; If I should now perish in the view of harbour, now I have seen and cried to a Saviour, Thy enemies will

speak evil of thy Name; Well, blessed Lord, thou seest all the arguments I have to move thee; That which I will stick upon and never give thee over with is, that I must perish, perish without thee, yea, perish in thy sight, if thou succour me not; Lord save, I perish.

Well now, Soul, If thou dost in this or the like manner pant after Jesus Christ in such a perishing posture, and thine eyes are upon him, and followest him, and waitest what he will speak unto thee, I will a little prevent thee, and shew thee a copy or two of his tender heart in this particular: See Luk. 19.10. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost; He came, 'twas his errand, his businesse, 'twas the main thing he had in his heart: What? that which thou so ear∣nestly look'st for, even to save, yea more, to seek whom he might save; but what kinde of persons? even such as thou pre∣sentest thy self unto him, that which is lost, souls that come as lost and perish∣ing in themselves to seek him; Have the worst thoughts of thy self, it can reach but to be a lost soul, and such, (saith Christ) if he be worthy of credit with thee he came to seek; If thou art seek∣ing

him, why, he was seeking thee be∣fore; He left it upon record in his Go∣pel, and he is in heaven to see it made good; So much will that Scripture af∣ford thee, and beleeve it: Another Isa. 45.22. Look unto me, and be ye saved; Well now, dost thou look up with a long∣ing expectation to Jesus Christ for salva∣tion, to hear what he will speak unto thee? why now, saith Christ to such a looking expecting soul, Be ye saved, Be it unto you as you will; To confirm it to thee, hear him further in the same Scri∣pture, I am God, and none else, None but me is able: and as for his good will and faithfullnesse in performing it, he fur∣ther saith, I have sworn by my self, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteous∣nesse; And then observe, ver. 24. what he assures thee of, how fully he answers thy errand, Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength; Mark, while thou art seeking and looking for it, thou hast it, while thou art perish∣ing in thy own, thou hast found it fully in Jesus Christ; And therefore, as it fol∣lows there, In the Lord thou shalt be ju∣stified and glorified. Yea more (saith Christ) that thou maiest not think it a

common matter to him, as if he did not care, or it did not much concern him; Rejoyce with me, saith he in Luke, as shewed, for I have found that which was lost.

But yet there remains one Objection in thy heart, that as yet thou dost not taste the comfort of this, thou dost not yet so powerfully hear the voice of Christ, nor so comfortably see his face; The rea∣sons of this are to be cleared in the next point.

Jesus Christ for a time seems to take no notice of a tempestuous perishing soul, though nigh unto it.—But he was asleep.

Now this seems not consistent with all those gracious and melting invitations of Christ, of poor wearied souls to come un∣to him, that bespeak the yearnings and pantings of his bowels towards them; but yet see how consistent it will be.

1. That 'tis his usuall way of dealing, See Mat. 15.22. The poor woman there cried after Christ for mercy to her daugh∣ter, but it holds, and is so applied in spirituall mercies also, for she came in saving faith; The Lord at first answers not a word, as if he were carelesse of her, as if it had been no part of his bu∣sinesse

in the world to take notice of poor sinners at his feet; and when he did answer (for she would not from him without her errand) his words were full of discouragement, Send her away, say the Disciples, ver. 23. I am not come but to Israel, (yet still she worshiped him, Lord help me,) And yet a more reserved Reply, It is not meet to cast the Childrens bread to dogs; Yet still she pressed, and had her errand, though Christ seem'd thus to chide her: So with Mary Mag∣dalene, Joh. 26.11. Mary was seeking Christ alone, and seeking him in a pro∣per notion, a crucified Christ, and she sought him in a sweet posture, weeping after him, restlesse till she found him; Now, Christ seemed for a time to take no notice of her, though he were standing by her, and his heart full of love to her; See the Spouse Cant. 3.1,2. I sought him but I found him not, &c.

There are many choice Reasons of the Lords dealing thus with a soul for a time.

1. This works for the heightning and drawing forth of faith; for a soul to fol∣low after Christ when the tempest is upon it, in a perishing condition, and Christ

seems to take no notice of it; When his present dealings seem to thwart with his Invitations and promises, this heightens faith, as in the woman of Canaan, and draws it forth to pursue Christ the more.

2. When Jesus Christ thus withholds his smiles and comfort for a time, he is preparing the heart to be a fit place for him, to break the pride and stubborn∣nesse of our hearts, to subdue the rough∣nesse of them, to make crooked things straight, and then when our spirits are thus subdued and broken, there's no more but for Christ to come in and dwell with us, when our hearts are thus pre∣pared to receive him.

3. He for a time thus clouds himself, seems to take no notice of a poor soul, that the' soul may the more experimen∣tally see, that all other refuges cannot quiet the tempest upon it; A soul will be apt to be making trial in such a case of creatures, and fly from one created con∣tentment to another, and to try what they are able to afford in such an hour; And when the soul can finde quietnesse in none, but still restlesse (as I have al∣ready shew'd it will be) Then it will

closely and strongly cleave to Christ, Then it will clearly see (when Christ speaks) that all its quietnesse, comfort, peace, was from Jesus Christ alone.

4. It makes for the honour of the Lord Jesus, for a poor creature to continue seeking and panting after him, and will not off, even when Christ hides his face from it; This gives more honour to Christ then to live upon him, when he sweetly reveals himself to a soul: 'Tis an honour to a friend to trust him when absent from him, yea, when he seems to frown; so for a poor soul to follow and beleeve Jesus Christ sweet, and gracious, and faithfull, though it never tasted him, gives most glory unto him.

5. When Christ thus withholds himself for a time, it makes his presence the more welcome when he comes; The Lord Je∣sus loves to come welcome to a soul; And how welcome is he? what a heaven is his appearance to a poor, tempestuous, clou∣ded, perishing soul? When we have loo∣ked for a dear frieud till we are ready to give off expectation, and then he comes suddenly upon us with smiles and kindenesse, what a joy is it? So when the poor friends of Christ who lay hold on

the Covenant of his peace, and cry after him, Ah, when Lord, when? And then he comes with a sudden smiling voice, Why Soul, I am thine, and I have betro∣thed thee unto me, yea, but one word, as to Mary Magdalene, Mary, and she answers Rabboni, oh my Master; This reason may be further illustrated in the case of Joseph and his Brethren, Gen. 44. When they came to him as distressed men, Joseph reserves himself for a time, did not make known himself, though his heart were full of yearnings after them, and what was it for but to make way for the greater endearments of them unto him? So much unexpected love let out upon them, that it even brake their hearts, for they were troubled at his pre∣sence, saith that Scripture, being over∣come with the loving-kindeness he shew∣ed them: whether Joseph were in this a type of Christ, I shall not dispute, but the way of Christ is sometimes the same; His stays and reserves ere he smiles upon a distressed soul, do make way for sweet∣er endearing heart-breaking love to be let out upon it; And further indeed, As Josephs Brethen were troubled at his pre∣sence, between the two considerations

of the injuries they had done him, and the exceeding love he shewed them; As for Joseph (say they) we sold, &c. so poor souls seeking Jesus Christ, when he ap∣pears comfortably unto them, They are even troubled at Christs presence, con∣sidering the injuries they have done him, and the exceeding great love he hath shewed them, and this doth kindely melt the heart, when they wistly look him; Till Christ answer as Joseph, ver. 5. of Gen. 45. Come hither, saith good Joseph to his Brethren, for God did send me before to preserve life; so saith the Lord Jesus Christ, Ah poor soul, come hither, God did send me on purpose to preserve thy soul, to bear thy sins, to establish a Co∣venant of peace for thee; And how en∣dearing and melting is this to a soul that so enjoys him!

6. Christ thus withholding himself for a time, as it makes way for the greater joy and more abundant consolation to a tempestuous soul, so it will make a soul more watchful and careful to keep Christ, Cant. 3.4. I held him and would not let him go; If so tempestuous, perishing, and succourlesse, when I enjoyed him not; Oh let them never take away my

Lord; Here, Here, (his Soul clasping him) let him lodge; One hour of his fellowship, is a heaven; Oh no, thou must not go, my dearest Lord, 'till I go with thee and lie in thy bosome to all eternity; I will love thee and honour thee while I am here, and therefore do not, ah do not depart from me, I will not let thee go: But of this more in the close.

Is it so then, that Christ may for a time cloud himself from a poor soul at his feet, why then, Soul, let me return to the first posture I stated thee in, in this Point; Art thou one that hast said seriously within thy self from the sight of thy helplesse condition, I will arise now and go about, Cant. 3.2. I have been sitting all this while in the shadow of the vain world; But now, I will arise and seek him who hath life and peace in himself, though but now, yet I will enquire of the watch∣men after him, v. 3. I will wait at the posts of his doors, his blessed and powerfull Or∣dinances, till my soul findes him; Well, Take with thee this lesson, If thou findest him not in joy and comfort, assoon as thou expectest; Here's encouragement for thee, not no give off thy pursuit, as

Satan and thy own unbeleeving heart will be still prompting thee; To return to thy former ease and peace in sinne and vanity, and the world again, or that thou hadst a good interest enough in Christ before thou thus troubledst thy self, or it may be Satan will suggest, it is too late for thee, and thy day of grace is o∣ver, because thou hast sleighted many; Well (I say) let none of these prevail with thee; Thou hearest upon what weighty and endearing Reasons Christ may for a time withhold comfort and peace; therefore let deniall encrease thy diligence, and not dead and flat it: Thou seest (Soul) that if thou wilt have Jesus Christ, that he hath other work besides filling thee with perfumes, and staying thee with flaggons of love; And if thou beest truly convinced of sin, and so of thy absolute need of Christ, thou wilt be glad of him, and seek to him for those works too; He hath strong-holds of sinne to break down; He hath Atheism Pride, Self-love, Obstinacy, all manner of flesh∣ly and earthy lusts to subdue within thee, that have by nature the possession of thy heart, and these will grapple with him, and are unwilling to let thy heart go; all

these unclean spirits must be cast out, if thou wouldest have Christ dwell there; So that if thou wilt have him thou must have him on such terms, thou must thus suffer him to prepare his way, to have a resting-place within thee, And those lusts must not domineer with him; If thy de∣bate within thy self be rather to venture his losse then to part with the old guests of thy heart that he wold cast out, then thou dost not yet know what belongs to the guilt, and filth, and reign of sinne, which thou wilt cry to be rid of, when thou truly seest what mischief it hath done thee: If that be indeed the terms thou insistest on, 'tis but a little stirring of meer naturall conscience, and not the convictions of the Spirit; Many souls, no doubt, from some such temporary common enlightning of the natural con∣science, go and make an essay at Christ, liking well of peace and salvation, but finding that lusts must die for it, they give up the pursuit again, or else will have him (pretend to have so) and make him lodge with their unclean lusts, to protect and countenance them, and so make him a half-Christ, divide his work, make him indeed (like those blasphemers in the

Gospel) to have an unclean Spirit, and sin to be nothing; As many wretches in this age do assert, and indeed all carnall professors of Christ do in their conver∣sations imply, when they serve their lusts, and cry Christ, Christ; No Soul, yeeld up a heart freely to him, and let him make one lust after another bleed for it, Let him make good his way and possessi∣on, Let him subdue all opposition in thy heart. and lay low all the crooked waies of it, and see what a Temple he will make for himself in the close; In a word, fol∣low him, and hold out in his strength, and thou shalt have more then thy er∣rand.

2. Learn well from hence to under∣stand Christs meaning in his invitations, not as if the thing promised were all to be enjoyed in a moment: Thou maiest rest confident in this, that the heart of Christ will be true to thee in them, though thou waitest for a time, consider∣ing that one hour of his joy, is worth the waiting of an age, much more a heaven and eternity by it; And 'tis an everlast∣ing rest thou seekest in him.

3. It chides the repinings of our hearts against this way of dealing by the Lord

Christ, It rebukes all our hard thoughts of him, though he stay a little when we cry after him; Oh be contented for his wisedom and love to order all things for his more sweeter welcome, and more sure and comfortable abode with thee; But yet to a soul under the impatiency of an∣guish of spirit,

Consider 1. Dost thou truly come to Christ, as before, dost thou frequently spread thy case before him, and pleade his own bowells, free invitations, pro∣mises, his interest with his Father, with him; some lie repining, but not earnest∣ly follow Christ for what they want, &c.

2. Consider duly, If there be no A∣ction, lust, that holds up its head, and would not yeeld, that is as a right hand, or right eye; go to God for a more narrow search of thy heart; say, (as David) Search me, prove me, and try me; If there be any iniquity in my heart un∣discovered, reveal and mortifie it at the very root.

3. Consider, that though thou hast not sensible comfort, yet thou art support∣ed of the Lord in thy present condition, which thou maist indeed consider with comfort, Psa. 63.8, My soul followeth af∣ter

thee, and thy right hand upholdeth me; So continue to follow hard after God, and if thou findest his right hand, his pow∣er sustaining thee, thou maist conclude as David, v. last of that Psalm, But I shall rejoyce in God, &c. thou shalt be satisfied with his goodnesse; yea, if thou finde such promise breaking in upon thy spirit, and thou gatherest support from it, it may be an evidence, a love-token to thee, that God is in a way of love and comfort to thee.

4. Consider, that faith and sensible en∣joyment of Gods love do not insepara∣bly go together, are not the same, as some poor creatures be apt to fancy; 'tis faith and not sense, therefore learn to live by faith and not by sense.

But yet may some poor Soul say, This doth not come to the height of thy con∣dition, the very strength of this tempest in the conscience being upon thee; Ah thou art a forlorn, tempestuous soul in∣deed, thou saist: why now then, I will particularly deal with thee.

Reade thy condition in Isa. 54.8,9,10,11. &c. 'Tis spoken of the State of the Church, but as truly applicable to thy condition; v. 6. the Lord hath called

thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in Spirit: yea, v. 11. Oh thou afflicted, tos∣sed with tempest, and not comforted; that fits thee; See v. 7, 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mer∣cies will I gather thee: In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, but with everlasting kindenesse will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer; A small moment, and a little wrath, but great and everla∣sting kindenesse; But may not the Lord, if he please, reserve and withhold these from poor creatures that come thus af∣flicted and tossed with tempest? I answer from ver. 9, 10. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me, for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee; For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be re∣moved, but my kindenesse shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee; Here's the Oath of God upon it, and sooner shall the waters co∣ver the earth again, and the mountains remove themselves, then the Lord rebuke and utterly cast off such a soul; Neither shall the Covenant of his peace be removed,

that is, as God tenders a new agreement, and to be at peace with sinners, conten∣ted he is, yea, infinitely desirous of it; Can he then cast off a soul that comes tendring it self for peace with him, that laies hold on his Covenant, Isaiah 59.6.

But yet further will a weak mis-giving heart be reasoning against God and it self; I fear, for all this, that 'tis in vain for me to seek, my heart sinks within me; Now mark what the Lord saith to this, Isa. 45.19. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I said not unto the Seed of Jacob, Seek me in vain; I the Lord speak in righteousnesse, and declare things that are right: This the Lord doth not reserve as a secret, but would have it pro∣claimed on the house top; Let it be known to every poor weak soul that seeks me, It shall not be in vain; As if it were laid down on purpose (as indeed it is) to answer such a fond reasoning: And further (saith he) I the Lord speak righteousnesse, I do not trifle with and de∣lude souls, but speak in good earnest the things that are right, and v. 22. I am a just God, true to my word, and therefore not to be reasoned against by men or devils;

Away then with such debates as thou dost foster in thy heart, yea, with such vile disputings against God, as to say within thy self, 'Tis too late, 'Tis in vain, my case is desperate, God will not hear, and therefore why should I seek? To what purpose is it? Is not this to belye the wise and holy, and faithfull God, so to adde abundantly to thy former iniquity? In a word, If thou dost seek and venture, and try what God will do, if thou art at last cast off, thou canst but be damned; And thy seeking, if thou couldst fail, will rather be a mitigation of thy torment then an encrease.

Well, but yet further may a Soul ob∣ject (for the devil hath a world of So∣phistry this way) If I should be stirred up to seek, upon these grounds, how shall I be ascertain'd that these promises be∣long to me? Why, mark thou, dost thou not say, I am an afflicted soul, disquieted, tossed with tempest, and in thy own thoughts forsaken? And saist, moreo∣ver, that thou art contented to seek and wait, seeing at worst, thou canst be no looser by it; why then by what plea art thou excluded, what law, or what caveat is put in against thee? perhaps thou wilt say,

thy sinning with so high a hand against thy God, with many grievous aggrava∣ting circumstances; Why, finful worm, know 'tis written as clear as the Sun, if thou knowst any thing of the Gospel and minde of Christ, that no sinner is exclu∣ded from acceptance, from the greatnesse of sin, but for want of coming to Christ that he might have life, Joh. 5. as hath been shew'd; The truth is, thou art un∣willing to be beholden to Christ, or im∣patient to stay his leisure, or else art re∣solved to beleeve the lies of the devil a∣gainst him, or else thou wouldst not thus parley against him; Therefore bow thy self at his feet, and pleade his own argu∣ments, that he hath left for thee in his word, and do not stand asking whether these promises belong to thee, for they are as much thine, as any souls in the world, if thou wilt pleade them.

But yet further may a poor soul com∣plain; Ah, I have a dull, dead, heavy, in∣disposed heart, heartlesse am I to seek and cry, &c. I have shewed before, that if thou wilt ask a heart, I will give it thee, saith the Lord, and ask his Spirit to raise up thy heart above that indisposed di∣stemper: Nay Soul, let me ask thee, Canst

thou truly complain of and feel such a distemper, oh what a dull, heavy, dead, indisposed heart have I? 'Tis of the spi∣rit of life within thee, or thou couldst not so complain; And 'tis an earnest of more of the spirit to be given unto thee, from what hath been now and before said unto thee: Soul, maist thou be en∣couraged to seek and wait privately, pub∣likely, be diligent in all means, yea, with some measure of contentednesse, till the Lord shall speak, and when thy spirit is so subdued, usually comfort is not farre off; But as to thy further encourage∣men, I will leade thee on to the next Point.

Thus having shew'd the condition of a humbled convinced sinner, coming to Jesus Christ in a perishing condition, and waiting for the voice of comfort and as∣surance, I shall in the next endeavour to state such a faith which Christ in the Text cals a little faith; Why are ye fear∣full, &c.

* 1.2True faith may be consistent with many fears and weaknesses, and yet may engage the heart of Christ to succour.

By what hath been opened, we may give forth this description of faith; 'Tis

a coming to Christ in a perishing condi∣tion for salvation; which Divines usual∣ly stile faith of recumbency, relying and rowling upon Christ, which is not al∣waies accompanied with assurance, this being but the height and excellency of faith, not of the absolute being of it, that is, that without which faith cannot be; So assurance is not of the nature of faith.

That which I am to clear, is, That this Faith may be consistent and mixt with ma∣ny fears, and that yet it may engage the heart of Christ to succour.

1. From example, Mar. 9.22,24. Lord, I beleeve, help thou my unbelief; Faith so weak, that he knew not whe∣ther he might venture to call it faith or not; I beleeve, but straight takes him∣self off, as if he were afraid to stile it faith, Lord, help mine unbeleef; or if I do not beleeve, Lord help me to beleeve, In such a suspense the words imply him to be, and yet 'twas a faith that sped in its errand; So Mat. 8.2. In the case of the Leper, Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean; I beleeve thou hast power e∣nough, but whether thou wilt receive and help such a miserable creature, that's

a hard question, He only viewed the power of Christ, but much doubted what his heart might be toward him; In the commended faith of the Centurion, v. 6. he only spreads the poor creature before him, comes to him, and 'twas enough, v. 13. As thou hast beleeved, so be it unto thee, and he was healed the same hour; So Mat. 9.20, &c. in the case of the disea∣sed woman; first, she came behinde him from her self-unworthinesse, and so doubting and fearing to come before his face, she said within her self, she had ma∣ny parlies and reasonings within her self, whether she should go to him or not, but at last resolved on it, and to do it by stealth; see the same laid down by Mark 5.33. 'tis there expressed, she came fear∣ing and trembling, no question, as doub∣ting of her acceptance, fell down before him in acknowledgement how unworthy a creature she was for his notice, and told him all the truth, what a despicable crea∣ture she was, how she had spent all she had, and now must be helped by him, or pe∣rish, and so misery had made her bold, and she ventured to come to him, hear∣ing what a mercifull man he was; The very posture of a poor humbled soul in

its need, a poor open-hearted sinner coming to him; and then observe, how ready the Lords answer was, no accusing her and reasoning the matter with her, to tax her of her unworthinesse, but be∣speaks her kindely, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole, go in peace, and be whole; The very errand a poor soul comes to Christ for: And 'tis very remarkable what Christ answered to the two blinde men coming to him, Mat. 9.28. Beleeve ye that I am able to do this? Only if he was able, not whe∣ther he was willing; If it be objected, all these were for temporall blessings, I answer, That under these, spiritual mer∣cies and salvation are couched, or if not there's the same reason of both; yea, further to clear this, if you will look into the histories of those eminent beleevers and Saints, Heb. 11. do but mark what weaknesses you may finde in their faith, Sarah her self, if you look to Gen. 18. she laughed within her self, and said, Shall it be so? a high questioning of the word of the Lord, and that upon which she rested, was the power of God only, which the Angels gave forth in that confirming word, Is there any thing too hard for the

Lord? and so of Abraham himself, that God was able to preserve, Concerning his heart and willingnesse, of that no men∣tion.

* 1.3We shall enquire into the Reasons of this, Why Faith is mixt with such fears?

1. Because flesh and bloud is against beleeving, the wisedom of the flesh is highly against it; for a soul to go out of it self to another for righteousnesse; the wisedom of flesh and bloud is full of these 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 2 Cor. 10.5. imaginations, reasonings, and disputings against it; 'tis against the pride of flesh and bloud to be beholden to another for righteousness against all those issues of pride, self-love, self-sufficiency, and self-confidence; Now flesh and bloud being thus set against be∣leeving in the Lord Jesus, 'tis disputing and reasoning against it, as Joh. 1.12,13. which were born, not of bloud, nor of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; So when Peter Mat. 16. had confessed his faith, saith Christ, Flesh and Bloud hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

2. Man is naturally under a power of unbelief, Rom. 11.31. concluded under un∣belief;

not only a heart unapt to beleeve, but under a power of the contrary, Heb. 3. ult. They could not enter in because of their unbelief, a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an impossibi∣lity from unbelief, while remaining so; Now this power is not wholly vanquish∣ed, and subdued, but will still be mixing and rising up, and opposing more or less in all beleevers, &c.

3. A Soul findes nothing in himself to encourage him to beleeve, as in the case of Peter at his conversion, Luk. 5.8. De∣part from me Lord, for I am a sinfull man; so when the voice of the Lord is heard in the soul, it fears before him, and begins to see to purpose, that he is a sinfull crea∣ture, it is ready to depart from the Lord, and to bid the Lord depart from him; that which indeed should have been Pe∣ters ground of going to Christ, or to have besought him to come to him, his being a sinfull man, he useth as a reason to bid the Lord depart from him; Lord canst thou endure to look upon such a sinfull worm, such a filthy wretch as my self; Oh 'twill offend thy pure eyes but to glance upon me: So the Centurion, Master, I am not worthy thou shouldst come under my roof; Sense of unworthinesse

causeth a Soul to put up hard pleas a∣gainst it self, and so the heart being ta∣ken up and overwhelmed, and abased in the sense of self-vilenesse and unworthi∣nesse, forgets and dares not so heartily pleade Christs free grace and tendernesse to receive it.

4. The accusations of conscience being awakened as before, mustering up sinne upon sin, joyned with the aggravations of Satan, like a cunning disputer, who musters up all his forces, to make sin as horrible as ever he argued it pleasant and commodious, yea, his chief darts lie at the faith of a beleever, to be reasoning against the grounds of beleeving, questi∣oning their election, severing the pro∣mises out of their sight, mudding and darkening their sight of Christ, accu∣sing them for unsound and hypocrites, tempting them from means which make for strengthening of faith; Peter (saith Christ) Satan hath desired to winnow thee, but I have prayed that thy faith fail not, implying, Satans design lay most against his faith; through the malice and subtle∣ty of Satan faith is put hard to it, till the Lord rebuke him.

5. Faith is wrought forth gradually in

the soul by degrees, at first sown as a grain of mustard-seed, a small seed; cor∣ruptions and reasonings like overspread∣ing tares ready to choak it, therefore being sown, as I may so speak, in weak∣nesse, at first, 'tis thus put to it for com∣fort; therefore Paul tels the Thessaloni∣ans, 1 Thes. 3.10,13. that there was some∣thing lacking in their faith, and the esta∣blishment of their faith is much praied for by him.

6. The Lord suffers it to be so, that his power in the supporting of a weak soul may the more appear: Faith is called the operation of the Son of God, 1 Thess. 2. and that your faith might stand in the pow∣er of God; when a soul is full of fears and mis-givings, and ready to sink under them, theu the hand of the Lord is more visible in sustaining, then we see by his power alone we stand; Had we a strong setled faith presently, we should rather be lifted up in our selves, or rest upon grace received, and so not glorifie the Lord Jesus, and live upon him for strength as he requires; Therefore the Lord suffers these fightings and reason∣ings within, that we might have continu∣all recourse to him for support, and that

we might see that the beginnings, life, and growth of faith, it is all in and from Jesus Christ as the Authour and Finisher of it.

For these Reasons, viz. the wisedom and pride of flesh and bloud, the natural power of Unbelief not being wholly sub∣dued, sense of unworthinesse, the depth of guilt, accusations of conscience, and the disputings of Satan, faith sown in weaknesse at first, and all this suffered to ends of glory to the Lord Jesus Christ, that his power and grace may be the more magnified, therefore true faith is mixt with many reasonings, doubtings, mis∣givings, disputings, fears, which do an∣noy it.

I will first endeavour to apply this be∣fore I prove further that such a faith may engage Christ to succour.

1. If true faith be thus mixt with fears and reasonings; It meets first with the ea∣sie faith that the most of people please themselves in, as I thank God I alwaies beleeved, God forbid but I should be∣leeve in Jesus Christ; 'Tis easie, very ea∣sie indeed, to presume away a precious soul, 'tis easie to flatter a mans self with an opinion of beleeving, and indeed 'tis

nothing else but a customary opinion of Christ; But to beleeve in Christ Jesus, and savingly and effectually to apply his bloud by his Spirit enabling, this is hard, ah hard indeed to a poor convinced soul, that hath deep thoughts of heart about the pardon of sins; Lord, help my un∣belief, and Lord, if thou wilt, and the like; This easie beleeving is the dead sleep of sin upon the conscience, and a generall opinion in the brain, that Christ died for sinners, even for all sinners to whom he is preached, heightned by the strong de∣lusion of the devil, whose work it is to perswade souls that have nothing but a dead, generall faith, that they beleeve well, and on the contrary to dispute a∣gainst the faith of true beleevers, that they do not truly believe. And this among others may be a discovery of true faith, unbelief is still mixing, and Satan dispu∣ting against it, as in the reasons shew'd. If so much faith against beleeving par∣don of sinne in the Lord Jesus, how can it choose but be so, but it must be a hard thing to a poor soul to fasten upon Christ in a promise for remission of sins, when so much opposition to it; Therefore this is an infallible note, true beleevers deeply

feel and are humbled for unbelief; Oh 'tis the deep evil of their hearts, and that they most tremble at; but take a carnall, formall, dead-hearted Protestant, and no such matter with him; He could be∣leeve a thousand years together, and if he have any scruples, they be as nothing, a little praier or the like will quickly hekl it.

And herein also is another great snare; Naturall conscience, that is, a conscience not savingly enlightned and sanctified, may give some checks before, in, or after the commission of a sin, and then unre∣generate persons do most usually gather, that they have truth of grace, because they have some little conflicts within, which they fasten upon, from Rom. 7. the thing that I would not, that do I, but that former (I) is meant of the regenerate nature, distinct to, and warring against the fleshly part, and not a little conflict∣ing of the naturall conscience from com∣mon enlightenings of the word; So also as to doubting and some small mis-gi∣vings, these argue not a truth of saith, unlesse these are only allayed by the go∣ing out of the soul to Jesus Christ, and the evidence of the work of saith, with

power wrought forth in us; If thy doubt∣ings be such, that do not settle again till thou hast made a true entire close with Jesus Christ in self-renouncing, then they are of the spirit, subduing sin and unbe∣lief in thee; Therefore look narrowly to unbelief, as true faith interests the soul in Christ, and all his grace and promises, so unbelief excludes while unsubdued, from all of Christ: It sins against totum dei, every attribute of God; So then they could not enter in because of unbelief; An utter impossibility upon it. And this may reign through deluded mis-perswa∣sion of true faith, though the conversa∣tion in the eye of men civil and regular. I desire to acknowledge to the praise of the rich grace of God, that the opening of the power of unbelief by a holy Prea∣cher of the Gospel, was the first time of the Lords speaking to me in powerfull convincement that I was in the state of unbelief, though before full of confidence of the safety of my condition. Oh there∣fore Soul, whoever thou art, be jealous of thy own heart in this particular, unbe∣lief is a close, spirituall, undiscerned evil, till the Lord come in and shew thee what the strength of it is, by casting in a grain

of faith to grapple with it, which with∣out the continuall supply of his Spirit, will be overwhelmed by it. Therefore let me presse thee with a serious triall of thy self this way, that this is a dange∣rous snare, easinesse to beleeve pardon of sin and peace with God; So that un∣lesse thou canst make out a work of faith with power by the word and spirit; Que∣stion all, and so in the sight of thy meer naked condition, make out for Christ, as hath been before directed, as if thou wert before a stranger to him.

2. If true Faith may consist with so many fears and reasonings; why then a word yet more to the convinced poor soul in its perishing condition in it self, that hath got a view of Christ, and is pressing after him, but fears, ah sad fears and mis-givings arise. Why consider this well, If it were not so thou mightst just∣ly question all indeed, whether any thing saving in thee; Tell me Soul, wouldest thou be again in the supposed safety thou wast once in, when no such conflicts in thee; No, thou wilt say, not fot a thou∣sand worlds, for then I was as a dead worm in sin and unbelief; But thou wilt say yet I fear, Ah finde it hard to be∣leeve

and fasten upon and apply one pro∣mise, so thou seest do all Gods children; Reade of and ask of any the holiest and graciousest, they will tell thee many a se∣rious experience of this, what travels the poor soul hath had through doubtings, fears, sinkings, cloudings, and yet all cal∣med, sweetly calmed again, as hath been shewed, and am yet further to declare, the staies and the props of a poor soul in this case have been opened. But a word more, Is it no further with thee then this, then questioning of faith, with the Lord, help my unbelief; know, 'tis impossile to cry after Christ with complaints of Un∣belief, without some truth of faith; Canst thou reach but unto the power of Christ, to give him the glory of being able to succour thee, but doubtest of his willing∣nesse what his heart may be unto thee; Ah, thou sadly doubtest; Is it with thee, Lord, if thou wilt? still an If, know Faith on the power of Christ, as in the exam∣ples shewed, may be saving; Remember also Christs melting answers, I will, be thou clean; Be it unto thee as thou wilt, Go in peace; And this to such souls who came beleeving in his power to save, though trembling what his heart might

be towards them; I am now further to shew, that such a weak pursuing Faith may engage Jesus Christ to succour, which hath received some demonstration already; but 'tis further clear'd from these reasons.

1. Faith though never so weak, be it faith (that is, such that resolves the soul to venture all with Christ, and pursue af∣ter him) is a beam from Christ himself, shed by his own spirit; 'Tis the spirit so enabling the soul to choose and follow Christ, therefore Christ will own such a faith, and 'twill engage his whole heart to more.

2. 'Tis that grace by divine appoint∣ment which engageth all the priviledges and blessings of Christ to a soul; Not from any worthinesse in it, but by Gods own Ordination; So that a Soul is not so much to reason thus, Can such a poor, weak faith engage Christ? but he is to look to Gods Ordination and promise that it shall. In a word, Not to be poring upon the weaknesse of faith, but to be eying and considering the free promise, and so not to make an estimate of thy faith by present sensible enjoyment and feelings of comfort, but by thy going out

to Christ in the indefinite free invitement and promise to all humble comers for life and salvation; and then say and rea∣son within thy self; The Soul that accor∣ding to Christs own invitement, com∣mand, and promise, renounceth all other, and comes and follows him for life, shall have and finde life in him; But so doth this poor trembling soul of mine (if I know any thing of my own heart) re∣nounce all other, and flies to a power∣full, free-hearted Jesus, mighty to save; Therefore I shall finde him, yea, I have him; And this a true Scripturall spiritu∣al reasoning, grounded upon Christs own words, Isa. 55.1. Joh. 5.40. Joh. 6.37. Rev. 22.17. 1 Tim. 1.15.

But now, if thou yet fearest and art jea∣lous whether thy self-renouncing and co∣ming to and closing with Chtist be full and entire; The next and every time thou goest to him and pleadest with him (and do it often) protest against all o∣ther helps, and now there is no witnesse but God and thy own conscience, that thou dost perish in all opinion of thy self or any other, all the strength and righteousnesse that thy self and all the world to help thee hath, being but as dead

water to thee, and that thou dost pro∣test against them, and so make an entire close with the Lord Jesus alone, that he may be thine and thou maist be his, in Gospel terms, and that thou art willing to take up his yoke and follow him; Know also that such jealousies of thy self are a good argument of something sound within thee.

3. Further, If through thine unac∣quaintance with the Scriptures thou runst upon a mistake, and conceivest that true faith consists in a full perswasion and as∣surance of salvation; Thou must under∣stand that it is not so; for assurance is the height and excellency of faith, such a degree that many gracious souls are long ere they attain to it, yea, have only some short glimpses of in this life; And though some arrive to a greater measure of joy and assurance in the holy Ghost, yet not enjoy'd by any in a constant re∣nour, while a bitter root of unbelief re∣mains in us.

I do not here intend to give forth the consequent evidences and fruits of faith, only a word or two, as to the manage∣ment of a weak faith, while thou art thus in thy doubtings, or if faith lie as it

were dead, and doth not act lively upon Christ; Though in such a case thou art to be stirring up every grace, yet do not stand poring upon such a heavy frame of heart, nor do thou think to lift up the hand of faith by thy own power, but go and lie before Christ, go forth from thy own heart to him, to requicken the ha∣bit of faith, that thou maist draw new life from him, and this follow him for: And then though faith be even as a wi∣thered hand (as sometimes it is) Christ will speak to thy soul, as to the man with a withered hand in the Gospel, Mat. 12.10. Stretch forth thy hand, and thou shalt do so, and embrace Christ in thy arms, and thine affections run forth lively upon him. It may be objected, Is it safe then to let doubtings and fears lie and be care∣lesse of them, seeing thus mixing they do evidence truth of faith; No, but la∣bour to get them supprest and subdued by the power and spirit of Christ; Though it be not absolutely thy duty to have as∣surance, yet 'tis thy duty to labour and give all diligence to gain it, 2 Pet. 1.10. But especially beware of such things which do deaden and stagger faith, and some of those I will point out to thee,

as to the case of a young convert.

1. After conviction, enlightening, and in some measure a self-emptying and re∣nouncing, as hath been shewed, and so a sight of free-grace and Christ to justi∣fie from sin, and a rowling the soul upon it, and also some delightfull savour of it; Then the main temptation is to become negligent in duty: As to neglect humble, awfull, diligent, waiting upon God in prayer, and other Ordinances: This rea∣soning being upon a young convert, be∣cause our duty and obedience doth not justifie us before God, therefore for no other purpose; But this is a dangerons snare, and too many poor souls endan∣gered with it; Neglect of duty begets a vain and a wanton spirit, and causeth the Lord to withdraw from us, and will stagger faith, and cause thee to question any work upon thy spirit.

2. Sleightnesse of Humiliation for for∣mer sins in our unregenerate state begets a dead and slight spirit; Though they are not to be remembred after effectuall calling, as now able to condemn us, and God declares in his Covenant of grace to forget them also, to remember them no more against us, yet they are not to

be forgotten to other considerations, viz. that we may be the more humbled and abased before the Lord, that we may loathe our selves in our former detesta∣ble waies, and the sense of the pardon of them may the more melt our hearts; Eze. 36.31. Zech. 12.10. Therefore after grace received 'tis good to be frequent in the renewing of serious and through, and as particular as may be, humiliation for sins of unregeneracy though pardon∣ed to us and changed from them.

3. Too familiar converse with carnall company, haply such which before our calling we did most frequently converse with, this will deaden our spirits, and beget discomfort, when a convert will not own and acknowledge to the praise of the rich and free grace of God, the change and work the Lord hath wrought upon him; And so the want of that se∣rious, composed, reserved, wary carri∣age and demeanour answerable to a change upon the inward man, which will also quickly beget deadnesse, staggering, discomfort.

4. Either a neglectfull, or a curious, criticall hearing the Gospel preached, as to judge of the gifts and parts of Prea∣chers,

which will at last grow to a mat∣ter of fancy, rather then to a trembling at the word, that it may purisie and assure the heart; This joyned with a negiect of reading the Scriptures, or reading them out of a curious enquiry to be able to speak discerningly before others, to have praise of men; This will also quick∣ly cause a staggering.

5. As consequentiall of this latter, a self-conceit of knowledge and parts, growing to an over-weaned conceit of our selves; This self-conceit is the main bait of Satan in young converts, and the cause of many after-trials, till a through discovery of it, and so a mortifying of it, usually by afflictions, temptations, or desertions, or all; No evil more natural then to be lifted up in our selves, to have an itch to appear to be some body, and to excell others, and to seek for gifts and graces, not so much to honour God with, as to please others, and to gain a re∣pute with men; This to be lookt to with a godly jealousie, as that which will cause a staggering upon thy spirit at last.

9. The want of diligent searching our own hearts, from whence the former and other evils get strength, and lie close, spe∣cially

as to pride and hypocrisie, and so not attending to that main grace, which is the soul of all, sincerity and simpliciy of heart, to aim at God and not at our selves; A slight practise of searching the more close and spiritual corruptions begets an unsafe temper, and when they appear and the Lord gives a deeper dis∣covery of them, will stagger thy faith, and bring all afresh into question, whe∣ther any soundnesse at all in thee.

7. Not attending to growth in morti∣fication, sincerity, zeal, and holinesse, but to content our selves we are (we trust) converted, therefore safe enough, much carnall joy mixing with that of the spirit; This growth upon a young con∣vert is apt for a time to be neglected, whereby faith is overgrown ere they are aware, and begin to be at a losse, till the Lord have a way to awaken them to it.

8. Inordinate enjoyment of any crea∣ture-mercy, be it what it will, either by too affectionate pursuit, or delight in it, staying upon and feeding upon the crea∣ture, and not carried up to Gods good∣nesse by it, and so not using it with a loose heart; This is apt to bring many

snares upon our spirits and waies, and at last to cause us to loose the favour of God.

9. Want of a holy fellowship with such who are godly, either by frequent conference, and communicating their experiences of God, specially in a more holy Church-fellowship then the mixt Congregations are yet reduced into, which will abundantly quicken and strengthen faith, and every gift and grace of beleevers, and maketh much for the retaining and encrease of comfort.

10. In a word, a slight frame of spirit, the heart not being daily awed with a holy fear of God, whereby light∣nesse and vanity, and discomposure ariseth; As also negligence in a mans calling, or in some duty to some relati∣ons.

These are the speciall things which are apt to stagger and deaden Faith, to cause the Lord to withhold or withdraw com∣fort, that we are brought to question all again, whether any true saving work up∣on us, to cause the Lord to let out sore temptations upon us; or to lay his hand upon us, very usually sicknesse, or crosses in our estates or friends; And indeed,

by these, a sounder and deeper humilia∣tion is wrought forth, even a second con∣version, when a narrower search is set up in our hearts, and sincerity, watchful∣nesse, and other graces come more in view.

Now as all those evils, negligences, and defects do thus startle, weaken faith, and hinder comfort, so a diligent care, opposite to all those, as thou maist parti∣cularly review them, or means blessed of God to strengthen faith and comfort, which I shall only mention, viz. Dili∣gence in praier and every other duty, re∣newing of humiliation, avoiding much converse with carnall men, carefull at∣tending upon the Word preached, not with curiosity but humility; Not to be pufft up with self-conceit of parts, search for hypocrisie, attending to growth, en∣joying the creatures with a loose and mortified heart, the fellowship of the Saints, a serious frame of spirit, joyned with wisedome and care as to all relati∣ons towards God or man, these are the waies wherin God usually sheddeth com∣fort upon his people.

It may further be enquired, Whether faith will ever cast out all fear? I answer.

It may in good measure keep under servile, base, disheartening fear; But there is a fear which is vigil animae, the watchman of the soul, a Servant to faith, which makes the heart not over-despon∣dent, and bears off security, and keeps all awake as the Centinell of the heart, Heb. 4.1. Let us therefore fear, &c. And when the blessed intervals of joy and as∣surance come, then let this fear be stir∣ring, and 'twill preserve thee from wan∣toning with thy joy, that it mix not nor break out into carnall joy; And indeed, when such a holy fear doth arise and min∣gle it self with our joy, then it is most spi∣rituall and doth best distinguish a fleshly joy from a spirituall.

And now having thus farre stated the case of a poor, willing, hardly-beleeving soul, as coming in a perishing condition to Christ, with such considerations, which may be for a stay unto it, till Christ speak as in the Text, Why art thou fear∣full? We will now set the tempestuous Soul in this perishing condition, in weak∣nesse of faith before Jesus Christ, and so briefly consider what this rebuking voice of Christ is able to do; Only I will first question with this fearfull soul, in Christs

words, Soul, why art thou fearfull? thou wilt answer readily, From thy sins and unbelief.

1. Hath Jesus Christ power enough to subdue them? Sure he hath, I will sub∣due them, and Isa. 43.13. I will work, and who shall let it, or turn it back? When he will work in any businesse his Father hath committed to him, whereof this is one of the chief, even to receive and comsort weak souls that come unto him, Isa. 40.10,11. Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him, behold his reward is with him, and his work before him; What work is this he owns with so much power, and puts such a Behold upon? See in the next verse, He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd, He shall gather the Lambs with his arm, and carry them with his bosome, and shall gently leade them that are with young: Now, mark Soul, Here's his power to work, and none, none shall turn it back, and the work thou hast for him to do is his own work and businesse, therefore with en∣couragement spread it before him, com∣mit it to him, and neither sins nor unbe∣lief shall stand before him.

2. Is't his will and purpose to receive

such a weakling? This hath been opened in part before; But consider, Soul, 'twas his very purpose in coming down from heaven, 1 Joh. 3.8. and having wrought forth his purpose in order to it here be∣low, Now he is passed into the Heavens to make it good to poor souls; to whom? to such who come on set purpose for it; Therefore when 'tis Christs great pur∣pose, that which his heart is full on, and also thou goest and seekest to him on purpose for it, what needst thou stagger and be fearfull?

Now that this is the work that is still before Christ to do, and his purpose not changed, is left upon record in his last words to John, Rev. 22.17. Let him which is athirst Come, which was spoken after his ascension into glory.

But still it may be thy minde runs upon this, This power and purpose of Christ towards my self, I beleeve in the general to be true of the Lord Jesus Christ, but whether I am one of those to whom it is meant. Mark, whosoever will, answers that, as I have reasoned before; Shew me how thou canst exclude thy self from that ge∣nerall invitement, or thou must grant it takes in thee also, that desirest to come

to him; And if thou still reasonest, as to thy particular case, as receiving such ag∣gravations which every ordinary sinner doth not; I answer, There is no stating of cases, but Whosoever will, and whosoe∣ver is athirst, know in a word, That 'tis written as with a beam of the Sun for clearnesse, that the Gospel excludes no soul from salvation, because he is such or such a sinner, but for not coming, in the sense of it, to Christ, that he might have life in him; If thou shouldest catch at that, and say, Thou fearest thou art not sensible enough; know that is a measure of sensibility of sin, and such as may up∣on a true account send to Christ; And therefore Soul, say what thou wilt with∣in thy self, and reason from thy self, and so maist put in these demurres, do but eye Jesus Christ in his power, purpose, free and generall invitement, and thou hast no ground to be fearful: And there∣fore why art thou fearfull? Thou hast no reason, if thou eyest Christ, to be so; specially if thou consider what is next to be opened.

* 1.4That Jesus Christ can with a word re∣buke all the tempests and fears upon a poor soul coming and seeking to him; In the

handling of which I shall be very brief.

He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still, Psa. 107.27. True in this case also; In Mar. 4, the parallel place to the Text, He said unto the Sea, Peace, and be still, and 'twas enough; He that could command the windes and Seas by his word, can much more still the troubles and fears of a poor soul co∣ming to him: This hath also in part been confirmed by observing the answers that Christ gave to those who in such diffi∣cult cases came to him: Be thou clean, Go in peace; and these were presently effect∣ed by the word of his mouth: As in the Creation of the word, God said, Let there be, &c. and it was so; Now as to this work upon a poor soul, there's the same mighty power promised, and goes along with his word, which he speaks in and by, in the Gospel; Thou hast the words, saith Peter, of eternall lise; 'Tis often cal'd, The Word of Life, The power of God, The arm of the Lord, The red of his Strength, even such a power as is de∣scribed Psa. 29. The voice of the Lord upon the waters, The voice of the Lord is powerfull and full of Majesty, it breaks

the Cedars of Lebanon, and shakes the wildernesse, &c. So is it able to subdue all the high things, all the reasonings, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the strong holds and heights of our Spirits, It can make the wildernesse and the solitary place, the place of singing and of joy; even what the Psalmist concludes in that Psalm men∣tioned, at vers. 11. The Lord will give strength unto his people, The Lord will bless his prople with peace; And this is spoken as a conclusion to all those mighty things that are spoken of the voice of the Lord.

Much might be said for the further ex∣plication of this; but being a truth so clear and granted, I shall only briefly apply it.

* 1.5I might return here to the dead-heart∣ed professour, and inform him of his mi∣sery by this Truth; That so much vertue and might in the holy Word of God, and he never felt this shaking or quick∣ning him: And thence that he might come under this, that no work of God with power upon his heart to this day, and so to counsell and encourage the poor, dead, blinde, deaf sinners with di∣ligence to attend upon Christs voice,

saith Christ, Isa. 43.8. Bring them to me; Hast thou a heart like a wildernesse? come to him, and it shall blossome as the rose; Hast thou a heart of earth? I will smite it, Isa. 11. Nor sins, nor lusts, nor bar∣rennesse, nor earthlinesse, nor deafnesse, nor blindenesse, shall stand before him; Come then, oh come with such and expe∣ctation, and thou shalt know the mighty power of his word.

But to the fearing Soul; I need not I hope further encourage thee to come to Christs Ordinances; Only a word, Hast thou waited on them, but not a comfort∣able answer yet? Consider well, Hast thou come to hear Christ speak: I will hear what God the Lord will speak, Hast thou not too much hang'd on the Prea∣cher, upon his lips? This may be a snare: Eye the promise, Isa. 57.19. I create the fruit of the lips, Peace, Peace, saith the Lord, and I will heal them, So Is. 55.10,11. speaking of the word, It shall accomplish that which I please; know: If all the host of glorified Saints and Angels should joyn with all the holy Preachers of the Earth, and should encompasse thy soul, to speak life or peace unto it, and beseech thee to be comforted, unlesse Christ speak by

them, 'twould be all fruitlesse; Therefore get thy heart into a clear expectation for Christ to speak to thy heart by the Prea∣cher, that is, to distill the dews and con∣solations of his spirit by it, or all to no purpose. So the Spouse Cant. 2.8. The voice of my Beloved. v. 10. My Beloved spake and said unto me, Rise up my Love, and fair One, and come away: So Gant. 4.16. Awake O North-winde, and come thou South, and blow upon my Garden, that the Spices thereof may flow out; which is the Spirit of Christ blowing upon the Ordi∣nances, causing the vertues thereof to flow out; Therefore if thou still conti∣nuest a disquieted, fearing, perishing soul, and pants after comfort and assurance; Pray thy heart may be raised up to ab∣stract from any power as the voice of man, but wait that the Spirit of Christ may breathe in the voice, and then thou art in a readier posture for the Lord to rebuke the Tempest of fears upon thee. A poor Soul may take further encou∣ragement beside the promises, from the blessed experiences of many and many a comfortlesse creature, who after many tempests, perishings, fears, sinkings of spirit, have at last by waiting publikely

and privately for Christs voice, found the rebuking power of it, and their distem∣pers sweetly allayed; And even a sudden heavenly calm upon them, There was a great calm, saith the Text, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to smile; such a calmnesse, stillnesse, such a wonderful serenity that is after a storm, when the heavens and the earth seem, as it were to smile; So Christ smiles upon a soul, having withheld his face and beau∣ty, and causeth a blessed serenity, clear∣nesse, quietnesse, to be upon it, some∣times by a sudden breaking in, sometime by a secret graduall illapsing into a soul, that it becomes comforted it knows not how, ere it was aware: Oh blessed, for ever blessed the souls that wait and finde this, And finde it Soul thou shalt if thou art in this posture described; Let the Storm be what it will, the clouds never so dark, one ray and beam from Christ shall raise even a heaven in thy Spirit, &c.

Thus far have I brought a Soul botto∣med upon free and faithfull promises, to the immediate expectation of Christ to rebuke the tempest and fears upon it, to succour its perishing condition; The Lord grant it may settle thee upon the power, promise, purpose, delight of the Lord

Jesus to do it; I will a little speak of the wonders thou maist expect.

* 1.6The calmed Soul is filled with the wonders of Christs power and love; They marvel∣led, saying, What manner of man is this, that the Windes and the Sea obey him?

His Name Isa. 9. is called Wonderfull, described to be Wonderfull in Counsell, Excellent in Working, Isa. 28. last. We may view those Meditations of the Saints, when thus in the admiration of his won∣derfull goodnesse and sweetnesse, Psal. 90.5. Many O Lord my God are thy won∣derfull works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee, If I would declare and speak of them, they are more then can be numbred; So Psal. 34.2. &c. My Soul shall make her boast in the Lord, &c. Oh magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together; I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me out of all my sears; This poor man cried unto him, and he saved him out of all his troubles: Oh taste and see that the Lord is good, Blessed is the man that trusteth in him: Psa. 36.7. How excellent is thy loving kindenesse, O God? &c. Psa. 116.7. Re∣turn

unto thy Rest O my Soul, &c. And what shall I render unto thee? So Mic. 7.18,19. The Church is brought in so admiring Christ, Who is a God like unto thee (why?) that pardonest iniquity, and passest by transgressions? &c. He will turn again (though he hide his face) he will have compassion upon us; yea, it will break forth, Come, and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul; yea, then Soul, thou shalt know, what is the exceeding great∣nesse of his power towards them that beleeve, according to the working of his mighty pow∣er, Eph. 1.19. These wonders of Christs power and love will be thus enlarged in thy soul: Oh the wonders of his power! Who is like unto thee Indeed, Lord, who wast able at first to lay hold of me, and take me as a brand out of the fire? Oh, Am I not saved as a brand out of the fire? Zech. 3.2. Thou who wast able to say un∣to me, Live, when I was in my bloud; dead as a stone in my sins: Thou who wast able to subdue all the strong rebel∣lion and obstinacy of my heart; to turn the violent stream of it from earth to heaven; yea, thou wast able to deal with all mine iniquities and corruptions, the

least of which had been too strong for me: yea, thou wast able to rebuke all the tempestuous assaults of Satan, such tempests, such a perishing condition, such fears upon a poor soul, to command the waves to be still, and they were so; Oh who is like unto thee my Almighty glo∣rious Lord? Joyn this to the greater wonders of thy free-love, who hadst love and bowels enough to regard such a rebellious wretch, when thus in his bloud, serving his lusts, and loving plea∣sures more then God; When I was da∣ringly and delightfully sinning against thee; Oh infinite Love! to pity and sup∣port, and succour such a poor, tempe∣stuous wretch as I was after thou hadst awakened me, when fitter, my self being Judge, to have been a cast-away from thy presence for ever; Oh the Ocean of grace! Oh the wonders of thy love! Oh the unfadomed heights and depths of it! Eternity will but serve to admire and a∣dore thee in it: So sings the Spouse in the Song, c. 3.6. filled with the loves of Christ, Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse like pillars of smoak, perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankincense, with all Powders of the Merchant, &c. A little to

enlarge this, I will shew what considera∣tions they are that make any work ap∣pear wonderfull, and they will be found in this of the Lord Christs to his People.

1. A repugnancy in nature to the ef∣fect wrought forth, this causeth wonder; So is it in the whole work of Christ for us and in us; That which was for us, being but as one continued, rich, glorious my∣stery, Col. 1.26. All of nature against it; As to his work in his people; what re∣luctancy, obstinacy, strivings with the holy Spirit, before a proud, hard, rebel∣lious, self-exalting heart will yeeld to bow before the Lord Jesus? Not only listnes∣nesse, heartlesnesse, impotency, but a strong enmity and resolute opposition against the work of grace; yea, as to our case in hand, the quieting of the tempest upon a soul, what resistency to comfort by the carnall part? what putting up of fresh reasonings and doubtings, and will not beleeve Jesus Christ upon his word, till the spirit of power perswade, command, enables to do so?

2. Such things do beget wonder, which are unexpected or unhoped for; so is the first appearing and work of Christ to and in us; When a Soul securely sits with

folded arms in the shadow of death, in the grosse darknesse that is naturally up∣on it, the strength of the heart after va∣nity, when little expectation of such a voice of Christ, as hath been shewed in the first, Arise, Awake, Come away, &c. Matthew sitting at the Receipt of Custom little expected that the Lord Christ (whom he never lookt after) should come and speak to him in such a com∣manding voice, and he should presently leave all, so wealthy an income, and fol∣low a persecuted Christ; He would have been like enough to have spit in the face of him who should have prophesied such a thing to him, as every sinfull wretch is, till the Lords voice be heard within him; And so in the matter of comfort, when poor, and languishing, and com∣plaining a tempest is up, then even be∣fore we are aware, above what we durst to expect, comes a Christ and speaks and calms all.

3. Things formerly unknown to us, when they appear, beget wonder; so are the things that Christ works and re∣veals to us; we are utterly ignorant, and know not what preciousnesse in Christ, rill he open his heart to us; What re∣freshings,

what treasures of all goodness and sweetnesse are in him.

4. Things that are seldome done beget wonder, so comparatively with the world of souls that are passed by, 'tis but sel∣dome and rare work for Jesus Christ to lay hold upon souls, here and there a soul he chaseth forth; And saith a poor delivered soul, What was I more then an∣other, that the Lord should passe by abundance of poor creatures, who haply never dishonoured God so much as I have done? Oh this consideration makes grace appear abundant and admirable, this is a heightning, enlarging Meditation upon a poor calmed soul indeed; In a word, the Lord Jesus so convays himself to his own, that it shall be marvellous in their eyes; That they may attribute the first motion of light and life in the soul from him, the perfecting and continuing of it; That his children may be kept humble and lowly before him, and ascribe all to him, and depend upon him, that they may have nothing to rejoyce in, but on∣ly in the name of the Lord Jesus.

* 1.7If a calmed soul be thus full of the wonders of Christs power and love; first By this any soul may know whether the

calm that is upon his spirit be from Christ or not; If so, then his hand, his power, and love, is admired and extolled in it: Consider therefore, any soul, by the way, What are the wondrous things upon thy Spirit? what are the things thou hast deep thoughts of heart about? Canst thou fee∣lingly say, Oh how wonderfull have been the thoughts of Christ towards me? what wonders hath he wrought for me and in me? Who is a God pardoning iniquity like unto thee? Mic. 7.18. That's the temper and voice of a pardoned soul; So he breaks out into the admiration of him: A pardoned Soul cannot have such sleight thoughts about it, as the pre∣tenders to a dead hope of it have; If it be not so with thee, let me once more counsell thee to go to Christ and tell him what wonders thou hearest he can doe; And pleade with him, that there's an ob∣ject before him to manifest one upon, even by raising up such a worm, dead in sin, as thou art, unto life; Tell him, he shall have the glory of the Miracle; Oh let him say unto thee, Live, and thou shalt live in his sight.

2. If Jesus Christ be able to work forth such wonders upon and for poor

souls, Videant quam tutò se committunt Sancti, &c. saith Bucer; See then how safely we commit our selves to such a Pi∣lot who can guide and anchor us through all storms and difficulties, can cease our tempests within or without, to make way for sweeter Sun-shines and calms; And therefore should not the Saints pierce through the thickest, darkest tempests, and hang upon him when all appears but in a perishing way; yea, will not the Lord Jesus pierce through them all to us, and make our hears melt with chiding us for our little faith? Say not, Fainting Soul, within thy self, that because 'twill be a wonderfull thing for thee to be rai∣sed up, comforted, (whatever thy condi∣tion be) and therefore it will not be; No, No, Say, thou hangest upon a Christ whose works are all wonders, and there∣fore it shall be so.

And now what will this poor Soul do that is thus through the abundant grace of Christ silled in some measure with such precious wonders of Christ, when it is blessedly calmed by Christs refreshing voice, (For so I will now suppose that soul either already, or shall be so, who hath been or is in this tempestuous pe∣rishing

condition at Christs feet) and is or shall be thus calmed, Will it not to this purpose break forth, O welcome ten thousand times sweetest Christ, Come, Lodge for ever in my soul (though a mean habitation) for I cannot let thee go; Ah, will not that soul study returns of love and honour to Jesus Christ? Will it not love him and love him more abundantly? Will it not lay it self at his feet to be disposed by him? Will it not smile upon and embrace reproaches for him? Shall any thing be too dear and precious to part with for Christ? No, It shall not: Shall the pursuit of empty creatures come in competition with him? Let me ask thee Soul in earnest, Wilt thou? canst thou seek great things for thy self, and let Christs honour be slighted? Go then and daily treat with Christ to this purpose, Say unto him, Master, Master, what shall I do for thee? For whom shall I live and die but for thee? Dear Lord, let me some way or other bring honour to thy tender glorious Name among the living, before I come to thee, and adore thee for ever.

Now Soul, to point thee out thy par∣ticular duty, that livest in the sense of the

favour and love of Christ, is more then I designed in this brief Treatise, only I will minde thee with a word or two, and so have done.

Art thou a Soul that hast been by the strong arm of the Lord carried through some of these experiences, as have been set forth in this Treatise (If thou art a poor Soul not yet attained to this mea∣sure of comfort and joy, I have endea∣voured to lay down Directions to thee, and what may (by the blessing of the Spi∣rit with it) uphold thee till these wonders shall be made good upon thy soul: But now to a Soul that in some measure en∣joyeth them,

1. Consider, that though Jesus Christ hath made such a calm upon thy Spirit, yet know that there's more than enough in thy heart to distemper all again, though at present kept under, Therefore thou art to look up to the same mighty hand, to keep all in peace and in a comfortable frame, as well as at first to create it, and to give in new refreshings, else that which is within thee already will decay and wi∣ther; If Jesus Christ withdraw his hand, all is in a mutiny again; Oh therefore walk humbly and jealously before him,

and still be committing all to him, and be drawing fresh supplies from him, or else the sense of this blessed calm will grow dead in thee.

2. Beware how carnal joy mixeth with thy spiritual, by fetching in too large ad∣ditions from Creature-comforts, whence will follow lightnesse and vanity of spirit, and then comes a Cloud ere thou art a∣ware.

3. Be vigilant (as I have before hinted) and diligent in such waies wherein thou hast speciall communion with God, By which thou shalt finde greater wonders by the strong arm of the Lord, then thou hast yet felt; The danger of this neglect is spoken before.

4. Do not sit down in a slender stock of Grace and the Knowledge of Christ; There are depths in Christ, and depths in thy own heart to be searcht, which haply doe yet lie close undiscerned upon thy spirit.

5. Be in the frequent remembrance of how much is forgiven, and this will raise up thy love and zeal, and quicken it when it begins to slack.

6. Beware of venturing on the least sin, do not say 'tis a little one, and thou maist

venture, 'twill like an Achan disturb all: The fear and hatred of the least evil maintains a solid, setled communion with God; vain and carnal company (as hath been shewed) dulls a mans spirit, as also a frothy carriage, and liberall jesting.

7. Much might be said, but in a word know, 'Tis the hardest work of a Belee∣ver to manage comfort and assurance; The heart, the carnal part of it is apt to be lifted up in it; Indeed a comforted Soul at the first coming of it, is apt to conceive, that such a temper can never be lost; But this is a vanity.

Lastly, Get the aims of thy heart more raised after purity and likenesse of God then joy and comfort; To be like God and see him at he is, 1 Joh. 3.2. is the high∣est aim of a gracious Soul; which the blessed, holy God give thee and me to aspire after, till we shall be fully with him, and so see him as he is to all eternity. Amen.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Doct. 2.
• * 1.2

  Doct. 4.
• * 1.3

  Reasons.
• * 1.4

  Obs. 5.
• * 1.5

  Ʋse.
• * 1.6

  Obs. 6.
• * 1.7

  Ʋse.