Practical Divinity, Sermon 1
DEareſt friends, that which I purpoſe to ſpeake this morning very briefly, that I may give way to our Brother that is to ſpeak alſo, ſhall be out of the 28. Prov. part of the 1 ver. But the righteous are as bold as a Lyon. It will be neceſſary that wee read the foregoing words in regard of this word But, having ſome reference to ſome what ſaid before the wicked flee when none purſueth, but the righteous are as bold as a Lion; moſt of the ſentences in this book of the Prov. are without any dependence, but are intire ſpeeches, having their full ſence in themſelves; but here we have 2 ſentences in one verſe, one explaining and ſetting out the other, two affirmative Propoſitions in oppoſition one to another; whatſoever can be ſpoken of a wicked man and one that lives from God, without God, the contrary in oppoſition may truly and properly be ſaid of a godly man, here called a righteous man, becauſe he lives in God, lives with God, he acts by the power of God, he lives in another Region, hath a contrary life, he is elemented in Divine loves, partakes of the Divine nature, 2 Peter 1.4.and lives in the divine glory.
Theſe words we have now read, they are an affirmation of a ſaints priviledge, and of a Saints property; All ſoules which are brought home to God, that live with God, this is their priviledge, they are made righteous by God; made righteous by Juſtification, a righteouſnes held out to them: and alſo made righteous by the glory and righteouſneſſe of God in them; and ſuch a man cannot chuſe but bee bold for ſuch a God; And not only bold in oppoſition to wicked men, becauſe they flee when none purſueth, Pſal. 53.5.and feare where no feare is; but the higheſt reſemblance of the higheſt creature, is too low to ſet out what ſuch a mans boldneſſe is in God and for God, and therefore you ſee the Holy Ghoſt makes uſe of the choyfeſt of all the creatures for courage and boldneſſe, to ſet out the temper of a ſaint, when he lives in God and God in him; nay the higheſt and moſt raiſed ſublimity in the creature is too low to ſet out the loweſt acts of a ſaints ſpirit.
I may draw one point from the former words, of wicked mens feare, becauſe it leads to unfold the other points concerning a righteous mans boldneſſe. The wicked flees when none purſueth.
Doct. The Doctrine, That man that lives without God, although made by God, he is ſo far a man of feare and not of faith. But I ſhall let that goe, and come to the words intended; There is not onelyonly a difference in the ſpirits of wicked and righteous men, but a direct oppoſition; the one acts all together downe-ward to the earth, to ſelf, to carnall, low, and baſe ends; the other acts all-together upward to God, to heaven, to ſelf denyall, to high and pure ends.
Doct. Firſt obſerve, That the people of God are a righteous people. They are righteous, not only in regard of Juſtification, that is a righteouſneſſe held forth and made out to us: but alſo in regard of that you call ſanctification, that is, a righteouſneſſe revealed in us; and this is peculiarly a ſaints priviledge; He not onelyonly lives under life, but he lives in life, is life it ſelfe: I confeſſe it is a great and precious priviledge to live under life, to have and uſe Ordinances; but to have them and not live by them, nay, to have them and not to hauehave lives above them, this is below a ſaints priviledge; the world hath thus much priviledge; But the ſaints they uſe not onelyonly the Ordinances, but they are a meanes to put them into life; to make them one with life, they know what the Anoninting is, what the unction of the Father is. But now if you aske me what is mēant by a righteous man? Anſ. Some take it to be meant of Chriſt himſelfe. The righteous are as bold as a Lyon, that is, (ſay they) Chriſt, for he onelyonly is righteous, and not any man, therefore he is cald the Lyon of the tribe of Judah. Revel. 5.5.But my light ſayes, this a diſcription of a ſaints ſpirit, for there is nothing can be ſaid of Chriſt, but may all ſo be ſaid of Saints, as ſaints; for he lives in the ſame life with Chriſt, in the ſame region, in the ſame glory; nay he lives in the ſame Soveraignty and authority; is Chriſt a ſonne and heire of his fathers glory? So are all Saints, they partake of the ſame ſonſhip, the ſame inheritance; is Chriſt a King? ſo are the Saints, partakers of the ſame Kingſhip. Hath he put downe all rule and all authority and ſubjected all his enemies under his feer? ſo have the Saints, ſo farre as they live with and in Chriſt; they ſet their foot upon all their luſts, upon all the world: they are conquerers over Death and Hell, they have ſet their foot upon the very neck of Sathan. I know beloved there be degrees to this life, there is a dying before we come to this life; but this is certaine, as a Saint comes up to this life, ſo he puts downe Principalities, and Powers, when he lives as a ſaint he puts downe all rule and all authority that before he was ſubjected to and captivated under. And the very matter of Chriſts glory, the ſame for nature and kind, though not for degrees in this life, is a Saints portion.
Doct. The 2. Obſervation theſe words hold forth, is from this expreſſion of boldneſſ, the righteous are bold. Doct. That the people of God are a bold people, full of courage.
Doct. The 3, Doctrine, Men and women muſt of neceſsity be made righteous by Chriſt, before they can be bold and conragious for Chriſt. All other boldneſſe is a falſe deceiving boldneſſe, except it proceed from hence; in that we are freed, ſet at liberty, made righteous by Chriſt, many are bold tis true; but tis no true boldneſſe, tis a preſumptuous boldneſſe: there is a naturall boldneſſe, and there is a legall boldneſſe, and there is a phariſaicall boldneſſe, boldneſſe of divers kinds; but this true reall, unconquerable, undeceaveable boldneſſe, is only to be had and injoyed in the life of Chriſt, being made righteous by him, not only by a righteouſneſſe made out to us, but by a righteouſneſſe revealed in us.
The next Obſervation is from the reſemblance here uſed. The righteous are as bold as a Lyon. Tis a compariſon taken from the higheſt, and choyſeſt of all Creatures for undaunted boldneſſe and courage, in that hee fears no creature, nothing can turne him out of his way; the holy Ghoſt upon every occaſion when he would ſet out the property and priviledges of Saints, he ſtill chuſes the choyſeſt of all the creatures to ſet it out by; to ſet out of what a high, choiſe and raiſed ſpirit a Saint is off, as he is a Saint: the high frame of a Saints ſpirit that lives with Chriſt, is not to be ſet out by the choiſeſt of all the creatures, and that may be next the point.
Doct. Doctrine, That the higheſt of creatures is too low to declare the glory of a Saints ſpirit. Tis impoſſible by the choiſeſt of all creatures, & by the perfection of all creatures, to make it out to men in the full glory, beawty & excellency thereof; He that injoyes it knowes it beſt, but he is not able to comprehend it; for he is comprehended by it. And therefore he himſelf is not able to make it out to the full, but is ſwallowed up by it.
Theſe pointes the words hold forth to us; but I ſhall not handle them ſeverally, but we will rather chuſe to gather the full ſence of them all in one concluſion, viz.
Doct. That Soules made righteous by God are in the injoyment of God tranſcen dently bold. Here are 3 concluſions in one. 1. Here is Saints are made righteous. 2. Saints thus made righteous they are bold. 3. They are tranſcendently bold. For the opening this point, we muſt open all the words.
1. To be made righteous what it is. We ſhall not now ſpeake how we are made righteous by juſtification, as righteouſneſſe is purchaſed for us, and held out to us. Becauſe I conceive the words intend a man in the other ſenſe; a man made righteous, by revealing of righteouſneſſe in us, in that we are made one with the life and glory of Chriſt: we ſpeak now of a righteous ſpirit, a freed ſpirit, a ſpirit made one with Chriſt, a ſpirit overcome in the enjoyment of Chriſts ſpirit, a ſpirit wrapt up, overwhelmed by the ſweet inflowings and comings in of the glory of Chriſt: a ſpirit wherein Chriſt ſits in glory and diſplayes his loves to the ſoule, ſo that by the very coming in and injoyment of Chriſt, they are made one with Chriſt, tranſformed into the very nature and glory of Chriſt. So that all ſelfe and the very forme of the old creature is annihilated, and all turned into Chriſt; Hee is removed from his former center, his owne bottom; there is a new ingrafting and being carried up into Chriſt, ſo that he is transformed into the hidden, divine, ſuperexcellent glory and riches and life of Chriſt: ſo as he is (as I may ſay) chriſted with Chriſt, made glory with the very glory of God and Chriſt, ſo that this they not onelyonly know in their underſtandings, but have, feel, and enjoy it, and it works in them a life, and fruit ſutable to this glory and transformation.
Thoſe that lie in the heart of Chriſt, that have found themſelves transplanted from themſelves, transformed into Chriſt, by Chriſt, they finde their heart transformd with loves & raviſhments towards him, to him, and none elſe, but as they ſee them, and enjoy them in him, and him in them; there are intercourſes & returnes of love to each other. This is not the righteouſneſſe of Juſtification, when Chriſt holds out a righteouſneſſe purchaſed for thee, and thou by faith laying hold on it for the acceptation of thy perſon; but this is Chriſt himſelfe; his hand taking hold of thee, bringing thee over from thy ſelfe into himſelf, and tranſacting thee into himſelfe, and this is that that cauſes interchanges of loves, ſo that Chriſt in loving thee, he loves himſelf; and thou in loving him loveſt thy ſelfe, in one and the ſame act; and in all your acts Chriſt acts, and in all Chriſt acts within you, you act; ſo ſoone as ever you are brought over into theſe injoyments, you are ſwallowed up in Chriſt, and in your loweſt acts Chriſt acts as well as in your higheſt; in the very loweſt eſtate, you may have the higheſt injoyments: that when you are trampled on by the world, when your enimies think they have got the day and have their will of you, then may you have ſuch ſweet injoyments of Chriſt,Mat. 5.11.12. that in this regard you may rejoyce and be exceeding glad when you enter into divers temptations; Jeames 1.2.when the world and perſecutors thinke they have taken from you all your comfort, and bereft you of all your life, then may you be more then conquerers, injoying a life hidden from them; that when they think you are captived, they themſelves are captived, and you the conquerers, as deceivers, 2 Cor. 6.8.9.10.and yet true (ſayes the Apoſtle) as unknowne; yet well knowne; as ſorrowfull; Col. 3.3.yet alway rejoycing; as poore, yet making many rich: as having nothing and yet poſſeſsing all things: you are dead to the world, but your life is hid with Chriſt in God; by this you may take a ſight and ſmall taſt of what is meant by a righteous man in this place, the righteous are as bold as a Lyon.
Secondly, what is meant by this word bold; truly friends I muſt confeſſe I have been along time miſtaken what this bold ſpirit in a ſaint was; I tooke it to be this, and that, and miſtaken in all; time was when I had a naturall boldneſſe which many men have, which is borne with them, being of a reſolute bold hardy temper of ſpirit; yet this was diſcovered to me to be but nature; and many a wicked man is poſſeſſed thereof: then afterward I came to be a civill man; then in that I paid every man his owne, and lived uprightly to menward, ſo that no man could taxe me of doeing any man wrong; herein I grew bold; But this alſo was diſcovered to be but civill boldneſſe, and upon falſe grounds. Then I came to Legall boldneſſe, attaining to ſuch a degree of obedience to the Law, that I thought my ſelfe all moſt blameleſſe, and herein I grew bold indeed, and I thought it was true boldneſſe: but it was diſcovered this was not the true boldneſſ neither, and there is many other kinds of boldnes; there is a ſinfull boldneſſe, men being ignorant of themſelves, and what ſinne is, and what God is; they are bold to ſinne, and ſinne with a high hand daringly, with brazen faces. So alſo there is a phariſaicall boldneſſe, when men are bold becauſe of their externall conformity to the Law, and externall ſubmitting to Ordinances, becauſe they are in a right Goſpell way, becauſe they are of a fellowſhip where they injoy pure Ordinances; And am not I (ſay they) as good as you, what doe you more then I? I doe not ſpeake this that you ſhould neglect Ordinances, and forſake fellowſhip, for I know the High God may be injoyed in a low Ordinance; And you ought alſo to hold forth God in Ordinances to others, to men of the World, and Saints below you; though you injoy that which is farre above all Ordinances, even the reall and lovely preſence of the Lord Chriſt in himſelfe.
Many men becauſe they injoy Ordinances in puritie, and hold forth a great Profeſſion, they gather hence a great boldneſſe, and looke bigg upon themſelves, and think who may walke more bigg, bold, and confident then they (what, they not Saints? who is a ſaint then?) I that have gon thus ſarre, and tied my ſelf conſtant to duty, what not I of thus long ſtanding? But beloved, none of all theſe is the true boldneſſe; a Saints boldneſſe is from other principles, of a more noble and higher frame; His boldneſle is, becauſe he lives with, and injoyes the higheſt God: In that they are gotten above all the world. Things below are too baſe for their ſpirits; they count it gain to loſe themſelves: the other count it gain to gaine themſelves; And hence it is, becauſe they ſee themſelves gottē above all things, they live undaunted noble lives; They live in the upper Regions where Chriſt lives, above all things inferior to himſelf.
They are ſo much drawne into Chriſt, that they cannot much minde theſe things below, they are not much troubled how they ebb or flow, becauſe they are aloft; They are not tumbled to and fro, as they in their Tides tumble too and againe; They are fild with noble bloud, divine bloud; the Spirit and Glory of Chriſt and God, reſts upon them, and runs in all their veines.
Beloved, what can that man feare, that is thus tranſacted, tranſplanted, united to God, drawne up into God, in whom all ſelfe, and fleſh, and carnall ends,2 Cor. 12.9. is periſhed, dead and buried, and he made a new man in Chriſt, riſſen in, and with Chriſt? Here is the man is here ſpoken of; Here is the boldneſſe of a Saint: No marvell all the world, nor all the fluctuation of and in the world, cannot diſturbe this mans Spirit; for he is above all, aloft, he is in the boſome of Chriſt; Oh deareſt friends, this life is a hidden thing, and you that injoy it know it, and none elſe; I know your experiences of this life, farre exceed what ever my tongue can expreſſe; when men have impriſoned you, and thinke they have overcome you, then are you moſt at liberty; When they have brought you to poverty, then have they moſt in richt you; when ye die, ye live; when you have all things, then have you nothing;2 Cor. 6.10. when you have nothing, then have you all things; Phil. 3.8.you are ſo taken up with Chriſt, that all below Chriſt, is as droſſe, and dung, Gal. 6.14.and you ſay with Paul God forbid that I ſhould rejoyce in any thing, ſave in the Croſſe of Chriſt, by whom the world is crucified unto mee, and I unto the world.
While you are with Chriſt, what can hurt you? all the troubles in the world ſeaſe no more on you then water on a Ducks back.; While the world is reviling, you are ſinging; while the world is impriſoning, you are imbracing; While the world is hating and perſecuting, you are loving; While the world is caſting you off for ſects and ſciſmaticks, you are in your injoyings; While the world ſmites, Chriſt is kiſſing: ſuch a myſterious hidden ſecret, is the life of a ſaint, that it befooles all the world. When the world thinks they deſerve their hatred, they love and pittye them; while you think they look upon you, they looke above you; their eye is not upō their oppoſers, but what they injoy from Chriſt; they are of more noble, higher ſpirits, then to faſten their eyes ſo low as upon their oppoſers; I profeſſe when God brought mee of from one condition of boldneſſe to another; but eſpecially when hee fetcht mee off from legall and phariſaicall boldneſſe; in ſo much that I ſaw, that all boldneſſe which had its riſe and birth, in ſelf, from ſelf, and to ſelf, it muſt bee confounded; and I came to ſee that all true boldneſſe muſt run out from the very heart and loves of Chriſt; it muſt bee from a ſpirit fild with ſuch royall, noble, divine bloud, as none but the ſonnes of God pertake of; and then I ſaw the world was of a bloud ſo low and baſe, that it cannot bee ſenſible what this life is.
The ſecond thing we would come to ſhew, is, wherein this boldneſſe dothcōſiſt. A ſoule thus made one with God, made righteous by God in the injoyment of God, and by the righteouſneſſe of God revealed in us, he is bold in theſe three regards.
Firſt, He is bold with God. Secondly, He is bold in declaring for God. Thirdly, He is bold in undergoing any thing laid upon him by God.
Firſt, He is bold with God, he is free and familiar with God; There is ſuch intimate communion between Chriſt and him, that he can freely, and with a ſonlike ſpirit and affection, ask any thing of God, his enjoyments embolden him; For he ſees God ſo unboſome himſelf to him, that his very heart is not too much for him. Hee asks not as a ſervant with ſlaviſh fear, but as a ſonne, as ſeeing all his inheritance is in God. He knowes what ever is in God, in Chriſt, is as freely his as they are Chriſts; he hath as true right to them as Chriſt; Hee layes claime to all the beawties and glories of Chriſt, to all the riches, life, and treaſures in Chriſt, as his owne proper portion. He does not aske with a daunted fearfull ſpirit, he approaches into his very Boſome, to his very Heart: and what ever is there, hee knows is his owne to aske and injoy; and this he does freely, fully; he layes claime to all Divine loves.
And by this injoyment, he makes returnes of loves; all the loves his heart can hold, ſhall all run out to God againe; by this very imbracement, he comes to act in God and God in him.
And I pray you obſerve this, and think of it when you do not ſee mee; The very injoyment of God carries over your ſpirits, & all you are to God, to give up your ſelves to him; you will not ſtand upon ſuch needleſſe queſtions. Whether ſaints are bount to duty; they by that very act of injoying God, make themſelves over to God, to be acted, and ruled by God: their owne will ceaſes, and Gods will is become one with theirs, and theirs with his; you cannot chuſe but love & act for God, for you are with God, in God:
Friends, I hope ſome of your ſpirits doe eccho to theſe truthes, and finde them true, by your injoyments in ſome degree. Doe not thinke that this is the life you muſt look for only hereafter, when you are come to Heaven after this life; I tell you this life is now, and I verily beleeve the time is coming, that ſaints ſhall come to ſee this life made good to them, and in them more and more.
Object. But it may be ſome will ſay, you ſpeak of a very high life; is it poſſible that ſuch poore Creatures, ſuch poore Wormes as we are, ſhould be ſo imbraced by the Eternall God? How comes this to paſſe?
Anſwer Anſw. In three regards the Saints have experience of theſe things. Firſt, In regard they know they have a propriety in him. Secondly, In regard they have knowledge in experience of recourſe to him. Thirdly, of a conſtant familiarity with him.
Firſt, They have a knowledge of propriety in him, they know that God hath made himſelfe their Father, and they his ſons, this makes them bold; who can be more bold with a Father then his ſonnes? Though Abraham be ignorant of us, yet thou art our Father, Iſal. 63.16.behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. They know God does not caſt them off becauſe of their ſins; this does not make them no ſons, but they look upon God as an infinite gracious loving Father; They have experience, that coming to their Father is a meanes to purifie their hearts, and if they ſtand off till they have clenſed thēſelves, this has been a means to throw them more into ſin; and though they have ſinned, yet they throw themſelves into his armes, they have experience that he dos not upbraid them for coming to him, in asking themſelves, how durſt they aproach to him, being ſo defild with ſin; But they finde, that bringing their hearts to him, is the only way to cleanſe themſelves; they finde ſuch loves in the boſome of the Father, ſuch bowels to pardon, ſuch embracements, that they know no way in all the world comparable to this, to breake their hearts, and to make them throw ſin far away. Time was when they ſaid, true it is, Chriſt calls, and invites mee to come, but I am ſo defiled, ſo ſinfull, I dare not come: I will reforme my life, and get more power againſt ſin, and then I may goe with boldnes.
But this ſoule who hath injoyed the loves of God, ſo ſweetly, ſo intimately, he findes this is the way to remaine foule ſtill; And though hee might refraine ſin, yet he was not purged from ſin; This end, and that end wrought with him; ſomething from ſelf, and to ſelf: but ſin as ſin was as ſtrong as ever. But he found this way the only way to heale ſinne, and get a new heart, a new nature, viz. to throw himſelf upon his Father, into his Fathers armes: Though Abraham be ignorant of us, Iſai. 63.16.yet thou art our Father; And this going to God frees us from our ſinnes, and nothing elſe. To ſay I am legall, and I am full of corruption, I am weake and I can doe nothing: all this while, we ſtand at a diſtance, and weaken our ſelves more; We are not free, we are lockt up in our ſelves, and ſtrive by our own ſtrength. But if you would be holy, throw your ſelves into the loves of God; this very injoyment will give you an inlarged, a free, and broken heart; then ſin will be hated from a new nature. God dos not ſay I love you, if you be holy; but, I love you to make you holy. Beloved, this is the new covenant that the Goſpell holds out to us; and herein lies the power of the Goſpell, to make of unrighteous, righteous, to work by love, not by conſtraint.
Men that never had experience of this life, they lay Lawes, and Conſtraints upon men to duty, and know not the power of love. When the Prodigall had but a reſolution to throw himſelf upon his fathers loves, you ſee how he was received; No ſooner dos God open his heart to a poore ſinner, but he ſees the everlaſting roling bowels of a Father, toward him, and then they interchange loves and bowels;Hoſ. 11.8. That their repentings are kindled together; Ier. 31.22.I doe earneſtly remember him ſtill: my bowels are troubled for him: Jer. 3.22.Bowels role towards one another, and then the poore ſinners come to ſee their own names writ in their own hearts, that before was writ in the heart of God; And ſee his deareſt loves have ever been toward them for good; He ſees now he was not excluded from God, becauſe he had departed away from him, and blackſliden, but was the rather cald to come to him, becauſe hee had blackſlided, and defiled himſelfe;Jer. 3.22 As Jer. 3.22. Returne ye backſliding children, and I will heale your backſlidings; Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. He has experience that he had laine long ſtriving againſt ſin, but found no power from a right ground, from a right principle; But when he (it may be) after many years ſtriving with his luſts to ſubdue them, and bring them under, he reſolved at laſt to goe to God and ſaid: Lord here is my heart, as bad as can be, the more I ſtrive with it, the worſe it is; I have ſtriven long and cannot conquer one ſinne; but Lord doe thou now take it, doe with it what thou will; all this while I was aſham'd to come to thee, my heart was ſo bad; now I commit it to thee; and then hee found a ſubdued heart, and never before.
So long as I look upon my obedience and my conformity, and when I ſee a want, I hold off from God; this breedes obſtructions between the ſoule and God. Your praying, and your duties, and your obedience, doe declare that you live in God, and not that they may bring you to God.
Brethren, this is the way: have you finned and falen from God? ſtay not but returne to God, then he will heale your backſliding; Stay not, as men uſually doe, till your ſelves have healed your own backſlidings, and then you will beleeve. This way doth never rightly overcome the heart; but be ye weake Chriſtian, or be ye ſtrong, try this way, and you ſhall find a wonderfull change in your ſpirits; you may draw nigh to God, with boldneſſe, the way ſtands open; God never chid a ſoule that throwes it ſelf upon him.
Againe, this often recourſe to, and familiarity with God, it makes a man rightly to underſtand God, to know his very nature; men that live out of God, miſtake God; they judge otherwiſe of his nature then it is; Saints by injoying God, they know God; what a God of ſweetneſſe and loves he is; how free in communicating of himſelfe; what an unchangable God he is; how ready to receive a ſinner; what loves run from him into them, when once they are come in to him; though God frowne, they know his nature is nothing but unchangeable loves; however he deales with them in his Providence, they know all his wayes are wayes of love to them; He cannot hate them, nor doe any thing as a fruite of hatred; They underſtand God, they know his wayes with his Saints; though he kill them, yet will they truſt in him; Iſai. 55.Though in externall Providence hee ſeemes to frowne, yet they know whats in his heart; they take all in good part their Father doth unto them.
This is that which raiſes up their hearts to a holy boldneſſe of ſpirit; What ever men intends they know God ſmiles; what ever his providences are, they know his loves are conſtant, unchangable; This makes their hearts rejoyce, and triumph, to live above; though the body be under ſufferings, yet their ſpirit is free; walkes up and downe in loves, is compaſſed about with joyes, ſwallowed up in GOD, and lives amongſt Divine Crownes.
If a man have no experience of theſe things, he lives darkly, mournfully, he meaſures God by himſelf; if men be angry, he thinks God is angry; if providence change, they think God changes; and this raiſes not, but overwhelmes the ſpirit of a man; this ſinks his ſpirit; for he judges God like himſelfe; but what ſayes God? are my wayes as your wayes, and my thoughts, as your thoughts? Iſai. 55.As high as the Heavens are above the Earth: ſo high are my thoughts above your thoughts, and my wayes above your wayes.
Secondly they are bold for God; ye never ſee any principle, but it works ſutable to itſelf; ſo the Saints have a principle from God, which qualifies them ſo, that they can ſtand for God: 1. In ſuffering for him; if it be his will, they ſhall ſuffer loſſes, ignominy, deriſion, yea Death it ſelf, they have a principle from God will beare them out; Look upon Paul, what a ſpirit had he when they told him of bonds?Acts. 21.13. what meane ye to weepe and breake my heart? for I am ready (ſayes he) not only to be bound, but to die for the name of the Lord Jeſus.
And ſo the three Children, what reſolutions had they to ſuffer? Wee know our God whom wee ſerve, Dan. 3.17.18.is able to deliver us, but howſoever be it known unto thee, wee will not worſhip this Image; Frownes, nor ſcornes from men, will not turne them out of their way.
And the reaſons of this are, Firſt, the reall conviction of ſecurity in God, before they ingage themſelves for God; as 2 Tim. 1.12. For which cauſe I alſo ſuffer theſe things; nevertheleſſe I am not aſhamed, for I know in whom I hauehave beleeved, and I am perſwaded he is able to keepe that which I have committed to him, againſt that day.
The ſoule ſeeing God ſuch a buckler, and ſeeing himſelfe ſo ſecure; this makes him not ſtand at any thing, but to ingage himſelfe and all he is for God.
Object. But you will ſay then, this is but ſelf-love: not to ingage, but that hee knowes he|ſhall be ſecure.
I anſwer no, tis not ſelfe love, but love to God. But here lies a great myſterie, in a Saints thus ingaging for God.
It ariſes from being partaker of the very nature of God; and his will is ſo ſwallowed up and reſigned into Gods that he acts Gods will, not his own; So that his ſecurity is not in any outward protection, but in what the will of God is? and if his ſpirit live in, and with God, what ever fall to him, this he accounts his ſecurity.
Rea. 2 Every ſpirit acts ſutable to that ſpirit it is in conjunction with; Now Chriſts ſpirit, is the moſt noble, moſt high, moſt raiſed ſpirit; and the ſpirit that is in Chriſt, is in the Saints; their ſpirits are in conjunction with the ſpirit of Chriſt; therfore they muſt needs be of noble, high, & raiſed ſpirits; that though they be in the fleſh, their life is in the Spirit, their life is in Chriſt; though they have thornes and afflictions in the fleſh, yet to them they are as none; they are not much troubled at them, for their ſpirits live among divine thrones and Crownes.
The 3. reaſon of a Saints thus boldly ingaging for God, is, Though they ſuffer externally, yet there is within a ſupply of contrary love; and ſmiles;
Men indeavorto throw ſcornes, and deriſions upon the Saints; and invent ſuch deriding names, that they would make them odious: even as the very offscouring of the World, and that they may render them as the vileſt men upon earth.
It matters not, God viſits them with his loves; Hee communicates that to their ſpirits, which abundantly makes up their ſuffering, and makes amends a thouſand thouſand times.
One comes and he calls you Sectaries, another Independents, another Sciſmaticks, another Anabaptiſts, another Antinomians, another comes and tells you, they are this day going to petition the Parliament againſt all your Independents; now what of all this? were you but carried above, and did you live in God? theſe would be like ſo many ſmall puffes of wind that would ſcarſe blow away a ſtraw; For a man never feares a man, when hee knowes himſelfe above a man; when he knowes himſelfe free from him, and out of his reach to hurt him.
All the men in the World cannot hurt a Saint; nor all the Divells in Hell; a man will never feare his Enemie, eſpecially when he knowes he is kild before hee comes neare him.
Chriſt hath overcome ſin, Death, Hell, the Divell, the World; and therefore, what need the ſaints feare any of theſe?2 Cor. 4.17. The afflictions of this life are but light and momentary: but there is an exceeding weight of glory to be revealed. Will a man regard a ſmall croſſe, when he has a weight and an exceeding weight of Divine loves, of Divine Crownes?
This is enough to make a man, not only to be content to beare afflictions and frownes from the World; but alſo to love the croſſe, to love the frownes.
When thou haſt a loſſe in thy Eſtate, in thy name, or any way, Chriſt comes with his loves, and makes an over abundant ſupply; I doe not ſay; he gives thee the ſame things; but, he gives thee that which is a thouſand times more worth.
If thou loſeſt farthings, and gaineſt pounds; if thou loſeſt ſtrawes and gaineſt pearles, what loſſe haſt thou?
Thus Chriſt doth to a Saint at the very inſtant of his ſuffering, if he live with & in Chriſt; for Chriſts way is, not to ſend the affliction and let it lie heavie, and preſſe a man downe, and then he afterwards lets men reaſon themſelves into content; for a Saints content, as a Saints, is not from reaſon, but from a preſent injoyment of Chriſt, which is communicated at that very inſtant, immediatly from the very boſome and heart of Chriſt.
Intercourſes of loves runnes out from Chriſt; which alone is their ſatisfaction, without reaſons helpe.
The fourth Reaſon, why the Saints are ſo bold in declaring, and ingaging for God is; becauſe, in all their ſufferings, they ingage not at their own coſt and charges; they live not by their own life, they live not by their owne ſtrength; but they ingage at Chriſts charges, & they live by Chriſts life, they ſpend upon his ſtrength.
Ti's a Phraſe wee have often up, eſpecially in the Country; they may ſpend freely that ſpend upon other mens Purſes.
So the Saints, they goe on in their way, and walke like Saints, becauſe they live not by and of themſelves; their life, and their ſtrength, and their comforts, are all Chriſts; they ſpend upon his Stock.
This makes them ſo free and ſo bold, ſpend while they will, they have a vaſt Treaſure, never to bee exhauſted; Still Chriſt ſupplyes them with new ſtrength, and new life.
Let men goe on to revile and abuſe the Saints, and ſtudy names of Factions, and Independents and the like, to make them odious; No matter, Chriſt aſſiſts them; Chriſt hath names full of Love and ſweetneſſe for them.
And if they ſhould proceed to perſecution as they may, and impriſonment, no matter; There comes a new ſuppy from Chriſt anſwerable to their ſufferings.
But the Saints being weake and not knowing this, they many times needleſlly trouble themſelves with forethinking what they ſhall doe, if Suffering, and Afflictions, and Troubles increaſe; And the reaſon is, becauſe they apply, and compare Future Troubles to preſent ſtrength.
But thoſe that live in Chriſt, and with Chriſt, they know they cannot ingage upon any new affliction, But there is a new ſupply of Strength, and Courage, and life from Chriſt; and therefore they reaſon thus.
If Bonds, Reproaches, and impriſonment, or Death it ſelfe doe attend mee; There is Freſh Joy, New Life, and more Srength attends.
The more oppoſers, the more Strength, the more Joy, the more Glory, the more Loves, the more Imbraces, The more overcomings of Loves.
And therefore this is that which makes them Bold in Declaring for God.
Who more bold for God in declaring truth then the Apoſtles, in Acts the fourth? though they knew troubles and perſecution attended them,Acts: 4.10. and bonds in every place, be it knowne ſaith Peter unto you and to all Iſraell, that by the name of Ieſus Chriſt of Nazareth was this man made whole, whom ye crucified, but God hath raiſed him up, and this is the ſtone ſet at naught by you Builders and is now become the head of the corner, neither is there Salvation in any other; Now when they ſaw the boldneſſe of the Apoſtles, and ſaw that they were ignorant men, they tooke knowledge that they had beene, with Ieſus, and could ſay nothing againſt the Miracle they had wrought in the name of Ieſus; Then they tooke counſell and ſtreightly charged them they ſhould ſpeak no more in that name, and they anſwered boldly, whether is it right in ſight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God, Iudge yee? for we can not but ſpeake the things we have ſeene and heard: and ſo the whole Chapter, and divers other places do declare, with what wonderfull boldneſſe they declare Chriſt; becauſe Chriſt lived withthem, lived in them, they had experience of his ſtrength and love in ſupporting. And their love could not but returne in declaring the things they had ſeene and heard.
And the Reaſons of this are, becauſe the injoyment of theſe things beget a love to the things declared, & gives power to declare them with all courage and boldnes; the Saints are made one with Chriſt, ſuckt and drawne up into Chriſt, they live by loving and love by living, they declare through loving, & love through declaring. And ſutable to their love they cannot chooſe but declare, love in them hath the preheminence, it predominates, it over-rules all other things in them, they muſt needs, they are conſtrained to declare the life they live in.
If a Parliament ſhould command, that men ſhould not declare what experience they have of Chriſt, as I hope this Parliament never will, they could not contayne, it would be as fire in their boſomes, it would burſt out, loves would ſo conſtraine them; could they ſit and ſee and not ſpeake? I tell you there is ſuch mighty conſtraines in the power of love, they could not keepe in.
It bootes not the World to act againſt the power of love to raiſe perſecution, the more they act againſt it the more it workes, the more it conſtraines.
Againe another reaſon is, why they are ſo conſtrained to declare what they ſee and know, becauſe the matter declared is the very power declaring. They are ſo lapt up in the loves of Chriſt & ſo made one in him, that the things they declare is not another thing from them, but they are the very things.
And therefore if they are ſo bold in declaring, never blame them, for they and thoſe things are the ſame; no nor never admire them, for there is ſuch a conſtraining power in them they cannot do otherwiſe. And that he hath he receives not from others as their experiences, but they are his owne, they are himſelfe. Paul (you ſee) when once Chriſt had appeared to him, there was ſuch a Light, ſuch a Glory, ſuch a Power, ſuch a Demonſtration of Truth to his Soule, that he immediately went & preacht Chriſt; he went not to the Bretheren to be confirmed in what he ſaw and felt, but the power love was ſuch, that come life come death he muſt declare it.
And a third Reaſon may be, becauſe he enjoyes what he declares; what he enjoyes he acts, and what he acts he enjoyes; while he ſaies he ſees he feeles; while he ſpeakes of love, he acts in love.
Here now you ſee the quality of a Saints ſpirit. And indeed this acting and enjoying he eſteemes his protion, his everlaſting inheritance, his Heaven; his very worke is his reward, eſteeming (ſaith the Apoſtle) the reproach with Chriſt,Heb. 11.26 greater riches then the Treaſures of Egypt,Phil 4.8. this life was the recompence of reward Moſes had an eye too, and Paul he counted all things loſſe and dung, to gaine & enjoy it; and David herejoyceth in the word as one that findeth great ſpoiles,Pſ. 16.5.6.…. for in keeping thereof, there is a full reward.
Beloved freinds this is your Heaven, and if you cannot count this a ſufficient Heaven and reward, you will hardly thinke Heaven hereafter a reward, eſpecially in the condition you are in; but did you act in love and lived in Chriſt here, you would ſay were this life but perfected, I have enough, enough; I deſire no other Heaven, this portion is enough; as David ſaies in 16 Pſalme.Pſ. 16.5.6. The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance, the Lines are fallen to me in very pleaſant places, yea I have a Goodly Heritage.
Now we come to the Third thing wherein the Saints are bold: They are bold in undergoing any thing from God; muſt I be poore, muſt I be ſicke, muſt I be in priſon, muſt I be in Death, he is bold to undergoe it; he ſees the loves of God in all that comes to him: Let all the world conjoyn together againſt this man, and looke never ſo blacke and terrible upon him, he ſees his God ſmileing, his God ſpeaking nothing but loves.
As ſinne and the law, though they are in conjunction to terrifie him, yet he is bold, for he ſees God reconciled. And as they (the greater) can not daunt his boldnes, ſo neither can men, nor can the Word, all they can doe cannot make him thinke his Father is angry.
Though God himſelfe try the Saints; they liveing in him, and enjoying his love; Though he ſeeme in his Providence to be angry; yet they find loves in his very boſome, in his very heart, when men enjoy not this, every frowne from men, and every frowne from God, caſts them downe; they forſake their boldnes, becauſe they have no exprience of the ſweet and unchangeable nature of God. as Ezek. 22.14.Exek. 22.14. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be ſtrong in the daies that I ſhall deale with thee: They being backſliden and departed from God they were not able to look on God as a father, when he aflicted them, as the Saints can doe; Doth God chide? yet they know tis in love. Doth God wound? all are fruits of his love.
So now you ſee how bold a Saint is with God; How bold in ſtanding for God; How bold in declaring God, How bold in undergoing any thing from God; and all this by liveing with God, by liveing in God, and enjoying God. This man muſt needs be a bold man that hath ſuch inflowings of loves from God; what ſhall ſuch a man account deere for ſuch a God? How bold was Jer. in the Priſon? though put in the Dungeon, where he ſanke in the mire and was ready to ſtarve? when he was taken out againe and remained in priſon, he could not hold his peace; the power of loves conſtrained him to ſpeake what he had ſeene and felt.
And ſo Iob though he was aflicted in his Eſtate, in his children, in his owne perſon,Iob. 13.15. what (ſaith he) though he kill me he deferves to be truſted in; I cannot forſake him for all this.
And old Ely when there was ſuch bitter things ſpoken againſt him by God, ſaith he it is the Lord let him do with me what ſeemeth him good. I Sam. 3.18.And that is the higheſt Act that is expreſſed of him. And the reaſon is, becauſe that man that lives in God underſtands God in himſelfe, what his heart is. If we looke on God as he acts out of himſelfe and not as he acts in himſelfe, there is nothing but changes, to day ſicke, tomorrow well; to day in priſon, tomorrow not; this yeare rich, next yeare poore; Now if we ſhall judge that God changes as our condition changes,I…. 17. what comfort? But God in his nature is one & the ſame, no changes nor ſhadow of turning, alwaies alike. Againe a ſaint in God lives in the will of God, Gods will is all in all to him. And this is that which brings him up to that raiſedneſſe and height of ſpirit; he ſees God in what ever he doth to act his owne bleſſed will on him, and ſo he ſee but that accompliſhed, therein he reſts and rejoyces, becauſe he lives above aloft, he lives in the Center, in the Fountaine of loves. If we live in the ſtreames, if we live below among the Creatures, there is nothing but trouble and rumbling this way and that way, ebbing and flowing; but the Center, the Fountain, the upper Regions are quiet, ſtill, compoſed, ſattisfied. Againe, becauſe if God do take all from the Creature and take him up to live in himſelfe he hath not loſt all but found all a thouſand fold. Yet in the moſt rougheſt acting out of God. he finds loves in God; elſe his ſpirit would be downe to day and up to morrow, according to thoſe actings; but this life with God, in the boſome and bowells of tranſcendent loves, there all diſputs are at an ends, he lives in providence above providence, he lives above reaſons Region and Element, and therefore when Reaſon would make diſputes and arguments from Gods externall dealings; as if God were as rough as his providence; this life ſilences all, and layes the ſoule to reſt in the ſweet embraces of the loves of an unchaingable Father; though he kill me yet will I truſt in him.
And againe the Saints have ſuch experience of the loves of God, flowing warme from the heart of God that they cannot be beaten out of good thoughts of God: as we ſay by a freind whom we know and love & have intimate acquaintance with; if this man or that ſhould bring tales of evill intended by him towards you; you would ſay I wil not beleeve him, for I know him ſo well that the thing is impoſſible to be true; So doe the Saints find God ſuch a true freind ſuch an intimate cloſe freind, that hath ſo much expreſt his love to them that though ſin, the Law, Hell, Death, the Divell, the World, Providence, or whoever ſhould bring them ill tydings from their father: ob (ſay they) it cannot be, I know him ſo well, I have ſuch ſweet ſuch frequent enjoyments with him, that I cannot thinke a hard thought of him, this drawes up the Soule to a high, yea a higher and higher enjoyment of God.
This enjoyment tranſcends yea ſleights all other enjoyments below it, it tranſcends Nature, it tranſcends Reaſon, it tranſcends externall providence, and all the rougheſt actings thereof. Let never ſo high accuſations be layd on the Saints, they value them not, their life with God makes up all; As ſome have laid divers accuſations on me and on the Saints, ſome are Truths, and we are ready to maintaine them, we hope to the death; others are falſe and charging upon us that we never ſaid nor held, and all to make us odious to the World; As for inſtance that I ſhould ſay, there was no other uſe of Chriſt but to declare love to the World, and for this end he came and for no other. Who ever holds it for my part I count it an errour, my Judgment is otherwiſe, I hold no ſuch thing, I diſclaime it; Chriſt came to ſattisfie and anſwer a law, as well as to make out love; and though theſe and the like, and ſuch other things may be fathered upon us, partly through darkenes, not ſeeing and enjoying Truth, & partly through malice, to lay to our charge, the things we never knew nor held; yet we hope God will vindicate his Truth and vindicate his ſaints, and Truth ſhall burne and flame out ſo gloriouſly, that he will make all oppoſers and ſlanderers aſhamed, therefore let not the ſaints much trouble themſelves at theſe things, let the Creature be ſtill and ſilent, and let God alone, he is but working a way for his owne praiſe, in confounding his enemies, and vindicating the ſimplicity of the ſaints, who live with him and in him to their everlaſting comfort and Joy.