The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Sermon 2

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ · Sermon 2

p. 201Jeremiah 50. Verſ. 4.5.

In thoſe dayes, and In that time, ſaith the Lord the Children of Iſrael shall come, they and the Children of Judah together, going & weeping: they shall go, and ſeek the Lord their God.

Verſ. 5. They shal ask the way to Zion with their faces thither-ward, Saying, come, and let us Joyn our ſelves to the Lord, in a perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgotten.

SERMON II.

COvenanting with God, if it be real, well grounded and ſure, is a buſineſs of incomparably greateſt concern and advantage to ſinners; but when it is otherwiſe, and only Imagined without any Solid ground; it's attended with the greateſt diſapointment and Prejudice imaginable; a man in that caſe fancieth himſelf to be in a ſtate of Friendſhip and favour with God, while, in the mean time, he is an enemy to God, and God an enemy to him; and is there any diſappointment or diſadvantage in the world comparable to that? It is one great end and deſigne of all Ordinances, that ſtrangers to God by nature may be engaged to him, and made to become his Covenanted People; It was for this end that Chriſt came into the world and laid down His life and ſhed his precious Blood, even to bring Sinners p. 202into a Covenant of Reconciliation and friendſhip with God; and therefore the Ordinance, that is now approaching, is called the new Covenant, or New Teſtam…nt in his Blood.

The words have in them a ſhort and ſweet ſum & compend of the gracious frame of a People, turning home to God, to get a broken Covenant made up: Iſrael and Judah having deeply declined from the bleſſed ſtate and condition wherein God had once graciouſly put them; Their return and Repentance is here both Propheſied of and promiſed; and this is the great thing which they deſigne in their Returning, Even to get the knot (to ſay ſo) of the Covenant betwixt God and them made faſt and ſure, ſo as they may never any more be ſeparated from him.

We ſhall at this time ſhortly name ſome generall Obſervations from the words: The Firſt whereof is this, that There is nothin… that People, who hav… any Convictions of …heir ſin and of their diſtance from God, should more ſingly aim at and Seriouſly ſeek after, then to be firmly joined to the Lord in Covenant, or to be in good terms with him according to his Covenant; For theſe come to the ſame amount, to be in good terms with God, to be Reconciled to God, and to be in Covenant with God, by the one we come to the other this: we ſay, ſhould be aimed at & ſought after by all that are naturally born enemies to God, Aliens and Strangers to the Covenant of Promiſe, without Hope, and without God in the World, Epheſ. 2.12. p. 203Compared with verſ. 1.2, 3. where to be dead in ſins and t…eſp…ſſes, is expounded, to be Without the Covena…t: But more eſpecially thoſe who are touched with the ſenſe of their ſin, should have this for their aim, deſigne and endeavour; as we ſee in theſe ſpoken of here, who when they come to any ſenſe of their ſin; this is clearly their great deſigne and work verie ſeriouſly and cloſely purſued by them.

To clear and Confirm it, take theſe Three words, Conſider; Firſt, What ſtate and Condition man naturally is in. Secondly, What God is to man in reference to that eſtate; And Thirdly, What Covenanting with God is: and we will find that there is nothing which he should more ſeriouſly deſigne and ſeek after. First, Man is naturally an enemy to God, and in reſpect of his malicious deſperat inclination, given to thwart with God, whereby God ſtands as an enemy to him; he is liable to the curſe of God, and God is as an armed man againſt him, as Job ſpeaks; and he like an unarmed Child runing on the boſſes of his Buckler. Secondly, Conſider that God is not only an enemy, but ſtands ſtated as ſuch with his Curſe againſt ſinners according to that word, Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them; and this Curſe is like the flaming Sword in the hand of the Cherubims, which with terrour ſeparats betwixt God and the ſinner, So that there is no acceſs for him to God; and if he have any thoughts of God, he is troubled with them; and all the Creatures are armed againſt him, So that he can expect nothing p. 204but enmity from every ſtone of the field. Third… Conſider, that Covenanting with God is that, whe… by a man who is naturally at enmity with God co… eth to be in friendship with him and hath the fa… of every thing altered; the meditation of God ſweet to him; the creatures are in league with hi… The Angels become Miniſtring Spirits to him; a Gods diſpenſations become lovely and do work t… gether for his good, even thoſe that are in themſelves moſt terrible; Death and the Grave becom… ſervants to him; and being in Covenant with Go… he can triumph over them and all troubles and pe… ſecutions, and ſay that he is More then Conqueror … them all, as it is Rom. 8. and ſaith the Apoſtle t… ſuch, 1 Cor. 3. All things are yours, whether Pau… or Apollo, or Cephas, or Life, or Death, things preſen… or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Chriſts Is it any wonder then, that at Poor Soul touche… with the ſenſe of ſin be deſirous and Solicitous to b… in Covenant with God? And therefore, whethe… we look upon it as a dutie, or as an evidence of … perſon truly humbled for ſin, it is very deſirable an… should be ſeriouſly ſought after.

The Uſe Serves to show, That the great Scope which ye should now have before you, is to have a broken Covenant made up with God; It should be your main deſigne to put this grand buſineſs to a point, that there may be no war, but a ſtanding League betwixt God and you: And therefore, wh… ever they be that ſatisfie themſelves with going about the Ordinances & misken this, they certainly p. 205miſtake the mark; The great matter is not to come to the Communion, neither is it to win at ſomewhat of heart ſoftneſs, or to a little ſenſe, which are good; but it's really to be in Covenant with God; to be able to ſay on good ground, The Lord is my God: My beloved … mine and I am his; And when he ſaith, Return backſliding Children, to be in caſe to anſwer with the heart; …ehold we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God; …his is indeed a deſirable thing; and he is an unhappie man that doth not, that will not heartily deſire and ſeek after it.

Secondly, From their very great Seriouſneſs in going, and weeping, in going to ſeek the Lord, asking the way to Zion, and from their encouraging one another to Join in Covenant with the Lord, Obſerve, that where there is any Sincerity or begun work of Grace, it shews … ſelf in nothing ſooner, then in an impulſe to be at Covenanting with God and to have ſome clearneſs therein; For, only to be in Covenant, and not to have the knowledge of it, cannot give that peace and comfort which a preſent ſad exerciſe calleth for: therefore ſay they, while they are going and weeping, Come and let us join our ſelves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant, that shal not be forgotten: So then, we ſay, that a ſincere and gracious work of God appears in nothing ſooner, then in this impulſe to have the Covenant of God fixed and put out of doubt; to have this at a Point is their great deſigne here, and they are very ſerious in it; So Iſaiah. 44. where verſ. 3. There is a Promiſe of the work of the Spirit in Sanctifieng; and how is this work of the Spirit proved? or wherein doth it appear? Even thus verſ. 5. One shal ſay I am the Lords, and another shall call himſelf by the Name of Jacob, and another shall ſubſcribe with his hand unto the Lord, and ſur-name himſelf p. 206by the name of Iſrael; the work of Gods Spirit, wh… he comes to Sanctifie and ſave, is ſuch as makes a ma… run and devote himſelf to God with hand, heart a… mouth, ye never ſaw people more quickly and wi… better will come to the Church at the moſt Solem… occaſion; then (when this work is begun, or there any kindly exerciſe about it) ſerious Souls will … ready to run with their heart to Subſcribe to Gods C… venant, when the Terms of it are laid out before the… Only advert to theſe Two things in this Obſervatio… Firſt, When I ſpeak of entering in Covenant with Go… I mean of the hearts cloſing with him by Fai h, according as he offers himſelf in this Goſpel; when he ſait… quit and renounce your own righteouſneſs and ta… mine; quit and abandon your luſts and Idols and gi… your ſelves to me, and I will be your God and be fort… coming to you in all things that concern your happine… here and hereafter: the heart yeelds and ſays, conte… Lord, the offer is good, and I accept of it; and … wives were wont (as it is yet the cuſtom,) to ſurna… themſelves by their husbands, ſo doth the Soul, up… the matter, in this Covenant: Subſcribe, I am God… This is called a yeelding to God, or the giving of t… hand to him, 2 Chron. 30.8. and Rom. 10.3. It … called A ſubmitting to the righteouſneſs of God. Secon… ly, When we ſpeak of this impulſe towards, or deſi… of Covenanting with God, It's no… to be underſtood … every raw wiſh, ſuch as Balaam bad to be in Heaven but it is a ſeriouſly urging impulſe, an earneſt hung… and thirſt and an ardent longing to have this at a point It's ſuch a thirſting deſire, as all the world beſide w… not be able to quench: It makes the Soul eager in t… purſuit of the thing, even to meet and cloſe with Go… in the Covenant: It's in effect, that which, Matth. 5.6. p. 207is called a hungring and thirſting after righteouſneſs: Becauſe it hath in it a fixed longing with Holy Pain: which Cant. 5.8. Is called a being ſick of Love: It's ſuch a deſire as makes the heart even faint and ſick for the want of the thing deſired, which can be ſatisfied with nothing elſe: no more then a very hungry man can be ſatisfied, if handfuls of Gold were offered to him, it's meat he muſt have. In this reſpect (which will be the Reaſon of the Doctrine) Chriſt Jeſus is called the food of the Soul, and the Covenant is like the Pap, whereby Chriſts fulneſs is Communicated and conveyed to us: for we have no acceſs to Chriſt but by the Covenant: therefore, Epheſ. 2.12. Theſe two are put together, being without Chriſt, and being without the Covenant: and Iſaiah 66.11, 12. Converts are ſaid to Suck and be ſatisfied with the Breaſts of the Churches Conſolation and to be dandled on her knees: Believers are like new born Babes, whom nothing can ſatisfie or do good to but the Breaſts: and the Ordinances are, as it were, the breaſts at which they ſuck, and which, are as ſo many Pipes to conveigh to them Spirituall nouriſhment: to which the Apoſtle alludeth, 1 Pet. 2.2. when he ſaith, As new born Babes, deſire the ſincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if ſo be that ye have taſted that the Lord is Gracious: and then follows, to whom coming as unto a living ſtone, &c. Jeſus Chriſt is the milk, and the word the Pap that conveighs him: and as the firſt thing that evidenceth life to be in a new-born Babe, is hunger after the breaſt, ſo is it here, the Covenant ſatisfies the new born New creature.

The Uſe of the Point ſerves to put you to look back, and to conſider, whether ever ye have in your experience known this, wherein ſpirituall life ſhews it ſelf, Even to p. 208be holily fond (or browden ſo to ſpeak) on the Pap… the Regenerat Soul cannot endure to be keeped back from ſucking the breaſts of theſe Conſolations that are in the Covenant: Now it's very Probable that many will catch at this, as a very Comfortable Mark of Regeneration to themſelves, and will be ready to ſay, why have we not this deſire to be in Covenant with God? And if that will be a proof of a work of grace, we wan… it not; and theſe Jewes hear ſpoken of, before their coming to be in this bleſſed Frame, were ready to boaſt …hat they were Abrahams Children, and that they had a deſire to be in Covenant with God: but it will be another ſort of deſire and eagerneſs which they will have, When the Redeemer comes out of Zion to turn away iniquitie from Jacob. But that ye may know, what this deſire and impulſe that we ſpeak of is, and if indeed ye have it, conſider theſe evidences of it; Firſt, That it i… an ardent and vehement deſire, a preſſingly urgent impulſe. not ſuch as ye have had all your dayes; but it… an effect of the Spirits out-pouring, as that Paralell place with this, viz. Zech. 12.10. clears: I will (ſaith the Lord) Pour upon the houſe of David the Spirit of Grace, &c. Away with that Grace, with that Faith and Love which are as old as your ſelves. Secondly, This deſire and Impulſe hath ſuch a vehemencie with it as puts the man to his feet, to go and Pray and to go weeping: It ſtirreth him then ſo, as he muſt needs go though he be much in the Dark, and knows not ſo well and diſtinctly whither he is going: becauſe Love to be in Covenant with God, will in a manner make a fool go right to G…d: though there is reaſon that he ſhould ſeek after help to his infirmitie: the deſi…es of many are like the ſluggards deſire, who lyeth ſtill on his bed, and his eaſe ſlays him: This deſire p. 209maketh ſome Holy ſtir, and rouzeth to diligence in the uſe of means. Thirdly, This deſire is ſuch, as never dies out, till the Perſon be thorow in the point of Covenanting with God: and therefore, though he ſhould be put as it were to digg wells in the wilderneſs, and to go from ſtrength to ſtrength, yet he will adventure on it and hold on in his way: The Apoſtle, Philip. 3. Speaks of it as his One Thing, and when perſons are ſuitably ſerious in this, it is their one thing, and not a peece of work only on the by: and if they may come to it in all their lifetime, they think (as they have reaſon to do) that they make a good bargain: and have gained a noble Prize: never did a man on Horſe back, in a race, ſpur faſter then they do, that by any means they may attain it. Fourthly, The principle of deſire after Covenanting with God holds them conſtantly in an eſtimation of, and ſucking at it as the mean of their life; as the Babe cannot live without the breaſts, So they cannot live without the Covenant; they cannot reſt but in it: I ſpeak not now what Believers are in their declinings: but when they are in a right Frame, they have no being but in this Covenant; they muſt needs have milk flowing through the Breaſts of it for their nouriſhment; that is a curſed life or ra…her death of perſons, who come to the word, and ca…e not whether it be made lively or not, and come to the Communion and care not whether they get by it any life and comfort or not: and a curſed Faith that keeps Souls from making uſe of Chriſt: and ſuch is the faith of many hearers of the Goſpel: Now Covenanting is the Believers Earneſt, and they are thereby made to forget their Fa…hers houſe, in hope to be admitted to dwell with Chriſt for evermore.

Thirdly Obſerve, that A well qualified deſire of Covenanting with God is a good token of Converſion; or a p. 210rightly byaſſed deſire of being in Covenant with God the language of Perſons coming home to God: Come (… they) and let us join our ſelves to the Lord in a perp… uall Covenant: The Lord ſe s down this as their co… mendation, and as an evidence of his begun Gracio… work in them; They, no doubt, had wo ds of Co… nanting before: but wanted this right impulſe and d… ſire, and therefore Sat ſtill, but now they are much a… fected, ſtirred and put to their feet; It being a… effe… of the Poured out Spirit on them. We ſa…, this is good token of a begun work of Grace, and of perſo… their coming home to God: becauſe this impulſe t… wards, and deſire of Covenanting with Go… ſpeaks o… theſe three. Firſt, The ſenſe of their need of him a… that they cannot live without him, and the ſtopping … their Mouth with Holy ſhame and confuſion befo… God. Secondly, An high eſtimation that they have … him, a Judging that they have no happineſs but in bin Thirdly, It ſpeaks out faith, in their actuall betakin… of themſelves to him for the up making of what the want and ſtand in need of: There is ſome what of a theſe in the Prodigal, who when he came to himſel… reckons thus with himſelf, 1. I perish for hunger, thi… Points at the ſenſe of his need. 2. There is Bread enoug… in my Fathers houſe and to ſpare, which ſhews his Believing eſteem of the fulneſs of God for a ſupply of hi… need, and for making him a Poor Miſerable Periſhing wretch compleatly happy. 3. His reſolution is, I will go and ſay, Father, &c. This holds out his actuall purpoſe of Covenanting with God, which hath always faith in it: It is the ſame on the matter with this, Come and let us join our ſelves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant.

p. 211The Uſe of it ſerveth to shew, what a ſerious or well qualified deſire after Covenanting with God is, and wherein it conſiſts: and thoſe things that are marks of it, may alſo ſerve for Directions how to go about it aright. Firſt, This Well qualified or ſerious deſire of Covenanting with God floweth from a two fold Conviction, 1. From a conviction of Peoples ſin and breach of Covenant formerly, and of their diſtance from God: whereof we ſpake ſomewhat the Laſt day: we are afraid that many of you think you deſire, when yet ye never knew a…ight your guilt in breaking Covenant, nor took up aright the diſtance betwixt God and you: It's one ſort of deſire that a whole man hath to ſpeak with the Ph…ſitian, and another which a ſick man hath: it is of the latter that we mean here. Secondly, From a Conviction of the want of Gods Company: Theſe here know now, though they be Abrahams ſeed, that yet they are nevertheleſs naturally enemies to God and Chriſt and without both, and therefore they ſeek him, and to make a Covenant with him. There are ſome that pretend to be ſeeking God and Chriſt, and yet they have him, they think, always in their hearts: But ſpeak ſoberly, did ye ever want or miſs him? It may be, at the one word ye will ſay, we hope not, and at the next word, Perhaps, too often: and it is ſtill but a gueſſing at the beſt: when the Prodigall came to himſelf, he ſaw that he had been (to ſpeak ſo) in the wrong cloſe. Secondly, This well qualified deſire hath a kindly heart ſoftneſs with it, which is a good, though a very rare thing: They go here weeping, and when they are a ſaying theſe words, Come and let us join to the Lord in Covenant, their tears are trickling down: It's a good and hopeful deſire, which is expreſſed with the tear in the eye: proceeding from a ſuitably affected heart: There p. 212are Alace! many of our deſires that do not kindly affect, neither do they make any change: the heart remaineth dead, ſtiff and hard under them. Thirdly, This well qualified deſire puts on to diligence, and is not like the ſluggards deſire: therefore they go and ſeek the Lord: they are eager and earneſt in the matter and are taken up with it: This deſire will make the man ſometimes forget to eat his bread and it may be to Pray ſeven times a day (what if I had ſaid twice ſeven times?) and very oft to with draw from all company, at leaſt, that is not edifieing and profitable, and to retire to the fields or to the Chamber, quietly to lay, as it were, a chaſe by the purſuit of Faith to the finding out of Gods Company: It will make him and her go to the pooreſt body in all the town or village, that is gracious, to ask the way to Zion: this is alſo a very rare thing: ye all know the way to Heaven, as ye think, and this makes you fooliſhly confident, till ye run your ſelves into the mire and into the pit at laſt, if Grace, by making a ſaving change, p…event not. Fourthly, This well qualified deſire is a humbling deſire, there is no pleading here with God, of the priviledge of their Relation they have …o Abraham, and to the Covenant made with him: they cannot find in their hearts, nor have they confidence to do that: they Judge themſelves to be very unlike him, and they carry humbly towards one another, glad to ask the way at, and to get ſome knowledge of it from one another, how they may win forward: they are like the Spouſe, who ſaith to the Daughters of Jeruſalem, Cant. 5. If ye ſee my Beloved, tell him that I am ſick of Love, take my Commendations (as if ſhe had ſaid) to him and lay out my caſe before him: ſuch ſerious and humble Souls will be glad to take help in the way from any body that can give it, which ſaith, that they p. 213are diligent and Painfull. Fifthly, This deſire, as it may, is always ſetting forward; they are going and asking the way; and though they have a ſtrong tide (as it were) againſt them, yet the wind of their own deſire and impulſe ſteereth them through and maketh them Stem the Port; and though they make but flow progreſs, yet it is always towards Zion. Sixthly, This deſire is a Peremptory and (to ſay ſo) an illimited deſire, and that in a twofold reſpect, 1. In reſpect of coming at God. It muſt have him and will not ſubmit to the want of him, Communion with him it muſt have. 2. In this reſpect, that it maketh no Conditions with God of its own, but is heartily well content to take him on his own terms: This indeed is a notably good mark of a well qualified deſire, when a Soul deſires not ſo much to be at Heaven as to be at God, and when it is (as I Juſt now ſaid) content to take him on his own terms: many will deſire God and Heaven, but with ſome ſuch ſecret reſervation as this, that they get leave to brook their luſts and Idols, that they may have liberty to tipple and triffle away their time, to take their fill of the World, to be in credit and reputation and to purſue after ſome one thing or other in the World; or at leaſt they muſt be allowed to go about the eſtabliſhing of their own righteouſneſs: but this deſire is waited with the abandoning of all Idols, without any allowed exception or reſervation, and with the renouncing of ſelf-righteouſneſs alſo in the Point of Juſtification; and therefore it's called, Submitting to the Righteouſneſs of God; It ſays not a word againſt the terms of the Covenant, but holds all: theſe things were good to be ſeriouſly thought on, and ſought after, in our approaching to the Table of the Lord, to renew our Covenant with him; and where they are not in ſome meaſure, our p. 214deſires will not be found to be of the light kind; it were therefore very ſuitable for you, to think, how ye may get your hearts quickened and warmed with vehement and unquenchable deſires after this covenanting with God, and after the water of life; O! know ye any thing of this? There are ſome who have found it in experience and who can repreſent it better to themſelves then we can exp…eſs it; ye who have had your hearts Panting for God, for the living God, as David ſaith, his heart did, Pſal. 42. Can tell what raw wiſhes were before, and tha… the Grace of God works ſuch deſires as have another ſort of edge on them, and have a holily diſquieting and reſtleſs hunger for the breaſts of Gods Covenant, and cannot reſt nor be ſatiſfied, yea no not live without them.

Fourthly Obſerve, That A people or perſon may have ſome ſincere deſires after Covenanting with God, and yet have much weakneſs, many infirmities and fears in the accomplishing of that their deſigne. Many poor puzzled and perplexed ſouls may have this honeſt deſire, and yet not know well how to put the thing in Practice; even like unto theſe mentioned here, who are going toward Zion to join themſelves to the Lord in Covenant, and yet are asking the way: they have covenanting with God in their eye as their great ſcope, but are ignorant in a Conſiderable meaſure of the way; yet they ſit not ſtill till they get the way (as it were) deſcribed on a Card to them: but they riſe and make forward as they may. I nothing doubt, the truth of this Doctrine is known in experience by ſome Serious, though much toſſed and puzzled Souls, who have ſome honeſt and earneſt longings after him and after Covenanting with him: who yet know not well how to win at him, or p. 215how to make this Covenanting Practicable: thus the honeſt well meaning Daughters of Jeruſal…m ask the Spouſe, Cant. 6. Whither is thy beloved gone, that we may ſee him with thee? There was a ſincere deſire after him and a fixed Purpoſe to be at him, and to decline no Labour nor pains in order to coming by him: yet they know not well whither to go for finding of him: even like honeſt Mary, who John 21. would fain have Chriſt, and comes to the grave to ſeek him, and miſſing him weeps; and when the Angels ſpeak to her to comfort her, that will not do it: She continues ſtill weeping, and tells the cauſe: They have taken away my Lord, and I know not whe…e they have laid him: It was an evidence of the honeſty of her deſire, that though ſhe knew not where he was: yet ſhe could not be diverted by any thing from a mournfull reſtleſs and diligent Purſuit after his preſence. This may Proceed Partly, in the Firſt Place, from believers their infirmity, and their not being thorough in the knowledge of Goſpel Myſteries: from their ignorance of the Parties and conditions of the Covenant, of the nature, Properties, and promiſes of it: If they knew how kind and condeſcending the Lord is: how near he brings his Word: How litle he will take of their hand: how ſolid the Covenant is; how ſure the cautioner is, and how their Part of the Covenant is undertaken for as well as Gods; they would not have ſuch doubts and fears; hence, Rom. 14. They who are weak in knowledge are ſaid to be weak in faith, p. 216Becauſe through their Ignorance they have many doubts: This makes me to think, that if many of you had ſincerity and ſeriouſneſs in the great concern of your Salvation, ye would be much and almoſt inextricably Puzzled, how to Rid your ſelves in many things ye would meet with in your condition, becauſe of the abunding of your ignorance; ye cannot Alas! tell what Repentance is, what cloſing with Chriſt in the Covenant is, what Chriſts offices are, and what uſe ſhould be made of them; and therefore if ye were put in…o any ſtrait or Dump through the ſenſe of ſin, it needed be no great wonder that ye ſhould be in much confuſion and did not know what to do to get out of it. It were good, therefore, that ye ſtudied the knowledge of God and of the Covenant; that if ever God do you good, ye may have ſome clearneſs and diſtinctneſs in the way of the Remedy of your evils, and of extricating you out of your difficulties. But that which keeps many quiet, is, Alace! their own Preſumption grown to a great height, and the devils rocking them faſt aſleep in the cradle of Securitie: it's a wonder to ſee ſo many very confident of Peace with God, who yet know not how it is come at: when God touches your Conſcience, ye will be put to cry, what ſhall we do? Becauſe of your ignorance. Secondly, It proceeds partly from want of experience; hence, though ſome, it may be, have light and knowledge: yet wanting experience of the thing, they are at a ſtand and know not what to do in this or that caſe; Juſt as if a man were to go to London, and were informed of all the Towns and Poſts in the way; yet when he comes to advance in his Journey not having gone the way before; he is often in doubt whether he be right; So it is with many, who from literall knowledge can tell what faith and Repentance is, but when p. 217their Spirits are Jumbled (to ſpeak ſo) confuſed and put through other; the matter looks far otherwiſe upon them: and they are like a man who coming to a ſhallow and ſafe foord of a River that is mudded, yet fears to take it, becauſe he hath not ridden it before: whereas another that hath gone thorow it, can confidently hazard on it; and indeed it is no Marvell to ſee much of this even amongſt Believers. A Third, cauſe or ground whence this may proceed, is, prejudices at the way of God, and of perſons at themſelves: men have naturally a ſort of Goſpel of their own that they cannot go by, till ſomeway they be conſtrained: and when God puts them to it, they are at a ſtand: as for inſtance, there is this Prejudice in ſome, that they think none can go and warrantably take hold of Gods Covenant till they be ſo and ſo humbled: that they cannot go with Convictions & Challenges, till they get ſome more deep heart-work, or be in a better and more tender frame, Hence Peter ſaith to Chriſt, Luke 5. very unreaſonably, Depart from me, for I am a ſinfull man, O Lord; whereas David reaſoned otherwiſe and much more Pertinently, Pſal. 25. when he ſaith, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great: and hence the queſtion ariſeth, what ſhall we do? and when they are bidden believe: they Object, Ah! we are ſinners, and have evil and hard hearts, and are unhumbled: look what Paſſed betwixt Peter and his heaters, Acts. 2. He layeth out before them their horrid guilt in crucificing Chriſt: they are Pricked in their hearts, and cry, what shall we do? He bids them Repent and be Baptized, which takes in Faith, and verſ. 41. It's ſaid, that ſuch as were kindly touched, Gladly received the Word; Now I pray, what if they had objected can we that have even now, or a very li…le ſince, had our wicked hands embrewed in the precious blood p. 218of Chriſt Believe on him? Come away (ſaith he on the matter) for there is no other way to Pardon and Peace with God: there was much of this in the Primitive times amongſt the Chriſtian Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, and Hebrews, many Prejudices at and wrong conceptions of the Goſpel and Covenant of Grace: and therefore they would have patched up a Goſpel of Grace & of works: they would have brought in the Ceremonies of the Law and eſtabliſhed a ſelf-righteouſneſs: and this in particular is one great Prejudice that the devil Laboureth deeply to poſſeſs the minds of wakened ſinners with, even to make them think that it's Preſumption for them, though they would fain do it, to come to Chriſt and by Faith to cloſe with him, unleſs they be ſo and ſo qualified: as long as they are ſecure, he makes them take their Preſumption for Faith: but the next day when they are wakened and exhorted to betake themſelves to Chriſt by Faith, he calls that alſo Preſumption: and indeed, as it is Satans manner to drive Sinners on extremes, So it is our way to run into extrems: that which made us call our Preſumption Faith, is the ſame which makes us call our Faith preſumption: becauſe we lay it for a ground, that it is our honeſtie or good diſpoſition, and ſo and ſo qualified frame, that muſt commend us to God: and therefore while we conceive that we have that, it's the ground of our preſumption, and when the Conſcience is wakened and we find that we want that, we cannot believe. A Fourth Cauſe or ground whence this, in ſome, may proceed, who would fain believe, is not ſo much their darkneſs and ignorance of the way, as the backwardneſs, frowardneſs, and deceit of their heart, that will not, for them, come up to it: ſuch are puzzled and perplexed what to do, becauſe they cannot get it well p. 219done & as they would: ſuch are like a good Archer that can ſhoot well, but hath a deceitfull bow, which when he hath put his Arrow on the ſtring and hath drawn it to the very head ſtarts aſide and makes him quite miſſe his mark the fault and defect is not in the mans skill, but in the Bow: we the rather make uſe of this Compariſon, that the Holy Ghoſt doth ſo in the Scripture, reſembling our heart to a deceitfull bow that turns aſide: So that, they who are acquainted with their own hearts, know not what to do with them, how to guide them, and bring them up unto or bold them at any thing that is good; and though, it may be, they could to good purpoſe give directions to others in ſuch a caſe: yet they find their own hearts very untractable to admit of them, as if they did not ſuit or meet with their own caſe. This is indeed a very puzzling difficultie, yet to ſuch perplexed Souls there is no new direction to be given, but the renewed exerciſe of faith, and to put the directions, which they know, in practice; and when one ſhot (to ſpeak ſo) miſgives, to eſſay another, not to ſeek (as it were) a new ſtring, but to caſt a new knot on it, and if two knots ſhould ſlip, to caſt a third, improving more that Grace of …he Covenant to make them hold better; Therefore, Acts 2 When thoſe pricked in their hearts ask, what they ſhall do, Peter bids them Repent: they were begun to do ſo, and he bids them be doing and go on: ye then that are indeed ſerious, and to whom your ſhort comings are really your Souls burden, would not think it any uncouth, ſtrange or extraordinary thing, to find deſire and affection running far before your light and practiſe, (though ye would endeavour to have them foot-ſide) a Chriſtians deſire may be a dayes Journey (as it were) before himſelf, as to his attainment: and indeed in ſome reſpect it would not be good, p. 220if it were otherwiſe, for it is no good ſigne of progreſs in Gods way, when the deſires of Perſons go no further length then their Practiſe, or when they their Practice falls nothing ſhort of their deſires: both in that caſe are to be much ſuſpected: for even eminently Holy Paul ſees himſelf to be behind, Philip. 3. when he ſaith, I think not my ſelf perfect, but one thing I do forgetting things that are behind and reaching forth to thoſe things that are before; I preſs towards the mark: Where he came one Poſt in his attainment, His deſire was ten, in a manner before him: and ſo is it with thoſe people here ſpoken of, Come (ſay they) Let us Join our ſelves to the Lord; they find themſelves to be behind, and endeavour to work themſelves up, and to draw themſelves, and one another forward: we muſt now draw to a cloſe, and ſhall therefore but touch the following Obſervations and paſs them in a word.

Fifthly Obſerve, that in Peoples covenanting with God, their deſires and deſignes will be much ſooner Propoſed and laid down, then they will be got accomplished and put inexecution, or then they will win to ſatisfie themſelves therein: although an Union be betwixt Chriſt and them, yet they are not ſatisfied, till they be ſome-what clear and diſtinct about it: they are like the Prodigal, who being in another and ſtrange Countrey, ſaith firſt, I will go, then he ariſeth: and, I will ſay to my Father, before he actually ſpeak to his Father himſelf: calling him Father: Some reall acting of Faith Preceeds his more diſtinct ct ſatisfieing acting of it: there is a faith in reſolving to believe, before there be a reſting of Faith or ſtayed believing: and yet it's Faith that begets that ſame reſolution: if the Prodigal had not had ſome Faith of enough in his Fathers houſe, and of his Fathers affection, he would not have reſolved to go home: and p. 221theſe people mentioned here would not have ſet their faces towards Zion; if they had not had ſome begun ſtirrings of Faith.

Sixthly Obſerve, That it is a good token to be asking ſeriouſly the way to Heaven, though the askers be not ſo clear in it: there is ſome ground to think that ſuch Perſons are in the way, and if they hold on and fo low the directions of the word, they may come thither: It is far better to be diſſatisfied and to ask the Way: then not to ask, and yet to be ſatisfied with our own knowledge of the way.

Seventhly Obſerve, that Perſons may fall very far short of their deſire, and have much infirmitie, and may meet with many puzzling difficulties how to accomplish what they would be at: yet where a ſerious and longing deſire is wakened after Covenanting with God, they should go forward and follow it forth. This people are ſhort of what they deſired, and yet they go, and they know not (as it were) where to ſet down the next foo… till they ask the way, yet they go on ſtill asking: there is no diſputing here, but forward we ſhould go: I ſuppoſe theſe here ſpoken of might have had ſeverall difficulties ſtarted and ſeverall obſtructions laid in their way, yet on they go: as, Firſt This, that they were Covenant breakers: yet they, taking ſeriouſly with it, ſtep over that, and ſay notwithſtanding, Come let us join our ſelves to the Lord in a Covenant. Secondly, they might have thought, that it was a very long Journey, and that they would never be able to go thorow to the end of it: beſides that they were under the dominion of ſtrange Kings who were Heathens: So it may be ſaid on the matter, and is often ſaid to ſerious Souls, that would fain believe, can ye believe? It will not be with you: are ye not under the feet of many Tyrannous luſts? p. 222And how will ye win free from them? yet they reſolve and muſt, yea dare not but reſolve to go forward: and the reaſon is, becauſe they reſolve to take with their guilt and to make uſe of the Covenant for anſwering and ſilencing of challenges: and they reſolve alſo, if the Journey be long, to make uſe of the Covenant for ſtrength to make them hold on and hold out in it. The weak Believer when ſuch doubts are ſtarted, ſhould make uſe of the Promiſes of the Covenant, ſuch as theſe; Faithfull is he who hath called you, who alſo will do it, 1 Theſſ. 5.24. Return back ſliding Children, and I will heal your back-ſlidings, ſaith the Lord; and then follows, Behold we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. Jer. 3.22. They yeeld themſelves to the Lord. A Third Difficultie is their ignorance; they might have ſaid, we know not the way, and how can we think to come where we deſire and deſigne to be? (as ſome will be ready to ſay, we can tell ſome words of the Catechiſme, but Alace! We know not what it is to believe) yet they ſit not ſtill for all this, but as one Remedy of their ignorance, they ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward. And if ye Ask here, how can their faces be thitherward, when they are a king the way? And at whom do they ask the way. The Gentiles amongſt whom they live know it not, and they have no other to ask at? I anſwer, they are hanging on God, and taking their Marks and meaths of the way, as he gives them from his word; and there is a moſt ſweet word for ſuch, Iſaiah 35.8. where the Lord ſpeaking of this way, and calling it the way of Holineſs, he ſaith, The way faring man, though a fool, shall not erre therein: It's the heartſomeſt way that can be; O! but it be ſafe for the way-faring ſinner, for the ſeriouſly ſeeking Soul, to have the face toward God, for making up of Peace p. 223with him: upon the one hand, the Lord hedges up ſuch perſons their way with thorns, that they ſhal not find their lovers; and upon the other, he conſtrains them to go right forward; He leads the blind in a way they know not, and makes darkneſs light before them: are there not ſeverals of you brought far thorow this day, and ye know not well how? He brought you to Faith very inſenſibly, and trained you on peece and peece, and yet ye cannot tell well how; but ye know certainly that it was He that did it; and in this Caſe, O! but it be good, ſingly to be given up to Gods leading and guiding; who leads his flock like a shepherd, who gathers his Lambs with his arm and carries them in his boſom, and gentlie leads them that are with young, as it is, Iſaiah 40.11. The Lambs would run wild and ruine themſelves, if left on the Hills: but they are under the good Shepherds overſight and tutorie (to ſpeak ſo) who brings home the loſt ſheep on his Shoulders (as it was even now ſaid) gathers the Lambs with his Arm, and gently leads them that are with Young; which not only ſaith, that he drives not hard, leſt they caſt the young; but that, as the Nurſe leads the litle Child, (otherwiſe then Ladies uſe to be led, by a gentle touch of their hand or arm) by the arm holes or by the tugs, when the Child knows not how to go and cannot ſtand on its own feet, even ſo leadeth he ſuch; I taught (ſaith the Lord, Hoſea 11.) Ephraim alſo to go; taking them by their arms: when a poor Body hath Chriſt a forming in the heart, he will gently lead ſuch an one and deal wonderfully tenderly with the perſon: ye who come honeſtly to him may confidently yeeld and give up your ſelves to be his and guided by him, though ye be both weak and know not the way well; if ye can but caſt a look to him (to ſpeak ſo,) or be ſweetly ſilent before p. 224him, allowing him to be doing and to take his o… way with you; if you lay your ſelves humbly in … duſt, and wait what he will do to you, he will acco… that Believing; The Lord is good to them that wait him, to the ſoul that ſeeks him; ſaith Jeremiah Lam… 25. To wait on Gods leaſure, is a ſaying much abu… but it is very good and commendable here; It is g… that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the S… vation of the Lord. Be not afraid, ſincere and exerc… Souls, I ſay be not afraid, when he is (as it we… pouring you from veſſel to veſſel and putting you… his own holy and wiſe ends, in ſome confuſion, ſo ye know not well what to do, or to what hand to you; he is wondrous tender of you in that Caſe, will have a ſpeciall care that ye Miſ-carry not. Th… a very ſweet Subject, if we could ſpeak ſuitably … Himſelf bleſs it to you.