The World Conquered, Sermon (5 of 6)

The World Conquered · Sermon (5 of 6)

p. 232Friends, if you do not yet fall a weeping for your ſelves, for your hypocriſie, your carnality; for your ſelf-ſeeking, and ſelf-deceiving, my ſoul weep thou in ſecret for them: Oh that mine head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for you, till either this earth be thrown out of your hearts, or the name of Chriſt out of your mouths: O for more of the Goſpel, or for leſs; for more of the power, or nothing of the name; for more of its holineſs, or leſs of its hopes, and boaſtings; come ye and be crucified to this world, or talk no more of the Croſs of Chriſt.

Oh how many enemies hath the Croſs of Chriſt made him! oh how few friends have the ſeverities of Chriſt left him? are thoſe the friends of Chriſt, who are the enemies of his Croſs? are you the friends of Chriſt, who are the intimates of the world? will profeſſing, and praying, and hearing, baptize ſuch into the name of Diſciples? If lying, and promiſe breaking, if ſerving of bellies and ſatiating of appetites, if pride, fulneſs of bread, and abundance of idleneſs, or abundance of labour, a little tip'd over with a p. 233ſilver tongue, be the marks of Diſciples, we may find them walking on every ſide, whole Towns, whole Countries of them: if theſe may be reckoned for the ſeed, how great an herd would the little flock become? if thoſe Swine that are rooting in the earth, or wallowing in the mire, muſt go all for Lambs; if theſe Senſualiſts, and earth-creepers muſt all be thrown into the number; if the wiſe of the world, Polititians and Projectors, muſt all paſs under the ſame name, to what a bulk would the Body of Chriſt ſwell? But if all theſe, theſe ſpeckled and ſpotted, muſt be ſet aſide as none of the ſheep, oh what a ſmall parcel will there then be left: If of earth-worms and Epicures it muſt be ſaid, theſe are not they, the next word may almoſt be, where are they to be found?

But be not deceived, God is not mocked; as you ſow, ſo ſhall you alſo reap; your ſowing to the fleſh, even while you boaſt of the ſpirit, is conviction enough whoſe you are, and what your end will be, whoſe end is deſtruction.

Ob. But I mean not for all this, to caſt away my confidence; God forbid that I ſhould think, that I have profeſſed in vain, that I have heard, and pray'd, and believed all this while in vain; I know whom I have believed, I feel that I love God, and I am perſwaded that nothing ſhall ſeparate me from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord; whatever corruptions I have, yet the ſpirit witneſſes with my ſpirit, that I am the Child of God, I am ſealed by that holy ſpirit unto the day of Redemption, and I will not caſt away my confidence.

Sol. The meaning of all theſe good words may p. 234be no more but this, you will hold your Opinion againſt the greateſt evidence of Scripture and Reaſon: For what is that which thou calleſt the witneſs and the ſeal of the ſpirit, but an Opinion of thine own; a voice within thee, or a ſtrong perſwaſion of thine own heart, that thou art of God? which becauſe it is atteſted by ſome gifts of the ſpirit, and ſome affectionate workings of thine heart, at times, heavenward; thou takeſt to be the voice of the Divine Spirit, though it be never ſo contradictory to the Word of God; and ſo wilt hold thy confidence, notwithſtanding what the Word ſpeaks to the contrary.

But that thou mayſt no longer thus deceive thy ſelf, know and conſider,

That the Spirit witneſſes and ſeals in this double way,

By being the mark of the Lord upon us.

By being the light of the Lord in us, whereby we come to diſcern the mark of the Lord upon us.

1. By being the mark of the Lord upon us, 1 Joh. 3. 24. he that keepeth his commandements, dwelleth in him, and he in him, hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. By the Spirit we are to underſtand, the graces of the Spirit; that holineſs and heavenlineſs of mind, which the Spirit hath wrought upon us. The ſpirit of God forms us into his own likeneſs, and this image of the Spirit is Gods mark upon us.

As mens, ſo Chriſts ſheep may be known whoſe they are, by their maſters mark upon them: whoſe mark is an earthly mind? Is it of Chriſt, or is it not the mark of the God of this world? Holineſs p. 235and ſpirituality is the mark of Chriſt, earthlineſs and ſin is of the Devil. To whom does thy Soul belong? The Spirit, thou ſayeſt, witneſſeth that thou belongeſt to God; I but whoſe mark is it that is upon thee? is this covetouſneſs and greedineſs upon the world, is this lying and defrauding, this unrighteouſneſs and unmercifulneſs, which the world can ordinarily command thee to, is this the mark of God or the Devil? the Devil is this thy maſter, for behold his mark ſtill upon thee.

It's true Chriſt buyes all his ſheep out of the Devils flock; but whatever ſheep he buyes and brings home, he ſcrapes out the old, and claps on his own mark upon it: and though there be ſome prints of the old yet remaining, (till we have put off fleſh ſome dirt will ſtick) yet the new mark which Chriſt hath ſet on, now carries it.

Say not thou art ſeal'd with the Spirit, whatever thy comforts or confidences have been, unleſs thou ſeeſt his mark upon thee; ſay not thou art mark'd by the Spirit, whileſt the Devils mark [an earthly mind] is the moſt viſible and conſpicuous upon thee.

2. By being the light of the Lord within us, whereby we are able to diſcern our Lords mark upon us, 1 Cor. 2. 12.

The Devil ſo amuſes and deludes Souls, that they often know not what to make of themſelves; but conclude themſelves to be quite another thing then they are: and this he doth by this threefold device; by

p. 236Counterfeiting Chriſts mark,

Pulliating his own mark,

Blurring and blinding the mark of Chriſt.

1. By counterfeiting Chriſts mark, and ſetting it on his own ſheep. Chriſt marks his ſheep eſpecially in the heart; that's the throne of the Spirit, that's the ſeat of Grace, the heart; the Devil can do ſomething to the counterfeiting of this; he can make common grace look like ſaving grace, he can paint the face of a Saint upon the heart of a beaſt.

But he can more eaſily diſſemble the outward marks of Chriſt. Chriſt hath his outward marks; his earmark, Joh. 10. 27. My ſheep, hear my voice. His mark in the forehead, the owning or confeſſing of Chriſt before men, Luk. 12. 8. He that confeſſeth me before men him will I confeſs before my father which is in Heaven. His mark in the mouth; he circumciſes their lip, and makes them a people of a pure language, Zeph. 3. 9. All theſe the Devil can counterfeit with more eaſe: he can bring his ſheep to hear Chriſts preaching: he can bring them to own and confeſs Chriſt before men: he can teach his to pray, and to be expert in the language of Diſciples: and when he hath done thus, then he tells them, ſee thou art one of Chriſts; for behold thou prayeſt, and heareſt and confeſſeſt Chriſt; and what are theſe but Chriſts marks upon thee; when whatever is upon the tongue or the forehead, the image of the Devil is ſtill upon the heart,

2. By palliating his own mark: Chriſts mark upon thee? I but whoſe is that, this earthly mind, that ſtands above it? O he hath a device for that too: he hath a cloke for covetouſneſs: 'tis but providence, p. 237or good husbandry; nay this gain is godlineſs: all this carking and caring and drudging for the world, is but in obedience to the will of God, to provide things honeſt in the ſight of all men. And in this the Devil is ſo damnably ſucceſsful, that it is one of the hardeſt tasks, to help poor worldlings to the ſight of what's under this cloke, though all that know thee, do ſee that thou art an earthworm, yet thou wilt not be brought to ſee thy ſelf.

And as the Devil thus deceives his own, ſo he diſtreſſes the Saints,

3. By blurring Chriſts mark that it cannot eaſily be ſeen, or known to be his. As he can make a meer paint look like ſincerity, ſo he can make ſincerity look like hypocriſie: as many carnal confidents bleſs themſelves in the opinion of their uprightneſs; ſo many mortified, broken, upright hearts condemn themſelves for hypocrites: though Chriſt be in them, and hath ſet his ſeal upon their hearts, yet the Devil raiſes up ſo many black miſts, of melancholique thoughts and fears, that they cannot ſee what there is of Chriſt in them; and thereupon they judge very ſadly of their caſe. I doubt I am an hypocrite, and none of Chriſts, for what is there of the grace of Chriſt found in me?

But now the Spirit of the Lord; as it works grace in the heart, ſo it gives light to the eye: it brings mens perſwaſions and opinions to the word, and compares them with that; it ſearches the ſcriptures, and ſhews the Soul what Chriſts mark is; it irradiates the heart, and ſhews the very ſame mark which is written in the word, ſtamp'd upon the Soul, and thereby eſtabliſhes it in power; if there be no ſuch mark found there, but the quite p. 238contrary to it, the peace that's ſpoken is not of the Spirit of God, but of the Devil.

Worldly profeſſour, doſt thou not ſee the ſcripture death-mark upon thee? or if thou doeſt not, does not every one that knows thee, behold it? Doth not this earthly mind, appear upon thy forehead, upon thy tongue, upon the palms of thine hands, and the prints of thy feet? may not thy love of the world be read in every look, in every word, in every line of thy life? and wilt thou yet ſay, it's the Spirit of the Lord that ſpeaks peace to thee? whoſe mark is this [they mind earthly things?] of them that are ſaved, or of them that periſh? and is not this the moſt proper character that can be given of thee? ſee and take more perfect knowledge of thy ſelf: canſt thou not ſee? haſt thou received the Spirit, and yet not ſo much light, as to diſcern betwixt earth and Heaven?

Is the Lord divided; and become contrary to himſelf? do not his hand and his ſeal agree? does his word write this man no child, and is that his Spirit that calls thee, a child of God? once again, ſee and compare the writings; that in the word, and that in thy heart; and if the voice within thee be not according, call it not the witneſs of the Spirit, but the falſe witneſs of the Devil.

If thou wilt yet underſtand thy ſelf no better, (it's much to be feared, thou wilt not; there's too much duſt in thine eye, for thee to ſee it,) If thou wilt not ſee it, yet there it ſtands written upon thee in moſt legible characters, a minder of earthly things, whoſe end is deſtruction.

But beloved, I am perſwaded better things of you, to whom I am now ſpeaking; even you of little faith; p. 239though it may be of a great name: yet with you alſo muſt I plead a while, and tell you from the Lord that I have ſomewhat againſt you: and oh were it but a little ſomewhat, that I have to ſpeak, even againſt you: but ſure, there is very much to be ſpoken, unleſs you will ſave me the labour, and ſpeak againſt your ſelves. So much may be ſaid, as if it be duly conſidered may take you down many rounds lower then you imagine your ſelves to have aſcended? how few of you that are riſen with Chriſt, but are too often letting your affections run down again to this earth? who though you have really counted this earth but dung, yet are too greedily gathering up this dung into your boſomes; that have your hands full and your mouths full of this dung and much more then you are aware of it is ſtill in your hearts; that are not able to looſe what you have accounted loſs. In whom though Chriſt may be really formed, yet there appears little conformity, to his life or death. To whom though it hath been long ſince ſaid, Lazarus come forth, yet to this day you have ſcarce gotten your heads above ground: whoſe bellies creep upon the duſt, whileſt your eyes and your hopes are in Heaven: in whom there is ſuch a mixture of fleſh and Spirit, that it's hard to diſcern, which hath the predominance: whoſe hearts ſeem ſtill ſo divided betwixt Chriſt and the world, that no body that knows you can tell which hath the better part; whoſe time, and whoſe care, and whoſe labour, run out ſo much on things below, that without ſome great charity, it may be judg'd your hearts are there alſo: And yet, by ſome clearer inſight into the myſteries of the Goſpel; by p. 240ſome affectionate intercourſes with God in your ſecret receſſes and retirements from the world, by your ſerious heats and inlargements in your duties with others, by ſome taſtes and reliſhes of the pleaſure of ordinances, by ſome raptures of joy, and the ſeeming ſerenity and uncloudineſs of your ſpirits, by not conſidering what abatement the carnality and earthlineſs of your courſe muſt neceſſarily make upon you, are grown to an hope and opinion that you are the highly favoured of the Lord, and his greatly beloved.

But do you not bluſh then at your unworthineſs? are you not aſhamed that ſuch love, and ſuch hopes, ſhould no more wean your hearts from theſe breaſts of vanity, from which you ſuck nothing but filth or froth? that you ſhould defile ſuch an heavenly treaſure, by lodging it in ſuch earthen veſſels; that you ſhould ſo diſgrace that divine portion which you count is yours, as that it ſhould not be enough for you, but leave you as hungry as if you had no God, nor hope in him? that you ſhould ſo diſgrace your Fathers table, by your unnatural appetite after coals and dirt? Is your profeſſion that God is your happineſs, your treaſure, your all, Is your none but Chriſt, come to more then this? Hath your covenanting with God, for renouncing the world, mortifying your fleſh, denying your ſelf, brought forth no better fruits then theſe? Oh the impudence and diſingenuity of our hearts, that can carry the conſcience of ſuch treachery before the Throne of Grace, without ſhame and conſternation; how can you lift up your face before the Lord, without hanging down the head?

p. 241Nay, do you not fear that [your] hearts alſo have deceived you, and that matters may not be ſo well with you as you ſometimes conclude? that your hopes are but deluſory, that your joys are but dreams, and all your comforts are but the lying divinations and propheſies of your own deceived heart? Is it out of queſtion with you, that you are riſen with Chriſt, and aſcended with Chriſt when theſe hearts are gotten no further up out of their graves?

Believe it Chriſtians, the ſeverities of Religion, will be a ſurer teſtimony to you, then all its ſuavities: an humble, patient, contented, ſelf-denying, mortified Chriſtian, under all his doubts and fears, under all his complaints of darkneſs and deadneſs, is fairer for heaven then you all.

Thoſe are the joys of faith, which ſpring up out of the ruines of carnal joys; thoſe are the genuine comforts, and delights of the Saints, that ariſe up out of the aſhes of earthly delights; thoſe are the confidences of true believers, which grow out of their contempt of the world; then will the world think better of our Religion, and then may we hope better of our ſelves, when the joy of the Lord is our ſtrength, and the joys of the earth are ſtrangers to us, and deſpiſed by us.

Oh Brethren, let us no longer diſhonour our God, nor delude our ſelves; let not the world any longer ſay in our reproach, theſe men are even as we: Let them ſee that our ways are not as their ways, that our joys are not as their joys, and then they will know, our hope is not as their hope, our Rock is not as their Rock.

p. 242Children of the Kingdome, (if I may be bold to call you ſo) where is the proof of your heavenly extract? where is your fathers ſpirit? how can you be patient with your ſelves, whileſt you are ſuch degenerate plants? how can you ſatisfie your ſelves, that you are the genuine off-ſpring of God, when ſo unlike your father? how can you without weeping, behold the glory of theſe later Temples, to fall ſo far ſhort of thoſe that were in the Ages before us? where is the primitive ſpirituality, the mortification and ſelf-denial of the primitive Chriſtians? how have the ſtars chang'd their Orbs? from moving in the Celeſtial Spheres? how ſeem they now to be fixed in the earth, how can you count your ſelves Stars, and not Comets, when your higheſt elevation is ſeldome above the middle Region, you hang betwixt heaven and earth?

We take up a general complaint one againſt another, 'tis in every ones mouth, Oh how earthly are we become, our gold is mixed with droſs, our wine with water; behold a ſecond but ſad Incarnation, our ſpirit is become fleſh; every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards; how hard are we driving after bags of earth? we aſſemble our ſelves for corn and wine, and when riches encreaſe, who is there almoſt that ſets not his heart upon them? who is there that labours to be holy as to be rich, to thrive in grace as in purſe? though the Lord hath taken off our Chariot Wheels, yet ſtill we drive on; though he hath been whipping us upward, yet behold ſtill we are all below; though he hath burnt up our houſes, and fir'd us out of our Neſts, yet behold our hearts are ſtill among p. 243among the rubbiſh; though he hath mingled wormwood with our milk, and gall with our honey, yet we ſay 'tis ſweet, and will not be weaned; though he hath teſtified againſt our pride, and teſtified againſt our covetouſneſs, and made ſuch ſtains upon our beauty, and ſuch holes in the bottoms of our bags; though we ſee plainly and ſay, God is angry with us, and angry for the iniquity of our covetouſneſs, yet who are they that have given off, and are gone back from their ſo eager purſuit of the world? Oh what's like to become of us? we are ſo ſet upon this Idol, that it's much to be feared deſolation is determined upon us.

Do we not ordinarily hear and make ſuch complaints? but if we ſhould with our complaints, let fall a teare upon the guilty, may they not return upon us, weep not for us but for your ſelves, for your own covetouſneſs, for your own carnality: and what ſhould we ſay for our ſelves, if they do ſo? Oh the Lord help me I am one of the company, I even I alſo am guilty; this Idol hath a tabernacle in this heart alſo, though I conſidered it not.

But muſt our complaints ſuffice us? is it enough to make all well, to confeſs 'tis ſo bad? muſt this be all our heavenlineſs, to bewail our earthlineſs? will God take our acknowledgments for amendments? is this your redemption, to bewail your captivity? But when ſhall it be better? when ſhall it be ſaid to theſe priſoners, Go forth? when for the other world? when for God alone, for nothing but the everlaſting kingdom? Ariſe O captive, put off thy priſon garments, get thee up out of this houſe of bondage; unclog unfetter thy p. 244Soul; get thy foot out of the ſnare, and away for the holy land: leave this earth to its heirs, let the men of this world take to their portion, and be the only ſervants to it, but go thou and ſerve the Lord: let God and the world take their own; whileſt worldlings will not be the ſervants of Chriſt, let it no longer be ſaid, that Chriſtians are the ſervants of the world.

Brethren, conclude upon it, that you have no more of chriſtianity then you have of ſpirituality: that this ſpot of earthlineſs will unavoidably be, a blot upon your evidences for Heaven. Have you aſſurance that you are the Lords? how can that be when you are ſo much the worlds?

What ever arguments you have, that ſeem to conclude well for you, yet how many objections are there alſo? Oh how many Buts are there againſt us. Such a one is a judicious underſtanding Chriſtian, But, hee's greedy upon the world: ſuch a one is of a ſavoury gracious behaviour, But, hee's unmerciful to the poor: ſuch a one is much in prayer, and will pray ſingularly well, But there's no truſt to his word: ſuch a one is of a free and liberal Spirit, But he is proud. Shoot down theſe Butts if ever you would ſtand eſtabliſhed in your confidence.

Have you not aſſurance? Is this yet to be gotten? Oh how can you ſo eagerly mind any other getting? can you have ſuch leiſure for Earth when Heaven ſtill hangs in doubt? or do ye think that the ſame way does lead to both? that the ſame labour will ſerve for both? will the ſame wind, and the ſame courſe carry you towards both the Poles? can you at once be ſayling Northward and Southward? p. 245can you aſcend and deſcend by the ſame motion? when you are progging for your fleſh, building your houſes, enlarging your border, laying you up treaſure on earth, and making it as ſure as you can; Is this your laying up treaſure in Heaven? your giving diligence to make God ſure, your calling and election ſure? once be bound in good earneſt for glory, and take the ſtrait courſe thitherward, and then farewel World, thy kingdom is finiſhed, thy dominion is at an end.

Brethren receive this word of conviction and ſubmit to it; the ſumme whereof is, that where there is ſo much of the Spirit of this World, there is but little faith, and where there is but little faith, 'tis more then you can tell whether there be any at all. God is a convincing of us; if his word does not, his providences ſhall convince us, and lay us yet lower in our own eyes: what means his undoing and ruining providences, but to try us what ſpirit we are of and to teach us with his briars and thorns, to underſtand our ſelves better, and to recover? why is his face ſo againſt us? why is his hand ſo heavy upon us? what do the aſhes of our waſted treaſures ſpeak to us? If it do, not ſpeak out this to us, Thou haſt a name that thou liveſt and art dead, yet does it ſpeak leſs then this, Thou haſt but a little ſtrength; thou haſt but a few names, that have not defiled their garments, ſtrengthen the things that remain that are ready to dye? Is not this its word, ſeekeſt thou yet great things for thy ſelf? when I am breaking down what I have built, when I am plucking up what I have planted, is this a time to ſeek great things for thy ſelf? yea or to think great things of thy ſelf? ſeek them not, no nor think p. 246any more ſuch great thoughts: lay thee down in the duſt, be aſhamed and confounded for what thou art and haſt done, and climb no more up thoſe trees that are hewing down under thee.

Brethren when do ye think the Lord will cauſe his fury towards us to ceaſe? when will the flames be quenched, when will his repentings be kindled? what hope is there that our conflagrations ſhould be at an end, till our Idols be burnt up? 'tis vain to think, that our prayers and faſtings and weeping before the Lord will put out the fire of his jealouſie. Get thee up, wherefore lyeſt thou thus upon thy face? Iſrael hath ſinned—they have taken of the accurſed thing—I will not be with you any more, except ye deſtroy the accurſed from among you. Joſh. 7. 10, 11, 12. The Lord hath broken us with a great breach, the Lord hath ſmitten us with a very grievous blow; and now we fall to faſting and praying and proſtrating our ſelves before him in hope that this may make up our breach and be the healing of our wound. But will this do? Get you up, get you up, why lye you thus upon your faces? Is there not an accurſed thing among you? think not that the Lord will be with you, till that be deſtroyed from among you: hope not for any thing from thoſe prayers or faſtings, that do no execution upon your accurſed things. Do your prayers leave your pride alive, your covetouſneſs alive, your wantonneſs alive? your ſelves are like to dye notwithſtanding all ſuch prayers.

God is either upon refining or rejecting: he hath caſt us into his furnace, kindled his fires, been blowing with his bellows; if our droſs may yet be conſumed. If that be not done, the next word p. 247we may hear, may be that of the Prophet, Jer. 6. 29, 30. The bellows are burnt, the lead is conſumed by the fire, the founder melteth in vain, for [this droſs] is not taken away, reprobate ſilver ſhall men call them, for the Lord hath rejected them.

Uſe 2. Of Direction and Exhortation: Brethren, have I not yet ſaid enough to fetch you off from your ſervitude? will you go free, or have I ſpent my labour in vain? muſt I leave you at the Brickkiln, or will you go over to Canaan? what are your thoughts? Is it good to continue in your ſervile ſtate? is the vaſſalage of unbelief better then the victory of faith? what are your reſolutions? have you ſold your ſelves for ſervants, and will you ſtand to the bargain? may you go free and will you not? have you not underſtood enough of the worlds enmity? have you not felt enough of the worlds tyranny? have you not ſin'd enough, and ſuffer'd enough already by it? what ſay you, are you for liberty or bondage? for captivity or victory? why what may we do to obtain the victory? why will you hearken then? are you willing of help? will you take Gods counſel when 'tis offered you? well in hope that ſome of you will hearken, I ſhall yet farther adventure theſe few directions.

In the firſt place I ſhall mind you of what hath been already ſpoken, touching the wayes by which faith overcometh the world, and ſhall turn them into theſe 6. counſels.

1. Get a right judgment of both worlds: ſtudy and get an underſtanding of Earth and Heaven; and give not off this ſtudy, till you be throughly convinc'd, of the unſpeakable tranſcendencies of things to come, above things preſent.

p. 2482. Chooſe your lot in the beſt of the two: determine for Heaven, that infinitely better inheritance. Be unalterably at this point, I am for the everlaſting bleſſedneſs, however it be with me here.

3. Be convinc'd, that the good things of this World cannot further, nor can the evil things of this world hinder your eternal bleſſedneſs, and eſteem of all things temporal, according to the reſpect they bear to the things that are eternal.

4. Be convinc'd that the Deſign of all the temptations of this World is, to deprive you of your eternal inheritance.

5. By living more purely a life of faith, get clear apprehenſions and a deeper ſenſe of the bleſſedneſs to come.

6. Give diligence to make your calling and election ſure: by turning your eyes back upon what hath been already ſaid, you may make fuller improvement of theſe directions, upon which I forbear any farther enlargement.

To theſe I ſhall add this one general direction.

Make your advantage of all thoſe means, by which your faith may gather ſtrength, and in which it's ſtrength is to be put forth and exerciſed.

Particularly

1. Improve all your duties this way: Let all your ſeekings of God be a wreſtling with the World. Put this great affair into every prayer: put it into your dayly confeſſions, put it into your daily petitions. Carry the ſenſe of your ſore bondage into the preſence of God: let the miſery and the danger it hath ſubjected you to, be written upon your hearts, and go and ſpread the writing before the Lord. Let the throne of grace be a Judgment p. 249ſeat where this traitor may be daily arraigned and condemned. Take unto you words, confeſs unto God. Lord I have dealt very falſely with thee, and fooliſhly for my ſelf. I have forſaken the Fountain of living waters for broken Ciſterns, wherein is no water. I have taken the World into my boſom, and thrown the Lord at my heels. I have ſet the World on the Throne and trodden Chriſt under my feet; I have ſerved mine enemy, and ſlighted the Rock of my Salvation. I have ſold my ſoul for ſilver, and my hopes for handfulls of barley. I have followed vanity, and neglected alſufficiency. I have been a true drudg to this muck, a good husband for this fleſh; but what have I been to the Lord? what an evil and ſlothful ſervant▪ If I ſhould ſay I were not a worldling, or a ſenſualiſt, mine own ſoul would call me lyar to my face; but though I ſee what a fool, and what a beaſt, and what a ſlave I am, this ſottiſh heart will not yet be wiſe, it hath loved theſe Idols and will follow them ſtill. Confeſs thus unto God, and if one dayes confeſſion will not ſhame you out of your folly, to it again; the next day, and the next day, and every day as long as you live: Bring in new Indictments fill'd up with all the aggravations you can gather up, I have been often told of the evil of a worldly heart and life, of the danger of it, of the unworthineſs of it; I have been counſelled to take heed of it, and I have known it has been good counſel; I have been oblig'd againſt it, by commands, by kindneſſes, by covenants, by intereſt, by experiences of the gall and the Wormwood it hath ſtill prov'd in my belly, whatever it hath been in my mouth. My judgment and Conſcience hath been againſt it; I have been offered a better ſervice, and a better reward; and I have underſtood it was a good offer, and worth the accepting; I have been charged p. 250upon pain of death, and everlaſting damnation to take heed and beware of it, and yet ſtill I am where I was. Counſels have been deſpiſed, commands have been broken, kindneſſes have been ſlighted, covenants have been violated, reaſon and conſcience have been baffled, yea, death and hell have been deſpiſed for the ſake of this luſt, and love of the world, ſo fooliſh am I and ignorant, and as a beaſt before thee. Thus quicken and ſharpen your confeſſions with all the aggravations imaginable, till, if it be poſſible, thy folly may depart from thee, not being able to bear ſuch an hot proſecution. Deal thus roughly and thus cloſly with your earthly hearts when ever you have them before the Lord, that they may not dare to meet you ſo there again.

Put it into your daily Petitions. Speak unto the Lord, let not thy ſoul keep ſilence till he hear. Let thine oppreſſed heart lift up its voice to the moſt high; tell him, Oh I have ſurfeited of this fleſh, I am ſick of this World, theſe briars and thorns, yea, and theſe Lillies and Roſes are a grief of mind to me, I muſt have them out ere I can be at reſt. Make theſe thorns to ſcratch me, theſe flowers to ſtink in my noſtrils. Beg a new heart, beg a better ſpirit, that may neither find pleaſure, nor ſo much as eaſe in ſuch things as theſe. Oh for mortification! oh for a more raiſed ſpirit! where is the life of faith? where is the power of the Spirit? help Lord, help Lord, a renewed heart, a chaſte ſpirit, when ſhall it once be? let not my ſoul be held any longer an adultereſs from thee; let not theſe husks be my meat, theſe aſhes be my bread, this earth be my treaſure while God ſtands by. Let not Chriſt and my ſoul be kept ſtrangers, whileſt I am the familiar of this fleſh, and the ſervant of vanity.

p. 251Plead with the Lord for relief. Plead with him upon his own intereſt. Who is it O Lord thats muſt wronged? whoſe right is it thats moſt invaded? whoſe am I? Am I not thine Lord? Is not my love, and my labour, and my ſtrength, and my time, and my body, and my ſoul, is it not all thy right? ſhall thine enemy command and carry away that which is thine? recover, recover thy due. Take this heart and all that I have, take poſſeſſion Lord, ſet thy name upon my door, and ſuffer not theſe ſtrangers to enter or encroach upon thy right. Plead with him upon the bloud of his Covenant. Whence is the Covenanted Redemption! is it only from Hell? is it not from luſt alſo? can it be from one, if it be not from both? a total redemption Lord, an univerſal redemption; from every Plague, from every enemy. I cannot eſcape the pit, if I be held in the ſnare; if I break not this outer; I ſhall fall alſo into the inner Priſon; by the bloud of the Covenant ſend forth thy Priſoner out of this Priſon. What doth this bloud ſpeak! Doth it only ſay Deliver them from the pit, for thou haſt found a ranſome? Doth it not alſo ſay, Whileſt thou keepeſt them in the World, keep them from the evil? and will not God hear the cry of ſuch bloud?

Cry unto the Lord. Be inſtant, be importunate with him. Try the ſtrength of Prayer. Be unceſſant, reſolve againſt denyals. Cry unto him day and night, avenge me of mine adverſary. Rid my ſoul out of thraldom; whileſt thou liveſt give not over, if thou wilt not, thou ſhalt not be denyed.

Haſ thou gotten a little ground, take the ſame way to maintain what thou haſt gotten. Does the Conquered World rally upon thee, and do thy affections begin to ſtoop to it? Pray them up again. Doth thine heart begin again to wander after it, Pray it duplicate page p. 250duplicate page p. 251p. 252in again. Do thy corruptions and temptations begin to get head again and to prevail? Pray them down again; meet them with a Prayer at every turn, The Lord rebuke thee falſe heart; The Lord rebuke thee deceitful World; The Lord uphold thee oppreſſed Soul.

Beloved, your Victory over the World can neither be gotten, nor maintained, but by power from above. Tis God only thats able to give battel to the fleſh. In vain do you engage, unleſs he engage with you. Prayer will ſet faith on work, and faith will engage the promiſe, and the promiſe will engage Chriſt with you, and Chriſt will engage the Father to your help. If Heaven be too hard for earth, the World ſhall fall before a Praying ſoul.

Brethren will you take this counſel? put it thus into every Prayer you make, and if you find this to be your Great enemy, Bend the main force of every Prayer againſt it, Fight neither againſt ſmall nor great, in compariſon, but againſt this King of Evils. This is the great Thief, Lord, that meets me at every turn, and is robbing me every day; that robs the Lord of his due, and my Soul of its peace: this is the Moth, that eats out all my Strength; this is the Murtherer, that kills my Soul; O let this Strong be bowed down; this is the Heir, kill him, and the Inheritance ſhall be mine.

And when ever you have made your prayer, judge of the acceptance of it, by the ſucceſs it hath on this Adverſary: When at any time you have found your ſouls moſt melted and inlarged in prayer, and greatlieſt refreſhed by ſenſible illapſes and incoms from above; at ſuch a time preſently return into your heart, and demand; But p. 253how goes it now with the intereſt of the World in me? How ſtands my heart now affected to my carnal things? am I weaned? Is my clog fallen off? What hath my fleſh loſt, by what my ſpirit ſeems to have gained? What hath my earthly-mindedneſs, my covetouſneſs loſt in this prayer? Can I now go away and be contented, and be patient in any condition? hath this Divine warmth left a chill upon my fleſhly appetite? can I the better want the Quails, now I have taſted of the Manna? am I leſs careful, and leſs concerned, which way the World goes with me? or can I go down preſently into my ſhop, or forth into my fields, and be as hungry and as much ſwallowed up of my earthly cares and delights, as if I had never taſted any thing of God? Can I ſo? Oh this is not the Prayer I took it to be; I may not ſit down by this, I muſt to my knees again, to my God again, and again; while I live I will not give over thus; I will wreſtle, I will wait, I will enquire; to day, to morrow, next day, after every prayer, Is it yet better? yet more mortified? yet more weaned? Yet more humble and contented? I can never, I will never ſatisfie my ſelf with any praying, with any anſwer, whilſt my fleſh thus holds up its head.

This is the firſt Direction, the ſtreſs whereof I lay upon theſe two things; Bend the main force if every Prayer againſt this evil; level your Arrow againſt the face of this enemy: And then judge of the acceptableneſs of your prayer, by the ſucceſs it hath upon it.

2. Improve Sabbaths this way. The Sabbath is the teſt of God, Heb. 4. Our holy keeping of Sabbaths p. 254is our entring into his Reſt; our receſs from the World, and our retiring to the Lord, to take our Reſt with him.

The end of the Sabbath is the preſervation and propagation of Religion; it is for the continuing in memory the Redemption of Chriſt, for the more abundant diffuſion, and ſhedding abroad of the Spirit of Chriſt, for the more ſolemn Celebration of his Worſhip, and ſo conſequently for the maintaining the power of Holineſs; all which the World would deſtroy and bury with him in his Grave, aud roll it ſelf as a ſtone upon it all, that it might never be remembred.

There are four ſpecial means, by which Religion is kept up in the World, and tranſmitted from Generation to Generation.

1. A fixed Rule or Standard of Religion: whereby the knowledge of God, his Will, Worſhip and Waies, is preſerved and propagated; to wit, the holy Scriptures, Iſa. 8. 20. to the Law, and to the Teſtimonies, &c.

2. Fixed Officers: To interpret, expound, and give the ſenſe of the Word, and to publiſh, and preach it to the World, Nehem. 8. 4. 8. Mal. 2. 7.

3. Fixed Ordinances: Wherein the Lord is to be ſolemnly worſhiped: the Obſerving and keeping pure and entire whereof, is required as in many poſitive Precepts, ſo alſo in all thoſe Scriptures, which forbid Idolatry, Superſtition, and Will-worſhip.

4. A fixed time, for inſtruction in the Law of God, and for his more ſolemn Worſhip: This fixed time is the Sabbath day, Iſa. 66. 23. &c.

p. 255The Adverſaries of Religion have attempted its deſtruction, by heaving at theſe Pillars npon which it is ſupported; and the oppoſition which hath been made againſt them, hath been carried on (ſome part of it at leaſt) much after the ſame way. The Authority of the Scriptures hath been inunded, by pretences to other rules beſides, to be added to them; as unwritten Traditions, or enthuſiaſtical Revelations. Ordinances have been aſſaulted by the addition of humane Inventions, to Divine Inſtitutions. The deſtruction of the Miniſtry hath been by ſome of its Adverſaries attempted, by making all Teachers; and Sabbaths have been undermined by others, by pleading for an every day Sabbath; Firſt encloſing the ſix daies to the Lord, and thereby at length laying the Sabbath in common to the World.

Upon theſe four pillars is Religion upheld; let theſe be removed, and what becomes of it! and the deſtruction of this one (this fixed time) how greatly will it endanger all the reſt. An every-day Sabbath will ſoon bring us to no Sabbath; and from no Sabbath, we ſhall quickly come to no Ordinances, no Miniſtery; and from no Miniſtery, how long will it be ere we arrive at No Scriptures, no Religion, no God.

But whatever the adverſaries of Religion, and their waies to ſupplant it be, that which makes them adverſaries, and engages them in this wicked deſign, are the luſts of this World. Religion levels at the fleſh, its affections and intereſt; and theſe ſet themſelves to make their batteries upon Religion, and all its ſupports and foundations.

Keep up Sabbaths, and you are like to keep up p. 256Scriptures, Miniſtery, Ordinances, Religion; keep up Religion and the World falls under you.

But the more immediate influence, the due ſanctification of the Sabbath will have, upon the conquering the World, will appear if you conſider, that this day is

1. A day of ſeparation for God.

2. A day for ſpecial communion with God.

3. A day of ſpecial proviſion for ſouls.

1. A day of ſeparation for God. The people of God, as ſuch, are a ſeparated people, ſeparated from the luſts of men, to the Law of their God, Neh. 10. 28. Ezra 6. 21. In their firſt day, their day of Grace, they ſeparate themſelves from the evils of the World; in this day they are to ſeparate themſelves from the affairs, yea and the thoughts of the World, Iſa. 58. 13. This day is an Hallowed day, ſanctified by God, and to be ſanctified by his Saints. Gods ſanctifying it, is his ſetting apart the day for an holy uſe; our ſanctifying it is our ſetting our ſelves apart thereon for his holy ſervice. This day is a priviledged day, nothing thats common or unclean may encroach upon it.

The day of the Lord, is as the houſe of the Lord, a kind of meeting betwixt heaven and earth; wherein God calls us up to the Mount, and comes down to give us a meeting. And as when he came down on Mount Sinai, he required that his people (who yet were to come no nearer him than the foot of the Mount) ſhould, by waſhing their clothes, and ſeparating themſelves from their Wives, make ready againſt his comming down, Exod. 19. 11, 15. So doth he here give us as ſtrict a charge, [Remember] be ye alſo ready. Be ye p. 257waſh'd, and be ye ſeparate. Waſh your hearts, empty your hands, come in from your fields, come out of your ſhops, lay by your work, leave this earth below, come up to meer your God.

There are two things that give to objects their greateſt efficacy and advantage upon us. Their nearneſs to us, and the remoteneſs of their contraries. The World on this day loſes both theſe advantages, wherein we are called to ſtand aloof from it, and to draw nigh to God.

We are then faireſt for victory over the World, when we are fartheſt off it: 'tis ill fighting a Cock on his own Dung-hill: while the world is at our elbow there's little like to be done againſt it; whilſt it is in our eye, or our hand, 'tis not eaſie to keep it out of our heart: when the Lord hath gotten our company alone, and the World hath nothing; not an Oxe, nor an Aſs, not a buſineſs, nor a pleaſure to ſollicit our love, or labour; When we are gotten out of ſight, and out of hearing of the wooings of this Harlot, and its cries after us, then is it moſt like to loſe its hold of us.

The reaſon why we ordinarily make no more advantage of Sabbaths this way is, becauſe however we pretend to draw nigh unto God, yet we do not with-draw from the World: we come into the Sanctuary as Iſrael went out of Aegypt; we carry, not our Wives, and our little ones only, but our Flocks and our Herds, and all our Subſtance; we carry all we have with us, when we come before the Lord. The lowing of the Oxen, the bleating of the Sheep, the ſound of the Mill-ſtones is ſo ſtill in our ears; the Butter and the Hony, p. 258the wine and the oyle, the ſilver and the gold are ſo continually in our eye, that we cannot hearken what the Lord God doth ſpeak, nor ſee his face.

Brethren, who is there with you at this houre? here you are before the Lord, but who is there with you? ſearch every room, look into every corner; Is there none within, that ſhould not be there? is there no meſſenger of Satan, hath the World no agitatour now at work within you? O behold, whileſt the Lord is a treating with our cares, what a mixed multitude are there within; cares, and thoughts, and luſts, and projects for this world; and what a ſtirr do they all make that God may not be regarded? The Devil will be moſt moſt buſy in ſuch a time; he doubts how matters might go with him if he now keep ſilence. Doubtleſs many a Soul more might have been gain'd over to Chriſt, had not Satan ſtood by and hindred, and had thoſe ever near us, who forbad the match: uſe to be alone with God; out of the company, and out of the noiſe of theſe harlots, and then theres hope the Lord may gain your love.

What wonder that that ſeed dies and becomes unfruitful, that falls into a brake of thorns? or amongſt ſuch birds as ſtand watching to catch it all away? what hope that the counſel of the Lord be accepted, of a mind prepoſſeſſed, and actually ſt…ff'd with the cares of this life? Intus exiſtens prohibet alienum.

How canſt thou aſcend, with thy burthen upon thy back? unload unload; lay aſide every weight, and then go up and proſper.

p. 259Say to all thou haſt, ſtay you here, whileſt I go and pray before the Lord; let the night before each Sabbath, be as the grave betwixt the two worlds; there let thy duſt be buried, and thy Spirit fly naked to thy God. Let that night which is the partition betwixt thine own dayes, and the Lords, be thy Souls taking its leave of all thou haſt; any [ſinful] thoughts works or pleaſures, thy luſts and thy evil wayes, give them an eternal burial. Be gone, ſee my face no more for ever: and for matters [lawful and honeſt] that concern this earth, charge them not to thruſt in before the Lord: go you alſo your way for this time, and when I have a convenient ſeaſon I will ſend for you: and if from Sabbath to Sabbath thy feet ſtand thus on the mountain of the Lord, thou mayſt find them all the week long, on the tops of the mountains of the earth.

Brethren, where is our Sabbath ſeparation? Is there not a fault among us upon this account? let him that heareth enquire, How it is with me? Am not I faulty? what are my Sabbath thoughts? what are my Sabbath diſcourſes? If I be better employed in the houſe of God, what do I in mine own houſe? what are my morning and evening, and midday thoughts? what is my table talk, my chimney talk. If buſineſs, if bargains, or journeys be not admitted, are not viſits or complements, or vain ſtories or impertinent news ſuffered to fill up the time? is it thus or not with thee? Is it well that it is thus? O clear your Sabbaths of ſuch worldly encroachments, or you'l never clear your hearts: drive all the world into Pathmos, into baniſhment, and be wholly in the ſpirit, on the Lords day. Be abſtracted from earthly things and p. 260earthly thoughts bring them with you neither to the houſe, nor to the day of the Lord; let your own houſes, and your own tables, be as the houſe and table of the Lord; have nothing to do from morning to evening but to wait on God.

2. It is a day for ſpecial Communion with God. Tbe meeting of God with his people on that day, is like unto that meeting which is promiſed to Moſes Exod. 25. 22. before the mercy ſeat: There will I meet thee, and commune with thee: there will I ſhew thee all my mind, and hear all thy requeſts.

It is a day of bleſſing: thither the tribes go up, to bleſs the Lord, and there he comes down to bleſs his people. It's ſaid Gen. 2. and Exod. 20. that God bleſſed the Sabbath day: Gods bleſſing the day, makes it a day of bleſſing, a good day to his Saints, he then comes unto them, in the fulneſs of the bleſſing of the goſpel.

Thoſe that queſtion whether the firſt day of the week be the Chriſtian Sabbath, let them conſider which of all the dayes of the week the Lord hath, ſince the death of Chriſt, ſo exalted above the reſt of the dayes, that they can with moſt confidence ſay, This is the day which the Lord hath bleſſed? on what day were the gates of death broken, the Lord Jeſus declared to be the ſon of God with power, by his reſurrection from the dead? on which day was the ſpirit of God moſt ſignally ſhed abroad on the Apoſtles and primitive Chriſtians, in thoſe extraordinary gifts, whereby they were made more capable of publiſhing the bleſſed Goſpel to the ends of the earth, and in that ſpecial grace which ſeized three thouſand Souls in one day? Act. 2. What day is it that hath been honoured to be the p. 261birth day of the greateſt number of Saints ever ſince? that hath been their feaſt day, wherein their Souls have been moſt ſenſibly nouriſh'd, and they have been increas'd with the increaſings of God? what meals have they had to their Lords-day meals? what joyes, to their Lords-day joyes Surely if this may determine the queſtion, which day is the Sabbath of the Lord, the day that of all others, God hath bleſſed and made a good day, the experiences of Chriſtians in all ages would bring in their vote for the firſt day. This is the day that God hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it: this by the way.

This day as is ſaid before, is the reſt of God: a little Heaven let down to us on earth: God calls us up hither, as he called Moſes up to Piſgah, to give us a view of the promiſed land. The Sabbath is Heaven opened; we may give a gueſs at the glory to come, by thoſe glimſes, and taſtes, we have of it now.

It is the day of interview, betwixt the bridegroom and the bride; wherein he beholds our faces, and ſhewes us his loves; wherein he comes down into his garden to eat his pleaſant fruits, and we behold his goings, the goings of God in his Sanctuary.

The buſineſs of this day is to look into the Ark of the Covenant, to review and renew the Covenant tranſactions betwixt God and our Souls; to ſearch out, contemplate and admire the mercies and lovingkindneſs of the Lord; to receive the overflowing of his goodneſs and to pour forth our Souls as an offering to him, in our prayers and praiſes: to give and receive mutual tokens and pledges of Love and faithfulneſs; to ſeal to our p. 262fidelity to him, and to receive farther aſſurances of his grace and good will to our Souls; to obtain help from God againſt our enemies, whereby we may execute upon them the vengeance written; and upon this mountain ordinarily is the victory obteined, there breaks he the arrowes of the bow, the ſword, the ſhield, and the battel.

Chriſtians, have you ever experimented this Sabbath Communion? hath the Lord God appear'd thus unto you? have there been ſuch friendly and familiar intercourſes betwixt him and your Souls? Oh how contemptibly hath the world look'd in that day?

But oh what dark and cloudy dayes are our Sabbaths ordinarily to us; Sundayes, per antiphraſin, the Sun not once appearing it may be, for many dayes together; no wonder our Souls are ſo earth'd all the week, when they are ſo ſeldom in Heaven, on the day of the Lord: what dry feaſts are our Sabbath feaſts? rather faſts then feaſts: real Communion with God is a ſtrange thing to us, even in the day of God: Heaven is opened but our eyes are ſhut; God comes down to meet us, and to bleſs us, but our hearts are not there: the breaſts of conſolation are full, but we have no skill, or no liſt to draw at the breaſts: we come to the well, but we do not let down the bucket; we ſtand by the pool, where the Angel comes down, but our creeple Souls put not in to the waters: we ſtand without, in the outer court of the Lords houſe; our Sabbaths are to us but figures of Sabbaths; the ordinances of them are to us, as wells without water, lamps withoul Oyle, meer ſhadows of good things: we go up from week to week, to meet p. 263one with another, but how ſeldom do we ſee God in the company? and hereupon Sabbaths come and goe, and leave us ſtill as we were: the Devil may well enough truſt us with ſuch Sabbaths, the world may give us leave to go thus before the Lord, and be no looſer by it.

Brethren, get you into the inner court, which on theſe dayes eſpecially was to be ſet open, Ezek. 46. 1. there is an entry through the houſe of the Lord, that leads in to the heart of the moſt high; get you into that ſanctum ſanctorum and there let be your reſt: as often as the morning of that bleſſed day looks forth upon you, get your veſſels ready, and go you forth to meet the bridegroom: open your eyes with theſe thoughts, this is the day which the Lord hath made I will rejoyce and be glad in it: climb up betimes, and let every duty be a ſtair by which you aſcend to your Lord: let divine contemplation, let prayers and praiſes, &c. be the whole work; let the bleſſings of Divine Communion, be the whole expectation of that day: and when you find your hearts refreſhed with his preſence, and filled with the company of your God, and he ſends you away laden with the tokens of his love, and with the impreſs of his face upon your hearts, and the reliſh of his goodneſs freſh upon your palats; when you thus go hot out of the preſence of the Lord, then you will learn to deſpiſe that day of ſmall things, with which the World entertains you: Shall I forſake my ſweetneſs, ſaith the figtree, ſhall I forſake my fatneſs ſaith the Olive, and become King over the trees? let the bramble take that honour; farewell dignities and dominions, farewell pomps and pleaſures, farewell p. 264houſes and lands, I have enough, I have ſeen the face of God.

3. It is a day of ſpecial proviſion for Souls; whereon the Lord brings forth out of his treaſury, his ſpiritual proviſions, to keep the Soul in heart. Hunger-ſtarv'd ſouldiers are but poor fighters; they are the weak ſouls whom the World hath vanquiſhed.

Sabbaths are the Souls Market dayes. Men have their Markets whence to be ſupplied with neceſſaries for their bodies; and on this day God keeps a Market for Souls: He hath his Milk and his Honey, his Wine and his Oyl, his Bread and his Water of Life; and on this day in ſpecial, he makes Proclamation, Ho every one that thirſteth, come to the Waters, and he that hath no money; Come ye buy and eat, yea buy Wine and Milk without money and without price.

The bread which comes down from Heaven, though it be to be had every day, (our Week-dayes may in their meaſure, be all Sabbaths) yet on this day it falls more plentifully. The Jews had their corporal Manna on the ſix dayes, and none on the Sabbath; but the hidden Manna falls more thin, and more ſparely on our other dayes, and on this day more abundantly. They were to gather double on the ſixth day, that they might have to ſupply them on the Sabbath; but for the Spiritual Manna, all our other dayes are to be ſupply'd from our Sabbath proviſion.

A Chriſtian who is not fit to meet the Bridegroom, is neither fit to meet his adverſary, without Oyl in his Lamp. Tis the great commodity thats ſet to ſale in this Market, Oyle for our veſſels. Come p. 265bring your empty veſſels, here's Oyl to fill them. The Ordinances which are this day adminiſtred, are the pipes opened, thoſe golden pipes by which the golden Oyl is emptied forth, and conveyed down from the living Olive, Zech. 4.

Tis no wonder that men hunger after this world, who know no better feeding. An Aſſes head, or a kab of Doves dung are of great price, when there is no bread, 2 King. 6. 25. Tis for want of bread that worldlings can make ſuch a feaſt of their Locuſts and wild Honey. Thoſe that have eaten of the hidden Manna, will not luſt after Quails; the Worlds dainties will come out at their noſtrils, whoſe bellies have been filled with this hid treaſure. Thoſe whom God hath fed in his green Paſtures, thoſe whom God hath led by his ſtill waters, they cannot live in theſe ſalt Mariſhes or ſtubble fields. Thoſe whoſe ſouls God hath made well watered Gardens, will not need the Pools of the Wilderneſs.

Its no wonder that the World beats us, when we go for many daies together without making one good meal. When our ſouls are famiſhed into weakneſs, then are we our enemies prey; they are the hunger ſtarved ſheep, that are a prey to Crows and Kytes. If Sathan can but keep us low, if he can either keep the Manna from falling about our Camps, or keep us idle when we ſhould be gathering, he may then lead us after his lure at pleaſure. Tis not a little ſtrength that will ſuffice us againſt his great temptations, and tis not a little bread by which we are like to gather any great ſtrength; we had need feed well if we will be ſtrong, and we had need be ſtrong or we ſhall never fight well.

p. 266A Soul that uſes to come before the Lord with an appetite, that feeds hungrily, and is as the thirſty earth that drinks up the ſhowers that come oft upon it; whom the Lord ſatisfies with the fatneſs of his houſe, you may turn him looſe to the World, fleſh, and Devil; the life of God within him maintained by influences from above, will much ſecure him againſt all their aſſaults.

Chriſtians, know your Sabbath priviledges; the advantages of Sabbath ſeparation, Sabbath communion and Sabbath proviſion. Underſtand your advantage, and make your advantage of them.

Be ye ſeperate. Remember your Creator, and reſt from your works, as God did from his. Remember your Redeemer, and riſe from your duſt as Chriſt did from his. Let this day of his Reſurrection, be the day of your Reſurrection and Aſcention. Let Sabbaths be Sabbaths indeed, holy to the Lord, and wholly his. Divide not the day betwixt fleſh and Spirit, God and Mammon, but let it be entirely the Lords day.

Let every duty and Ordinance of this day be a Communion. Prepare to meet your God, and go up to meet him. Seek his face in hope to ſee his face; ſee and love, ſee and rejoice, ſee and admire and praiſe him in his excellent greatneſs. Hearken what the Lord God will ſpeak, and let him hear your voice. Confirm your friendſh…p, renew your acquaintance in Heaven; repeat your Covenant tranſactions. Have you choſen the Lord for your portion, tell him you ſtand to your choice; have you renounc'd your fleſh and the World, promiſe him not to return to folly. Have you made the Lord your truſt, put forth freſh acts p. 267of faith upon him. Look to him, lean on him for his righteouſneſs and ſtrength. Let ſuch as theſe, let faith, and love, and hope, and prayers, and praiſes, which are the ſtairs to the other World, and your weapons againſt this, be your Sabbathwork and delight.

Let not finer cloaths and better fare, let not idleneſs and eaſe, no nor filling up a place in the Congregation, be the only difference betwixt Sabbaths and other daies, but this better work and meat for ſouls.

Provide againſt the dayes of ſcarcity, provide againſt the dayes of temptation. Let not the Manna fall beſides your veſſels. Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit ſaith to the Churches. Catch at every word, obſerve every look of your Lord upon you. And whatever you receive lay up, and ponder in your hearts. Have you received a check or reproof, lay up your reproof; have you received a word of counſel or inſtruction, lay up your inſtructions. Hath he ſpoken peace to you, lay up that word charily by you; whatever tranſactions have paſſed betwixt the Lord and your Souls, keep the records; and when you go forth, whither ever you go, carry all this upon your hearts, that whenever the World meets you again, and tempts you again, you may be thus well appointed, and throughly furniſhed againſt its aſſaults.

Brethren, put hard on every Sabbath, for ſuch an undiſturbed attendance on the Lord; ſingle out the Lord for the object of your whole converſe; knit your hearts thus to him, ſolace your ſelves thus in him, get you thus elevated and raiſed in your ſpirits from earthly to heavenly; and every p. 268inch of ground you get of your adverſary, maintain it carefully from Sabbath to Sabbath. If this were ſeriouſly deſign'd, and more generally attempted by Chriſtians, we ſhould find both another face, and another power of Chriſtianity in the earth; the children of the Kingdom would be more viſibly differenced from the men of this World, and both the guilt and reproach of earthlineſs and ſenſuality, be wip'd off from the Profeſſors and Profeſſion of the Goſpel.

3. Improve Sacraments this way. The advantage that we have in Sacraments againſt the World, lies

In our

Preparation.

Participation.

1. In our preparation. One confeſſed preparatory duty is ſelf-examination, 1 Cor. 11. 28. A great ſecurity of this Idol is the ſecret of its tabernacle; Its covert in which it lurks unſeen. Worldlings (many of them) if they knew what is within them, their Conſcience would ſo prick, that they could have no reſt or eaſe, till this thorn were puld out; but they are not aware that the World is within them. Yet this enemy lies not ſo cloſe but upon a privy ſearch it may be diſcovered. Sacramental trial ſhould be cloſe and thorow, no corner within us ſhould be left unranſacked. The reverence of this great Ordinance and the dreadful conſequence of comming ſo ſolemnly before the Lord with a Traitor in our boſoms (eating and drinking judgment) will cry in our ears, Make diligent ſearch.

The evidence that this one thing [an earthly mind] carries in it of our treachery towards God, is ſo p. 269notorious, that he hath but little underſtanding in the matters of God, that would not from this alone, conclude himſelf an unworthy gueſt at the Table of the Lord, were all things elſe never ſo ſpecious and fair. Dar'ſt thou ſay, Surely the Lord will accept me, for he hath but this one thing againſt me, That I love the World more than I love God. I can own his name and waies, I join with the Aſſemblies of his people; I can pray, and hear, and faſt; I am neither proud nor froward, nor envious, nor malicious, there is no evil but this covetouſneſs, but I hope I can acquit my ſelf of? Dar'ſt thou ſay thus? I am no drunkard, I am no Adulterer, I am no ſwearer, I am nothing but an Idolater? the Lord I hope will excuſe me in this thing? Doſt think he will indeed? And may it not be like enough, that upon this diligent ſearch thou mayſt find this to be thy caſe?

Friends, get the ſenſe of theſe terrible truths upon your hearts, He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord; He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himſelf; He that is an Idolater, eateth and drinketh unworthily, He that is covetous is an Idolater; Let theſe things ſink into your hearts, and then ſee if you dare come without a narrow ſearch; make a narrow ſearch and then you will ſee how great your unworthineſs and danger is. Certainly were there a due care taken of this duty, it were not poſſible that men could go on from Sacrament to Sacrament under the power of their earthly hearts, this would ſurely ſtartle them. This Ordinance would either make them afraid of their worldlineſs, or this worldlineſs would make them afraid of Sacraments.

p. 270Worldly Profeſſors, what care is there ordinarily taken of this duty? do you examine? do you make diligent ſearch? do you make particular ſearch for this evil? It may be you enquire, Am I in the faith? am I in charity? do I bear no malice? hath no man a quarrel againſt me? nay poſſibly you may go a little farther, and ask, Am I unjuſt? am I an oppreſſor, an extortioner? have I done wrong to no man? and if you can acquit your ſelf here, then an end. But do you further ask, Do I not love the world? Is not mine heart too much upon it? Am I not too buſie for the world? is not my time ſpent too much upon it? are not duties neglected? is not my ſoul, or my families ſouls neglected for its ſake? am I not ſo bent upon growing rich in the world, that I mind not how poverty grows upon my ſoul? do I honor the Lord with my ſubſtance? am I merciful? am I bountiful? do I ſeek no more nor no otherwiſe then God would have me ſeek? do I aim at God? do I entitle God to all I have? do I know how to abound? can I want if the Lord will have it ſo? is God enough if I have nothing? is not all the world enough if God be a ſtranger? how can I bear croſſes and diſappointments in the world?

Speak friends, are any of theſe things enquired after? I doubt whether you be faithful in this matter; oh might I prevail with you to put upon this cloſer and ſeverer tryal, you know not what it might gain you: If you can but apprehend your Enemy at ſuch a time as this, when you are making this ſolemn approach to the Lord, when it would be ſo dreadful to you to be found in league with it, at what an advantage would you then p. 271have it? Now is a time, when if ever, we are like to have you ſerious; looſe not the ſeaſon; beware of ſolemn triflings; hide not now your eyes from ſeeing your diſeaſe; beware of palliating and mincing, be zealous to know the worſt of your caſe; put Conſcience cloſe to it, what ſayſt thou, Guilty, or not guilty? If Conſcience plead Guilty, then come before the Lord if thou darſt without ſerious repentance and reſolution to reform.

Another preparatory duty, (to name no more) is the renewing of our repentance. This is neceſſarily included in the renewing of our Covenant, which cannot be without repenting of our covenant breaches.

Repentance, if it be ſincere, will be univerſal, of every known ſin; If this evil we are now dealing againſt, be found upon thy ſcore, this muſt be the matter of thy repentance: he that repents not of every thing thats evil, truly repents of nothing.

Repentance hath reſpect, not only to the time to come, and ſo is Reformation or the amending of our wayes, a ceaſing to do evil, and a doing well, Iſa. 1. 16, 17. but alſo to the time paſt, and ſo is a Retractation or undoing what hath been done: what hath been done cannot be undone properly, but in a ſenſe it may; the hearty wiſhing it undone, is in Gods acceptance, the undoing what hath been done: and this is eſſential to true true repentance, an hearty wiſhing all the evil undone that hath been done. Can that man be ſaid to repent he hath been a worldling, that would not for any thing but he had been ſo? hath he repented, that if he were to begin again, would take the ſame courſe? p. 272Now this, if it be well conſidered, will, in the preſent caſe, appear to be the hardeſt part of repentance: how difficult ſoever it be for him whoſe heart hath hitherto gone after his covetouſneſs, to force it at length to a retreat, yet this hath much more difficulty in it, heartily to wiſh he had never been guilty of any covetous practiſes. Such an undoing of his ſin would be his undoing in point of eſtate.

It may be his covetouſneſs hath brought him in his whole living, and gotten him all the eſtate he has in the world; if he had not been an oppreſſour or a fraudulent dealer, or at leaſt a zealot for this world, poſſibly he had been but a poor man at this day, and had never gotten any thing; his houſe and his money and his lands are all, the income of his covetouſneſs. To wiſh he had been true, and honeſt, and moderate in the affairs of this life, may be the ſame as to wiſh himſelf in perpetual poverty.

It may be when thou conſidereſt not what thou ſayeſt, thou couldſt wiſh thou hadſt been honeſt, but when thou weigheſt what there is in that wiſh, Now I am full and abound, I eat and drink and wear and lodg and dwell in the fruit of my labour and care, but O that I had been empty and hungry and, naked, that I have been a bankerupt and beggar rather then grown as rich as I am upon ſuch terms? Is this ſo eaſy a wiſh?

May be the drunkard will more eaſily wiſh, O that I had ever been ſober, the adulterer will eaſily wiſh, O that I had never been unclean, the prodigal will eaſily wiſh, O that I had never thus fooliſhly waſted my eſtate, but will the covetous ſo eaſily wiſh, O that I had never gotten an eſtate thus? And p. 273yet this is eſſential to repentance. He that doth not wiſh his wickedneſs undone, doth certainly will to do it again, if he have the ſame opportunities and temptation.

This I ſay, is in the preſent caſe an hard piece of repentance; it is not ſo hard a trial for a rich man that hath now enough, to be required to covet no more, to be unjuſt no longer, never again to neglect his God or his Soul for his worldly intereſt; for if he be never ſo ſtrict this way for the future, his fleſh is not like to ſuffer ſo much by it, he hath enough by him already to feed and pamper it; but to wiſh his meat out of his mouth, his clothes off his back his mony out of his purſe, to wiſh himſelf back to that dunghil from which his covetouſneſs raiſed him; yea ſo heartily to wiſh this, as to be ready to be refund and to make reſtitution of all his diſhoneſt gains, he whoſe conſcience is ſo awakened as to preſs this upon him, will ſufficiently underſtand he has hard work before him. And he that perceives how hard this is and yet how neceſſary to repentance, will take heed how he goes on: he that hath thus unravel'd his former evil doings, is fenced againſt future; he will beware how he goes on to heap up ſuch a treaſure to himſelf, which he ſees will coſt him, either ſo much diſtreſs, or his Soul.

Brethren, dare you come to Sacraments without repentance? that is, dare you mock God to his face? dare you ſay you have repented of all your ſins, when you have not repented of your covetouſneſs, when your hearts know, you would not for any thing but you had been covetous? can you ſay you wiſh you had not been diſhoneſt, p. 274when you will not make reſtitution of your diſhoneſt gains? when do we hear of any ſuch thing as reſtitution? Is it enough that you do evil no more whileſt you thus juſtify what you have done?

Surely friends, if you underſtand what repentance is, and dare not venture upon Sacraments in your impenitence, you would find all your ſins, and this amongſt the reſt, to fall before that ſacred Ordinance.

2. In our Participation.

There are many ſingular advantages that may hence be gotten againſt the world: for the underſtanding whereof conſider, that there is in the Sacrament,

1. A lively repreſentation of the bleſſings of the other World,

2. A ſenſible obligation againſt the luſts and temptations of this World,

3. An abundant communication or exhibition of the bleſſings of the other World.

The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is called, Luke 22. 20. The New Teſtament; This cup is the New Teſtament in my bloud.

The New Teſtament is Heaven opened, life and immortality brought to light by the Goſpel. Its our Lords laſt will wherein we may read, what rich and glorious legacies he hath bequeathed to his Saints.

The Sacrament may be ſaid to be the New Teſtament in this threefold ſenſe,

1. It is the New Teſtament ſignified.

2. It is the New Teſtament ſealed.

3. It is the New Teſtament bleſſings exhibited.

p. 2751. The Sacrament is the New Teſtament ſignified: or a lively repreſentation of the great bleſſings of the covenant; it is a viſible Goſpel, Chriſt crucified before our eyes.

It is a commemoration of Chriſt crucified; as ſometimes you know dying friends bequeath unto their dear ſurvivers, ſome token of their love, a ring or a Jewel or their picture to preſerve their memorie, with them, ſo did our dying Lord bequeath this ſignet, this picture of Chriſt crucified to his living Saints, with this charge, as often as you look on this think on me, Luk. 22. 19. Do this in remembrance of me.

It is the ſhewing forth Chriſt crucified in open ſight, 1 Cor. 11. 26. And in this Croſs may be ſeen the Crown, as you may give a gueſs at the purchaſe by the price that's layd down for it. The pardons, the peace, the hopes, the robes, the manſions, the inheritance incorruptible undefiled immarceſſible, to which we are redeemed, we have a ſurvey of them all in this price that was paid for them. The love of Chriſt, his kindneſſes and compaſſions do all look forth upon us; His ſweat, his ſtripes, his grief, his groans, his bloud, do all ſpeak, Behold how he loved us, behold what he hath laid up for thoſe that love him.

Brethren, will not this price buy off your Souls from this Earth, which hath bought them from Hell? will neither the price nor the purchaſe do it? will not Heaven be taken in exchange for clay? you have been at the table of the Lord, but ſure you do not uſe to ſee Jeſus there, if your Souls yet dwell in the duſt.

Look ye to that tree, the croſs of your Lord; p. 276that inſtrument of death, behold how it is become a tree of life; a tree of life hung with all manner of precious fruits: there are all the curſes naild and witherd, there are all the flowers, and fruits of the Paradiſe of God growing up and flouriſhing; there is joy and glory, there is life and peace, Surſum Corda: What are theſe Souls? what, moles and batts? what, no eyes to ſee this glory? what ſee it and not deſire it? what, ſtill feeding with the worms? Let theſe moles get them eyes, let theſe worms get them wings; look till you can ſee, and ſee till you can love, and then aſcend and be ſatisfied: When I am lifted up I will draw all men after me, Joh. 12. 32. Is not the Son of Man lifted up? doſt thou not ſee him before thee? what is thine heart that doth not yet begin to aſcend?

O what is Chriſt? what not worth the thirty pieces? wilt thou again ſell thy Lord for money? once more look on him whom thou haſt pierced and then ſay, O my Soul whom wilt thou? Jeſus or Barabbas? this World is a robber? what do I here? am I come to crucifie the Son of God afreſh? to ſet him at nought again, to ſell him the ſecond time? my mony periſh from me rather then it ſhould again become the price of bloud.

2. The Sacrament is the New Teſtament ſealed: the uſe of a Seal is to ſecure and confirm; therefore Seals are affix'd to writings, bonds or covenants, to give them their full force and ratification.

The writing to which this Seal is ſet is the Goſpel; the great and precious promiſes, which are full of life and immortality, and all the riches of the promiſed land.

p. 277The Lord in giving us the Sacramental Elements, his Bread, and his Cup, doth therein deliver us the Covenant of Grace ſealed, to aſſure us of the truth and certainty thereof; as if he ſhould ſay, This ſhall be a ſign betwixt me and thee, that if thou accept of my Goſpel treaſures upon Goſpel terms, if thou wilt have no other God, but wi…t forſake all and follow me, this ſhall be to aſſure thee, that I will be thy God, and all that I have is thine.

And as the Lord ſeals on his part, ſo we ſet our ſeal to our part of the Covenant; as the Covenant is mutual, ſo is the ſealing; Gods giving is his ſealing, and our receiving is ours; our receiving the Elements from the hand of the Lord, our eating and drinking, is our ſeal, to witneſs our acceptance of God upon Gods terms, let this be a ſign betwixt me and thee that I accept Lord, I accept of thee according to the tenor and terms of thy Covenant.

Our acceptance of theſe Elements is as a Servants taking Covenant money, or a Souldiers taking Preſs money, which binds the one to his Maſter, the other to his Captain; and our ſealing in this manner, doth in a ſenſe ratifie Gods Seal, as to our particular intereſt in the promiſe; as upon a ſervants receiving his Covenant money, the Covenant is confirmed not only on his own part, but alſo on his Maſters: His Maſter is now engaged to own him, provide for him, protect him, and reward him as his ſervant: Its true, Gods Seal alone fully confirms the truth of the Covenant in general, but upon my ſealing to the condition on my part, (provided it be ſincere and unfeigned) hereupon Gods Seal doth not only confirm the p. 278Covenant in general, (that he which believeth and obeyeth the Goſpel ſhall certainly be ſaved) but it now makes it ſure to me, and gives me a certain propriety in all the promiſes of God. There's not a man in the world that thus accepts and ſets to his Seal, but the Seal of God ſtands good to him; he hath it under Gods hand and ſeal that he ſhall be pardoned, he hath it under Gods hand and ſeal, that grace, and peace, and all things neceſſary unto life and ſalvation are his.

Only it muſt be underſtood and remembred (as before) our acceptance is not to be only of what God promiſes, a willingneſs to be pardoned and ſaved, but of what God requires, a willingneſs to ſerve him, and forſaking all others, to cleave only unto him; as a Souldier takes his Preſs money, not only in token that he accepts of his pay, or a ſervant his Covenant money in token that he accepts of his wages, but it is their taking pay upon terms to fight, and taking wages on terms to work.

Now hence ariſes a double advantage in our war againſt the world, an

Encouragement.

Engagement.

1. Gods Seal encourages us on. The Covenant of God aſſures, not only a Crown to the Conqueror, but aſſiſtance to the Combatant: He will be not only the rewarder, but the helper of all thoſe that diligently ſeek him: He hath ſaid, Heb. 13. 5. I will never fail thee, nor forſake thee. And hereupon thou mayſt boldly ſay, The Lord is my helper. He hath ſaid, Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my ſpirit within you; and ver. 26. I will give you a new heart. This fleſh will never prevail, but what cannot the Spirit p. 279of the Lord do? this old heart and the world will never part, they were ever friends, and ever will be; but he will take away this, and give you another heart.

Fright not thy ſelf with the difficulties thou ſeeſt before thee, from the ſtrong party the world has within thee, thy carnal nature with all thine earthly members; from the Allies and Confederates it hath without thee, Satan with all his inſtruments and temptations; thou wilt be like to ſay, How can I turn this ſtream of nature? how can I ſtand againſt this floud of temptations? Can I create me a new ſpirit? or can I conquer whileſt this old ſpirit lives? can I command my love, and my fear, and my hatred, as I pleaſe? can I love what I will, and hate what I will, and fear what I will? can I fly from what my heart follows after, or fight againſt what I ſo love and deſire?

How can I endure ſuch hardneſs, as not only the fight, but the victory will bring upon me? Can I be poor? can I be hungry, be naked, be deſtitute? can I be in reproach, in diſgrace and contempt? will this heart ever bear the watchings, the faſtings, the labours, together with the diſtreſſes and afflictions of this warfare? I ſhall ſurely periſh one day or other by the hand of this Enemy.

Diſcourage not thy ſelf thus; what cannot God do? what will not God do, who hath ſaid, who hath ſeal'd to it, I will never fail thee, nor forſake thee? Behold his Seal; Is it not in thine hand, and in thy mouth? Truſt in God; ſet to thy Seal that God is true, and then ſay, Though my fleſh and my heart fail, God is the ſtrength of mine heart, and my p. 280portion for ever: I will go in the ſtrength of the Lord, through him I ſhall do valiantly, he ſhall tread down mine enemies, and my difficulties.

2. Our Seal engages us on. Haſt thou ſealed to the Lord, and not bound thy ſelf to him? Haſt thou ſet thy ſeal to a blank? haſt thou engaged thy ſelf to be the Lords, and not therein to be no longer the worlds? Canſt thou ſerve theſe two Maſters? Is not thy renouncing the world neceſſarily included in thy Covenant Obligation?

Brethren, that the tye may the more ſenſibly lie upon you, I adviſe, that as often as you come before the Lord in this Ordinance, you put this expreſly into your engagement; Father, I am ſenſible of the plague of this earthly heart, and of the tyranny of theſe worldly luſts, how impetuouſly they ſet upon me, and how imperiouſly they lead me on after them, how falſe and unfaithful have they made me to my God, how ordinarily am I led away by them againſt my Covenant, and my conſcience: But I here bewail it, I deteſt it, it is my grief and my ſhame that ever I have been ſo falſe and unworthy: Behold now again, in thy fear, I open my mouth to the Lord, I take hold of thy word, I hang upon thy help, let the Lord my righteouſneſs be my ſtrength, and in his Name I again lift up mine hand to the moſt High, ſolemnly proteſting before the Lord, that I ſo avouch thee to be my God, and ſo entirely and unreſervedly make over my ſelf unto thee, that through the grace of God with me, I will henceforth, and while I live, be the avowed enemy of a worldly heart and life; I will uſe all thy means for the overcoming of it; I will ſtudy, I will watch, I will pray againſt, I will rate, and check, and reſtrain, and reſiſt all the motions, luſtings, and temptations by which I have been ſo often led aſide p. 281and overcome; I give my ſelf, my eſtate, my ſtrength, my parts, my time, all that I have unto the Lord; Lord take me at my word, and all that I have for thy ſervants, I am thine ſave me. Thou that knoweſt all things, knoweſt that I would not lye unto God, but that I ſincerely intend, in thy ſtrength, to ſtand to this word, in teſtimony whereof I here take this holy Sacrament from thine hands. I have opened my mouth to the Lord, help me, and I will not go back.

And now, O my ſoul, look to thy ſelf; Shall I again break my Covenant? ſhall I wickedly repent, and alter the word that is gone out of my lips? ſhall I any longer walk after the courſe, and in the luſts of this world, fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh, and of my mind? ſhall mine heart ſtill go after my covetouſneſs? ſhall I ſtudy and project, and plot and prog for this fleſh at that rate, as if the world were ſtill my God? ſhall it climb up from the footſtool to the Throne? ſhall it again give Laws to my heart, and ſet limits to my Religion? ſhall intereſt Lord it over Conſcience, and carnal inclination bear down devotion? ſhall I ſuffer this Robber to break in again into the Sanctuary of the Lord? ſhall it eat up my Sacrifices, ſteal away my Sabbaths, curtail my duties, and enervate Ordinances? ſhall the Lord have no more of me then the world will ſpare him? ſhall buſineſs be ever again pleaded againſt duty, or gain againſt godlineſs? ſhall my ſoul take up its dwelling in my ſhop, or in my fields, and only give ſome ſhort viſits to heaven at its leiſure?

But oh ſhall lying and promiſe breaking, ſhall fraud and oppreſſion, ſhall unrighteouſneſs or p. 282unmercifulneſs be nothing with me, or but excuſable failings? Are theſe things according to the vows of God that are upon me? Look to thy ſelf, O my ſoul, be not found a lyar againſt God.

O Brethren, were there this ſolemn and expreſs tranſaction betwixt our ſouls and the Lord at every Sacrament, and did we thus live in the conſcience of this Obligation, and the dread of being found falſe to God, from Sacrament to Sacrament, what might it not bring forth? what a wound would be given to the head of this deadly Enemy?

3. The Sacrament is the New Teſtament bleſſings exhibited: The new wine broached; this Conduit runs with Goſpel Wine: Our partaking in the Sacrament, is our coming into the Garden of our Lord, to eat his pleaſant fruits.

We read, Cant. 2. 3. I ſate down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to my taſte. I ſhall ſtay a while here, and ſhall gather a bundle of theſe fruits, and preſent them to your eye. I ſhall in ſhort ſhew,

1. What the ſpecial fruits of Chriſt are.

2. That theſe fruits are ſweet and pleaſant, and then I ſhall add,

3. That theſe fruits are exhibited in the Sacrament.

4. The advantages we hence have againſt the world.

1. What the ſpecial fruits of Chriſt are; which I ſhall reduce to theſe two heads.

The fruits of

His Bloud.

His Spirit.

1. The fruits of his Bloud. Theſe are eſpecially p. 283two, in which all others are comprized, Viz.

Righſeouſneſs.

Peace.

1. Righteouſneſs. He is therefore called the Lord our righteouſneſs, Jer. 23. 6. Joh. 16. 8. He ſhall convince the world of righteouſneſs; that is, of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt; he ſhall evidence and make manifeſt unto the world, who all lye in wickedneſs, that in him there is righteouſneſs; not only that he is righteous as an individual perſon, but as a publick perſon; that he hath in the name and on the behalf of all thoſe that believe on him, fulfilled all righteouſneſs, and hath hereby a ſtock and treaſure of righteouſneſs to beſtow, and wherewith to cloath all thoſe that come unto God by him, to whom he is made wiſdome, [righteouſneſs] ſanctification and redemption, 1 Cor. 1. 30.

Beloved, are there any guilty ſouls among you, any unrighteous ones? do you know what 'tis to be guilty? do you know the dread and terrour of the Lord? do you conſider what the face of a righteous incenſed God will be to an unrighteous ſoul? do you underſtand how naked you lye, and open before everlaſting vengeance? how can you endure? or how can you eſcape the wrath to come? righteouſneſs of your own you have none, and that which you ſeem to have, is not your righteouſneſs: But behold here's righteouſneſs for you, come to Chriſt, put in here, dip you in his bloud, and then you are clean; though your iniquity be ſearched for, yet it ſhall not be found; this righteouſneſs ſhall anſwer for you, for all your unrighteouſneſs; this righteouſneſs ſhall purchaſe for you the eternal inheritance, O methinks p. 284we ſhould hear you all crying out with thoſe Jews, though with another heart, and in another ſenſe, His bloud be upon us, and upon our children.

2. Peace. That's another fruit of Chriſts bloud; he hath made peace by the bloud of his Croſs, Col. 1. 20. He hath made peace, not only betwixt Jew and Gentile, reconciling them both into one body, but betwixt God and men, reconciling both Jew and Gentile in one body unto God, Rom. 5. 1. Being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God.

This peace hath all bleſſings in it; love, good will, pardon, grace, life; as the wrath of God hath all woes in it, all the plagues and miſeries, both of this world and that to come; you need ſay no more to mark out any perſon for an unhappy and loſt perſon, but this, The wrath of God abideth on him; you have ſaid enough, you need not ſmite him the ſecond time; as the wrath of God hath all woes, ſo the peace of God hath all bleſſings in it.

2. The fruits of his ſpirit. The former fruits, righteouſneſs and peace, which I call the fruits of the bloud of Chriſt, are in a ſenſe, the fruits alſo of the ſpirit; as alſo theſe latter which I call the fruits of the ſpirit, are in a ſenſe, the fruits of his bloud: the ſpirit convinces of righteouſneſs, and preaches peace, Joh. 16. 14. He ſhall take of mine, and ſhew it unto you. The ſpirit firſt indeed takes of our own, and ſhews that unto us; that ſame Goſpel ſpirit that brings life and immortality, brings firſt death and mortality to light; he that convinces of ſin, is the ſame ſpirit that convinces of righteouſneſs.

p. 285He ſhall take of our own, and ſhew it unto us. Look thee here ſoul, what a vile and unclean thing thou art, what a wretched and unhappy thing thou art, what a Leper, what a Viper, what a devil in fleſh thou haſt made thy ſelf, what an Egypt, what a Sodom, what an hell thou haſt within thee, what a portion, what a treaſure thou haſt laid up for thy ſelf; Serpents, and Scorpions, and Dragons, Bloud, and Wrath, and Fire, theſe muſt be the portion of thy cup. Secure ſleepy ſoul, jolly merry ſoul, that art quiet and at eaſe, ſporting thy ſelf with thy pleaſures, loading thy ſelf with riches, decking thy ſelf with ornaments, open thine eyes ſoul, look thee here, all that's thine I here ſet in order before thee: theſe ſins, and this guilt, and theſe curſes, and theſe plagues, theſe are all thou canſt call thine own, theſe ſhall dwell with thee, theſe ſhall ſtick and cleave to thee, as thy fleſh to thy bone, as thy body to thy ſoul: this ſad and amazing ſight the ſpirit ſhews us, takes of our own, and ſhews it unto us: But then ſays Chriſt, he ſhall take of mine, of my righteouſneſs and peace, and ſhew it unto you.

I ſay, even theſe fruits of the bloud of Chriſt may be alſo called the fruits of the ſpirit.

But beſides theſe, there are others that the Scripture expreſly calls the fruits of the ſpirit; what theſe are you may read, Gal. 5. 22, 23. But the fruit of the ſpirit is love, joy, peace, long-ſuffering, gentleneſs, goodneſs, faith, meekneſs, temperance; all the graces and the comforts of the ſpirit iſſuing from them, theſe are the fruits of the ſpirit.

2. That theſe fruits of Chriſt are ſweet, 1 Pet. 2. 7. To them that believe he is precious: He and all p. 286his, root and branches, tree and fruit; he is pleaſant to the eye, the thoughts of Chriſt are precious, Pſa. 104. 3. My meditation of him ſhall be ſweet. It is a pleaſant thing to behold this Sun; he is ſweet to the ear, his words are ſweet, ſweeter then the honey and the honey comb, Pſa. 19. 10. His houſe and his dwelling is ſweet, Pſa. 84. 1. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord. How might I inlarge here! But more cloſe to the matter in hand, becauſe ſenſe will give us the fulleſt proof of ſweetneſs let me ask.

1. How ſweet have you found the fruits of the bloud of Chriſt? Ask the guilty if righteouſneſs be not ſweet, if pardon be not ſweet, ask the priſoner if liberty be not ſweet, ask the debtor how he would receive his diſcharge from all his debts. Doſt thou know what bloud guiltineſs means, I need not commend to thee, the bloud of attonement.

2. How ſweet are the fruits of his Spirit? would it not be a pleaſure to you to be holy and humble and meek? is not love ſweet? is not holy joy ſweet? that is, is not ſweetneſs ſweet? nay is not godly ſorrow ſweet? the mournings and meltings for ſin, have more ſweetneſs in them then the ſportings and laughings of ſinners.

Is not the ſenſe of integrity, clearneſs and uprightneſs, is not peace of conſcience, the aſſurance of divine love, are not theſe ſweet? Ask thoſe that labour under the gripes and pangs of a wounded conſcience, or are ſtung with the conſcience of guile and treachery, how they would prize peace of conſcience: ask thoſe who have received the ſentence of death in themſelves, and lye roaring like bulls in a net, full of the fury of the Lord, p. 287how pretious aſſurance of the love of God would be. Ask thoſe whoſe ſouls do dwell at eaſe, who walk in the light of the Lord, and have taſted that the Lord is gracious, what they would take in exchange for thoſe comforts, wherewith they feel themſelves comforted of God.

I appeal to ſome of your experiences, whether ever you have had ſo much pleaſure in all your lives, as when you have found your hearts aſcending Heaven ward, in your flames of love, and receiving teſtimony from the Lord, that you are accepted with him: ſurely your ſouls have taſted how good the Lord is.

But here note that theſe fruits of the Spirit (ſome of them eſpecially) are ſweet only

To the Souls.

Healthy

Hungry

1. To the healthy Soul: that is, to the holy Soul, to the ſick every pleaſant thing is bitter: is grace unfavoury? is holineſs harſh to thee, doeſt thou find no reliſh in it? are thy gourds and thy husks thy locuſts and wild hony, the pleaſures of thy fleſh only grateful to thy palate? O thou art a ſickly Soul, there is no health in thee.

2. To the hungry Soul: The hungry he fills with good things, and the hungry will reliſh his good things, the full Soul loaths the honey comb: canſt thou not taſt the ſweetneſs? O thou art a full Soul; Satan hath filled thine heart, thou haſt an heart full of dirt and traſh; the Divel hath made a very ſtable or barn, or dung pot of thine heart; meat and drink and mony and mirth have chok'd up thy ſoul, and that's the reaſon that Chriſt is no more ſavoury.

p. 288Are there any empty ſouls among you, hungring and thirſting after the bread and water of life? what if Chriſt ſhould come down and meet you here, and feed you with theſe good things? would you not ſay, O this is ſweet feeding, O this is a ſweet morning, O this is a pleaſant meal?

If you could ſee all the bleſſed fruits of the goſpel, ſpred upon this table; if you ſaw pardons ſealed before you for every one of your ſouls; if grace and peace, if love and joy, if holineſs and power, and every thing your ſouls want or wiſh for, if you ſhould ſee them here on the table; if you ſhould hear a voice from Heaven calling unto you, Eat O friends, drink, yea drink abundantly O beloved, you that want a pardon, there 'tis for you; you that want holineſs, humility, patience, power, aſſurance, here 'tis for you, take it; It may be the full ſouls among you would be nothing moved, it would better pleaſe them to hear, there's a penny for you, there's a ſheep or an houſe or a living for you, But every hungry ſoul would cry out, O this is ſweet, 'its good to be here.

3. That theſe fruits of Chriſt are exhibited and given forth in the ſacrament. The ſacrament is a communion: the Communion of the body of Chriſt, the Communion of the bloud of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10. 16. wherein we come not only to ſee, but to receive Chriſt crucified, to receive of his fulneſs grace for grace.

Iſa. 12. 3. we have a promiſe, with joy ſhall ye draw water out of the wells of ſalvation, here note,

1. That the Church of Chriſt hath her wells of ſalvation: without is death and deſtruction: ſinners have their pits, and their pools, and their ciſterns, but no wells. There is a fountain and a fountain p. 289opened Zech. 13. 1. but 'tis to the houſe of David and the inhabitants of Jeruſalem: to the Iſrael of God not to his enemies; to theſe the fountains opened, is a fountain ſealed, Chriſt ſhall profit them nothing; Chriſt is the Churches incloſure, no common for aliens.

If you ask what are thoſe wells, I anſwer the word is a well, the ordinances are wells, in particular this ordinance, this ſacrament to which we are come this day to draw, this is a well: it hath the depth of a well; this ordinance is a deep myſtery, 'tis not every hand, no nor every eye that can reach the water. 2. It hath the ſpring of a well: wells have not a ſtanding and underived fulneſs, but they have a ſpring that feeds them: Chriſt is the ſpring that fills this well. 3. It hath the fulneſs of a well, ciſterns will hold little water, in the well there is ſtore: all Chriſt is here, in whom all fulneſs dwells.

This well is the Churches, it belongs only to thoſe that belong to God, 1 Cor. 3. 22. 23. whether Paul Apollos or Cephas, whether miniſters or ordinances, all are yours becauſe you are Chriſts and Chriſt is Gods: Rom. 9. 4. who are Iſraelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the covenants; to whom the adoption and the covenants belong, theirs are the ſeals.