The Parable of the Ten Virgins

SECT. I.

T Hese words are part of our Savior's Answer unto two solemn questions which his Disciples propounded unto him, Chap. 24. v. 3. The first was concerning the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem. The second concerning the sign of his coming, and so of the end of the world. The first seems to be occasioned by our Savior's speech, c. 24. v. 2. The second from his speech, c. 23. v. 39. To the first therefore he answers, from the 4t ^{h v} . of the 24 ^th ch. to the 23 ^d v. of it. To the second he answereth from the 23 ^d v. of the same chap. to end of this 25 ^th chap. Wherein he acquaints them,

1. With some things which shall be before his coming, viz. subtle and strong delusions, mixed with sore tribulations and oppressions, especially in the time of Antichrist's reign, as also great confusions, in all hearts and Churches, if not throughout all the world after the tribulation of those days; And then (saith he) v. 30. shall appear the sign of the Son of man, and he shall be seen coming in power and great Glory; but if you desire farther to know the day and hour when this shall be, 'tis such a secret as my Father revealeth not to any, no, not to the very Angels in Heaven, and therefore you need not know it, nor yet should seek to know it; 'tis sufficient for you to know that before my coming there shall be lamentable and sad times, and that when they are at their worst, that the Sun and the Moon (through the horrors of men's hearts, and the universal confusions in the world) shall seem to be darkened, &c. that then it is time for me to come, and set all in order again, then the time of my coming draws nigh: Now this Christ doth from v. 23. of the 24 ^th chap. to v. 37.

2. Having thus spoken concerning his coming, he breaks off his speech in describing his coming, and falls to discovering the state of the times toward, and about the days of his coming, and this he doth from c. 24. v. 37. to c. 25. v. 31. by the consideration of which he persuades to watchfulness against his coming. 1. Either (saith he) the times will be very sensual and degenerate, as in the days of Noah, in some places of the world, c. 24. v. 38. which he illustrates from two Parables, persuading therefore to watchfulness, to the end of the 24 ^th chap. 2. Or there will be great security in other places, and among other persons (not given up to sensuality as in the days of Noah, but) who are the chaste, Virgin, pure Churches of the world, not defiled with the whoredoms in the world; and this our Savior unfolds in this Parable. 3. Or if any be awakened (as some shall) to look for Christ's coming, yet among these, some through hard conceits of the Lord Jesus, shall be willfully careless, and not improve their Talents for the sake and use of the Lord Jesus, and this is set down in the next Parable of the ten Talents, from v. 14. to v. 31. You see therefore where this Parable stands, and to what purpose it is brought in. In which are two things.

SECT. II.

1. THe Parable itself, concerning the ten Virgins, from v. 1. to v. 13.

2. The scope of the Parable, v. 13. which is to persuade not simply to watchfulness, but to continuance and perseverance in it from a prudent foresight of the coming of Christ.

1. The Parable itself is set down, agreeable to the custom of those times wherein our Savior lived, wherein their Marriages were usually celebrated in the night time, she that was the Bride was attended with sundry Virgins to meet the Bridegroom; these Virgins (it being night season) took therefore their Lamps with them; those that were ready, and met the Bridegroom, were admitted to the Marriage-Room and Supper; those that came after that time, if once the doors were shut, weresurely kept out, though they knocked hard to come in. All this, those who are acquainted with Jewish Histories and customs know to be true, which we are to attend, because it gives not a little light to the true and genuine explication of this Parable.

In which Parable note these two parts.

1. The Churches preparation to meet with Christ (called here the Bridegroom) from the 1 to the 5 verse.

2. The Bridegroom's coming forth to meet them, from the 5 to the 12 verse.

SECT. III.

The first part of the Parable.

FIrst, I shall speak of the preparation made by the Church to meet with Christ Jesus. Wherein also note these three things.

1. The place where this preparation is made, viz. in the Kingdom of Heaven, verse. 1.

2. The time when it shall be made, set down in the first word, Then, v. 1.

3. The persons that shall make this preparation, they shall not be corrupted Members of degenerate Churches, where men's profession is grown foul through length of wearing; but they are Professors of some eminent strain, some whereof are truly sincere, others secretly unsound. And there is a double desription of them. 1. From some things wherein they all agree. 2. From some other particulars wherein they manifestly differ;

First, Those things wherein they all agree are three.

1. They are all Virgins; Virgin-Professors.

2. They were all awake and watchful for some time, ready to meet the Bridegroom, and hence it it is said, They took their Lamps.

3. They all had so much Faith as to go out to meet the Bridegroom. Secondly, Those things wherein they did differ, are,

1. Generally, five were wise, and five were foolish, v. 2.

2. Specially, the foolish took Lamps but no Oil, the wise did both, v. 3, 4.

This is the rude draught of this first part of the Parable, the sum whereof is this, That the state of the Members of some Churches about the time of Christ's coming, shall be this, they shall not be openly profane, corrupt and scandalous, but Virgin-Professors, awakened (for some season) out of carnal security, stirring, lively Christians, not preserving their Chastity and Purity merely in a way of works, but waiting for Christin a Covenant of Grace, only some of these, and a good part of these, shall be indeed wise, stored with spiritual wisdom, fil • 'd with the power of Grace; but others of them, and a great part of them too, shall be found foolish at the coming of the Lord Jesus.

I come therefore to handle the first Particular in this first Part, viz.

SECT. I.

1. THE place where this preparation to meet Christ shall be made, and that is not in the Kingdoms of this world (earthy Kingdoms) but in the Kingdom of Heaven, and therefore'tis said, The Kingdom of Heaven shall be like, &c.

I will not trouble you with telling you how many ways the Kingdom of Heaven is taken in Scripture; by Kingdom of Heaven here, is not meant the Kingdom of Glory in the third Heaven, for there shall be no foolish Virgins at all there, no unclean thing shall enter thither; nor by it is meant the head of this Kingdom, viz. Christ Jesus, for how can he be like to ten Virgins; nor by it is meant the Gospel of the Kingdom, (which Mat. 13. is called the Kingdom of Heaven, and compared to a draw-net) for how can it be like unto ten Virgins? nor yet the internal Kingdom of grace set up in the heart of every believer (which is called a grain of Mustardseed, Mat. 13.) for how can any foolish Virgins be there? or what share have they in that? Therefore I conceive 'tis clear, that by the Kingdom of Heaven here, is meant the external Kingdom of Christ in this world: that is, the visible Church, or the estate of the visible Church, which is frequently called in Scripture, the Kingdom of Heaven, as, Mat. 8. 12. & 21. 43. In which Kingdom some are wise, some foolish, all profess Christ, look for the coming of Christ, for salvation from Christ, the estate of this visible Church shall be like ten Virgins.

SECT. II.

AND hence I shall note this one thing.

That the visible Church of God on earth, especially in the times of the Gospel, is the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth.

For look upon the face of the whole earth, there you may see the Kingdoms of men, and the Kingdom of Satan, sin and death, which the Apostle saith, Rom. 5. reig • eth over all men; here is only the Kingdom of Heaven, upon earth, viz. in the visible Church; 'tis not the place only which makes either Heaven or Hell, (though there is a place for both) but the state principally makes both, one may be in Hell upon earth, as Christ was in his bitter agony, and a man may be in a kind of Heaven upon earth, as Christ tells his hearers, that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand; a man may be under the Kingdom of Satan and darkness upon earth, Col. 1. 13. which is a kind of Hell; and why not as well under the Kingdom of God on earth, which is a kind of Heaven, especially (I say) now under the Gospel, wherein the Lord hath begun to fulfil, that which was but only promised under the Old Testament to be fulfilled in the fourth and last Monarchy, ( Dan. 2. 44) in the time of the New: In the state of Christ's visible Church, which should by little and little beat down all other Kingdoms of the world.

SECT. III.

1. BEcause the same King that is reigning in Heaven, is reigning here, is present here, Psa. 2. 6. And here the Saints are commanded to rejoice, to shout, and to be glad with all their hearts, because of the presence of this their King among them, Zeph. 3. 14, 15. 'It is true indeed he is King over all the world; the immediate execution of all God's common, as well as special providence, is put into the hand of this King, the Lord Jesus. But as for his Enemies, and other creatures, he reigns over them as a King of power, but he reigns not for them also as a King of Grace and love, for thus he reigns among his people in his Church, Deut. 33. 26, 27. The Lord is present with everyone of his people, severally, but much more jointly, when two or three of them are met together in his Name.

2. Because here are the Laws of Heaven, Heb. 12. 25. Take heed (speaking of the Ministry of the Gospel in the Churches) that ye refuse not to hear him who speaketh from Heaven, which Laws are not only here promulgated (as they be among the enemies of this Kingdom) but accepted and received also, without which Laws what Kingdom could there be? Christ's Kingdom in this world is neither tyrannical, nor arbitrary, to govern without Law; no, no, but if he be our King, he is our Law-giver also, Isa. 33. 22. Nay the same Laws by which we shall be ruled in Heaven, we have here, and we are now under: That as our Divines say against the Papists, though before Moses his time, there was not scriptio verbi, yet there was verbum scriptum, which the Patriarchs had before the Flood, and afterward until Moses his time: So I say here, though in Heaven the external Letter and scription both of Law and Gospel, shall be abolished, because they need the • not when the day-star is risen, 2 Pet. 1. 19. Yet the living Rules of both for substance, shall remain; the end of the Ministry is to bring us to the unity of Faith in a perfect estate. Eph. 4. 13. Therefore Faith shall not cease, when Ministers shall, and that perfect man shall come. Our Faith indeed shall not then by such glasses see Christ, nor adhere unto Christ, by such means of Promises and Ordinances as we do now, but without them we shall both see, and forever adhere to him who is our King at that day; and though indeed the Law is now abolished, as a Covenant of life, yet it shall ever remain as a Rule of life; perfect subjection to it, is the happiness of Saints in Heaven, 1 John. 1. as a heart contrary to it is the greatest misery of the Saints on earth, Rom. 7. 24.

3. Because here are the Subjects of Heaven, Eph. 2. 19. Fellow-Citizens of the Saints, not only on earth, but as Paul speaketh, Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation (or, as it may be rendered, our free Burgess-ship) is in Heaven. God himself hath canonized all the true Members of visible Churches with the name of Saints, throughout the who • e New Testament, here are the great heirs of Heaven, nay, possessors of Heaven by Faith, as others are by feeling, as near and dear to God (in some respect) as those that be in Heaven already; because the same motive which makes him love them, makes him love these, though poor abjects, and our-casts of the world; there is but a paper-wall of their bodies between them and Heaven, only here is the difference, they there, are Subjects in their own country; these here, are the same Countrymen, only strangers for a time here upon earth: Some define a Kingdom to be dominatus regis in populum subjectum. If Christ (the King) was present, and his Laws published, but there were no people to be subject to him, there could be no Kingdom; but when the King, Laws, and Subjects of Heaven are here met together in the visible Church, here is now the Kingdom of Heaven.

4. Because here is the very Glory of Heaven begun, that look as the same Sun which fills the Stars with Glory, the very same beams touch the earth also, so the same Glory which shines in Heaven, shines into the poor Church here, 1 Pet. 5. 10. God hath called his people into his eternal Glory. And 〈◊〉 30. whom Christ hath justified, them he hath glorified, i. e. he hath begun it here; 〈◊〉 in a special manner is the presence of the Angels in Heaven, Eph. 3. 10. Here the pure in heart see God, and that after another manner, than many times they can in their solitary condition, Psal. 63. 1, 2, 3. And what is this but Heaven?

SECT. IV.

1. SEE therefore hence their happiness and honor, whom God hath called out of the world, and planted in his Church: What hath the Lord done, but opened the way to the Tree of life, and let you into Paradise again? Nay (which is more) What hath he done but taken you up into the very Kingdom of Heaven it self? where you have the Lord of glory to be your King, the Laws of Heaven made known, his heart opened, where you have the heirs of Heaven your companions, and the Angels of Heaven your guard, desiring to look into those things which your eyes see, and your hearts feel, 1 Pet. 1. 12. Where you have the love of a Father appearing, the Son of God inhabiting, and the Spirit of Heaven comforting. Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him ! That when the Lord seeth it unmeet to take you out of this world up unto Heaven, that Heaven should come down into this world unto you, who were once enemies to this Kingdom, shut up under the Kingdom of death and darkness, strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel, without God and Christ in the world, without promise, without hope. I do not cry the Temple of the Lord, nor Idolize Order and Churches, but I tell you what your privilege is, and thereby what God's goodness is: I know the world neither seeth not feeleth any such Heaven on earth, but soon grow despisers secretly of all Ordinances, who if they were in Heaven itself with their carnal hearts, they would not abide there with much contentment, yet verily Heaven hath been, and is found here by God's hidden one; even such things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and if it be not thus with thee, blame thyself, and mourn the more, who in the midst of light art in utter darkness, and in the place where Heaven is begun to some, it should be made a little Hell to thee.

2. Take heed of defiling secretly the Church of God: For what do you do thereby, but pollute the Kingdom of Heaven itself? And the better any thing is, the greater is the defilement cast upon it. It is said, 1. Pet. 1. 4. that the Kingdom of Heaven above is an inheritance unde • iled , never yet the subject place where any sin was committed, and this is one part of the Glory of it. Take you heed of coming into Church-fellowship with defiled hearts, and so defiling God's holy things, for do you know where you are? I know it is not in that Heaven where you cannot sin, but yet 'tis in such a Heaven where you should not sin, much less defile the Church of God. It was one of God's heavy indictments against the Church of the Jews, that when the Lord had brought them out of a land of pits, into a plentiful country, yet they defiled his Land, neither Priests nor people said, Where is the Lord? Ier. 2. 7, 8. It will be much more heavy another day with you, that walking in the fellowship of God's people, shall be found guilty of defiling the Kingdom of Heaven itself, which you should be careful to keep as an underfiled inheritance, which 〈◊〉 whether spiritual or sensual, as they stain the very glory of Heaven itself, so they keep you from feeling the Truth of this Doctrine▪ even of this Heaven upon earth in your own experience.

3. Let all Members of Churches hence learn to have their conversation in Heaven, and walk as men come down from Heaven, and returning thither again, and that are as it were already in Heaven. Paul did thus, and wept to see so many that did not thus, but did mind earthly things, Phil. 3. 19, 20. Do not only forsake, but even forget your Country, and your Fathers house, so shall the King of Glory desire your beauty, Psal. 45. 10, 11, Let the reproach of earthly-mindedness cast upon the face of Christians, be wiped off by your carriage, being heavenly, holy, loosened from things below. Art thou in Heaven with an earthly heart? Is not Heaven good enough for thee? Cannot that content thee which many have desired to see, and could not see, even the Lord Jesus, the King of Glory in his beauty, in the assemblies of his Saints?

4. Take heed of pulling down this Kingdom. Loyal Subjects will rather lose their lives, than their Prince shall lose his Kingdom. Fear not enemies without, but yourselves at home. The enemies of the Church, did never yet hurt the Church, but the Church's sins, Zach. 7. 14. Oh consider what mercy the Lord hath betrusted us withal, that unless the Lord should carry us to Heaven itself, immediately on the wings of Angels, he can show us no greater outward favor, in this world, than to bring us into this his Kingdom of Heaven on earth. I profess one days fellowship here with a number of broken-hearted Christians, either mourning together, or rejoicing in their God and King together, it our-bids the many years Glory of the whole world, (howsoever 'tis hidden from the world) And will you betray this Kingdom?

SECT. V.

Quest. WHat are those things that may pull down this Kingdom?

Answ. 1. Ignorance of those sins which may hurt and ruin it. There are common infirmities which all the faithful have in common, for which the Lord pities his, but there are some that are proper and personal to some particular persons, Psal. 18. 23. for which the Lord is angry even with his own; so there are some sins which are common Church-infirmities, for which the Lord will not cast off his people, but there are sometimes in several Churches proper Churchsins. Now the Rule here is, if these be not seen and lamented and removed, if the Lord be angry for these (as verily he will) and yet they do not so much as know all this while what it is that hurts them, these sins will canker the roots, and blast the most flourishing Churches. Ephesus, Rev. 1. 4. had her sin; Sardis, Rev. 2. 1. had her sin. Laodicea had her sins, Rev. 3. 16. Now what if they never know these, nor repent of these, you know then Ephesus Candlestick must be removed, and Laodicea shall be spewed out of Christ's mouth. Oh this hath been the bane of Churches, while they enjoyed their liberties, they could not, nay (in truth) would not know their aile, in the day of Christ's visitation of them, and hence came their ruin, the cause of which they saw not; only it may be the remnant that escaped, to whom the Lord shown mercy, could read their sins in their plagues. It is a lamentable spectacle to behold the ruins of Germany, and that after such great slaughter and effusion of blood, they cannot tell the thing that hath hurt, and doth still wast them.

2. Self-seeking, a Spirit of self. Look as it is in a Kingdom, if there be a common enemy, and the body of the Army which should encounter with them, be every man taken up, and taking thought how he may preserve his own Tent, and do not join their forces together for common safety, it must perish, and the Kingdom will be easily conquered: Or as it is with the body, if every member seeks to preserve itself alone, and not that which preserves them all, ( viz. the Head) the body will drop down and die shortly. Christ Jesus is the Head of this Body [his Church] Now 'tis certain if ye seek to preserve your own name more than Christ's, to give more content to your own lusts, then to the will and heart of Christ, if more careful of fetching feathers to your own nests, and to shift for yourselves, and not to attend (every man in his place) the public good of the Church, and Christ in it; 'tis certain God will forsake you, and all will to ruin quickly, 2 Chron. 15. 1, 2.

Church-members of public spirits, are ever prosperous men. They shall prosper that love thee, Psal. 122. 6. That say in their hearts out of sense of Christ's love, Lord, what shall I do for thee? How may I be useful to thy people? But if back and belly, mine and thine, be chief in request, this will ruin you.

3. League and Amity with the enemies of Christ's Kingdom, or peace with our lusts; it is not sin, but a privy peace with sin, and a secret quietness in sin, which overthrows Christ's Kingdom: The Canaanites that were left alive, because ('tis said) they could not drive them out, how often did they vex, and prick, and yoke the Israel of God? Those sins which you say, you cannot part with, and hence yield unto them, and mourn not under them, those will ruin Churches: Some sins you have forsaken, and could forsake, the danger lies not here. Wrath goeth out against Jehoshaphat because he loved him who hated the Lord, 2 Chron. 19. 2.

4. When the Church lays by her weapons. No Kingdom can be kept safe in an ordinary way, where all their weapons are taken from them, or not used by them, when their 〈◊〉 upon their borders: When the Church hang by, and lay aside Faith (the shield whereby we defend ourselves) and prayer (whereby we offend our enemies) what safety is to be expected now in Churches? Only be strong (saith the Lord to Joshua ) when he went out upon that great service of the Lord, Josh. 1. 7. Eph. 6. 13. There is no more fearful sign of ruin to a Church, than where the Spirit of prayer begins to fail; and verily if any people under Heaven are ready to miscarry herein, we (that have our fill of peace, and our yokes broken off from our shoulders) are in most danger; but if it be so, look for such shakings of all hearts, and Churches also, as shall make you find your tongues; and knees, and ears, and hearts again, if the Lord means to dwell with you.

5. Not bringing forth the fruits of the Kingdom, Mat. 21. 43. Cut that Church down that cumbers the ground, after many years pruning and wetting. That Kingdom where there is Church-trading, but no considerable gain coming in, will consume quickly, and die of itself. Fruit is the last end of the tree: All duties you do, wherein you attain nor, or (at least) aim not at your last and utmost end, but make yourselves your own end, that is not fruit; Fruit refresheth others that taste it; when a Christian walketh so as that another is not the better, [not much refreshed] by him, but it may be hardened rather, by a sapless example, here is no fruit, and this calls for the axe to cut down the tree.

6. Divisions: This pulls down Kingdoms without help of foreign enemies. If a Kingdom thrusts swords into each others bellies, this will soon dispatch them. It's the Jesuits plot to subdue by private divisions, whom they cannot conquer by force of Arms: It was most pleasing to Satan to prevail with Christ to cast himself down headlong from the Pinacle, rather than to fling him down himself. It is the delight of Hell to set & see Churches at variance among themselves, this is the first thing he attempts in the best Churches, and it is commonly prosperous, if the Lord leaves the watchmen to slumber, and not to be watchful, and fearful, and sudddenly sensible of the least beginnings herein. It is a wonderful thing to see what a small occasion of offense will do; a word, a gesture, a garment, a matter of indifferency, 'tis strange to see, how such small matters will gore, if Satan's head be in them, and his Horns be set upon them, especially in Churches where men are set at liberty, and enjoy it, one must have liberty to speak one thing, and another, another thing, I am of this mind saith one, I am not of that mind (Brother) saith another: 'It is wonderful to see what a fire, a secret smother, and smoke of suspicion will do. But oh take heed here, Gal. 5. 15. Love the Truth, receive no opinion differing from the most approved in the Church suddenly, but weep, and pray, and ask council, and tremble to entertain a thought of contention; The first sin which brake out in the first Christian Church, was • urmuring, Acts 6. 1. What follows? Stephen an earthly Angel, full of the holy Ghost, suffers, and is taken from them, Acts 7. And after this the whole Church scattered, Acts 8. Oh keep the peace of the Church, and rend it not for small matters, love one another sincerely, and you cannot but live together quietly.

SECT. I.

THus much of the place; now let us consider of the time when, this preparation is made, set down in that word Then, which word hath reference to the 37 ^th v. of the 24 ^th ch. viz. to the days of the coming of the Son of man.

Now when are these days?

We shall read both in Prophetical and Apostolical writings, that all the time from the Ascension to the second coming of Christ, is called the last days, Acts 2. 16, 17. Hence the Primitive Churches did (long since) and all the Churches at this day ought, to live in a daily expectation of his coming again, as these Virgins here did. And hence some think, than all this time may be the days of the coming of Christ, wherein all the Churches either do, or should look out for the coming of Christ. Now although I dare not exclude these days (in a large sense) from being the days of Christ's coming, as being the last days, and it being the duty of all to wait for this coming of Christ, as well as those who lived long before us, 1 Thes. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 1. 7. Yet I believe here is meant more particularly the latter part of those last days: For our Savior having foretold of many things which shall fall out before his second coming, yet he seems to single out some particular time in these last days; to which he doth annex this [ then ] and that is evident to all that view well the Text, that they are the days of his coming, for though all the days of the Gospel may be called the days of the Son of man, and some days especially wherein there is some kind of coming of the Son of man, as when he comes to hear prayers, Luke 18. 8. yet to speak properly, they are not the days of the coming of the Son of man. And look as the days of Noah were not all the days from the Creation to the Deluge, but those particular years before the Flood, so 'tis here, some special times before his coming, are the days of his coming.

SECT. II.

BUt what is this Coming of Christ?

There is a double coming of Christ.

1. His coming to call the Jews, and to gather in the fullness of the Gentiles with them, which is called the brightness of his coming, 2 Thes. 2. 8. When there shall be such a brightness of the Truth shining forth in the world, armed with such Instruments as shall utterly destroy Antichrist, long before his second coming, Rev. 19. 19, 20.

2. His coming to Judgment, Heb. 9. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 23, 24. When there shall be an universal resurrection of good and bad, 1 Thes. 4. 15, 16, 17, Now although it be true, that at the time of the coming of Christ, to call the Jews, the Churches like chaste Virgins shall wait and make themselves ready for the marriage of the Lamb, Rev. 19. 7. Yet the second coming of Christ seems to be the time which is here directly pointed at. Then shall those Churches be Virgin-Church; waiting for Christ's coming, both to their particular judgment, but especially to the general judgment, when he shall appear as a glorious Bridegroom to the consolation and salvation of those who in truth have waited for him the second • ime: For this coming of Christ spoken of in these two chapters, is that coming which is in power and great Glory (not in the Churches spiritually) but in the clouds of Heaven, chap. 24. 30. Wherein he shall separate the sheep from the goats, the one to lie among Devils, the other to possess (not an earthly Kingdom here for a thousand years, as some from mistaking the meaning of the 20 ^th ch. of the Revel. imagine) but to inherit the Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, Mat. 25. 34. which cannot be any be ter, not any other, than the third Heaven, where the face of God is seen, and where he hath had an innumerable Host of glorious Angels, his Subjects to serve him, not only since the first time of man's creation, but the first foundation of the world, Gen. 1. 1. Which also Christ himself is gone to prepare for us, John 14. 2, 3. And which Abraham's Faith only expected, even a City which was not earthly, but heavenly, which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, Heb. 11. 10, 11. So that although this Parable looks most directly unto those times which are yet to come, yet as all examples registered in holy Scripture for time past, are applicable and useful for us, so these that are yet to come, are alike instructive to us, especially in these times and places, wherein the Lord (according to his manner of working great things usually) gives among us some small, yet lively resemblance of those days.

SECT. III.

That in those days of Christ's coming, wherein the Churches of Christ, and Professors of the Gospel shall grow Virgin-Churches, all visible Saints, when all Members seem to be espoused Christ, yet there will be found desperate folly in some, and in time great security will fall upon all.

Some there are who think the days we live in now, are not only the days of the Son of man, but part of the days of the coming of the Son of man, wherein the Churches (especially in these places) grow to be Virgin-Professors: Our judgments hold it, our practice maintains it, all Church-members are and must be visible Saints, visible Believers, Virgins espoused to Christ, escaping the pollutions of Idolatry and the world: Take heed the Lord find not many of you foolish, take heed you that are not so, that in time you grow not secure; you have the pillow of peace to lie on, and the cares of the world to make you dream away your time, and you have no pinching persecutions to awaken you, and if no wrestlings within, look for security there. Folly will be the death and bane of some, hence boast not. Security, a sleeping sickness will be the disease of others, if the Lord prevent not: But I intend to anchor here, only to set up marks at these Flats, that you may avoid them and come not near them.

SECT. I.

NOw therefore to come to the Third thing; the persons that make this preparation are set forth, 1. In what they all agree in, and that is, first in that they are all Virgins; What are these? Ans. To omit the Popish Interpretation of their Nuns, and mock-Virgins.

I shall rather make use of Scripture to give light to interpret this place; for opening of it, know, the whole Church may be called the Spouse of Christ, and take every member alone, a Virgin attending on this Spouse, Psal. 45. nay the Apostle, 2. Cor. 11. 2. calls the whole Church a Virgin, so that by Virgins are meant whole particular Churches of Christ, together with the several Members thereof. Now Virgins are such as are fit for marriage, and not defiled with any man, as it's said of Rebecca: so by Virgins are meant those that are not polluted within, or without with the evils of the world, Rev. 14. 4. but more is to be understood here, 2 Cor. 11. 2. when once marriage is come, they cease to be Virgins, and are Wives; yet when espoused to Christ, now they are spiritually Virgins; hence these here are only like to Virgins: so that the meaning of Virgins is this; by Virgins is meant such Churches, or members of Churches as are divorced from all other Lovers, and matched only to Jesus Christ: these only look for the coming of Christ, and communion with him, these only are received into communion.

SECT. II.

WHoever look for everlasting Communion with the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ, must be Virgins Divorced from all others▪ and Espoused only to Jesus Christ.

Here were indeed foolish ones among these, yet as foolish and blind as they were, they saw that this was the way, to be like the wise, to be Virgins as well as they, Psal. 45. 10, 11. Ier. 3. 19, 20. as a Wife departs, so ye; but how shall I put thee among the Children, &c. you shall call me my Father, i. e. one instead of all other things, and shall not turn aside from me, Hos. 2. 23. there is their communion; Hence the Lord will, 1. take away the names of Baa • im; 2. Betroth them to himself.

SECT. III.

WHat is it to be divorced from all other Lovers?

Idolatry is called Whoredom in Scripture, and this is one thing, the Soul must be Divorced from, before it can be matched to the Lord, Hos. 2. 2. I shall not need to press this here; but there are two other things which I shall show, for there are two things that every man doth before he is espoused to the Lord Jesus; either first he departs and goes a whoring by unlawfully lusting after the creature, Psal. 73. 27. James 4. 4. Or 2. He is lawfully married as he thinks unto the Law, Rom. 7. 3, 4. the Law is there compared to a Husband, from which Christ indeed delivers his, yet some will stick to it: either the Soul takes content in some creature more than in Christ, or in some righteousness more than in the Lord Jesus; Now to be divorced from all other things, is for the heart to be taken off from all worldly contentments. Secondly, from comforting itself in the bosom of its own work and righteousness, and this must be found in all them that look for communion with the Lord Jesus.

SECT. IV.

1 THe heart must be divorced from Lusts after, and pleasures in any creature; for proof, we must know this:

1. The soul of every man must have something to quiet and comfort it like the stomach, it's death and hell to want it (as the Israelites in the wilderness:) hence it must have it.

2. That there is nothing that can comfort the thirsty heart, but 'tis either in the spring, or cistern, fountain, or bottles, either in God, or in the creature.

3. Hence man having lost God, and all good there, seeks for it in the creature, and because he finds not enough in one, digs for it in another, Psal. 4. Who will show us any good? and hence the Soul because it never found that infinite sweetness in God himself, hence lusts after, and delights in the creature for itself, loves pleasure for pleasure, delights in creature for the creature, not for God, why should he, seeing he never found content there? and here the soul of man cleaves night and day, committing spiritual whoredom before the face of God; now if ever any soul hath communion with Christ, it must be divorced from all creatures thus, for Lust is a desire after, and content in the creature for the creatures sake.

1 Because while the heart is in league with any creature besides the Lord, 'tis at deadly enmity with the Lord, James 4. 4. If a man hath a rich commodity, and one comes and offers half the worth of it, he takes it as a contempt; if it be not worth this, it is worth nothing; so the Lord is worthy of all our love, our lives, our souls though we had a thousand of them, and will a man not part with his lusts for him? I tell you the Lord takes himself slighted, contemned, and loathed; if not worth all a man's love, he is worth nothing; now the creature is made a God, because made a man's last end, which is as proper to God, as to make him the Alpha of all. Here the greatest wrath is to give a man his fill of the creature.

2 Because so long the soul cannot see, nor come by the eye and feer of Faith to the Lord Jesus, John 5. 44. and think Christ better than all; as Birds in a string may fly high, but when they come to the end of the line, fall down there; and so though the soul flies to Christ, yet when indeed it comes to the end of parting withal, it falls down, and falls off from Christ. Whole men have no heart nor desire after Physicians; when all limbs are whole and strong, no desire after Plaisters: so while anything easeth and contenteth the heart, there is no desire after Christ, Hos. 4. 11. Whoredom and wine have taken away the heart.

3 Because so long the heart if it do come, cannot stay with Christ to do anything for Christ, Mat. 6. 24. You cannot serve God and riches, i. e. two Masters, who have constant employment, and Christ hath set us such employment. Hence men on sick-beds are tame as may be, promise anything, because their joy in the creature is gone: Hence on the other side many men after many springings of heart are choked by thorns of the world.

4. From the abundant love that the Lord Jesus shows to them that ever have, or look for communion with him. Those to whom we show much love, from those we expect much again. As a man if taken or cast out to be servant, one looks not for love from him; but when a man hath given himself, and made over all his estate to another, now all love is too little. So 'tis with the Lord Jesus, John 6. Will you also depart?

SECT. V.

2 THE soul must be divorced from the Law, i. e. from comforting itself with the righteousness thereof: For explication of which we must consider these things.

1. That the Lord doth not ever give a man content in his sins and lusts, but wounds Conscience for the same.

2. That so long as the Lord wounds a man's Conscience for sin, no creature can give a man comfort or content. A wounded spirit who can bear? Judas casts away his silver pieces; and Belshazzar quakes, who was but even now qua •• ing in his cups. As a man that hath an aking tooth, or broken bones, What can comfort him now?

3. Hereupon the Law falls upon a man, or a man meets with the Law; for as all a man's sorrow is upon him because the Law is broken, all a man's care is how he may keep it again. What shall I do? As a man cast in prison for debt, there all is opened; an the Law like an earnest suitor, 1. Presleth hard for love and obedience. 2. Promiseth a rich portion, eternal life, if he can keep it; If not you must be damned; therefore now forsake your sins, &c.

4. Hence the soul not knowing a better Husband, consents and resolves to cleave to it, Rom. 10. 3. Deut. 5. Whatever the Lord will have us do, we will do it; and here it stays, and is comforted, here it rests; as in Asa his time all rejoiced for the Oath, 2 Chro. 15. Isai. 58. 1, 2. and if it find not perfect comfort because of imperfect work, it then closeth with Christ for to make up and piece up all, Gal. 5. 1. And now I say 'tis comforted in what it hath, and doth, and here it rests; now from hence it must be divorced: What need I prove it, when the Apostle hath so fully, Galat. per totum, and consider the young man, Mat. 19. Divorced, I say, the soul must be from this.

1. Because he that doth thus, sets up another Christ, and makes himself his own Savior; can the Lord Jesus take such a soul into communion with him? Suppose a Prince be pulled by his people from his Throne, and they set up another pious virtuous Prince to Rule, will this serve the turn to say he is an honest Prince? so though duties be never so good, yet not to advance Christ, is to pull down Christ.

2. Because such persons do commonly most oppose the Lord Jesus in a way of believing, though not in a way of doing; the Lord hath more ado if any of these be brought home, to bring them in, they have somewhat to say for themselves, they have stronger forts, &c. The Scribes and Pharisees rejected the counsel of God against themselves, and hence no people lest to such deep desertions as these; if the Lord intend mercy to them, for they have more need than others.

3. Because hereby a man doth but make a conspiracy against God's greatest plot that ever he had a foot, viz. to advance his free Grace, Gal. 5. 4. you are fallen from Grace, for nothing makes a man more fit to boast than works, and resting in them; sin makes a man ashamed, and therefore if they come to Heaven, they have laid a foundation to thank themselves for somewhat; hence no communion with Jesus Christ in this frame; no the Lord will tear down this foundation, and make the soul cry guilty, and make this Husband, the Law, to be judge, to examine, and condemn, and now come and ask, what have you to plead for your life and peace, it hath no plea to show but mercy, &c. it hath its duties evidencing against it.

SECT. VI.

2 THe soul now comes to be Espoused to the Lord Jesus. Quest. How?

The soul beholding the glory of the Lord Jesus, makes choice of him, as in all Marriage bonds there is a choice made, and if love be great, there is little standing on terms: let me have him though I beg with him; so the soul sees such a suitableness in the Lord Jesus, as that it stands not on terms, let me have him though in prison with him, though in the Garden in Agonies with him, though in the Cross in desertions with him, he is enough; as Peter when he saw Christ on the Sea, desired he might come to him there, Heb. 11. 26. Choosing the reproach of Christ, &c. And look as Christ chooseth the soul, 1. The whole soul. 2. Everlastingly. 3. Above all others: so it makes choice of Christ, whole Christ, Phil. 3. 9. 2. Everlastingly, The Lord is my portion forever, Psalm 73. 26. And before ever you can look for communion with him, you must make this choice of him, and glad too you may have him on any terms, nay put it to any soul the Lord hath done good to, and ask it, will you have him? 'tis such a mercy I cannot conceive how one so vile as I should have it: have him, the Lord of glory, the Prince of life and peace; O yes; Hence Peter said, Master, what shall we have that have forsaken all, and followed thee? you shall sit with me on Thrones; and look as Christ now chooseth the soul above others, as well as in Heaven, John 15. 16. so it now chooseth Christ, Whom have I in Heaven or earth; many when they think of death, or are dying, then choose him, but not now: or choose him for outward blessings, not spiritual favor and life, John 6. 26, 27.

2. The soul hence gives itself like one espoused to her Husband to the Lord Jesus, Cant. 2. 16. I am my beloveds; servants give work for their wages, and masters give wages for their work, but Husbands and Wives give themselves one unto another; Suitors also give Tokens to draw on love, not themselves; so servants in the Church, they do for God in hope of wages, and the Lord blesseth them it may be outwardly, but he that is espoused to Christ, gives himself, Lord I can do nothing for thee, give nothing to thee, but I give myself to thee, that thou wouldst work in me, and by me, Rom. 6. 13. So the Lord is a suitor to many a man that never gives himself to him: he gives them some comforts, some winning, drawing, melting me • cies, but not himself; they give him some entertainment, and good words, a thousand wishes as Capernaum did, but not themselves; but this must be, if ever you look for communion with him: hence David saith, I am thine, save me; hence some made shipwreck of Faith, they were not the Lord's; hence the Lord saith, he knows who are his, 2 Tim. 2. 18, 19. his send their tokens again: for look as 'tis an evidence of much love when a man gives the dearest thing he hath, viz. his whole self to the Lord Jesus, so 'tis also an evidence of little love, when he will not give, especially another's own: thou art none of thine own, thou hast but little love if thou give not thyself to him, without which never look for life and communion with the Lord.

3. The soul hence takes full contentment in the Lord Jesus, as a Spouse hath enough, would not change for all the world, as Peter when he had a glimpse of Christ's glory, Lord, let us be here: or as Simeon that had been waiting for the consolation of Israel, when once he had Christ in his arms, Now let thy servant depart in peace: I have enough, now let me die, and not live to sin more; and 'tis certain as there 〈◊〉 in creatures that contents the heart without Christ in an unregenerate man, so contrary-wise in a regenerate, John 3. 29. if hearing the Bridegroom is joy, what is h • ving him? indeed they take content in other things, but as coming from the Husband; and this you must do if ever you look for communion with him; cannot you be content with the Lord alone in Heaven? you shall never come there then, lest you quarrel for want of something. Men make nothing of this, to hath their hearts in the sun, and joy in what they have, and hope to have, but the Lord may be gone, and you grieve not; why? because o • he • things ease your hearts; There can be no communion hereafter if you despite i • now.

SECT. VII.

THis serves to discover the great error, most common and dangerous of the whole ch • istian woe • ld, who think that they may love and embrace the world and the Lord Jesus too, and • e saved at last by him too, i. e. they may not be Virgins, but go a whoring from Christ, and yet partake of Christ, and mercy from him: that look as it was in those sad days, Isai. 4. 1. so in these days many lay hold on Jesus Christ, they will eat their own b • end, live on their own 〈◊〉 , and wear their own apparel, their own rags, only let us be called by thy name Believers ] to take away our reproach, for that is an open shame not to believe in Christ: For this is the professed thought of some; everyone is a sin; and I am one, and a great one too, and who can say his heart is clean, none can free himself from sin in this life, and I cannot do it if I would: and hence look on Christ to save them, though sin slee •• in them: you cannot have both; I would but inquire, hath not every man something that contents him? what is it? is it the love, the fellowship of Jesus? yet, it may be at a Sacrament, and it may be not, for thou mayest say, the Lord never yet revealed his love and self unto me, never yet assured me, yet somewhat joys thy heart. What think you, can you have the Lord, and content yourselves thus with other things? why? I trust to him I hope so; it cannot be so. If the Lord Jesus was a Patron of Brothel-houses, a Protector of Stews, you might think so; some say they cannot pray to him, nor prize him; why? something else contents then besides him; but know it cannot be so: I know a Saint may be taken aside, as David with envy at others prosperity; but when he considers of it, O what a Beast! he returns again. The Raven and the Dove we sent forth, the one came again and again, the other not; therefore as Joshua 24. brought the people to these thoughts, you cannot serve the Lord, and other gods, as Junius notes, so bring thyself to that st • ait: O that the Lord would set on this one thing this day; when I sadly weigh it, it consou • ds me, and makes me say, Lord who then can be saved! I know with God all things are possible, but this is rare.

SECT. VIII.

HEnce we may learn who they are that never shall have everlasting communion with the Lord Jesus, viz. those that never were esposed to him, and you may know this, if never yet divorced from all others besides him, Psal. 73. 25, 26. I shall stay • wh • e here, because there is never an unsound heart in the world, but as they say of • itches, they have some Familiar that sucks them, so they have some Lust that is beloved of them, some beloved there is they have given a promise to, never to forsake; and also because most men do seem and think they are Virgins espoused to Christ, and look for communion with him, and yet not divorced from all other besides him. I shall show hence,

1. When the soul is in league with the creature.

2. When married to the Law. I should account it happy if any be found out.

SECT. I.

1 THose that never were in bitterness and sorrow of heart for the loss of God. For these two things are as clear as the Sun. 1. That the loss of God is the greatest loss; for 'tis the utmost and last plague upon the damned in Hell: My Comforts, my Friends, Means, Heaven is gone, but if God were mine, I could be comforted; No, God is gone: Hence no sorrow for any loss so much as for this. Saul, 1 Sam. 28. 15. God is departed from me. Hence sore distressed. Nay, the Lord Jesus when the Father departed for a time, and he knew he would return and visit him, cried out, My God why hast thou forsaken me? 2. That all men living have lost God, Isa. 59. 1, 2. Psal. 58. 3. The wicked go astray from their womb. Now I would demand why men either seel no loss at all, or if they do, have not so much Grace as the damned in Hell, to mourn bitterly for it, so as nothing can comfort them, or if they do, they are soon eased and quiered before the Lord returns? Why surely here is the great cause of it, they have some other thing to ease their hearts in the want and loss of God, Ier. 2. 13, 14. Men must have water to drink, why do men live from the fountain, go not to it, nay not know it? Because they have broken pits, and wels at their own doors: So here. And hence the damned that have lived at ease here all their life time, as soon as ever dead, then they cry out of the loss of God, when 'tis too late, because while they lived, they had somewhat to ease themselves withal. And hence many that have lived long with convinced Spirits and guilty Conscienes, when they come to die, then they are in perplexities of mind, agonies of heart, insomuch as their sweat trickles like water from them, and their doleful outcries for loss of time, strike to the hearts of all that come near them. Oh! God is gone, because now all comforts which were their God's, and instead of God before, have taken their final leave of them. Search your hearts therefore all you that hear me this day. Wast never troubled yet? Yes, I have lost my health, my child, my husband, my goods, and this hathtroubled me: But tell me, Did'st never feel a loss of God blessed forever? loss of his light, his sweetness, his love, his fellowship, his presence, &c. and this hath been thy intolerable load? Or if thou hast felt it, hast thou sought and found him? No, but art jocund in that estate, and now and then it troubles thee a little, then 'tis certain and as clear as the Sun, there is some creature or content that thy heart is in league withal, which easeth thee in the want of God, and which is instead of God to thee, and which therefore is thy God. It may be thy apparel, thy wife, child, &c. and if thou die in this estate, never shalt thou have communion with Jesus Christ, The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

2. Dost find the Lord a stranger to thee in all his Ordinances, wherein it may be the Lord sweetly and wonderfully and mightily, yet not always, but seasonably reveals himself to others. Oh but thy heart dries and parches away, and that without much trouble under them all. If so, suspect it, believe it that there is some league with a lust. For there is a double life of a Christian. 1. An outward life, which others see: Men see he comes to Church, prays in the Family, &c. 2. There is a secret inward life; according to that of Mat. 6. 6. Thy Father which sees in secret, which none knows but himself, and the Lord; and this is an ineffable communion with God, vision of God, delight in God, &c. Psal. 45. The Kings daughter is all glorious within. There is an open life of prayer, and hearing, and fasting, and there is an inward, secret life in all these, wherein the Lord acquaints himself with his people, Psal. 63. 1, 2, 3. To see thee as I have seen thee. Now there be divers have this open life, yet wanting the secret life. As we love not to live among Tombes, not to have communion with dead men; so the Lord is a stranger to them. He may secretly sweeten an Ordinance to them, and move them, and shake and trouble them, but himself is a stranger, spiritual miseries not removed, spiritual mercies not conveyed, Isa. 58. 1, 2, 3, 4. Why have we fasted, and thou regardest not? You took pleasure saith the Lord, and break the bonds of wickedness, &c. I know Saints may be thus denied, and it may be for some space of time, yet they quarrel not with God for denying them, but are more taken off from pleasures thereby. Thou hidst thy face, and I was troubled, though the Mount stood still. But some there be whom neither good day mends them, not bad day pairs them: Surely there is some content thy heart is bewitched withal. That look as 'tis with a suitor to another, let him while he comes to her, profess never so much love, and desire love, yet if when he goes from her, commits lewdness with everyone, she will lock him out. So 'tis here; never did I know any locked out from the power and sweetness of Ordinances, but because they went a whoring from God out of them. The Lord knows (though others do not) whether 'tis so with you. Look therefore upon thyself, you enjoy great means everywhere in this place. Is it enough to have Ordinances? the Ark? No, Do you find the Lord in them? Blessed be God. But tell me truly, Do you find no want of God? Yes. Do you find him? I find more knowledge, strength, &c. But do you find no God usually? No. Then either some creature contents thee, or if the Lord should refresh thee, thou wouldest be content without him. Man and wife will (if they love) meet at Meals, John 14. But when no meeting, dead prayers, dry Sermons, sapless Sacraments, worse then before. If thou beest the Lord's, he will by affictions purge, &c. But if thou continuest so, look for no communion in Heaven.

3. Dost thou find no rest in anything that thou hast? For this is clear, • nothing can give rest to a man's soul but God: He is big enough only to fill it, and then a man hath it, Isa. 26. 3. Now if no rest, 'tis a sign thy heart sticks to the creature, yet thou sayest I would fain have the Lord: It may be so; but thou wouldst have creatures too. And hence God will not, and creatures cannot give the fullness of rest. Thus it was with Solomon, Eecles. 2. 3. So 'tis with thee, thou findest thy soul delighting itself in all things; yet vanity and vexation, and withal giving thyself to wisdom too. 'It is true, a Saint feels an emptiness in these things, yet he feels a fullness in something else. (He hath better meat which you know not of) which Solomon did not for a time, yet afterward he did. But thou findest a vanity and trouble, and art never at peace when all is done; weary of world, But hath the Lord swallowed thee up into himself, in the cloud of his Glory, so that in his favor and presence thou findest life? No, Then there is some lust thou lovest, and dying thus, shalt never see the face of Christ. Ye • , this will come as a heavy endi • ement against thee, that God hath so wearied thee in thy way. Yet Ier. 2. 25. There is no hope, after thy Lovers thou wilt go. You shall scarce find any but feel the creature vain, and yet get not to rest in God.

SECT. II.

II. DIscoveries whether we are married to the Law or not. And here I shall stay longer. Where I premise,

1. When I speak of not being married to the Law instead of Christ, I do not hereby exempt yourselves from obedience to the Law, after you are in Christ.

2. Do not think I speak against all evidencing your estates from conformity to the Law; though I do from some subjection and obedience performed to the Law.

1. If the Law was never dead in thee, thou art married to the Law, Rom. 7. 2. Now look as tis with a husband, if the wife be sick, and he be at home, whoever forsakes her, he will comfort her, and support and cheer her; so that if he cheer her not, its a sign he is dead; if he doth, its a sign he is alive; for the life of the Law, is the comfort and support that the Law doth give for a time. So that if thou wert never brought to that sore straight, that thou hast not felt any one duty to cheer or revive thee, and comfort thee, but hast found some little thing or other to do it, its certain you are yet married to the Law. Ex. gr. It may be thou hast been troubled in mind for thy sins, What hath cheered thee? I have forsaken them, and cast out Jonah, and there hath been a calm: Why this forsaking thy sins (which hath not been all but some) is not Christ, but an act of the Law. Oh but I have fallen again into sins, this hath troubled thee: What hath cheered thee? I have repented and been sorry for them, and purposed to do so no more. This is the life of the Law still. Oh but you find sins prevailing against you, and you cannot part with them; and hence dare not resolve against them. Oh but my desire is good though, my will hath ever been against them. Oh ignorance! This desire is but a work of the Law, 'tis not Christ. Oh but I have found no desire sometime: What hath quiered you now? I have trusted to Christ: You have done it. The Lord never made you feel a need of the Lord, to draw you to trust; though to be assured of Christ's love. Is this a legal Act? Ans. As obedience to the Law done by the power of Christ, is an Evangelical work, so to perform any Evangelical work from a man's self, is a Legal work; and you are under the life of the Law. So that thou hast not been so oft troubled, but the Law hath supported thee; thou hast not been brought to that pass as the Church, the Spouse was, Isa. 54. 5, 6. And as one of my best friends, and best men that lives this day in the world, after many wrestlings to find somewhat in himself to cheer him, and could not; Now saith he, if the Lord out of his good Nature, &c. do not help me, I am undone forever; for I have a heart and a nature against him, and the more I do, the worse I am. And therefore thither I look. Surely you are under the life of the Law, and are fat enough off from Christ, if not sensible of this. Not that a man is always thus, for he that cannot feel afterward the Lord Jesus by the power of his Grace working in his heart, I would conclude, he never had any at all. But at first 'tis so. For these two things man naturally seeks,

1. To have a righteousness in himself that will ease him.

2. To have it from himself: Kitchen Physic is not far to fetch.

Now the Lord's plot in saving his, is, 1. To make them seek it out of themselves in another: Look unto me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. 2. To have all from another, that so, no flesh night glory before him. And to doubt of this, is to doubt whether God hath plotted the Glory of his Grace or no. Hence the Lord empties the soul of both, that the soul saith, Ashur shall not save us, Hos. 14. 3, 4. None durst, none can comfort it. And now to the wonde • meant of Heaven, and everlasting joy of a poor cast-away, and the eternal honor of his free Grace, now, and never till now, doth he begin to make the match between the Lord Jesus and this poor soul: And as the Lord never comes to him till now, so he never will come to the Lord, while he hath the least good; as it was with the Prodigal, while any husks, or as it was with the woman with her bloody issue, while any money to spend on other Physicians, never will try what Christ can do. And therefore those that never yet knew of the de • th of the Law, they are yet married to it, Rom. 2. 17. I know many a soul grieve; for the de • th of this husband, and now thinks 'tis undone, I cannot do this and that, though formerly I could indeed; I say if there be any love of Christ, now is the time of it. Only understand God's scope here in it.

2. If a man complains more or chiefly for want of grace or righteousness, to remove sin, and not so much for want of Jesus Christ: Then in this case 'tis as it is with a woman, that man for whose absence she mourns most, that is her husband: She saith the other is, no but he is not. So this is the estate of many a soul, they have neither Christ not righteousness: Now they complain so much that their hearts sink and die away quite within them: And what is it for? I cannot do this, nor I do not find nor feel such signs and affections within me. Such a vile heart, I know not the like, such rising in my heart to sin and thoughts of it; why if you had Christ, all this would be mended. I can do all through Christ. But you complain not for want of Christ, nor need of him from these two Arguments.

1. Because the feeling of your sins, does not make you feel a greater need of Christ, as John, I have need to be baptized, &c. but drive you further from Christ, and reason it out against him, And why? Because you would have a righteousness without him which you stand in need of.

2. Because he that seels a need of the Lord Jesus, shall not when he is offered, need entreating to take him; as you shall not need entreat hungry men to eat their bread, you shall not need to entreat Zacchaeus to receive Christ joyfuly. But no commands, no entreaties can prevail with you to take him when he is offered, you have no heart to it. Like women that love their own husbands, grieve so for their absence, that they have no heart to any other offer. Is it thus with thee? Then 'tis with thee, as it was with that young man, that asked Christ what he should do to inherit eternal life; he liked Christ well, but he did not feel a need of Christ himself so much, as of some more knowledge of the Law, and ability to do it. Its the great plot of Arminians, to make Christ a means only, to make every man a first Adam; setting men to work for their living again; for they grant all Grace is lost, all comes from Christ, Christ gives all, and to Christ we must look for all; and then when we have it, use it well, thus you shall have life, else look for death: So 'tis a misery many a soul is in. Men will trade in small wares, rather than live on another's Alms. Do you think the Lord takes it well to make him a Merchant for your ends? Oh no, never look to have communion with him in this way!

3. Those that close with, but rejoice more in a little Grace they receive from Christ, than in all the fullness in Christ, more in a little they do, than in all the Lord Jesus hath done, Phil. 3. 3. That is a woman's husband, in whom she rejoiceth most. Do you rejoice more in what you have, and do, than in what the Lord Jesus hath, and hath done? more in what you receive from him (for a hypocrite may receive from Christ, John 15. 2.) than in what there is in him? It argues a whorish heart. I know a man may rejoice in what Christ works in him, but 1. not more in this than in Christ himself. 2. A child of God may while he knows not whether Christ is his do so: but you think the Lord is yours; well, when you feel affections and life, then you are glad, when that is lost then sad; why is there no life when thou art dead, no glory when thou art base, no wisdom, no communion with God when thou hast none? Yes, why dost thou not rejoice in this which is here most fully, which Saints presenting, please the Lord more by, than by giving the glory of Angels infinite millions of years: Oh thy heart is not in love with Christ, but somewhat else, for here is the joy of all Saints, In thy seed shall all Nations account themselves blessed: all Nations, one and another, Isai. 45. 24, 25. shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. Consider therefore this, thou art sometime joyed; why? O I find my heart thus and thus, and is this all? yes, for when this is gone, all joy dies; and should I not do thus? yes, else you never felt comfort of it: but not only rejoice here, but when the beam is gone, the Lord is not gone, Rom. 7. ult. when the bottles are spent, the spring is full.

4. He that performs any duty ultimately to ease his conscience, he is married yet unto the Law, for there are two sorts of duties to the Law.

1. Some are directed to give Christ content to ease his heart, by seeing God's love in Christ, then love being shed, the heart sheds it on Christ again: and thus saith the Apostle, I through the Law am dead to it, that I might live to God, Gal. 2. 19.

2. Some are to give the soul ease, it sees sin, and fears it must die and the Devil appears, and when it lies down, it fears it shall never awaken again; and when it hears, thinks no mercy, but only threats belong to it: and hence having no peace of conscience to think God will love it, it loves duties, doth duties, and now takes these for good tokens and signs of love, and if it feels a need of Christ, 'tis only to ease it. Now a man is married to the Law, when he crowds for ease into the bosom of it, Deut. 5. 27. they were in great fear, Whatever God will have us do, we will do it: is it not thus with many? How shall we know this?

Answ. Dost find this while fears and terrors of conscience are on thee, so long thou dost seek, and pray, and he • r, and call on God, and when they are worn away by time, or blown over with feeling some good things, and hopes from them, then thy heart is careless again; 'tis certain you are yet married to the Law: as many a man exceeding forward while pressed under sense of sin for a year or two. Lord! how many hundreds drop away by little and little afterwards? Deut. 5. 29. Oh that there were such a heart always. Mat. 3. 7. to 13. they saw a wrath to come, hence feared, and hence came to John's Baptism to repent and confess him.

5. No man that is married to the Law, but his fig-leaves ever cover some nakedness; all the duties ever broodsome lust: there is someone sin or other the man lives in, which either the Lord discovers, and he will not parwith, as the young man, or else is so spiritual he cannot see all his life-time; read through the strictest of all, and see this, Mat. 23. Painted Sepulchers: Paul that was blameless, yet Eph. 2. 3. Tit. 3. 3. served divers lusts and pleasures, and the reason is, the Law is not the ministration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 8, 9. which breaks off from every sin, there is no saw that can give • ife, Gal. 3. 21. And hence many men have strong resolutions, and break all again; hence men sin, and sorrow, and pray again, and then go with more ease in their sin; examine thyself, is there any living lust with thy righteousness, 'tis sure 'tis a righteousness thou art married to, and never wert yet matched to Christ; hence note thyself, it may be thou hast rested in duties, and since more light came, saw it; and seeing this, thinking that here is all thy error, thou hast labored to see the emptiness of thy own Righteousness, and the fullness of Christ, and now thou art come to both, and now well. So then thou hast not found out any lust thou livest in all that time; nor the 〈◊〉 of thy old nature: no; why then I pronounce thou art yet ma •• ied to the Law, take and trust never so much to Christ's righteousness, 〈…〉 the power of a proud heart, an unclean heart still, never speak of Christ.

6. They that are fearful to be troubled at their estate to have it prove ill, which a Saint may do, yet brings it out to the light at last, John 3. 20. When a Woman is married to a condemned man, guilt being upon him, he loves not to be seen abroad in the sight of others; thou hearest a Sermon, and art loath it should be found out, loath to be troubled; he that hath righteousness in Christ will not only bring it to trial, before men, but God himself. Now is it thus with any of you? what shall I say? shall I say that Christ is or may be thine in this estate •• uly if I durst I should; bless thyself thou mayest: but remember that the Lord will take thee to do for it; and what is it to lose communion with Christ, I cannot express it. The Disciples were sad when he went away from them in his abasement, but for the Lord to leave thee, when in his glory, to stand a far off and see him go, never to see him more, when no tears shall ever prevail again; Therefore if thou hast been found out this day, confess and give glory to God, and let thine eyes be tears, that Christ would overcome and draw thy soul with love, and espouse thee to himself forever.

SECT. I.

1. COnsider the Glory of the person, for whom I plead for love. What can you love besides him? Where can you find any like unto him? I know the Glory of the Lord is not revealed, because the grass withers not, the flower fades not, the creature appears not in his withering vanity, Isa. 40. But if the Lord would but open your eyes, to see him, this would win your hearts alone to him.

Now I shall single out only these five things, to give you a glimpse of his Glory. Lift up thy heart, and say, Lord hide not now thy face from me.

1. He is the Prince of the Kings of the earth, Rev. 1. 5. The glory of the world is a Kingdom, the glorious Diamond of that Kingdom is a Prince in his Glory; now for a poor Beggar to have an offer of love from the greatest Prince in the world, would it not tempt her? Would she not forsake her lovers, and set her heart on him? Why look what a distance there is between the poorest Peasant and the highest Prince, so base, and a thousand times more are all the Princes of the world to Christ, whose Dominion is from sea to sea, from Sun to Sun, who sets up and pulls down Kings like Counters, who rules their Courts, their Kingdoms, their hearts, and they do not do, they cannot do, but what he will. Other Kings are Princes, are Rulers of men, Christ Prince of Kings. Now who would not be glad of his love? who having tasted death, is set down on the right hand of God, on high, clothed with endless Glory, who hath Kings in his chains, whose breath is not in his nostrils, whose favor is not for a day, but he lives and reigns forever. Now doth Christ reign? Is he a Lord, and in Glory upon his Throne? Methinks I see Jesus at the right hand of God, your foolish affections have undone you if you love him not.

2. He is appointed by the Father to be Judge of quick and dead, at the last day, John 5. 22, 23. as well as to rule all now. So that if you do maintain enmity against him, he may let you alone, you may live in health, and die in peace, in the eye of man, and in thine own eyes too: Yet there is a day coming he will break out of Heaven with a shout, and appear in the clouds in the amazing Glory of his Father, with all his mighty Angels, and all the dead shall hear his voice, and you shall appear before him with this body, when the Heavens shall burn round about him, and the earth shall tremble under him, and all guilty eyes mourning and wailing because of him. Then you shall know what 'tis to despise him, and wish, oh that I had loved him, Rev. 1. 7. You that say you love him, yet by an im • enitent heart pierce him, you shall wayl, even so, Amen. Men do not see an end of these things, not the Glory of the Lord another day. Hence creatures are loved, and the Lord of Glory is loathed. A great Prince may not be so highly esteemed, until he appears in his state. Prisoners would give any money, much more love, for the Judges Favor.

3. He only is the procuter and author of all the good that ever thou didst suck out here, though thou hast neither known him, not been thankful to him. For look as it was with Angels, so it should have been with man; the wrath of God should have been poured out upon him, and on all the world, and creatures should have been tormentors of him, but that the Lord Jesus begged and bought the world. And hence, 1 Tim. 4. 10. called Savior of all, but chiefly of the Elect. Micah 4. 4. In his days men shall sit under Vines and Fig-trees: So that if ever any creature did thee good, it was Jesus that put that sweetness in it, out of his fullness, and set it awork, sent it to thee, gave it thee to do thee good. Thou shouldst never have had win • of sleep, never restrained from one sin, but lived in blaspheming God, never hàve heard of a Gospel but for Christ: And will you not love him? Oh ungrateful world! unnatural generation of men! Why dost love any creature? 'It is for the paint of it and good in it. If there be so much in it, what is there in Christ that gave it, that dropt it into it? Never love him if there be anything good that is not by him, Psal. 116. 1. The Lord hath heard my prayer, I will call on him as long as I live. Much more when the Lord hath delivered, and thou didst never seek to him.

4. He is the everlasting wonderment of Saints in Heaven; the Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon, which made her come to see him, but she before imagined but that which now she saw with her own eyes, and that wrapped her out of her self. Here we hear of the Lord Jesus, of his beauty and glory, and this draws Saints to him, and when come, they see that which they never saw before, especially when in Heaven: then fall down in everlasting admiration at this mystery, for the blessedness of Saints is to see Christ in his glory, John 17. 24. Now this lies in an infinite good, this cannot be seen in a finite time: hence Saints shall be piercing their eyes deeper and deeper into this mystery, and shall ever see more and more, but never see all, and this is their joy and glory in Heaven; Is it so? what think you, is Christ worthy of your love or no? look upon all the glory of the field of this world, you may see an end of all perfection, but never here.

5. He is the delights and bosom love of God himself, Prov. 8. 30. Hence John when he came to set Christ out, John 3. 35. The Father loveth the Son. Now is it so, surely though you see not, taste not this good, yet there 'tis; now tell me if this person do not challenge love! would you not be glad to have him? you will say, can he look upon such a Wretch, embrace such a Leper as I? no surely he will never do it.

SECT. II.

2. COnsider he makes love to thee, not one soul that hears me this day, but the Lord Jesus is a Suitor unto, that now you would be espoused to him: He came unto his own, and they received him not. Whatever the secret purpose of Christ is, I regard not: In this Evangelical dispensation of Grace, he makes love to all, John 1. 12. 'It is clear, Mat. 22. 2, 3. If there be a Gospel in the world, there is this love of Christ yearning towards all; especially all that have this Gospel of peace sent to them, Luke 2. 10. 'It is tidings of great joy to all people, as Law is tidings of great sorrow to all people, Luke 2. 14. Angels from Heaven preached this good will towards men. For if the challenge of love from men should be founded on his actual love to some, having died for some, then the offer would be particular. But 'tis grounded, 1. On his own worth and Glory, and hence he challengeth love. 2. On this, for ought I know he hath loved me. So that thou art not so vile, but the Lord Jesus his heart is toward thee, and his eye is upon thee for love. But 'tis not all love, but only some that overcomes.

1. Now 'tis real love. 2. Fervent love, 3. Constant. 4. Pure love he makes to thee.

1. 'It is real love, when the Gospel and Ministers seek for love, the Lord is real in his desires, there is no collusion or dissembling, 2 Cor. 5. 20. in Christ's stead, He that receiveth you, receiveth me; thou thinkest the Lord cares not for thee, not doth not desire thee though he doth others: but

1. Either the Lord would have thee loath him, or love him; what think you?

2. If the Lord did not really make love to thee, he would not be really angry for rejecting of this love, but the Lord is really angry for rejecting it, and wroth with nothing so much as that, Psal. 2. 12. here he swears in his wrath, Psal. 95. 11. when he opens his bosom for thee to rest in, and thou wilt not.

3. Look but upon the dealings of God with thee: 1. Hast not oft thought some in Hell better than thee? why the ruin of millions of men is to win love from thee, Ier. 3. 8, 9, 10. 2. Hath not the Lord sent many a mercy to thee, not one but was to win thee, Psal. 81. 10, 11, 12. 3. Hath not the Lord withheld many from thee, as here in this wilderness, Ier. 3. 3, 4. 4. Hath not the Lord sent many sorrows, terrors, fears, cares, wearisome businesses that thou hast wished an end of life? this is love, Hos. 2. 6. 5. Hath not the Lord moved thy heart many a time-toward him by persuasions, arguments which have a power to move the heart, this is love, Hos. 11. 4. Cords of a man. 6. Hath not the Lord oft melted thy heart for mercies, as David when he might have killed Saul; truly you may feel his love which is much towards you; that which keeps off thy heart from love, is, the Lord intends it not to me, he is not plain with me. But he sends to thee his plain Gospel which thou art to attend unto; and he takes fittest seasons to speak to thee now in the time of thy heath: and doth he not oft visit thy heart when thou art alone?

2. 'It is servant, vehement, earnest love: sometimes a Suitor is real, but he is not earnest; now thus the Lord is: 1. The Lord longs for this, Deut. 5. 29. 2. Pleads for this, Ier. 2. 5. What iniquity, &c. 3. Thinks long for this time, Ier. 13. 27. Jerusalem will not be made clean when shall it once be? 4. Mourns when he hath not this, Ezek. 6. 9. Broken with their whorish heart. 5. Content to give away anything for it, all the love of Christ is founded on this. 6. If thou comest not presently, he is content to wait that he may be gracious.

3. 'It is constant and continual, there is not a moment, thou dost not so oft breath, as thou mayest see and taste love, Isai. 27. 3. Isai. 65. 2. 1. After all thy whorish departing from God, that if man should do so, no man would own, yet he saith, Return to me: thou seest never a creature but thou hast loved more than Christ, yet return. 2. When God threatens most terribly, and sets his fury on record, yet then there he minds nothing but love, Ier. 36. 2, 3. 3. When none else will own and pity thee thou art so vile, yet Ezek. 16. 2, 3. the Lord saith live, then is a time of love. 4. Nay when thou hast cast away thyself as a forlorn creature, yet Hos. 14. 3. In thee the Fatherless find mercy. 5. When he hath thee in his arms, ready to give thee up, yet then, How shall I give thee up O Ephraim, Hos. 11. 8. I tell thee if one sparkle of his eternal blasting displeasure should fall upon thee, it would be so intolerable that it would sink thee; his love is as strong as death, no water can quench it; oh 'tis not so with man, or great men, once repulsed is enough: why should the Lord do so here? many think time is past, 'tis not so, 'tis the temptation of them that have time, not of them that want it; take heed this make thee not despise him.

4. 'It is a pure love, others make love for their own ends, but the Lord hath no need of thee, or of thy love: he could raise up of stones children of praise, he could have gone to others, he could have and can fetch his glory out of thy ruin: he was blessed before all worlds; and by all thy sins thou dost but throw stones against the wind, or snow-balls against the Sun: why doth he do it? O 'tis thy good, he pities thee as once Jerusalem, to look upon thy destruction and desolation: as 'tis with the Elect, they have wrath before their eyes, and hence persuade others, so the Lord Jesus.

SECT. III.

3. COnsider 'tis nothing else but love the Lord looks for, or cares for. Love looks for nothing but love, Prov. 8. 17. and this is the end of all Election, to be holy before him in love: and mark it, if it be a stayed love, that constrain • thee to him, you cannot wrong him: As if thou come and persuade one to murder his Child, he cannot; so if persuaded to despise, oh bowels of heart-breaking love, 2 Cor. 5. And surely 'tis admirable love; What if it were thy Goods; thy Isa •• to be sacrificed, thy body to be burned, it was nothing, but he desires only love, only thy heart which hath forged so much villainy against him: let him never be called upon, or professed, if not worthy of this. After all, is this all? yes, no Portion he cares for, and when he hath this he hath all. Wonder at this O Angels!

SECT. IV.

4. COnsider what he will do for thee, how he will love thee, if thou wilt thus love him.

1. He will set thee next himself in honor, Psalm 45. 9. that as the Lord Jesus is next to God, sits at his right hand: so here, which is an honor that the Angels have not, who are nowhere called Christ's Spouse: hence never had such an union, hence never shall partake of that honor of Saints.

2. He will enrich thee, as 'tis with Man and Wife, all that he hath is hers: so himself, and all his glory, his God, his Father, his Kingdom is thine, Prov. 8. 21. they that love me inherit something, others nothing: no, nothing indeed, only shows of good, and they find it so when they awake, nothing their own, nothing long: that let thy outward man, yea thy inward be never so poor, thou shalt by him be heir of all.

3. He will cousel thee: hence David, Psal. 73. made choice of God, Thou wilt guìde me by thy counsel; no greater curse than to be left to the guidance of a man's own counsel: but here there shall not be any strait, but the Lord will show thee a way out of it, either by his prudence or providence; there shall not be any secret of Christ that thou desirest to know, but as Christ told them, You are my Friends, so you are my Spouse: hence all his secrets shall be opened to thee: there shall not be one act of thy life, but ordered by infinite prudence, and wisdom, and love; sometimes we are befooled in our own counsels, and left to them to teach us to depend on the Lord the more, yet thereby shall come out such good, that it shall be among us as with Joseph's Brethren.

4. He will dwell with thee as a man must dwell with his Wife, John 14. 23. that the great Mediator that passeth by Kings and Princes, and will not look on them, should come and dwell with thee: this is better than to have the presence of Kings, the guard of Angels, better than Heaven itself, that he should dwell where is nothing worthy to entertain him, only something to grieve him. Now this is,

1. A constant assistance of the Spirit, that let the Soul go where he will, be brought to never so low an ebb, yet Christ will not out, but some stirrings, sighings, lookings, pantings after Christ; when heart and strength fail, yet God, &c. when ready to give all for lost, then consider as Psal. 73. 2. If he doth depart, he will not be loug but return again: and those that know his affection, know it so to be, Isai. 54. for a little moment, &c. so the Lord may depart, and when his presence is a little more esteemed, come again with everlasting mercies: as a man may know many weaknesses by his Wife, yet she having not bestowed her heart on any other, he will return: so if thou canst say, yet I am the Lord's, he will return.

5. He will rejoice in thee and over thee, Zeph. 3. 17. as a Bridegroom doth over the Bride: Not because of any beauty in thee, for there is none, but because given in marriage of the Father, and for his own sake. This day thou shalt no sooner set thy heart on Christ, but he falls in love with thee, and will take thee with joy; thou thinkest he will be angry if thou closest with him and love him, no, it will be the joy of Heaven, of Jesus Christ himself.

6. He will exceedingly comfort thee; and look as 'tis with tender husbands, then they comfort most when most sorrows be • ide them, for who could endure his wife should be always drooping? So even then when nothing doth or can comfort thee, the Lord will, Isa. 54. 6. For the Lord doth not always comfort, but when in need, as it was with the Patriarchs, Then God appeared, when they were at worst; and these are abundant comforts, 2 Cor. 1. 3, 4, 5. You shall not need to scramble for it as many do, whose hearts do not love Christ in truth as yet.

7. He will put up all Wrongs, and bear exceedingly with thee Many think even when God hath sealed love to them, if any little sin be committed, then they are cast off; no, if under the Law so indeed, but when espoused to him, 'tis not weaknesses, nor willfulness can make the Lord cast thee away, but he will heal the one, and afflict thee for (yet not cast thee off) for the other, Psal. 89. 33. My loving kindness will I never take away. Yea, he will forgive both, Luke 7. 47. Much forgiven because she loved much. Nay, thy wrongs shall be an occasion to make him love thee more, Rom. 5. Where sin abounds, Grace abounds.

8. He will never part with thee, Hos. 2. 19. Once love him, and he will never lose thee.

1. No sin shall part thee and him; for Christ when he enters into marriage covenant, doth not suspend his love on our Grace or Holiness, then he might leave quickly, but on his own Grace to wash away out filthiness, Eph. 5. 25, 26. If a husband marries a woman only for so long as she is in health, then when sickness comes he may depart. But e contra, if to take away her sicknesses, then they cannot hinder: Nothing but Adultery can part; Now that they cannot do, for nothing breaks, till covenant is broken: And the covenant here is everlasting, and so undertaken for by the Lord that it can never be broken.

2. No miseries can, Rom. 8. 35, 36, 37. Can tribulation? It makes man leave us, but this is peculiar to Christ, he will not leave.

3. Death cannot, it must part man and wife, though loved never so dearly before; but here not; but then he will come himself and fetch thee, John 14. 1, 2, 3. Take thy soul to the Bride-chamber, there to be with him forever and ever, and he will keep the dust of thy blessed body, and not lose one dust of it, and at the last day raise it; and then when others shall cry out Yonder is him whom I have grieved, then shalt thou lift up thy head, Yonder comes my husband to comfort me, to crown me, that I may dwell with him. It shall be the blessed day to thee. And when judgment is done, thou shalt go with thy beloved from the air up to Hewen with a shout, and live in his love and dearest embracings of thee, and this he will do for thee so poor and vile in thine own eyes? Now will you have him? and that now, or no?

SECT. V.

1. IF the Lord be so desirous of me, why doth he not overcome me?

If the Lord doth it, 'tis by these cords of love, and if not, the brand of a reprobate is upon thee.

2. But I do love him already.

Is it with such a love as makes you unable to resist him? to wrong him? as the Apostle said, We cannot speak against the Truth, but for it; for if not 'tis naught. There is a natural love to Christ, as to one that doth thee good, and for thine own ends; and spiritual for himself, whereby the Lord only is exalted: H • st thou this?

3. But I do not have Christ.

If any man do not love him with a positive love, let him be Anathema.

4. I cannot love him.

1. What canst thou love else? 2. Thou canst not love him so well as thou shouldst, therefore close with him, and love will follow. 3. Get the Lord to overcome thy heart, Ier. 3. 19.

How shall I do it?

1. Set him before thee? Who will commit lewdness while her husband look • on? Psal. 16. 8.

2. See what content thou givest Christ by love: Smallest duties coming from love are accepted. What makes thee wrong him to please thyself? Let a thing cross thee, yet it con • ents Christ Jesus.

3. Get him, and wait by Faith on him to overcome thy heart, and the work is done then. Now will you do this or no? If not say then you have had a fair offer, and tell the Devils so, when thou goest down to Hell, as it may be thou mayest ere long. Men talk of terrible Sermons, but these sink deepest. Tell me, dost thou love the lord only? Wilit keep lusts or Christ alone? If so, then look to it. In this Country a woman killed her child, and she said, when she did it, her child smiled upon her. Wilt thou kick Christ's love now when he smiles upon thee. Afterward she repented, but it was too late. Women when they have a mind to some other, murder their husbands, but if known; burnt they must be. But wilt have him and love him alone? Oh if persuaded to this, then happy forever. Let this day be the beginning of eternal Glory to thy soul, and the God of peace be with thee.

SECT. I.

THat all men living nakedly considered in themselves, have l • st all power to do anything that is good, Rom. 3. 12. None that doth good, 1. His light is quite extinct, and his eyes quite out: hence said to sit in darkness, and the shadow of death, Mat. 4▪ 16. now a shadow is a privation of some light, this of all light, hence called darkness itself; take the blindest Indian, he is a witness of this truth, and a right picture of a soul fallen from God: hence because he cannot see, he cannot do, 1 Cor. 2. 14. 2. All that life he had to act well is lost too, Eph. 2. 1. he is dead in trespasses and sins: he cannot breath, not speak, nor think, nor do one thing that is good: I say nakedly considered in himself. And hence look upon a man quite forsaken of God in Hell, there you may see as in a lively looking-glass what every man living is when the Lord leaves him: he can blaspheme him, he cannot love him, he can contemn God, he cannot esteem him: he can wish there were no God to punish him: he cannot submit unto God, though he leaves the most heavy load upon him, and you see not yourselves until you see yourselves here, and see yourselves thus.

SECT. II.

THat unto some men especially, nay unto all men almost, though vile, yet more or less the Lord gives a power to act, and live, and move, and to do many spiritual duties, or good duties from themselves For as there is a breadth in the ways of Grace, that every Christian hath not the like measure of Grace, so there is a breadth or latitude in the ways of sin: every sinner breaks not forth into the like measure of sin, but some are far better than others; as the three grounds that were bad, yet one better than another. Now how comes this about? why, the Lord gives that power to act (as all the knowledge of a God) by the light of Nature (falsely so called) this is the work of God, Rom. 1. 19. Hence all terrors, and comforts, and duties of Conscience are all from God: so the Historical Faith of the Gospel which many have, and so to confess and profess no salvation but by Christ, together with a readiness to die in defense of this truth and Religion, and joy from this, and reformation of life upon this, none of these are natural to this soil of a man's soul, but all are planted there by God, 1 Cor. 12. 2, 3. and so that man can act according to the Law, be strict in Sabbaths, frequent in Fastings and Prayers, &c. 'tis from God, Rom. 10. 2. And why doth the Lord work this? 'tis else no living in the world among men, and because Christ is the politicum caput, and hath bought all men in the world to be his servants, hence gives them gifts which he turns for the good of his people: but yet this is the nature of all these abilities, that a man acts from the strength and power of them, not from Christ, Mi • . 4. 5. Other Nations will walk in the name, &c. and the reason is,

1. Because every man is under the guidance either of the first or second Covenant, and power of either: now as the power of the second Covenant is to draw a man out of himself to another, and so to make him act from another: so the power of the First is to drive a man into himself by terrors, and fears, and hopes, and rewards, and so to enable him to act from himself; hence 'tis impossible but they must act ever from themselves.

And 2. Because though many good Gifts, and moral virtues may be said to be supernatural, i. e. above the power of Nature to work, yet never above the improvement of nature: for let God work never so many good things in men, nature, i e an ill stomach when diseased, is strongest, there Nature turns all into the humor, and so a man dies at last; so the power of sin in Nature being more powerful than any Grace which by common work is given it. ever turns that Grace into itself, and leads it into captivity, bondage, and service of itself; so that there is never a Grace but 'tis made to serve some lust, as in Jehu, in Judas, &c. and God complains, Isai. 43. 24. So this I say is the case of thousands unregenerate, who can do many good things, but from themselves, which God 〈◊〉 wrought to: and hence many a child of God hath been long • indred from conversion, and others not converted at all, because they have thought wicked mon whom God minds to damn, are such as have no good, nor do no good, •• if they do, they have it not from God; but 'tis not so with me, for I have and do many good things, which I acknowledge come from God, and I thank God I am not as other men. Now mark, 'tis true, nakedly considered no good could come from unregenerate men, but yet the Lord gives power to many to do, so the Lord hath done to thee, and thou hast been thankful for it. And this is common, many account themselves great sinners, but yet they can believe: many say they can do little, but their desire and will at worst is to do: tell them these are not right, unless they come from the Lord, they will say the Lord doth all, and they acknowledge it, and so I believe, and 'tis true, but 'tis not such a work of the Lord as is peculiar to the Elect, because when the Lord hath wrought these, you act only from them, and hence never feel a want of these, for the Lord never yet wrought any Grace in his people, but after they have had it, and tasted of it, he hath more or less deserted them, and so hath made them feel a want of it, and made them fetch it again with sighs, and groans, and tears; now it hath never been so with thee.

SECT. III.

THat it's most pleasing to man, and agreeable to his nature to act only from himself: As it was with the Prodigal, he desired his Stock in his own hands, and while anything lasted, he would never come home; and hence those, John 6. 28. What shall we do to work the works of God: and when Christ spake of Faith, they were stumbled there, insomuch that divers did forsake him.

1. Because man's acting from himself is best able to attain his own ends, to which you know a man is gently and necessarily carried: for no man out of Christ, but his own ends draw him; now Christ crosseth a man's own ends, and to live on him is to live on him that will confound them of their own ends, or else no life there: Hence they live from themselves. As 'tis with a Crafts-man, or Artificer, propounding the gain or credit they may get by being excellent in their Trade, may by their own study and frequency of acts, grow dexterous, and very skillful at last, and hence delight in it, so here, profession and practice of Religion may be a man's trade which he may drive for his own ends and gain, and hence may desire to be excellent, and by endeavor be excellent, and profit exceedingly in many excellent endowments: hence he acts and works for himself, Rom. 1. 14.

2. Because a man naturally knows not how to fetch it from Christ from Heaven, Rom. 10. 3. Hence 'tis with them as with a Child cast off by the Father, and put to some hard Master, because they have no Father to maintain them, they most live as they are, and do as well as they can. A man comes to pray, knows not how to fetch strength from Christ, and he must pray, and hence prays as well as he can.

3. Because it's so hard a thing to live upon another, it's easy and sweet to a spiritual heart, but most difficult to any carnal heart, John 6. Christ tells them they must eat his flesh, they say, who then can be saved, and many departed. Men had rather make holes, and keep water in their own house, than have it far to fetch, and when they come to fetch it, to bestow such strength in drawing of it.

4. Because every man thinks he loves and care▪ for himself be •• , and sees no God nor Christ caring for or loving of him more than himself; Hence a man plots for himself, and lives for himself, and all from himself. As when Joseph's Brethren saw their Brother, then they came down and lived upon him, before they came to him indeed, but with their money, to live of themselves. And thus it was with the young man, Sell all and have riches in Heaven: No, he loved himself, and cared for himself better than so; hence would not commit and give away all to Christ.

5. Because whatever a man doth from himself, ei • her 'tis good, or he thinks it so, or hopes if not, God will accept it. Some evil in it perhaps, but he hath his allowances which will make it go, some good desire • o • Faith in Christ, and hence hopes if not thinks God will accept of what comes from himself. As, Prov. 21. 2. All a man's ways are right in his own eyes. And truly Nature and Satan have ever been Imitators and Ape • of God, to forge and make Grace like true Grace, hence deceived. This being pleasing to men, is the practice of most men, yea, all men out of Christ. And this is one great part of the inward, secret, subtle, spiritual whoredom of the soul. Thus men may force sorrow, when yet there is little true sorrow, and so in other cases.

SECT. VII.

THat all these works though good in themselves, yet are most vile before the Lord; as Christ speaks of the Pharisees, Its abomination in the sight of God, which is glorious before man, Luke 16. 15.

1. Because hereby the soul deprives Christ of the end of his coming; for all men having lost the stock and power to live, the Lord hence will trust no man with it again; hence puts it into a surer and better hand, that thither poor, blind, dead creatures might fly for life, & when they are there, live there like • ees on their honey, John 6. 27. & 17. 23. He might never have looked after you, and will you despise him now? What folly and unkindness is this, that when your pits are dry, and bottles empty, and souls miserable here, you will not (I do not say sip) when water runs by your door, but not live.

2. Because whatever come • from self, its ever for self. A man can do nothing from himself, but his last end is self. As 'tis with water-works, they rise no higher than the spring, Gen. 11. 4. This Babel I have built, Dan. 4. 30. And a man that hath but common Grace, look as by virtue of that Grace, or gift of God, he may act for God, because it came from God; so nature and sin being mo • e powerful than that Grace, hence he never so acts for God, but in the last place acts for itself, as in Jehu: And so a man makes himself his own Go • .

3. Because whatever a man doth from himself, he will grow proud of it, Rom. 4. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Hence I • ab sent to David to take the City that he might have the Crown. This robs Christ of the Glory.

4. Because whatever work is not done by virtue of the Lord Jesus, is a dead work, which a living God, and a living Christ, and a living Spirit lo • th, Heb. 9. 14. Sprinkle your Consciences from dead works. Deadly works are sins, dead works are good works done, but not from the principle of the life of Faith, but life of Nature. Now as Conscience is the principle of the life of Nature. So Christ is the principle of a Christian life, Col. 3. 1 John 5. 10, 11, 12. For 'tis not sanctification that is the principle of life, but the life itself that flows from it, as from union of soul and body, the soul is not the life but the principle of it, hence as soon as its out, the body is dead: So, &c. And do you not find it thus, whenas you do many duties, how tedious, wearison are they? yet must be done, this is a dead work. What comfort, what peace is there, when you have done them? because not from life.

5. Because what come▪ from self, comes from all sin, 'tis dipt and died, and tainted and poisoned with all sin in a manner. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?

6. Because when a man will act from himself, and not suffer Christ to act for him, he will not have Christ to reign over him, he pu •• down the Kingdom of God that should be within him. For when a man professeth Christ is King of his Church, he is now a King in name: When a man feels an impossibility to rule himself, and hence desireth and chooseth Christ to rule, now Christ is a King by choice: When the soul after this choice, depends on Christ for what he chose him for, and the Lord works, now Christ is a King indeed. Now if you will not have the Lord to reign over you, you will be found enemies to the Lord's Kingdom.

SECT. V.

HEnce it will follow, The soul is to act wholly and only from the Lord Jesus Christ, and whatever fruits of love it shows to Christ, to bring them forth from Christ. Which doth not only concern them that never yet knew Christ, and yet pride up themselves in what they have and do, but those that be in Christ in a special manner. For John 15. 2. Every Branch in me that brings not forth fruit. 'It is not meant of one indeed in Christ, for he shall bring forth fruit, but every branch, i. e. by outward profession, so that it brings not forth fruit, but appears fair, and deceives man, God will cast away: And without me, even ye Disciples can do nothing.

1. How is the soul to act from Christ only, when it hath life, especially the elect?

2. By what means may this be done, to get and keep this chastity?

First, How is the soul to act from Christ alone when there is sanctification within?

1. If the soul feel no power to act from Grace received, as Saints sometimes do, either after God's deserting them, or their forsaking God long, or after some hardening sin; then 'tis clear the soul in this case is (though not in a way of carelesseness) to depend upon the Lord Jesus, that he would quicken and help. As David after his gross fall, Lord create in me a clean heart. And Isa. 63. 17. Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear? Oh return ! In this case the soul is not to bring the soul to God, but God to the soul. As many a Christian cannot prize not love the Lord not his ways, he is not to say, I will bring my soul and o • fer it to him; but look to the Lord that he would raise up my dead affections again. As the Centurion of his Servant, Speak the word, &c. Christ marveiled at his Faith. Men think when they feel nothing, that they must and can work it out; and hence comes one of these three things.

1. Either the soul cannot love Christ when it sees such Laws it cannot submit to. And hence a Christian once said to me, If the least thing was left for me to do of myself, I could not love Christ; but now that when brought low and can do nothing, he brings all the help we need. This makes the Spouse go to the bosom of her Husband, Psal. 116. 6, 7. Or else,

2. It cannot do it, for corruption in a Saint is too hard for his Grace, I am but a child, and thy people many, 1 Kings 3. 7. Hence he must be strong in the Lord.

Or 3. If it do, it never hath any peace in what it doth, the duties never so well done. Whereas otherwise the poorest duty done from Christ, witness Heb. 11. 4, 5. as a child bego • of the Father, he will own, but other children not. If any poor tired heart that he • s me this day, thou hast been making thy Brick, and promises and vows will not help, now away to the Lord, if ever help now 'tis when most helpless.

2. If you can do anything savingly good, the soul is bound now (by the power of Faith) to stir up itself to act, though not to trust to it alone, for sometimes the soul hath the regenerate part uppermost, and the prevailing Spirit of God, Psal. 21. 3. which comes to him, and gives it power to act before the soul come to it. Now a man is bound to act, because 'tis from Christ now. Hence Timothy was to stir up the gift, 2 Tim. 1. 6. Hence complained of them Isa. 64. 8. None stir up himself to take hold on the Lord. A man must stir up himself to believe, as well as other Graces, hence the Kingdom of Heaven is taken with violence, and though corruption is stronger than Grace, yet Grace assisted with the Spirit, is stronger than it, which is never quite out of the soul, but 'tis in the soul, 1 John 4. 4. Stronger is he that is in you. And 'tis said professedly, He purgeth himself, and keepeth himself, the evil one toucheth him not, 1 John 5. 18. But mark, trust not barely t • this, but when you do this, withal remember, Lord I cannot hold out in this unless thou dost help me: But know, Isa. 26. The Lord is the rock of my strength. And if you by the Spirit mortify, &c. Rom. 8. 13. Therefore ever hold up sails, but look for a wind. And if a man be not to do this, then when any sinful temptation comes, if a man do not find the Spirit and strength ready at hand to help, if he be not to stir up himself against it, he is to suffer himself to be carried down by it. Hence a man may neglect all duties a long time, if he do not find the Spirit assisting, if so be a man must not stir himself up, and so (will some say) a man may. May? What shall I say to such sluggish soul, but sleep on? But know it, the Lord will awaken thee, when you shall say, Oh that I had improved the Talent I had! And if you do find Christ in such a condition, know it they be but the last visits of Christ before he departs. You can do more than you do, and the Lord will have you do it.

But I cannot do it for good ends without Christ.

Yet do the thing as far as you can, else if you owe another a debt, and will not pay, because not for a good end, that excuse will not serve: So you owe the Lord your lives, your spirits, your abilities; lay them out for the Lord, though evil be in them, be humbled for that. Is this good requital to say you find your hearts dead in prayer, and God must do all, and there leave it?

3. You are to expect and look for power from the Lord Jesus in the use of means, all known means: For Faith fetcheth all from Christ, hence we must go thither where Christ is to be found, and he dwells in his House, in his Ordinances: Therefore there you must depend upon him. As 'tis with a Merchant, he wades not over the Sea for Pearls, but gets into his ship, and there he sits still, so here, Mat. 13. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Merchant man. Hence you that know you can do nothing, being under a spirit of conviction, and hence do nothing, under a spirit of sloth and neglect of means, by virtue of a spirit of presumption, and say Christ must do all, I say you take not the right course for the Lord to help you in. The Lord will never be a slave to thy sloth, but thou shalt be like a shrub, never to see good when it comes, and shalt die in horror with this, Oh I might have done more! Hence you are worse than the other, that think if a man fasts, prays, watches against his distempers, mourns for want of Christ and Grace, and follows God hard here, he is a Legal Christian: Why, these are but his own works, and this is not living on Christ. I confess bare using them, or trusting to them is not, but he that lives not on Christ in use of means (these and all other means) to find Christ, or enjoy more of Christ, shall never have him. Neither do I know what turning God's Grace into wantonness is, if this be not; and under a conceit of liberty to be a servant of corruption. I know not whether it be thus with any, but if I did, I would pity them.

4. If the soul cannot every moment live on Christ, i. e. for every particular act, have a distinct act of Faith, for this cannot be, yet every fit season that it can, it ought to look up to the Lord for life and fresh strength. Pray as 'tis 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , every fit season. And as he brings forth fruit, so he goes for fruit in season, Psal. 1. 3. And when the soul doth this, the Spirit of the Lord helps, when the act is ceased.

Now the fit seasons are,

1. At beginning of any action, as prayer, hearing, reading: All the time a man is in his journey, or in his work, he is carried on by the act of Faith at first setting out: The reach of Faith is long, and continues all prayers, all the duty throughout, the act of faith is short: Now the Lord looks to his people according to the first.

2. When our act beigns to die; as Moses lifted up his hands, and when they were heavy, Aaron and Hur supported them again.

3. When a man feels himself strong, now apt to be self-confident; now Lord for an humble heart! And thus you are to live on Christ, which if done, would make a Christians life glorious, and give infinite content to the heart of Christ. But here is the misery, either hearts are full, and need not, or slothful, and care not for living so. That truly I do not wonder to hear and see so many withering trees, as though blasted by wrath, because you fetch not all out of this stock; and Christ is such a stranger, because you are so seldom with him to act and bring forth fruit to him.

SECT. VI.

2 COnsider of the means to act from Christ Jesus, and indeed herein lies the skill and life of a Christian, and this is the complaint of many a Soul, Christ is full, and he is not for himself, but for those that want, and I come to him when I want it, and yet I find no help; and hence many are brought to think either it's in vain to come to Christ, or else I have no Faith in Christ; I will therefore premise these three things.

1. That a false, double, treacherous, disloyal heart to Christ cannot expect to receive anything it comes for unto Christ. As 'tis with a Woman, that though others do not, yet her Husband knows she is fallen in league with some other man, he will be strange to her, and will not do anything for her. John 2. ult. He knew what was in man; as 'tis in grafts, James 1. 7, 8. Let not a double-minded man think to receive anything at the hands of the Lord, for that is the nature of man under the power of any lust, it makes all serve it, even Christ himself, which he will never do, I am weary of your new Moons, saith the Lord, and you fast, and pray, and have no answer, for you fast for Debate: and therefore I take a man considered as broken off from the power of his lusts, not one that feels himself under the power of it, for such an one may be delivered from it, such a soul as can say, much ado have I had to feel my sin, and to be willing to part with it, but now I am; here is the Soul I speak of.

2. That the Lord in the dispensation of Grace to his people, is wholly free to give it when he will: for a man that works for his wages, must in justice have his wages when his work is done: but he that begs for his living must be content to stay. We live by Faith, and free gift, not by works and deserts, and hence must wait and stay, Mic. 7. 7. Hence let not any man think sensibly to receive what he goes for to the Lord Jesus presently, as many feel a want of Grace, and think the Lord hath promised to help, and now how would it make for his honor to give, but find it not, and hence grow sad or discouraged, and think it is in vain to seek? no, no, Christ's hour is not yet come, when you think it is, John 2. My hour is not yet come; and hence many get nothing because they lie out of the way of the Covenant, viz. to think, oh the Lord owes me nothing, and I deserve the contrary.

3. That no man is to look to receive all that which he comes to the Lord for, but only so much as is fit for him: a man feels much straitness, and he would have many enlargements; he finds much deadness, and he would have deep and over-flowing affections, and he comes to the Lord for it, and the Lord gives some, Doth he • ot? do you not find it? can you say you seek the Lord, and attend on the Lord in vain with these Hypocrites, Mat. 3. 14. True, but yet methinks more would be better. How do you know that? I think so, that it would be more for his honor: you think so, then it seems you have one eye more than Christ, and that he is very careless and foolish in raising his own honor: Oh abhor those thoughts, he gives you such a coat as is fit for you, such a sail as fits your boat, such shoes as fit your feet, Psal. 21. 5. Honor and Majesty hast thou fitted for him: therefore do not look to receive anymore than is fit for you, and know it, that is best for you. The Physician prescribes that which is fit, not that which is most desired of the Patients; if they will not accept of this, he will not look after them, 1 Cor. 12. 7, 8.

4. Think not to get anything from the Lord Jesus with ease, I mean to the fleshly part: it hath been an old complaint, I go to Christ, and fish all night, and can catch nothing: and why? here is the cause, they cannot get it easily, and therefore they cannot get it at all, yea there 'tis. Heb. 11. 6. This is one of the two main handles of Faith, he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him, not negligently: and hence at their first conversion how doth Christ's Fruits overflow, and his Jordan rise above the banks: and what a deal doth a Christian gain, yet not afterward: so in time of great trouble, oh 'tis because you seek him diligently: Therefore in prescribing means, do not say this is hard, and so depart as those did upon the very same ground, John 6. 60.

SECT. VII.

The Means are these.

1. LAbour for a comprehending knowledge, what is the love of Christ to thee: there is a double knowledge of Christ's love.

1. That he loves me, and this very apprehension fetcheth in warmth and life into the heart, In thy favor is life.

2. What that love is, and that in all the dimensions of it: and beloved this is that which fills a man, Eph. 3. 18, 19. that as 'tis with Women when the fullness of the Husbands love is seen, it knits the heart invincibly to him, and makes her do anything for him, so here. And as we say of Trees, if the Tree begins to wither and die, the only way is not to cast water on the branches, or to pray for water and dews from Heaven on them, but water the root. Love is the next root of all Grace, love Christ, and you will never be weary of doing for Christ, love him, and he will love you, Prov. 8. 17. Now what kindles love so much as this comprehending knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and his love, this will make a man a burning Beacon of love, make a man melt into love, which is as strong as death, much water cannot quench it, 2 Cor. 5. 14. Love of Christ constrains, Gal. 5. 6. Faith works by love: Faith is our feet whereby we come to Christ, Love is our hand whereby we work for Christ: now let any Surgeons servant come to a Chirurgeon with a broken arm, and tell him he can do no work for him, therefore desire him to give him strength to do it, come saith he, let me heal your arm first: no by no means; let me first do your work, that so you may heal, and I may feel my arm to be whole: It can never be: So 'tis many a Christians course, Lord let me do thy work, and hence he cries, Lord give me strength, and then falls to do it, and cannot without pain, because his love is broken. Many say, I will go to Christ, and act for Christ, and then I will think the Lord loves me, but never find it: first see and comprehend the love of the Lord: And truly this is the reason why no heart, no strength to act for God, unless it be in a we • risom manner, and why? oh love is out, and why is that out? why 'tis not comprehended by the eye of Faith, it's despised by some, other things are sweet to them, or it's forgotten by others; men remember not what once they were, and what the Lord hath done, 'tis seen a little, and hence a little life and strength, but 'tis comprehended by few. O sinful times! O unkind world! never was my heart so dead saith one, never so straitened and shut up saith another, never so feeble in all duties saith another: why, you see, and taste, and sip of this love, but you feed not heartily, abundantly on it. Never didst thou think so little of this love; for though Christ will convey rich Grace to his people, yet it shall be by love. Christians will come to Christ, and when they receive and feel the good they come for, they will think of Christ's love and that he love; them, no first come unto the Lord Jesus, being once come, know he will not cast thee away, John 6. 37. then think of this love; stay here, first feed here and you may act, and then the Lord will convey strength and power, and enable you hereunto: For though when a man trusts to his love as Peter without Faith, a man will fall because he trusts to an arm of flesh: yet when Faith employs love, the work is very great. As a Father hath a child who must keep at home with him, but he hath never a Steward to lay out that estate for him that he means to give him, but when an able Steward, now he gives his Son richly. So here:

Quest. How shall I comprehend it?

Answ. First, the Apostle prays for it. Secondly, see what 'tis by his description, and meditate on it.

1. The breadth, i. e. the same love wherewith the Lord comprehends all Saints, as Abraham, &c. thou art as dear to the Lord as he or any in Heaven, nay it may be did cost more: not a cross, not a mercy, but it's common (for substance) unto all Saints.

2. The length, from eternity to eternity, nothing can part, nothing shall part; all other things are but Summer Swallows that build with us for a time.

3. The depth, that the Lord should look upon thee when in thy Pest-house, when no eye pitied thee, when as low as the Grave, nay as low as Hell, nay lower, for they in Hell would come out, thou wouldst not. Never think to see what infinite love is, till thou seest infinite wrath.

4. The height, to be as happy as Angels, and more to, nay to be all one with Christ, and in Christ, and loved with the same love Christ is, John 17. 23, 26.

5. When thou seest it thus, yet it's the love of Christ that passeth knowledge: As children cannot tell how Parents love them, Will you do thus? 'It is with many Christians as 'tis with many Trees, the Tree is good, and the soil is good, and rain, dews, sun, Husbandman good, yet it begins to die, then now nothing is wanting, but only to be set a little deeper, that it may take more root of the soil. And so here, there is nothing wanting in many a Christian, but to be set a little deeper, and to take more rooting in the Lord's love. Faith roots it self in God's love, and now prospers by love. The eye is but little, yet can comprehend a mighty world quickly: man's mind is but little, yet can comprehend, though not the infiniteness, yet an infinite love. If there be this light of glory, see by it all your poor sad hearts that conceive nothing but terror and holiness in God; if you see it not, know it here is your work now; for the first work is to get Faith, then to get love, then to act from Faith by love. Now the Lord hath wrought the first, and thou art busy a doing the third work, not remembering the second.

2. Content not thyself with feeling a want of supply, but labor to feel a need of supply from the Lord Jesus, for many a Christian feels a want of Grace from Christ, brokenness, &c. sees he hath nothing, and is sometime by fits troubled for the want of it: but he can be well content though he have no supply, having somewhat else to ease and content him, he feels no need of supply, so as he cannot be without it, that his Spirit fails unless the Lord Jesus in mercy give it, and therefore must have it, there is a necessity of it. Hence he never finds supply, and wonders at it why 'tis so: and here 'tis, here is his wound, and so brings up an ill report of the Lord, saying he is loath to give, and of the Ordinances of the Lord, 'tis in vain to seek, and truly so it is to seek so: for let thy condition be never so miserable, if thou feelest a need of supply, the Lord will make bare his arm, and work wonders, bring Heaven out of Hell, joy out of sorrow, and light out of the thickest darkness, and floods out of dry ground, Isai. 41. 17, 18. when the ground is dry and perched away, no moisture left; now the Lord pours out water on this soul, Isai. 44. 3. Heb. 4. ult. Many come to the Lord for Grace, and find it not, methinks I hear the Lord speaking thus to his people, I love you dearly, and I am content to give you anything you need, but you do not need my Grace, my Spirit, my presence, i. e. you feel not a need of it, for if you had it now, you would not prize it much, nor keep it long: my precious Grace must not be spilled. Many know their wants and distempers, and know there is no help in themselves, and see all fullness in Christ, and hence come to him, but find none, because they can be content though the Lord deny: no nor never shall unless you feel the woe of your wants, that your Spirit fails if the Lord send not in supply, Isai. 57. 16. I will not contend, lest the Spirit fail. Hence there God promiseth to dwell, to send and create peace and comfort: for what is the reason that Christians at first beginnings • eek peace and mercy, and have abundantly then? why truly I was long time before I had anything, but when my spirit began to fail, and I gave all for gone, and could hold out no more, now the Lord helped and pitied me; but where are those comforts, and that presence of the Lord now? Truly now you think the worst is past, and would be glad of the life of Christ, and Grace from Christ, but if not, you have a little, your state is safe, and so can lie without putting yourself to a necessity of it. Is it not thus? is not this your very wound? if it be, for the Lord's sake then get it healed, and do as people in Christ's time, those that were well, and had not desperate Diseases, commonly came not to him, but when the Disease was desperate, you know the Fame of Christ being spread abroad, then they brought their sick and laid them before his merciful eyes, then they looked for the laying on of his hand, or a word of his mouth, and all were healed: so do you, you have heard of the Fame of Christ, and seen others humbled, others par • oned, lay thy • ick Soul (but look that it be sick) before his eyes, and so look for one word of his mouth, as the Woman of Canaan, he may deny for a time, yet she must have it, and the Lord will say, Be it unto thee according to thy Faith, not according to thy deserts, thou wilt have it, I must give it, thou diest without it, behold I live to revive thee, and therefore to give it. You come to Prayer, and Word, and want many things, but find them not. Oh come therefore, Lord I must have, I cannot go without supply. Not but that a Christian must wait, and be content humbly, but not care • esly: Therefore think within thyself,

1. What is there that I need but this, the presence of God, the life of God, &c. Is it not enough in Heaven, where's no wealth nor comforts else? and is it not suff • cient now?

2. May I have it o • this condition, [I must have it, I am resolved not to go without it] Rev. 22. 17. if you will come, take it. Are the terms so sweet?

3. Do wicked men thirst more and more after their lusts, and is Christ, and his Grace, and his Presence no better, that I have enough of them quickly? God forbid there should be such a heart.

4. Doth the least sin so exceedingly go to the heart of my God, and shall I suffer it not only to act here, and tempt here, but remain alive here?

5. Is not the Lord after all love shewn me, worthy of infinite (not a little) honor from me? and doth he deserve all, and must I not, shall I not give it him before I die? it must, it shall be so. Now when here you feel a need, know it that you are at the very door of relief: I conceive this is the great door at which Christ enters into the soul. The root of Faith ( i. e. the author, object, and foundation of Faith) is out of a man's self, the door of Faith which opens to all treasures is in a man's self: This door is not any good in us, for then we should have somewhat to boast of, nor sin in us, for that shuts out God from us; nor knowledge of want, for that the Devils have, but sense of want, which when the Saints have, now the door is opened for the Lord Jesus in all his fullness to come in. Now if you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

SECT. VIII.

TO all the Churches of the Lord Jesus here planted in these Western parts of the World, to maintain your Church-chastity and Virginity, you have a name of it abroad, pure chaste Virgin-churches, not polluted with the mixtures of men's inventions, not defiled with the company of evil men: pure Ordinances, pure People, pure Churches, which is the cause of the scoffs and enmity of some, but of the desire and joy of others. O if there, how happy I? and how blessed they? Take heed you do not defile yourselves again. Open whoredoom is too gross, too shameful, to yield to man's inventious, to open the door for all comers into the Church: but take heed of secret whoredoms and departings from Christ, for think of this speech when you see me dead, that of all Churches in the World, the Lord Jesus carries a most jealous eye over these for whom he hath done such great things; and I know it, he takes exceeding ill your secret wantonness and whoredoms of heart; the Lord hath kept you hitherto, look you maintain it, for you may be soon deflowered again, few Churches retain their purity long, aged, gray-haired purity is seldom seen. I will tell you of the several Temptations (some at least) that may prevail to the defilement of you.

First, Spiritual defilement is forsaking of the Husband, a total secret forsaking of Christ; for here is the temptation to it, viz. God's withdrawing himself in his Ordinances from his Ordinances. For three sorts of Temptations make men fall back.

1. By Persecution, and there many fall (though some hold out) as in the stony land.

2. By Peace, and here many fall like the thorny ground; like Saylors that in a storm at Sea, every man is ready, and will be pulling his rope, but when a calm, then go to their Cabbins, and there fall asleep, and here many fall in this place, and others stand it out.

3. By the Lord's withdrawing from them, as those, Mal. 3. 14. and here the great ones fall. Many come to enjoy Ordinances, and persecution vext them not, world it's base, it troubles them not, and they think to find much, but do not, but the Lord withdraws, and they can get no good, hereupon their false hearts discover themselves, they draw back from God, and lie still, whereas Saints cry the more after him, and look the more into themselves, and find out the cause of it, and then the Lord helps them, Isai. 63. 17. Oh take heed of this.

1. Shall I forsake the Lord that hath done these great things for my Soul?

2. Shall I now do it after I am so near Heaven?

3. Shall I forsake him when he departs from me but for a time it may be, when as he followed me when I departed long from him?

4. Is it not Hell to die without him, and shall it not be Death to live without him?

5. Doth he depart without a cause, he hath no cause to follow me, I have all reason to follow him, the Lord grant you may do so.

Secondly, Secret defilement is by neglect of private communion with him: this is whorish in a Wife. Here is stronger Temptation to neglect private Prayer and Meditation, partly by want of room, partly by multitudes of businesses, and work, and cares hereabout, that being weary in the day, sleepy at night, busy in the morning, Prayer, Meditation, daily examination are sent away as Paul from Felix, we will speak with these at some more convenient season; and hence straitness of heart toward Christ, and no means do good. Oh Beloved, have you such a Husband as Christ in Heaven that loves thy looks, thy company, thy sighs, thy speeches, and will you neglect him thus? what no love? 2. Is he not broken with this whorish heart? 3. Is that speech worth anything with you, We shall ever be with the Lord, doth it comfort you to think of being ever with him, and now neglect him? where are your hearts?

Thirdly, Secret defilement is by bringing other lovers into the same bed, the same heart with him: and here the Temptation to this is strong, for most men have lost and sunk in their Estates, and it's hard to live lower than we did, and this is a grief, and here 'tis possible to recover estate again, and here grief for loss hath a vent by greediness and pursuit after more. In other places men had a very co • fortable estate, hence rejoiced in what they had, and did not greedily desire more; but now want makes men hungry and greedy: and now when a man hath thought and looked about him, and seen what he may gain by his labors of many acres, by his Goats and Cartel in so many year; now he casts himself into the world, and also will not forsake Christ utterly, but bring both into the same heart, Christ shall have some love, some desire, but the world as much, and so the heart is divided: and hence some set high prizes on their corn, commodities, cattle, others look for large wages, &c. and yet Christ too. Hence men cry out of the world because it hinders them from Christ, and yet bring it into, and hug it in their hearts, because they must have it in the bed with Christ. It was the speech of one, that he never heard of any Saint in Scripture given to covetousness, some to one sin, some to another, but none to that; I have read of Lot, but God fired him out of his estate at last: and that is all I would say to this.

Fourthly, Secret defilement is by decaying in love to those whom Christ loves, and those are his Saints, and Temptation is strong in this place to this: 1. Because we have multitudes of them; Even Gold itself being so common as to pave our streets, is despised. 2. Because there wants a common enemy to drive them together. Take several men that never knew one another, yet in time of War they will love abundantly, and then encourage one another, and can with joy lie together: so 'tis here, hence arise your petty Duels and jars in Churches, surmisings, cens • rings, &c. and the reason is this, there is little love to Saints, and for want of this, men shall not know whether you be Christ's Disciples or no. Be thy Brethren Saints or not? bear they the Image of Christ or no? if they do not, why dost not convince them, admonish them? and if they will not be better, away with them: If they be, Oh bear, Oh love, Oh tender them, as thou lookest the Lord Jesus should tender thee. And therefore let the Image of Christ appear, and then see it, and then love, and then no more breaches will follow: if not, the Lord can and will soon send Wolves to make Sheep run more together.

Fifthly, Le • ting a new Generation of Harlots into Christ's bosom, I mean, not greatly caring for Posterity, that they may know and serve this God, for after this Generation is past, our children are to follow, and 'tis very rare that they prove right, yet it may be so. Hearken therefore you Parents, if God brought them over for this end, and if they never know God, what a sad thing would it be? or if they be brought forth to pull down the Temple of God. Oh therefore, 1. Be careful of a pious education of them in Schools, in private, and take some course for that end before others come over, this will draw them. 2. Oh make many Prayers for them. 3. Set Faith awork in God's promise; as he said, he would not abate the Lord, (though he gave it him in 99) of that one. Leave in record what the Lord hath done for you, that the Lord may be with them, and that all these Churches may be the glory of Christ, and then you shall enter into the Bride-chamber of the Lamb at last.

2. Took their Lamps. SECT. I.

MUch dust is raised, and much Dispute is made, especially by Popish interpreters, What the Lamps, what the Oil, what the Vessels should be? The gener • l conceit of most of them is: that by Oil is meant good works, and by Lamps Faith; answerable to their own conceit, that not Faith but good works chiefly save: Whereas if we consider the thing rather e contra, that by lighted Lamps are meant good works, or external shining profession, according to that of Christ, Mat. 5. Let your light so shine before men, &c. and that by Oil should be me • nt Faith, because 'tis inward, and is the nourishment of works and outward profession. And in this sense some of our Divines do take this Scripture; and the Rhemists likewise, who understand by Lamps lighted, good works; by Oil a good intention: To which 'tis answered by Cartwright, (that burning and shining light of our Times) that rather by Lamps lighted is to be understood, watchful minds always lifted up in attending for the coming of Christ, according as 'tis ver. 13. And I doubt not but this is one thing aimed at, that they took their Lamps, i. e. were watchful for Christ's coming. But when I weigh other circumstances, methinks there is somewhat else more plainly and principally intended, of which I scarce read any Divine, but he gives a hint of, viz. that by lighted Lamps, and taking of them, is meant nothing else but the readiness of the Churches to meet and to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus. And my Reasons are these:

1. Because the Lord Jesus to teach his people watchfulness, and to put them to a narrow search of themselves, borrows a similitude from the custom of those Times, wherein their Marriages were celebrated in the Night, and hence the Virgins (the only children of the Bride-chamber, and some think their number never exceeded Ten) being to walk out in the Night, took their Lamps: and when they had kindled their Lamps, (usually the last thing that is done) now they are ready to go out, and this is that which Christ aims at.

2. From Luke 12. 35. Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning; it's evident that thereby is meant nothing else but readiness to meet the Lord whenever he comes; for when loins are girt, then one is fit for travail, but seeing 'tis in the Night, hence lamps must be burning too.

3. Because 'tis said plainly, ver. 10. when their lamps were kindled again, they that were ready went in; I know the Word is called a lamp for our feet, Psal. 119. and so by lamps may be meant minds enlightened and kindled by the word. The eminent profession and excellencies of the Church is like a lamp, Isai. 63. 1. and more particularly may be here included and aimed at: but in this verse lamps are spoken of in general, including light, Oil, Vessels; and hence I give this general Interpretation here, intending Particulars if need be afterward: So that now I shall only raise this Point.

SECT. II.

Doct. THat all those that are Espoused unto Christ, ought to be in a constant or continual readiness to meet Christ, and to have immediate communion with Christ.

A Woman may be Espoused to another, and yet she may be sometimes not ready to meet him, her foul apparel is on. So here, therefore 'tis not enough to be espoused unto Christ, but being espoused, now you ought to be in a continual readiness to clasp the Lord in your arms, and to lay your heads in his bosom in Heaven: this is commanded by Christ, Mat. 24. 44. This was the mighty power of God's Grace in Paul, when others were weeping to think of his Bonds, Why do you break my heart, I am ready not only to be bound, but to die for Christ, and so doubtless to be with Christ; much more ready to meet Christ when ever he shall come, ready to welcome Death, much more ready to welcome Christ, Acts 21. 13. This also is the end of John's Ministry, Luke 1. 17. To make ready a people prepared for the Lord, to meet with Christ on earth; now he is gone, our work is to prepare a people to meet the Lord in Heaven. Hence this is put in as the difference between Vessels of wrath, and Vessels of Glory: the one are fitted for destruction, the others are fitted, prepared, or made ready for Glory, and the glory of a Christian is chiefly to enjoy fellowship immediately with Jesus Christ. There is many a soul dear unto Christ, and espoused to him, and hath his heart affected to think of the good time that is coming, when we shall ever be with the Lord: but ask, are you ready • yet for to go to him, though it be through fires, waters, thorns, sorrows, death itself? who can say yes? but (say men's hearts) shut the Lord out a little longer, let not the door stand open yet; yet this must be: And therefore for explications sake let me, 1. show you when the Soul is in a readiness for the Lord Jesus. 2. The reasons why there must be a continual readiness.

SECT. III.

WHen is the Soul in a readiness to enjoy Christ?

As there are four things which make a Christian unready, so this readiness consists in Four things contrary.

1. That which makes a Christian unready for him, are those strong fears, and jealousies, and damping doubts of the love of Christ to him. The soul haply hath made choice of him, is content with him, melts into wonderment and love to think that he should love him: what me? and Christ hath writ him on his heart, and on the palms of his hands; but Israel saith, my God hath forsaken me, my God hath forgotten me, Isai. 49. 14. Is it possible? is it credible? one that hath been so ville, one that still hath such a heart, for him to set his heart on me? surely no: hence the Soul is afraid to die, and desires too much to live still: and the more he thinks of that time, and blessedness of following the Lamb where-ever he goes; the more he sees and fears this may possibly never be my portion: there may be some falseness in my heart towards him that I never yet saw, some secret knot that was never yet unlosed: and hence not yet ready. Hence many a Christian saith, if I had a little more assurance, let him come when he will: Thus some think it was with Hezekiah, who though he had walked before God with a perfect heart, yet bitterly complained that he was cut off, Isai. 38. per totum. So therefore then the soul is prepared & ready for him, when he hath some comfortable assurance of the love of Christ towards him, that it can say, if I live he loves me, though he kills me by Death, yet I know that he loves me: nay, then he loves me mo • t, when he puts an end to my sins, and to my sorrows too? And therefore now saith as one ready to ceive a Prince, now let him come to me, or send for me when he will: why so? Who can separate me from the love of Christ? Rom. 8. 35. That look as 'tis with a Soldier that is to go to war, where many bullets and arrows are like to fall about him, and hit him while he hath no armor on; call him to the Captain, and he will say he is not ready yet, but when he hath his armor on of proof, and such armor that he knows let him receive never so many wounds, yet he shall escape with his life, and triumph with his Captain afterward: Now give him but his watch-word he is ready, though never so weak, yet I am sure I shall escape with my life, nay not so much as hurt. So a Christian wanting his assurance, wants his armor; he is weak, and powers of darkness will assault him, and he is slain by them, now he is unready: but if assured, though weak and feeble, he is now at Christ's watch-word, I know I shall live, I may fall, but I shall rise again, this puts courage and spirit into a Christian, Dan. 3. 17, 18. Heb. 11. 35. Others were tormented, (and so ready) not accepting deliverance; why so? to obtain a better Resurrection, which they are s • id to see by the eye of Faith, and this was by poor weak Women; therefore labor for this, else not prepared. The Lord would have his people look death and dangers in the face, and triumph in sorrows, and not faint-hearted, (which cannot be done without this) that the world may see that there is more than men in them, 2 Cor. 4. 16, 17, 18. and 5. 1. who would be without this? yet may we not complain, as Christ of his Disciples, Oh foolish and slow of heart to believe all that is written, so many promises yet not assured, so many experiences yet not established, and therefore not yet prepared and ready for the coming of the Lord. A man that hath a fair estate and house befallen him, so long as he is in Suit for it, dares not dwell in it, but makes a shift where he is: but then he is ready when quiet possession is given him. So get the Lord to pass sentence for assurance of your everlasting habitation, then are you re • dy to dwell therein.

2. Then a man is unprepared for the Lord Jesus his coming, while he wants affe • tions suitable to the Majesty, and according to the worth and love of the Lord Jesus: Suppose a Woman knows her Husbands love, yet if she have lost her love to him, or if she love him, 'tis only as she loves another man, not according to the woe • th of her Husbands person, or the greatness of his love: Is she fit now to ap • ear before him, when no heart to receive him? so although you question not Christ's love to you, & thank God you doubt little of it, yet where is your heart? your love to him? have you not lost your love, your first love, or second love? if you have love, is it not divided to other things, as Wife, Child, Friends, hopes of provision for them, and too much care hereupon for that? or if you do love him, 'tis with a carnal love, he hath no more than a lust hath had, and it may be not so much, 'tis with a cold love; now you are unfit for him: hence the Lord, Luke 21. 34. Take heed your hearts be not overcharged, 1 Pet. 4. 7. Now therefore then the soul is prepared to meet Christ, when if the soul hath lost its affections, it recovers them out of the hands of all creatures that stole them away from Christ; and hence David prays, Oh spare that I may recover my strength: and when it breaks out with such love unto Christ as is fitting for him, 2 Tim. 4. 8. There is the righteo • s Judge ready to give the Crown, when Christ's appe • ring is loved, i. e. they are so taken with him, as that they love the looks of him, it would rejoice my heart to see, which shall make others tremble to behold him; Oh it must be a dear love, a spring of running love without measure, for this is the difference between affection • of Saints and Hypocrites to Christ, the one arise • h like a morning dew which is soon licked up by the Sun, Hos. 6. 4. the heat of affection • after other things licks it up; but the love of Saints to Christ is like a spring which riseth to everlasting life: a spring is but little, but yet the f • rther it goes, the wider 'tis, till at last swallowed up in the Sun, and there is no measure of water: so Saints have but a little love, but the longer they live, the more enlarged for Christ, and there is no measure, but all is too little, they never can, never do love enough, so that look as 'tis said in another case, Psalm 102. 13, 14. ' It is time for thee to build up Jerusalem, i. e. to return to thy people in thy Ordinances, for they love the stones; so then it's time for Chri • t to come, and then the set and fit time is come for a • eople to meet with Christ out of Ordinances, when the set time is come when they love Ordinances, and love Christ much more. When a man is gone beyond Se • , and all his Friends and estate are at home, they long for him, and he is left among enemies: why comes he not to them? why send not they for him? why they know he is sickly, and cannot live on the dyer of the country; hence he is unfit to come, but when that is once come to pass that he can live only on it, then he is ready whenever they send: so when men can live with, and be content alone with Christ and his love, now they are fi. With what face can a man appear before Christ, when he requires nothing but love, and he hath not that.

3. Then a man is unready for Christ, whiles he neglects the work of Christ, for suppose a man hath some inward love to Christ, yet neglects & hath no heart to do the work of Christ: he is as yet no more fit to meet Christ, than a Steward who hath had much betrusted him, to improve for his Lord's use, and he hath let all seasons go wherein he might have traded for him, and gained somewhat to him. How can he appear before him when no fair accounts to be seen; so the Lord hath betrusted thee with many Talents, time • , strength, means, &c. & you are not Lord's, but Stewards of all these. Now do you not let many fair season • and winds blow by, you have (if espoused to Christ) every man some work. Now how can you stand before Christ if that be neglected. Oh thus 'tis with many Christians; hence those sad ala •• ms of conscience, and shakings of God's Spirit, after many loose d • yes dipt in some good duties. What dost thou that others do not that never shall see God's face in Heaven?

Now therefore then the soul is ready for the Lord, when 'tis daily at it, finishing God's work: hence John 17. 5. I have finished my work, now glorify me: Christ hath given us our lives, work, days-work, every hours work, for Christ hath ever e • ployment; now though a soul may livelong, and cannot finish its lives work, yet if it finish its days work, or hours work, it may have comfort then if the Lord should come. That look as 'tis with a Mariner when he hath his Fraight, now let the wind come to drive him out of the Haven, he is ready to depart: so here, 2 Pet. 1. 8, 9, 10, 11. If ye do these things, and abound, an open entrance shall be ministered unto you, i. e. when a Christian is ever acting for Christ, and adding one Grace to another in his course, then he is so ready that an open entrance is made for him: Therefore look after this. 'It is with most Professors commonly, as 'tis with a Woman that loves her Husband, and begins to dress her self, but so much business to do, that she doth it but by starts; hence call her never so la • e, she will say she is not yet ready, she hath so much to do she cannot; so 'tis here: Or as 'tis in a house where all things are in a lumber, and many things wrapped up and put into holes, so long as all things be in a lumber, there is no readiness. So many a soul hath a heart fit to receive Christ, but all things are in a lumber, in a confusion, out of place and order, and hence not yet ready to entertain Christ, but when this work is done, then ready. Oh betimes do this work, set things to rights in your souls.

4. Then a man is unready, when having done his work he grows puffed up with it: for let all the three former be wrought in the soul, if now the soul be puffed up, thinks highly of itself, attributes anything to itself: as he said in another case, they are too many for the Lord; so he is too big for the Lord. And truly this we shall find it's pretty easy to be mean in our own eyes, after we have been indeed careless and vile before the Lord; but when the Lord hath mightily assisted, enlarged, assured, enabled, comforted, quickened, now to be as nothing, this is difficult. Hence Knox on his death-bed had this Temptation of Meriting. When Hezekiah was sick, he was cast down, but when well, and God gave him great Treasures, his heart was lifted up; now he was unfit. Now therefore when a Christian is ready to give all to free Grace, and to adore that, now he is ready for the Lord, Psalm 108. 1. My heart is prepared, I will sing 〈◊〉 give praise. God's last end is to bring the soul to the praise of the riches of his Grace, not only to enjoy God as Adam. Now the great reason why Christ comes not to his people presently after they are espoused to him, 'tis to make them ready to attain that end. Hence he leaves sins, temptations, sorrows, desertions, on purpose that they may at conclusion look back, and see if ever saved, pardoned, it's Grace. Now therefore when the soul is brought to do this, when he hath this rent in his hand, now the Lord is ready to receive him, and it too, and he is prepared for the Lord: he that hath not his Rent ready, himself is not as yet at all ready to meet with, and see his Landlord. So that you think you boast not, Oh the Lord sees you do, or have not hearts so enlarged towards Grace as you should, it's certain you are yet unready then, but when empty, and poor, and cast down, and makest an infinite matter of a small sin, and settest a high price on a little love much more on infinite, now you are prepared: Hence David falls a praising when near to death, and the Lord near to come to him.

SECT. IV.

1. THe law of Respect and Love requires this of us: when Peter would express his love unto Christ, Luke 22. 33. he professeth he was not only ready to go to prison, but to die with him. Christ hath poor respect and love if men will not so much as be always ready to receive him: it certainly argues a careless heart that sleights Chr • st, that is not ever prepared to receive Christ.

2. Because the time of Christ's coming is then when we least look for him, verse. 13. Hence a Christian ought to be ever ready to receive him. Many of eminent parts, when the Church had most need of them, then are cut down: Many at their first conversion, before they or others almost could tell what to make of them, the Lord hath cropped them in the bud. Men find their hearts unfit and unready, they think hereupon that hereafter they shall get their hearts into better order and tune, when these businesses are over, but yet will live at liberty a little while: why then it's most likely is the Lord's time of coming, even now when they think least of it, Luke 12. 40.

3. Because the Lord hath set apart everyone that is espoused to the Lord Jesus, only for the fruition of Christ, and use of Christ, 1 Cor. 3. ult. You are Christ's, and Christ is God's. A Woman that is not chosen, nor set apart for the fellowship of a Prince, she may go how she will, and do what she will, any base drudgery work; but she that is chosen to be next unto him, and only to behold and love him, she is not to plead she hath so much business to do, and so many Friends to speak with, that she cannot make herself ready: she is set apart for a better person, and for more noble employment. So here men of the world not loved of God, nor chosen and set apart for him, may do what they will; but when the Lord hath chosen and set you apart of purpose for this end, Ephes. 1. 4. Chosen to be holy before him in love, i. e. to stand ever in his presence before him, with a spirit of dearest love unto him. Hence the Lord hath taken the care of all things else, 1 Pet. 5. 7. that we might mind and do this thing; It in danger, he will deliver, if in want, he will provi • e, if weak, he will strengthen, only no • be ready for the Lord, Psalm 45. 10. Forget thy Country, and thy Fathers house, so shall the Lord desire thy beauty. You are not now free to love and follow whom you please, the Lord hath bound you to himself by love, and you have bound yourself by promise to the Lord again: Therefore now a Christian after once espoused to Christ, is better than all the world, being the Bride of the Lamb; and he hath a better and greater good for to enjoy: therefore he should scorn and abhor to march himself to, or to do anything for any other creature; and therefore methinks should sit as one upon a watch-tower, looking out, and telling the clock now day is near, waiting only for Christ, Oh let it be so: If in Heaven, you shall have only Christ▪ Oh prepare for him much more now. As a Woman that is Ma • cht to a rich man, all the servants attend on her, and follow her, she is wholly and only for her Husband: so it should be here.

4. Because he hath prepared and made all things else ready for the soul, it's hard if he hath prepared a place in Heaven, and Grace in Heaven, not to prepare an heart, and make it ready for him, John 14. 1, 2, 3. his Kingdom was ready long ago, and his Father ready to accept and entertain thee, and his heart loves and desires, all are ready after thee: hence be ready to meet with him. I am my Beloveds.

SECT. V.

HEnce see the great unkindness of many a soul immediately after his espousing to Jesus Christ, who having once given himself to Christ, and received comfort thereby, presently grows more careless than before he was matched unto the Lord Jesus, who should now stand in a holy watchfulness and readiness to receive Christ, as 'tis Psalm 85. 8. Let them not turn again to folly, because they are very apt so to do. Many say when in some distress, and after long waiting, if the Lord would pity once, then happy I; I would give away anything, all I h • ve unto him • • well, the Lord pities; the soul when in its low estate, and then it blesseth God, but like the Israelites, soon forgets his works, his love, and after great peace from God, comes greatest carelessness: can this stand with Grace, and Christ? very hardly; but yet it may, for there are Two things that make for it.

1. Because at first conversion there is much see • ing of Christ, for healing the horror and smart of sin, as well as for the curing of the wound and scar of sin: hence when espoused, and horror being past, that wheel being broken, a man draws more heavily now, and neglects seeking; now the Knife is out of his heart he cries not so earnestly.

2. Because when espoused, and much affected, commonly a man trusts to his affections, when he hath a fullness of them: hence the Lord lets Satan prevail, Luke 22. 31, 33. Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat, and I (saith Pe • er) am ready to die with thee; but you see he fe • l, and then when the Lord looked upon him, he went out and wept bitterly: How shamefully hast thou fallen, should any love him more than you if ever he pity? well, for his Name-sake he hath done it. But how oft hast thou broken Covenant? how forgetful of the Lord's kindness? The Lord looks upon thee this day, why hast thou so soon forgot me, and forsaken me? have I not took thee from the Dung-hill, nay from Hell? and whereas I had so many thousands to set my love on, I chose thee; and whereas thou couldest not love me when I offered myself, thou couldest not return me love again, I gave it therefore to thee, yea and have given myself to thee for ever: Hast thou thus forgotten me, when as I take little wrongs from thee more heavily than great ones from others? Oh that this might make you go out and mourn bitterly: so if ever you have tasted that love as Peter did, Christ's looks will humble you.

Hence see the reason why some Godly People die so uncomfortably, and with such distress of spirit; why they have not lived in an expectation of Christ, and hence they cry out of themselves, not knowing whither they go, insomuch as some have not been comforted by all former experiences, and by all present consolations of Ministers: Oh no, 'tis now too late to speak, they thank them for their love, but God hath otherwise thought of them; yet if any hope be given them 'tis ever picked out from some word, and they cry, Oh I thirst for a little mercy, and then die; and what is the reason of it? what need I speak? Themselves will tell you, and have done it, Oh I have lived thus and thus before you, but my heart in secret hath gone after the world, &c. I have neglected the Lord secretly, I have seldom thought of, or prepared for Death, and I had thought to have been better, but the Lord hath met with me: I know violence of Disease may do it sometime, but I s • eak how ' • is many times; whereas otherwise an open entrance should be made, 2 Pet. 1. 8. 9, 10, 11. And as it hath been with some, so take warning lest it be so with you; you may be saved alive, yet to suffer wrack on the shore is uncomfortable, and know it if your conscience be awake, it cannot but be so. Therefore do not conclu • e they were damned without Christ, but they were not made ready for Christ; and it may be your time draws • igh, and what have you to say? now a world for half an hour will a dying distressed man say.

Is of a Four-fold exhortation, to all those especially that the Lord hath espoused to himself.

SECT. I.

TO quicken up all those doubting, drooping, yet sincere hearts, that much question the love of Christ to them, Now to use all diligence to make their Calling, and Election, and the love of Christ sure to them, not but that it's sure on Christ's part, but make it sure on your part too; else how can you be in a readiness to meet the Lord Jesus; while the strong man keeps the Palace, the Goods be in peace; but when Christ hath once driven Satan out of his Throne, •• en nothing sometimes but war, but doubts and fears; Satan told God to his face, Job served him for naught, much more will he accuse the Soul it se • f: and some Divines think the very first ingredient of Satan's poison, and the first assault on Christ himse • f, Mat. 4. was by seeking to make him doubt of his Sonship, If thou be the Son of God, &c. And his wiles are here very great, that hence very few living Christians have any settled comfortable evidence of God's eternal love to them in his Son: and hence many sad events follow. How can any bless the Lord for that love which he knows not of? many times 'tis with a man's doubts drooping from his mind, as 'tis with his continual dropping on his Lungs, there is a daily consuming of what once was; that many a Christian doubts away his life, his heart, his strength, and when all is wasted, glad now to return to that where he should at first have begun. And hence in one word, he is made every day unready for Christ. Oh therefore quiet not yourselves in that estate as I fear too many do (at least for a time) it's one of the most dangerous estates that can be, to be troubled with weak fears, and yet rest in uncertain hopes; but bring it to a conclusion, Is the Lord Jesus mine or no? and if he be yours, and his love yours, see it, that you may trample on the neck of death, and triumph over hell, and the grave, and long to be with the Lord, and love the appearing of the Lord, and go away with joy unspeakable and full of glory out of this world, as to your Wedding, and if there be any hope of getting it, who would be without it? Some of you it may be have a long time been careless in seeking for it, hence want it, some of you have been traders with the Lord long, and yet doubt; some of you have not clear evidence, but content yourselves without being thankful to the Lord for what he hath done for you, hence still doubt. Others have gray hairs on your head, or at least are near your Graves, the battle is near, your armor is not on, you are not yet ready, and so still doubt. I remember what Christ said of Mary's Box, she prepared that for his burial, it may be that these Truths may be prepared for your approaching departure; and therefore light your Lamps at this fire, and light of the Lord's love to you, and see that indeed he loves thee.

But why do you persuade to this, till the Spirit comes and speaks it? How can I see it?

1. 'It is true the Spirit only can do it, but yet the same Spirit that seals the Elect, the same Spirit commands the Elect not to sit Idle, and dream of the Spirit, but to use all diligence to make it sure; and you shall never have it (unless you lay hold on a Fancy for it) on those terms.

2. Though there is an immediate witness of the Spirit, of the love of Christ, yet it doth most usually and firstly witness by means. And hence I shall give you means looking only to the Spirit of Christ to set them on. Evangelical Precepts have a power: For Gospel-ministration of the Spirit consists not only of stories and promises, but commands, and the Elect feel them: Hence carnal men under the Law, yet pretending Gospel, will profess the Law is preached when they are pressed to any Evangelical duty, because they feel not the power of the Gospel, being not yet under it. And the means I shall mention, are only general to establish the hearts of some.

Make a sad enquiry first of this, Whether the Lord hath loved thee for his own everlasting Names-sake or no, for if the Lord hath loved Thee for this cause, then thy great Objection will be answered, and that deep valley will be filled. How can the Lord love me that am thus vile before God, and fallen from God? why if the Lord for his own sake hath loved thee, then as no good in thee moved him to love thee, so no sin which he did know was and would be in thee can quench that love; and if he hath manifested his love to be grounded on this, though but once, that same Name when thou changest is not changed, but is still as dear to him, and ever before him to move him to love thee still, Rom. 11. 2. The Apostle answers a Cavil, Will God cast away his people? no saith he, none that he foreknew; and who are these? verse. 5. A remnant according to Grace as with us, i. e. God hath for his Grace-sake chosen and called without respect of anything else: Hence that is to be understood, 1 Sam. 12. 21, 22. For there are two sorts of people in the Church; 1. Servants. 2. Sons, John 8. 35. Hence there is a double love the Lord manifests to men.

1. Some he loves as servants, that as we hire some men to do our work, and give them meat and wages, and then turn them out of doors, or let them go: so God hath work to be done, for his Son and Saints, and for many reasons hires wicked men to it, either by giving them reward in this life, or hopes of reward hereafter, and when the work is done, and use made of their Gifts, Graces, Spirits, then turns them out of doors.

But 2. Some he loves as Sons, even the most foolish and weak in the world sometimes: hence not for any service they can do, but for his own sake he will give them an Inheritance, and love them as sons, because he will; these abide ever in the Lord's love: Hagar and Is • mael cast out, Sarah and Isaac stay in the Family.

How shall I know that?

1. If the Lord loves thee for his Name-sake, it will draw thee to that fellowship with itself, that whatever thou wantest, thou wilt seek for it hence, by presenting that Name of God, that for his own sake he would supply: I know the Lord loves for Christ's sake, but why should Christ help? for his Name-sake: For thus many hypocrites think when they see God's anger against them for their sin, they seek to remove that 〈◊〉 , and when that is done, think God is at peace, and now all is well. They see the Lord is delighted with the obedience of his people, hence fall to that work, and now thin • the Lord is pleased with them. But if ever the Lord loves any man, he will first stop his mouth, whether Jew or Gentile, Rom. 3. 19. and make him on his Knees know there is no reason for it, nay all reason against it. Now hath no • the Lord brought thee to this? and hence having nothing to quench God's anger, but Christ, hast held up him before God, and having nothing to move Christ, hast held up his Name before him, and here hast rested thy wearied heart looking to him, if any Grace be begun in thee, that he would perfect it, i • none, that he would begin it; if unfit and unworthy, to prepare thee for it, only for his own good pleasure: this is one evidence of it. As 'tis in some Seals, you can hardly perceive in the Seal what is engraven there, but set it on W • x, you may see it evidently: so here, hardly can you see the Lord's love, look on thy heart if it loves him; his choice, see if thou choosest him, his love for his own sake; if thou cleavest with dearest affection to this love for its own sake, there thou art safe, Prov. 18. 10. The name of the Lord is a strong Tower, &c. and this not only at first conversion, but ever after all duties, all enlargements, Ezak. 16. ult. And this doth evidence love.

1. Because if thou hadst the righteousness of Angels thou wouldest think it a good evidence, but this of Christ is a thousand times dearer.

2. This is a setting of God against himself, i. e. to answer himself, and hence Saints in all their straights and sorrows, hither had recourse; I speak not now of Temporal Blessings, but of Everlasting love, and all the Fruits of it, that here it hangs. Now I say you are built in a Rock higher than all powers of Darkness; now a Key is put into thy hand to unlock all God's Treasure; now thou art in the very lap of love wrapped u • in it, when here thy heart rests: and if not Beloved, the Lord would never let thee lean thus in his bosom: and therefore if this be thus, see it, and wonder his Name hath moved him to love me.

2. You shall find this, if the Lord for his Name-sake loves thee, there is no • any carriage or passage of Providence of him to thee, but he gets himself a Name first or las • by it: for if this be God's end, every passage of Providence is but a means to this end: hence he will attain this end by every act of his Providence towards thee: hence you shall find that those very sins that dishonor his Name, he will even by them (and if by them, by all things else) get himself a Name: he will be so far from cas • ing thee out of his love, that he will do thee good by them. Those very sins that God damns others for, he will make to humble thee, empty thee. Pharisees persecuted Christ, and lost all for it, Paul was so, and it humbled him all his life, Not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God, and it made him lay up all his wealth in mercy, I was received to mercy, 1 Tim. 1. Mary sins much, and God forgives much, and she loves much; others sinned much, and God hardened much; Judas betrays Christ, and repents, and hangs himself, and flies from him; Peter denies him, and weeps, and hence he is the first that Pre • cheth him. And this is certain, in the best Hypocrite, sins left in him, either never make him better, but blind and harden him, and he hath his distinctions of infirmity, &c. that he sleights them day by day, till all his days are run out, or if any good, 'tis no more than Judas, or Cain, some legal terrors, or other light flashes of comfort, but to be more humble indeed, &c. this he findeth not. Now is it not so with thee? Doth not thy weakness strengthen thee with Paul? Doth not thy blindness make thee cry for light? and those cries have been he • rd, out of darkness, God hath brought light. Thou hast felt venom and risings of heart against Christ, and do they not make thee loath thyself more? that thou thinkest never any so beholding to Grace? do not thy falls into sin make thee more weary of it, watchful against it, long to be rid of it? and so sin abounds, but Grace abounds: Why should this be so? for his Names-sake, because he will love thee; hence 'tis so great and unmatchable, that he will make thy poison thy Food, thy Death thy Life, thy Damnation Salvation, thy very greatest Enemies thy greater Friends. And hence Mr. Fox said, he thanked God for his sins more than for his good works. I have marveled at God's dealings with his people, they depart, and stay long, and care not for returning again; in that time a mighty power teacheth, humbleth, brings back, when they never thought of it. Oh the reason is, God will have his Name: now if thus, your assurance will be strong and constant, but if you build thus, I have done this, &c. I have that, your assurance will not stand; therefore look and see if it be not thus with you.

Take heed you do not build your assurance from a mingled Covenant of Works and Grace, for this is the frame of divers when they lie under the first Covenant only of doing, they will not take this as any evidence, as they have no reason so to do, Rom. 9. 31. Nor when a man lies under the Second Covenant of Believing barely, and if it be a dead Faith, they have no evidence or reason so to do. Hence they mingle the Covenants, and think thus. If I can believe in Christ, and perform universal obedience to all the commands of God, I shall be safe; hence set upon the observance of both, and finding they can never do them, especially the latter, hence are ever troubled, and never have any settled peace. Hence those Galatians Paul writes to, perverting and mingling the Covenants, were troubled, Gal. 1. 7. & 5. 12. Not (beloved) but that whoever believes and performs universal obedience Evangelically to the whole Law, he cannot but do well; and he that doth it not, but lives in any one sin, let him evidence his Faith if he can. But I speak when a man submits to it, sub forma faederis, if I can do it, and because I cannot do it, hence doubt. Hence gather your evidence of God's love primarily and chiefly from your subjection to the Second Covenant, Gal. 6. 16. Peace on them that walk according to this rule; for Adams righteousness that did tie him to God, it brake; hence no life, nor evidence from that, but Faith is an everlasting invincible Grace, upheld by the mighty power of God, and hence here will be everlasting evidence and peace, 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom though we see not, yet believing we rejoice. Object. Is a Christian then free from the Law?

Yes, he is free from it as from a Covenant: hence though it be broken by him, he is not cast out of Covenant, or favor, but he is not free from it as a Rule, from which if he swerves he is to call himself, not God's love into question: Why? because it hath pleased the Father in another Covenant to offer life, give life, and hence only to evidence life. Whatever the Law requires I have, at that instant I did believe, I performed it in a Savior by Faith: and that I myself may do every tittle of it, I come unto a Savior for it by Faith; so that when Satan objects you have no Christ, nor love of a Christ, because no Faith, and no Faith because you cannot do this or that. Answer, I cannot do it indeed, I never undertook it to have life or love thus, but I have done it in another, and I can do all things by Christ, if he will help me, under whose Grace I lie, and hence will be so far from doubting, that I will rejoice in mine infirmities, that I am a fit subject for the power and Grace of Christ to show itself upon. Thus retire to the Second Covenant ever if ever you would get any settled peace. And from neglect of this flows a worl • of unpeaceablenesse in many a spirit, ever complaining, and why? I cannot do this or that, never peace now; but cannot you lie under the Lord that he would help? keep here, and keep your peace here.

But many a Christian that retires hither hath no peace, and so have I done, yet find none?

It's then upon a double ground which you are to avoid: either, 1. Because you have Faith, but you imprison your Faith, you put out the eyes, and shackle the feet of Faith, for Faith will conquer and triumph over all sins, and fears of the world, if at liberty, 1 John 5. 4. like a Master in a Ship, if he cannot save the Ship one way, let him have liberty, he will by another. As if it be Objected, You have departed from Christ, what have you to do with him? I will return saith Faith to my first Husband. Ob. But he is angry with you. Ans. If he b • angry for my departure from him, I will not provoke him more by staying here, who knows but he may repent? Ob. But you cannot go to him with all your heart. • Answ. True, yet I will look to him to draw me. Ob. But you feel nothing. Ans. Yet I will wait. Ob. But you will wait in vain. Ans. Still I will look he would keep me from that. Now stop at any of these, trouble comes, suffer it to shift it will find rest. As 'tis with the Anchor, let it down but little▪ • he ship drives, but let it down at full length, it will ride in storms; then, 'tis 〈◊〉 of Faith that gets the Blessing, where opposition makes the Soul take faster hold; as it was with Jacob. The Woman of Canaan got it thus.

Or 2. 'It is because they look for another kind of Faith, and hence own not this, as the Jews the Messiah, they made account to have received him in state, and he came low; so men look for a superlative Faith, but want it. But thus the Soul espoused to Christ, so long as Marriage-Covenant lasts, she may conclude of love.

Do not fear the love of Christ is not toward you, because he hides his face, and departs sometimes from you; Husbands remain so when they depart, and leave the house for many a day, and 'tis simple to say he is not my Husband now. So here the Lord loves his people, yet departs, Isai. 54. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and truly 'tis very hard when inward blows, and sad desertions, and outward miseries, and no Christ found, though sought for. But how shall I then know and discern his love? Answ. Many things might be said this way, only one thing observe, whether thy love remains still to him for himself; for it's rule that most commonly a Christians purest and dearest love appears in Christ's absence from him. As 'tis with Friends, while with us we love them, but when gone, we feel that love mo • e quick than before. Jerusalem lies in the dust, and now the very dust is beloved, Psal. 102. 13, 14. and if it be so, it's certain we love him because he loved us, and we continue to love him, because he continues to love us; now look then if thy love do not appear, 1. In mourning for his absence. 2. In longing for his presence. 3. In blessing him for a little that is left of himself, as seeing such want of him; and is not this for himself to have his company again, that though God gives thee all other things, yet when thou comest to consider the Lord is gone, this strikes near, as when Christ departed away, John 16. 5, 6. But because love may be benumbed, and lie dead, therefore try it a time of parting, and put thy heart thus to it; if he be none of thine, then take thy fill in thy sin, and forsake him: no Beloved, here you shall see the heart will yield and melt, John 13. 3, 4, 5, 6, &c. and it will say, Lord let me never sin more against thee, though never saved by thee. And take it for a rule, do not think the Lord hath left off his love to you when you depart from him, and he from you: but lying in your Departures, Oh that is sad; but return again, it comforts the Lord's heart, especially when 'tis for himself, not for peace and salvation, but though he never saves me, Oh yet I will look after him.

Look to the tender-heartedness of the Lord Jesus, for (Beloved) all the doubts of Christians arise chiefly from this head, from a hard opinion of Christ, which Satan suggests, as at first, Gen. 3. 5. that so they might take in his wares. God's people do not know the tender-heartedness of the Lord Jesus; Satan presents him only in wrath, when any threats are spoken, all these are mine saith the soul, &c. And now if any Woman lives with a man that is of a hoggish churlish disposition, she will be ever doubting of his love. Men do not know it I say, and hence when any misery or trouble comes, they grow jealous of him, which the Lord takes exceeding ill, Deut. 1. 27.

Quest. How shall I know that tender-heartedness of Christ?

Answ. By his carriage towards men when he was here on earth, for now he is in Heaven in Glory, and we know not what his disposition is: therefore his life on earth was the living looking-glass of his heart forever. In Four Things.

1. Never any came to him that he cast away, whatever their sorrows or sins were, but healed them everyone if they came to him with their miseries: for in healing their miseries, he did but show his readiness to heal them of their sin; hence Matthew applies that, Mat. 8. 17. He bare our infirmities.

2. When men came to him for by-ends, not for himself chiefly, he rebukes them for it, and shows he was more ready to give himself, than bread to them, John 6. 27.

3. Those that were lost, and sick, and miserable, and came not to him, he went up and down to seek and save them, the lost Sheep, Luke 19. 10.

4. Those that would none of his love, he pitied and had compassion on their misery and sin; as on them that were sheep without a shepherd; he mourned for the hardness of their hearts: he wept over Jerusalem. Now look upon Christ the same still: thou comest to him in secret to take away all iniquity, to give thee himself; tell me, dost think the Lord if here would reject thee ever. 2. But I dare not receive him. Ans. Thou wilt take Bread from him daily, and he is more willing to give himself. 3. Thou canst not come to him, nor find him, but only sometimes, nor see him; well, but then he will seek thee out. 4. Oh but I oft reject: yet he pities thee still. O think of this compassion of Christ, and make him as if present; 'tis a special means to establish the heart in Believing.

Learn to know when you are bound not to give way to your fear of God's love; for sometime it is the case of many a precious soul, that he hath clear evidence of God's love to him: and what is there against it? nothing but a fear, what if I should be deceived when all is done? and hence the heart sinks exceedingly. As some Women that have special love, if once they take a jealousy of their Husbands love, it's never removed; So here.

How shall I know this?

First, If those fears thou hast drive thee farther from Christ, it's clear you are then to cast them off: those fears that cause sin are sinful, but to be driven from Christ is sinful, Luke 5. 9, 10. Lord depart from me, I am sinful: fear not saith Christ, 1 Sam. 12. 20. they were ready to cast off all, Fear not, saith he; think of this, what 'tis you get by nursing up those fears, they hinder your joy in, and your love to Christ, your blessing of Christ, cause a dead discouraged heart: nay though they drive you to Christ one way, if they drive you from Christ another way by questioning his care; concluding against his Truth, never doubt they are vile, Mat. 8. 26. Why did ye fear O ye of little Faith. So far therefore as fear drives us to Christ, 'tis good, otherwise to be cut off.

2. If the Lord hath drawn thy heart to come to Christ, and when undone, every way secretly persuaded thy heart that thou shalt have help if thou come, and by coming hast received healing Virtues of thy lusts and vile affections from the Lord Jesus, fear not now, 'tis a sin to fear I shall not have help, as Mark 5. 33. the Woman with the Bloody-issue, she was afraid she had presumed, hence came trembling, but the Lord told her, Now fear not, be it unto thee according to thy Faith: only thy Issue is but begun to heal. What say you, have you never come to him, never received any healing from him? that is hard. Surely 'tis so, that I would not be in my lust again for a world.

If none of these prevail, but the Lord follows thee with fears on fears, as wave on wave, then see if there be not some guile of spirit in thee, i. e. some sin you have or would give way to if you had assurance of God's love. It was the speech of one to me, next to the Donation of Christ, no mercy like this, to deny assurance long; and why? for if the Lord had not, I should have given way to a loose heart and life, but, &c. so if the Lord should deal so with thee, it may be thou wouldest lie in thy sins, if thou hadst pe • ce there, and it may be you have had it, but sinned, and not confessed, not lamented, not opposed: Thus it was with David, Psalm 32. 1, 2, 3, 4. Hence when he confessed, the Lord forgave in his Conscience his sin. Men will withdraw their love from their Wives if it make them wanton, and deal sharply with them: so one that never restored, could never get peace; some ever complaining, never settled, because they have their Truces with sin, and would have peace with Christ, and it cannot be. And this is a rule I have long held, in them that have clear light of the Gospel, long denial of assurance is like fire to burn out some sin, and then the Lord will speak peace, Judge. 10. 16. And therefore take this counsel, and God will tell thee thy sin, if thou art desirous that he should find it out, but get this mercy from him, Zach. 13. 9.

Bring thy heart to a straight, either to reject or receive him to be thine, he is offered to be King, and Savior, and Lord, and Husband; now thou shalt have his heart, his hand, his Spirit, his Father, his Kingdom, his Ordinances, his Angels, himself if you receive him, or else if not, you shall lose him, and then woe to thee when any mercy, any misery, any Ordinance befalls thee, for all shall suck thy Blood, consume thee, and fit thee for eternal ruin: and then wish, Oh that I had taken him, but then too late; therefore receive him or reject him: Oh I cannot; that's another matter: However we propound these Evangelical commands that may come with power, and therefore know, that if they do not now, they shall arise again in time.

SECT. II.

THis is not all that which makes you ready for Christ, unless your love is set and fixed on him: and therefore look that it be ready. I doubt not but that there is glowing in your hearts, some love to the Lord, it cannot be that all should be quenched, that all his kindness should be forgotten, but remembered many times with some affliction: but know it, if it be so, your lamp is not yet in your hand, nor your Souls ready to meet the Lord: For look as 'tis with a mighty Prince that shall set his heart on some poor servant, and he requires no portion but to love him the more, and she cannot bring her heart to love him more than other mean Fellows, is she fit or ready to be Matcht unto him? So here: hence. Mat. 10. 37. He that loves Father or Mother, &c. then you are ready when your love is fit for such an Husband; and therefore though you feel some love under the ashes (when you stir up your hearts) to the Lord Jesus, yet if it be not a fit love beseeming his Excellency, and the Glory of his Person, when you can draw out buckets of love, and pour it upon other things, but scarce fetch out a drop for Christ, and yet you hope that will serve the turn; I tell you no, you are yet unfit and unready for him. Look as it was with their offering the Testimonies of love and thankfulness, Mal. 1. 14. so it's here. And therefore my Exhortation shall be as 'tis said in that Psalm, Give unto the Lord the kingdoms of the earth. Give unto the Lord the honor due unto his Name: So give to the Lord the love that is due unto him, that love that is fit for him.

What is that love the Lord would have, which is fit for him?

1. Beloved, I hope if you think not your Blood too dear for Christ, you will not think any love too much for Christ: Yet because I would not have you aim at an uncertain mark, and shoot at a venture, I shall single out that love which I hope your own Consciences cannot but say is fit. And,

1. I had thought to have sought for this from you, viz. Give the Lord Jesus but that love, no more love than thou hast given to thy lusts, the Lord will be contented with it, Rom. 6. 19. As ye have yielded, &c. so now; but that it may be you may think this love too base for him, yet give him but this, and the Lord would be contented with it, and accept of it; and those that shall not, it shall be their Torment in Hell to think of this word: Oh that I had given the Lord Jesus that love I gave to my base lusts, I had had him, and been in Heaven with him. But I wholly press a Second.

2. Do but love him as he loveth thee, i. e. you cannot answer the greatness of his love, but do it for your measure: If you cannot pay him in pounds, yet pay him in pence, and this is fit for him: For 1. He is worthy of love, there is beauty in him why thou shouldest desire him; there is none in thee. 2. Thy love shall have a recompense, 2 Tim. 4. 8. he never can have recompense from thee.

3. He loves thee first with his own love, now that is unreasonable not to reflect his beams, and return him his own again in similitude, if not in parity.

Wherein appears the love of the Lord to me, that so I may see how to manifest the like love to him?

He hath loved thee more than himself, more than his own honor, for he made himself of no reputation, Phil. 2. 7. more than his own comforts, he left the bosom of a Father, and bore the wrath of a Father for thee; more than his own life, he saw thy neck upon the block, and God's Axe up to give the Bloody Fatal stroke; and he came in thy room, and loved thy life more than his own, lost his own before one hair of thy head should perish, though he knew thee a Traitor to God, and an enemy to himself, Rom. 5. 10. Rev. 1. 5, 6. if this be not thus, woe to thee living, woe to thee dying. What art thou but a sad spectacle hung up in thy chains in this world for Angels in Heaven to see and tremble at, and for Devils, Sins, and eternal Sorrows, like Fouls of Heaven to Prey upon. Now is it not fit that thou shouldst love him more than thyself? his honor more than thine, his consolations more than thine own, his Person more than thine own, nay more than thy life? Rev. 12. 11. I have known them whom the Lord hath revealed this love to, that have thought it too little to do, and hence have wished they had been born in those Times that they might have laid down their lives for him: Where is now this love? Doth not self-love swallow up all? Lord, what self-seeking, self-serving, self-minding, self-honoring, self-pleasing, and the Lord himself and his love forgot, as if there were no Christ, or in him no love.

2. He hath loved thee when he might have passed by thee, and loved others that might have won the Lord towards them (I speak after the manner of men) rather than thee; men of greater place, greater gifts and parts, greater pomp in the world, but Rom. 9. Jacob shall be loved, Esau hated: he hath passed by Kings with their Crowns, and now set his heart on thee a Babe, when wise ones know him not; foolish, when prudent ones see him not; weak, when strong and mighty receive him not. Yea, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 1. 28. Base things, and things which are not. God hath made thee nothing in thine own eyes. Behold his love, and now do the like for him. It may be sometime thy carnal eye sees more Glory in the creature, than in Christ; more in the honor of man, than in the honor of a Christ, &c. And hence mightest set thy heart on them rather than on Christ, because strongly tempted so to do, and it may after some scourges be saved at last, yet pass by them, and set thy heart only on him. We judge of a Friend by the times of trial, and of a Christian, by a time of temptation. Now a Balaam, a Witch may not dare in time of temptation, to fall into it. Oh get one strain high • , and go one step farther than a Witch, though I might let my heart loose after the world, I will not love it, the love of the Lord deserves it, the love of the Lord constrains me to give my love to him and not to the world, though I might hide it, and have pardon for it.

3. He loves thee although thou wrongest him, Isa. 43. 22. to 26. when he is so wronged that he is ready to give thee up, yet Hos. 11. 8, 9. He is God and not man, nay, which is more wonderful, where sin there Grace abounds. Hence David makes this an Argument, Psal. 25. 11. Forgive because 'tis great. And hence Moses, Deut. 33. 9. Because 'tis astiffnecked people. Oh therefore love him, though he smites thee, though he forsakes thee, wherein he may seem, but indeed doth no wrong to thee, but love thee; for chastisement is part of the portion of sons, not of Bastards, Heb. 12. 6, 8. But do as that woman when she came to the stake, gave away her clothes, some to one, some to another, Now farewell friends, and world, welcome Love, welcome Christ. So if the Lord comes to take away all from thee, the child of thy body, the husband of thy youth, the wife of thy bosom, the comforts of thy life, provisions from thy family, bread from thy mouth, bid farewell to them, give them into the Lord's hands, and now say, welcome Christ. Its usual for Christians at first conversion and espousing, the Lord loves them dearly, and tenders them, shows nothing but love to them, and then their love is fresh; afterward come hard Frosts, and Winter-storms, and cold blasts of displeasure: Christ departs from the Soul, withdraws himself, hides his face, and sends sad afflictions; now the Soul apprehending anger, and nothing else, it grows discouraged, and so dies: when if it could stay and wait, it should see all from love, and doing it the greatest good. Oh remember this: he doth afflict me, he doth depart from me, he doth fear me with Hell, yet I will love him never a whit the less: Though the Lord buries all the Blessings he gives me, yet my love shall live, and if it do fall it shall arise.

4. He loved thee when in thy low estate, Psal. 136. 23. even when as no eye pitied thee, Ezek. 16. nay when thou wert vilest, at the height of thy sin, under deepest depths of misery, and straightest captivity, after Friends had almost ceased to counsel, Word and Spirit could do no good, after Conscience had warned thee. Oh love him when he is in his lowest estate, when his enemies persecute him, and his seeming Friends forsake him. Before you came to this Land, you thought Christ and persecution, Christ and the meanest condition, nay Christ and death would be sweet: the Lord it may be doth or will try your love; and here you find Christ and losses in Estate, Christ and crosses in your Family, Christ and many fears, and toils, and cares. Do you love him now as well as ever you did for all this? Oh never was my heart worse! I doubt not but a discerning Christian may see how all the world is against Christ, nay many Traitors in his own Family, who love the bag more than Christ. Many foolish Virgins who love their sleep and sloth more than Christ; nay the hearts and Spirits of his own Friends declining, that there is not that life of Christ, that presence, and savor, and power of Christ in Hearts, in Prayers, in Lives, and no complaints of this: Now is the fittest time of love, when no eye sees, when no heart loves him, or cares for him, Psalm 119. 126, 127. Therefore I love thy commands, when he is shut out of every heart, when none to receive him, if any love it will appear now.

5. He doth love thee constantly every moment, John 13. 1. 2. He hath thee every moment in his own bosom, every moment thou art sinning, and he is pardoning. Sin, and Satan, and Hell, and wrath are every moment waiting to hurt thee, and he is every moment watching over thee, redeeming of thee. Every moment sin and justice cry against thee, and yet he is continually making intercession for thee, Isai. 27. 2, 3. Every moment he is blessing when thou art sinning. Oh the unknown love of the Lord Jesus! Oh these fits of love are not fit for him. Love him every moment, delight in him every moment. When a man hath a fire every moment warming him, but still is cold, it's a sad sign that Death is near: You can love him sometimes in a Sermon, but soon after cold again, or in a Sacrament, and presently heart-dead again: or after answer to Prayers, and some special deliverances, and then the heart is un-affected again, and so a little pang of love must content Christ: if he ceaseth one moment to love thee, and to manifest it to thee, then cease to love him; if he ceaseth not to love thee dearly, never to leave thee, Oh then ever love him.

But we have such distractions and cares?

Men in love will follow their work, and Women will do the Huswifry of the house, and yet love is at notime to seek to their Husbands, and shall the Lord have less?

6. He loves thee with an unmeasurable love, Rom. 5. 20. Where sin, there Grace hath abounded: hence Eph. 2. 3, 4. Love, and great love, verse. 7. Exceeding riches of his Grace: For there is in Christ.

1. A created love. One man loves another exceedingly, as Jonathan did David. Now he hath the perfection of all human or Angelical love towards his people put in him.

2. Increated love, infinite love of a God, and hence 'tis immeasurable. He thinks nothing he doth too much, nothing he gives too dear: hence when world is slain, Satan cast out, when he is out sin must out; when some sins removed, the rest must; when they are out, then death must; when Death, then Hell. And when there is no life, no Grace, he works it; it decays, he restores it; it cannot act, he quickens it; it cannot, doth not grow, he waters it. He hath given thee the earth, and the days of peace and patience; those are too little: he calls thee, and when thou canst not come, draws thee, and gives thee pardon: that is too little: he gives earth to thee, that is too little: (world is theirs) he gives Heaven to thee, that's too little (for they are made Co-heirs:) he gives promise to thee, that is too little: he gives himself, and Spirit, and can he do more? Yes, we cannot drink in all that goodness and love; hence he gives eternity to thee, and he shall more and more enlighten thee: not only let thy Soul live to bless him, but thy poor body, and every dust of it to be raised up to Glory with him. What the Lord promised to