Heaven and Earth Embracing, Sermon

Heaven and Earth Embracing · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON PREACHED before the Honourable Houſe of COMMONS, upon the day of the Monethly-Faſt, January 28. 1645.

JAM. 4. 8. The former part of the verſe.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

The whole verſe runs thus,

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you: Cleanſe your hands, ye ſinners, and purifie your hearts, ye doubleminded.

THis Text hath three things in it,

1

A Duty charged upon us

2

A Mercy promiſed us

3

A Direction given us

The duty charged upon us, is, To draw nigh to God.

The mercy promiſed, is, He will draw nigh to us.

The direction given lies in the later part, teaching us ſo to performe the dutie, that we may obtaine the merciemercy, Cleanſe your hands, ye ſinners, and purifie your hearts, ye double-minded.

p. 2My buſineſſe lies in the two former points, The dutie, and the merciemercy, Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

The Text ſuppoſeth not any locall diſtance between God and us, and ſo not our locall drawing nigh to God, or Gods to us. In that ſenſe we cannot be nearer to God then we are, for he is whereſoever we are▪ He is not farre from every one of us (Act. 17. 28.) for in him we live, and move, and have our being; There is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and in you all, and thorow all (Epheſ. 4. 6.) Over all (men) by his power; in all (the Saints) by his Spirit, and thorow all (the world) by his providence. We are invited to come into his preſence, from whoſe preſence (with all our ſtrength and activitie) we cannot goe, Pſal. 139. 7. Whither ſhall I flee from thy preſence? If I aſcend up into Heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, thou art there; If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermoſt parts of the ſea, even there ſhall thy hand lead me; and thy right hand ſhall hold me. Here then we have nothingQuod cavillantur, …ecundariā & quaſi pediſſe …uam eſſe Dei grat…em noſtrae praepara…ioni, quia Deum approptuquare poſteriore lo…o di…t Iacobus, fr…vo…um eſt. C…lv. Perperam ex hoc lo…o Pelagiani colligunt converſionem à …obu incipere. Lez. to do with corporall diſtances or drawings nigh. The ſenſe is ſpirituall.

The Pelagians of old, with their ſucceſſours, Papiſts and Arminians, corrupt this Text, and thoſe of like importance, with ſuch gloſſes as theſe. We are bid to draw nigh to God; ſurely then, we have power in our ſelves to doe it. We are bid to draw nigh to God, before he draws nigh to us; ſurely then, we prepare our ſelves and grace follows.

But this and the like Scriptures ſhew us our dutie, not our abilitie: what we ought to doe, not what we can: They aſſure us what God will doe, when we p. 3draw nigh to him, not what he is bound to doe, Grace is free. And though we are invited to come to God, yet till God come to us, we cannot come to him. We are ſpoken to, under the tenour, and in the language of the Covenant of grace, which giveth the ſtrength for every duty it cals us to: and with that voice, Draw nigh to God, conveighs a power to draw us nigh to God; our motions are not towards him, till he moveth towards us, The Lord looked down from Heaven to behold all the children of men (Pſal. 14.) And what ſaw he? The report is made thus, Rom. 3. 12. They are all gone out of the way, there is none ſeeketh after God; Not a face looking heaven-ward, not a foot ſtepping towards God. The wicked are estranged from the womb, aſſoon as they are born, they go aſtray, ſpeaking lies (Pſal. 58. 3.) Such alſo is the language and the vvay of the righteous, at their naturall birth. The vvhole earth (in this ſenſe) is but of one ſpeech, They ſpeak lies before they can ſpeak; and of one vvay, and that's out of the vvay, they goe aſtray, before they can goe, Aſſoon as they are born they goe aſtray, ſpeaking lies, They are estranged from the womb. No man ever came to the Lord, till the Lord brought him. Man muſt have preventing grace, concurring grace, and perfecting grace. Grace doth all; though they to vvhom God hath begun in grace, have a power to move, yet vvithout him they cannot move actually, Draw me (ſaith the Church, Cant. 1. 4.) we will runne after thee. No man (ſaith Chriſt) can come unto me, except the Father which ſent me draw him (Joh. 6. 44.) A meer naturall man hath no life, a godly man cannot uſe his life alone. The former hath no power to act; the later cannot act, much leſſe compleat his p. 4power vvithout Chriſt. Without me, ye (my Diſciples) can doe nothing, Joh. 15. Converſion doth not begin at us, nor is it ended by us. They vvho have a ſtock of grace, cannot trade vvith it, or improve it vvithout Chriſts co-partnerſhip. Our drawing nigh to God, is not only a ſpirituall act, but a ſupernaturall.

There are two vvaies vvhereby vve draw nigh to God.

1. By converſion, and in all the actings of repentance.

2. In prayer, and in the uſe of every holy Ordinance.

Only a touch upon the former: I intend not to run the compaſſe of that point.

Man is born afar off from God. He is afar off by a double diſtance.

1. By a naturall diſtance, as he is a creature; and thus, not only man, but the very Angels in heaven are afarre off from God. Who is able to meaſure the diſtance between Creatour and creature, between finite and infinite?

2. Man is afarre off from God by a moral diſtance, as he is a ſinner, and this (if a greater diſtance then infinite can be imagined) is greater then the former. Who can reckon or caſt up how farre it is, between holy and unholy, between pure and uncleane? The naturall diſtance can never be reduced; The morall may.

God made man neer himſelf, but vvhen Adam fell; God and man parted. And man, in that condition, is ſo farre from God, that he is, without God in the world, (Epheſ. 2. 12.) that is, vvithout the true knowledge of him, vvithout dependance upon him, vvithout delight p. 5in him, vvithout obedience to him. Converſion is our approach to God, in that vve draw neer to him, and live neer him by the bloud of Chriſt.

In this Glaſſe we ſee how ſad they look, or have reaſon to look, vvho lie in a ſtate of unconverſion, They are afarre off from God. We pity thoſe who live farre from the Sun, in cold Countries and climates, vvhere for many moneths darkneſſe covers them. How are they to be pitied, vvho live far off from God, frozen vvith the cold, and vvrapt up in the darkneſſe of their naturall condition?

And this ſhews us, vvhat a noble undertaking it is to promote that vvhichwhich brings man nigh to God, vvhichwhich gathers ſcattered ſouls, and binds them up in the bundle of life, vvhichwhich is in Chriſt. It is a noble and a glorious undertaking, well becomming the greateſt Councel, and higheſt Magiſtracy in the world, to take care that Nations and Kingdoms may be brought neer to God. Some have told us of Englands three converſions; O that it may be the honour of this preſent Parliament, yet to advance a fourth converſion of England, that England may be converted beyond all former converſions, that it might be brought yet nearer to God, that implicite faith, and blinde obedience (two Popiſh relicks) may no vvhere goe for converſion. The planting, protecting and encouraging of an able, faithfull, painefull, ſoul-quickning Miniſterie, is the vvay, and the only ordinary vvay to effect this. Thus a Nation may be born at once; and if once thus born, it is made for ever. The Apoſtle tels us in the ſtory of his own converſion, Act. 26. that God drew nigh to him, that he might draw others nigh to God; I (ſaith the Lord) p. 6have appeared to thee for this purpoſe, to make thee a Minister, and a witneſſe, delivering thee from the Gentiles, unto whom now I ſend thee. To the Gentiles, vvho vvere they? A people farre off from God, for that vvas the difference between Jew and Gentile; the Jewes vvere nigh, and the Gentiles afar off. I ſend thee to the Gentiles; for what? To open their eyes, and to turn them from darknes to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. The tide and the winde of the Apoſtles Miniſtery vvas to meet vvith the ſtream of the corrupted Gentiles, and to turn it back. For thus it is in converſion, we all by nature like a ſtream run away from God our fountain: but vvhen the tide and vvinde, the Spirit and the Word meet vvith this vvandring ſtream, it runs back to the fountain, and the vvaters draw again to the ſpring-head. Hence many ſtand vvondering at the converſion of ſinners, as they at Jordan, and at the ſea; What ailed thee, O thou ſea, that thou fleddest? Thou Jordan, that thou waſt driven back? What ails the ſea of mans corruption, and the overflowing ſtreams of luſt, vvhichwhich iſſue from the heart of man, that they are driven back? Even this, the Word meets them, and turns them. That there may be ſuch a turn, improve (I beſeech you) the utmoſt of your power and opportunities in ſending powerfull Preachers into all the dark corners of this Land, as Paul was to the Gentiles, vvho vvere afarre off, To turne them from darkeneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

But beſides this firſt converſion, there is a ſecond. The former is a converſion from a ſinfull ſtate; this is a converſion from ſinfull acts. The former is that, vvhereby p. 7they who lie in a ſtate of nature, receiving grace, Draw nigh to God. And the later is that, wherein they who have grace, receiving more, draw nearer to God. A Chriſtian is often converted, his whole life upon earth is a continued converſion. Every act of ſin is an averſion from God; and every act of grace is a converſion to him. A great deal of a Chriſtians progreſſe is to goe backward; and much of his worke, the undoing of what he hath done. And this the Apoſtle aimes at, ſpecially in this place, for he writes to the twelve Tribes ſcattered abroad; who were ſuch as profeſſed Chriſt, embraced and practiſed Goſpel-truths. Theſe he invites to draw nigh to God, that he might draw nigh to them. They who are neareſt God in this life, may yet be nearer him. And many are not ſo near God, as they have been. For as hypocrites apoſtatize quite from God: ſo they who are ſincere doe often backſlide from God: unto ſuch the Apoſtle ſaith, Draw nigh, let your backſlidings be healed, and your breaches repaired. How often doe the Prophets call after ſuch wanderers and out-liers? (Jer. 3. 12.) Return, thou backſliding Iſrael. Iſrael was a people in Covenant with God, yet they withdrew from him (Chap. 8. 4.) Shall he turn away, and not return? What? Have ye drawn off from God by your ſinnings, and will you not draw on again by your repentings? Why then is this people of Jeruſalem ſlidden back, by a perpetuall backſliding? What, nothing but backſliding? (Mal. 3. 7.) Ye are gone away from mine ordinances (they who forſake the pure worſhip of God, goe away from God) Return unto me, and I will return unto you, ſaith the Lord. Thus the Lord indents and engages with his departing people. The p. 8Apoſtles caution implies as much, (Heb. 3. 12.) Take heed, leſt there be in any of you (in any of you, Saints, believers) an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

This is an important dutie, and of perpetuall uſe. Suppoſe a man hath drawn nigh to God in that firſt converſion, even he muſt draw nigh in daily converſion, and get nearer God, till he enjoy God fully. Beſides, who is it that ſlips not, fals not ſometimes in his way, and that ſometimes doth not decline and fall back, though he cannot (being ever upheld by Chriſt) fall away.

Let me remember ſuch to draw nigh to God, turning from thoſe ſpeciall ſins, by which they have departed from him. Conſider in what you have moſt declined from God, ſince you draw nigh to him, and let your return anſwer your departure. He that hath departed by pride, let him return by humilitie: he that hath departed by unbelief, let him return by faith: he that hath departed by intemperance, let him return by ſobrietie: he that hath departed by malice or envie, let him return by love and charity: he that hath departed by injuſtice, let him return by doing right to all, by reſtoring where he hath wrong'd, and by ſhewing merciemercy to the poor: And he that hath departed by ſelf-ſeeking, let him return by laying out himſelf for God, his cauſe and people in all the concernments wherein he is engaged. The Lord looks that upon ſuch a day as this, we ſhould conſider our ſelves in our with-drawings from him, and ſo draw nigh unto him. He is this day waiting for our comming home.

p. 9And as he waits for our perſonall, ſo for our publike returnings. Conſider wherein the Nation hath withdrawne from God, and let the Nation returne. Samael beſpeaks all the houſe of Iſrael (1 Sam. 7. 3.) ſaying, If ye doe return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the ſtrange gods: and there is one in ſpeciall of which I warn you, Put away the ſtrange gods, and Aſhtaroth. Why doth he ſay, Put away the ſtrange gods, and Aſhtaroth? Was not Aſhtaroth a ſtrange god? And might not that Idol have been wrapt up under the generall name of ſtrange gods? Yes, Aſhtaroth had been involved under that notion; but becauſe Aſhtaroth was a notorious, a famous Idol, after which that people had gone a whoring from God, therefore that Idol is named. Put away your ſtrange gods, and be ſure you put away Aſhtaroth. It is a like phraſe with that, 2 Sam. 22. 1. David ſpake unto the Lord the words of this Song, in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: Why, was not Saul one of his enemies? Yes, Saul was his chief enemy, and therefore he gives praiſe, not only for his deliverance from all his enemies, but from ſuch an enemy by name. Saul was too bigg an enemy to goe under the generall name of his enemies. Thus in the day of our humbling for nationall ſins, we muſt draw nigh to God from every ſin, but eſpecially from our Aſhtaroth, from that evil wherein we have moſt diſhonoured God.

Honourable and Beloved, You have been pleaſed ſometimes to ſend out your diſcovering Ordinances, and in them to lay your hands (as it were) upon ſome ſpeciall ſins of the Nation, charging us to confeſſe and p. 10bewail them before the Lord. You have inſtanced in the ſuperſtition and idolatries of the former times, now draw the Land nearer God in holy worſhip; you have inſtanced in the bloud of the Saints, ſhed in the Marian and other perſecutions; draw nigh unto God, in giving all countenance and ſupport to the Saints; be ſo farre from letting their bloud be ſhed, or their bodies be wounded, that if their names and reputations be wounded (doe as that repenting Jaylour did the corporall) waſh thoſe wounds, and heal the bruiſes which the ſcourge of tongues hath made upon them. We have heretofore been ſenſible that the Nation hath departed from God, by laying heavy burdens upon the conſciences of his people; let it be your care we may return, by withdrawing thoſe, and all other burthens. This is the great duty of a Faſt, Iſa. 58. 6. This (ſaith God) is the Fast I have choſen, to undoe the heavy burthen, to let the oppreſſed goe free, and to break every yoke. Among all oppreſſions the oppreſſion of conſcience is the greateſt. Other great ſins, profaning of the Lords-day, ſwearing, drunkenneſſe, have been called out by name, and arraigned, as our Nationall departures from God. Let all draw nigh to God by an eminent practice of the contrary duties and graces.

Our drawing nigh to God in both theſe converſions, namely, from a ſinfull ſtate, and from all ſinfull acts, are neceſſarily antecedaneous to our drawing nigh unto God in prayer and faſting; for, The prayer of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord. How can ſuch draw nigh to God in prayer? The perſon muſt be accepted before the ſervice can. And if a godly p. 11man (which is poſſible for a time, and under a temptation) regard iniquity in his heart (David ſaith it of himſelf, Pſal. 66. 18.) the Lord will not hear his prayer. So that, there muſt be a drawing nigh to God by a double converſion, a converſion from a ſinfull ſtate, and a converſion from ſinfull acts, before we are fit to draw nigh to God in any holy dutie, eſpecially in extraordinary humblings of our ſouls before him.

And that ſuch a drawing nigh to God is the proper intendment and ſcope of the Apoſtle in this place, is clear from the words following, which ſeem to interpret this; For aſſoon as he had ſaid, Draw nigh to God, he adds, verſ. 9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, &c. Humble your ſelves in the ſight of the Lord, and he ſhall lift you up, v. 10. Here's the buſines of the text, and the buſines of the day. The Point is,

That prayer and humbling of the ſoul, is a drawing nigh to God.

Every ordinance brings us neer to God; Levit. 10. 7. I will be ſanctified in them that come nigh me, or, in foreign In propinqui… meismy neighbours. The Prieſts under the Ceremoniall worſhip, had the ſpeciall honour of that Title to be called, Gods nigh ones; He cauſed them to come neer unto him in holy ſervices, Numb. 16. 9. Now all the Saints are, A holy Priesthood, to offer up ſpirituall ſacrifices, (… Pet. 2. 5.) they dwell ſo neer to God, that they are all his neighbours. But though they alwaies dwell neer God, yet they doe not alwaies come neer to God; to doe ſo is a ſpeciall work of grace, as to be ſo is their ſtate of grace. Heb. 11. 6. He that commeth to God, muſt believe that God is; that is, he that praies, muſt believe. p. 12Prayer is a comming to, and a meeting with God, Amos 4. …2. I will doe thus unto thee, and becauſe I will doe thus, prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. This meeting may have a double ſenſe; it may have the ſenſe of a challenge; and the ſenſe of a ſupplication. Of a challenge, and ſo the Prophet doth (as it were) dare thoſe people to whom he ſpeaks in the Name of the Lord. The Lord will doe thus unto thee, and ſeeing he will doe ſo, prepare to meet thy God; muſter thy forces, and gather all thy ſtrength; harden thy heart, and ſet thy face againſt God, ſee how thou canſt make thy part good againſt him. In that ſenſe the word is uſed (Luk. 14. 31.) What King going to make warre againſt another King, ſitteth not down firſt, and conſideret…, whether he be able with ten thouſand to meet him that commeth againſt him with twenty thouſand? To meet him, is, to fight with him, to undertake him in the field: So ſaith the Prophet, God hath gathered his Army, he is comming againſt you, ſee now if you be able to fight a battell with him. Dare you meet him in the field? Thus it ſpeaks a challenge. It is likewiſe the language of an humble ſupplication (ſo moſt interpret that place) ſeeing the Lord will doe thus, O Iſrael, Prepare to meet thy God; put on thy mourning weeds, take up a lamentation, get thy petition ready, go forth upon thy knee, and beſeech him to ſpare thee. So Abigail met David, when he marched with a reſolution to deſtroy Nabal and his Family; the noble ſpirited woman came forth and met David; what to doe? Not to contend with him, but to ſupplicate him, 1 Sam. 25. 23, 24. Praying is ſuch a meeting with God. When Saul prevailed in battell againſt the Philiſtin…s, p. 13he had thoughts to proſecute his victorie, and attempt them a ſecond time; Let us goe down (ſaith he) after the Philiſtines by night, and ſpoyl them, and let us not leave a man of them; Let us rally again and rout them quite: the people anſwer, Doe whatſoever ſeems good unto thee, renew the battell, if thou pleaſeſt: Stay, ſaith the Prieſt, be not too haſty, it is good to aske counſell and a bleſſing of God, before we venture: Then ſaid the Prieſt, let us draw neer hither unto God; that is, let us pray, and by Vrim and Thummim enquire of the Lord what his minde is in this thing; he expreſſes that dutie of adviſing with God under this notion of drawing neer unto God. Hence it is that ordinances of worſhip are called, the face, or preſence of God. Curſed Cain complains in ſuch a language, Gen. 4. 14. Behold, thou haſt driven me out this day from the face of the earth (that is, from the ſociety of men) and from thy face ſhall I be hid; that is, I ſhall not be admitted to offer ſacrifice with hope of acceptance any more. Hence it is ſaid at the 16. verſe, that Cain went out from the preſence of the Lord; that is, he went like a man excommunicated and baniſhed from the Church of God, and the meetings of his publike worſhip. The worſhip of the Jews is called an appearing before God, Exod. 23. 17. David breathes out his deſires in the ſame expreſſion, When ſhall I come and appear before God, Pſal. 42. 2. And in his ſong of thankſgiving, his ſpirit riſes to this ſtrain, 1 Chron. 16. 29. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name: Bring an offering, and come before him, worſhip the Lord in the beauty of holineſſe.

And if ſo, we ſee, firſt, that is a priviledge which p. 14moſt account a burthen. Holy duties are lifted at as burthens, and the carnall heart cries out, What a wearineſse? (Mal. 1. 13.) They are burdens indeed, but upon no other true account, then as honour is a burden. When we pray we draw nigh to God. Is it no honour to draw nigh to great Princes, and to be admitted into the preſence of a King? Will any reckon this a wearineſſe? Were our hearts ſpiritualized, every time we pray we would look upon our ſelves as admitted into the preſence chamber of the King of Heaven, and we ſhould ſay (as Jacob at Bethel) of every place we pray in, This is no other (neither better nor worſe) then the houſe of God; this is the gate of heaven, Gen. 28. 17. Prayer is the true Jacobs ladder ſet upon the earth, and the top of it reaching Heaven, by which we aſcend to God, and God deſcends to us. The Queen of Sheba counted it a high favour to ſtand before Solomon, and ſhe envied his ſervants, whoſe attendance gave them that priviledge. When the Apoſtle had ſaid, that circumciſion, which is outward in the fleſh, was nothing, a Queſtion is ſtarted in the next words, What then is the advantage of the Jew? And what is the profit of circumciſion? He anſwers, Much every way, chiefly, Becauſe to them were committed the Oracles of God. The Jews kept the records, they were Maſters of thoſe Rolls, which God ſent from heaven; theſe occaſion'd their frequent recourſes to God, and adviſings with him; this made them a people nigh to God; this was the chief advantage of the Jew, & the profit of circumciſion. Chriſt ſaith (Mat. 11. 27.) that Capernaum was a City exalted upto heaven. Why lifted up to heaven? The Goſpel was preached there, which might have drawne them p. 15nigh to God; this was their exaltation to heaven; to be exalted to heaven, is the greateſt exaltation. When that ambitions Monarch, (Iſa. 14. 13.) would let out his ſpirit of pride to the utmoſt, and ſhew the very head of that monſter, hereſolves thus, I will aſcend to heaven, I will exalt my throne above the ſtarres of God. Mortall man could not imagine higher then heaven. Capernaum was exalted up to heaven; ſhe had more then any worldly honour by the enjoyment of that ordinance, the preaching of the Goſpel. While God vouchſafeth any people ſuch meetings as theſe, he exalts them to heaven. O take heed your hearts be not found groveling upon the earth; take heed you doe not thinke it a hell, a pain, a vexation to be in Godapproaching, and man-exalting duties. I know wearineſſes will be upon the fleſh, there are weakneſſes and diſtempers there, but chide them away, entertain them not; number it among your choiſeſt priviledges to converſe with God.

Secondly, Learne whence it is that the Saints ſo highly prize and delight in theſe duties: The world wonders what they finde in them, where the ſweetneſſe, what the comfort is, what ſecret golden mines they finde in theſe diggings, when themſelves finde nothing but burdenſome ſtones and clay.

The reaſon is, becauſe the Saints draw nigh to God in theſe duties, and they that draw nigh to God, cannot but finde great treaſures; they that meet with God, meet with all delights. Davids ſoul was a thirſt for God, for the living God (not for a Kingdome) Pſal. 42. 2.) And the one thing which he deſired of the Lord, was, that he might dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the p. 16daies of his life. It was good being there. Why? What, becauſe of any incomes from the world? No, this is it, That I may behold the beauty of the Lord. If a ſoul gets a ſight of God in prayer, it hath enough in prayer. Communion with God is better then all things, for which we have communion with him. Prayer is better then any worldly thing we pray for. This means is better then the end: and God to whom we pray is better then any ſpirituall thing we pray for. This object is better then any end. It is the higheſt reward, the very wages which the Saints look for in theſe duties, to finde God in them (Pſal. 65. 4.) Bleſſed is the man whom thou chuſeſt, and cauſeſt to approach unto thee. Where were theſe approaches made? The next words ſhew us where, That he may dwell in thy Courts, we ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſſe of thy houſe, even of thy holy Temple. We ſhall be ſatisfied. Is it any wonder to ſee a man delight in ſatisfying goodneſſe? What is it that any man deſires but ſatisfaction? What is heaven but ſatisfaction? The reaſon why the world is ſo much deſired, is, becauſe it gives ſo little ſatisfaction. (Men ſtill hope for further ſatisfaction.) And the reaſon why holy things are deſired, is, becauſe they give ſo much ſatisfaction: The Saints never think they have enough of them, becauſe they ever finde enough in them. In heaven and heavenly things ſatisfaction and appetite are perpetually interchangeable, We ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſſe of thy houſe, even of thy holy Temple. Unleſſe carnall men finde ſatisfaction in their own houſes, they finde none in Gods. Temple-comforts pleaſe them not, unleſſe they may have their fill of Kitchin-comforts. And here's the p. 17reaſon why carnall men and hypocrites, who formally approach unto God in theſe duties, are ſo ſoon weary of them: for unles they receive ſome outward ſenſible, it may be ſenſuall advantage, ſome preſent pay, unles they thrive in worldly things, they thinke their labour loſt, and their time too. To what purpoſe is this waſte? They know not what you mean, by the goodneſse of Gods Houſe, they underſtand not this language. Hence that cry (Iſa. 58. 2.) Wherefore have we faſted, and thou ſeest not? What was it that troubled them? What, that God was not neer them? No, but becauſe creature-comforts and ſucceſſes were not neer them. Prayer brought no money into their purſes, nor peace into their State. Now, the Saints are never weary of prayer and faſting, though they pine and ſtarve at them, becauſe they finde God in them, in whom they are feaſted with ſweet wine, and various diſhes of delight, when the world yeelds them not a cup of cold water, or a bit of bread. God alone is enough, and all, him they finde vvhen they finde nothing. Theſe heavenly Epicures feed fat and full on Chriſt, and drinke large draughts of the wine of his conſolation, when they have no more in the creature, then Dives had in hell, not a drop of vvater to cool their tongues.

Thirdly, If theſe duties be a drawing nigh to God, I beſeech you, conſider whether you intend them ſo or no. Doe you draw nigh to God when you pray and hear? Have you been nigh to God this day? We are in the exerciſe of the point we are ſpeaking of. It would be ſad, if any ſoul ſhould be farre from God in that duty, where the whole buſineſſe is to draw nigh p. 18to God. It is ill to be abſent from God at any time; but then worſt, vvhen vve ſeem to come into his preſence. It is poſſible to have God in our mouths, and not at all in our thoughts: to have God at our tongues end, and our hearts at the vvorlds end. A man may be as farre from God at a prayer, as at a play: As farre from God at a holy faſt, as at a drunken feaſt. Thus the Lord charged his ancient people (Iſa. 29. 13.) This people draw neer me with their mouth, and with their lips they doe honour me, but have removed their heart far from me: So the Prophet (Jer. 12. 2.) Lord, thou art nigh in their mouth, but thou art farre from their reins. O that ſuch might be awakened out of this ſinfull ſleep, as Jacob out of his naturall, and forced to cry out (as he) Surely God is in this place, and we knew it not, Gen. 28. 16.

If it ſhall be asked, How may vve draw nigh to God?

I vvould anſwer theſe three things about it.

1. We muſt have a right vvay.

2. We muſt have a right ſtaff of ſtrength.

3. We muſt have the right ſteps to draw neer to God. Your vvay, your ſtaffe, your ſteps, muſt be conſidered.

Firſt, If you would draw nigh to God, look to your vvay, and exerciſe faith about it. The way is Jeſus Chriſt. I (ſaith he) am the way, the truth and the life, no man commeth unto the Father, but by me, Joh. 14. 6. There is no choice of waies to God: if we miſſe one, we have miſſed all. The Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God, Heb. 7. 19. What is that better p. 19hope? Chriſt the object hoped for, is this hope; our hope depends ſo much on him for the beſt things, that he is our better hope, by which (with aſſurance) we may draw▪ nigh unto God. That's the Apoſtles encouragement, Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldneſſe, to enter into the holieſt by the bloud of Jeſus, by a new and living way, which he hath conſecrated for us thorow the vail, that is to ſay, his fleſh; Let us draw neer with true hearts.

Secondly, The ſtaffe of …rength, by which vve draw nigh to God, is the holy Ghoſt. Edifie your ſelves in your moſt holy faith (Jude v. 20.) Praying in the holy Ghost; ſo we tranſlate: others thus, Praying by the holy Ghost, that is, by the power of the holy Ghoſt: For, Rom. 8. We know not what to pray as we ought, but the Spirit it ſelf maketh interceſ…ion for us with groans that cannot be uttered. As it is the office of Chriſt to intercede with God for us: So it is the office of the holy Ghoſt to make thoſe interceſſions in us, which vve putforeign Particula foreign ad nos laborantes reſertur, quorum tamen vis omnis ab e… ſpiritu proficiſcitur, qui ficut nos penitus collapſos erexit, ita etiam erectos regit. ideo que dici…ur ipſe viciſſim on… attollere ex altera parte, ne ſub eo ſatiſcamus. Beza. up to God. All the prayers which prevail with God, are formed, vvrought and faſhioned in our hearts by the Spirit of God: There are no prayers in our hearts. The prayers vvhichwhich goe to God come from him. The burden of prayer (as well as that of ſin) is too heavy for us to bear. Therefore it is ſaid in the beginning of the verſe, The Spirit alſo helpeth our infirmities. The Greek word ſignifies to help, as a nurſe helpeth the little childe, upholding it by the arm; or, as a weak decrepid old man is upholden by his ſtaff. Or rather, The Spirit helpeth together, for ſo much the compoſition of the vvord implies. And then it is a Metaphor taken from one who is to lift a weight too heavie for p. 20him, and therefore cals another to lend him his hand. Thus the holy Ghoſt lends us his hand, or is as a ſtaff in our hand to uphold and ſtrengthen us in this weighty worke, in this heavenly walke of our ſouls towards God.

Thirdly, Look to the ſteps. There are ſeven ſteps (and you ſhall have them almoſt in ſo many words) by which we draw neer to God.

1. The ſenſe of our own vvants. We never come neer the fulneſſe of God till we know our owne emptineſſe. He that is full l…atheth a honey-comb; and he vvho thinks he is full (though none are ſo empty as he) ſhall never have his emptineſſe filled, He filleth the hungry with good things, and ſendeth the rich empty away. The vvhole have no need of a Phyſician; and though none have ſo much need, as they vvho ſay they are vvhole, yet theſe ſhall not be healed.

The ſecond ſtep is a ſenſe of our own utter inability to ſupply our vvants, yea, and of the inability of all the creatures under heaven, and in heaven too, vvithout God, Pſal. 73. 25, 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee; My fleſh and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever. David having thus proteſted againſt the expectation of help from any creature in heaven or earth, vvithout or vvithin himſelf, and laid all his help upon him that is mighty, findes his ſoul in a fit frame to approach to God, v. 28. It is good for me to draw neer to God.

The third ſtep is a ſenſe of our unworthineſſe, that God ſhould ſupply our vvants, or give us any help. When Jacob vvas ſo nigh God, that he had him by the p. 21ſhoulders and wreſtling with him, held him ſo faſt that he vvould not let goe his hold, till he had a bleſſing, yet he had quite let goe any hold, yea, or opinion of his own worthineſſe to receive a bleſſing, I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast ſhewed unto thy ſervant (Gen. 32. 10.) or, Iam leſſe then the leaſt of all thy mercies. Then we are fit to receive great things from God, when we are little in our own eyes. We cannot come neer the high God, but with low thoughts of our ſelves, The proud he beholdeth afar off, and they are afar off.

The fourth ſtep is an acknowledgement of the power and alſufficiency of God to help us. We cannot draw nigh to God, without ſuch actings of faith towards God (Heb. 11. 6.) He that commeth to God muſt believe that God is: What's that? Is it only this, that God hath a being? No, it is this, That God hath his being in himſelf, That God is God; that is, that God can doe what he pleaſeth, that God hath an all-ſufficiency in himſelf for himſelf, and an all-ſufficiency for us. He needs no creature, and he is enough for every creature.

The fifth ſtep is, That the Lord is willing and ready to help us. God cannot bear it, that any ſhould come before him with doubtfull thoughts of him, either in regard of his power, or of his willingneſſe. We honour him moſt when we expect moſt from him. He that commeth to God muſt believe that God is; and what elſe? That he is a rewarder of thoſe that diligently ſeek him; He hath not ſaid to the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye me in vain.

The ſixth ſtep is to believe not only that there is a p. 22willingneſſe in God to help his people, but that he is willing to help in that particular caſe we petition him about. That's the Apoſtles meaning (Heb. 10. 27.) Let us draw neer to God with a true heart, and full aſſurance of faith. In what aſſurance? Even in this, That we ſhall be anſwered in what we ask. As faith muſt mingle with every word of command or promiſe, which God ſpeaks to us, elſe it will not profit us: So faith muſt mingle with every word of prayer, which we ſpeak to God, or elſe it will not profit us. The Apoſtle James puts a particular inſtance (Chap. 1. 5, 6.) If any of you lack wiſdome, let him ask of God, &c. and it ſhall be given him; but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

The ſeventh ſtep is, Boldneſſe or freedome of ſpeech with God. Holy boldneſſe is the higheſt act of faith, and the higheſt ſtep of the ſoul. When we are come to this ſtep, we are at Gods ſide (as I may ſpeak with reverence) and we ſtand, as it were, at his elbow, The Favourites place; then we ſpeak with God, as God ſpake with Moſes (Exod. 23. 11.) Face to face, as a man ſpeaketh to his friend. This the Apoſtle invites us to doe, Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace. Boldneſſe would not ſute well, at any throne, but a throne of grace. And when we are come thither, and come boldly thither, grace can ſtep no higher; our next ſtep is into glory.

Thus I have briefly opened, who the way is, what the ſtaff, and vvhichwhich be the ſteps, by vvhichwhich vve draw nigh to God. Give me leave now to ſhew you vvhat the effects of ſuch drawing nigh to God will be. It cannot be, vve ſhould draw nigh to God by Chriſt the p. 23way; by the holy Ghoſt, our ſtaff; by ſuch ſteps as theſe, the ſenſe of our vvants, of our vveaknes, of our unworthineſſe, the ſight of the power of God, and of his vvillingnes to give, vvith faith that he vvill give, and boldneſſe to ask, but great effects vvill be vvrought in us, and appear upon us. I ſhall give you an account of four.

1. If any draw thus nigh to God, their neerneſſe to him vvill cauſe their likeneſſe to him. A ſoul cannot ſtand ſo nigh a holy God, vvithout receiving ſtamps and tinctures of holineſſe. Till vve have ſomewhat of the image of God upon us, vve cannot come at all to him; and vvhen vve come vve receive more of that image. In every ordinance vve may have a viſion of God by faith. Viſion here aſſimulates, as well as in heaven. The Apoſtle treating of Goſpelordinances concludes this, 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all, as in a glaſſe with open face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is impoſſible to look on God, and not be like him. Jacobs ſheep conceived according to the colour of the Rods that lay in the troughs; our conceptions vvill be like our viſions. So then, if in theſe duties you ſee God, and know vvho God is vvith vvhom you have to doe in them, you vvill be holy as God is holy, pure as he is pure, and juſt as he is juſt in all manner of converſation. This is a proof to purpoſe that you have prayed and faſted. Moſes vvas nigh God fourty daies in the Mount: And had he nothing of God upon him vvhen he came down? Yes, his face did ſhine. And his ſtory tels us, that his vvhole life, as a godly man, and all his adminiſtrations p. 24to the people, as a wiſe Magiſtrate, did ſhine brighter then his face. If you draw nigh to God, as theſe duties import you doe, raies of heavenly light vvill ſhine, and ſhed themſelves upon your counſels and reſolves: Every act vvill ſpeak prayer and faſting. Who can dwell neer a holy God, and be unholy? A juſt God, and be unjuſt? A pure God, and be an unclean Adulterer? A mercifull God, and he a hardhearted oppreſſour? A faithfull God, and be a falſehearted diſſembler. Doe theſe things look like the engravings of heaven? Or doe theſe perſons act as if they had acquaintance vvith God? They that pray neer God, work neer God. Conſider vvhat your projectings are, vvhat your deviſings, vvhat your actings, and by that you may finde vvhat your prayings have been, vvhat your faſtings, vvhat your humblings. Where vve read God in the one, vve may be aſſured there hath been a dravving nigh to God in the other. Many men doe but converſe vvith man in prayer, and therefore they are ſo like to man, proud, froward, vain, earthly, carnal, ſelf-ſeeking. O that it might once be teſtified in our lives that vve are a people vvho have prayed nigh the living God.

Secondly, They vvho dravv nigh to God in theſe duties, uſually finde their hearts ſvveetly refreſhed both in and after theſe duties. Can a man vvho is cold come nigh the fire, and not be vvarmed? Can he that is in the dark come into the open Sun, and not be enlightned? God is the ſpring of comfort; Surely your hearts vvill be comforted, if you get nigh to him. Can we come to a God vvhoſe name is the God of all comfort? (2 Cor. 1. 3.) God hath ingroſt all that p. 25commodity into his own hands, it is not in the power of any creature, high or low, to give out comfort: they can give riches, honours and pleaſures, but they cannot give comfort, you muſt trade to heaven for that commodity, or elſe your veſſel will return empty, though you ſhould trade at all the ports on earth.) I ſay then, Can we come near this God of all comfort, and yet finde no comfort? to come with, and carry away a dead ſpirit, a dead look, to be encompaſt with fear & diſmaidnes, after we have encompaſſed his throne with prayers or with praiſes? That woman (1 Sam. 1. 18.) who was in bitterneſſe of ſpirit, and in great anguiſh of ſoul under her affliction, fals a praying, and we may ſee ſhe prayed, and drew nigh to God in prayer, for ſhe went away, and did eat, and her countenance was no more ſad. She found ſo much refreſhing in God, that ſhe could not be ſorrowfull. No ſorrow can ſtand before the God of all conſolation. What is heaven, but the preſence of God? And what we ſhall finde in the preſence of God there, the Pſalmist tels us: At thy right hand, there are joyes, and in thy preſence there are pleaſures for evermore. As we ſhall have nothing but pleaſures and joyes in heaven, becauſe we are in the preſence of God: ſo in a proportion as we get neerer and neerer God on earth, we ſhall have more and more pleaſures; yea, though we dwell in a land of ſorrows, and though fears encamp round about us: drawing nigh to God will turn our water into wine, our ſorrows into joyes, our fears into confidences and aſſurances for ever. He will take off our ſackcloth, and gird us vvith gladneſſe, or make us glad while dreſt in ſackcloth. He will give us p. 26beauty for aſhes, or make us beautifull in our aſhes. I grant many a ſoul hath drawn nigh to God indeed in prayer, hearing, &c. and yet comfort hath been farre off. But vve muſt not argue againſt a generall truth, from a particular temptation. The poſition will ſtand, though every experiment comes not up to it. God is a free agent, and vvorks electively: He is not like the Sun, which cannot ſuſpend or diverſifie its own operation.

Thirdly, They who draw nigh to God in theſe duties, will draw off from their duties. There is a double converſion needfull for a Chriſtian; there is a converſion from ſin; and there is a converſion from duty; not from the practice of it, but from relying and truſting upon it. A man may pray much, and faſt much, and in ſtead of drawing nigh to God, draw nigh to prayer: his thoughts may be more upon his prayer, then upon God to whom he praies: And he may live more upon his cuſhion then upon Chriſt. But when a man indeed draws nigh to God in prayer, he forgets prayer, and remembers God. He loves to pray, but is not in love vvith his prayers, He goes forth in the ſtrength of God, and makes mention of his righteouſneſſe only. He will not with the Phariſee make mention of his duties alſo, or bring God a reckoning of his prayers, and of his faſtings, I faſt twice in the week, &c. He will not tell the Lord, I faſt once a monethmonth, I keep extraordinary faſts too; he forgets all this: Faſts goe for nothing, & praiers go for nothing, and tears go for nothing: Chriſt is all: he counts upon nothing but God himſelf.

Fourthly, They who draw nigh to God in theſe duties, draw off from their ſelves. And they who are p. 27neereſt God are furtheſt from ſelf. Self-love is the firſt …nd moſt potent luſt: Self-deniall is the firſt and moſt …otent grace. It is an argument that men know little of God, and taſte leſſe of him, when they know and taſte themſelvs ſo much in all they do. When we are asking God we ſhould be denying our ſelves. For he grants …othing to us (in mercy) till we deny our ſelves. When man firſt departed from God, he went into himſelf: …nd as often as he comes to God, he goes out of himſelf. No man can be a ſelf-ſeeker, and a God-ſeeker too. Hence it is that the Apoſtle ſpends the former part of the Chapter upon this argument, even to draw the ſcattered Jews (to whom he wrote) off from themſelves; cloſing with the duty of this Text, as the only expedient to effect it: Draw nigh to God. As if he had ſaid, one touch upon God will cure you of your ſelves. For the clearing of vvhichwhich I ſhall a little open the context, vvhichwhich vvith an eye to this place, I forbare to ſpeak of at the beginning.

The Apoſtle puts a Queſtion at the firſt verſe, From whence come warrs and fightings among you? He asks the Queſtion, not that he was unreſolved, but that they might be aſhamed. But what vvars means he? Were thoſe twelve Tribes ſcattered abroad by perſecution (as we read in the dedication of the Epiſtle) rallying themſelves into regiments, and gathering into armies to fight one with another, rather then into Churches to worſhip God together? No, the vvarre he means was metaphoricall. The Roman Eagles kept theſe Doves low enough, yet their gall (Sunnatural!) appears in contentions with, diviſions from, envyings and heart-burnings againſt one another: brother is up againſt brother, p. 28and Church againſt Church, vvhile all vvere over-buſie, ſeeking themſelves. For, are theſe things from the Goſpel, or from faith in it? Are they from prayer, or from drawing nigh to God in it? Doth the ſeed of prayers, and tears, of faith and the Goſpel bring forth ſuch an harveſt as this? Are they procreative of vvars and fightings? No ſurely: The next vvords ſhew the root vvhence theſe ſpring, Come they not hence, even of your lusts that warre in your members? The Greekforeign. is, Come they not of the pleaſures which are in your members? is not that their pedegree? Luſts are called pleaſures by a Metonymie of the adjunct, or of the effect, becauſe a kinde of pleaſure goes with them, or flows from them. From theſe pleaſures (ſaith he) your vvarrs and fightings come; your pleaſures bring forth unpleaſant fruit; becauſe theſe luſts pleaſe your ſelves: you care not vvhom you diſpleaſe, ſo you may ſatisfie them. He preſſes and upbraids them further, verſ. 2. Ye luſt and have not, ye kill and deſire to haves and cannot obtain▪ Theſe killings vvere ſutable to the wars and fightings of the firſt verſe, yet (the Greek vvords to kill and to envy, being very neer in ſound) Some toforeign. Occiditis. foreign, invidecis. mollifie the ſenſe conceive it ſhould be read, Ye envy and deſire to have: not, ye kill and deſire to have. But vve may vvell keep to the letter of our tranſlation. For the Apoſtle ſpeaks as high language of thoſe unbloody wars (Gal. 5. 15.) If ye bite and devour one another. Such contentions are called there, man-eating, therefore they may be called here, man-ſlaying. But vvhat got they by theſe victories? What vvere the trophies of this vvar? The text ſaith, Ye kill and deſire to have, and cannot obtain. Ye oppreſſe and vex others, but ye cannot help p. 29your ſelves, and obtain your own deſires; or (as the originallforeign. Eſt ob…nere quod volum…s. emphaſis bears) get your wills. The Apoſtle beats it upon them again, Ye fight and warre, yet ye have not, becauſe ye ask not. Theſe men vvere dealing ſo much for themſelves, that is, for their lusts, that they little regarded God: they vvere thin in prayer vvhile their corruptions vvere thus thick, Ye have not, becauſe ye ask not; Not ask? ſure vve doe, What, do not vve pray? he anſwers (verſ. 3.) home to the point. I'll grant ye pray, Ye ask, but ye receive not, becauſe ye aske amiſſe, and ſo your prayers are ciphers, they ſtand for nothing, how many ſoever you may number them. Sinfull prayers are no prayers. I tell you, your asking is no asking. Why? We hope vve pray for things lawfull, vve pray to God, not to an Idoll, and vve pray in the Name of Chriſt? Let it be that ye doe ſo, though ye ask not amiſſe in your praiers in regard of matter, object or medium, yet ye ask amiſſe. Where's the fault? Here it lies, ye are not right in your ends and aims. Ye ſeek your ſelves in your praiers, Ye ask that ye may conſume it upon your luſts; you would have the bleſſings of God to beſtow them upon your pleaſures, not to do his pleaſure. Your luſts pray rather then your graces: ye are ſuckling your luſts, while ye are praying; ye make proviſion for the fleſh, while ye are in ſpirituall duties. Look to this (I beſeech you) for I am afraid moſt praiers miſcarry upon this point. How many ask that they may conſume, what they would receive, upon their luſts, upon pride and ambition, upon vain-glory, and the love of preeminence? How many would thus laviſh out the mercies of God? It is poſſible for a man to pray, not only p. 30for the things of this world, to beſtow them upon his luſts, but he may pray even for the things of heaven, to beſtow them upon his luſts: He may pray for the ordinances of God, and beſtow them upon his luſts: He may pray for pure ordinances, and beſtow them upon filthy luſts: yea, I thinke 'tis poſſible for a man to pray for grace, and beſtow that upon his luſts; not that grace it ſelf can be turned into luſt, but there is a depth of ſinfulneſſe in the heart of man, which would put the beſt things to the worſt uſes. However the Apoſtle is clear, that good things may be put to very bad uſes, while he ſaith, Ye ask, that ye may conſume it on your luſts. He gives them a title fully ſignificant of this in the 4^th verſe, Ye adulterers and adultereſſes; he means not carnall adulterers and adultereſſes, but ſpirituall. As if he had ſaid, while your hearts cleave to your worldly intereſts, you commit adultery with the world, and goe a whoring from Chriſt. For as an adulterer, and an adultereſſe are made one fleſh: So a ſpirit proſtituted to worldly concernments, is made one with the world. Such would make heaven bow to earth, and God ſerve the deſigns of Satan. So he muſt, if he grant their askings, who would conſume what they aske upon their luſts.

Take heed of this (ſaith the Apoſtle) conſider what ye doe, know ye not that the friendſhip of the world is enmity with God? yes, we know this very wel; but we do not believe our own hearts can deceive us thus groſly, that we who pray ſo often, ſo earneſtly, ſo zealouſly for good things, ſhould yet be thought to pray all the while, only to get in fewel and proviſion for our luſts; or, to p. 31keep Faſts that we might have ſomewhat to feaſt and fatten our corruptions. Some poſſibly might ſay, as Hazael to Eliſha (when that Prophet fore told what bloody work he would make, when he had the power) What, are we dogs that we ſhould doe ſuch a thing? What, we pray for our luſts? God forbid. The Apoſtles next words ſeem to imply ſuch thoughts (v. 5.) Doe ye thinke that the Scripture ſaith in vain, the Spirit that dwelleth in us luſteth to envy? As if he had ſaid, you thinke I charge you too deeply, and may perhaps call what I have ſaid an aſperſion, at leaſt a needleſſe jealouſie. But alas, can any man tell vvhat he vvould doe vvith mercies, vvith riches, vvith power, if he had theſe? Friends, you know not your own hearts, nor of vvhat ſpirit ye are. But doe ye thinke God doth not know your hearts? Or that he hath not the true meaſure of your ſpirits? Doth the Scripture ſpeak in vain (that is, vvithout cauſe) that the Spirit that dwelleth in us luſteth to envy. Where doth the Scripture ſpeak this? the Scripture ſpeaks it no where, ſyllabically in ſo many vvords, Sound and clear collections and conſequences from Scripture, are the voice of Scripture; Some thinke the Apoſtle alludes to that complaint, Gen. 6. 5. God ſaw that the wickedneſſe of man was great upon the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Others referre it to the anſwer of Moſes, vvhen his ſervant Jaſhua brought him a complaint againſt Eldad and Medad for propheſying in the Camp, deſiring his Lord Moſes to forbid them, Envieſt thou for my ſake? Numb. 11. 29. Whether this or that vvas the ſpeciall text, is doubtfull; of this vve are ſure, the Scripture yeelds us this poſition, The ſpirit p. 32that dwelleth in us luſteth to envy. What ſpirit is this? And how doth it luſt? Some take it for the corrupt ſpirit of man: and ſo the ſenſe is. Hath not the Scripture cauſe to ſay, that the ſinfull ſpirit of man luſts to envie, or is envious at the power and greatneſſe of others? and is deſirous to graſp all to it ſelf; Hath the Scripture ſpoken this without cauſe? Doe you not finde ſuch a ſpirit acting and ſtriving in you? Doth not the experience you have of your own hearts (unleſſe you be ſtrangers at home) juſtifie this charge? The ſpirit that dwels in you luſteth to envy. Others take the ſpirit for the Spirit of God. Doe ye thinke that the Scripture ſaith in vain? that the Spirit of God (dwelling in the Saints, or that ſpirituall principle given in regeneration) luſteth to envy? And then the ſenſe is this. Ye are ſuch as profeſſe ye have received the Spirit of God: ye are a people ſcattered by perſecution for the profeſſion of the Goſpel, and bearing the fruits of the Spirit. Doe ye thinke the Scripture ſaith in vain, the ſpirit that dwelleth in you luſteth to envie? That is, that (the beſt, having yet the ſeed, and remains of every ſinne in them, and ſo of envie) the ſpirituall part in you, or the ſpirit dwelling in you is put to continuall work and warre by ſtrivings and luſtings to keep in the motions of your hearts from theſe ſins? For as there is a ſinfull luſting of the fleſh againſt the Spirit: So there is a gracious luſting of the Spirit againſt the fleſh (Gal. 5. 17.) one worke whereof (there named by the Apoſtle) is envying (verſ. 21.) with all it's attendants. According to this interpretation, foreign, to envy, hath the ſenſe of foreign, Againſt envy, which is an allowed ſignification of the p. 33Greek prepoſition. And ſo to luſt notes that hoſtileforeign, pug…are contra aliquem oppoſition, vvhichwhich the holy Ghoſt raiſes in the Saints againſt envie, implying, that even they are ſubject to envie as vvell as others.

M. Calvin renders the text interrogatively, Doth the ſpirit that dwelleth in us luſt to envy? Ye ſpeak of the Spirit of God, and ye ſay ye have the Spirit, is this a work that looks like the vvorking of the Spirit? What is the Spirit of God that dwels in you, or which you pretend dwels in you, a ſpirit of envie? Nothing leſſe, the Spirit of God breaths other thoughts, and teacheth other leſſons. That Spirit which is truly liberall, cannot be envious. He that giveth freely to all, would not have us envie thoſe to whom he gives more freely, then to our ſelves. Or, he that giveth us more, doth not envie us for what we have, v. 7. But he giveth more grace. If any receive not more from him, it is becauſe they are unfit to receive, not becauſe he is unwilling to give. God (indeed) reſiſteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble; A proud man would have all to himſelf, he thinks the vvhole vvorld muſt ſerve his ends, and therefore God oppoſeth him in his vvay, Submit your ſelves therefore to God; be ſure you pray under God, and not above him. Many a man when his bodie lies low before God, hath his ſpirit above God. He that ſeeks himſelf in prayer to God, ſets himſelf above God to vvhom he praies: A thought of vvhichwhich was the devils firſt entertainment. His firſt ſuggeſtion was, Ye ſhall be as gods. Nothing makes us ſo unlike creatures, eſpecially ſo unlike new creatures, as a deſire of ſuch likeneſſe unto God. And vvhile we would be nigh him in making our own p. 34way, or in being our own end, vve depart furtheſt from him. Be carefull then to reſiſt this devil of ſelfſeeking, and reſiſt him moſt, when ye are ſeeking unto God. Reſiſt this devil by fleeing from your ſelves, and he will flee from you. Having thus put the devil to flight, you may draw nigh to God, with this confidence, that he will draw nigh to you.

That's the ſecond point propoſed, the promiſe of mercy, or the fruit of our drawing nigh to God, Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. I will not handle this later part doctrinally, but onelyonly as an argument to provoke your ſpirits to draw nigh to God, upon his gracious condiſcention to draw nigh to you. There is much oratory in this promiſe: vvho can expreſſe how drawing and attractive it is to hear, that God will draw nigh unto us?

God will draw nigh: What's that? We may interpret it by what he ſpake before, Ye ask and receive not: If God draw nigh, you ſhall ask and receive, you ſhall have your petition. So it is expounded, Deut. 4. 7. What Nation is there ſo great, that hath God ſo nigh to them, as the Lord our God is, in all things we call upon him for? That is, he readily gives us all things we call upon him for. On the contrary, The not hearing of prayer is the departure of God. So the complaint of Saul teaches us (1 Sam. 28. 15.) God is departed from me, and anſwereth me no more, neither by Prophets, nor by dreams. When God puts out and acts merciemercy or power for us, he draws nigh unto us, Pſ. 75. 1. For that thy Name is neer thy wondrous works declare: Gods works ſpeak where he is: when we ſee ſome wickedneſſe acted, we may ſay, It is a ſign who hath been here; we may ſee ſuch p. 35have been here by the ſpoil they have made; we may read the Agents names upon their actions. So when we ſee great, noble and glorious works (though all men ſhould be ſilent, yet) ſuch vvorks have a voice to proclaim their Authour, The finger of God is here. I might ſhew you how every topick yeelds us a perſwaſive argument to deſire this preſence of God with us.

Firſt, (A neceſsario) from the neceſſity of it. We have no need of many creatures, they are but conveniencies to us. We have no abſolute need of any creature: God can be now, as he will be hereafter, All in all unto us. God is enough to us without any creature; but no creature can be any thing to us without God. God, and all that he hath made, is not more then God without any thing which he hath made.

Secondly, (Ab utili) All our profit comes in vvith God. He that hath the fountain, hath the ſtream. He that hath the Sun cannot want light. He that ows the ſilver and golden mines, cannot want treaſure. God is fountain, ſunne and mine of all good things. Each creature (in it's beſt eſtate) is but a particular good: All creatures are not an univerſall good, The One-most God, is all good.

Thirdly, (Ab honeſto) nothing ſo honourable to man, as his relation to God. It is an honour to a mean man when a great Prince (vvho is but a man in a greater letter) will be pleaſed to viſit and draw nigh to him. Is it a ſmall matter that the Prince of the Kings of the earth viſits us, and will dwell with us in our ſmoaky cottages?

Fourthly, (A jucundo) It is joy and delight unſpeakable to have God neer us. The joy of heaven (as was toucht before) is this, the preſence of God: look how p. 36much you have of the drawings nigh of God upon earth, ſo much you have of heaven upon earth. The grace of glorie is this, We ſhall ever be with the Lord; The glorie of grace is this, that God will ever be with us: that's the promiſe, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee; I vvill ſtick as cloſe to thee as thy cloathes to thy back, or, as thy skin to thy fleſh.

Take the weight and bleſſing of this priviledge, a little more diſtinctly and enlargedly.

1. Conſider who draws nigh to you, when God draws nigh to you. His deſcriptions (to help faith) are made to our ſenſes. He is a ſun, and a ſhield, a ſtrong tower, and a deliverer. Then comfort and protection draw nigh us, when God draws nigh us. He is the God of battell for our Armies in the field; and he is the God of wiſdome for our counſels at home. Whatſoever the creature is or wants, God is, and hath eminently. All the world will be nothing to us, or againſt us, if we have, and know we have God nigh us: For as when God looks into himſelf, he ſpeaks of the vvhole vvorld (though the work of his own hands) as vanity, or as nothing. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him leſse then nothing and vanity, Iſa. 40. 17. What, was the Lord ſix daies about nothing? or did he make a peece of vanity? Emptineſſe and vanitie vvas the ſtate of the Chaos before God faſhioned and moulded it up into this beautifull fabrick wherein we breathe. How unlike is this account to that firſt account, which God made of the world, who caſting up the ſeverall parcels, makes this totall ſum, Gen. 1. 3…. And God ſaw every thing which he had made; and behold, it was very good? True, ſo it was as it came out of his hands; and ſo it is p. 37ſtill, excepting only thoſe cracks and flaws made by the ſin of man; but yet when the Lord looks upon his own infinite perfections, then he ſaith of all his works, They are nothing, and leſſe then nothing, vanity; The greateſt works of God are nothing to the great God. Now as God himſelf, in the contemplation of, and reflection upon his own greatneſſe, nothings the whole world; So vvhen our ſouls are raiſed up to contemplate who God is, and can get into the treaſures of that glorie and excellencie vvhichwhich are in God, the vvorld is nothing in our eyes; and though vve have to do in tanſacting the greateſt affairs, and be advanced to the greateſt dignities of the vvorld, yet after our thoughts have been a vvhile vvith God, vve thinke vve have been but pedling all the while about vanities and nothings. When the great God is neer us, the greateſt things are little to us. When thoſe unbelieving Iſraelites, vvho were ſent to eſpy and ſearch the land of Canaan, ſaw the ſons of Anak thoſe mighty Giants, they looked on themſelves but as Graſhoppers in their ſight. What Graſhoppers vvill the higheſt of believing mankinde thinke themſelves, when the mighty God ſtands by them? And the true reaſon why the vvorld is great in our eyes, is, becauſe God is ſo little: vve uſually frame up mean notions of God, we make God a poor God; and vve frame high notions of the vvorld, vve make the vvorld a rich vvorld. Labour to know vvho God is, and the vvorld vvill be to you as it is, and be eſteem'd by you (as it deſerves) a vanity, a nothing.

Secondly, When God draws nigh to you, all good draws nigh to you: Good cannot ſtay behinde, if God come; his preſence is the grant of all your holy petitions: p. 38You have as much in God, as your thoughts can graſp, and there is infinitely more in him, then your thoughts can graſp. Further, unleſſe God draw nigh to you, what ever good draws nigh to, or clings about you, will prove an evil to you. Though all creatures hang about you, and offer you their ſervice, they can doe you no good, except God be with you in the enjoyment of them. The cleaving and clinging of creatures to you, vvill be but as the clinging and cleaving of the Ivie to the Oak to draw out your ſap and ſtrength: it can be no otherwiſe, though they hug and imbrace you heartily. Armies cannot help you without God; your own armies cannot, no, nor the armies of your Brethren and Confederates: Not only ſhall not Armies of Egyptian help you vvithout God, but Armies of Iſraelites ſhall not: Yea, though they be armies of the beſt ſtrain of Iſraelites, every one a Nathanael, an Iſraelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. Your owne Counſels cannot help vvithout God, no, nor your faſts and praiers. The Covenant cannot help you without God; no, nor the very Goſpel. What is it to have the Goſpel preached, and God not in the Goſpel? Can vvords alone convert you? Can vvords comfort you? The meer letter of the Goſpel kils, as vvell as of the Law. The Spirit quickens in both. If then God draw not nigh to you, go, weep over all creature-helps, vveep over your Armies, over your confederacies, over your counſels: yea, vveep over your faſts, your prayers, your Covenant, your Goſpel; if God ſhould not draw nigh, miſerable comforts, helpleſſe helpers are they all.

Thirdly, If God do not draw nigh to you, all manner p. 39of evils will, you vvill be encompaſt vvith ſnares and fears round about. It is ſaid of Saul (1 Sam. 16.) that vvhen the Spirit of God departed from him, an evil ſpirit from the Lord troubled him. When the good God, and his good Spirit depart from us, evil ſpirits will ruſh in, and throng upon us; the ſpirit of envie and of malice, the ſpirit of diviſion and diſtraction, the ſpirit of jealouſie and ſuſpition, the ſpirit of profaneneſſe and contempt of holy things. Such ſpirits vvill put all out of order, and trouble all. It vvas moſt ſad to Saul when God left him; vve read him going to conſult vvith a vvitch, vvhen God vvas gone (1 Sam. 28.) (Man muſt have ſomewhat beyond himſelf; man cannot reſt upon his own center; vvhen God is departed, he vvill to the devil, becauſe he thinks the devil above himſelf in wiſdome and in power) therefore Saul vvill hear vvhat a vvitch, an oracle of hell can ſay; and how vvofull a complaint doth he make? The Philiſtines make warre against me; vvhy? ſo they had done many times before: Saul, I hope, vvas not a man unuſed to the vvars, he vvas a valiant and brave ſouldier as any in the vvorld, The bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the ſword of Saul returned not empty from the bloud of the ſlain, from the fat of the mighty, 2 Sam. 1. 22. and vvhat? now afraid of a Philiſtine! hear vvhat dreadfull vvords follow, vvords vvhichwhich ſhew he had reaſon to fear, not only an armed Philistine, but an unarmed childe, or a man of ſtraw, The Philiſtines make warre against me, and God is departed from me. Some might ſay, vvhat if God be departed from thee, canſt thou not get thy people to thee? go, muſter thy armies, double thy numbers, fortifie thy cities, vvill not all this make up the abſence of a God? It p. 40may be thou maiſt finde ſomewhat to ſupply his room: ô no, Saul could not do it, for he had done all that, as the text ſaith at the 4th ver. of the Chapter, The Philiſtines gathered themſelves together, and came and pitched in S… nem; and Saul alſo gathered all Iſrael together, and pitched in Gilboa; He had an Army, but he had not a God; and therefore he dares not engage vvith the Philistines. Nothing can ſupply the ſteed of God. When you open your cheſts, and ſee treaſure there; yet, if God be not there, how poor are ye? When you muſter your armies, and ſee number and valour there; yet if God be not there, how weak are ye? When ye look upon your counſels, and ſee vviſdom and vvell-grounded policies there; yet if God be not there, how ſucceſſeleſſe muſt all be?

Fourthly, Though you have done great things, yet if God withdraw, you ſhall do no more. Man cannot act the ſame things without the ſame aſſiſtance. We muſt have our daily ſtrength, as well as our daily bread from God. And the reaſon vvhy man cannot alvvaies parallel his ovvn actions, is, becauſe God doth not alvvaies parallel his ovvn aſſiſtances. After Joſhua and the people of Iſrael had conquered Jericho, they fled and fell before the men of Ai, a ſmall City, a petty Gariſon: The reaſon vvas, God vvas not vvith them, as the text clearly implies, Joſh. 7. 12. Samſon had done vvonders, he had deſtroyed the Philiſtines, heaps upon heaps, he had carried avvay the gates of a Citie upon his ſhoulders, yet at laſt vvhen his locks vvere cut, and his Dalilah ſaid, The Philiſtins are upon thee, Samſon, he awoke out of his ſleep, and ſaid, I will go out as at other times before, and ſhake my ſelf; but he wiſt not that the Lord was departed from him; p. 41then ſtrong Samſon was weak, bound preſently by the Philistines and thruſt to grinde in a mill. I aſſure you, Honourable Senatours, though your Armies like mighty Samſons have done great things, and have carried the gates of ſtrong Cities, yet in their next ſervices, they will be but like other men, weak and uſeleſſe, if the Lord ſhould depart from them.

Fifthly, If the Lord draw nigh to you, He will make all creatures draw nigh to you, and ſtick to you, or ſubmit to you; Creatures ſhall be glad of their company who enjoy communion with God. We may apply to our ſelves that priviledge ſpecializ'd to the Jews, Zech. 8. 23. It ſhal come to paſſe that ten men ſhall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, ſaying, we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. O let us come in, let us be your aſſociates: what was the matter? where lay the argument? It was not in this, you have gold, and ſilver, and power; no, but you have God: Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. Thus ſhall that nation be courted by the nations round about, with whom the Lord is. If the Lord be with us, we alſo ſhall have ten men of the nations about us take hold of the skirt of an Engliſh-man and of a Scotch-man with whom we are ſo neerly joyned, and ſay, Let us dwell with you, for we have heard that God is with you. However we may reſt in this aſſurance, that if God draw neer to us, men ſhall, or we ſhall not need them neer us: If God draw nigh to us, either none ſhall, or we need not fear who ſhall withdraw from us. The Apoſtle found it ſo▪ (2. Tim. 4. 16.) At my first anſwer no man ſtood with me, but all men forſook me; notwithstanding the Lord ſtood with me and ſtrengthned me; though the world withdraw, though p. 42neereſt friends, though godly friends and brethren (ſuch were the Romanes to Paul) withdraw, yet if God ſtand with us, we ſhall be able to withſtand all gainſayers, and when we have done all, to ſtand: if God be with us, who can be againſt us? Though many ſhould attempt to be, yet none can, their very withdrawings and oppoſitions ſhall advantge us.

To cloſe all, take I beſeech you two generall deductions from all that I have ſpoken. You ſee perſons converted from a ſtate of ſin are nigh to God, and converted perſons daily turning from the acts of ſin are nigher to God, ſuch know how to draw nigh to God in every duty: And God honours them with this ſtile, his Nighones, his Neighbours; that's their priviledge (Pſal. 148. 14. (He alſo exalteth the horne of his people, the praiſe of all his Saints, even of the children of Iſrael, a people neer unto him. And David of himſelf (Pſal. 139.) When I awake I am ſtill with thee: he was at Gods elbow before out of his bed: when ſleep had over-powred him, he was not maſter of his own underſtanding and reaſon, and therefore could not make it out: But (ſaith he) when I awake, when my ſenſes are unlockt, and my reaſon at liberty to ſerve my graces, then I am still with thee. As ſoon as I awake, my firſt flight is to God; before I am up or ready, I make a ſtep to Heaven, and there I ſtay all the day long; when I am once there I cannot out again quickly, I am ſtill with thee. Now, if ſuch be nigh to God, and ſtill with him, let them alſo be nigh to you; let not Gods neer neighbours be wronged, if you can helpe it: 'tis dangerous to wrong a man that is nigh the great men of the earth, Kings and Princes, he can ſoon go into the Kings bed-chamber, p. 43and tell him of the wrong: It is dangerous to injure Gods nigh ones, they have an advantage of the world, they have but a ſtep to Heaven: All the Saints on earth live within the verge of the Court of Heaven, they are nigh to God, and God is nigh to them. If the world ſpit in the face of a Saint, he can but turne about and have a kiſſe from Jeſus Chriſt. It is beſt to be a friend and a good neighbour to thoſe, of whom God ſaith, Theſe are my friends and neighbours.

Secondly, See upon what termes this union is made, how God and man embrace. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Man in drawing nigh to God, muſt draw off from himſelf and from his ſin; but God in drawing nigh to man, doth not draw off from himſelf or from his holineſſe. When cauſe and cauſe, party and party are at difference, there needs a drawing nigh on both ſides; if both have erred in parting, both ought to part with and bewail their errours, that there may be uniting: but on which ſide ſoever truth and juſtice ſtands, that ſide muſt ſtand. The union muſt be made by the repentance of the one, and by the acceptance of the other: In ſuch a caſe the Prophet is charged (Ier. 16. 19.) Let them returne unto thee, but return not thou to them: Let them returne to thee from their filthineſſe and iniquity, but returne not thou unto them, by receding from, or giving up the rule of holineſſe and purity. Prophet stand thy ground, for thou ſtandeſt upon Gods ground, while thou art taking forth the precious from the vile; That's the duty laid upon him in the former words, and to that he muſt ſtand.

Our preſent diviſions are great: parties are, I know not how far from one another, 'tis high time (ſo it is p. 44meet for us to judge) to joint in and draw neer together: Only remember to do it, as God and man do it; where right and juſtice are, part not with them, though that rich and deſirable commodity, Peace, be offered as the price of them. Your affairs being thus ſtated, let them returne to you, returne not to them; To draw nigh upon other terms, is to lay the foundation of an everlaſting diſunion; if you put a new peece to an old garment, the rent vvill be made vvorſe; the new vvine vvill quickly break the old bottles, and all vvill he loſt. Very laſting agreements have been made between vvickedneſſe and vvickedneſſe, between errour and errour: but I never read of a laſting agreement between vvickedneſſe and juſtice, truth and errour, ſuch Heterogeneals vvill not incorporate: God draws nigh to none, but thoſe vvhom he findes holy, or makes them ſo.

O that vve vvere taught of God this holy skill and heavenly art, to draw nigh among our ſelves as he drawes nigh to us. Heaven touches earth, not dirty, but refined earth: God takes man by the hand, but his hand, yea his heart muſt be vvaſhed, that's the Law of this bleſſed interview, as we learn from the later part of the verſe, Waſh your hands, ye ſinners, and purifie your hearts, ye double-minded.

FINIS.

Erratum. Page 8. line 16 for draw read drew.

End of the text · Joseph Caryl, Heaven and Earth Embracing (1646)