An Olive Leaf, Dedication 2
To all the Lords people, grace and peace by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be multiplied.
YE are called a flocke of holineſſes. foreign ſanctitatum pecus. Ezek. 36.38.Bleſſed is that people, whoſe popularity is rather in graces then in perſons; in flocks and troopes of holineſſes, rather then in flockes and troopes of men. Holineſſe puts every perſon in the ninth place, and makes him an hundred millions in number; by which account a few flocks of holineſſes would be an innumerable company of men, Gods Hoſt, Mahanaim, bina caſtra, two Hoſts, ten Hoſts, ten thouſand Hoſts. Flocks of holineſſes are not onelyonly numerous, but glorious. Flocks of Flowers in the ſpring, flocks of Pearles like Pibles upon the Seaſhore, all facing the Sun; yea or flocks of Suns looking forth like the morning, from ſeverall ſerene parts and points of our Horiſon, and all facing one another, not ſo glorious as flocks of holineſſes facing Chriſt, and Chriſt them. The ſhepherd is not ſmitten, but ſmild on now, and yet theſe flocks of holineſſes are ſcattered. Our Princes (as the Prophet ſpeaks) not altogether Kings, Iſa. 10.8.but altogether ſervants and ſlaves to divers luſts: inſtead of ſo many Vines, Iſa. 7.23.ſo many Brambles, as the ſame Prophet ſpeaks; through the wiles of that wicked one, and the juſt judgement of God. The root of this bitterneſſe hath laine hid long, and been that. Achan which hath troubled us, to wit, a heart not perfect with God, denying the power of what we profeſs. The Goſpel is foreign *1 Cor. 13.12.a riddle, and ſo is the heart: and yet if either be hid, we periſh; I feare both (though theſe times of much light) lie hid; ſuch ſad periſhing of leafe and tree could not elſe be.
Spirituall inſpection is the ſubject of this piece preſented to you; if it may lay open to you, what hath laid open you to others, will be matter of bleſſing God and his, poore ſervant, who hath his worke to unravell riddles, and tread out labyrinths with the thred of the Scriptures, and findes only this light to diſcover darkneſſe. If a man will be ſafe, he muſt obey neceſſity *Ʋt omnes, intelligans fi ſalvi eſſe velint, neceſſitati p… tendum. ſull.The Scripture and thine own heart, are two neceſſary things to be ſearched; caſt off the ſtudy of theſe, and you cannot be ſafe. Obey neceſſity, read two Volumes over and over all the daies of thy life, the written word and thine unwritten heart; the one riddle unriddles the other: the Volume without opens the Volume within, and is a Glaſſe to bring Chriſt and the ſoule face to face. The triall of our faith is precious, whether by the rod or by the word: by both grace is refined much, which is very precious to a ſincere heart. Comparing our ſelves oft with Chriſt ſhames us, humbles us, conformes us, and ſo derives his beauty whom we ſo intenſely look upon, which is a pleaſant tranſlation from deformity unto beauty and glory. Imbecillitate alierum non noſtra virtute valeamus, ſaith Tully of taking thoſe who tyrannixed, who made many Lawes, & proximae quaeque dutiores, and the laſt ſtil worſt:By the weakneſſes of others, and not by our valour do we prevaile, ſaith a great Stateſman. So truly may I ſay, by our weakneſſes, ſloath, careleſneſſe, the divel more prevailes, then by his own ſtrength ſimply conſidered, though a creature very ſtrong. We ſo cut off our own locks, and caſt off our own mercies, our own armour, and walke naked, laying aſide Ordinances, Scriptures, and all cloſe converſation with God and our ſelves, that ſatan ſlayes us heaps upon heaps, with the jaw-bone of an Aſſe, with any rotten fooliſh thing, carries us captive at his will.
Much confuſion is now amongst us, of which God is not the author, but ſatan and our ſelves. Ʋnſoundneſſe ſwels: the heart lifted up, falls under the power of darkneſſe, the divell, and all confuſion. Take heed Chriſtians of hypocriſie, its property is pride: pride puffes up, and then God puls all down to worſe then nothing: a little of this leaven leavens the whole lumpe: be purging out therefore daily, every little of this leaven, that when ſatan and temptations come, they may finde nothing (if poſſible) of hypocriſie in you. Lie at thoſe breaſts which give ſincere milk. Let your ſoules conceive by pure ſtreams. Perſons who venture in preaching, doe not you venture in hearing. Tis a ventrous age, ſuch as no eye ever ſaw more, and leſſe laid to heart. Among all wonders amidst us, this is ſurely the greateſt, that there is not yet ſhipwrack of all, conſidering how venterous all are, and of and to what parts. In that miniſtery in which you cannot ſee your ſelves, ſurely you cannot ſee Chriſt, how much and how oft ſo ever he may be named, as tis true è contrà. Grievous wolves are entred in among us, tearing and rending all that is hopefull; the ſenſe of this makes me to complaine, not any bodies doing well. Such who take not honor to them ſelves, but are called, the meaneſt in the body under the conſcience and aſſiſtance of this, may be a bleſſing to his brethren below and above him. Grievous Wolves are entred in, & the more grievous becauſe of our own ſelves, Acts 10.30as the Spirit of God hath foretold; and of theſe would I could warne you night and day with tears. Wild beaſts are abroad, never more, nor more grievous, and yet we are loth to believe that it is evening, or any thing enclining unto Sun-ſet: if in ſpirituals we were as promiſing as otherwiſe, I …hould thinke ſo to. I looke for much good, but not in ſuch waies as many of us take. If wounds in the body be no vent for the rottenneſſe, pride, and filth of our ſouls; if miſery be unſanctified, it becomes like theirs below, everlaſting. If we yet doe wickedly, and deale hypocritically with our God, who hath brought us out with a ſtrong hand, from the Iron yoake, and the burning brickill, ſurely ſeven times more will miſery multiply upon us untill we die, becauſe we have deſpiſed him which ſpeaks from Heaven, and as much from Heaven, and from that excellent glory (I thinke) as to any of the Gentile world. A perverſe ſpirit God hath mingled amongſt us, that we can neither ſmite nor ſmile with God, we can neither mourne nor daunce to him, which doth thus to us: which ſpirit is no ſmall judgement, but is as the nerves of the whole body looſened; and then how all ſhould hold together long, is unlikely. God magnifies his grace. Tis true: but not alwaies to be abuſed. We may leane upon grace, but not trample it under foot; God will diſtinguiſh between theſe two, if we cannot. Lets all lean upon our beloved: but what's more and inconſiſtent with this, proceedeth from the guile of our ſpirits, and that wily one, and will be a Spiders Web, and make the ſhame of our nakedneſſe to appeare in the day of his appearing, who is the ſearcher of all hearts: which apparition he loves and waits for, who is till then
Yours in the labours, travels, and bonds of the Goſpel, Nicholas Lockyer.