The Hypocrites Ladder, Treatise · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. The Concluſion, with an Uſe of Comfort.
HAving now gone through the maine Ʋſes of the point, I ſhall cloſe up with an Ʋſe of Comfort, that our Sun may not ſet in a cloud, and our Ark bee left in the deep, toſſed with the waves of a long continued Deluge, but reſting on Gen. 8. 6.the mountains, and wee will uncover the top to let in a little light of comfort from heaven upon a perplexed ſoule: And if I ſhould bee the ſhorter herein, you need not marvel, for the Text hath not ſo much as one Iota of comfort in it. But if I go out of the doors of the Text, I ſhall but go out into the Camp of this Chapter, to gather this Manna, when I have firſt laid down two or three Conſiderations.
And firſt, I forewarn any unſound Profeſſor to take heed how hee lay hold of the comfort held forth in theſe following notes; As I would not that any ſincere ſoule ſhould ſtagger in his minde at what I have ſaid all along, as touching the Hypocrite. I know it is a like abomination to Prov. 17. 15.juſtifie the wicked, and to condemn the righteous, and alike dangerous, to make ſad the hearts, which God would not have made ſad, as to ſtrengthen the hands of the wicked, Ezek. 13. 22.that hee ſhould not return from his wickedneſs.
I ſay therefore after all that went before, as David concerning Goliah, Let no 1 Sam. 17. 32.true Iſraelites heart faile him. I ſay with Muſculus, Bone Chriſtiane, haec non ad te; All this while honeſt and gracious ſoule, I have not meant thee, do not thou diſguiſe thy ſelf, and expoſe thy ſelf to unneceſſary danger as Joſiah; for I aſſure thee, I am 2 Chron. 35. 21, 22.not ſent againſt thee, but am thy friend. Wee are as well to plant, as to plucke up; Jer. 1. 10. Luke. 3. 5.and to exalt the vallies, as well as caſt down the hills. And indeed this is the more pleaſing and comfortable part of our work (if all had the Son of peace among them) to Luke 10, 6.preach nothing but peace, and to ſay, The Kingdome of God is come upon you, you Act. 3. 25.are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant, lifted up to an heavenly ſtate for grace, to bee ſhortly lifted into heaven by a ſtate of glory.
2 Remember what I ſaid in the beginning of the Diſcourſe of the Three Ladders, there is a ſhort Ladder of three ſteps (1 Chriſt Jeſus; 2 Apprehended by faith; and 3 Manifeſted by the new Creature) which if thou haſt, and keepeſt ſafe will carry thee beyond Capernaums higheſt Region neer to heaven, it will bee as Elias Chariot to carry thee quite into heaven.
3 I never ſaid or meant that all thoſe fore-named ſteps are certain marks of an Hypocrite (many of them are companions of ſaving grace) but that they may alſo as well bee found in an hypocrite, as in the ſincere many times.
4 Though I ſay an Hypocrite may riſe up to thoſe ſixty ſteps, or at leaſt ſome hypocrite to ſome of them; others to others, yet I hardly thinke any one hypocrite doth go up all of them, therefore where you ſee not ſome one ſingle good property (but all thoſe good properties together) conclude not thou ſeeſt an hypocrite preſently, but hope rather thou haſt ſpied an honeſt man, and look a little more after him that thou mayeſt know him well to bee ſuch a one indeed; and to put it paſt all queſtion, ſeek to finde in thy ſelf all thoſe notes that are mentioned in the ſincere mans Glaſs.
But now to come to the matter of Conſolation, which wee have in this Chapter: I ſhall fetch the firſt from verſ. 20. Then began Jeſus to upbraid thoſe Cities wherein hee had done his mighty works, becauſe they repented not. So then ſuch in Capernaum are ſafe, and out of the reach of this Woe, who have, and do repent with a ſincere Goſpel-repentance, and do bring forth fruits meet for ſuch a repentance. It is onelyonly want of true Repentance which makes any mans caſe deſſperate. Repent, and thou art ſafe. Repent, for why will you dye? When God Ezek. 18. 31, 32▪ 2 Pet. 3. 9.wills not thy death; nay wills thee to repent and come to the knowledge of the truth. Let Magus repent, hee may bee out of his Act. 8. 22. 23.gall of bitterneſs, and out of the bonds of all his iniquity? Sodome and Gomorrah, Tyre and Sydon, Chorazin, and Capernaum, had all been ſafe if they had repented; Every ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven to Mat. 12. 31.men, viz. upon repentance.
Our Repentance ſets God a repenting.
There are three things ſaid to cauſe God to repent.
1 Mans unkindneſs for mercy abuſed, ſo Gen. 6. 6. and 1 Sam. 15. 11. This is a ſad repentance, I repent of all the good I promiſed and purpoſed, Jerem. 18. 10. This is a Repentance of Good.
2 His owne innate goodneſe, and compaſſions, Hoſ. 11. 8. How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee Iſrael? How ſhall I make thee as Admah? How ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? my heart is turned within mee, my repentings are kindled together.
This is a ſweet and gracious repentance; a repentance of evill, never more to bee repented of, Jer. 18. 8. Jonah 4. 2.
3 Our ſerious repentance (together with his own gracious diſpoſition) ſets God a repenting, Jer. 31. 18, 19, 20. Jonah 3. 10. God ſaw Ephraim repent, and hee repents. This is a repentance of God, without any godly ſorrow, a free and final repentance never to bee repented of, I do wholly forgive, and forget, I ſhall never bee angry with thee more, nor ſo much as mention any of thy miſcarriages. When wee repent, wee do as it were undo what wee had done, and when God repents, hee unſayes what hee had ſaid, Jer. 18. 8, 9, 10.
Our ſin, and unkindneſs, and abuſe of mercy makes repentance, and godly ſorrow in heaven, but to deſtruction, God is ſaid in ſuch a caſe to repent, and to grieve, Gen. 6. 6. And it cauſeth a repentance to bee repented of, wee ſhall repent in hell, that ever wee made God repent of his grace and mercy. But our repentance and accepting of mercy, makes God repent without any ſorrow, but with the GREATEST JOY, as hee hath watched to bring evill, hee will rejoyce with all his heart to do you good, and this is a repentance to ſalvation, never to bee repented of more, either on thy part, or on Gods.Jer. 32. 41, 42.
2 I ſhall exempt out of this black Roll of hypocrites, and out of the danger of being caſt down to hell, all ſuch poor ſouls, who are but babes in Chriſt, and have but the leaſt meaſure of true grace, as Matth. 11. 25. Chriſt Jeſus juſt after theſe words, where hee ſaith, It ſhall bee more tolerable for Sodome in the day of judgement than for thee] leſt any poore Diſciple ſhould bee diſcouraged, and ſay, Who then can bee ſaved? hee preſently directs himſelf.
1 To his Father on their behalf, verſ. 25. I thank thee, Oh Father, &c.
2 To them, verſ. 28. with words of conſolation, Come to mee, &c. In the 25. verſe, it is as if hee ſhould have ſaid, Father, There are beſides a company of great Profeſſors, a remnant of poor ſilly Lambs, very Babes and ſimple ones, and theſe have known thee, though the world have not known thee, and theſe are mine, and mine are thine: To theſe I have Jo. 17. 6. 10, …declared thy Name, and theſe, though Babes, are children, they have thy Spirit and Grace, and Image on them.
Chriſts weaker ones are called Babes in a three-fold reſpect.
1 They are the worlds Babes, very children, and weak in outward things, compared with the men of the world, who are much wiſer in their Generations, than theſe children of light, their wiſdome is fooliſhneſs to the men of the world, who Luke 16. 8.through wiſdome know not God. They are above the Goſpel, and theſe acknowledge 1 Cor. 1. 21.the Goſpel far above them, yea look upon every man almoſt in the world, as excelling them, Wee are in their ſight as Graſhoppers, and ſo were wee in our own Num. 13. 33.ſight.
2 They are God Almighties Babes, who confeſs with Jeremy, and with Solomon, O Lord, I am a childe, a very Babe, Ier. 116. … King. 3. 7.Teach mee to know thee: They go to God, and ſay as the Greeks to Philip, Wee would faine ſee Jeſus: Reveal thou Father of lights thy Son to us, children of darkneſs, wee cannot know him, except thou Io. 12. 21.reveal him.
3 They are Chriſts Babes, who like thoſe children that followed Chriſt with Hoſannaes of Acclamations, when the Mat. 21. 15.great Rabbies refuſed, and diſdained him, theſe cleave to Chriſt in ſimplicity Surgunt indocti.of faith, and obedience, and catch away the Kingdome of heaven from the wiſe and prudent; Theſe bewayling their own ignorance, and untractableneſs, come to Chriſt as Philip once, Lord ſhew us the Father, and it ſufficeth us. Except Jo. 14. 8.the Son reveal the Father, wee can never know him, Mat. 11. 27.
Now the leaſt of theſe Babes is much ſafer than the higheſt flown hypocrite in the world: It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of theſe little ones ſhould periſh, Matth. 18. 14. ſaith out Saviour.
3 Whoſoever hath Jeſus Chriſt revealed to him ſo divinely, immediately and prevailingly, that hee is convinced of his undone condition without him, happineſs by enjoying him, acknowledgeth him the Son of God, relieth on him as an All-ſufficient Saviour able to ſave to the utmoſt all that come unto God through him; Heb. 7. 25.This man is ſafe, for fleſh and blood doth not reveal theſe things to the ſoul, but the Mat. 16. 17.Father, and all that have heard and learned this of the Father come to him, and ſuch will not hee ever caſt out. No man knoweth the Son, but the Father, neither Jo. 6. …5.the Father, but the Son, and hee to whom hee ſhall reveal him. As ſome man hath, it may bee, ſome rare receit, which hath coſt him dear, and hee will not part with it for any mony, and none knows it but himſelf, hee hath ſome eſpecial friend, that is dangerouſly ill, and to him hee ſaith, I have that will do thee good, and I will give thee my Receit which I will not impart to any other. So is Jeſus Chriſt Gods rareſt Receit, as I may ſay, an unknown ſecret and myſtery to the world. But God ſaith of every Elect, as hee did of Abraham. Abraham is my Jam. 2. 23.eſpecial Friend (hee is not every body) Shall I hide from Abraham any thing I intend Gen. 18. 17.to do? So hee ſaith, I have that will do every poor beleever good, I will tell this poor ſoul of my Son, I will give him my Receit, I will reveal my Son to him, I will tell him how hee is to uſe, and apply this Remedy, and hee ſhall bee ſafe.
4 Such as are caſt down and kept low by hard labour, for their ſoules, who are even weary, ſpent, and tired out in ſeeking the Kingdome of heaven, theſe are called by Name, verſ. 28. Come to mee all yee that labour, &c. I will give you reſt. It is meant of ſoul-labour. Many have been brought up to ſore labour, all their dayes who are ſtrangers to ſoul-labour. The worldling, all his labour is for his Belly, ſaith Solomon; The godly all his labour for Eccl. 6. 7.his ſoul, and all little enough; the one labors for the bread that periſheth, the other for that which endureth to eternal life. The Jo. 6. 27.one ſaith, What ſhall I do to bee rich? What ſhall I eat or drinke? The other, What ſhall I do to bee ſaved? Theſe who do not wiſh for heaven, but worke, and labour, Act. 16. 30.and wait for heaven, that do not play, and idle away their ſalvation, Phil. 2. 12.but worke out their ſalvation, with feare and trembling; Theſe ſhall be ſafe.
5 Such as are over-born, and laden with the burden of ſin, Come to mee yee that labour, and are heavy laden, neither bodily-labor, nor body-burden is here intended, but both ſpiritual. Hee that is laden with worldly cares, or hee that is preſſed down by bodily pains, and hath his load of worldly croſſes, is not the man here called, but hee whoſe back (or heart rather) is ready to break under the burden of ſin, the wrath of God, ſenſe of guilt, that cryes out, I have had my part of worldly cares, and I have felt the burden of pains, diſeaſes, reproaches, &c. Theſe to ſome are heavy, to mee light afflictions. Sin is the burden. Affliction I have 2 Cor. 4. 17. Pſal. 38. 4.born, and had comfort under it. I have been laden with reproaches, and could rejoyce under them: But my ſin is greater than I can bear. I am oppreſſed, Lord undertake for m…e, or eaſe mee as Hezekiah ſaid, Iſa. 38. 14.
6 And laſtly, Thou muſt know it is not all thy labouring, be it never ſo hardly, nor thy feeling thy burden, bee it never ſo heavey, that makes thee happy, but coming unto Chriſt, finding the diſeaſe, and feeling pain is not health, or the way to it, but going to the Phyſitian, and uſing the remedy.
In the laſt place therefore, I ſay, I ſhall ſecure and exempt all ſuch poor ſoules out of this danger as do come unto Chriſt Jeſus in a right manner, which I ſhall a little more particularly infiſt upon, after I have ſhewed how many miſs of life by not coming to Chriſt, or not coming in a right manner, You will not come to mee Jo. 5. 40.that you may have life, hee ſadly complains.
1 There are ſome that ſay flatly, Wee will not come to thee for life upon thy termes, as they ſay, Jer. 2. 31. or as Corah Num. 16. 12, 13, 14and his companions to Moſes, Wee will not come to thee. Thou wilt put out our eyes, Wilt thou? (if wee follow thee) and wee muſt look for ſomewhat future, and inviſible. Wee know not what that Land of Promiſe is, wee ſhall have no preſent advantage of inheritances and eſtates: And thou wilt bee a Prince over us to command us too. No, no, Wee will not come up.
2 There bee many that come to as little purpoſe.
1 That come to him in words, confeſſing him, in heart hating him, and in deeds diſclaiming him, as the evill ſpirits, who ſaid, Wee know thee who thou art, the Mar. 1. 24 34.holy One of God, yet ſay, foreign, What have we to do with thee? We know thee better than to truſt thee, love, ſerve thee. Wee acknowledge thee to bee the Lord, and the Son of God. Wee acknowledge thee not to bee our Lord. This is the coming of Satan.
2 There bee ſome who come to Chriſt in Ordinances, and ſeem to love his preſence, they follow him, eat, and Mat. 26. 49.drink with him; kiſs his lips, and pretend to more than ordinary love and ſervice, call him Maſter, as Judas did, whoſe heart is not perfect with him, but for thirty peeces of ſilver, will deliver up Chriſt, and all his Diſciples, and all the intereſt of Religion, into they care not what hands. This is Judaſſes coming.
3 There bee that come to Chriſt full of their own righteouſneſs, and they reſolve Mat. 19. 16.to learn no more, nor to become new Schollars, to take out any new and harder leſſons. This is the young mans coming.
4 There bee ſome that come Capitulating, if Chriſt will humour them ſo far as to work ſome miracle to confirm their faith, they will become Chriſtians. Thus did the Phariſees come to him, Mat. 16. 1. And thus the High Prieſts when they had crucified him, profeſſed they would then beleeve in him, and become Proſelites to the Chriſtian Religion, if hee would, to ſatisfie their unbeleef, come down from the Croſs. This kinde of Mar. 15 32.faith is leſs than the faith of Devils, who profeſſed to beleeve wihtout a miracle; but as the Jews of old required a ſigne, 1 Cor. 1. 22. So do the Anabaptiſt, and the Quaker, put us now to prove our Doctrine by miracles, or they will not beleeve.
5 There bee ſome who come to Chriſt with intreaties (ſtrange intreaties that hee will not put forth his divine and gracious power over them) but let them ſtill alone quietly and peaceably as they are. Thus did the Legioniſt, beſeech him Mar. 5. 7.to let him alone untormented, and the Gadarens beſought him to leave them Mat. 8. 34.as hee found them, they feared there was more loſſe and expence, than gain and benefit by the Goſpel. Thus do the voluptous, and the worldling come to Chriſt.
6 There is a lazy coming to Chriſt, which is to no purpoſe, By night in my bed I ſought him whom my ſoule loved, I ſought him, but I found him not, Cant. 3. 1. This is the vain coming of a negligent and ſecure ſinner.
7 There is a late coming is as bad and hopeleſs. Master I will follow thee, when L…ke 9. 58, 59.I have got my friends good-will and conſent, or when I have got the eſtate I look for after my fathers deceaſe; give mee leave firſt to acquaint my friends, and bid them farewel, ſaid one to our Saviour, and another in the ſame place, Suffer mee firſt to go bury my father. This is the coming of ſuch as never mean to come.
8 There bee ſome who would come to Chriſt if they could come by night, that they might not bee obſerved, as Nicodemus did at firſt, as if Religion were a work of darkneſs which they were to bee ſhie, and aſhamed of: But indeed it was Io. 3. 2.more ſuitable to Judas, to come by night to take Chriſt (a work not fit to be ſeen by the Sun) than for Nicodemus to come by night to bee taken by Chriſt (a work not fit to bee hid from the Sun) Hee that is aſhamed of mee, Chriſt ſaith, in this adulterous and ſinful generation, of him will the M…r. 8. 38.Son of man bee aſhamed when hee cometh in his glory.
Who feares to doe ill, ſets himſelf a Taske.
Who feares to doe well, ſure ſhould wear a Mask. Herbert.
9 It muſt not bee a coming for an houre, as John Baptiſt had many ſuch Io. 5. 35.hearers, as could hear him for one houre, but could not hold out two. Herod had enough of John, and of Chriſt too, after hee had been one houre in his preſence, Luke 23. 8. Thus came many Diſciples to Chriſt for a while, and after went away offended, and never came to him more. They came to him to have their bellies filled with his miraculouſly multiplied Loaves; but when hee ſpake to them of other bread of life, labouring for it, and of another eating of his fleſh, they had heard their belly full, and away they went. From that time it is ſaid, Many of his Diſciples went backe, and walked no more with him, Joh. 6. 66.
10 Laſtly, It muſt bee no ſelfiſh, baſe, or ſiniſter coming, for ſelfiſh and private ends.
1 To gain any bodily eaſe, or cure in our pains and diſtreſs. This was all the errand many came for, Matth. 4. 24. Luke 17. 13.
2 For worldly commodity, to follow him for Loaves, Jo. 6. 26.
3 Or out of curioſity, as Herod longed to ſee Chriſt, and to bee acquainted with him, that hee might know what hee was, Luke 23. 8.and that hee might ſay hee had ſeen him, and ſpoke with him of whom there was ſo much talke. Such was the coming and climbing of Zacheus at firſt, all his ambition was but to ſee Jeſus, Luke 19. 4.
4 Nor to make one for Company ſake, becauſe there is ſuch a fame goes of him, and ſo many go after him, as they did, Mat. 4. 24, 25.
5 To conclude, It muſt not bee for any Licentious or ambitious ends.
1 Licentious, many would come to Chriſt upon thoſe termes that they propounded who came ſaying, Maſter wee would have thee do for us whatſoever wee Mark. 10. 35.do deſire. Good ſervants, were they not? Let us have what wee would, and doe what wee liſt, and do thou what wee would have thee do, and thou ſhall bee our Maſter. There bee many ſuch ſons of Zebedee, who would have a Chriſt, and they know not what elſe. But yee know not to whom yee ſpeak, nor what you aske.
2 Or Ambitious, ſo they may have higher honours, and wealthier offices to ſit at the right hand, or the left in a Kingdome, Mar. 10. 37:and to bee the men in place: This wo…ld pleaſe them better than to partake with Chriſt in either of his holy Sacraments, either to bee baptized with his Baptiſme, or drink of his cup.
But there is a better coming than any of theſe to bee deſcribed, and let mee ſay this to thy comfort, thou who comeſt aright, whatſoever thou art, and whatſoever thou haſt been, thou ſhalt bee happy. Hee is able to ſave to the uttermoſt all Heb. 7. 25.that come to God by him, the Apoſtle ſaith, and hee himſelf hath ſaid, Whoſoever Io. 6. 37.cometh to him, hee will in no wiſe caſt out: Bee thou never ſo much in thy own ſenſe unworthy, never ſo full of fears and doubts, never ſo much legally unclean, morally defiled, or haſt been under the greateſt power, and tyranny of the Devil; for mark it well, and tell mee, whom ever did hee ever caſt out, that came in a right manner to him? The Centurion ſaid, Hee was Mat. 8. 8.not worthy, but was not therefore caſt out. The woman in her iſſue of blood came full of fears, doubts and trembling, Mar. 5. 33. Mat. 26. 6.yet was not caſt out. Simon the Leper was legally unclean; ſuch Moſes put out of the Camp, but Chriſt puts not out of his Num. 5. 2.company. The Haemorrhoiſſe, who was ſo legally defiled, that ſhee had defiled whomſoever ſhee had touched, toucheth Chriſt, and is not caſt out. The Canaanites Mat. 15. 22.were to bee cut off, yet did not Chriſt caſt out the Canaanitiſh woman. Nay let a Publican come as Matthew, and Zacheus: A Harlot come, Publicans, and Harlots may enter into the Kingdome of Mat. 21. 31.God: A notorious infamous ſinner, as ſhee, Luke 7. 37. A Theef, as hee that dyed on the Croſs; a Magician, as they were ſuppoſed to have been by ſome, Matth. 2. and Act. 19. 19. To bee ſure Manaſſes was; a Blaſphemer, as Paul had been; yea a Murderer of Gods Saints as hee had been too; yea a Sodomite, 1 Cor. 6. 12, 13. Nay hadſt thou been under the power and dominion, of the Devil, Act. 10. 38. poſſeſſed by him Luke 8. 2. yea poſſeſſed by ſeven Devils as Magdalen, or with a whole Legion, as that poor man was, yet thou ſhalt finde hee is able to ſave thee to the utmoſt i thou come to him, and that hee will bee as good as his word, Hee will in no wiſe caſt thee out.
Some have obſerved in our Saviours Genealogy, there are but foure women named, and all of them were blotted with ſome reproachful brand. Ruth was by birth a Moabiteſs, (an heathen of inceſtuous extraction.) Rahab had been an Harlot, Ʋria's wife an adultereſs, and Tamar inceſtuous.
And ſome have noted again how that at our Saviours death, a Barabas, the vileſt wretch in all the pack, was releaſed by the death of Chriſt, to ſhew that the blood of Chriſt can take away all manner of ſins, and that Chriſt came not to ſave the righteous, but the ſinner, the very chief of ſinners.1 Tim. 1. 15.
So that if thou comeſt in a right manner thou art ſafe enough; which coming muſt bee
1 A ſincere and honeſt coming; Nathaniels was ſuch a coming, of whom when Chriſt ſaw him come, hee ſaith, Lo here is a man for mee, Behold an Iſraelite indeed in whom is no guile. All 10. 1. 47.other comings without this are nothing. The upright love him, it is ſaid, Cant. 1. 4. And hee loveth them. There is no love loſt between Chriſt, and them.
2 The next right coming to Chriſt is the diligent and inquiſitive coming (not a lazy coming as was ſaid before, as that of the indiſpoſed and drowſie Spouſe, who ſought by night, and in her bed, Cant. 3. 1. but found not. But) as the ſame Spouſe when ſhee ſaw her ſelfe diſappointed upon ſo ſleight a ſeeking, ſets upon it ſeriouſly, to riſe, to looke out, to make enquiry from place to place, from perſon to perſon, from Ordinance to Ordinance, till ſhee did light on him whom her ſoul ſought, verſ. 2. 3.
Such was the coming and ſeeking of the Virgin Mary, who having miſſed her and our Saviour, ſought for him among all her friends, and with much ſorrow for three dayes, that ſhee could not hear of him, ſhee comes to the Temple, and where ſhould ſhee finde him, but there? And among whom, but the Doctors, and Teachers? And what doing, but hearing, Luke 2. 46. 48and examining their doctrine?
There is a promiſe, Prov. 2. 3, 4. If thou crieſt after wiſdome, and lifteſt up thy voyce (as children that ſet up their throat, or their note for the breaſt) If thou ſeek her as ſilver and ſearcheſt her as for hid treaſure, thou ſhalt then underſtand, &c. It muſt bee a diligent coming, and ſeeking then. Men do not ſleightly ſeek a treaſure, but lay out for it, and part with all for it, Matth. 13. 44.
You read Dan. 7. of the great Monarchs of the world with what eagerneſs and diligence they purſue earthly Kingdomes, one is like a Lion, verſ. 4. and hath Eagles wings, another like a Leopard, ſwifter than a Lion, and hee hath foure wings upon his backe, verſ. 6. They do not dream or creep when earthly Kingdomes are to bee looked after, but they run of all foure, and foure legs are too little, they want wings, and two wings are too few, they muſt have foure. And as that filthy beaſt in the Apocalyps, that had ſeven heads, and ten horns, doth lay out all the Rev. 13. 1.policy of ſeven heads, and all the power of the ten Hornes, to enlarge his Dominion and Power: So it is with the godly ſoul, if hee had ſeven heads, and ten hearts, all ſhould bee imployed to ſeek out Chriſt, and to gain him.
But oh! That wee were but as diligent in ſeeking Chriſt, as Saul and his ſervants were in ſeeking the loſt Aſſes, yea 1 Sam. 10. 4.as the woman her Groat, nay it is a ſhame it ſhould bee ſaid, (Et dici potuiſſe, & non potuiſſe refelli.) As the Drunkard ſeeks his cups after hee hath ſmarted already.Prov. 23. 37.
Or the unclean ſpirit gone out of the man goeth through dry places, ſeeking reſt; yea as the unclean ſpirit not gone out of Mat. 12. 43.the woman, after her peace-offering, ſets her upon the ſeeking of her companion, and diligently ſhe tells him ſhe ſought till ſhe found him. Oh that Hell ſhould have Prov. 7. 15.ſo many ſeekers and puchaſers, and Chriſt and heaven none.
Alas wee ſeek Chriſt as the young 2 King. 2. 17.men ſought Elias body, if not finde it in three dayes ſpace give it over, or as Elias 1 King. 18. 43, 44.ſervant, when ſent to ſee what hee could diſcover in the skye, and ſeeing nothing, returns preſently, impatient of waiting; but wee ſhould do as Elias, ſend and ſend again, pray, wait, look, till wee ſee heaven full of clouds, and thoſe clouds of ſhowers, giving a joyfull anſwer, and return to all our prayers and hopes.
A lively example of this coming unto Chriſt, wee have in the Wiſe-men, Mat. 2. 1, 2. who ſpared no pains to finde a Saviour, they left their native Country, and ſet their faces towards Jeruſalem directed by the Star which firſt drew them out; at Jeruſalem, they inquire of the Scribes and Prieſts, theſe inquire at the Scripture, and direct them to Bethlehem, thither they go directed by Prieſts and Scripture, and the diſ-appearing Star breaks out again, and to Chriſt they come. All this was not without a myſtery. It was to ſhew us firſt that none come to Chriſt till divinely inlightned and acted: A Star appeared firſt, then God having appointed Miniſters to reveal Chriſt, they muſt bee ſought to for further direction: The Miniſter can go no further than the Scripture; To the Law and Teſtimony hee muſt go, and that is your way to Bethlehem, but you muſt look up for the Star again, Divine direction and manuduction, or Miniſters and Scripture cannot bring you to Chriſt. Neither Revelations without Miniſters, and Scripture, nor they without that ſpirit of Revelation, which the Apoſtle prayes for, Eph. 1. 17. are ſufficient.
Then 3. The next is the humble coming. The Centurions coming, Matth. 8. 8. Non ſum dignus, I am not worthy, ſaid hee, Thou ſhouldeſt come under my roof. The more unworthy in thy own account, the more worthy in Gods account. The greateſt faith lyes hid in the loweſt humility. Verily (ſaith Chriſt) I have not found ſo great faith no not in Iſrael. This is John Baptiſts coming, I am not worthy to touch the latchet Mat. 3. 11. 14▪of his ſhooe, I have need (and more than need) to come to thee, and comeſt thou to Io. 3. 30. Mat. 11. 11.mee? I muſt decreaſe, and be viler yet ſaid hee, yet Chriſt ſaith of him, There is not a greater Prophet than John the Baptiſt.
The humble Saviour, and the humble ſinner, are alwayes well met, and rejoyce mutually as Moſes and Aaron when they Exod. 4. 14.ſaw each other; you will not beleeve how far Chriſt Jeſus would go to meet an humble ſoul.
4 The fourth coming is the ſpeedy coming, and the ſpeedy coming is alway the ſpeeding coming. Zacheus his coming, Luke 19. 5, 6. Make haſte Zacheus, and come down, for I muſt dine at thy houſe this day, and hee made haſte, and came down, and received him joyfully. A rare and happy coming, hee comes at firſt call, hee doth what hee is bidden, and more, Chriſt bids him come, hee comes, hee bids come preſently, and hee comes ſpeedily; but Chriſt tells him hee will but dine with him, and hee ſaith, that thou ſhalt with all my heart, and in my heart, Chriſt ſaith nothing of forſaking all, and giving to the poor as to the young man, or making reſtitution. But this comes of himſelf when hee hath once entertained Chriſt: So that here are three things notable in his coming.
1 It was ſpeedily.
2 It was backed with an entertaining of Chriſt joyfully.
3 That entertaining Chriſt was followed with a through Reformation.
1 Hee did it ſpeedily, or hee made haſte (it is ſaid) So thou muſt while it is today, and not ſay, Let mee firſt bury my Luke 9. 59.father, &c.
2 This coming was backed with a reception, he received him joyfully into his houſe, and into his heart too, Chriſtum hominem & Chriſtum Meſſiam, the man Chriſt into his houſe, and Chriſt the Meſsias into his heart. Hee was hoſpes, & hoſpes, & epulae Chriſti. The Hoſt and Gueſt, and feaſt of Chriſt, and Chriſt was his Hoſt and Gueſt, and Feaſt. It might bee ſaid here, Hic eſt homo hoſpes Chriſti, hic eſt Chriſtus hoſpes hominis, Chriſt did dine with him, and of him, and hee did ſup with Chriſt, and of Chriſt.
3 His entertainment was commended by the Reformation that followed, verſ. 8. And Zacheus ſtood forth, and ſaid, Lord, Behold the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken any thing from any man, I reſtore him four-fold. This was the entertainment that pleaſed Chriſt better than all his chear, or if with Hezekiah, hee had ſhewed him all the roomes of his houſe, and all his Treaſury. Here was a mighty alteration Iſa. 39. 2.in Zacheus, hee was a rich Publican before, verſ. 2. here a rich Diſciple; of little ſtature, verſ. 3. of great growth here: Before no friend to the poor, but a cruel ſcraper, now a liberal diſtributer; Before an unconſcionable Extortioner, now a voluntary Reſtorer; Before a cloſe accuſer of others, now an open accuſer of himſelf.
His Reformation had three things notable in it.
1 It was viſible, hee ſtood forth, and ſaid, Behold.
2 Sincere, hee ſaid to the Lord, Behold Lord, which hee durſt not have done, if there had been any fraudulency in his heart.
3 It was Real and chargeable, and preſent too, Behold the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wronged any man, &c. Here is charity, and juſtice, and honeſty, and acknowledgement, and piety, and no ſooner ſpoken, but done too, reſolved on, and executed together, Behold I give] Not I will give at death; in life it is giving, at death call it leaving, not gift, but left. Half my goods] (not a few ſingle pence, which will neither do them much good, nor mee much hurt) but I have a fair eſtate, I may relieve a many poor, and yet leave my ſelfe enough to live on, and I will do it while I live, and while I am in health, yea I will about it to day.
Here is half an eſtate gone at a clap, and the man the richer.
And if I have wronged any man, &c. There is his honeſty, reſtitution, is as neceſſary of goods ill gotten, as charity of goods well gotten, ſo that ſaith hee, Let mee not leave my ſelfe worth a groat, I will bee juſt and honeſt, and no man ſhall bee damnified by mee.
Oh that there were many ſuch Comers, theſe ſhall not bee caſt out, but ſuch are enrolled Sons of Abraham, and ſalvation is ſettled upon ſuch houſes: For ſo it follows, And Jeſus ſaid unto him, This day is ſalvation come to this houſe, for ſo much as hee alſo is the Son of Abraham. Go thou, and do likewiſe, verſ. 9.
5 The coming with faith, no coming without this, Heb. 11. 6. This the coming of the Haemorrhoiſſe, Mar. 5. 28. who Mark. 5. 28.could get no help, and ſaw ſhee muſt come to Chriſt for it, or ſhee was never like to bee her own woman, and full of confidence, ſhee came plucking up her ſpirits by a ſtrong act of faith, and full perſwaſion in her ſelf, If ſhee might but touch Chriſt once, yea but his Garment onelyonly, ſhee ſhould bee well, ſhee adventured, ſhee preſſed neer, ſhee got a touch, ſhee was cured, ſo ſhee did, and ſo ſhee ſped; Her faith made her whole, it is ſaid, and yet ſhee feared and trembled too: Trembling Verſ. 33. 34.faith is true faith, and ſaving faith; as rejoycing, and trembling may ſtand together, Pſal. 2. 11.ſo beleeving and trembling.
6 The coming with true Goſpel-Repentance and Godly ſorrow is a ſafe coming. This was the coming of that penitent woman Luk. 7. 37, 38. ſhee came with her bottle of tears, and Boxe of oyntment, ſhee came as abaſhed, and aſhamed of her ſins behinde him, ſhe wept, then ſhe waſhed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with her haires (it was her tears that needed wiping, not the feet of Chriſt) then kiſſed his feet, and anointed them with the oyntment. Shee looked on him whom ſhee had pierced, and mourned, and was in bitterneſs, but this coming hath a happy farewel, Go in peace, thy ſins are forgiven thee, verſ. 47. 50.
There is no coming unto Chriſt at all without Repentance and Contrition.
There are two great comings and appearances of Chriſt propheſied of in Scripture, and two great mourning dayes, and both theſe fall out on the dayes of his appearing. His firſt coming is in a day of grace, when all the families of Iſrael mourn as for an onelyonly Son, Zach. 12. 10. The ſecond mourning is at his ſecond coming, when all the kindreds and families of the earth ſhall mourn, becauſe of him, Rev. 1. 7.
In the one the godly look upon him, and ſay, There is hee whom wee have pierced, Iſa. 53. 5.yet did hee bear our iniquities, and by his ſtripes are wee healed. Weep and break (hearts of fleſh) tears of love and compunction. In the other ſhall the wicked ſay, There is hee who would have been our Saviour, hee whom wee would not have to Reigne over us, now comes to bee our Judge, and who is able to abide the day Mal. 3. 2. Rev. 6. 16.of his appearing, and to ſtand before the wrath of the Lamb, therefore weep and break (O hard and ſtony hearts) with tears of horror and deſpair. They who weep not on ſuch a day of grace, ſhall to bee ſure, weep at his appearing in the day of his wrath. The firſt weeping is like the Summer ſhowers, followed with fruitfulneſs, in which is the Rain-bow to bee ſeen, the token of the Covenant. This I may call the ſigne of the Son of man coming in the clouds of Grace. The other mourning is like the unceſſant mourning of the heavens in the Winter months, when there is continual rain and cold withall, but no fruitfulneſs. Then ſhall the heavens melt, 2 Pet. 3. 10.and mourn and paſs away with a noyſe, and bee no more, and earth, and hell ſhall melt and mourn too, but not paſs away at all, but paſs away eternity with a hideous and inceſſant noyſe, ſtridore dentium, fletu & gemitu, weeping, wayling, and gnaſhing of teeth.
In a word, thou muſt either repent in Earth or Hell; either mourn with Chriſt, or with Satan; either mourn for ſin, or paine; mourn for a Chriſt here, or for want of a Chriſt for ever. Either by thy repentance thou muſt make God repent, as I may ſay, or God will make thee repent, Jonah 3. 10.and that for want of Repentance.
7 The ſeventh coming is with urgent importunity and humble ſubmiſſion. This Mat. 15. 22, 23 &c.was the prevalent and ſucceſsful coming of that woman of Canaan, who wraſtled and prevailed, and had power with God, and carried away the bleſſing and had her petition ſigned with a full Fiat. Fiat voluntas tua, as Luther once ſaid, O woman thy will bee done, Bee it to thee even as thou wilt. Her importunity was urgent when ſhee came (a Canaaniteſs to whom no promiſe was made, but was under the old curſe of Cham, and under the threats of being ſpued out, and caſt out) yet ſaith ſhee, If hee will not caſt mee out, I will not caſt out my ſelf to bee ſure, that were deſperate madneſs; Shee comes in hope againſt hope, in faith, without a promiſe, and when ſhee hears no anſwer at firſt, ſhee reſolves ſhee will have an anſwer, or there ſhee will lye and dye, and will not give over praying & depending, and when a harſh anſwer came next to a repulſe, I am not ſent but to Iſrael, ſhee reſolves ſhee muſt not be ſo ſaid, for a bleſſing ſhee came, and a bleſſing ſhee would have ere ſhee would let go, for a Chriſt ſhee came, and a Chriſt I muſt and will have, or I will never away; As Ruth would not bee ſhaken off by her mother Naomi, Intreat mee not to leave thee, for where thou goeſt, I will follow thee, where thou lyeſt, I will lye, nothing but death ſhall part us, Ruth 1. 16, 17. So ſaith ſhee, Let him delay, I will wait; Let him rate mee, I will ſtoop; Let him deny mee, I will not deny him; Let him cast mee off, I will not caſt him off; I muſt not now give over, ſince I have ingaged; If I periſh, I muſt on, If hee kill mee, I will truſt in him. Shee ſeemed to Job 13. 15.ſay in this caſe as the late King about Tonnage and Poundage, I do not challenge it, but I cannot want it, nor will go without it. So ſhe, I cannot challenge any part in a Savior, my birth is of the land of Canaan, but I can worſe want him. O Lord, haſt thou any pleaſure in the death of a ſinner? Wilt thou who haſt never caſt out one that came to thee, make mee the firſt and onelyonly perſon that was ever diſappointed? It were juſt Lord, yet ſtrange, Shall I dye in thy preſence? as they Gen. 47. 19.ſaid to Joſeph, Look on our pale faces, pined carkaſſes, give us bread, and wee will become thy ſervants, Save our lives, take all, ſo they. So ſhe, Lord Jeſus, Shall I dye at thy feet? Look on this troubled ſoul, at this burdened conſcience, at this bleeding heart, at this grieved and troubled ſpirit, but come on it what will, I will wait, pray, weep, hope, beleeve, hold out, and if I periſh, I periſh: I will periſh at the Pools ſide, I will lay my bones at Chriſts gate, but who knows whether the Lord will not repent, and bee intreated? Eſt. 4. 16. Jon. 3. 9.Oh the prevalency of this importunity! It knocks and opens the treaſures of Heaven, and never returnes empty.
Then her humble ſubmiſſion, is as remarkable, Shall I take the childrens bread, and caſt it to the dogs? ſaith hee: Shee replies, Lord I challenge not a childes portion, I come not on ſuch termes: If I may have the leaſt crumb, it is more than I deſerve, and for the leaſt meaſure of grace, I ſhall bee thankfull, as much as thou wilt, or as little as thou pleaſeſt, ſo I may have any: Beggars muſt bee no chuſers, I put my ſelf upon thee, refer all to thee, Lord help mee ſaith ſhee, what will become of mee, if here I am ſaid nay? with this importunity and ſubmiſſiveneſs, ſhee prevails, and ſo ſhalt thou whoſoever thou art. Theſe two when they meet are like Sauls ſword, and Jonathans bow (they alwayes ſpeed) never 2 Sam. 1. 22.return empty from heaven. Chriſt Jeſus will ſend away ſuch comers, as Boaz did Ruth, who came to glean in his field with as much as ever ſhee could Ruth 3. 15.carry away; for hee ſaid, Thou ſhalt not go home empty to thy mother in Law. They Verſ. 17.who carry out this precious ſeed with weeping, ſhall doubtleſs go home with rejoycing, bringing home their ſheaves with Pſal. 126. 6.them. The Lord will anſwer ſuch a ſoul ever, as hee did the Angel, Zach. 1. 13. With good words, and comfortable words. One handfull (a ſmall quantity) of this corn in the top of the mountains, the fruit thereof ſhall ſhake like Lebanon, as it is ſaid, Pſal. 72. 16. There ſhall bee a mighty increaſe, and rich return to ſuch bleſſed ſouls.
Thou mayeſt perhaps (Reader) think mee to dwell long upon this point: I anſwer with Davids words to his brother, And is there not a cauſe? I ſhall confeſs the truth, I have a deſigne upon thee, but it is an honest one: The ſelf-ſame deſign I would have thee have upon Chriſt, I would not leave thee till by importunity I have prevailed with thee to go to Chriſt, that thou mighteſt go to Chriſt, and not leave till by thy importunity thou haſt prevailed with him to come to thee. Importunity prevailed once with a ſterne and unjuſt Judge, Luke 18. 5. And ſhall it not with a meek Saviour? It fetched water out of a flint that was dry, and ſhall it not draw milke out of breaſts that are full? Oh that thou wouldeſt hearken unto mee in this as Jotham ſaid, That God may hearken to thee. Do but try, and do thou ſhew the ſame unwillingneſs to part with Chriſt as once Eliſha did to part with his Maſter, Tarry thou here, ſaith hee three 2 King. 2. 2. &c.times, for I am ſent to Bethel, ſaid hee, then to Jericho, then to Jordan, and hee as often doth reply with a peremptory reſolution, As the Lord liveth, and as thy ſoul liveth, I will not leave thee. Do thou ſo, and thou ſhalt not bee ſhaken off. And bee confident it will bee ſaid to thee as it was to him at laſt. Then tell mee, What I ſhall do for thee, Eliſha, before I go, aske what thou wilt; then ſaith hee, Let mee have a double portion of thy ſpirit; A hard requeſt ſaid Elijah, my only requeſt ſaid Eliſha. Do thou the like. Lord if I may not have thy bodily preſence, let mee have thy Spirit, and a double portion of it. There is nothing hard with thee I know, my requeſt is great I confeſs, not hard, hard for mee to aske, not for thee to grant; and it is eaſier for thee to beſtow, than for mee to beleeve it ſo.
Perſiſt, and thou haſt prevailed.
Take unto thy ſelf words, and if thou receiveſt a repulſe, ſit not down by it, but redouble thy importunity. Take Jobs words, If I hold my tongue, I ſhall give Job 13. 19.up the ghoſt. I muſt ſpeak, I muſt and will have an anſwer, what ever come of it. Take the Churches words, Lam 3. 49. 50. Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaſeth not without any intermiſſion; Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven: For the Lord will not caſt off for ever; But though hee cauſe grief, yet will hee have compaſſion according to the multitude of his mercies, verſ. 31, 32. yea take the Lords own words, and humbly retort them, Hoſ. 11. 8. How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee Iſrael? ſay thou Lord, How ſhall I give thee up then? How ſhall I deliver thee, and part with thee then? How ſhall I be made as Admah? and ſet as Zeboim? Oh let thy heart bee turned wthin thee, and thy repentings let them bee kindled together.
8 The eighth coming is, to come to Chriſt with ſelf-denial, Matth. 16. 24. If any will come after mee, let him deny himſelf, &c. Now there is a threefold ſelf to be denied. 1 An Evill; 2 A Civill; 3 Holy ſelf.
1 Evill ſelf. Nicodemus denied his evill ſelf when hee came firſt to Chriſt by night, Joh. 3. 2. to become his Schollar, and to bee informed by him in matters of Religion; hee denied his Civil or Secular ſelf, when hee openly avowed and pleaded for Chriſt, Joh. 7. 50. But hee went further when hee owned a crucified Chriſt, and joyned in the charge of his honourable burial. Here was a Jo. 19. 39.totall ſelf-denial, or more plainly in Paul who denied his Evil ſelf at the firſt call, when hee ſaid, Lord, what wilt thou have mee to do, Act. 9. 6. his Civil ſelf hee denied when afterwards hee ſaid, I am ready to bee bound, and to dye for the Name of Act. 21. 13.Jeſus; but his denial of his holy and Religious ſelf, was higheſt, when hee ſaid, I count all loſs and dung, even my righteouſneſs, and all, that I may win Chriſt, and bee found in him, &c. Phil. 3. 8, 9. Wee come not to Chriſt at all, if wee come not off from all things elſe, and relye alone on him. If our branches (to allude to Ezekiels Parable) when they grow up ſhall lean to any other Eagle, any other Ez. 17. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.prop to bee ſupported and nouriſhed by, that hee might water it by the furrows of her plantation, Shall they proſper, ſhall not the root thereof bee pulled up, and all the fruit cut off, and all wither when the Eaſt wind cometh? yea they ſhall wither in the very furrows where they grow. But the example of all examples in this, As in all our other duties, is Chriſt himſelf, who bids us follow him, and go no further than hee goes before us. Hee had indeed no Evil ſelf to deny; but what a proof of high ſelf-denial did he give in the firſt ſtep of his humiliation? When hee left a Kingdome and glory in heaven to become the Son of man? and when hee refuſed a Kingdome on earth, when offered, Io. 6. 15.and almoſt forced on him; was not here a mighty Civil ſelf-denial, as when hee refuſed all the Kingdomes of the world, tendred by Satan upon baſe and diſhonorable termes, hee ſhewed hee had no Evil Mat. 4. 10.ſelf to bee corrupted and wrought upon; hee denied his Spiritual ſelf, when hee ſaid, I came not down from heaven to do my own will, but the will of him that ſent mee, Jo. 6. 40. It is as if hee had ſaid to his Father, If I have a body, or a ſoul; If I have life, limbs, honour, eſteem, all ſhall go to do thee ſervice; I am content to do thy Pſal. 40. 8. Mat. 20. 28.will; I came not to be miniſtred to, but to miniſter. And to his Church hee ſaid, If I have grace, ſpirit, righteouſneſs, ſoul body, bloud, any thing that may do poor ſinners good, all ſhall go; if you want righteouſneſs, merits, comfort; come to mee, you ſhall never want while I have ought; yea let me be taken, ſo that theſe may eſcape Io. 18. 8, 9.ſaith hee to his enemies; and as Judah to Joſeph, Let mee bee bound, and Gen. 44. 33.remain a Bond-man: I refuſe it not, Let not my poor brother for whom I have undertaken ſuffer, yea further ſaid Chriſt, Let mee bee poor, ſo they may bee inriched, 2 Cor. 8. 9.let mee bee a curſe, ſo they bee 2 Cor. 5. 21.bleſſed, yea let righteouſneſs, and all go, and let mee bee made ſin, ſo they may become righteouſneſs before God, I am content yea he did not onelyonly deny a civil, and an holy ſelf, but a Divine ſelf, when hee was content his glory ſhould bee vailed as Moſes his was, his Deity as it were laid by, or not obſerved. When it had been no robbery for him to bee equal with God, yet hee made himſelf of no reputation, Phil. 2. 6, 7.but took upon him the form of a ſervant, and humbled himſelfe to the death of the Croſs, &c. Here hee gave not as a King to a King, as Araunah to David, but as a 2 Sam. 24. 23.God to a God: hee ſaid as the Queen to the King Ahaſuerus, If it had been but Eſt. 7. 4.for my ſelf, and my ſufferings, I could have held my peace; But how can I indure to ſee the deſtruction of my people? And therefore if I have found grace in thine eyes, and am hee in whom thy ſoule delighteth, Let my peoples lives bee given mee at my requeſt, and their deliverance procured by my interceſſion, ſufferings, exinanition; if the Deity be able to ſatisfie the Deity, and all the Treaſures of the Exchequer of heaven bee exhauſted to redeem ſo many Captives, I am content; If my Perſon may ſatisfie, I will offer and ſuffer to the utmoſt, that they may bee ſaved to the utmoſt. Here wee may juſtly ſtop and cry, foreign, not Oh Altitudo! Oh the height; but, Oh the depth of the humility and ſelf-denial of Chriſt.
In like manner the beleever cometh to Chriſt, Oh Lord, haſt thou dyed for mee, and ſhall I not dye, and live for thee? Haſt thou denied thy ſelf, thy Civil, thy Spiritual, thy Divine ſelf for mee, and ſhall I not deny my ſelf, my Evil, my Civil, my ſorry ſpirituall ſelf for thee? Viciſti Galilee, Viciſti Chriſte. Oh Lord, thou haſt overcome mee, not by force, but by irreſiſtible love! Oh Lord, I lay all at thy feet, and hee ſpeaketh to Chriſt, in that ſubmiſſive language of Ahab to Benhadad; It is true my Lord, O King, according to thy ſaying, I am thine, and all that I 1 King. 20. 4.have is at thy command. And afterwards a Covenant made between them that they ſhould have ſtreets in each others Royal Cities. So ſaith the willing 1 King. 20. 34.ſelf-denying ſoule, Lord make thee ſtreets in my heart to command all in mee, ſo I may have but a room, a lodging room, or one good thought in thy heart.
9 The next right coming to Chriſt is, a coming with a holy deſpair, that is a deſpair in thy ſelfe, and a deſpair in the creature, the Miniſter, and Ordinances; This was the coming of the ſaddeſt ſoul that ever came to Chriſt, that ſorrowfull Father who came in behalf of his ſon ſo extremely tormented, ſo long tormented Mar. 9. 22, 23, 24.even from a childe, and no help could bee had from all the Diſciples of Chriſt, therefore it was a deſperate caſe, and if Chriſt could not help him, hee was without all hope. Therefore hee puts Chriſt upon it, If thou canſt do any thing more than another, and haſt any compaſſion upon a poor creature, have compaſsion upon us, and help us. Oh Lord, I ſee vaine is the help of man. Not onelyonly a horſe, but a Diſciple, yea an Ordinance, faſting, prayer, is a vaine thing, neither can they ſave any by their vertue or holineſs. Oh Lord, I utterly deſpair of help if not from thee. But is there any thing too hard for thee, or canſt thou ſhut up thy compaſſions on a miſerable creature? I caſt my ſelfe upon Omnipotency, and Omnimiſericordy, upon Almightineſs, and All-mercifulneſs, with tears hee intreats, Lord I beleeve, help my unbeleef: Do a worke like thy ſelfe, like the Son of God, if either thou canſt, (which I doubt not of) or ever didſt ſhew pity to poor ſoules, or haſt any compaſsions left (which I know endure for ever) then help at a dead lift, in a deſperate caſe. There hee prayes, hee cries, hee weeps, hee fears, hee hopes, hee beleeves, hee doubts; he prevails.
So it will bee with the pooreſt creature that can bee; the poor ſoul that ſeeks water, and findes none, whoſe ſoule faints within him, and his tongue cleaveth to the roof Iſa. 41. 17, 18.of his month, then will Chriſt not forſake him, but make ſprings break out in the wilderneſs. When thou ſayeſt I have waited Pſal. 119. 123.long, and am not helped, Mine eye fails for thy ſalvation, my enemies are ready to ſay, There is no help for him, and Satan Pſal. 3. 2.adds, No not in thy God, pray no more, trouble thy ſelfe no further, ſee, hath not God forſaken thee, hee anſwers thee no more by Ʋrim, or Prophets, or any means 1 Sam. 28. 15.thou canſt uſe, and my miſ-giving heart is ready as Saul to fall apeeces, and Verſ. 20.to dye away with the news, and to give aſſent to the Prince of darkneſs, and to ſay, I fear Satan it is too true, I am caſt out of his ſight, I am free among the dead; I am clean forgotten, I am in the belly of Pſal. 88. 5. Jonah 2. 2, 4.hell, yet I ſay look up to his holy Temple, with a holy ſelf-deſpair, out of this hell, there is redemption. Say, I will go to Chriſt what ever comes of it, Who knows what the Lord may do? The wounded ſpirit is the opprobrium medici & Theologi, is the Kings evil which onelyonly Chriſt can cure, I will go to him, though I go upon the waters, though I ſinke as I go, I will cry out, Lord ſave mee I periſh, who Mat. 14. 30.knows but hee may reach out a hand of love and pity to mee, though I cannot reach out a hand of faith to him: I may bee comprehended by him, though I can-not comprehend him. I ſee love doth deſcend, not aſcend, it doth ſo in men, doth it not much more in God? Why ſhould I give over in deſpair? I will hope in him if hee kill mee. I hope God is not as man that hee ſhould repent, and deny his word, and mercy promiſed: I hope Job 13. 15. 1 Sam. 15. 29.hee will not ſet his purity, againſt my impurity, his holineſs againſt my ſin, his wiſdome againſt my folly, his faith againſt my unbeleef; Shall his faithfulneſs faile, becauſe my faith failes, and his foundations bee deſtroyed, becauſe mine are? The Lord is yet in his holy Temple, and hath Pſal. 11. 3, 4.ſaid our unbeleef ſhall not make void his faith, nor our ſin his grace, but if wee deny him, and our ſelves, hee cannot deny himſelf, nor us; if wee bee unfaithful, hee Rom. 3. 3.abideth faithful. Hold, and hang here 2 Tim. 2. 13. 19in hope, above hope, and againſt deſpair, and all will bee well.
Ʋna ſalus in ſe nullam ſperare ſalutem,
Wee ſafeſt are
In ſelf-deſpaire.
10. Tenthly, Another right coming to Chriſt is to take up his yoke and our croſs, I put them together, the one being the deſcription and badge of our active, the other of our paſsive obedience. To both which wee are called. And hereof can no ſuch pattern bee given as Chriſt himſelf was, who ſaid, It is written of mee that I ſhould do thy will, O God, Lee I Pſal. 40. 7. 8.come; Thy Law is in my heart, yea it is my meat and drinke to do my Fathers worke: Joh. 4 34.Therefore might hee well ſay, Take my yoke upon you, and learn of mee. Go no Mat. 11. 29.further then you ſee mee lead you, as Gideon ſaid to his ſouldiers, Look on mee, and do what you ſee mee do. And thus do all Jud. 7. 17.the godly follow the Lamb whereſoever hee goeth, and in whatſoever hee commandeth, as David, Thou haſt commanded that I ſhould keep thy precepts diligently: Oh now that my wayes were made Pſal. 119. 4, 5.ſo direct that I might keep thy ſtatutes. Yea the godly ſoul ſubſcribeth to any ſuch termes of obedience as the Lord ſhall appoint, with the like readineſs that Laban entertained Jacobs motion, Oh that it might bee according to thy ſaying, I accept of all, except againſt nothing.Gen. 30. 34.
And as for Paſsive obedience, and taking up the Croſs, never did any come near him, never did any ſuffer ſo grievouſly, ſo innocently, and yet ſo patiently, and willingly; hee deſpiſed the Croſs, it is ſaid, that is, he made light of it, he had power Heb. 12. 2. Jo. 10. 18.to preſerve his life, yet hee laid it down; hee ſaid, Let not my will bee done, but thine, to his Father. And to us hee ſaith, you ſhall not go half ſo far, as I have done, nor ſhall your hotteſt furnace bee heated one ſeven times ſo hot as mine. Hee Iſ. 50. ….turned not away his face from ſpitting on, nor from them that pulled off the haire. Let mee decreaſe ſaid hee, bee betrayed, weep, bleed, dye, bee made a curſe, tread the winepreſs of the Fathers wrath, a miſery which none but my ſelfe, and the damned know what it is (and none of mine Elect ſhall ever know for mee) ſo that God may bee honoured, and man redeemed, I have enough. I have a baptiſme to bee baptized with, and how am I ſtraitned till it Luke 12. 50.be accompliſhed, ſaid hee of his ſufferings.
And ſuch a coming was Pauls, who was ſo inured to ſufferings, that hee could rejoyce in his ſufferings, hee looks 2 Cor. 12. 10.upon his chains as his grace, and his skars, buffetings, ſcourgings, ſtonings for Phil. 1. 7.Chriſt, as his greateſt triumphs.
I read in Joſephus, that when Herod Antipater was accuſed to Julius Caeſar as no good friend of his, hee made no other Apology, but ſtripping himſelf ſtark naked, ſhewed Caeſar his wounds, and ſaid, Let mee hold my tongue, theſe wounds will Joſ. Bel. Iu… l. 1. c. ….ſpeake for mee how I have loved Caeſar.
How few are there that now adayes could make any ſuch proof of their love to Chriſt?
I read alſo of Auguſtus, how hee left the Throne, and came to the Bar to plead in the behalf of a common ſouldier, who was called in queſtion for his life, who fearing how it would go with him, deſired his protection: Auguſtus aſſigned him Councel to plead his cauſe. Hee boldly ſhews his wounds, and tells the Emperor, That hee had fought for him in his own perſon, and not by proxy, deſired him to plead his cauſe himſelfe, and not aſſigne another. The Emperor, as I ſaid, came from his ſeat, and pleaded at the Bar, and brought off the ſouldier ſafe.
Oh how will Chriſt own and honour ſuch Chriſtians as have not ſet on others, but expoſed themſelves to hazards, loſſes, and ſufferings for his ſake! Hee will leave the Throne, and intercede on their behalf; Father theſe were not aſhamed of mee in an evill world, but did confeſs mee before men, I ſhall therefore confeſs them, and undertake their cauſe before thy judgement ſeat.Mar. 10. 32.
11 In the eleventh place to come to Chriſt is to learn of him, and become a diſciple of his, Mat. 11. 28, 29. Come to mee all yee that labour, &c. Learn of mee. Now wee muſt learn of Chriſt two wayes.
1 By way of inſtruction, to look upon him as the OnelyOnly Prophet, whom the Lord Act. 3. 22.promiſed to raiſe up unto his people, from whoſe mouth wee muſt receive the Law, whoſe dictates are to be obſerved as the only Oracles of God, and rule of doctrine and life. This is my Son hear him, ſaith Mat. 17. 5.the Father, One is your Maſter, even Chriſt, ſaith hee of himſelfe, therefore call none Mat. 23. 10.other your Maſter on earth. Wee are not to pin our faith on any mans ſleeve, as wee ſay, but wee are to hang it on his lips, as it is ſaid, Luke 19. 48. All the people were very attentive to him to hear foreignhim; the word is, they hanged on him, hanged on his mouth. Pendebat, i. e. Pendetque iterum narrantis abore. Virg.Inhiabat.
2 Wee muſt learn of Chriſt by way of imitation. This is the better kind of learning. The one is called a learning of Chriſt, this to learn Chriſt, Eph. 4. 19. You have not ſo learned Chriſt. This is to come to Chriſt indeed, when wee learn and follow Chriſt. As hee is ſaid to learn Tully, and to become a Ciceronian, who hath got Tullies phraſe, ſtile, actions, or hee a Platoniſt, who hath all Plate his own, is verſed in him, ſo as to become wholly of his opinions, ſo is hee the right Chriſtian that hath ſo learned Chriſt, that hee hath his ſtile, language, behaviour, all Chriſt is his own, hee lives not, but Chriſt lives in him, and the life Gal. 2. 20.hee lives in the fleſh, is according to the life of the Son of God. As hee was, ſo muſt wee bee in this world, 1 John 4. 17.
But there is one thing above all the reſt, eſpecially to bee learned here, or no where; and if wee learn not this, wee have not learned any thing yet from Chriſt, viz. to bee meek and lowly; In other Schools the higheſt Schollar is the beſt, in Chriſts the loweſt; and the leaſt childe by reaſon of his lowlineſs, is the greateſt man in the Kingdome of heaven.Mat. 18. 2.
12 But for all this that hath been ſaid, yet if thy coming to Chriſt bee a right coming, it muſt bee a drawn coming, Jo. 6. 44. None can come to mee except the father which ſent mee draw him, &c.
Wee come not of our own legs, but are drawn or carried, yet not reſiſting, or hanging backe, but of unwilling, made moſt Pſal. 110. 3. Omnipotentiſſimae miſericordiae, miſericordiſſimae omnipotentiae.willing, in the day of his moſt gracious power. So that there is a concurrence of Gods act and mans; Gods act, the Father draws, mans act, hee cometh. As when Jeremy was drawn out of his Dungeon, hee was as willing to bee helped out, as Jer. 38. 13.they to help him. Or when Judas drew many people after him, Act. 5. 37. or ſeducers draw diſciples after them, Act. 20. 30. It doth not denote any violent coaction, but that there was a voluntary concurrence of their will, Act. 5. 26. They were ſaid to bee brought, foreign, So Prov. 20 5. Iam. 1. 13.without any violence offered at all. There is a co-action, ſenſu activo without coaction, a co-working, without any compulſion.
Now the ſoul is like a Chariot drawn to Chriſt on four wheels.
1 The Father draws, Joh. 6. 44. 45. which drawing is there interpreted the Fathers ſupernatural, and immediate teaching, inlightning, exciting moving them, alluring, and ſpeaking to the heart, as it is in Hoſ. 2. 14. Then ſhee ſaith, I will go to my husband, for then it was better Hoſ. 2. 7.with mee than now it is. So the Prodigal was drawn, when hee ſaid within himſelf, Luke 15. 17, 18I will home to my Father, his underſtanding was convinced, Shall I ſit here and periſh? and his will was inclined when hee came to himſelf, and reſolved to change his courſe. Now God is ſaid to draw his people oft in Scripture, and his drawing is a ſweet and gracious drawing with cords of a man, not of a beaſt driven by force or with blows, Hoſ. 11. 4. with Cords of love, and loving kindneſs, Jer. 31. 3.
2 Chriſt Jeſus is ſaid to draw, Jo. 12. 32. When I am liftedup, I ſhall draw all men to mee. As the Sun in his Summer ſtrength, rarifies thick vapours, diſpels them, and draws them up, ſuch an attractive influence is in the Son of Righteouſneſs. Chriſts love is as the Loadſtone, Cant. 1. 4. Draw us, wee will run after thee. As wee ſay they muſt needs go, whom Satan drives, ſo they muſt needs come, whom Chriſt draws. Yet as when Satan draws, or drives, wicked ones are taken captive by him at his will, with their own good liking, ſo Chriſt takes his ſervants 2 Tim. 2. 26.captive at his will, with their free conſent. Thus were the Wiſe-men drawn out of the Eaſt to make inquiry after him. And the Spouſe in the Canticles, Mat. 2.who had not the power to keep her bed, but ſaid, I will ariſe and ſeek for him Cant. 3. 2.whom my ſoul loveth. There are rare ſoul-raviſhing impreſſions ſet on the ſpirit by unuſual inſinuations of Chriſt, and emanations of his grace and love when hee thus draws. Theſe are the right impulſes, ſet on the heart by Chriſt.
3 The Spirit draws, Wee are ſaid to bee lead by the Spirit, Rom. 8. 14. Idem eſt duci, Rom. 8. 14. & trahi, Joh. 6. 41. Pauls leading is all one with Johns drawing. Such are ſweetly, yet ſtrongly acted by the Spirit, that they yeeld and follow with the freeſt: will that ever they did any thing in all their life. Never did they more willingly eat when hungry, or reſt them when weary, then they come over unto Chriſt. The Son and Spirit have made them free, and therefore they are free indeed, Liberi, quia Liberati. Their feet Jo. 8. 36. 2 Cor. 3. 17. Pſal. 18. 33.are made like Hindes feet, and they are ſet upon their high places, on the upper ground that they can run as eaſily, as one down hill. This drawing makes the feet more nimble, and the way more eaſie and pleaſant. As when Seducers draw diſciples after them, they follow ſpontaneouſly Act. 20. 30.and greedily, ſo when the Spirit leads or draws, here is no forcing. Or as when a man of underſtanding doth handſomely draw out that wiſdome that is in Prov. 20. 5.the heart of a man like deep water, the one party being as free to impart, as the other to inquire and receive; ſo there lyes in the ſoul a deep Well of chuſing and refuſing in the will, and the ſpirit of underſtanding draws out that faculty to his own good liking, and eternal advantage.
4 A mans own will is the fourth wheel, and hath his act and turn too: It is not the onelyonly wheel as ſome will have it, nor the firſt wheel, but the very laſt wheel; it hath onelyonly motum ſequacem & conjunctum, a motion of concomitance, as the other orbs are by the prime mover; or as the wheels in Ezekiel, moved along with the motion of the Spirit that acted them, Ezek. 1. 20.ſo is this wheel by the former wheels.
Thy own will left to it ſelf will not bring thee to Chriſt, thy will will keep thee away. Yee will not come unto mee that you may have life, Joh. 5. 40. Mat. 23. 37. I would, yee would not. But when the Father hath drawn, the Son and Spirit drawn, the will comes an end, Tracta, trahenſque; firſt it ſelf being drawn, then drawing; As the Kine that bare the Arke Trahit ſua quem que voluntas. Iam. 1. 13, 14.went lowing, but never looked back, 1 Sam. 6. 12. And ſo as James ſaith of a wicked man hee is drawn of himſelf when hee goes to evill, his own heart prompts him, and puts him on; ſo is a godly perſon drawn of himſelf, when hee cometh to Chriſt, onelyonly with this difference: To evill the will hath a ſpring within it ſelf, the nether ſpring, when wee do evill, we do it of our own, but the ſpring of good is from an upper ſpring. Every good is from above, Jam. 1. 17. But our will may bee ſaid to draw us, as it is ſaid, our ſpirit makes us willing, Ex. 35. 17. When a poor ſoul hears of the excellency and neceſſity of Chriſt, and is ſtirred up by invitations from without, and by excitations within, and deſires, hee earneſtly pants, thirſts, and begs, Draw mee that I may run after thee, I ſhall never ſtir, except Cant. 1. 4.thou draw mee, leave not the wheel without the ſpirit, my will without thy drawing; I ſhall otherwiſe bee as the windmil, whoſe ſayles cannot turn it about, if the wind ſtir not.
I ſpeak the more largely of this, that wee may the better know whether wee have yet come to Chriſt, or no. Now as when the Lord ſaith, Make you a new heart; Turn you, turn you, why will you dye? Ezek. 18. 31. Pſal. 51. 10. Ier. 31. 18.If wee go to him, and eccho, Lord make thou mee a new heart, Convert thou mee then I ſhall bee converted; Why ſhould I dye in thy preſence: I cannot ſtir my heart when I go about it, I ſhake my ſelf to no purpoſe, as Sampſon did. Theſe complaints and bemoanings and prayers, are the language of the Spirit of God, and ſhew a converſion, or are the acts of our converſion; ſo when wee ſay, Draw mee, that I may run after thee, Blow O wind, turn about this my Windmill, Lo I come, thy Law is in my heart. Cant. 4. 16.This is effectual coming unto Chriſt. Therefore I ſay in this caſe as the Lord ſaid to David, When thou heareſt the noyſe in the tops of the Mulberry trees, then beſtir thy 2 Sam. 5. 21.ſelf, the Lord is gone before thee; or as Samuel ſaid to Saul, when theſe three ſignes come to paſs, when thou feeleſt theſe three drawings, do as occaſion ſerveth, for 1 Sam. 10. 7.the Lord is with thee. As when the Figtree, and all the other trees put forth leaves, you know the Summer is nigh, ſo when theſe three drawings come, know the Kingdome of God is nigh, even at the door.
Laſtly, If thou canſt not ſay, Thou haſt ever yet come to Chriſt in theſe former comings, thou canſt not ſay, Thou ever cameſt humbly, penitently, beleevingly, ſelf-deſpairingly, importunately, &c. or that ever thou waſt drawn to him, as I ſaid even now, thy caſe is ſad I confeſs, yet not deſperate. I have one word to ſay to thee yet ere I have done, to thy comfort, Hee that hath ears to hear, let him hear, hee that can receive this ſaying, let him receive it. Deſpair not, no mans caſe is utterly deſperate.
There is one more coming yet, the laſt, the late coming, the coming of the Theef on the Croſs; come yet to Chriſt, come judging thy ſelfe, condemning thy ſelfe, ſuing for mercy, and caſt thy ſelfe upon Chriſt (there is a poſſibility yet left, and ſome hopes that thou mayeſt bee ſafe; but I ſpeak not ſo certainly and confidently here as upon the former comings) This was the late coming of the Theef upon the Croſs, hee had never been called before, nor haply heard of a Chriſt before, but now when death was upon him, and his ſin heavier than death, hee looks up to a crucified Saviour, judging himſelf, rebuking his railing companion, confeſſing Luke 23. 40, 41, 42.Chriſt when all the Diſciples had left him, and caſting himſelf upon his mercy, Lord remember mee when thou comeſt into thy Kingdome. I ſay there is yet a poſſibility for thee.
This example is written for our conſolation, that none ſhould deſpaire; yet have wee but one ſuch example in all the Scripture leſt any ſhould preſume. And of this Scripture wee may ſay as much as of any one other, wicked and ungodly men have perverted it to their own deſtruction.2 Pet. 3. 16.
But very obſervable it is, that though all the four Evangeliſts ſpeak largely of our Saviours paſſion, and mention his ſuffering between two Theeves, yet onelyonly one of them (St. Luke) mentions the converſion of the Theef. The Holy Ghoſt fore-ſaw what ill uſe might bee made thereof, therefore thought fit it ſhould bee but ſparingly ſet down. But is this a good Argument? Elias was taken up into heaven in a Chariot of fire, ergo, I may bee ſo too. There were many Prophets in Iſrael, only Elias was ſo taken up to heaven. Many Lepers in Iſrael in Luke 4. 25, 26. 27.Eliſhaes dayes. A Syrian was cleanſed, but not one of them. One Widow relieved miraculouſly by Elias when there were many others that famiſhed. But I may as well retort this Argument and turn it upon thee: There were two Theeves crucified with Chriſt, the one ſaw Chriſt dye, heard him pray, &c. ſaw the other Theef repenting, yet hee repented not, as hee lived, hee dyed; a Blaſphemer hee lived, a Blaſphemer hee dyed; hee lived denying God, dyed deſpiſing Chriſt; ſo mayeſt thou: Thus dyed he, and it was juſt with God to leave him at his death, who had left God all his life.
I have heard of one taken out of the belly of hell, Jonah ſo calls the Whales Ionah 2. 2belly, where he had been three dayes, and three nights in great diſtreſs, you never read of a ſecond; and I know the Papiſts ſpeak of one Trajan delivered out of hell it ſelf by the prayers of Gregory; and one Falconella, by the prayers of Tecla. But all theſe caſes were extraordinary and miraculous, and not to be expected every day. This dreaming of late repentance, hath ſlain not his Thouſands, but his ten Thouſands. Therefore I do not ſay certainly if thou comeſt in the laſt hour thou ſhalt be ſafe; All that I can ſay is, there may be ſome good hopes. The other former comings are the ſafe comings. The ſhorteſt and eaſieſt way to Heaven is not the ſafeſt. But fear rather to promiſe thy ſelf ſuch a fair gale at laſt upon neglecting preſent coming; It is foreign, Joh. 6. 37. not foreign, and foreign, not foreign, Rev. 22. 17. that the promiſes are made unto. The preſent tenſe is the ſaving tenſe. Him that cometh (not that will come) ſhall not bee caſt out. Eſau came, and found it too late, the five fooliſh Virgins came, and came too late. Thoſe Scoffers, Prov. 1. 28. Thoſe in Hoſ. 5. 6. Thoſe in Mat. 7. 21. and Luke 13. 25, 26. All too late.
Theſe are the comers of whom wee are Heb. 12. 17.afraid, of theſe we cannot ſay, one is taken, and another left, but one taken, and an hundred left. So that theſe run the greateſt hazard that may be, Caelum ſtultitia petimus, amittimus, it is as if they ſhould think to take heaven by ſtorming, and break into Paradiſe by force, when the Angel of God ſtands with a drawn fiery ſword to keep them out. Thoſe forementioned Scriptures, Prov. 1. 28. Mat. 7. 21, 22. Hoſ. 5. 6. Luke 13. 24, 25. are as ſo many drawn ſwords to ſhut thee out. I ſee we can give over the attempting a nearer way to the Eaſt Indies by a North Eaſt paſſage, becauſe all have periſhed, or miſcarried in that undertaking, and we are content, though it be a great way about, to croſs the Line to come thither ſafely, and wilt thou adventure on that way that ſo many have miſcarried in? Thou hadſt better croſs the Line by ſelfdenial, and taking up the yoke, and thou art ſafe.
Suppoſe there were ſome dangerous Gulph which once one ſhip paſſed, and never but one, and that with much hazard, but an hundred attempting it, had all ſuffered ſhipwrack, and were caſt away; will not all fear how they adventure? If there were a narrow plank laid over ſome high bridge, over which one had rode ſafe by night (as the ſtory goes, ſuch a thing was once done at Rocheſter) will any adviſedly do it by day, it is a thouſand to one he fell not in. There is but one ſince the world began that wee read of, that came off ſafe thus, and muſt it needs be ſo with thee? Shall the dead praiſe God? or ſhall a man bee borne when he is old, or a childe bee born at all without any conception? The preſuming to come to Chriſt at death, is as if thou Iſa. 66. 8.mighteſt come ſafe to Chriſt on dry land, but thou wilt chuſe to come with Peter on the waters, a thouſand to one but thou ſinkeſt.
But to conclude, if thou comeſt ſeriouſly, ſelf-judgingly, caſting thy deſperate caſe into the Arms of infinite Power and Mercy, though thou ſeeſt thy ſelf ready to ſink even into hell, Cry, Lord ſave mee I periſh: It may bee Chriſt may ſtretch out his hand and ſave thee.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Sheffeild, The Hypocrites Ladder (1658)