Several Works, Work 3 · Part (4 of 6)

Several Works · Work 3 · Part (4 of 6)

p. 529Firſt, Conſider this is the acceptable year of the Lord, as in that of Iſaiah: O it beginneth with the preaching of the Goſpel; indeed the acceptable year, minde you, acceptable to Jeſus Chriſt: It pleaſeth him wondrous well, if ſinners be willing to come out of priſon, to be ſet at liberty: there is many a poor ſoul that thinketh with himſelf, I am willing; if the Lord Jeſus be willing that I ſhall go forth: O it is the acceptable year of the Lord, there is nothing more pleaſing to him, then to ſee the ranſom he hath laid down for you ſinners take effect, and bring out many out of bondage; the Apoſtle applyeth it to the times of the Goſpel; There is joy in heaven, &c. The Father of the Prodigal, 2 Cor. 6. 2.2 Cor 6:2how willing was he? and then it is the acceptable year to ſinners too: O how did men that were in bondage long for the Jubilee, and breath and pant after it, eſpecially if their bondage were hard? that ſet them all free. Dear Friends, Conſider, this is the great Jubilee, proclaimed ſolemnly with the Silver Trumpets of the Goſpel, that every poor creature, that will, may go forth out of priſon; yea, that if now they go forth, the Lord Jeſus is p. 530Lev. 25. 9, 10.Lev 25:9Lev 25:10willing we ſhould; but if we ſhall trifle away this year of the Lord, which we know not how long it may laſt to us: either the Goſpel may be taken away from us, or elſe we from the Goſpel; or elſe the things which concern our peace in the Goſpel be hid Luk. 19. 42.Luke 19:42from our eyes, that we ſhall never ſee them: O that ſinners would but conſider this, theſe ſeaſons the Father hath kept in his Acts 1. 7.Acts 1:7own power, that ſinners might be afraid to trifle away one Sabbath, When liberty was proclaimed from Babylon, ſome would ſtay there, &c.wherein this grace is offered, for fear that it never be offered more to us: If the Servant did neglect to take the opportunity of the Jubilee, he muſt be in bondage, he and his, until another Jubilee, and ſo he himſelf was like to periſh in that ſervice.

There were only three things that did hinder their going free in that acceptable year: 1. Either they were ſtrangers, and of the curſed Canaanites, who were doomed to bondage; now there was Lev. 25. 45, 46.Lev 25:45Lev 25:46no going forth for them: Or elſe 2. The Matters would not let them go free: Or elſe 3. They themſelves had no minde to go free, and ſo bound themſelves for ever to their Maſters.

Firſt, I ſay, The Strangers: alas, the Jubilee was not proclaimed to them; and therefore, though they might he willing to go free, yet they could not, they were as good never think of it, it concerneth them not; and the Maſters knowing this would never let them go free; ſurely, this is not our caſe, though the Eph. 2. 13.Eph 2:13time was, when we were ſinners of the Gentiles, and afar off, and the year of Jubilee was not proclaimed to us; yea, the Lord Jeſus forbid his diſciples, to go into the way of the Gentiles: If Mat. 10. 5.Matt 10:5this were our caſe, then there were ſome excuſe for our continuing in bondage; and thus it is with many a poor people under the Sun this day; the Lord Chriſt hath never ſaid to them that ſit in darkneſs, go forth, elſe haply, Tyre and Zidon would have done it ſooner then Coraz and Bethſaida.

Secondly then, the unwillingneſs of him to whom we are in bondage, to let us go free: it is true, ſin is unwilling to let the ſinner go; alas, how ſhall luſt be ſatisfied and ſerved then? And ſo is Satan, as long as ever he can, he will hold his hold; but doth not the Lord threaten the hard hearted Jews, ſince they would Jer. 34. 15, 16, 17.Jer 34:15Jer 34:16Jer 34:17not let his people go out of bondage, that he would proclaim a Liberty to them, to the ſword, and to the famine, and to the peſtilence? Pharaoh was very loth to let Iſrael go as long as he p. 531had a being, therefore he was deſtroyed: And ſo ſin and Satan, they will not let the ſinner go; O how a mans luſts do cling about him then, when he ſhould go free! what, will ye forſake me now, have I not brought you in ſo much content, ſo many ſweet hours you have had of repoſe in my lap, ſo much gain and advantage, have you not lived by me, and will you now leave me? theſe will ſtratle the ſoul; and then for Satan, either he multiplyeth his baits, maketh the beſt of every thing in the way of ſin that now beginneth to be laid open, to find colours and gloſſes to put upon them, or elſe he rageth and tells the ſoul, thou go free! doſt thou think that now thou haſt ſerved ſin ſo long, Jeſus Chriſt will accept of thee? and indeed, all that his wit or power can do, he beſtirreth himſelf, now he ſeeth his kingdom going down, and his yoak breaking; I, but remember this, that the Lord will break him to pieces, tread him under-feet if he refuſe to let you go, the Lord will pluck you out of his hands, deſtroy his power.

Thirdly, Our own unwillingneſs, for if the ſervant ſaid, he loved his Maſter, and his Maſters ſervice, and he would not go free, then the Jubilee ſerved him in no ſtead, he muſt have his ear Exod. 21. 6. …Exod 21:6bored to the door-poſt by the Magiſtrate, and ſo be his ſervant for ever; either this might be as a puniſhment of his contempt of liberty, now he might have liberty, which is rather to be choſen, as the Apoſtle ſaith: and the Lord out of a tender reſpect to them, as his people, that he hath bought out of bondage, would not have them kept in bondage by their Brethren; Now if he would not go free, but loved his Maſter ſo well; that he preferred his ſervice before freedom, he ſhould have this torment and publike ſhame, to be bored through the ear: And I tell you Brethren, it will not be the piercing of the ear that ſhall be the recompence of your refuſing of this liberty, but the piercing of your hearts, as with a ſword, when you come to ſee what your bondage will bring you unto; or elſe ſecondly, That now they muſt never go out of their Maſters doors without his leave, the ſervitude muſt be ſtricter then ever it was; and ſo truly I do believe, Brethren, that now, where the acceptable year of the Lord is preached to ſinners, they have liberty offered, and they will not accept of it; that now they are more fully under the command of Sat…n and ſin, then they were before. Thirdly, that p. 532hereby might be ſignified the willingneſs of their ſervice for the time to come, that they had, as I may ſay, their ears opened now to what ever their Maſter ſhould command them; and ſo in that Pſalm; Sacrifice and offering thou wouldeſt not; but mine ear haſt thou bored or digged, ſo the words may be read, that is to Pſal. 40 6.Ps 40:6ſay, thou haſt made me willingly obedient to thee to the death, & that obedience is better then ſacrifice; and truly this is the ſaddeſt of all the reſt, when men ſhall give up themſelves with a fuller will to ſerve Sin and Satan then ever they did before, in ſtea… of going forth; O let us fear and tremble before the Lord, leſt while liberty is proclaimed, we in ſtead of going forth, be bored in the ear, and become Satans ſervants for ever, never go forth from our bondage.

Again, Conſider yet further, that the day if liberty is proclaimed; it is the day of the vengeance of our God alſo, as the Prophet hath it; as if he had ſaid, if it be not a day of liberty, and of going forth to you, it will be a day of vengeance to Iſa. 61. 11.Isa 61:11you as well as to the enemies of Chriſt; for what deſperate love is this, to ſin againſt Chriſt? that when he hath been at ſo much pains and coſt to purchaſe a liberty for us, and we refuſe and reject it, will not part with our chains, will rather rot in priſon then come forth, what can be expected but wrath to the utmoſt to come upon ſuch a ſoul? O ſurely the Goſpel will be the ſavour of death to death to ſuch a ſoul, a ſavour of bondage to bondage and everlaſt…ng chains of darkneſs will be their bonds for ever: Brethren, think of this before the priſon doors be ſhut and barred, before you be ſealed up unto this deſtruction.

Laſtly, Conſider how ſweet and precious Liberty is, even civel libetty, how ſweet a thing it is; elſe men would never expend ſo much treaſure and blood as we have done for it: Ah, this is nothing to a freedom from ſin, and from other bondages which ariſe upon ſin unto the ſoul: Ask but any poor creature that is newly come out of the dungeon, out of the horrible pit, where there was no ſtanding; will they not tell you that liberty is Pſal. 40. 2.Ps 40:2ſweet? it is not to be expreſſed: If Paul had not been free, he had had many a laſh by thoſe cruel tyrants. If the ſoul be not Acts 22. 19.Acts 22:19free, it is liable to periſh, to be whipped▪ to death, to eternal death with Scorpions; ask but any of the people of God, who p. 533have been wearied and almoſt worried with their luſts; O the iron entered into their ſoul, they did ſit in darkneſs, in the dungeon many a ſad day and hour, and at laſt Out of the depths they have called to the Lord, he hath ſet them free: O what an Heaven upon Earth they found it when they have been delivered in any meaſure from this bondage! what would they take to be in the ſame condition again, ſpecially under the command of their luſts? not all the world; brethren, the Lord perſwade your hearts now, now while it is to be had, before you be called for out of priſon to the judgement, that you may go forth and enjoy this glorious liberty.

O but you would ſay, Alas, what ſhould we do in this caſe? we are convinced; it may be ſome poor ſoul ma… ſay of himſelf, that this is a miſerable bondage we are in, even by ſin and the conſequents of it, and we would fain be ſet free, but we know not which way to go about it; we are in a maze, a wilderneſs, a labyrinth, a du…geon: we grope, and grope, and cannot find the way out: O what ſhall we do? it may be this may be the caſe of ſome of our ſouls; I will tell you what you ſhall do.

Firſt Deny your own policy, and wiſdom, know, they will not ſet you free; Judas had much knowledge, and yet he hanged himſelf; you will rather by depth of reaſonings plunge your ſelves deeper; the Goſpel is fooliſhneſs to them through the pride in their carnal knowledge.

Secondly, Labour to know the Goſpel in its tenor, and to cloſe with it, to believe it, you ſhall know the truth, and the truth Ioh. 17. 13.John 17:13ſhall make you free; truth truly known will ſet a ſoul free; this truth is the truth of the Goſpel, for Grace and Truth come by Jeſus Chriſt: and it is obſervable that they are both put together; Sanctifie them with thy Truth, ſaith our Saviour, thy Word is Truth.

There are three things here conſiderable.

Firſt, That there muſt be a through acquaintance with the bondage that we are under, and the better condition of ſervice; how much the ſervice of Chriſt is to be preferred before that of Satan; for the truth is, while a man knoweth no better, he will be content to ſerve the worſe; there is never a ſinner under the dominion of ſin, but thinketh he is the freeſt man; and the people of God that are bound up in their Spirits to ſuch a ſtrict way of p. 534walking with God, he thinketh they are the men in bondage; but alas, it is becauſe he underſtandeth not his own condition: nor is it a ſlight hint of ſuch a thing that will uſually prevail to a freedom from all ſin, therefore you muſt labour to ſtudy what this bondage is, ſee what thou art expoſed to by reaſon of it, and ſee what a prfect freedom the ſervice of Chriſt is. O what great Pſal. 19.Ps 19reward there is in the very keeping of his Commandments; joy is ſuch an inſeparable attendant upon obedience, that ſome meaſure of it followeth every good action, as the very heathens themſelves acknowledged; much more then, when the Lord Jeſus is the Maſter, and his ſervice the work.

Secondly, Thou muſt be acquainted with the commands of Chriſt; his precepts are pure, and they have an influence upon the heart that believeth them, to bring him out of that bondage, to ſet him free: I do believe nothing more keepeth many a ſoul in bondage; he knoweth not what the will of Chriſt is in ſuch or ſuch a particular, elſe he would do it. Be acquainted with Chriſt the ſumme of the Goſpel, you ſhall know the truth; that is to ſay, what he hath done to ſet poor creatures free became a ſervant obedient to the death, was in bondage, in priſon, in the horrible pit, how he was put to it to overcome, &c.

Thirdly and principally, thou muſt be acquainted with the promiſes of the Goſpel that are made to this end; it is their excellency to help forward our freedom; this part of the truth well known, ſo known as to be cloſed with, will make every poor creature free, ye ſhall know the truth, and the truth ſhall make you free; and ſo this in the text, the Sun of righteouſneſs ſhall ariſe Rom. 6. 14.Rom 6:14upon you with healing in his wings, and ye ſhall go forth: and ſo many other places, ſin ſhall not have dominion over you, for ye are M…ca. 7. 17.not under the Law, but under Grace: It is the very tenure of the Covenant, and of the promiſes in Scripture, that he will deliver his people, ſave them from all their uncleanneſſes, and ſubdue all iniquities for them, yea though they work iniquity with both hands, Verſ. 3. Either we know not theſe things, or elſe we make not uſe of them, we act not faith upon them; the Lord doth love to have his people uſe the importunity of faith, for nothing is ſo importunate as faith, nor offers, as I may ſay, ſuch violence to heaven as that doth. O Brethren, the Lord help our unbelief, and forgive our neglect of our faith in this point; if thou canſt p. 535act it but weakly, yet put forth ſome act of faith, hang upon theſe promiſes, tell the Lord he hath cauſed thee to hope upon this his Word, elſe thou couldeſt not hope, and thou doſt hope in this Word, elſe thy heart would altogether ſink within thee; and will he now make thee aſhamed of his hope, hath his promiſe ever failed a poor creature, and will it now fail thee?

But beſide this, doſt thou find thy heart moved, made willing indeed to part with ſin? Art thou in good earneſt in this buſineſs? O yes, ſaith the poor ſoul, I would rather then my life be ſet at liberty, for what good will my life do me, if I muſt continually ſerve ſin, and grieve ſuch bowels of love towards me in Jeſus Chriſt? have you ſearched, do you know your hearts in this point? it may be thou haſt not that heed of truſting thy heart further then thou ſeeſt it, it will deceive thee then; but if thou haſt ſearched it; and beg'd of God to ſearch it, and thou▪ doſt not find but he hath through infinite riches of grace made thee willing to come out if thou couldſt tell how: I tell you Brethren, if this be ſo, the chains are fallen off from your hands, and the bolts from your legs, your freedom is in a great part accompliſhed, only thou canſt not find the way out of the priſon. O then follow Chriſt, follow his Spirit, when he moveth thy heart at any time to ſearch and try, maketh thee tender, puts thee into a frame to bewail the evils of thy heart, take the hint up and be doing, follow him and he will bring thee through one iron-gate, and through another, and thou ſhalt find thy ſelf at the laſt ſet free, and know thy liberty, and the things freely given thee of God.

O beg the Spirit, for he is the cauſe of liberty, it depends upon him as light upon the Sun, and the Spring upon the Fountain; he applyeth what Chriſt hath done for us, knowing the deep things of God, he revealeth them, he only convinceth and anſwers objections, &c.

The ſixth Ʋſe of the point ſhall be ſeveral admonitions or exhortations to them that are ſet free from this bondage; thou haſt Ʋſe 6.had the Sun of righteouſneſs ſhine upon thee, and art gone forth from ſin, from that bondage, thoſe fears, terrours, darkneſs and diſtractions which ſin brings upon poor creatures, thou remembereſt the time when thou couldſt do nothing but ſin againſt the p. 536Lord and grieve him continually, thou couldſt not ceaſe to ſin, thou waſt under the command of ſin, and now through grace, exceeding rich grace, the gates of the priſon are open, the Lord hath pluckt thy feet, thy affections out of the ſnare; What doth the Lord thy God require of thee? this ſhould be the next enquiry of the ſoul, me thinks, after ſo ſignal mercies.

Firſt, ſurely he expecteth thou ſhouldſt give him the glory of all, praiſe him, and exalt him alone: alas, what are the calves of our lips, they coſt us nothing, the pooreſt have this, and the richeſt have no more in effect but this, if thou be able to do little for Chriſt, yet thou maiſt praiſe him, thou maiſt admire his rich grace, make his name glorious? Truly Brethren, I believe ſome of us are able to ſay by experience, that our unthankfulneſs for the freedom we have had, hath been an occaſion of our being clapt up, for all the deſign of God in Chriſt, in redemption of poor creatures, is to make his mercy and grace glorious, as he did his power in the creation and wiſdom; Now how is it made glorious among us, but by our acknowledgment of it, our lifting up the Lord Jeſus not only with our hearts but our tongues; art thou brought back again into darkneſs, and into the priſon after ſome refreſhing? Conſider, waſt thou thankful for what thou hadſt? we are all ſick of the leapers diſeaſe in the Goſpel, ten were …. …. 17.cleanſed, but where are the nine? I doubt ſcarce one in ten of us do praiſe him according to what he hath done for our ſouls, and thoſe that do▪ yet ſcarce for one act of his loving kindneſs in ten, in bringing of-us forth; it may be he delivereth us ten times from a dead heart, before we once give him the glory. O this Popiſh principle of pride that is in us; is that which ſeals: up our hearts and ſtoppeth our mouths from praiſes, but opens it in complaints, in diſcontents, when we want ſuch a mercy. O if our f…eece be dry when others are wet; we are ready to queſtion, why doth the Lord deal ſo with me rather then with another, why have I not as much enlargement of heart as another, as great gifts, freedom of ſpeech, and utterance, as great grace in any kind? Why am I not ſet above theſe wretched carnal delights as well as others of his people? as if, God ſhould do any thing for us out of reſpect to us, we had deſerved any thing at his hands; whereas we may rather expoſtulate with our ſelves, O why is it not worſe with me then it is? why am I in no ſorer▪ bondage then I p. 537am? where I am once overthrown, it is mercy I have not an hundred times been over-thrown with-my luſts. So on the other hand, it ſtops our mouths for returning unto the Lord for what he hath done for us; we may many of us thank our ſelves for much of the bondage that is upon us, that we ſo much complain of. O if every time the Lord ſetteth our frozen ſpirits a melting, every time he ſetteth our ſtraightned hearts at large, we inſtead of lifting up our ſelves, we could and did but admire that grace, magnifie him, loath our ſelves, would he not much more delight to enlarge us? O therefore look to this.

Secondly, Thèn look to it thàt ye ſtand faſt in that liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made you free; I ſpeak not ſo much here Gal. 5. 1.Gal 5:1to the yoak of Ceremonies which the Lord hath taken away altogether, but I ſpeak ſpecially to our freedom from the dominion of our ſins, the freedom from the Law as a Covenant of life, and from outward preſſures and bondages; you know our fears were great when we ſaw this cloud of blood but hanging over our heads, and many of thè precious ones of God, I know, when I was little and ſcarce able to take notice of ſuch things, yet I have been an eye and ear-witneſs of the ſad complaints made before the Lord of it. Now hath God delivered us from this, ſtand we faſt in this liberty.

But firſt thèn, for that of ſin and our luſts, hath thè Lord broken the yoak of them, ſet thee free when thou didſt groan under it? O take heed of returning to folly any more; hath he ſpoken Pſal. …5. 8.Ps 5:8peace to thy troubled ſoul, looſed the cords of thy ſins wherewith thou waſt held, and wilt thou be tampering with ſin again? This was the madneſs and perverſneſs of Iſrael, they would make them a Captain and return to Egypt again, to the houſe of bondage, when they had been but a little tryed in the Wilderneſs; but we have no ſuch diſcouragement upon us as to put us upon ſuch reſolutions, but meerly the unfaithfulneſs of our own hearts, and unſteadfaſtneſs of our own ſpirits: the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſome, who having eſcaped the pollutions of the world, they did return with the dog to the vomit, with the ſwine to the mire; the condition of 2 Pet. 2. 22.2 Pet 2:22ſuch a ſoul is worſe then ever it was, he brings ſeven other ſpirits worſe then himſelf, and the latter end of thàt man is worſe then his Mat. 12. 45.Matt 12:45beginning. O whén the Devil can but faſten upon ſuch a poor creature again, that once hath gotten out of the priſon, like a cruel p. 538Jaylor now he will lay more fetters upon him, now he ſhall be even over-whelmed with temptations, now his feet, his head, and his heart and all ſhall be put in the ſtocks, have their bolts and chains upon them. Sinners, you never make work for Chriſt, but you make work for your ſelves, lay a grievous foundation for much bitterneſs to your own ſpirits; a little care, a little watchfulneſs here, may prevent heart-breaking afterwards, which we do neceſſitate (as I may ſay) Jeſus Chriſt to by our back-ſlidings; to this end therefore flie ſin, as Moſes fled from the face of his Serpent; flie youthful luſts, make haſt away, the Devil and ſin will purſue hard, and caſt this golden apple in our way, this and that occaſion; O take heed of them. So the Apoſtle, flie 2 …im. 2. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 18.1 Cor 6:18fornication, and flie Idolatry, &c.

Secondly, Take heed of returning to that Covenant of works, or Covenant of life, which was a yoak of our own making; if our bleſſed Saviour hath been pleaſed to break it, ſet us free, ſhall we ret…rn to that bondage again? I doubt this is a great cauſe of much ſorrow and heavy walking before the Lord of many a poor creature: O he cannot do this, and he cannot do that, and therefore he doubts all is not well with him, whether he have any thing to do with Chriſt? It is true, if he had made our doing, our perfect obedience the condition of his Covenant, it had been ſomewhat, but he hath not, but faith in him; take from him for all ends and purpoſes, not only for pardon, but for ſtrength, for food, for victory over our ſin. Now we go off this, and therefore we move ſo heavily and cannot ſtir, but are like a door off its hinges, a Chariot off its wheels, bring much bondage and trouble upon our ſelves, and much of our time and pains is ſpent in poring upon this, and getting healing again for this, which might be ſpent in glorifying him.Pſal. 51. 12.Ps 51:12

Therefore beg of God to this end, that he would eſtabliſh you with his Princely Royal Spirit, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty; the Son maketh us free by his Spirit; and therefore David maketh that prayer, as being ſenſible of this. O beg 2 Cor. 3. 17.2 Cor 3:17this Spirit for eſtabliſhment, the Lord will be intreated, he puts arguments into our mouths, and giveth us the greateſt encouragements to beg the Spirit, of any other mercy that I know of, as being the greateſt mercy, and the principal of all Goſpel-grace, and therefore being ſo great a gift, poor ſinners might be p. 539affraid to ask, but ſaith he, you are Fathers whoſe affections are Luk. 11. 13.Luke 11:13finite and mixed, you are not pure love, yea you are evil, and yet will give good gifts to your children, much more will God give the Spirit; this the Apoſtle is earneſt with the Lord for, that he would ſtabliſh and ſtrengthen his people to every good Word 2 Theſ. 2. 16.2 Thess 2:16and Work, for grace is but a creature, and ſo is weak, cannot conſiſt of it ſelf without him, therefore be earneſt here.

Thirdly, Since we are delivered from outward preſſures, the yoak that did gall the necks of the people of God as before; hath the Lord ſet us above our enemies, hath he before our eyes brought our Egyptians down in the red Sea of blood, and ſhall we return thither again? I ſpeak not of the ſame bondage, I hope the Lord will keep his people from that, but I ſpeak of a worſe, to be delivered from a tyrannie of man, to return to a tyrannie and dominion of ſin; it is ſad, the heathens could ſay, Servitus graviſſima eſt ſibi ipſi ſervire, it is the heavieſt yoak for Seneca.a man to be yoaked with his own ends and intereſts, to ſeek himſelf, ſerve himſelf, ſpecially his ſinful ſelf, to make proviſion for his luſts. It was a ſad character of Rome that Anguſtine giveth her, Victrix gentium captiva vitiorum. What are we the better for being delivered from that bondage? if ſuch as were humble then, and low, and meek, and ſelf-denying, now are high, and fierce, and ſelf-ſeeking, proud and wanton, and luxurious, their whoreing, hawking, and hounding, and ſpending their time in ſuch ſports which ſhould have been laid out in publike ſervice, was lookt upon as a great evil, God cauſed their houſes and lands to ſpue them out. I wiſh we be not beginning to come under that worſe yoak, now we are delivered from that of oppreſſion; was it not better for Iſrael to work in the Iron-furnace, in the brickkill, then to be enſlaved to their luſts in the wilderneſs, and there to periſh? and was not Babylon better for them, then to be at liberty, and yet to become ſlaves to their luſts, to their Idols? Brethren, I pray you let us look well about us every one; it is true, the day of the Lord, it hath burned like an oven among us, and many have been as ſtubble fully dryed put into it; the bryers and brambles that did ſcratch and tear the people of God, they are conſumed, God hath gone through them and conſumed Iſ…. 17. 4.them; and are we any thing the better, are we not worſe? If we now melt away with the ſweetneſs of our liberty, grow luxurious p. 540and wanton, wanton in opinions, that men know not well what they would be, but any thing, ſo it be new and the thriving way: and wanton in apparel; are there not as many ſlaves to pride, to vanity, to ſelf, as there were then to the luſts of other men? I beſeech you, which is the worſe, to be at the mercy of another mans luſts, which can but reach the body and effect our ſorrow for a time; or the mercy of our own mercileſs luſts, which will work our woe and ruine? O therefore look to this then, if ſet at liberty, ſlie ſin; as he ſaid to Lot, flie for thy life, &c. ſlie fornication 1 Cor. 6.1 Cor 6and youthful luſts, &c. ſaid the Apoſtle.

The third part of the Exhortation then ſhall be, to take heed 1 Pet. 2. 16.1 Pet 2:16how we abuſe this our liberty, as ſaith the Apoſtle, not uſing our liberty as a cloak of malitiouſneſs; haply alluding to the manner of perſons. The Apoſtles ſcope in that place leadeth us to one part Gal 5. 13.Gal 5:13of the ſenſe of this abuſing of our liberty, and that is to think they are ſo free now, that they need not have their necks under the yoak of men at all, for that goeth before, exhorting them to ſubmit themſelves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords ſake; to be ſubject to the higher powers and ſubordinate powers, is very conſiſtent with this ſpiritual freedom▪ was there ever any ſo free as our Saviour, who is the Son that maketh us free? and yet Luk. 2. 51.Luke 2:51did not he ſubmit? ſubmit to his parents, was ſubject to them, and ſubject to the powers under which he lived, becauſe his Kingdom was not of this world; and would it ſuite with the head, and will it not ſuite with the members? But I hope I need not ſpeak much to this. But there is much more wherein we may abuſe our liberty as children, by a carrying it frowardly and rebelliouſly againſt their parents, upon pretence of liberty: and ſervants that are under the yoak, it may be think they may do much in this caſe, more then they have warrant to do, becauſe they are free, it may be, and their Maſters haply in bondage under ſin, therefore ſhall they deſpiſe them? No, but count them worthy of all 1 Tim. 6. 1.1 Tim 6:1honour, ſerving them in ſingleneſs of heart, as unto Chriſt; not for by-reſpects and ends, for fear of their diſpleaſure, but for Chriſts ſake to do it: this is freedom indeed.

But to ſpeak a little more generally, many men think when once they have gotten their necks out of the yoak, from under that bondage, and thoſe fears that they have been under, they think now they are at liberty, they are paſt all the worſt, when p. 541they have gotten a little peace, and therefore though before they walked mournfully before God, and were diligent in following hard after him, now they ſlack their pace, grow remiſs, they have their conſolations, the loaves they would have, and now they may take their eaſe. O this is a horrible abuſe of this liberty, for therefore the Lord ſpeaks peace, that we might not return to folly; Pſal. 85. 8.Ps 85:8and we quite croſs, becauſe he hath ſpoken peace to us, therefore give up our ſelves to folly; is not this to walk contrary to him? and will he not walk contrary to you? is not this to make our liberty a cloak, an occaſion to the fleſh, a handle for the fleſh to Gal. 5. 13.Gal 5:13take hold of, and ſo to bring you into bondage again, and ſo make more work for Chriſt to ſet you at liberty again? Brethren, can we make our liberty a cloak to the fleſh, and do you think the Lord will not pluck that cloak over our ears, and ſhew us our nakedneſs again, and make us know how we come by it again, before we have it? and therefore take heed of this, I beſeech you, leſt your liberty degenerate into licentiouſneſs; Maxima libertate minima licentia, ſaid that Antient.

But yet more particularly, take heed of abuſing of your liberty in the uſe of things lawful in themſelves and indifferent; it is a ſign of a heart that hath little fear of offending God, that dare walk juſt at the very brink, upon the very line of deſtruction, between ſin and lawful liberty, if it can be aſſigned▪ You find the Apoſtle of another Spirit, rather then offend his weak Brother, 1 Cor. 8. 13.1 Cor 8:13he would never eat meat while he lived: why how would he live? rather upon herbs, and fruits, and ſuch things, then to eat fleſh as long as he lived too. I tell you Brethren, in our daies, though there is much diſcourſe of liberty, there is little true uſe of it, when a man will offend all the people of God, and his Brethren, rather then he will part with an excrement; and a woman rather then ſorbear her ſpotting, and painting, and bedlam nakedneſs. If the things be lawful in themſelves, which I think they are not; or a man will rather grieve all the people of God then croſs his humor, this is ſad.

Again, Brethren, one man may have a greater liberty then another in this caſe, and another greater then he in another caſe; as for inſtance now, Abraham might look upon Sodom when it was flaming, but Lot might not, becauſe there he had his deſirable things, leſt it ſhould draw back his heart from the journey now p. 542commanded him; and ſo if a man do but obſerve when temptations and luſts meet together; where his corruption lies, what is the ſcum of his heart, and what doth uſe to fire his luſts, there he may not give himſelf ſuch a liberty as another may, whoſe temptation lies in another thing: as if a mans temptation lie to exceſs in eating, in drinking, it is not lawſul for ſuch a man now to look upon the wine when red, &c. to come in the danger of ſuch a temptation; and ſo if a man have eyes full of adultery Prov. 23. 31. 2 Pet. 2. 14Prov 23:312 Pet 2:14that cannot ceaſe to ſin, he may not behold an object that another may, whoſe temptation lies not there.

In a word, look to it Brethren, that we ſerve one another in love, this is oppoſed to uſing our liberty as a Cloak to the fleſh, to bear one anothers burdens; Brethren, we are not at liberty one from another, we may not ſay with Cain, Am I my Brothers Gal. 5. 13.Gal 5:13keeper? we ought not to deſpiſe the infirmities of the weak, becauſe they ſee not as we ſee, and therefore are grieved and offended at many things that we make nothing of; here we ought to bear their infirmities, to cover them, to labour to inform them, Rom. 15. 1.Rom 15:1and forbear them, not deſpiſe them; become all things to them that we may lawfully, as the Apoſtle became all things, but a ſinner, 2 Cor. 9. 19, 22.2 Cor 9:192 Cor 9:22to gain them; this is ſerving one another in love, and the labour of love either to God or men is a free ſervice indeed; we are rather ready to ſerve our ſelves one of another, for ought I perceive, generally it is ſo, then ſerve one another in love. Brethren, I doubt there is little love for Chriſt ſake, though there may be ſome for our own, and then all the liberty we talk of, it is but bondage; the Law of love is a Law of liberty indeed, but enough of this.

Fourthly, Then look to it, that we being free from ſin, we become the ſervants of righteouſneſs; that is to ſay, that you give Rom. 6. 22.Rom 6:22up your ſelves, yield your ſelves unto God, unto Chriſt, as inſtruments for the holy Spirit to play upon, as inſtruments, tools, weapons of righteouſneſs for the Lord to make uſe of, even as he pleaſeth, this is the end of all that liberty held out in the Covenant of grace, that we being delivered from the hands of all our enemies, might ſerve him without fear, in holineſs and righteouſneſs Luk. 1. 74.Luke 1:74all the daies of our lives: Now hath the Lord then ſet thee free, brought thee out of the horrible pit, broken off the ſhakles, knockt them off, ſet open the priſon? what can we do leſs then p. 543this? ſpend our ſelves now in his ſervice. O if men would but conſider, how much of their ſtrength and ſpirits ſin hath had, while we were under that bondage: Me thinks it ſhould put us on ſo much the more earneſtly, ſpecially conſidering how our ſervice addeth nothing to him, it is for our own good, as you heard before, and it is all he expecteth for delivering of us. What poor Gally-ſlave would not moſt willingly yield to a Noble-man to be his ſervant, where his ſervice is honourable, and pleaſant, and delightful, ſo be he would redeem him? why this is the very caſe.

Beſide, if we conſider the fruit here, and the reward hereafter; the Apoſtle puts both together, and I will not put them aſunder, the firſt-fruits, and the harveſt, they have their fruit unto holineſs; the more we ſerve the Lord Chriſt, the more eaſie, pleaſant and delightful will his ſervice be, the more our ſouls will ſhine with the beauty of holineſs; as the bondage groweth by continuance, ſo doth the freedom by this ſervice. I dare ſay, the more acquaintance any poor heart hath with a diligent, cloſe, humble, upright walking with God, the more pleaſant the waies of God are to him; yea, and the more holy that man groweth, it muſt needs be ſo, becauſe he hath more communion with the Fountain of holineſs, even God in Jeſus Chriſt, and the Spirit alſo: would you be holy, Brethren? would you be more and more freed from the remainders of bondage which are upon you? Believe it, the only way is to lay out your ſelves more in the ſervice of Chriſt; the Spirit of Chriſt will delight to be where he is entertained; where his motions are received, every hint is taken, and followed, and improved, and the more that ſpirit then dwells in the heart, which is his contrary principle luſting againſt the fleſh, the more the fleſh muſt needs go down in a ſoul. But the end is that will make up all. O the reward will be according to our works; when a man is rich towards God, hath been faithful in a little, faithful in a great deal, hath laid up a good foundation againſt the time to come, O how ſhall ſuch ſhine in glory! Me thinks our eyes ſhould be a little forward, the eye of faith, as well as altogether backward to Chriſt, and what he hath done for us, to what he hath prepared for us, and therefore he himſelf propoſeth himſelf as a pattern to us in this very reſpect, looking unto Jeſus the Author and Finiſher of our faith, having laid aſide p. 544Rom. 12. 2.Rom 12:2every weight, being ſet free from this bondage, then run, looking to Jeſus the Author of our Faith, who for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the Croſs, deſpiſed the ſhame; endured the clouding of his Fathers face from him, that was the weight that made him hang the head; it is the propoſing of the end that ſweetens the means, health that is aimed at, how it ſugars many a bitter potion, a man will endure any thing in ſuch a caſe: Well, though we may have much ado with our froward and backſliding hearts, and be many times wearied with them; yet give not over, but run, & work, and ſo work, as men ſet at liberty, not in chains, chearfully and ſtrongly upon all the former conſiderations, and this will be a right uſe of our liberty indeed.

Fifthly, Then be not brought under bondage unto men, that is to ſay, to have our conſciences inſlaved, either through the fear of men, or favour of men; ſurely, if the Spirit of Chriſt be in us, as it is, if we be his, it will free and make us go forth from this bondage: You have ſeen it in all experiences, when they threatned the Apoſtles, commanded them they ſhould not Acts 4 19.Acts 4:19preach in that name; the Spirit that was in them did break all thoſe bonds, though it taught them …ot to rebell, to be tumultuous; for it is pure and then peaceable, the wiſdom that is from this Spirit, yet it taught them not to regard it; whether it be fit to obey God or man judge ye? they rejoyced the more, that they were accounted worthy to ſuffer for Chriſt; this wind that bloweth where it liſteth, it bears down all oppoſition, there is no reſiſting of that Spirit that ſpeaks and acts in them. See the Martyrs, how it did triumph over their adverſaries, they overcame their cruelty by the invincible patience, and yielding their bodies to a torment, rather then their conſciences to the cruel commands of ſinners, which tend to their wounding. Was there ever ſuch a ſlave as Canaan a ſervant of ſervants ſhall he be; when another man, a great perſon, is a ſervant to ſin, and thou Gen 9. 25.Gen 9:25for advantage or fear art a ſlave to him; is not this to be a ſervant of ſervants? to have this curſe upon thy ſoul in the higheſt degree, to be a ſlave to a ſlave, is the deepeſt ſlavery that can be imagined: Therefore take heed leſt ſuch a bondage creep upon us at unawares, for our hearts are deceitful; take heed of ſinful compliances with the prevailing evils of the times for advantage, p. 545this is to be a ſlave to men and to humours, and not to be free-men to Jeſus Chriſt.

But if you would ſtand faſt in this liberty in all theſe reſpects, then truly we muſt ſee to it, that we do not grieve the holy Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt; for this is the principle of our liberty, where the Spirit of Chriſt is, there is liberty; and according to the proportion of his preſence with, and working in any heart, is the liberty and freedom of that ſoul; he firſt works liberty, knocks off the bolts of the ſoul, pulls out of the horrible pit, he only anſwers our doubts, ſatisfieth the ſoul that is in bondage, by witneſſing love to the ſoul, by applying the blood of Jeſus Chriſt to the ſoul, this the Spirit doth, and he only eſtabliſheth the ſoul in this liberty, eſtabliſh me with thy free Spirit; indeed, ſomewhat elſe may looſen a man, as to the outward practiſe from ſin, but the Spirit only can looſen the heart from ſin, and only can diſſolve the ſodering of corrupt affections, whereby our hearts and their ſinful objects are ſodered and glued together, and then the heart is broken from ſin, as well as for ſin, nor can any thing elſe keep up the ſoul in the enjoyment of that liberty by this Spirit; and therefore if we would keep up and maintain our ſpiritual liberty, we muſt be ſure to keep in with the Spirit; if we grieve him, he will grieve us, and leave us to fight with our own ſtrength, and fall under ſin, and ſo come to bondage again in part, to the grief and wounding of our ſpirits; ſome of us alas it may be, thought once we had been free, but have been brought into bondage again, and held under the power of ſin, in terrours: we are ready to wonder when the luſts we thought had been dead and buried, do riſe up again, captive us to them; but wonder not at it, for how often is this holy Spirit grieved by us, which is the principle of our liberty? if we conſider this well, it will put an end to our admiration; if we would keep our liberty, not return to bondage, grieve not the Spirit.

Firſt, he is grieved when he is neglected and ſlighted, his motions to put us on to ſuch a duty, we ſhift and ſhuffle, and make one excuſe or another, and will not do it; either to ſet upon a duty we never performed, or to do it in another manner then we have done at another time, this grieveth him; as for inſtance, he puts us on to reprove our Brother for a ſin, not to ſuffer ſin to lie upon him, and we ſmother it, we think it more offendeth p. 546another then us, or elſe it is an unthankful office, it is the way to loſe a friend, to be accounted a buſie-body, we ſee that men for the moſt part cannot bear a reproof, but they will ſnarl at leaſt, if they do not turn and rent us, and bear us upon their backs. And therefore we neglect our duty, and ſo for any other; now alas, how often are we guilty in this kind?

Secondly, Take heed of all impurity, uncleanneſs, for he is a pure holy Spirit and will lie clean, he cannot endure a naſty place; this will grieve him, if it be pollution of the fleſh, or pollution of the ſpirit, if harboured in the heart it will grieve the Spirit; and then as a man grieved, he departeth, that is his grieving indeed; properly he is not grieved, God is not ſubject to any paſſion, or fears, or ſorrows, &c. becauſe all things are alway preſent with him, he ſeeth what we would be, before he had to do with us at all, but then, when we do actually thus pollute our ſelves, he takes occaſion to depart, to leave us to thoſe evils, and to fill us with our own back-ſlidings.

Thirdly, Take heed of ſinning againſt conviction, againſt light, this is dangerous indeed, you may come to be ſhut up in darkneſs for this, to be bound in affliction and iron, to endure ſad things upon your ſpirits; for if the Spirit of Chriſt who convinceth you this or that is a ſin, be ſo far ſlighted as you heed it not, what if he then forbear? and is it not righteous he ſhould forbear to ſhine upon your graces, that you ſhould ſee any thing that is ought in you? So that you ſhall walk in darkneſs and ſee no light: will not this be a paying of you home in your own coyn? David could not be ignorant what his ſin was before he committed it, and yet you ſee, he ventured upon it, and what it coſt him.

Fourthly, Take heed of deliberate ſinning, when a man hath time of conſideration of his ſin, to argue the caſe pro and con, as we uſe to ſay, and doth revolve with himſelf, O this is ſinful, if I do it I rebell againſt God, I do what in me lies to undo my ſelf; O but ſaith luſt, man it ſhall be ſatisfied; God is merciful, there is time enough to repent, or it will eaſily be healed afterward. Now upon ſuch deliberations as this, if a man will ſin, there is much of the will in it, and ſo much the more wicked, and therefore now the ſpirit muſt needs be grieved; what can ſuch a poor creature expect but to be brought under bondage? as you ſee it in David, p. 547his plotting and contriving the death of Ʋriah; theſe ſins in cold blood, when a man is not under the ſudden violent heat of a temptation, and yet will ſin, O this grieves him much; if a pot be on the fire and the ſcum riſe, we throw it out, we expect it would riſe; but if no fire be under, and yet a ſcum ariſe, O this is ſo loathſom, it is not to be endured.

Fifthly, Take heed of Ranker and Malice, of grudgings of heart one againſt another, as the Apoſtle ſaith, grudge not one againſt another; prejudices, heart-burnings, grudgings upon injuries, real, or conceived and imagined: O this grieveth the Spirit, who is a Spirit of pure love, and will have them that look to enjoy him, to be a people of love, to cover much, bear and forbear, and forgive in love, for love will cover a multitude of offences.

Sixthly, Take heed then of pride, of being lifted up, for the Spirit of Chriſt is a Spirit of humility: O he loveth to dwell in the lowly ſpirit: if we be lifted up we rob him of his honour, to arrogate that to our ſelves which he hath been working for us, to think we are ſomething of our own, of our ſelves: he will let us know, to our ſorrow, that we have nothing in our hearts but darkneſs, and bondage, and ſin, and that all was from him.

Seventhly, Take heed of unthankfulneſs for what he hath done for us: when the Spirit of the Lord Jeſus ſhall be at all this pains with us, conteſt with the quarrellings and diſputings of our own hearts, againſt our own peace and comfort, and anſwer all our objections, and ſtill our complaints, and ſeal up love upon our hearts, remove our trembling and fears, diſpell our darkneſs, cleanſe our loathſom hearts in a great meaſure of thoſe luſts that did ſo much prevail againſt us, and we ſhall forget this now, and not return to him the praiſe, but either to grow into carnal ſecurity, and when we have reſt from that which galled us, with the nine leapers, go our waies, never mind whence we received it, or elſe ſo much pore upon the remainder of our ſins, as not to exalt that grace whereby we are in ſo great a part delivered? O this grieveth him, and therefore he may juſtly let us ſtep back again, or let looſe upon us again thoſe luſts, that we were delivered from their ſtrength, and never prized the mercy; that we learn to admire that grace; much more might be added, but this ſhall ſuffice.

p. 548The next uſe of the point ſhall be for ſatisfaction to ſome doubts, ſince we are delivered and ſet free from the Law, as you have heard from that; It may be thought, Firſt, that the Law was an evil, that it is ſuch a priviledge of the Saints to be delivered from it. Secondly, It may be doubted how far we are ſet free from it, and therefore I will ſpeak a little to each of them; for the firſt.

Firſt, the Apoſtle meeteth with it, or rather prevents it, for ſeeing that carnal reaſon would be ſo ingenuous as to find out that cavil among others, againſt the Doctrine of faith, and of freedom from the bondage under the Law, as the ſtrength of ſin ſpecially; What ſhall I ſay then, ſaith the Apoſtle, is the Law ſin? that Rom 7. 12.Rom 7:12we are ſaid to be delivered from it, and that ſin hath its ſtrength from it? and ſo deliverance from ſin is a deliverance from the Law, as the ſtrength of it. Or, is the Law death, ſince ſin by this means doth work death? No, ſaith the Apoſtle, the Law is holy, juſt and good, the Law giveth no occaſion to ſin; but ſin takes occaſion, ſin will not endure to be contradicted, it ſucks poyſon out of that holy and good Law of God; meeting with oppoſition, it ſwells and rageth, ſo that indeed it is ſin that is the evil, the Law is holy and good. O but the Law it works wrath, and works death, and can this then be good? and how can it be ſuch a mercy to be delivered from it? is it a favour to be put into golden fetters? ſuppoſing the Law to be good and holy, yet ſince it is, as we may ſay, ginns, and fetters, and bolts, though of gold, to hold the poor ſoul in, to keep him in and up as in a priſon, is this ſo good then? To this I anſwer, It is true, by the Law is the knowlege of ſin, I had not known luſt, except the Law had ſaid thou ſhalt not covet; whether in the laſt command, or in each command, now I will not diſpute; but the firſt motions, thoughts, riſings and bubblings of corruption, I had not known them to be ſin, but that the Law hath ſaid, thou ſhalt not covet: Why, but was that then that was good made death to me? ſaith the Apoſtle: You muſt know the Apoſtle ſpeaks here of a death, which is the receiving, as I may ſay, the ſentence of condemnation in his own ſpirit by conviction, for this is all his knowledge of ſin, that ſin by the commandment might appear to be exceeding ſinful; this is the dying there mentioned, ſin revived and I dyed; which is in order to liberty, to make the poor creature ſee his neceſſity of p. 549Jeſus Chriſt, that ſo he might make out after him, to make a pardon welcome, therefore he caſts poor ſinners into fet ters under this Law: So that if you look upon it in this ſubſerviency to the Goſpel, though the creature may be put to much grief by it, yet it is good; when pardon is proclaimed, that a Prince ſhould caſt thoſe rebells into priſon, to make them willing of a pardon; the Goſpel is a ſavour of death to death you know, and yet it is a ſweet ſavour in them that periſh, and them that are ſaved; the Goſpel is never the worſe for that: and if the Law prove fetters to a poor ſinner; to keep him under bondage for ever, and bind him over to everlaſting Judgement, this is through his own wickedneſs, that he will not accept of deliverance in the Goſpel where it is preached: the Law is never the leſs good and holy.

But the ſecond is the main thing, how far we are ſaid to be freed from the Law of God, and how we are not freed from it?

Firſt, we are delivered from it as a Covenant of righteouſneſs, do this and live; that is to ſay, be thou exactly conformable to this Law for ever; foreign, want of ſuitableneſs to this Law is a ſin, and every ſin, the wages of it is death; if thou break it but in one, thou art guilty of all. Alas, Brethren, the Law was weak through our fleſh, and could not juſtifie, it could diſcover ſin, as a glaſs, but not purge it; it could work wrath, work it out, but it could not pacifie, therefore the Lord Jeſus came and took upon him that name, the Lord our righteouſneſs, and he is now, ſaith Rom. 10. 4. Gal. 3. 25.Rom 10:4Gal 3:25the Apoſtle, the end of the Law for righteouſneſs: It was a School-maſter to whip us, to fright us, out of our ſelves to Jeſus Chriſt; therefore every ſoul in Chriſt now is delivered from the Law as a Covenant of life, that is clear; but this was mentioned before.

Secondly, Now from the rigorous exacting of obedience; for according to the Law, nothing is obedience, except perfect; if a man miſcarry in one thing he is guilty of all, there muſt be a doing of every thing written, yea in the fulleſt, moſt ſpiritual ſenſe of it; yea a continuance in every thing to the end, or elſe it is not obedience; but now the Lord accepteth of the deſires of the upright heart, he heareth the prayer of ſuch as deſire to fear his name: the will now goeth for the deed, where the poor ſoul p. 550ſtriveth to do and is not able; Dear friends, how ſad a condition were we in many times if the Lord did ſo rigorouſly exact our obedience? how often do we come to pray, and can ſay nothing in his preſence, can ſcarce ſigh or groan? and in hearing and ſpeaking his Word, though we do ſtir up our ſelves to watch: O how often do vain thoughts run away with our hearts? now if we were under this exacting of the Law, what would become of us? what had become of Paul when he did the things he hated, the things he would not, &c. if he had been under the rigour of the Law? If there be firſt a willing mind, that imprimis Brethren, doth legitimate all the following Items, though never ſo weak; now the Law is in the hand of Chriſt, as a Father who pittieth and ſpareth us; alas, what had become of the beſt of us elſe long Mal. 3. 17.Mal 3:17ſince? thus we are delivered.

Thirdly, From the curſe of it, Gal. 3. 18. our Saviour being made a curſe for us, ſo that the curſe of it doth not lie upon us to ſink us, that is to ſay, the weight of the wrath or diſpleaſure of God; Nor yet as a compulſion to obedience to this Law; as ſlaves and very wretched ſinners may do much for the fear and dread of this curſe of God, but this the Lord delivered his people from, he maketh them a willing people, he now ſheweth them greater reaſon againſt ſin then ever they ſaw, now opens to them the grave, they ſee the rottenneſs of it, which they ſaw not before, now he opens his treaſures of rich grace in Chriſt, and ſo by mediation of the underſtanding works upon the will, ſweetly inclining it to God, though there be a moral ſwaſion by appoſition of object, as a Lamb is led by a green buſh up and down; yet this is not all, there goeth more to the taking away the ſtone in the heart, and giving a heart of fleſh, which doth moſt what lie in the making the will flexible and plyable, not ſo much in ſorrow, and tears, and meltings, which doth many times accompany it, and ſometimes not at all, or very little: Pharaohs heart was hardened, for he obeyed not, he was ſtiff and ſtubborn, and therefore ſaid to be a ſtone: Now I ſay, a moral ſwaſion will not reach to this, a man may uſe much oratory to a ſtone, and yet it remaineth a ſtone ſtill; a Preacher may hold forth ſin to be ſin, and exceeding ſinful, and hold forth Chriſt crucified by them and for them before their eyes, and yet alas, all will not do, they remain ſtones ſtill: No, no, an enclining of the heart; he p. 551turns the hearts of men whitherſoever he will, as he did the heart of Eſau to Jacob upon his prayer, there was more then a ſwaſion; Gen. 32.Gen 32and as he did the thief upon the Croſs in the midſt of his torments and agonies of death, then to think upon a Chriſt, then to have his heart towards him, that never regarded him in his life-time, and in the midſt of a people reviling him, as you know, and upon the Croſs ſuffering and dying, and yet then to be wrought upon, argues a wonderful divine power put forth upon the will. Well then, when the will is overcome, we are made free to the ſervice of Jeſus Chriſt; now we can delight in the Rom. 7. 32.Rom 7:32Law of God after the inward man; it was a wearineſs to a ſinner to hear the Word, ſpecially if it came near to him, he could not endure to be grated upon; and a wearineſs to pray; now he delights in theſe things: So far we are delivered from the curſe, as the great inforcement of Obedience.

Fourthly, From the provoking power of the Law, as you have often heard; now that Law that was the occaſion of the rebelling of luſt, is hid in the heart, that we might not ſin againſt Pſal. 119. 22.Ps 119:22him; this is a great change indeed in a child of God from the former condition, when before, God would put his yoak upon our ſouls, we writhed and pluckt away our neck, would not endure it; now it pleaſeth us to be under it, it is ſweet and eaſie to us now, it is a provocation to obedience, that before was a provocation unto ſin.

But now on the other hand, we are not ſet free from the Law, as a Law, a rule of holy walking, of new obedience; our Saviour did not by fulfilling the Law deſtroy it, but accompliſh it; becauſe we were not able of our ſelves to do it, he under went the rigour of it, and took away all the condemnation of it, that it might be an eaſie yoak to us; and wherefore have we a Law written in our hearts, which is but a counterpane, as I may ſay, a diſpoſition to do the revealed will of God, except we have this revealed will of his to be a rule to walk by? hath the Lord Jeſus then Mat. 5. 17.Matt 5:17lightned the yoak, ſweetened it, given us his example, chalked out our way thereby as a pattern to us, and given us ſtrength alſo to do it, and ſhall we refuſe this holy Law, as a rule to walk by? it is true, it is not now in the hand of Moſes, as a School-maſter, to laſh, to terrifie, to bring us to Chriſt, when once we are in him; but now it is a rule in the hand of Chriſt, in the p. 552hand of a tutor, that with all gentleneſs doth lead us by his Spirit into all truth; that is to ſay, not the knowledge, but the practiſe, that is, to be led into the truth: man may know much, and yet be far from being led into it, know nothing as he ought to know; now it is a rule in the hand of a Father, before it was a Lyon terribly roaring upon us, hell, and wrath, and ruine, and ſo it is ſtill to every unbelieving creature, who are under it, as to the ſatisfaction of divine Juſtice by ſuffering, that is to ſay, under the curſe, though as a Covenant of life none is under it ſince Adam, for I conceive it was not given for that end; but under it, as to ſatisfaction of divine juſtice they are: now I ſay it is terrible to ſuch, but when the Lyon is killed by our Sampſon, there is ſweetneſs in it, out of the eater came meat: the very Law of God that is terrible, condemning, affrighting a poor guilty ſinner; it is the delight of a David: indeed not a page of the Book of God, but is, as I may ſay, a hand-writing againſt every wicked wretch, wherein he may read his doom; and not a page wherein there is not ſomething that miniſters conſolation to a Believer: for to ſee the terrours of the Law, which is a wounding, death, overwhelming a ſinner; is a raiſing of his Spirit to conſider what he is delivered from; well then, now it is a Law of liberty, Jam. 1. 25. his commands are not grievous, 1 John 5. 3. but yet we are under thoſe commands ſtill. So the Apoſtle was not without the Law, but under the Law to Chriſt; we make it not void by faith, but eſtabliſh it: But thus much ſhall Rom. 3. 31.Rom 3:31ſerve to be ſpoken to this.

The laſt Uſe ſhall be a word of comfort to poor creatures that are yet under this bondage. Something of encouragement I may give to ſinners that yet are rebelling againſt the Lord Jeſus, though if you continue ſo doing, there is no hope for you; yet know this, that the Lord Jeſus hath laid down a ranſom ſufficient for all, and publiſheth this liberty to all; he ſetteth open the priſon doors, and if then you will not go free, thank your ſelves: but of this before. I doubt ſuch ſinners as theſe will be ſnatching at the comfort which belongs not to them. Therefore mind it Brethren, you that pleaſe your ſelves in ſin, are given up to the waies of your own hearts, while you are ſuch, it is not my work to comfort you at all; catch not at it, it concerneth you not; but I ſpeak to poor ſinners that are ſenſible of their p. 553condition, that are ſtriving, ſtrugling, groaning under the bondagè, the yoak of ſin, or the concomitants thereof, which you have heard ſpoken to ſo at large. Alas, may one ſay, I doubt all is not well with me, if where Jeſus Chriſt cometh into a ſoul, revealeth himſelf in a ſoul, he brings liberty with him to that ſoul, then I am a poor creature without Chriſt to this day, for alas, I am in grievous bondage; O there is bondage of …ears, and bondage of ſin; It is true, I do ſomething ſaith one, but I doubt it is nothing but a ſlaviſh obedience out of fear; for this we muſt know, Brethren, that though it be true there is a fear which is meerly ſlaviſh, when a ſinner looks upon god as a ſevere terrible Judge, his Law a cruel bloody Law, while he ſeeth no mixture of mercy and love, and yet with Foelix, trembles; or as they at the deliverance of the Law, when God revealed himſelf in ſo terrible a manner, trembled, could not endure the ſight; now a man under the curſe of the Law, he endeavours to do what he doth upon this ground, becauſe of terrours; but a child of God he hath a principle of love, it is mercy, it is love, it is tenderneſs in Jeſus that ſetteth him a going; terrours indeed do amaze, and aſtoniſh, and fright him out of himſelf; but it is love in Jeſus Chriſt that ſetteth his ſoul a work to do his will; yet ſo Brethren, as that you muſt know there is not all fear baniſhed out of the ſoul; but that we may the better underſtand it, let us conſider … a little diſtinctly.

Firſt, there is to be a reverent fear of the Majeſty of god in all his people; let us ſerve him with reverence and godly fear, ſaith Heb. 12. ult.Heb 12the Apoſtle, for our God is, &c. a great God, and greatly to be feared: what an awe there is upon a poor peaſants ſpirit when he appeareth before a mighty Prince? ſo here, and I doubt we have moſt of us cauſe rather to complain, that there is not ſo much of this holy awe upon us as there ought to be, O ſerve the Lord Pſal. 2. 11. Exod. 20. 20.Ps 2:11Exod 20:20with fear, and rejoyce with trembling: fear not, ſaith Moſes, for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces: Fear not: that is to ſay, be not diſmayed, aſtoniſhed, God is come now to give a rule of obedience, that you may ſerve him with reverence, holy fear and trembling.

Secondly, There ought to be a fear of offending God, as Hoſ. 3. 5.Hos 3:5a Son his Father, though he were ſure never to be ſcourged for it; or becauſe he is his Father, and carryeth ſo much love toward p. 554him, ſo tender of him, and good toward him, therefore he would not offend him.

Thirdly, There ought to be a fear of the judgements of God upon others; David was affraid of his judgements, when the Angel of the Lord was there; he durſt not go up to worſhip before the tabernacle in Gibb…n, becauſe of the Angel of the Lord, I am afraid of thy judgements, &c.1 Chro. 21. 30.1 Chr 21:30

Fourthly, We may fear chaſtizements, the thing I feared is come upon me, ſaith Job; ſince we know we do ſo often offend him and grieve him, we may expect and fear it; yea it is hardneſs and ſecurity for us not to fear.

Fifthly, A man, a child of God may have a fear of everlaſting damnation, which ſerveth to rouze him up when he is growing ſecure, when …e hath drowned his evidences, blotted them; and it is neceſſary it ſhould be ſo, for why elſe doth the Holy-Ghoſt, even in the Goſpel, inculcate this upon the Diſciples, fear not him Mat. 10. 28.Matt 10:28that can kill the body, but fear him that killeth ſoul and body: And ſo, if ye live after the fleſh ye ſhall dye, but if by the Spirit ye mortifie Rom. 8. 13.Rom 8:13the deeds of the fleſh ye ſhall live: theſe threatnings ſurely would not have been written to Believers, except they were to make ſome uſe of them, to be as an awe upon their ſpirits to keep them from ſinning, to be a quickning to their ſouls.

Now on the other hand it is true; that there ought not to be in us ſuch a fear, as to diſtract us; to drive us from, to weaken our Spirits, to diſable us from duty, to cloud and drown all our delight in his waies, to blot out our apprehenſions of his lovelineſs, and compaſſion, and bowels, ſo as to beget hard thoughts in our hearts of God, which will produce hatred of him; ſuch a fear ought not to be in us, and though there may be a ſpice of it ſometimes, even in the beſt, when they are not themſelves, yet this is not the prevailing principle in the ſoul, but an holy fear of offending him, which ariſeth from a mixture of love towards him, and holy reverence and awe of him, and of his Majeſty and Greatneſs; and truly Brethren, this is no enemy to ſpiritual liberty; But I muſt not dwell ſo long, upon things.

But ſecondly, the main thing that I know moſt troubles a gracious heart, is, that he finds himſelf ſo much under the power p. 555of ſin; O I find not this freedom, this liberty you ſpeak of, I am a wretch then under the power of my corruptions: O the ſad complaints to Chriſtians, to men continually, from ſome poor diſconſolate ſouls! and to ſpeak a little for their conſolation if the Lord breath in it.

Firſt, Brethren, you muſt know this, that as ſin hath had a time of ſettling and rooting, there will be a time of unſettling it; thou art of yeſterday, it may be, and doſt thou think to be ſo free the firſt day, as they that have many years been wreſting, and fighting, and praying, and faſting, and mourning, and believing down their luſts? This is a great miſtake: it is infinite mercy that thou haſt thy hands let looſe, and thy feet out of the mire and clay, and that thou art ſet upon a Rock, that thou haſt now a ſtanding and liberty to fight, thou muſt not expect a liberty from fighting and conflicting with ſin while thou art in the fleſh; mind you the Apoſtles two or three verſes of the ſame Epiſtle to the Romans, he ſaith, the Law of the Spirit of life, the powerful working of the Spirit of life, hath ſet him free from the Rom. 8. ….Rom 8Law of ſin and death: and yet a few verſes before, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of ſin and death? thou groaneſt under the burthen, whereby it appears thou art delivered in a great part; thou art willing to be freed, and when the will is diſintangled, the man is free in a great part.

Secondly, Brethren, know this for your comfort, that your labour is not in vain; ſtriving againſt ſin, fighting with it, you are ſure to overcome, though ſin lie hard upon you, you ſhall overcome it. Firſt, the Lord he is able to break all the bonds: if he will deliver Peter out of priſon, what ſhall hinder? his chains ſhall fall from his hands, the Iron-gates ſhall open of their own accord before him, nothing ſhall be able to hold them; It was ſomewhat hard for Iſrael to believe that they ſhould be delivered out of Egypt, and ſomewhat a ſtrange Meſſage of Moſes at Exod. 3. 14.Exod 3:14the firſt; even as one ſhould be ſent to the great Turk to tell him, the God of the Chriſtians commands him to let them go; but God tells him and them, that he is that he is; I am hath ſent me, the great God, who is being it ſelf, and from himſelf, he is what he is, he is able to deſtroy the Egyptians; doſt thou believe this, that he can ſubdue thine iniquities, thy ſtrong, impetuous, violent p. 556luſts? Secondly, then he will do it, he heard Iſrael groaning under bondage, and came down to deliver them, he remembered Exod. 2. 24.Exod 2:24his Covenant; it was his faithfulneſs, Brethren, that brought him out, the ſelf-ſame day the Lord delivered them; and the Lord will keep time to a day with thee that groaneſt under this bondage, if thou wer… but humbled, if it had done its work upon thee; for that and ſuch like ends he would not ſuffer ſin to prevail upon thee any longer, for he letteth not luſts looſe upon a ſoul to woorry it, but to humble it, make it out of love with ſin, to drive it to himſelf, to make it for ever cleave cloſer to him; now there is promiſe upon promiſe for this, you ſhall know the truth, and the Joh. 8. 32.John 8:32truth ſhall make you free; he ſpeaks this to his Diſciples, who did already know it in part; know himſelf, the truth, the way, and the life; and the truth in oppoſition to ſhadows, grace and truth came by Jeſus Chriſt, and it ſhall make you free; how many promiſes are there? as in the text, therefore ſurely he will do it: Now what an encouragement it is to fight, when we are ſure to overcome; yea, to endure hardſhip in this conflict.

But thirdly, conſider it is the very office of Jeſus Chriſt; the work which he received of his Father is to deſtroy the works of the Devil, to deſtroy ſtrong holds, to lead captivity captive; Luk. 11. 21, 22.Luke 11:21Luke 11:22therefore he came into the world: if it had not been for ſuch poor creatures as are under bondage, there had been no need of Chriſt, he came to give himſelf a ranſom for many▪ and to preach deliverance to them, and the opening of the priſon to them that are bound, you have heard already, and therefore he was annointed of his Father, and received the Spirit, that he might ſet open the priſon doors: Now poor burthened ſouls, if any ſuch, whoſe body ofſin and death preſſeth them down ſore, and they walk heavily, go… to him, ſpread your condition before him, put him in mind wherefore he came into the world, to ſet open the priſon, to looſe the priſoners; and thou haſt an infirmity, and haply been bound with it many years, beſeech him to exerciſe his Office towards thy poor ſoul; the Lord loveth to hear his people earneſt and importunate, to plead it thus with him; but if thou canſt not, yet be ſure he will do the work which his Father hath given him to do; and what is that, but to ſet at liberty ſuch priſoners as thou art, that groan under the burthen and bondage of their luſts?

p. 557Fourthly, Conſider how pittiful a heart he bears to his people labouring under corruption; when we are weak, it may be, ſometimes the ſpirits of a poor creature are ſpent in labour in other ſervices, and he thinketh he ſhould be as lively then as at another time, but it is not likly ſo to be, and therefore when natural vigour decaies in old age, though there may be as much uprightneſs, there cannot be ſo much vigour appearing in ſervice alway; Now men are apt to have ſad thoughts of themſelves upon this account, and ſo in other caſes when wearied out; our Saviour is tender and pittiful, he takes notice of every groan under it, when thou canſt not help thy ſelf but art foyled, and he pittyeth and ſpareth. O ſaith he, to his Diſciples, could ye not watch with me one hour? and at ſuch a time as that was, when our Saviour Mat …1.Matt 1had moſt need of their watching wich him? alas they were aſleep: Well ſaith he, I conſider your weakneſs, the ſpirit is willing, but the fleſh is weak: The Lord is ready to make the beſt of our conditions, and therefore be not altogether diſcouraged, though thou haſt a weary hand with thy ſelf, with thy own baſe heart.

Fifthly, But ſome will ſay, O but they are grievous workings of ſin that are in my heart, whether they riſe from within or from without, my heart cloſeth with them, and they are very horrid, and I know not what to think concerning it: But I ſay, was Paul buffeted, and canſt thou think to eſcape? truly Brethren, I take it, the Devil befools himſelf much in putting a ſoul upon horrid ſins, becauſe that is the way to ſettle the ſoul ſo much the more fully, when the bit is bigger then will down; when Egypt dealt more hardly with the Iſraelits then before, it made them cry out, and then the Lord heard; ſo it may be, a ſoul was not ſo fully delivered from a ſin, but he doth ſtick, as I may ſay, in the skirts of it, but now this maketh him cry out, more willing, more earneſt to be delivered.

Sixthly, Take heed leſt anguiſh of ſpirit ſo far prevail, as that thy ſoul refuſe to be comforted, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith; and the Iſraelites could not believe by reaſon of anguiſh of heart, when God had ſent them a Saviour to deliver them; it may be it Exod. 6. 9.Exod 6:9is ſo with thee.

Seventhly, There will come a time when thou ſhalt be altogether free, thou ſhalt never ſee the Egyptians more, which now p. 558purſue thee and trouble thee, me thinks that the thoughts of this ſhould refreſh us, and make us deſirous and willing to depart, Well then, whatever thy condition be in reſpect of the world, it may be afflicted, it may be friendleſs, it may be in other kinds, Oh me thinks one thought of this, that thou art free from guilt, and haſt a free acceſs to the Throne of grace, might exceedingly ſupport thy ſpirit. But thus much for this uſe of the point alſo. —And grow up as Calves of the ſtall.

We are now come to the laſt promiſe in the bundle, and it is not the leaſt conſiderable: That bondage under guilt, under ſin, in its prevailing, could not but be a hinderance of growth, therefore if we lay ſo much weight upon the order of the words, ſomething ſeemeth to be held forth of that nature, that this growth is a Concomitant of that liberty and enlargement promiſed before; but I will not hang too much upon that, though it be an undoubted truth; yet whether it may be argued ſtrongly enough from the order of words, I will not urge.

Ye ſhall grow, or increaſe, or be multiplyed, as ſome render it; and the ſame word is read for ſpreading themſelves, the horſemen H…b. 1. 8.ſhall ſpread themſelves, or they ſhall be multiplyed, as others: Sometimes it is taken for ſpringing up, Gen. 2. 9. Job 31. 40. Our tranſlation is very ſuitable; ſome read it exilire, to ſpring, and leap, and wantonize, as Calves uſe to do when looſed from the ſtall; But I rather much adhere to our tranſlation, and the meaning is, ye ſhall increaſe, and grow, and come on, you ſhall not ſtand at a ſtay, and be alway at a paſs, but grow. But what this growth is, of what it is meant, will be the Queſtion; whether of a temporal or ſpiritual growth, a taking root in the world, & growing up and flouriſhing, which is ſpoken of the wicked, and ſometimes the word is thus uſed for increaſing, though thy beginning were ſmall, ſaid Bildad to Job, yet thy latter end ſhould greatly Iob 8. 7.Job 8:7increaſe; that is to ſay, his habitation ſhould be made proſperous at the laſt, if thou wert innocent in his ſight. So Solomon, it is ſaid of him, that he was great and increaſed more then all that went before Eccleſ. 2. 9.Eccl 2:9him: And ſo Rovanellus takes it here for an increaſe of glory, dignity, riches and proſperity; and ſo in that place of Jerem, when the p. 559Prophet firſt concluding, however it were, yet God was righteous and good to his people, yet he would plead with him concerning his judgements, Wherefore doth the way o… the wicked proſper? Ier. 12. 1 2.Jer 12:1Wherefore are all they happy that deal treacherouſly? thou haſt planted them, yea they have taken root, they grow, yea they bring forth fruit; though this be another Metaphor of a tree, the other of a ſenſitive creature. In the day ſhalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning thou ſhalt make thy ſeed to flouriſh, Iſa. 17. 11.Isa 17:11but the harveſt ſhall be a heap in the day of grief, and of deſperate ſorrow: There it is taken for all manner of outward proſperity; but indeed me thinks this, though it may not be excluded, yet ſhould not be the main thing here intended; for alas, though it be a great mercy to a people to be richly laden with benefits, bleſſed with the abundance of all things, ſo as that they may wax fat: yet if this be abuſed and they kick againſt God as Jeſurun Deut. 32. 15.Deut 32:15did, there is little comfort in it in compariſon. It is true, it doth not neceſſarily follow, becauſe here is the ſumme of the Covenant of grace, therefore earthly promiſes are to be excluded, for they are a part of the Covenant alſo, ſo far as good for us, and all included in that, I will be thy God. Godlineſs hath the promiſe now as well as then, of the things of this life, as well as of 1 Tim. 4. 8.1 Tim 4:8that which is to come; yet I ſhall rather ſpeak to the other, the growth in ſpirituals; that is to ſay, the daily renewing of the inward man, the increaſe of their ſanctification, and holineſs, and grace; this I take here to be meant, and ſpecially meant, and therefore thus we ſhall underſtand it; the promiſe is amplified by a compariſon, grow ye ſhall as Calves of the ſtall; the word for ſtall ſignifieth an incloſure, a coop, any place made for to fat Cattle, or other creatures in; and we know that uſually ſuch do grow exceedingly, elſe there is a great deal of coſt beſtowed upon them in vain, and therefore our tranſlators read that in the Proverbs, better is a dinner of herbs where love is, then a ſtalled Prov. 15. 17.Prov 15:17Ox and hatred therewith.

There may be three things haply couched in the compariſon.

Firſt, that they ſhall grow in quantity as calves; calves ſhoot up and forth very much when they are in the ſtalls, do grow much more then if at random they run up and down; none grow ſo much as they: and therefore this is uſed to ſet forth the greatneſs of the growth.

p. 560Secondly, in fatneſs and ſweetneſs, they grow very much, a ſtalled-Oxe is fatted very fat, which is much ſweeter and better then another; ſo they grow not only in quantity but quality, as we ſhall ſee hereafter.

Thirdly, the ſpeedineſs of the growth haply is in this compariſon, they grow faſter then other creatures of the like kind when they are put into the ſtall, and therefore they are ſaid to grow as the Lilly, not only in beauty, which was greater then Solomon himſelf in all his glory had, but in ſpeedineſs, for they ſay, this flower groweth much and diſcernably in one night; and Hoſ. 14. 5. Mat. 6. 29. Iohn 2.Hos 14:5Matt 6:29John 2though it be true, ſudden growths are the more ſuſpicious, yet God can, and ſometimes doth work them, even with truth, as in the Miracle, he quickly turned water into wine; which he doth every year, though in greater time, by the operation of the Sun.

In a word then, the Holy-Ghoſt uſeth this ſimile to them, being rude and weak of underſtanding, that they might the better underſtand it, and have the greater aſſurance of it, that it ſhould be ſo, therefore he propoundeth it ſo croſs, ſaith Calvin.

But this as well as the other we muſt look upon as a Concomitant, yea an effect of the appearing of the Sun of righteouſneſs to us, his ariſing upon the ſoul, that is the grand promiſe; all things elſe are promiſed and given for him and with him to us, and this among the reſt, the going forth out of the priſon was one, and this growing is another of the genuine and ſweet effects of the riſing of the Sun of righteouſneſs upon them that fear him; ſo that take it in this connexion, and then the note is this.

That ſoul or people that are under the influences of Chriſt, of the Sun of righteouſneſs, are in a growing condition, they ſhall grow; …octr.there is not a ſoul that hath union and fellowſhip with the Lord Jeſus, but he ſhall grow; ye ſhall grow up as, &c.

For the proof of the point we need not ſo m…ch, there is a notable place there in the Pſalmiſt, they that are planted in the houſe of the Lord ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God, the righteous Pſal. 92. 12.Ps 92:12ſhall flouriſh like a Palm-tree, and grow like a Cedar in Lebanon. Here you have growth promiſed, and flouriſhing, and to whom it is promiſed, and whence it cometh, and the compariſons p. 561whereby it is ſet forth, in theſe two verſes growth is promiſed, they that are planted they ſhall grow and flouriſh; a tree flouriſheth not except it grow after it is planted; when it is planted, alas it is little and …ender, haply but a …eed, then it groweth up. 2. The perſons to whom promiſed, they are ſuch as are planted in the houſe of the Lord, that is to ſay, the Temple, which was a Type of Chriſt, and the Church of Chriſt, ſo that they muſt be in him, as afterward we ſhall ſpeak; they ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of Gods houſe, by Communion with him in his Ordinances. 3. The compariſon, as a Palm-tree, which the Naturaliſts ſay, though cut Pli…. lib. 13.down to the ground, yet ſprings up again, groweth up again. If a tree be out down, is there any hope it ſhould grow up again, in that Iob 14. 7.Job 14:7of Job? Yet this tree will grow again: if the Church, to take it o…f the whole body, for ſo we may as well as of ſingle perſons, if they be cut down to the very ground, ſo waſted as that there is ſcarce any viſible, as in Eliah's daies, he thought he was alone, the Church then ſeemed to be all withered or grown over with nettles and brambles, to have no plants of righteouſneſs in it, but yet then it ſhall grow again, and when perſecution rageth and cuts it down to the very ground, yet he maketh it grow again; or of particular perſons, though they be brought to ſuch exigencies ſometimes, as to ſay, their hope is periſhed from the Lord, and Lam. 3. 18.Lam 3:18their faith ſeemeth to be extinguiſht with the violence of temptation, yet they ſhall grow again and increaſe. But the Palm-tree it groweth upward againſt the weight that oppreſſeth it, it will not be kept down, but groweth through all perſecution, affliction, yea ſins and falls, as afterward we ſhall have occaſion to mention a little more fully. And like Cedars, grow tall and ſtrong, and abide, as the Cedar is not ſubject to rottenneſs, nor decy with age. But for further proof, take that in the Pſalmiſt, who paſſing through the valley of Bacah, make it a well, &c. they go Pſal. 84. 7.Ps 84:7from ſtrength to ſtrength, from army to army, or from ſtrength to ſtrength, paſſing through a ſolitary valley abounding with Mulberry-trees, which they ſay grow in dry and barren places, and ſo there is much difficulty in the paſſage for drought and other neceſſities, yet they dig up fountains, they make it a Well, a Ciſtern, they ſearch the Scriptures, fetch up ſomewhat of conſolation from thence; and notwithſtanding all the difficulties, yet they go from ſtrength to ſtrength, walk towards Sion; all this p. 562was typical. And ſo the Apoſtle, whom beholding as in a glaſs, we are changed into his image from glory to glory; every degree of 2 Cor. 3. 18.2 Cor 3:18grace hath its glory, but we are changed from glory to glory, from a ſpark into a coal, from a coal glowing, to a flame. What elſe is the meaning of thoſe Parables of the Muſtard-ſeed, it is the Mat. 43. 31, 32, 33.leaſt of ſeeds, or leſs then others, then many others, the Cypreſsfeed is ſo ſmall as can ſcarce be diſcerned, and yet a great tree groweth of it; but this is ſmall, and yet a great tree ariſeth from it, Tremel. writes ſtrange things of the Muſ…ard-feed-tree in thoſe Countries; this, it is true, is meant of the Kingdom of God without us, the adminiſtration of the Kingdom, the Word of God, how it grows; but that is not all, the Kingdom of God within us, within the Saints, where it cometh with power; doth alſo ſpread it ſelf more and more, as Leven alſo hid in the midſt of the meal, by degrees ſpreadeth it ſelf further and further. So then you ſee the foreign, that it is ſo, that perſons under the influence of Chriſt the Sun of righteouſneſs, that have communion and fellowſhip with him, they grow in grace. And ſo, the path of the juſt is as the Pro…. 4. 18.ſhining light that ſhineth more and more to the perfect day; or, as the morning light, as ſome read it, that you know groweth from one degree to another, until the per…ect day.

The next thing will be then to open the nature of this Spiritual growth, that we may underſtand what we ſpeak of, and then we ſhall a little further confirm it, and apply it.

And the opening of it I ſhall deliver in ſeveral propoſitions as diſtinctly as I can; for the right underſtanding of the meaning of it: note in the firſt place, that growth is a motion or mutation from a leſs to a greater quantity; as you ſee a babe, though it be a man in a ſmaller letter, and have part for part, yet they are ſmall, and grow to a greater bigneſs; the child grew in ſtature, ſaith the text, and in favour with God as well as with men. And Luk. 2. 52.Luke 2:52ſo a plant or a ſeed is little at firſt, but it groweth to a tree, to a blade, and the ſ…al… to the ear, and the full corn in the ear, here is a motion from a leſs to a greater quantity: So a Calf of the ſtall muſt needs alſo ſhoot forth. Now for grace, you know it is either Relative or Inherent, and accordingly we muſt underſtand the Mat. 6. 27.Matt 6:27growth; Relative grace, as that of remiſſion of ſins, and juſtification in the ſight of God, and adoption to be ſons and daughter, p. 563this, if lookt upon as the act of God, it will be hard to ſay, that it is intended or remitted, that there is a growth or motion from a leſſer to a greater quantity, for remiſſion of ſins being the act of God, we cannot ſay that one mans ſins are more pardoned then anothers, that believeth as well as he. So we cannot ſay, that one believer is more a Son then another, they are all the children of the moſt high; though a child grow in ſtature, yet his relation groweth not, he is a Son the firſt day he was born, as well as when he is at the perfect ſtature, this is plain; though every Son be not a Joſeph or a Benjamin, yet he is a Son as well as any; which by the way miniſters much refreſhing to a poor weak ſoul, that eyeth his ſtature and growth. O he is ſo weak, ſuch a babe, a child in compariſon of ſome of the people of God, which are ſtrong in faith, and can give glory to God, when they are doubting and ſcrupling every ſtep they go, yet I ſay, though this be a burthen, yet the main whereupon the comfort of a poor creature hangs, is alike to all, there is no growth; there the weakeſt, poor, ſickly, froward-hearted child, is a chi…d as well as he that is ſtrongeſt, healthieſt, moſt ſerviceable; and though faith be weak, yet the relation of one is alike, the purchaſe, the price paid, the ranſom is alike to all that believe, though it be but in ſome more weakly.

Only here miſtake not neither, though this relative grace grow not, as of juſtification or adoption, yet the knowledge of this grace ariſing from the reflexion of the ſoul upon its ſelf, and the ſhining of the Spirit upon the works of grace he hath wrought in the ſoul, this is capable of a growth, it may be that a man may be a child of God, and yet not know it; alas, how long are our children children, and we look upon them ſo, and hearts and bowels yearn and tender them, and yet they know not that they are children; we need go no further then common experience for this: do we not ſee many a precious ſoul that lies at the feet of Jeſus Chriſt for mercy, whoſe ſouls are ſick of love for him, who prize him above all? O they are willing with all their ſouls to cloſe with him for all ends and purpoſes, if he be but willing Phil. 3. 8.Phil 3:8to cloſe with them; they think they are not children, nor that they do not believe, when they do believe; for this very willingneſs of Chriſt in ſincerity, is believing, and therefore they think they are not children, when they are dear in Gods …ight: what p. 564think you of him that walks in darkneſs and ſeeth no light? do Iſa. 50. 10.Isa 50:10you think he can ſee his relation to God in Chriſt without that light? Surely no.

Again, another he hath ſome probability which begetteth an opinion in him concerning his condition, and that he hath received this ſpecial grace from the Lord, and been partaker of this love, to become a Son of God: others they riſe higher then 1 Iohn 3. 1.1 John 3:1this, and have a ſtrong confidence, and ſome a full aſſurance, and know that they are the Sons of God, that their perſons are juſtified, Rom. 8. 34. Cant. 2. 6. Iohn 20. 28. 1 Cor. 2. 8.Rom 8:34Song 2:6John 20:281 Cor 2:8they can triumph with the Apoſtle, who ſhall lay any thing to their charge? can ſay, my beloved is mine and I am his: and my Lord and my God, with Thomas; they know the things freely given them of God, even by the Spirit of Chriſt: yea the ſame perſon, Brethren, may grow from ſuch a doubting of his condition, to ſuch a probability, ſuch a perſwaſion, ſuch an aſſurance of his condition, this therefore admitteth of a growth, but not the relative grace it ſelf, but only our ſenſe, feeling or knowledge of it: and ſo much for that.

Secondly, There is a grace inherent, which is indeed as the root; and the acts and iſſues of it are, as I may ſay, the fruit; but this grace within we ſhall ſpeak to as moſt nearly concerning this purpoſe; the fruits I have ſpoken to, you know, at large upon another Scripture, and I would not in this diſcourſe interfere with what I then delivered; or if we ſpeak any thing to the fruits that grow upon theſe internal inherent graces of the Spirit, as likely enough we ſhall, yet we ſhall not conſider them as fruits riſing from ſuch a root, but as growing fruits, being bettered, improved according to the growing of the principles from whence they flow.

But for the grace inherent, by that I mean all thoſe habits or gracious diſpoſitions of the heart godly, as that of faith, & that of love, and humility, and ſincerity, and ſpirituality, and ſelf-denyal; theſe things and all the reſt in the habit or diſpoſition of the ſoul is the ſubject of this conſideration; and theſe Brethren, you know they are but qualities, though divine qualities, and therefore though growth or augmentation, according to terms of Art or Logick be not properly aſcribed to them, yet according to Rhetorick, it is proper enough to ſpeak it of any thing under a Simile, that it groweth, if it any way increaſe, as if a quality: p. 565Now the light, for inſtance, or heat in the fire, or Sun, that is intended or waxeth more clear and more hot, this may be called a growing-light, or growing-heat, becauſe that as in things that properly grow, there is an addition of one quantity to another, whereby it increaſeth; ſo here, there is an addition of one degree of the quality to what was before, whereby it is more intenſe then it was before; therefore when we ſpeak of grace growing, the ſpeech is figurative, taken either from plants or ſenſitive creatures, that all their beginnings are ſmall, but afterwards grow up to their pitch.

Secondly, A thing is ſaid to grow properly, you know, when the increaſe is made, not by oppoſition as they call it, but by an inward receiving, that is to ſay, it is a nutrition, as the means; it was a cuſtom to caſt every one a ſtone, and make a great heap, Ioſhuah 7. 26. 2 Sam. 18. 17.2 Sam 18:17as upon Achan and Abſolom: Why at firſt it was little, but every ſtone maketh ſome increaſe of the heap, and yet it groweth not properly; ſo a ſnow-ball, it is greater with rolling, but this is not properly growth nor augmentation; but it is when there is ſomewhat inwardly received, which by interchanges in man, at laſt is turned into his ſubſtance, and maketh an increaſe of it, as a man doth his food, and a r…o… doth the juice of the earth, which is concocted and becometh nouriſhment to the branches, whereby they grow and increaſe; this is properly growth.

Now to apply this propoſition to the caſe in hand, when we ſpeak of growing in grace, either we ſay the grace it ſelf groweth, or elſe perſons do in this or that grace. If the former, then this doth not ſo ſuitably hold, for the grace, the habit of faith, of love, cannot properly be ſaid to receive inwardly this or that nouriſhment, but as qualities, have added to them ſuch or ſuch degrees, and ſo increaſe. But if we ſay, that a ſoul doth grow or increaſe in this or that grace, then it will hold ſomewhat more exactly, which is alſo a metonymical ſpeech, a met onymie of the ſubject for the adjunct, to ſay the perſon groweth, when indeed it is but the habit of grace which is increaſed, the perſon continueth the ſame. I ſay, then it holdeth ſomewhat more near, though haply the Simile will not yet run upon all four neither; nor is it to be expected, the poor believing ſoul then receiveth nouriſhment inwardly, that is to ſay, that which is nouriſhment to his p. 566faith, to his love, whereby he groweth therein; ſome deeper knowledge of the riches, the exceeding riches of the grace of God, the riches of the Covenant of promiſes, whereby his faith is increaſed; and ſo ſomewhat more of the height, and depth, and breadth, and length of the love of God in Chriſt towards him he knoweth, which much heighteneth his love to Chriſt again. Now remember this is not by any thing external; external additions to a thing may make it appear the greater, but not really the greater; as a mans cloaths make him ſeem bigger then he is, yet he is the ſame in them and out of them, no bigger at all; there is very great difference between a weight hanged upon a Clock, the more weight, the more the motion is haſtened; and a child that went but timerouſly and weakly, the Spirit of life within him prevailing, that he can run faſter, and ſo groweth in ſtature and agility, there is much difference; & ſo there is much difference between an hypocrites growing in appearance, in duties, in ſervices, in zeal, which appears to us, for we can but judge the root by the fruit; therefore we think they are grown there, but all this while are miſtaken, for it is not the root of the matter within, it is ſome external weight, and that is hanged upon their affections; ſome by-reſpect or another to their credit, their profit, their Kingdom, as Jehu, that ſetteth them a working ſo faſt more then before; there is great difference between ſuch an one and a child of God, ſuch as David, whoſe heart was perfect, who from the inward revelations of Chriſt in them, diſcoveries of his love, teachings of his Spirit, and quicknings, they grow up more and more, there is much difference I ſay. But this is the ſecond, I am affraid I ſhall be too tedious herein, yet I hope this will not be unuſeful to make things as plain as I can, as we go, that we may underſtand what we ſpeak of.

Thirdly, The thing that groweth remaineth the ſame, though increaſed, the body that grows it is the ſame body ſtill, though much increaſed; as a child and a man, he is the ſame perſon when a babe and when a man, only he is much increaſed by a continual nouriſhment: So it is here, a mans grace is the ſame, the ſame habit of faith and of love, but groweth much ſtronger, as in the caſe of Thomas and the reſt of the Diſciples you ſee it; it is the ſame that was a tender plant, and now is become a ſtrong Oak or Cedar, only now it is more rooted then before, and grown p. 567up and ſpread it ſelf; though a child of God have many ſhakings with contrary winds, temptations and falſe Doctrines, and ſometimes his knowledge may be corrupted, and ſometimes his faith may be ſhaken, yet I believe he is never pluckt up by the root, and then planted again; when once he hath received that grace, and obtained that mercy, to be faithful, to believe, and have the graces of the Spirit implanted in the ſoul, theſe are never deſtroyed altogether; once alive to God, and that life never fails, becauſe the principle, the fountain of it, that feeds it, never fails; the ſeed of God abideth, as the Apoſtle ſaith. It is true, there may be ſickneſs, and weakneſs, and wounds, and diſtempers that may 1 Iohn 3. 9. & 2. 14.1 John 3:91 John 2:14hinder the growth of a child, but yet he liveth and groweth afterward again, yea more then he did before haply, and this is the caſe; and though David and Peter broke their bones, though they be ſore ſhaken, yet they are not pluckt up by the roots, as trees dead and ſo planted again, nor doth any grace of Gods planting wither away altogether, like Jonah's gourd: the reaſon that is given for the withering away of ſome of the corn that Math. 13. 21.Matt 13:21was green, is becauſe it had not root. This the third.

Fourthly, Another conſideration to make out further the nature of this growth, is this, there muſt firſt be a life before there be a growth, either vegetative, or ſenſitive, or rational; you know if there be no life in the tree, if it have not a root alive to maintain it, it groweth not at all, ſtands at the ſame ſtay for proportion, and groweth dry indeed, and rotten, and fit for burning, and ſo there muſt be life in a man before he groweth, when he is dead all growth ceaſeth, there is nothing but diſſolution upon diſſolution then; and ſo it is in this caſe, there muſt be a root, a planting into Chriſt, a grafting into him by his ingrafted word; before we can grow up in him, we muſt be one with Chriſt, for Math. 13. 21.Matt 13:21you know that which had no root withered; it may make a ſhew for a time and flouriſh, even as the graſs upon the houſe top, but it withereth before it groweth up. Paul may plant, and Apollo Pſal. 129. 6.Ps 129:6may water, but it is he the Lord that giveth the increaſe, he that miniſtereth ſeed to the ſowers, both miniſters bread for your food, and multiplies 2 Cor. 3. 6. 2 Cor. 9. 10.2 Cor 3:62 Cor 9:10your ſeed ſown, and increaſeth the fruits of your righteouſneſs: Now this he doth in and through Chriſt, for he is the only pipe through which grace is conveighed to us, as things here are to be noted, to make this out fully.

p. 568Firſt, that all the nouriſhment is from Chriſt, as the breaſtmilk is from the mother that brought it forth; ſo it is with us in Iſa. 53. 11.Isa 53:11reſpect of Chriſt, he travelled, his ſoul travelled with us, he was big with us, and O what ſharp travel he had, ſuch as never was, nor can be the like again, and he ſupplies the nouriſhment, the Word and the Spirit he promiſeth ſhall never depart out of his peoples mouths; and this is that the Evangeliſt hath, of his fulneſs we Iſa. 59. 21. Iohn 1. 16.Isa 59:21John 1:16receive grace for grace; the ſincere milk of the Word is his, he prepareth the ſweet cup of conſolation in the promiſes; ſo many precious promiſes, ſo many breaſts a child of God hath to ſuck continually, there he hath prepared nouriſhment for our faith, and ſo in our tryals and experiences, there is nouriſhment for our faith, and for our humility, and for our love, and all this is from him.

Secondly, But then beſide this, there is a forming power, a power of concoction, digeſtion and aſſimilation, to turn theſe nouriſhments into the very ſubſtance, for ſo the Apoſtle, Some preach Chriſt of envy, ſaith he, ſuppoſing to add affliction to my bonds; the Devil and his Angels of light preach Chriſt, but with no good intent, not to gain credit but diſhonor to the Goſpel at the long run; we ſee it by too woful experience; well ſaith the Apoſtle, I know this ſhall turn to my ſalvation, through Phil. 1. 19.Phil 1:19your prayer, and the ſupply of the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt; if a man take never ſo much down, if he have not a power to digeſt it, and turn it into ſubſtance, ſuccum & ſanguinem, he ſhall never grow by it: alas, do we not ſee many live under the Word, the ſincere milk of the Word, and ſeem to draw as hard at the breaſt as any, hanging upon the Miniſters lips, that ſhould preſerve knowledge, and yet grow not, come not on? there wants this digeſting faculty, the Spirit of Chriſt to mix the word with faith; Mal. 2. 7. Heb. 4. 2.Mal 2:7Heb 4:2then when it is ſo mixed and concocted it groweth indeed, the Word groweth, then the poor Believer groweth, his faith groweth: And ſo the Apoſtle in that to the Corinthians; who beholding as in a glaſs, there is the nouriſhment, the Ordinances, the 2 Cor. 3. 18.2 Cor 3:18beholding Chriſt in them, but the power of concocting theſe, turning them to ſtrength, is the Spirit, we are changed into his image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord; as there Iohn 1. 14.John 1:14is not ſimilitudinis, but identitatis, the glory as of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth; there is the truth in general, p. 569that it is from Chriſt, and more ſpecially that this power is his; in that one place to the Epheſians, from whom the whole body fitly Eph. 4. 6.Eph 4:6joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt ſupplyeth, according to the effectual working in the meaſure of every part, maketh increaſe of the body; he ſpeaks of the growth of the Church in general, but there is par ratio for the growth of each member, for it is one part of the growing of the whole, that the members grow in ſtature as well as in number; and ſo in that place to the Coloſſians, Let not man beguile you of your reward: as a Judge▪ of the race of maſteries preſcribes, it is an exorbitant courſe to …un out of the way, and then promiſe you the reward for it; this will be but a beguiling of you in a voluntary humility, and worſhip of Angels, &c. and is worſhiping of Saints any better then this voluntary humility and yet ſome there are that beguile poor creatures of their reward, promiſing them, if they run in this courſe they ſhall have it, not holding the head; me thinks an ingenuous Papiſt reading this, ſhould begin to ſuſpect their way, ſince to worſhip Angels, and ſuch voluntary humility as God never commanded, as not to approach to Chriſt without a mediation of Saints, which he never commanded, is voluntary humility, and ſo this is not to hold the head Chriſt Jeſus, from which, from the head, all the body by joints and bands have nouriſhment miniſtred and knit together, increaſeth with the increaſes of God; it is the increaſe of God, becauſe he is the Author Col. 2. 19.Col 2:19of it, or elſe becauſe of the greatneſs of the increaſe and its excellency, for ſo the name of God is often uſed in the old Scriptures, and their phraſes the Apoſtles do often keep in the New. You ſee the nouriſhment is miniſtred from the head, as the ſap is from the root of the tree, and it is his effectual working whereby it is turned to an increaſe of our faith and love; and therefore that ſoul that is not really and truly in the Lord Jeſus, though he may for a time flouriſh, yet he will wither; he may be green, and yet be but a weed, and they grow faſt, but they are not upon a right root, they ſpring not from ſuch a ſeed, and therefore at their perfection they will be but wild Oates it may be, or Tares, which for a great while are ſo like to Wheat, as ſome of the Antients ſpeak, that it is not to be diſcerned from it until it come into the ear; and ſo many an hypocrite may have as broad a leaf, as green a blade, in externals: not be behind any for enlargements, p. 570and parts, and notions of the knowledge of Chriſt; and yet alas, though he had more and more degrees, this is not a ſpiritual growth, this is not from the head, from the root, the Lord Jeſus, as a root of ſaving life. I deny not but he giveth thoſe gifts and parts, but it is not as head of the inviſible Church, who alone ſhall be ſaved; though as head of the viſible Church there may be a communication of ſome fatneſs and ſweetneſs of the Olive to them; that is to ſay, the Ordinances and priviledges of the Church, which an hypocrite may enjoy, & yet be cut off when Rom. 11. 17.Rom 11:17all is done, and thereby he may make ſome progreſs of knowledge, and a formality, but yet this is no true ſpiritual growth; this ſhould make us look well about us, and ſee if our water do ariſe from this fountain, it will ſpread it ſelf until it come to a river, grow broader and broader.