A Divine Legacy Bequeathed Unto All Mankind, Chapter 4

A Divine Legacy Bequeathed Unto All Mankind · Chapter 4

p. 130CHAP. IV. Shewing the way to Compleat a Conqueſt in God's Armour. Advice to Young and Old, &c.

THere be Two Grand Duties (that concern all Mankind, Male and Female, Rich and Poor, Young and Old, &c.) which are coupled together in that one Verſe, 1 Tim. 6.19. to wit,

(1ſt) A laying up in ſtore for our ſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come. And

(2dly) A laying hold on Eternal Life.

Firſt, of the 1ſt [Lay a good Foundation, &c.] This is always look'd upon by Wiſe Men as a Work of great weight, we ought all to be Builders of the Tower of Godlineſs, Luke 14.28. 'Tis compared to a Tower upon manifold accounts. As, (1.) 'Tis an high Building. (2.) Stately. (3.) Difficult. (4.) Expoſed to Storms which plain Ground is not obvious unto. (5.) Coſtly, far beyond Hutts or Cottages, &c. (6.) Godlineſs hath all the parts of an Aedifice, as Foundation, Corners, andp. 131the Roof or Top, &c. Now this Good Foundation, is not either Good Meanings, or General Mercy, or an External Profeſſion; theſe are all Sandy, Matth. 7.24,26. but 'tis the Rock Chriſt, 1 Cor. 3.11. Acts 4.12. Col. 1.15,17. 1 Pet. 1.20. Rev. 13.8, &c.

Now if we fail in the Foundation, which is the firſt of thoſe two great Duties, we can never obtain any ſolid ground of Hope for the Second, of laying hold on Eternal Life, which is the Top of that Myſtical Tower, of which it may be truy ſaid, even without any Hyperbole, what is ſaid of the Tower of Babel, that the Top of it reacheth up into Heaven, Gen. 11.4. An Antient Popiſh Limner or Painter drew Solomon's Picture, in this Poſture, of his being one half in Heaven, and the other half in Hell, &c. Thus the Man that ſets one of his Feet upon a Rock, but his other Foot upon a Quagmire, (contiguous to the Rock) whereby he Sinketh down with his whole Body into the Dirt, &c. Thus likewiſe will it befal us, if we make not Chriſt our All, and in All, Col. 3.11. but lean partly upon God, and partly upon the World; if we halt betwixt the Fleſh and the Spirit, alas we then ſeem to hang (as it were) equally poiz'd betwixt our fear ofp. 132Hell, and our hope of Heaven, with S… lomon's Picture, &c.

NB. Note well, All true Chriſtia… (whether Young or Old) ſhould ma… ſerious Reflections upon the remainder … the Body of Sin, or the unrenewed p… in them, even in the ſincereſt Conve… and in the ſoundeſt Believers, which w… make us like the Kine that carried t… Ark of God to Bethſhemeſh, (which ſig… fies the Houſe of the Sun,) they w… all along lowing, as they went, &c. 1 Sa… 6.12. Thus the Apoſtle phraſeth it, [… this Earthly Tabernacle we groan earn… ly, &c.] 2 Cor. 5.2. and he cries o… [Oh wretched man, &c.] Rom. 7.… Thus if we be truly and throughly ſe… ble of the indwellings of ſin in us, t… we ſtill keep this ſtraight way to t… Houſe of the Son of Righteouſneſs, a… neither turn to the Right Hand or L… (as is ſaid of the Kine above) yet … ſmarting experience of ſo much reli… of original pollution in us, will cauſe … to go along groaning to our very Grav… This likewiſe was one great point of G… ly Agur's prayer, [remove, Lord, far fr… me both vanity and villany before I die, … Prov. 30.7,8.] he durſt not truſt his o… heart either with Poverty or Riches, w… knowing what Solomon had ſaid befo… p. 133[He that truſteth in his own heart, is a Fool,] Prov. 28.26. And it muſt be bewailingly acknowledged, that ſin (like its Father the Devil, having the whole World For its Walk, &c.) is the moſt Heart-grieving, and the worſt Companion that we can have or meet with in our way to Heaven; hereupon we are exhorted [to take heed of an evil Heart, of an evil Heart of unbelief, &c.] Heb. 3.12. [becauſe of the deceitfulneſs of Sin,] ver. 13. All which imports, that ſin of it ſelf is ſo deceitful as eaſily to deceive us; and our own Hearts are deceitful above all things, Jer. 17.9. yet ſo as to be eaſily deceived by deceitful ſin, &c. Inſomuch as we can ſee ſmall ground for ſecurity, (tho' ſome for ſafety as kept by Chriſt, Jude ver. 1.) while we are on this ſide Heaven, &c. 'Tis our caution and fear of falling that in Chriſt contributes much to our ſtanding. The grace of fear is a great preſerver of the Soul, not only all the day long, Prov. 23.17. but even all our life long alſo in God's fear, and in God's favour too, &c. He that keepeth alive the fear of God in him, cannot well want the favour of God on him; tho' he may ſometimes loſe this latter, in reſpect of Viſion, (as in caſes of Deſertion, &c. yet he never wants it in reſpect of Union. Thus David loſt notp. 134his ſalvation by his ſin, he had only lo… the joy of his ſalvation; which he beſeeche… the Lord to reſtore to him, Pſal. 51.12 The grand concern of every Chriſtian is how to live well, and how to die well… how to live in God's fear, and how t… die in God's favour, &c. In order hereunto, our Lord hath moſt graciouſly granted us many Divine Rules, both i… the Old and in the New Teſtament Namely,

(1ſt) That of the Prophet, [What do… the Lord require of thee, O Man, but t… do juſtly, to love mercy, and to walk hu… bly with thy God,] Mic. 6.8. This comprehends the ſum and ſubſtance of th… Ten Commandments, and is a compend… um of the Law and the Prophets, &c. T… name no more but a few;

(2dly) That of the Apoſtle, [Keep thy Conſcience void of offence, both toward… God, and towards Man always, &c.] Acts 24,16. unto which let me add the ſame Apoſtles three Adverbs, &c. [The Grace of God teacheth us to live Soberly, Righteouſly and Holily in this preſent World Tit. 2.12.

Haec tria perpetuo meditare Adverbia Paul…

Haec tria ſunt vitae regula ſancta tuae.

p. 135I ſhall add no more than this one of our Lord, (who is Lord both of the Prophets, and of the Apoſtles afore-named,) namely, his general precept and preſcription to every particular and individual Believer, [Watch and Pray, that ye enter not into Temptation,] Matth. 26.41. wherein the practick part of all true Chriſtians is clearly preſcribed, demonſtrating, Firſt, The Antidote or Preſervative. And Secondly, The Diſeaſe we are in danger to fall into by our neglect of the Duty. This Text is a part of Chriſt's Swan-like Song a little before his Death; they are the living words of this greateſt of dying Prophets, a Divine Lecture or Leſſon taught by a Dying Chriſt for all living Chriſtians to learn. For,

(1ſt) The danger is univerſal [foreign] leſt ye enter, &c. this implies a poſſibility, yea and more than a probability, not only of entring into Temptation, but alſo to be oft within the verges and circumferences of it; yea, and ſometimes to fall by the power of it, and too often; for if we make an impartial inquiry into the Book of our own experiences, we ſhall there find, that we are more, and oftner in Temptation than out of it; whereas it ſhould be Chriſt's day, and Satan's hour, (according to thoſe two Scripture Phraſes, p. 136Luke 22.53. 1 Cor. 1.8. Rev. 1.10. Alas, how oft is it quite contrary, that Satan hath a whole Day, when Chriſt hath but an Hour with us; yea, and not that little time without diſtraction, 1 Cor. 7.35. How oft may our Lord ſay to us, as he ſaid to his ſleepy Diſciples here, [What, could ye not watch with me one hour!] Matth. 26.40. for he had bidden them [watch with me,] ver. 38. NB. Note well, Thoſe Three Peter, James and John had ſeen their Maſter's Glory in his Transfiguration, Matth. 17.1,2. and now they muſt be Eye-witneſſes of his behaviour in his Agony alſo; ſo our Lord bids them [watch with him:] he bids them not [pray for him,] for he needed not their Prayers, &c. He was to tread the Wine-preſs alone Iſai. 63.3. Obſerve what miſerable Comforters were thoſe ſleepy and ſlippery Diſciples unto their ſweet Saviour, who was deeply concerned for them in the midſt of his Agony, as he was after upon his Croſs, to grant the Prayer of the Penitent Thief, and to lend a look of Love on Peter, the Backſlider, Luke 22.11. And both theſe he did, while himſelf was paying the Redemption of the World for his Fellow-ſufferer, Luke 23.42,43. as he had done before for poor Peter, while he was anſwering hisp. 137Adverſaries for his own Life. Thus we find thoſe Three Diſciples were not only in danger of entring into Temptation, but they were alſo got into it, and faln by it, which is the Diſtemper and Diſeaſe it ſelf; for their Saviour found that Satan had lull'd them all faſt aſleep, whereas they ſhould have watched with him, and prayed for themſelves, (tho' not for him that needed no Mediators (ſeeing they were ſo near to become ſcattered Sheep at the ſmiting of their Shepherd. Our Lord had ſome lucid intervals, and a little breathing time in the midſt of his Agony, wherein he comes to them once and again, and finds he may tread the Wine-preſs alone for any comfort from them. And,

(1ſt) He ſharply rebukes them for their former vain conceit of themſelves, promiſing to do great things, &c. Matth. 26.33,35. but they were ſo far from dying with him, that they could not ſo much as watch with him, &c. And,

(2dly) He gravely exhorts them to this double Duty of Watching and Praying.

Then (3dly) He candidly and kindly comforts them againſt their outward weakneſs by his owning, acknowledging and accepting of their inward willingneſs; the Spirit is willing, tho' Fleſh be weak. Oh, who would not love this ſweet Saviour, p. 138that puts ſuch a candid Conſtruction upon his Saints Infirmities; alas, how oft may our Lord come and catch us napping, and oft offering up no better than yawning Devotion. Alas, how oft a bare waft of the Footmen (in leſſer Temptations) have thrown us down, as was Jeremy's caſe, Jer. 12.5. How then ſhall we be able to contend with the Horſemen of ſtronger Temptations! While we live in this lower Region, we are expoſed to ſo many violent Temptations from the Tempter, that Prince of the Power of the Air, Epheſ. 2.2,3. therefore are we called to come up higher, and to be Upper-region perſons, and to lead loftier lives than the men of the World can do in an unconverted condition: [the way of life is above to the wiſe, that he may depart from Hell beneath] Prov. 15.24. Were but our converſation more in Heaven, Phil. 3.20. while our commemoration is here on Earth, we ſhould then be raiſed up above the reach of Storms, &c. and [if we be riſen with Chriſt, we muſt ſet our affections upon things above, &c. Col. 3.1,2,3. for ye are dead (namely to Sin, and to the World,) and your life is hid with Chriſt in God. Now to attain unto this happy eſtate of living above the reach of the Poiſon of the Old Serpent, (whereof we are in perils often, and in p. 139Jeopardy every hour, as the Apoſtle phraſeth it,) our Lord hath preſcribed in the (2d) place a double Antidote or Remedy to this before-named Poiſon or Malady, namely, to lead a life made up of conſtant and continual Watching and Praying; and this is the way (having put on the whole Armour of God, as is aforeſaid,) to ſecure our Souls from both entring into, coming in, and falling by every Temptation; and not only ſo, but alſo to be Conquerors, yea more than ſo, Rom. 8.37. even to be Triumphers in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 2.14. NB. Note well, The ſeventh and laſt part of our Spiritual Armour (as deſcribed in Epheſ. 6.18.) hath a concurring concordancy with Chriſt's Command, [Watch and Pray,] Matth. 26.41. and likewiſe imports the frequency, conſtancy and continuance of thoſe two neceſſary, but too much neglected Duties, in an additional phraſe of [Praying always, and Watching thereunto with all perſeverance, &c.] that is, as we muſt pray always, ſo we muſt watch always, even all our lives long. The whole life of a Chriſtian conſiſts wholly of Watching and Prayer, &c.

Beſide this firſt difference betwixt thoſe two Texts, which reſpecteth Time, thoſe two Duties muſt be done always, even all our Days. There is a Second Difference p. 140that reſpecteth Order, for our Lord placeth Watching before Praying, Matt. 26.41. but his Apoſtle placeth Praying before Watching, Epheſ. 6.18. Now all the Inference to be deduced from this difference is this only, that we muſt Watch and Pray as our Lord biddeth us; and we muſt Pray and Watch as his Apoſtle requireth us, and that all the days of our lives. The ſum of the whole is this in ſhort:

(1ſt) Man's Malady and Danger; all men, even the beſt of men are obnoxious, and lay evermore expoſed to the evil of manifold Temptations, even from a threefold original, to wit from the Fleſh, from the World, and from the Devil: Thus even thoſe Three Diſciples who had beheld Chriſt's Glory in his Transfiguration, (as above) and therefore they might the more have been able to cleave cloſer to him now; yet even thoſe of the higheſt Rank were not only in the Danger, but in the very Diſeaſe it ſelf; yea, and which is much more, we are told, that [our Lord was tempted like unto us in all things, ſin only excepted, Heb. 4.15. And if this was done to ſuch a Green Tree, what may ſuch Dry Trees as we are expect! Luke 23.31. no place, nor time for ſecurity to the beſt.

p. 141(2dly) The Remedy and Deliverance is by a double Duty, (underſtood under Chriſt our Deliverer, as above at large;) The firſt is Watch, and the ſecond is Pray, as in Matth. 26.41. and in Luke 21.36. our Lord makes an addition, namely Watch and Pray always; to which the Apoſtle's phraſe, Epheſ. 6.18. Col. 4.2. and 1 Theſ. 5.17. do well agree.

Firſt, of the firſt of thoſe Duties, 'Tis the duty of all Chriſt's Diſciples to watch. Reaſons.

(1ſt) 'Tis a neceſſary Duty upon a double Account, (1.) Neceſſitate Medii, as neceſſary means for our ſafety. And, (2.) Neceſſitate Praecepti, as it is commanded by the Lord.

(1ſt) 'Tis neceſſary as a means whereby we are preſerved from Danger, for our life is a warfare, Job 7.1. Margent, and we can never accompliſh this warfare, Iſai. 40.1. without watching, every Chriſtian is a Soldier, 2 Tim. 2.3. who is liſted under Chriſt their Captain, Joſh. 5.14. Heb. 2.10. Now no Man can be a good Soldier that watcheth not; how ſoon is he cut off by a ſurprizing Adverſary both Viſible and Inviſible, non Regium eſt in Belli tempore indulgere Somno, ſaith Plutarch, Chriſt hath made us Kings, Rev. 1.6. and it is not King-like to foſterp. 142ſleeping in a time of War: Baanah and Rechah took off Iſhboſheth's Head while he ſlept upon his Bed at Noon, 2 Sam. 4.5,6. So Jael ſlew Siſcera when faſt aſleep, nailing him faſt to the ground, Judg. 4.21.

(2dly) 'Tis neceſſary in our obedience to the Great Lawgiver, who hath often commanded us to watch in Scripture, as Mark 13. ver. laſt. 1 Cor. 16.13. 1 Theſ. 5.6. 1 Pet. 4.7. and 5.8. Rev. 3.2. and 16.15, &c.

Reaſon the Second; they are pronounced to be bleſſed Souls that do this Duty of watching, beſide that in Rev. 16.15. ſee Luke 12.37,38,43. terque, quaterque beati, faelices ter & amplius, they are three times bleſt there by Chriſt, who was ſent into the world to bleſs both believing Jews and Gentiles that watch, Acts 3.26. Yea, ſuch are not only bleſſed Saints, but they are alſo bleſſed Angels; for Angels are called [foreign] Watchers, Dan. 4.13. Heaven is the Watch-tower of thoſe Holy Ones, that never ſleep, nor are ever wearied with labour as we Bodily Creatures are; not do they Eat or Drink as we do, whereby our ſleep is procured, &c. So that this Watching-work, is likewiſe an Angelical as well as an Evangelical Duty, and to be [foreign] like Angels, as Chriſt hath promiſed, Luke 20.36. is to enjoy p. 143an Heavenly State here, while upon Earth.

Reaſon the Third; The very Name and Nature of Saintſhip or Chriſtianity is to be found in this Duty of Watching; for Saints are called the Children (not of the Night, which is the proper time of ſleeping, but) of the light and of the day, which is the appointed ſeaſon for Watching, Walking and Working, 1 Theſ. 5.5,6,7. Such as are quickned by the Grace of Chriſt, Epheſ. 2.1. and are awaked out of the ſleep and State of ſin, Epheſ. 5.14. never after this can ſleep the ſleep of Death, Pſal. 13.3. The Spouſe of Chriſt did indeed ſleep, (when ſhe ſhould have been upon her watch) but her heart was then awake; ſo that ſhe could tell all thoſe Titles of Love, (verbatim word for word) that her beloved Lord had ſaluted her with, even while ſhe was in her half-ſleep; ſhe aggravates the foulneſs of her fault for her refuſing ſuch ſweet embraces offered them to her, Cant. 5.2,4,5. And the five wiſe Virgins indeed nodded and napped a little, they ſlumbred, but they did not ſleep, (as the five fooliſh Virgins did) for it was only by Candle-light, their Lamps were ſtill burning, and they had Oil in their Veſſels, as well as in their Lamps, Matth. 25.4,5. &c. The concluſion p. 144of that Parable is, [Watch therefore, for ye know not when the Lord will come, ver. 13. Thus the choiceſt and chiefeſt Saints may ſometimes be taken napping: yet the hidden man of the heart (as the phraſe is, 1 Pet. 3.4.) is ſtill kept awake in them, as it was with the Spouſe above.

The Fourth Reaſon for our Watching is drawn from ſeveral Emblems of this Duty, &c. Firſt the Hare and the Lion are given by the learned Criticks as the two Hieoroglificks or Repreſentations, and Reſemblances of true Chriſtians, becauſe Naturaliſts do obſerve, that thoſe two Animals always ſleep with their Eyes wide open, &c.

Thus likewiſe Secondly; The Modern Jews uſe to ſacrifice a white Cock upon New Years Day, whoſe intrails they ordain a Raven to fly away with into the Fields, and then to devour them, &c. This is another Emblem of Chriſtian Vigilancy; and in this Hiſtory there is this Myſtery, the Cock is known to be the moſt watchful creature, and therefore the Cock crowing gives a denomination to the third part of the Night in Sacred Scripture, Evening, Midnight, Cock-crow, and Morning,] Mar. 13.35. and ſo is a fit Reſemblance of the watchful Chriſtian; and yet the more fit,p. 145inſomuch as the Sacrifice muſt be a white Cock, to repreſent how Chriſtians are waſhed white in the Blood of Chriſt, Rev. 7.14. And there is congruity in the parallel of the Raven flying away with the white Cock's Intrails likewiſe; for one of the Spouſes commendable Characters of her Beloved is, [His locks are buſhy, and black as a Raven,] Cant. 5.11. Thus Chriſt is the myſtical Raven, that flies away with the infirmities and ſins of every watchful, white-waſhed Chriſtian, &c. Chriſt is the true Antitype of that Typical Scape-goat that did carry away all the Iniquities, Tranſgreſſions and Sins of Iſrael into the Land of everlaſting forgetfulneſs, Lev. 16.21. They ſhall all be blotted out, Iſa. 43.25. and none of them remembred any more, Heb. 8.12. Now having anſwered the firſt inquiry, in ſhewing the Reaſons why we ought all to be watchful ones.

The Second Inquiry is, what is this kind of Watching which our Lord doth command us to be found in?

Anſwer. There be three Kinds or Sorts of Watching: The (1ſt) is that which is Corporeal Watching, or that of the Body, which is in ſome caſes highly commendable, as in thoſe Shepherds that brought tidings of Chriſt's Birth, Luk. 2.8,9,10, &c.p. 146They were not only Vigilantes, but alſo were [foreign] they abode in the field, keeping watch over their Flock by Night: Tho' they had but ſorry Lodging there, yet had they a moſt Curious Canopy over their Heads, to wit, the Heavens, or ſtately Firmament, moſt richly beſpangled with glittering and glorious Stars; nor was this all the bleſſing that thoſe Bodily Watchers had, but they were near a better Bleſſing, even that Glorious Angel Gabriel appeared to them only, and not to any of the great men of Jeruſalem, &c. no nor to either of thoſe good men, Zechary or Simeon, &c. with theſe glad Tidings of the Birth of the Worlds Redeemer, &c. Therefore theſe Paſtors, or Shepherds, (of whom it is ſaid [foreign,] cuſtodiebant cuſtodias, they watched their Flocks, Luke 2.8.) may be a bleſſed Pattern for all good Paſtors, or Goſpel Miniſters, to take heed of their Miniſtry, which they have received in the Lord, that they fulfil it, Col. 4.17. The Angel Gabriel may the ſooner appear to them; as this Corporeal or Bodily Watching was thus richly rewarded in thoſe watchful Shepherds; ſo the want of this firſt kind of watching was ſharply rebuked by our Lord Jeſus, ſaying to his ſleepy and ſlippery Diſciples, [What, cannot ye watch p. 147with me ſo much as one hour? Matt. 26.40.

The Second Sort of Watching is Diabolical, as [the Wicked watcheth the Righteous, Pſal. 37.32. of this David often complaineth, how they every day wreſted his words, Pſal. 56.5. And thus they watched our dear Lord, (of whom David was both Father and Figure, as we read [foreign] Mark 3.2. Theſe wicked ones lay catching and carping at his words, as the Greek word ſignifies, and that other Greek word [foreign] uſed in Luke 14.1. intimates that they pryed as narrowly into Chriſt's Actions, as ever Laban did into Jacob's Stuff for his Teraphims, Gen. 31.33,34. Thus Saul ſent his Spies to watch David, 1 Sam. 19.11. to kill him. Thus was it the ſad complaint of the Prophet Jeremy [all my Familiars watched for my Halting, &c.] Jer. 20.10. This is a watching that hath the Devil for its Father, as John 8.44. begotten upon a depraved Spirit which luſteth to envy, Jam. 4.5. as upon the Mother of it, God bleſs us from this, &c.

But the Third kind of Watching, is that which is truly Divine and Spiritual, and which is not born of the Fleſh, but of the Spirit, John. 3.6. and therefore this third ſort is not Carnal, much leſs Diabolicalp. 148or Deviliſh, but it is born from Heaven, and is an effectual means to help us to Heaven, if we live out our Lives, in a careful and conſcientious obedience to this great Command of our Lord Chriſt, ſaying, [watch] Matth. 24.42. and 26.41. Mark 13. laſt, and Luke 12.37,38,43, &c.

The Third Inquiry is, What is this true Chriſtian Vigilancy, or Spiritual Watching Chriſt requireth here?

Anſwer, It is (in ſhort) Chriſtian Prudence, vigorouſly actuated, or the actual and lively exerciſe of that Divine Wiſdom which the Lord graciouſly grants to ſuch as are made wiſe to Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. In thoſe, and thoſe only is found a cautelous care, and a very wary watchful attention to heed and obſerve all ſuch matters as our Lord and Maker biddeth to be well heeded and obſerved. The ſimilitude runs in parallel lines betwixt the two kinds of Sleeping and Watching, both of that which is Natural, and of that which is Spiritual: For as in natural or literal Sleep, that immortal part of man (the pretious Soul) layeth (as it were) dead and buried in an Houſe of Clay; all its noble parts and gifts ſeem then to be loſt, and Man (all the time he lies aſleep) doth differ very little either from a Beaſtp. 149or a dead Carcaſs, which made that famous General, Epaminondas, ſay, [Qualem inveni, talem reliqui,] when he was blamed for cruelty in killing his Centinel, whom he found ſleaping, to the hazard of the whole Army, &c. and his Apology was, [I left him, but as I found him, &c.] He looked upon him as one dead, while he lay aſleep, &c. But when thoſe Vapors that cauſe Sleep are digeſted and conſumed by the Natural Heat of our Animal Spirits, and when thoſe Obſtructions of all our Senſes are thereby removed, then (ſaith the Philoſopher) [Panduntur Meatus, Reditque opus Senſationis, id eſt, Vigilia, quae eſt Senſuum Actio & Motus, quem Calor & Spiritus (in omnia Membra effuſus) efficit;] that is, the Heat and Spirit being then defuſed into all our Members from Head to Foot, all the paſſages of our Senſes are opened, &c. and then we awake from our Sleep, &c. Even thus it is with us in that which is called a Myſtical and Spiritual Sleeping, and awaking out of it: It was corrupt Humours that cauſed both the Spouſe, and the Wiſe Virgins to fall into a ſlumber, and thoſe Vapors do ariſe out of the Body of Sin, that unrenewed part in us, which do for a time obſtruct the operations of a Spiritual Life in us: p. 150But when the Spirit of Grace (which is called the Spirit of Burning, Iſa. 4.4.) reviveth and burns up thoſe corrupt Humours in us, then is it that we awake, ariſe and go forth to ſhake our ſelves as Samſon did when the Philiſtines were upon him, Judg. 16.20. This is called our awaking unto Righteouſneſs, 1 Cor. 15.34. and ſtanding up from the Dead, Epheſ. 5.14. Awake, Awake, ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 52.1. and Ariſe, Shine, &c. Iſa. 60.1.

The Fourth Inquiry is, what is the proper Object or Subject of this Spiritual Watching?

Anſwer, This Chriſtian Vigilancy is moſt highly concerned in this Watching-work, as it hath a Reſpect and Relation to a double Trinity; the firſt is a Trinity of Friends, to wit, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt: And the Second is, a Trinity of Foes, namely, the World, the Fleſh and the Devil. All theſe both Friends and Foes are to be duly and daily watched in our warring the good Warfare, 1 Tim. 1.18. and in fighting the good Fight of Faith, 1 Tim. 6.12.

Firſt, of the firſt, The Trinity of Friends that muſt be watched is, 1ſt God the Father muſt be watched; this Leſſon we ſhould learn from Chriſt, who did ſo, ſaying, We ſpeak that we know, and teſtifie p. 151that we have ſeen, Joh. 3.11. and farther, [The Son can do nothing of himſelf, but what he ſeeth the Father do, Joh. 5.19. and [the Father loveth his Son, and ſheweth him all thing that himſelf doth,] ver. 20. And [as I hear, I do, not doing mine own, will, but the will of my Father who ſent me,] ver. 30. Now if Chriſt (that holy Child) watched what he ſaw and heard from the Father, by that Divine and Unſpeakable Communication between them, &c. how ought Chriſtians to watch likewiſe, having an Unction from the Holy God, that teacheth all things, 1 Joh. 2.20. It is ſaid of Iſrael, [Veſhameru Miſhmereth] Cuſtodiebant Cuſtodiam, they watched the Motions of the Lord in the Cloudy Pillar, Numb. 9.19. they kept Watch and Ward Night and Day to ſee when the Cloud would ariſe, that they might be at every hour ready for removing. Thus David ſet God always before him, Pſal. 16.8. So ought we to do that we may learn to be holy as he is holy, 1 Pet. 1.15. Children ſhould learn to be like their Father, Matth. 5. laſt, in the Quality of Holineſs, tho' we cannot come up to an Equality of his Holineſs. Thus we ought to paſs more and more into the likeneſs of that Heavenly Pattern. If our Eyes wait upon the Lord, as the Eyes of ap. 152Servant upon his Maſter, &c. Pſal. 123.1,2. then is there Hope concerning both our Conformity to God, and our Communion with God: We ought to watch God's Pillar of Providence, as Iſrael did the Cloudy Pillar; for there is God's Voice in the work of his Providence: Were we but Men of Wiſdom, to watch, hear and undeſtand it aright, Mic. 6.9. we ſhould learn the ſooner to follow Providence the better; the neglect whereof doth oft bring damage and detriment to us, &c. But tho' God's Providence may be too dark and deep for our dim Eyes to ſee, and for our dull Ears to hear; yet bleſſed be God, his Precepts and his Promiſes are all ſo plain, that he who runs may read and hear them; and our not watching them, makes us neglect Godlineſs.

The (2d) Friend is God the Son muſt be watched, for we know not either the Day or the Hour wherein he will call us either to Death, or to the Day of Judgment; every Man's Death-day is his particular Dooms-day, &c. as before, and becauſe we cannot foreſee it, therefore muſt we ever expect it, and ſpend every day as if it were our laſt day. Hereupon we are all commanded to be always upon our watch, and to be alſo ready for his coming, Matth. 24.42,44. where ourp. 153Lord uſeth ſeven Argument from ver. 37. to the end of that Chapter, as ſo many motives to ſtir us up unto watchfulneſs; the day and hour knoweth no man, &c. ver. 36. ideo latet unus dies, ut obſerventur omnes, that we might watch continually for that uncertain certain day. The Harlot grew bold to ſin on this account, becauſe ſhe knew her Lord would not return till ſuch an appointed time, Prov. 7.10,18,19,20. Whereas ſecure Sinners may hear, [Thou Fool, this night ſhall thy Soul be taken from thee, Luke 12.20. He will come unlooked for, and Dichotomize, cut aſunder, and tear his Soul from his Body by force, &c. Matth. 24.50,51. 'Tis a bleſſed Badge, pinn'd (as it were) upon ſanctified Souls Sleeves, that they wait for the coming of the Lord Jeſus, 1 Cor. 1.2,7. 1 Theſ. 1.10. as it was the character of Old Teſtament Saints, that they waited for the conſolation of Iſrael in Chriſt's firſt coming, Luke 2.25. how much more ought we to lift up our Heads and Eyes for beholding the comfort of his ſecond coming, Luke 21.28. looking for, and haſtning unto it, (as deſirous to meet him in the way,) 2 Pet. 3.12. crying continually, [O mora, Chriſto veni,] come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, Rev. 22.20. All ſuch as have taken many ſweet Turnsp. 154in communion with Chriſt upon the Mountain of Spices, to wit, (Goſpel Ordinances, will cry, [come, and be like a Roe for ſwiftneſs,] Cant. 8. laſt. Upon ſuch Chriſt comes not as a Thief in the night, 1 Theſ. 5.3. for they love his appearing, 2 Tim. 4.8. and they are bleſſed, Rev. 16.15. Such as fear to live and ſee that day, ſhall not ſee it to live, &c.

The Third great Friend we muſt watch is the Holy Ghoſt, for 'tis a Divine Precept, [He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit ſaith unto the Churches,] Rev. 2.7. And this is ſaid again and again, both in the 2d and in the 3d Chapter to all the Seven Golden Candleſticks, ſeven times over; the ſenſe whereof is, we muſt watch and hearken what God the Holy Spirit will ſpeak, Pſal. 85.8. not ſo much with the Griſtle on the Head, but more by the Ear of the Heart; for God may ſpeak once and twice, and man perceive it not, Job 33.14. until God bore our Ears, as he did David's, Pſal. 40.6. and open our Hearts as he did Lydias, Acts 16.14. and until our Lord put his Finger into the Hole of our Ear, and looking up to Heaven, he cry, [Ephphatha] that is, be opened, as he did to the Man that was poſſeſſed with a deaf Devil, Mark 7.34. We muſt pray with the p. 155Spouſe for this purpoſe, ſaying, [Lord, thy Companions hearken to thy Voice, cauſe me to hear it alſo,] Cant. 8.13. when this Quickning Spirit, (as he is called▪ Joh. 6.63.) even this Spirit of Truth cometh, he guideth us into all Truth, Joh. 16.13. and bleſſed is that Soul which watcheth the Motions of this Holy Spirit in a Sanctified Conſcience, and can diſcern a difference of ſuch perſuaſions as come not from him that calleth us, Gal. 5.8. The Steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, Pſal. 37.23. Bleſſed are they that hear the joyful ſound, (of this breathing Spirit) they ſhall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy Countenance, Pſal. 89.15. they follow the footſteps of his Anointed, ver. 51. and David muſt then beſtir himſelf, when he heard the ſound of God's goings upon the Tops of the Mulberry Trees, 2 Sam. 5.24. This Holy Spirit is a delicate thing, Pſal. 143.10. as Junius reads it, and therefore muſt not be vexed, Iſa. 63.10. nor grieved, Epheſ. 4.30. much leſs quenched in its motions, 1 Theſ. 5.19. they that are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God, Rom. 8.14. as Paul was, Acts 16.6,7. and Simeon was led by the Spirit into the Temple, Luke 2.27. Yea, and our Lord Jeſus himſelf was led up by the Spirit into the Wilderneſs to conquerp. 156the Tempter in a Duel upon the Devil's own ground, Matth. 4.1. Thus Abraham (that Father of the faithful) went out, he knew not whether, nor▪ when he ſhould return, nor how he ſhould ſubſiſt, &c. yet he well knew with whom he went, Heb. 11.8. for he put himſelf as a Child into his Father's hand who called him, and the conduct of the Holy Spirit carried him dry-ſhod to the laſt. Thus likewiſe if we be the Sons and Daughters of Abraham, the Holy Spirit will teach us all things, John 14.26. that bleſſed Anointing is our beſt Inſtructer, 1 John, 2.20.27. We ſhould lay our ſelves (as Inſtruments) open to the Touchings of this Holy Spirit, and ſubmit to his Diſcipline, (which requires much ſelf-denial,) then ſhall we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22,23. which is in all Goodneſs and Righteouſneſs, and Truth, Epheſ. 5.9. And could we but watch its whiſperings more and better, ſo as to obey them, we ſhould not ſo oft be found in Fundo Diaboli, upon the Devil's ground in places of Temptation; but as the Spirit ſuffered not Paul, &c. to go unto ſuch and ſuch Places, Acts 16.6,7. even ſo would it be with us, could we but put our Souls wholly under the conduct of this Holy Spirit. If once we dare preſumep. 157to break this Divine Hedge, that Old Serpent will ſurely bite us, Eccleſ. 10.8. We may not live at Random, and without a Rule, but we muſt mind and watch the Teachings of this Divine Unction, which never teacheth us any thing, but what is conſonant to the Holy Scripture, endited by it, 2 Pet. 1.19,20,21.

Now come we to the Second Trinity, or three ſorts of Foes or Enemies to be duly and daily watched.

The firſt Foe is the World, which is a woful Witch, and muſt be burned for a Witch at the Laſt Day, 2 Pet. 3.7,10. and therefore ought we to watch this Witch well, that we may not be bewitched by it. It is well known that ſuch perſons as are bewitched, do not only loſe their Likeneſs and Beauty, but alſo do ſuffer many ſad Paroxyſms and Fits of ſtrange Diſtempers, &c. As all this holds true literally to bewitched Bodies, &c. ſo no leſs is it true myſtically to bewitched Souls, which are captivated by the two fair Breaſts, (or rather Botches;) this Witch the World expoſeth to their view, namely, Pleaſure and Profit: Such have horrible Fits of Madneſs, as Saul had, when the Evil Spirit came upon him. 1 Sam. 16.14,23, &c. and ſuch have Leanneſs ſent into their Souls. Pſal. 106.15.p. 158Beſides the World muſt be well watched, becauſe it is ſuch an Enemy as continually beſiegeth us, and we cannot flee from it while we live in it; therefore we muſt be ſure to have a Lid or Covering for our Hearts: Thoſe Veſſels that wanted Coverings, the Law doomed them Unclean, Numb. 19.15. and ſo are our Hearts without a Covering of the Spirit, Iſa. 30.1. The Dirt of a dirty World will unavoidably be often falling into an open uncovered Heart, whereby both Mind and Conſcience are defiled, Tit. 1.15. We ſhould keep the World under our Feet, where God placed it, Pſal. 8.6. and not ſet it in our Hearts, Eccleſ. 3.11.

The Second Foe to be watched is Satan, who is called [the God of this World,] 2 Cor. 4.4. and dealeth with Worldlings, as unlucky Boys do with ſilly Horſes; they firſt catch them with a little Provender, and then backs them, whips and ſpurs them into an High Gallop, and rides them till they be tired, and at laſt lodges them in the Stable at night, &c. We are told how Satan conſidered Job, and better conſidered him, Job 1.8. and 2.3. that is, he watched all Advantages to Tempt that none-ſuch Saint, and Servant of God, &c. Oh then, how much more ought ſuch weak worms (as wep. 159are to conſider him, who ſo much conſi…ers us, and watches us to take all advantages againſt us, for we are not ignorant of his Devices, 2 Cor. 2.11. We read of Rizpah, how ſhe watched her Royal Seed upon the Rock, &c. and ſuffered neither the Birds of the Air to reſt on them by day, nor the Beaſts of the Field by night,] 2 Sam. 21.10. Thus every Believer ought to do as Rizpah did in watching the Royal Seed, even the Seed of God in them, that it be not wronged either by night or day, by Satan, who is called both a Prince, Fowl of the Air, Epheſ. 2.2. and likewiſe a Beaſt of the Field, as he is a Roaring Lion, 1 Pet. 5.8. and therefore are we there bidden to be vigilant, leſt we be devoured by him. When this Tempter comes to us, he hath a Threefold Errand.

(1ſt) To find ſomething of his own Work in us, as he found nothing thereof in our ſinleſs Saviour, Joh. 14.30.

(2dly To get betwixt us and out ſtrong Hold, Prov. 18.10. where is ſafety, drawing us out of our Trenches, &c. as Joſhuah did the men of Ai, Joſh. 8.6. And,

(3dly) To gain ſome Harbour and Houſe room in any corner of our Hearts. NB. Note well, Tho' he may have power over our Naturals, yet he can have no power over our Morals without our conſent.p. 160He cannot make his paſſage into us, unleſs we ſign his Paſs, &c. We muſt watch well hereupon, &c.

The Third Foe we muſt therefore watch the more is our own Hearts, which are deceitful above all things, and deſperately wicked, &c. Jer. 17.9. Hereupon we are commanded [to keep our Hearts with all diligence, even with the beſt of our keeping, becauſe the iſſues of Life, yea and of Death too, flows from that Fountain, according to the goodneſs or badneſs of it,] Prov. 4.23,24,25,26,27. and Deut. 4.9,10, &c. This Hidden Man of the Heart, (as 'tis called,) 1 Pet. 3.4. muſt be well watched, becauſe 'tis like a troubled Sea, always caſting forth Mire and Dirt, Iſa. 57.20,21. 'Tis Job's phraſe, [am I a Sea, &c. that thou ſetteſt a watch over me?] Job 7.12. Abundance of evil Thoughts, &c. proceed from the Heart, Matth. 15.18,19,20. The Tempter can only knock at the Door, he can neither Fire it, nor Force it open; 'tis his gaining our conſent, that lets down the Draw-bridge, and lets him enter, &c. therefore 'tis not enough to have our Hearts, well watched only, but they muſt be well waſhed alſo, as God ſaith, [Waſh thine Heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayſt be ſaved; how long ſhall thy vain Thoughts lodge withinp. 161thee,] Jer. 4.14. Thoſe evil Thoughts ought to ho watched, and ſtrictly examined, yea and clapped up cloſe Priſoners, otherwiſe they will abuſe uſ, (the Fathers of them) as Lot's Daughters, did him, their Father; they were awake, when he was faſt aſleep, and how buſie were they to make him drunk, &c. Gen. 19.31, to 38. Alas how oft do vain Imaginations abuſe our Harlot-like Hearts all the night long until the morning, as thoſe men of Belial in the City of Gibeah did the Levite Concubine, Judg. 19.25, &c. Upon this conſideration, we ought to watch well our own Hearts, which is the Source and Seed-plot of all our ſins; for thoughts beget delight, delight, begets conſent, conſent brings forth action, action produceth cuſtom, and cuſtom concludeth with laying a law of neceſſity in ſinning againſt God, principiis obſta, venienti occurito morbo, begin betimes to watch Diſeaſes of the Body, &c. how much more thoſe of the Soul; ill principles breed ill practices.

The Inferences concerning the Duty of watching.

(1ſt) 'Tis an univerſal Duty, no Perſons, no Time, no Place are excepted from it, [all watch,] Mark 13.37.

p. 162(2dly) Every Perſon muſt watch the whole Man, both all the Members of the Body, and all the Faculties of the Soul Alas, all have been [foreign] weapons of wickedneſs, Rom. 6.13,19. No Roman General was allowed the Honour of a Triumph, until they had won five Victories; ſo nor may we truly Triumph, before we have conquered our five Senſes: How ought we to watch them; many have died of a wound in the Eye, &c.] Job cover'd his Eye with a Covenant, Job 31.1. Pſal. 119.37. If our Eye offend us, we muſt pull it out of the Old Adam, and get it ſet into the New Man, &c. How ought we watch our Tongues, Pſal. 39.1,2. and 141.3. Eccleſ. 5.1,2,3. Jam. 3.2, &c.

(3dly) Secure Souls, that dare neglect their watch, conſider not that their way is dark and ſlippery, Pſal. 35.6. and that this world is liKe the Vale of Siddim, full of Slime-pits, Gen. 14.10. into which we may ſlip before we be aware; therefore ought we [foreign, to walk warily] Gal. 2.14. ſignifying, that we lift not up one Foot, until we find firm footing for the other; and we ought to [walk circumſpectly] Epheſ. 5.15. the word [foreign] ſignifie to walk exactly, by Line and by Rule; its Etymology is [foreign p. 163a going up to the very top of Godlineſs, walking along as in a Frame, and keeping the King's high way, not turning to right hand or left, Prov. 4.27.

(4thly) We muſt learn from the Prophet to ſay, [I will ſtand upon my watch, and ſet me upon the Watch-tower, and will watch to ſee what God will ſay unto me, &c.] Hab. 2.1,2,3. Now there is no watching without Eyes, which when Samſon had loſt, then a little Boy could lead him. Solomon ſaith, that [a prudent man foreſeeth an evil and hideth himſelf, &c.] Prov. 22.3. 'Tis a good obſervation, the Greek word [foreign] a wiſe man is derived from the Hebrew word [Tſopheh] ſpeculator, one ſtanding always upon his watch.

(5thly) Let us rejoyce in this, that when we neglect to watch over our ſelves, we have a gracious God, to watch over us night and day, &c. Iſai. 27.3. and keeps the Feet of his Saints, 1 Sam. 2.9. 1 Pet. 1.5. Jude ver. 1. we may be loſt, Reſpectu Rei, (of our ſelves) not Reſpectu Dei (of God) Joh. 6.39. and 10.28,29. and 17.12. Jude ver. 24. 2 Tim. 1.12. The Apoſtle Peter ſaith, [the end of all …hings is at hand, therefore we muſt be ſo…er and wateh unto Prayer,] 1 Pet. 4.7. This is the laſt part of our Spiritual Armour, p. 164Epheſ. 6.18. Matth. 26.41. which if (by the helping hand of our gracious God) we be made able to improve aright in our Chriſtian Warfare, then ſhall we be bleſt to rejoyce with the bleſſed Spouſe of Chriſt, crying [It is the Voice of my Beloved, behold he cometh leaping over Mountains, and skipping over Hills,] Cant. 2.8. Remarks upon it are,

(1ſt) Watching and Praying Souls have this, and hear this [Kol-Dodi Heb. the Voice of their Beloved; thus the Watching and Praying Prophet had his joyful tidings of the ruine of Babylon, and of the reſtoration of Sion, Hab. 2.1,3. and Chap. 3. and this was likewiſe the Spouſe's work here, whe… ſhe was brought into the Bridegrooms Banquetting-houſe, and his Banner of Lo… was over her, Cant. 2.4. yea, and his left Hand was under her Head, and his right hand embraced her after ſhe had prayed for ſome of Chriſt's Cordials to be handed in to her Soul which was ſick o… Love, ver. 5, 6. and tho' ſhe charged others not to awaken him, &c. ver. 7. yet ſhe doth it her ſelf, but not before he pleaſed for immediately he brings the Flagons o… Wine and Apples of Comfort, ſhe ſ… earneſtly cried for; and this ſhe doth acknowledge in this Divine Rapture [Ko… Dodi,] 'tis the Voice of my Beloved, ver. … and in Chap. 5.2. Alſo,

p. 165Remark the Second; As Chriſt's Face is comely to the Eyes of gracious Souls, [White and Ruddy, Cant. 5.10. yea, and altogether Lovely (as well as all aſunder,) ver. 11, 12, &c. 16. So Chriſt's Voice is comfortable to their Ears: Oh how the very hearing of it put the Spouſe into a Tranſport, having a preſent ſenſe of her Lord's approaching to make ſome gracious diſcoveries of himſelf to her by his Voice. Oh how wonderfully refreſhing, yea raviſhing was it to this Love-ſick Spouſe, and 'tis no leſs to Love-ſick Souls. And

The (3d) Remark is, among all the five Senſes, the Senſe of Hearing hath this ſurpaſſing Excellency, that God hath ordained the great grace of Faith muſt come by bearing, Rom. 10.17. As Satan had made Man's Ear the inſtrument of Man's deſtruction, when our firſt Parents liſtned ſooner to the Tempters baſe Lies (who was a Liar from the beginning, Joh. 8.44.) than to the bleſſed Truths of the God of Truth; even ſo our Gracious Father hath made the ſame ſenſe of hearing to be the Organ of Man's Salvation, &c.

The (4th) Remarke is, There is a natural Deafneſs in faln mankind: 'Tis not not ſo much God's Silence, as it is our Dulneſs; for [God ſpeaks once and twice, p. 166and Man perceiveth it not,] Job 33.14. or it may be our Childiſhneſs, as it was in the young Child Samuel, when he miſtook God's call for old Ely's, 1 Sam. 3.4,6,8,10. 'Tis worſt of all to be like the Deaf Adder, that will not hearken, &c. Pſal. 58.4,5. This is our caſe, until Chriſt come and cry [Ephphatha J Ears be opened, Mark 7.34,35.

The (5th) Remark is, It is a ſad diſpenſation to lie any long time under Divine Deſertions, and not to hear the Voice of our Beloved neither Week-day, nor Lord's-day. This was David's outcry, [My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me, I cry night and day, but thou heareſt me not,] (ſo as not to anſwer me with thy Voice,) Pſal. 22.1,2. yet he keeps high and honourable Thoughts of even a ſilent God, ſaying, [but thou art Holy, and inhabits Praiſes, &c.] ver. 3. and he complains alſo, [Lord, how long wilt thou be Angry againſt the Prayers of thy People?] Pſal. 80.4. And thus it was with the Spouſe, complaining, [I called him, but he gave me no anſwer, Cant. 5.6. this is ſad to Love-ſick Souls, &c.

The (6th) Remark is, The Love-ſick Spouſe, even while ſlumbering, can know the Voice of her Beloved, Cant. 5.2,3, &c. where ſhe ſaith, [it is the Voice of my p. 167Beloved that knocketh, &c.] not only becauſe it was but an half-ſleep, for the hidden, man of her heart, (ſo called, 1 Pet. 3.4.) was awake; but alſo becauſe of her former frequent knowledge and acquaintance with this [Kol-Dodi] or her Beloved's Voice. Thus it is common among us, that we know whoſe Voice it is that calleth us, when foregoing Acquaintance hath made it familiar to us, tho' we be betwixt ſleeping and waking, eſpecially if we ſhake our ſelves as Samſon did, Judg. 16.20.

The (7th) Remark is, When we have not been ſo dutiful and attentive to Chriſt's Voice, as we ought to be, ſo as to obey his Call, &c. yet then muſt we make ſerious reflections upon our own negligence, and ſeverely cenſure our ſelves for refuſing ſuch bleſſed Embracements as the Soul-ſick Spouſe did, repeating with regret every Title of Love, and every Accent he had given her, and every Action he had done in order to his own reception with her: All along aggravating her own fault and folly, that a King ſhould court a Beggar and be rejected, Cant. 5.3,5,8.

The (8th) Remark is, This Kol-Dodi, &c. is an abrupt paſſage, proceeding from a pang of Love, whereof ſhe was ſick, andp. 168now lies (as it were) languiſhing at Hope's Hoſpital, ever liſtning and Hearkning to hear her Bridegrooms Voice; and when ſhe heard it, ſhe rejoiced at it, not only as the Damſel Rhoda did to hear the Voice of Peter, Acts 12.14. but as Elizabeth did when our Lord's Mother ſaluted her, as her Babe, ſo the Spouſes Heart leaped within her, Luke 1.40,41.

The (9th) Remark from the Text, Cant. 2.8. is, The Voice of Chriſt is a very pretious Voice unto all gracious hearts; as here to the Spouſe: ſhe firſt heard his Voice, and then cries, behold he comes. John Baptiſt was call'd a Voice to prepare a way for Chriſt's coming, Mark 1.2,3. So the Spouſe here looks upon Chriſt's Voice as a forerunner of himſelf, and of his coming to her to communicate more of his Graces and Comforts to her Love-ſick Soul. No ſooner doth Chriſt's ſweet Voice enter into our Ears, and ſinks down into our Hearts, but preſently we are made to hear of Joy and Gladneſs, and our broken Bones begin to Rejoice] Pſal. 51.8. the Spouſe tells her Friends ſo, &c.

Enquiry how we may know the Voice of Chriſt, our Beeloved, from the Voice of Falſe Lovers, &c.

Anſwer the (1ſt) There is much difficulty oftentimes to diſcern a difference,p. 169becauſe Satan can imitate the Servants of God, his Magicians did the like to Moſes's Miracle with their Enchantments, Exod. 7.11. until God did convince them, Exod. 8.19. yea, and plagued themſelves alſo for their Cheat, Exod. 9.11. nor could Samuel himſelf have ſpoken more gravely, more devoutly, and more divinely than Satan did unto Saul, who hired the Witch of Endor to conjure him up in Samuel's ſimilitude, 1 Sam. 28.15, to 20. Satan himſelf is transformed into an Angel of Light; it is no marvel then, if his Miniſters, Falſe Apoſtles, Deceitful Workers, transform themſelves into the Apoſtles of Chriſt, &c. 2 Cor. 11.13,14,15. and the cry of Folly is like the cry of Wiſdom, Prov. 9.4,16. the Voices are alike, and the Words are the ſame in both, [Whoſo is ſimple, let him turn in hither, &c. yet are they diſtinguiſhable by many Characters.

Anſwer the (2d) The Voice of our Beloved doth differ from the Voice of Strangers, (which Chriſt' ſheep will not hear, nor follow, John 10.4,5,8.) By theſe few Diſcriminations, The firſt Diſcriminating Character is, Chriſt's Voice hath in it ſelf a ſelf-diſcovering property; 'tis the excellency of it, to bring along with it its own Evidence; how do we knowp. 170that Light is Light, but by that evidence of Light which it hath in it ſelf, &c. and thus Fire doth diſcover it ſelf by its own Heat, as well as Light.

The Second Character is, Chriſt's Voice is attended with Authority and Power, inſomuch as his Hearers ſtood aſtoniſhed at his Doctrine, Luke 4.32. and they were amazed, ſaying, What a Word is this? for with Authority and Power he caſteth out Devils, ver. 36. Thus David tells us, [the Voice of the Lord is powerful, and full of Majeſty, it breaketh the talleſt Cedars, and the ſtrongeſt Oaks, &c. it maketh the Hindes to Calve, (which is the moſt difficult Birth of all Females, Job 39.1. they being ſo narrow-made Creatures, &c.) And the Voice of the Lord ſtilleth the Rage of Rivers and Seas, by ſitting upon the Floods, and keeping them under his Call,] Pſal. 29.4,5,6,7, to 11.

The Third Character is, The Voice of Chriſt reacheth the Heart, it maketh manifeſt the Secrets of the Hearts of Unbelievers at a Sermon-hearing, and cauſeth them to fall down and worſhip God, and to ſay, that God is in his Prophets of a truth,] 1 Cor. 14.24,25. Thus when Chriſt ſpeaketh with a ſtrong hand (as he did to the Prophet, Iſa. 8.11.) to any perſon, then Chriſt opens the Heart, (asp. 171he did the Heart of Lydia, Acts 16.14.) tho' it be called a ſmall ſtill Voice, 1 Kings 19.12. yet having the Lord in it, it is mighty in its Operations for pulling down of the ſtrong holds of Satan, and caſting down every high thing, that exalts its ſelf againſt God in us, 2 Cor. 10.4,5. Chriſt's Voice hath Spirit and Life in it, John 6.63. and therefore is it only effectual to break the heart for ſin, to diſſolve the Stone, and to mortifie ſin in it, and to quicken it for God, and to change it into the Image of God, &c. 2 Cor. 3.18.

The Fourth Character is, Chriſt's Voice calleth from evil to good, from ways of wickedneſs to ways of holineſs, it always cries, [come up hither to God] Rev. 11.12. but never [go down thither to ſin,] this latter is the Voice of an Egyptian, and when we meet it, we muſt (with Moſes) ſlay it; but the former is an Hebrew Voice, which we muſt ſave alive as he did, Exod. 2.11,12. Chriſt's Breath or Spirit is called a Spirit of Holineſs, Rom. 1.3. and always calls us to be Holy as he is Holy, 1 Pet. 1.15. and 2 Pet. 3.11. Truth calls to forſake the Fooliſh, Prov. 9.6. but Error calls to Fleſhly Delights, ver. 15, 16, 17. therefore we muſt reject that Voice, which promotes not the power of Godlineſs.

p. 172The Fifth Character is, Chriſt's Voice is alway conſonant to the Light and Law of Nature. This is the remainder of God's Image in faln mankind, ſome ſherd whereof do ſtill remain after Adam's fall, whereby Cain knew that Murther, Joſeph that Adultery, his Brethren that Theft, &c. were all heinous ſins, long before the Law was given by Moſes. Hereby likewiſe [the Gentiles who have not the Law, do by Nature the things contained in the Law; theſe are a Law to themſelves, which ſhew the work of the Law written in their Hearts, their Conſcience bearing witneſs, and either excuſing, or accuſing, &c.] Rom. 2.14,15. Therefore that Voice which croſſeth the Voice of an awakened Conſcience is not Chriſt's Voice.

The Sixth Character is, the Voice of Chriſt is alway congruous to the Light and Law of the Holy Scripture; for Chriſt (who is called the word, John 1.1.) cannot contradict himſelf, He is not Yea and Nay, but in him was Yea, &c. 2 Cor. 1.17,18,19,20. He is the ſame both in his Voice that is ſpoken, and in his Word that is written; therefore our Lord ſaith, [to the Law and to the Teſtimony, if any ſpeak not according to this word, it is becauſe they have no Light in them,] Iſa. 8.20. The Word written muſt be the p. 173Rule of our Lives, becauſe it ſhall be our Judge after Death, as our Lord ſaith, [the word that I have ſpoken, the ſame ſhall judge you at the laſt day,] John 12.48. Rom. 2.16. according to my Goſpel: So that if any pretended Voice of Chriſt come to us, which holds not congruity with the Scipture of Truth, Dan. 10.21. 1 Joh. 4.1. we muſt look on it as a Deluſion, &c.

The Seventh Character is, The Voice of Chriſt always calls to weighty matters, and that in order, &c. but never to trifling Deeds, and in diſorder and confuſion. Thus Nehemiah perceived it was none of God's call, that called him from God's work, no fewer than five or ſix times, to trifling diſcourſes with them in private, &c. Neh. 6.4,5,6,12. and thus Paul was exaſperated againſt the Divining Damſel for diſturbing them many days from their Praying work, &c. Acts 16.16,17,18.

The Eighth and Laſt Character, (to mention no more for brevity ſake) is, Chriſt's Voice doth put the Right Hearer of it into an acting frame and doing poſture; for thus he ſaith, [Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I ſay, Luke 6.46. 'Tis not Hearers, but Doers whom God reſpects, Rom. 2.13. p. 174Hearers only and not Doers deceive themſelves, Jam. 1.22. 'Tis not the hearing and talking, but the walking and working Chriſtian that Chriſt loveth, &c.

Inferences from hence, (1ſt) That we may hear the Voice of Chriſt, we muſt come to every Ordinance in publick, and to every Duty in private in an hearkning poſture; [I will hearken what the Lord will ſay, &c. Pſal. 85.8. [Speak, Lord, for thy Servant heareth,] 1 Sam. 3.19. [To hearken is better than the fat of Rams, 1 Sam. 15.22. [To day if you will hear his Voice, harden not your hearts,] Heb. 3.7. but liſten and hearken with bored Ears, Pſal. 40.6, &c.

(2dly) Pray for a Diſcerning Spirit, 1 Cor. 12.10. that we miſtake not the Younger for the Elder, as blind Iſaac did, Gen. 27,21,22. The Voice may be Jacob's, when the Hands may be like the rough Hands of Eſau, &c. and we may think that we are embracing our beloved Rachel all the night, when in the morning-light, it proves a Blear-eyed Leah, as it was impoſed upon Jacob by churliſh Laban, Gen. 29.25. and therefore muſt we pray for God's Spirit to lead us into all truth, John 14.26. if it do witneſs with our Spirits, Rom. 8.16. This is the ultimum, or laſt appeal, then may we ſayp. 175with the Apoſtle, [I have the mind of Chriſt,] 1 Cor. 2.16. and with the Prophet, [If I be deceived, my God hath deceived me, Jer. 20.7. For the Spirit of Truth doth not only aſſure us of our intereſt in Chriſt, but alſo of the truth of the Voice of Chriſt to us, to prevent miſtakes, &c.

(3dly) Prove all things, and hold faſt that which is good, 1 Theſ. 5.21. Try before we truſt, take nothing upon truſt; he was a fond Philoſopher that ſaid, [he had rather err with Plato, than follow the Truth with others;] whereas [we ſhould follow any that follow Chriſt,] 1 Cor. 11.1. [Wo to them that call evil good, &c.] Iſa. 5.20. therefore ſhould we ſay with Iſaac, [Come near my Son, that I may feel thee,] Gen. 27.21. And John turned to ſee the Voice of him that ſpake to him, Rev. 1.12. And the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, [our Hands have handled of the word of Life,] 1 John 1.1. the Ear tryeth words, &c. Job. 12.11. As Timothy muſt lay hands ſudddenly on no man, 1 Tim. 5.22. So we on no Thing, no Voice, &c. for we may hear a noiſe only of Chriſt, but not the diſtinct articulate Voice of Chriſt, &c. as thoſe that journied with Paul did, &c. Acts 9.7. with Acts 22.9. and 'tis ſaid of thoſe Chriſt-killers, [that they knew not the p. 176Voices of the Prophets, &c. Acts 13.27.

(4thly) The true Voice of Chriſt diſcovers it ſelf by its effects, as (1) It makes our hearts leap at it within us, as the Babe leaped in Elizabeths Womb, when only the Mother of our Lord ſaluted her, Luke 1.44. much more when our Lord himſelf ſaluteth us, &c. our Hearts then muſt leap for Joy, &c. (2) It makes our Hearts b…rn within us, as it did to thoſe two Diſciples, Luke 24.32. Chriſt's Voice ever makes a warm Heart, &c.

(5thly) If we be of God, we ſhall hear the Voice of Chriſt, and his word will have room in us, John 8.37,47. and every one that is of the Truth heareth Chriſt's Voice, John 18.37. by this we may know both whoſe and what we are as to our State, &c.

(6thly) and Laſtly, A Love-ſick Soul cannot bear any long ſilence from Chriſt, &c. there was ſilence in Heaven only for half an hour, Rev. 8.1. that was a wonder, but to hear nothing of Chriſt's Voice for whole Days, Weeks and Months, &c. is a great grievance to a gracious Heart; this made David cry, [Hide not thy Face from thy Servant, for I am in trouble; hear me ſpeedily,] Pſal. 69.17. And the Spouſe ſaid, [Thy Companions hear thy Voice, Oh, cauſe me to hear it alſo,]p. 177Cant. 8.13. [Hope deferred, makes the Heart ſick,] Prov. 13.12. Unleſs God ſay to us, as he ſaid to Moſes, [ſpeak no more to me concerning this matter,] Deut. 3.25,26. Thus God ſometimes ſaith ſo to us in his Works, when he declares his Will contrary to our Wills. Thus David prayed for the Life of his Child, when God had decreed its Death, 2 Sam. 12.16,17,18. And our Saviour himſelf prayed [let this Cup paſs from me, yet with ſubmiſſion to his Fathers Will, Matth. 26.19, &c.