A TREATISE CONTAINING THREE THINGS. Viz. 1. A Discovery of the unsupportable Burden of Sin, to a heart that is Saint like sensible of Sin. 2. The restless Resolution of a Soul to return to God, who is Saintlike sensible of his withdrawings. 3. A Discovery of the sweet and unexpected Entertainment that wand'ring hearts meet with in their returns to God. Written by Lieutenant Colonel PAUL HOBSON. Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Psal. 51.4.8. O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee, my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty Land, where no water is. Psal. 61.3. Ephraim my dear Son, is he a pleasant Child? for since I spoke against him, I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my Bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. Jer. 31.20. London, Printed by M. S. for Tho: Brewster, and are to be sold at his shop at the three Bibles in Paul's Church yard, near the West End. 1653. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER. CHRISTIAN READER; Unto whose hands these few lines of mine may come, that which I beg of God, both for myself, and you (is) That we may both in writing and reading, be made able to understand the Truth from an enjoyment of itself. Light is never known till it is enjoyed. I am very sensible that my appearing in public may occasion many strange reasonings in many men's minds, if I had only harkened to that, or to the reasoning of my own spirit, which did strongly importune my silence, I should not a presented my Judgement, and present condition to a Public view, but being by providence, after a large travel and strong encounter with my own spirit, through the discoveries of my own great mistakes, and also through the sense of the great unsuitableness of my own soul to God: I am cast into these parts, where there is not many more Eyes than there is Censuring Spirits, condemning the practice of many with whom I meet, to discover to each other the daily Experiences that we have of the Father's deal with us, and what power we enjoy from Heaven, to make an Improvement of those Mercies. We are by many, I say, Censured as men creeping in private to divulge Untruths, and discovering things contrary to Faith in Christ, and Holiness of Life and Conversation: And whatsoever miscarriages, and unsuitable walkings was of any of us in former times, is brought as an occasion to cloud our present practice, and to render us odious amongst men, affirming that we dare not divulge that publicly, which we do privately vent; which occasioneth a stumbling to many precious hearts, and Causes many Scandals and Clouds to be Cast upon truth, by the gainsayers thereof. Upon which Consideration, many Friends did desire me to present that in public which I had delivered in private, which I have here done in the same form and manner as it was there delivered, not being willing to add any fine spun Expressions or acquaint distinctions, to Court any Man's fancy to mind it, but in the plain downright and humble Expressions, as being most suitable to them to whom I speak, and to the present Condition and frame of my own Spirit. God having very much wounded my heart, as for doing things dishonourable to him, (so) doing or saying any thing that may procure honour to me amongst men, that doth not punctually suit with the sincerity and simplicity of Truth: Therefore I beg of the Christian Reader, that in Reading over these few Lines, that you would seriously Read over all before you Conclude any thing to any: And to mind and seriously weigh, as what is spoke, & by whom, so to whom: And let not any thing that is really Truth, be disowned, because it is accommodated with such poor and low Expressions, I am very much persuaded that those hearts who have been brought home through a sense of their wander, and long for nothing so much as the Enjoyment of God's Love and Power to Live up to it, may and will find something in this that may Refresh their poor drooping Spirits in that Condition: It is to them Especially that I desire to present These: And as for them I beg the same Refreshments through Reading, as was the Cause of Speaking: And as for others who may Critically Carp at the Expression, or the party Expressing, I desire them to take notice that the Father hath made it a very small thing to me to be judged of Men, All I beg is to have my heart kept up in daily Communion with God, And to have a Life suitable to his Love, for the Enjoyment of which mercies, I desire of all that really Live with God to mind me, as I desire to mind them in our approachments to God, And that they would in Reading over these not suffer any Infirmity they know of the Author to Cause them to aggravate, or Enlarge any Infirmity in the Expressions of the matter, but that they would in Christian Wisdom and Love Endeavour to Cover and Remove both. And I further desire, that if any to whom these may come, who have wantonly gone from God, and are at present unsencible of the great necessity of their Returning to God, and of a Close walking with God, That they would Candidly Read over these few Lines: It may please the Father through that which they may look upon as folly to manifest Wisdom, And Darkness to manifest Light, Such an Effect as this, is the Earnest prayer of him, that is Christian Reader, Yours in that Life which Commands me to Love all, but to serve none in a way contrary to that Life. P. H. A DISCOVERY of the unsupportable Burden of sin to a heart that is Saintlike sensible of Sinne. What sin is in a Saint's sense. BEloved, those say are most suitable that flow from seeing, and those seings are Saintlike when they flow from Enjoyments: And whatsoever is said or seen and not upon that account, it may probably profit the hearer, but not the speaker; God by a providence hath cast me amongst you after a large travel in a wilderness condition, wherein God hath made me travish all my former tracts and mistakes, in and under all Gods deal with me, and my Actings towards him, God was pleased to carry me through Strength and Weakness, through good Reports, and bad Reports, to honour and dishonour. In which Conditions I sometimes stood, and sometimes fell; sometimes my heart was raised up with some high Ravishments, which I judged Experiences, and at other times very low and in myself much lost. After all God hath been pleased through a sense of my own unkindness to bring my heart upon its knees; and to lay me very low before himself; but hath again by a discovery of his own kindness and love Refreshed me, and caused that which was made dumb to speak; now that which is at this time most sensible in my heart to speak to you from what God hath spoke to me in my present Condition, is three things. The first is a discovery of the unsupportable Burden of sin when discovered by the light of God's love. Secondly, The restless resolution of a Saint, when he is Saintlike sensible of his withdrawing from God to turn to God. Thirdly, The gracious and sweet Entertainment the soul finds with God, when that he is brought home. And I shall declare it from three portions of Scripture. The first from Psalm the 38. and the 4th verse; the second from Psalm the 11 6th and the 7th verse; The third from Luke the 15th and the 20th verse; but I shall begin with the first at this opportunity. Psalm the 38. and the 4th verse. For my Iniquities are gone over my head, as a heavy Burden they are too heavy for me. Dear friends, this Scripture I have formerly viewed, and have formerly spoke something from it, but I am now constrained to declare what God hath preached to me; for he hath been pleased, through a discovery of my unsutablenes, and my unkindness; by which he hath not only broken my bones, but he hath left no soundness in my flesh. I do not mean by flesh fleshly nature, but all the fleshlines of my own Righteousness, by which formerly I refreshed myself with the sparks of my own performance, and refreshed myself with the peace and tranquillity I gathered from thence. But now, my wound is too large to be healed with such a salve: but no more of that, but to the words, and in them you may consider in general an affirmation, wherein you may first consider the partic affirming, that is, David. Secondly, the affirmation itself, that is twofold; first, That his iniquities are gone over his head: Secondly, They were a heavy burden, too heavy for him. Thirdly, You may consider the time when it was when God had showed him so much of his own nothingness, that he had nothing left to live upon besides free love. There was no rest in his Bones, nor no soundness in his flesh; by bones and flesh, we are not to understand it naturally, but spiritually, and by flesh, we are to understand it in a double sense, according to these Scriptures: Galatians the 5. and the 19 verse, Gal. the 6. and the 12 verse, Philippians the 3. and the 3 and 4 verses. Dear friends, we might observe a Conclusion from the party affirming the affirmation itself, and the time when, and the manner how; but we shall draw up all into one Conclusion, and that is this. Doct. That sin to a Saint like sensible heart is an unsupportable Burden. In the prosecution the Conclusion, observe these four things: First, the proof of it by Scripture. Secondly, Consider what sin is. Thirdly, What a Saintlike sensible heart is. Fourthly, The reasons why sin to a Saintlike sensible heart is an unsupportable burden. First, The Scriptures to prove the Conclusion are these; In the first place, view the Text which clearly Confirms the Truth of the Conclusion: Further see Romans' the 7 and the 24 verse; how Paul cries out as a restless man under the sense of sin. You may further see, Psal. 51. the 1, 2, 3. and 4 verses; Jeremiah the 3. and the 25 verse: Lamentations the 5. the 15, 16, 17 verses. All which do discover how unsupportable the Burden of sin is to a heart that is Saintlike sensible of sin. Dear friends, we need not much proof to him that knows it, as I am confident every heart that is acquainted with God, hath sufficient Experience of this to confirm it. The daily heart-breakings in that soul who is sensible of his own unkindness by reading God's kindness doth demonstrate it. But I shall add no more but this; That heart which needs Confirmation of this truth without himself, and hath not a sufficient proof within himself, his Condition is sad. Secondly, let us Consider what sin is. And in that Consideration we will Consider three things. First, The nature of sin. Secondly, The Concomitants of sin. And, Thirdly, The Effects. First, What is sin: the Apostle tells you in the first Epistle of John the 3 Chap. and the 4 verse; That sin is the Transgression of the Law; had there been no Law, there had been no sin. The variation from a Law is sin. To speak out the nature of sin is almost as impossible as to speak out the nature of God. For sin in all things is contrary to God. Whatsoever you can say of Darkness, of Death, of Hell, and Devils, you may say of sin. Sin comprehends all, and is one with either. John in the Revelations tells us of the depth of Satan's Temptation, Revel. 2.24 which Temptation peradventure is but the limb of the least lust: Oh! what a depth is there then in the whole body! Whatsoever happiness and glory is seen in Light, the contrary is found in Darkness: whatsoever content and freedom you find in love, & Light, the contrary misery and bondage you find in Death: but the perfections of all these miseries is comprehended in sin as the body of them both. That heart which is most sensible of sin, is not able to speak out the nature of sin. But I know that that heart which is Saintlike sensible of sin, and doth see sin to present himself as it doth so ugly in his own eyes, thinks sin can never be presented ugly enough, and especially because they see that in sinning they do not only cross Law, but Love, they do not only pierce paper, but the precious tenders of grace & love. Zech. 10. It is endless & boundless to Anatomize the nature of that, where not so much as nature dwells, but is enslaved by it. Secondly, Consider the Concomitants of sin. There are many, but I shall only present so many of them as it at present in my own view. First, It's that which draws a dark Cloud over a man's eyes, and hinders him in his clear beholding of God. Though a Christian hath never so glorious a view of divine Light & Love that lives in God, if God suffers that heart to be paddling and meddling with sin and Darkness; Isa. 59.2. Psal. 30.7. Cant. 5.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. and then the heart goes expecting to view God as before, though God be as he was before, (an unalterable God) yet there is a thick mist drawn upon the eye, that he is like a man in a mist, and knows not where he is, nor what he sees; just like a man whose eyes are fixed upon the Sun, and there he beholds glorious objects; than takes them off from that Sun, and looks upon the Earth; and then goes to look up to the Sun again, his eyes dazzle that he can see neither; (Though it is true) It is not the glory that we view in God that covers our eyes, but rather the thick mist that intercepts our view of that unchangeable object. And therefore the Example of the Sun in an Eclipse is more suitable; for the Sun at that time doth not lose its glory in itself, but to us, our eyes being Intercepted by an Earthly substance. Dear friends, If there be any that thinks this Concomitants is not unsupportable; I will then appeal to that heart who doth not only love to look, but lives by looking upon God's everlasting Love. He will not only say as the Philosopher did, who only delighted in viewing the Sun, who would oftentimes say to them that Intercepted the beams of the Sun; You take that from me, which you cannot give to me. But they will say, O take away sin, which is not only that which intercepts my view of that which is the comfort of my life, but it is Life itself. But I shall say no more to this particular, but this; O happy is that heart which is oft with God, and whose eyes are fixed upon that glory. Secondly, It takes off a man's edge off his earnest desires after God: the come in of Heaven is that which quickens, enlivens, Heb. 3.13. Heb. 12.1. and sharpens the Eye of a man's affections after God. And the Trading with sin is that which deads' and dulls a man's Spirit in his progress towards God. Rom. 8.10. If you ask me the reason, it is this: The Enjoyment of Heaven, is the Element of a Saints life; And there is in sin a direct Antipathy. Take a fish out of the water, at first he may be full of motion, but when he hath moved a little upon the Earth, the eye of his activity is soon lost: And though a Fowl that can soar very high, yet if once it comes down to the Element of water, it flies very heavily: It is just so with a heart who is made able to fly high through the come of Heaven; yet if once it paddles in the filthy pool of sin, it becomes like Pharaohs Chariots, whose wheels are off. The sadness of which Consequence I leave to that heart which God hath made sensible what it is to live in Divine Loves as his proper Element. And what it is by sin to be made dull in his motions heaven-wards. A third Concomitant. Sin always brings horror and terror with it, not only as the Cause producing it as an Effect, Isa. 57.2. but as the handmaid, for it lives in the very nature of it. Sin brings smiles in the hand, but frowns in the heart: Isa. 33.14. honey in the mouth, but bitterness in the bowels; and though we do not see it, and therefore we think it not a Concomitant (yet it is so.) Lightning is seen before thunder, but they are both together; It's true, if men could hear the thunder before they see the Lightning, it is possible they might avoid it, but there is a secret in nature preventing that: So there is as to the other a great mystery in Divine pleasure. But I shall say no more as to this, but remember when you see Lightning that Thunder will come, and that heart is constrained to say it who sees both. Fourthly, and lastly, It so far darkens the heart, that it makes the heart to love that lest which discovers sin most: O this is a sad Concomitant, but it is so. Joh. 3.19, 20, 21. Truly sometimes it is with a Saints heart as it is with a young Scholar that hath played the Truant, he is afraid to go to School, and ashamed to go home, though he knows not how to live abroad: It is just so with a Saints heart, who hath dealt unkindly with God. And though he cannot live without God, yet sin hath so dulled his spirit, and brought such a shame upon his heart, that that which discovers God most, produces most sadness and shame. It is in this case as it was with Adam, Gen. 3.8, 9, 10. When God called he was unwilling to make answer; At last said, I was naked, and therefore was ashamed. I need not mind that heart which lies under the sense of his unsutablenes what the meaning of that is. He knows the frame of his own heart, and the motion of his mind, while he was Trading with sin, than he knows he loved that lest which discovered truth most, and loved that most which discovered sin least. The third thing in order are the Effects of sin, and they are these: It disframes the heart from either harkening to, Heb. 3.13. Mark. 6.52. or pleading with God, nay it makes the heart uncapable of performing any duty savourly that he owes to God, his heart is as it were benumbed, and his language lost. O what sweet Exchanges of language that doth flow from that heart where God lives, and sin dies: and how savourly doth a Saint speak out God and Heaven when he lives sensibly in that Light, but when there is any withdrawings from his daily Communion with God and Heaven; come to a heart then, and you will find him very unable, either to say, or do, especially when his Light is Eclipsed by some trading in Darkness. The Effects of sin is not so in all; for those men that are only professors, and act duty in a bare form, and speak by art, they are not capable of these alterations of the frames of the Spirit, in being framed and unframed upon this account we are a speaking off, and all times are alike to them, unless it be when nature is made drunk with sin, and so hath lost his ability and art to move in Religion, so as to cover vice with seeming virtue; but I shall say no more to that. The second Effect in sin. It brings the heart not only to question his Interest in God, Matth. 26.70.72.74. but to question God in his truth: O this is a sad Effect, often seen, but seldom sensibly seen. The nature of sin is to endeavour to cloud Light, though it cannot conquer it: and if there be so much of the Dictates of Light left in the heart, as to tell, it doth not do well to deal so unkindly with God. The Devil than gins to work, to make the soul question his propriety in God, and so go from him; If that will not do, then to question God, and truth, and by that to undervalue him: and as much as in us lies to shut out of doors all dictates of Divine Light that doth any way invite the heart to return: O that heart which is in this Condition is much to be lamented; and I fear there are too many in these times. Thirdly, Mat. 5.6, 13. Trading with sin places the heart in a Station and Condition wherein the sweet Riches of Light and Love, runs not into. It is true, God dispensing grace, makes sinners Saints, and so finds them in sin when he comes * Ezek. 16.6. : but for Saints to run out in the practice of sinners, Rom. 5.8. they go beside the Rivers and Streams in which God was pleased to refresh and make fat their hearts. Though it is true, some of God's people which run wantonly from God, do for sometime Live in that wantonness, upon some of the Relics of their former Enjoyments, so long as they will last, which is but a little time; for than they must Live upon husks wish the Swine, Luk. 15.15 16, 17. till they are brought to Return to their Father's house: O that all who have wantonly strayed in their hearts from their Father's Streams, wherein they were Refreshed, as with marrow and fatness, would now consider where they are, and that so long as they sit down in the practice of sin, they Live not near the Enjoyments of Saints. Fourthly, Sin brings shame upon the soul, and most when the heart is nearest God. A Converted sinner is brought home to God with much shame, seeing himself look so unlike God when he is brought before him. But a revolted Saint when recovered hath much more Cause of shame. Jer. the 3 Chap. and the 24 and the 25 verses, for God hath more ground of lashing and wounding such a heart; for he can tell them not only of lying in their blood in the day of their nativity, but of their destroying and spoiling the Earrings and Jewels he bestowed upon them: As you may see in the 16 of Ezekiel, beginning at the 10th verse, and so to the end of the Chapter. It is impossible to express how much the heart of a Saint blushes, and what shame covers the Spirit of a soul that hath gone astray from God, when it is brought again to look upon the old wont loves, and to mind again his happiness in God's heart. He is then like the Publican, Luk. 18.13 dares not look up to Heaven; or like the Prodigal, Luk. 15.19 who desires to be but a servant. Let me speak but this one word or two to them who have wantonly gone from God, and now delight in sin. Did you know what shame will accompany your Spirit, if ever God brings you home, it would much embitter that seeming sweetness you gather from sin. There are many Effects of sin, but I shall reduce them I mean to speak of to these two heads. First, Sin is injurious to God. Secondly, It is injurious to a Man. First to God, Job 22.2, 3. but in that consider this Caution, God as God, can neither be injured by us, nor receive any addition of good from us: but when we speak of Injuries, we are to look upon God in his administrations or appearances towards us, and so God may be said to be Injured, 1 Sam. 2.30 and to be honoured or dishonoured, and in that sense the Injury to God consists in these things. First, It clouds his glory amongst men, especially the sin of Saints: The Light, Rom. 2 23, 24. Life, & Love of God in Saints are beams of that divine body, they are sparks of that fire which purely lives in God: and when this Light and Love appears in a Saint's life, they are said to glorify God, and to cause men that view them to see their good works, and to give glory to God, Mat. the 5.16. But when the lives of the people of God are full of darkness and sin, they do exceedingly Cloud the beams of God's beauty (as to men) Like the Clouds in the Air which cover the Earth from beholding the Beauty of the Sun. Secondly, It denies the Authority of God, for a man that is a member of a Commonwealth not to conform to the Laws, doth deny the Authority there: and so those souls that acknowledge themselves related to God, and yet in their lives do practise things contrary to God; they * Tit. 1.16. Judas 4. do deny his Authority. Thirdly, Sin doth as much as in it lies bind * Jer. 5.25. and hinder the go out of God in his Love to do us good: as you may see Isaiah the 59.2, 3. It is true, when God will arise in his Majesty in glory, sin is driven out before him, and expelled by him, and no sin * Isa. 1.4. can hinder him: but sin tends and doth what in it lies to oppose the go out of Divine Love, and in that sense he is said to be hindered. Fourthly, It brings blackness upon that beauty which God delights to view, God loves a soul so as to beautify him with the beauty of * Ezek. 16.14. himself, and then he delights to view * Cant. 2.14. that beauty: but so far as any of the people of God do trade in, or meddle with sin or darkness, so far they draw a dark Cloud over, and throw dirt in the face of this beauty. As for the Injuries that sin doth to the people of God, it may be reduced into three heads. First, It is Injurious to him as he is a Christian. Secondly, As he is a Member of the State. Thirdly, As he is a Master of a family. First, The Injuries that sin doth to the people of God as they are Christians, I have already spoken of, and therefore shall say no more, but only speak a word or two from the two Latter. Secondly, Sin is Injurious to a man as he is a member of the State, that's clearly demonstrated in many men's practices. What is that weakens the heart and ties up the hands of many men in Authority from suppressing of sin, but the guilt of sin in their own * Rom. 2.22, 23. Consciences; how is it possible for any man in any office to be zealously carried out in suppressing of unrighteousness, when they themselves are unrighteous? Can a drunkard punish drunkenness, or a swearer, punish swearers, or an oppressor, punish oppressors? but as they are constrained to it, either by an overruling hand of providence, going beyond them, while it makes use of them: or else the necessity in their Employments constrain them to it. But such doing is done very coldly, with a faint heart, and a weak hand, vice rather finding out their Authority, than their Authority finding cut vice: but such Actions are not honourable to the Actors in God's sense, though the Action may advance them among men. It is true, Providence sometimes puts on * 2 King. 10 8, 9, 10.1.14. Isa. 10.5, 6, 7. guilty men to suppress and subdue guilty persons, and unrighteous things: but then providence doth it in going beyond them: As hath not Experience proved that many men have done that which when it was done, it appeared in their own eyes, and others, to be very righteous: yet it was so far beyond them that they themselves had been Instruments to occasion the taking away of the lives of many honest hearts for the standing for the same things but the year before. If you ask me the reason why sin hinders men in suppressing sin, my answer is this: First, Because it takes away much of the face of Authority in the party punished, by his knowing the party punishing to be guilty of the same thing. Secondly, It doth weaken the spirits of a man when he lies under the guilt of that which he is punished for, all his prosecuting doth but pierce into his own spirit, and all his stirring doth but rouse up guilt in his own heart, and all his rubbing, doth but rub upon his own sore, which doth much kill, disturb, and disquiet his own spirit, which causes many men in Authority when they are a punishing, to wish they had not known it; and they are apt to curtayle and lessen it, if not cover it: And all this is occasioned as a fruit of sin, from which we may observe thus much: That none are like to be good Commonwealth's men, but they that are godly and honest men; for them that have a chief Authority in the State, or in Counties, or Parishes, can never suppress vice virtuously, if themselves are strangers to virtue, and practisers of vice. In the close of this, remember but this Scripture, Prov. the 28. and the first verse; The wicked flies when no man pursues, but the righteous is as bold as a Lyon. Thirdly, It is Injurious to a man as he is a Master of a family; and that thus; It binds him up in Exhorting his family, to walk holily, when he knows that his family knows that he himself walks unholily; or can he reprove vice, when he himself is vicious? No, he cannot do it; If it be, it is very cold, poor, & empty. The guilt in their own hearts, produced by their unsaint like carriage, doth exceedingly straiten their hearts, and tie their hands, not only to themselves, as reproving and correcting, but also to their family reproved and corrected; for at the very best, their family, who are sensible of their evils will judge it as the Devil correcting sin. Therefore in the close of this, let all that desire to be profitable in their families, in suppressing evil, and encouraging good. Let them first show it in their * 1 Tim. 6.2. Mat. 7.5. practice, before they first show it in their power. But I shall say no more as to the Effects of sin, though there be many more; but I shall come to the reasons, why sin to a Saintlike sensible heart is an Insupportable Burden, and the Reasons are these: A Saint sees that sin hath brought him into a Condition so bad, and so low, that himself with all the world cannot recover him. * Act. 2.37 Act. 16.30. Job 7.20. If a Christian had any crevice to behold help besides Christ, he would have some way to uphold his heart, and enable him to bear his burden without going to Christ, but sin is so large, and so broad, and so full of weight, that it sinks all things under on this side of Heaven, which go to bear it: (And this a Saint sees) and therefore sin to his heart is an unsupportable burden. Secondly, Sin takes away the ground of patience, and therefore unbearable, and that it does; why? because though there are promises to bear all oppressions, yet no promises to bear the practice of sin. Therefore my former thus: That Condition which is without promise is unbearable; but the practice of sin, as the practice of sin, is without promise (Ergo) * Gal. 3.29 The third Reason which makes sin so unreasonable, and so unsupportable to a Saintlike sensible heart, is because he sees that sin is not only a * Rom. 7.11. lie in speaking that which it will nor cannot do, but whatsoever is contrary to sins promise, is brought upon him. Contradiction in Expectation works distraction, but no where so unsupportable as the business of sin, for there is no contradiction like that: It expects joy, but beholds sorrow; it promised Light and Life, but behold Darkness and * Rom. 6.23. March. 24.50, 51. Death. Fourthly, That which makes sin so unsupportable to a Saints heart is this, though it be the last, it is not the least, It is this; That Light and Love which discovers a man's sins to him, and by it his Lost Condition, it doth sweetly make up his Losses, by supplies from itself, that makes the soul in seeing sin, to see that it hath not only sinned against Law, but against that Light and Love which discovers and * Zech. 12.10. Luk 15.21 Isal. 51.4. supplits: And for a heart to see that he cannot lie safely no where but in the Father's Love, and for him to Reflect upon himself, and see how much not only below, but contrary to that Love he hath lived in: Oh! how much doth this break the heart, and wound the spirit: I leave to that Soul that after all his own unkindness hath now all his Refreshments from the sweet Incomes of the Father's loving kindness, he cannot choose but there see to the continuation of the Father's nature as he is the Father: yet the want of his own as he is a Child, and he cannot but see how much he endeavoured to kill that by which he now lives: 'tis impossible to declare how much the Reflection of this Love doth kill and Crucify a Saint's Spirit. The knowledge of which doth make sin to be unsupportable: but no more of the Reasons, but a word or two of use. The first Use Is an use of Information, to Inform us of the miserable Condition of those who make light of sin, If sin be so unsupportable to one that is made alive, sure these people must needs be dead. But some will object and say, They bless God they see sin, and they conceive sin is cast out, and subdued in them. In this there may be a very great mistake, for men may see sin, and yet not Saintlike sensible of sin. And in some the Devil is said to go out, when he is not Cast out; according to that Scripture, Matth. the 12.43, 44, 45. But know this, sin be only gone out, and not conquered, it will Return again, according to the same Scripture, and if you see sin, and not Saintlike, you may see it and be sensible, and yet nothing. As Pharaoh, Cain, and Judas, etc. And therefore for fear of mistakes, I shall propound two questions, and give my Answer to them, according to what Experience I have found in the like Case. The first question is, What the difference betwixt a Saintlike sense of sin, and the sense of sin a man may have, and be nothing. Secondly, What are the demonstrations to discover that sin is not only gone out, but cast out? To the first. The difference betwixt a Saintlike sense, and a bare seeing; lies in these things. First, Where it is really Saintlike, it is always sensible of that most, which is by men seen least: Rom. 7.24 Psal. 51. ●0 Jer. 17.9. I mean the emptiness, barrenness, baseness, and unsuitableness of its own heart. But others who are Judas-like, are sensible of that which men see most: If they are but conformable to what is without, they are never troubled for what is within: but he that is made sensible of sin by the come in of grace, he is so sensible, if God should cut off all dead branches without, yet that will not satisfy him so long as there is an old Core within, but he will cry out as Paul; O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin. The people of God know that Actions without are but branches (though they oppose that) yet they mind the body most which is the unclean fountain within, and therefore you shall always find them crying out of an unsuitable heart, quite contrary to others practice, who will sometime complain of such unsuitable and sinful acts: but at that time they will say, they have a good heart, and a good desire, (alas, can the streams be foul, and the fountain clear, that's impossible.) Secondly, A Saintlike sensible heart when it is most sensible of pardon, it's most earnest for power, quite contrary to the other: which never cries for power, but when it is sensible of a want of pardon: and if any thing comes in the Imagination to prompt fancy, so as to cause any conceit that it enjoys pardon; it is then not more but less earnest for power, and so their apprehensions of Liberty, doth immediately beget Looseness. But that heart which is Saintlike sensible of sin, the more God discovers pardon, the more they are earnest for power, for all the discoveries of God's love to such a heart binds up the heart more in God's love, and the sense of his kindness produces double endearments of their hearts to God. Thirdly, A Saintlike sensible heart is always as thankful to God for power as he is for pardon: Rom. 7.25. 1 Cor. 15.56, 57 nay I dare say, that that heart which ever was really wounded through the discoveries of his own darkness by the come in of God's Light, thinks itself so much bound to heaven for any sin as well as pardon, that when he doth enjoy any power, he is with as much Light and Love carried out, to bless God for that mercy as he is for pardon: quite contrary are other hearts, who see sin, but not Saintlike, they have some carryings out sometimes, to acknowledge mercy in pardoning sin, but at that time they are cold in begging power: nay, if they could see into their own hearts, they would see that they had a heart that would think it a mercy to Enjoy pardon of sin, and with it Liberty to sin, not less but more. Fourthly, Those hearts which sees sin Saintlike, their sorrow for sin doth very much swallow up the sense of danger: but others that are only sensible of sin by the Convictions of a Law, without the Comings in of his Love, they through the sense of danger are so swallowed up in horror, that there is hardly any room for a godly, or a Gospel sorrow. Dear friends, if God would give us hearts to mind our hearts in this thing, we should see very great mistakes in Relation to this godly or Gospel sorrow; but I shall leave that, knowing all souls that live with God see the difference of that in their own spirits: And to make others see before God gives them Eyes, it is impossible. Fifthly, A Saint's sense of sin makes him run not less but more to God: The other man's sense of sin makes him run not less but more from God: The one runs like the * Luk. 15.19, 20. Prodigal Son to his Father's house, or rather his Father's heart: The other is fare from it, but it rather causes him like * Mat. 27.5. Judas to run to the place of Execution: Truly in this there is a very strange Paradox: that Light and Love which comes into a Saint's heart, doth not only discover sin, but produce much shame upon the heart, upon the sense of sin, and most when it draws nearest God: yet the soul cannot choose but run to God, and is never well but when it is nearest God. Sixtly, A saintlike sense of sin is always so strict upon his watch, to prevent sin, that he fears the appearances of sin as well as the power; but another heart is not so, but no more of this, but to the second question, to demonstrate the difference betwixt sins going out, and sins being cast out. First, If sin be cast out it always leaves an awful fear and care behind it: but if it only went out, it leaves a man very secure, as you may see by the Text, Matt. the 12th. and the 45. verse. Secondly, That heart which Christ hath conquered in, and cast out sin for, when it is sensible, it is (not less but) more humble, and it must needs be so, for that Light, and Life that did conquer sin, and doth discover sin, doth discover to the heart its unsufficiency, as before to subdue sin, now again to keep under sin, that the soul cannot choose in that sense but lie very low: But it's otherwise with that heart where sin only went out. They think highly of themselves, and are apt to sacrifice to their own nets, or like the Pharisee, Luke the 18.11. I thank thee that I am not as this Publican, but alas, it is not so with a heart that is sensible of sin by the come in of Christ, he judges himself the worst of Creatures: * Psal. 22.6. Eph. 3.8. Thirdly, If sin be cast out, the Light and power that cast it out teaches that soul to lean more upon God's power, and to go less upon his own Legs, but it is not so with the other. Fourthly, That heart which sin is cast out of, and doth not go out, is so sensible of what is done for it: that it doth not only lie low before God, and fear the appearances of sinning against God, but it is much carried to bless and give glory to God: Rom. 7.25. 1 Cor. 15.57. But where sin only went out, that man is not wounded through the sense of his own sin and weakness, so as to give glory to God, for any victory over sin, but rather mind his own Industry and strength, and attributes much to his own care, but little to God's kindness. But I shall say no more in answer to those questions, but another word or two of some other uses, and so conclude. The second use is an use of advice to the people of God, by any means to beware of sin; I might use many Arguments, but I desire you to mind what I have said before, and do not only consider, how unsupportable a burden it will be, and how much it will wound you, when the Lord causes you to return; but consider withal these things following. First, Consider the nature of sin, how low, base, and unworthy a thing it is: you shall never see what it says, unless it be in the last pangs, when God makes it speak out its own nature, and that is death and darkness. * Rom. 6.21. Mat. 24.50, 51. Secondly, Consider how much it is below a Saint's * Hos. 14.8. spirit, nay, the truth is, if you consider sin well as Sin, it is below the Reason of a natural man: 'tis so poor, base and Ignoble, that Reason in a natural man, were his eyes but open in his own Reason, he would kick it out of doors: It is a mere Jesuitical Tyrant, speaking fair to accomplish its own ends, and by it to bring the Creature to slavery and bondage. The truth is, if the people of God's heart were often with God, and fed upon those glorious, noble and divine enjoyments: Sin would not find so easy an entertainment in their hearts, but they being so often abroad, and so little at home, I mean in their father's house, or rather in his heart, is that which occasions many slips and falls, by harkening to those deluding Enticements, which afterwards will appear to be an unsupportable burden. Thirdly, Consider most of all against whom you sin; It is not only against Law, but against Love, and against that dear Love which is your life: Truly, if the people of God had always power from God, to consider how injurious and unkind they are to God's heart, when they shake sin by the hand, they would have much more Resolution against sin, and say as Ephraim, What have I to do any more with Idols? Hosea the 14. chap. and the 8. vers. or say as Joseph, Genesis the 39 and the 9 How can I do this and sin against God, or as the Apostle saith, Roman the 6. the 1, and 2. I know it is not in the Creatures power to mind itself, but I am sure when God gives power, it is a great advantage to us and disadvantage to sin, to weigh well the great opposition sin makes against the Comings in of Divine Loves, nay, how much it wounds the Lord Christ afresh: Some think that the worst that even sin did was to bring Christ upon the Cross: but I must tell you, though that was great, yet know also that every time the people of God sin, Heb. 6.6. Heb. 10.29. they do as it were crucify Christ afresh, for Christ is as really crucified within us, as he was upon the Cross for us: and therefore every time you sin, know this, that in your own soul, you accuse, you arraign, condemn, crown with thorns, spit in the face, and smite with the hand, nay, pierce and wound that dearly beloved unction, that is come down from God, and truly had we but power to consider, that endeared Love and Life that from God speaks to us, nay, that woes and entreats for Entertainment with us, not to add to itself, but to advance us, undoubtedly such thoughts would much conquer us, and sin in us. There are many other motives, but I shall leave them, only take notice, it is dangerous to be a Dydimus, not to believe till you feel: Take notice of this from what my soul knows, that sense will be very sad, and the rather, because there is no Relief when you are wounded, but in that you have wounded, by that which wounded you; oh! what will you say when you come for Relief from that dear heart: and to draw life from those sweet Loves, that you did no less than throw dirt in the face of; oh! if there be any of the people of God, who are so fare deluded as under the notion of Liberty, are run into looseness: oh! I beg, nay I would beg with tears for them, to consider from whence they are fallen, and to remember their first Love, Revela. 2.4, 5. It is possible some may be made so unsensible by their wanton sinning, as that they may make a jest of these say: As for such spirits I shall leave them, desiring to see myself in them, and so rather conclude with mourning, then to spend time in dispute with all the objections that such may bring, and shall only give answer to two or three objections, which are more common and accustomary, yet like deceiving. Object. How can this be, when as the Apostle Saint John in the first Epistle 3.9. saith, he that is borne of God cannot sin? Answ. In my answer to this, I shall not trouble you, in rehearsing how often the Devil hath presented we with this Scripture, to persuade me that the people of God cannot sin, but my answer to this Scripture is briefly thus. The same Apostle in the same Epistle, chap. 1.8. verse, saith, that whosoever saith he hath no sin is liar and deceives himself; Therefore he doth not intent but that the people of God, may and do sin, but it is true that in them which are borne of God; in them I mean that Saintship or unction, or anointing, or spirit of life which comes from God, and is one with God: that doth not nor cannot sin: 'tis true, it cannot sin, because it is borne of God. We may as well say, we can turn Heaven into Hell, and turn light into darkness, as to turn that into sin (or that to sin) no, dear hearts, that is of another nature, that's Gods little one: that is placed in us to justify Wisdom, Mat. 11.19. and to condemn folly: and to breathe out Love and Light in opposition to darkness, and 'tis so far from being capable of joining with sin, that its proper work is to arraign, accuse, and condemn the old man, which was in Paul, though he was a child of God, Rom. 7.20, 21, 22, 23 verses. Now this unction, * 1 Joh. 2.20, 21. or this thing borne of God gives us the denomination of being the children of God; but though it is the power of God in us to kill sin, by the nature of itself; yet it never did nor will turn sin into grace: nor yet manifest so much in this life as to fill Saints with grace, and free them from all sin, but they must have some Canaanites and Hittites in their hearts. * 2 Cor. 12.7. Now the people of God is a general term, and envolves the whole person either men, or women in a Scripture-sence; but that general doth include at a new, so an old Man, and both in one subject; * Rom. 7.21, 22, 23. The one to be pulled down, and the other to be exalted; one to die, and the other to live (for it is Life) now when the Apostle saith, that which is borne of God, cannot sinne, he intends that principal of Life which lives in us, and doth not include the whole man: and when he saith, he hath no sin, he deceives himself and is a liar: he intends the old rotten Man in our form, which is in us, and as to our fleshly part is one with us. Object. Where there is no Law there can be no sin, but the people of God are by Christ freed from the Law, and if freed from it, than there is to them no Law, if no Law, than no sin. Answ. That Christ hath freed believers from the Law, the Scripture is clear: but that Christ which hath freed us from a Law, hath given a Law to us, which he calls a new * John 13.34. 1 John 2.8. Commandment: but as the Law was in the hand of Moses a condemning and a kill Law: so Christ hath freed us from it, and as it was merely considered without us, and not wrought in the administration of the Law, in that sense we are free from it: * Rom. 18.4, 5. yet take notice that we are under that Law, that doth engage a close walking with God, and though God hath been pleased to write that Law within us, yet know it is suitable to that Law which is without us: I must confess in some sense, it is improper to say a child of God as a child of God, a Christian as a Christian, to be under the Law; and why? because the Saintship of a Saint, or that in us which makes us, or gives us the denomination of Christians, or God's child is made up of the Law, and is Law itself, and is no further under the Law, than a Law is capable to be under itself. That holiness, purity, spirituality, that the Law * Heb. 8.10. without us presented to us, is now wrought in us, and so the power commanding, is the power Conforming. Now whether this be any ground for Looseness, I leave to any soul to judge, or whether this be not much more binding, and admits of no Liberty to a lose walking, but engages much * Rom. 7.6. more. Object. If the Law be within us, what need we mind any thing that is without us? Answ. 1. The Law within us is not contrary to the Law without us, as I told you before, if you look upon it in a gospell-sence, that's to say in the hand of Christ (for the heart and hand is both one) and any Laws relating to Religion in another sense, we are not to mind as being bound to it. Secondly, But the Law in a Gospell-sence, souls that lie in the life of that Law cannot choose but love it, as a glass to look upon that which by its Light appears lovely; I mean holiness and Righteousness, which is one with the delight of God. Thirdly, I shall give no further answer to this last objection, but only thus, to tell you from what experience I have formerly found, that it is a great sign of a heart that's sick, when it endeavours to draw tolerations for Looseness, from a discourse relating to a Saints Liberty. Dear hearts, let me conclude with this, that that soul which is really acquainted with his Liberty from Divine Love, is so swallowed up, and so conquered by it, that its never in its proper course, but when it lives up to that Love. And his being unbound to the Law, in that sense which before I expressed, doth not admit of acting loosely, See Rom. 6.1, 2. but acting Lively, as you may see: Gallat. the 2. and the 19 verse, I through the Law, saith Paul, am dead to the Law, that I may live to God: so his freedom was not the cause of his dying to God, but living to God: but no more of this use. The next use is an use of comfort to the people of God, who groan under the burden of sin. If sin to a Saintlike sensible heart be an unsupportable burden, than it is a discovery of a Saint like sensible heart, when sin is thus a burden to it: Dear hearts, though it be sad to lie under the sense of sin, yet it is ten thousand times sadder to sin, and not be sensible. Truly though the heart be wounded, yet those stripes God will heal, * Mat. 11.28. Matth. 5.3, 4. and they are but dear lashes of his Love, in bringing out the soul into a further enjoyment of Life, and if any souls have cause to rejoice, 'tis them that mourn, and for your comfort consider these things. First, God is more ready in Christ to take off the burden, then to lay it on, see the Prodigal, Luke the 15. and the 20. When the Prodigal did but come, the Father ran and gave him ease, before he discovered his burden: truly did groaning hearts know, how much the * Jer. 31.20. Isa. 63.15. Bowels of God earns towards them, and how freely Christ is held out to them, and how sweetly God in promises runs out for them with freeness, to give out himself to them: It would much refresh them: doth Christ come to save? it is not the Righteous * Mar. 9.13. Luk. 19.10. but sinners, Doth God justify? then it is the ungodly, Rom. the 4.5. Doth the Father make a Feast? It was for the return of a poor Prodigal; Doth the Heavens rejoice? it is for the return of the lost sheep. Truly the people of God never mourn as sinners, but then God rejoices over them as Saints. Secondly, Consider not only the readiness of God to take off the burden, but the freeness of Christ to bear * Isa. 63.3.2 Cor. 5.21. Phil. 2.5, 6, 7. it: As upon the Cross, where he willingly submitted to the lash of the Law, and the frowns of Heaven for the sins of poor undone Creatures: so he doth also call upon poor hearts oppressed under the burden of sin, to exercise faith in entertaining his tenders: to ease their burdens, and to give them rest: Matt. the 11. and the 28. Thirdly, Consider that thy condition is not alone, all that God will crown he thus crosses, and all he makes to live, he thus crucifies, and all he heals, he thus wounds; * Isa. 40.4, 5. Isa. 61.1, 2, 3. and therefore when thou art most under the burden of sin think of David, not only in this text, but in the 51 Psalm, and in many other places, where he cries out as a man undone, so did Paul, Rom. the 7. so did Jeremiah, so did Esay, saying, Woe is me, for I am undone, being a man of unclean lips, Esay the 5. and the 6. Fourthly, Consider it is God's way, not only by Light to discover darkness, but by discovering Darkness and Death bring thee to Light and Life; Therefore under the Cloud look to the Conclusion, and behold Light: for though there be darkness in the habitations of Egypt, there is Light in the dwellings of * Exod. 10.22, 23. Micah 7.8. Israel; my meaning is, though there be trouble and darkness in thy Egyptian heart, yet there is enough Love and Light in the bosom of Jesus, which is the place of rest for the Israelites of God to dwell in. Fifthly, Consider, That though God in thy eyes seems to frown, yet know that they are but the beginnings of his smiles. And though in thy eyes he hath seemed to withdraw himself, yet know it is but for a moment, and he will meet thy heart with everlasting kindness, Isaiah the 54. and the 8 verse. Object. But alas my trouble hath been very long, and therefore I fear it is not that burden which God is so ready to remove, which makes me think my heart is not Saintlike sensible. Answ. To which I shall answer thus; That it may seem long in our eyes, yet if it be God's time it is not long, Isa. 54.8. Secondly, Consider that though we have stayed long waiting for Heaven: Heaven hath stayed longer waiting for us * Can. 5.2. Isa. 30.18. . Thirdly, Know that it shall not abide one hour or moment longer than to accomplish God's * 1 Cor. 10.13. 2 Cor. 4, 17 end: and though it seems a loss, that loss will be a great gain. Fourthly, Though thou hast stayed long, thou art not alone. David groaned so long till his bones were broken, and there was no soundness left in his flesh: so when God hath destroyed thy strength, and thyself Righteousness, which Paul calls flesh, Philip. the 3. He will then come and not tarry. Object. But alas I cannot think it is with others as with me, for my sins are not only sins before Conversion, but I have often withdrawn from God since. Answ. Was not the Prodigal Son's Condition so? was it not so with David, which I desire you to Consider, and other two or three Scriptures, which God was pleased to speak much Comfort to my heart by: As Jeremiah the 3. and the 1. and so on; God says in the first verse thus much; That if a man's Wife be put away for Adultery, he will never return; But, saith he, you have played the harlot, not with a few, but many, yet Return unto me: and gives them this Argument afterwards; For I am married to you; and again and again three or four times, he saith, Return unto me, for I am thy God. And these Entreaties were expressed to a people that were fallen from God: and he speaks to them before they Return, that they may return. If there were such heart-earnings after them before they returned, what dear affection was and is expressed, when a soul doth Return. Dear friends, at your leisure Read over the 26 of Ezekiel, the beginning of the Chapter discovers Gods great Love to them when they were in their blood: and how he brought them home and beautified them with his own beauty, that was a time of Love. In the middle of the Chapter, he discovers how his people had run from him, and given their Jewels unto harlots, and gone a whoring from God, not only once but again and again. Now in the latter part of the Chapter, verse the 59 he declares that he might do by them as they had done by him; yet in the 60 verse, he tells them he will not, but he will Remember his Covenant, and know further for thy Comfort that he speaks this not to a people that were ashamed, but to a people that had dealt unkindly, and sinned, that so they might be ashamed. So than if God hath discovered thy sin, and made thee ashamed, (know) that he is not less carried out in kindness to embrace thy heart, though peradventure at present thou see it not; according to that in the 11th of Hosea and the first verse. Object. But that which sads my heart is, the longer I live, and the more Light I enjoy, I yet still see not less, but more deadness, darkness, and baseness in my own heart. Answ. In my answer to this objection, Consider these things. First, Think it not strange, for this is a truth, that all Saints find by Experience, that the more they enjoy discoveries of Light from God, the more unkindness and darkness they see in themselves, * Job 42.5, 6. Isa. 6.5. and it must needs be so. The darker the room, the lesser the filth is discovered; The brighter the Sun, the more prospectious the motes, and where the beams of the Sun give out themselves, as the flowers give out their sweet smells; so the dunghill gives out his noisome smell: so the more the Sun of Righteousness doth arise in us, though the graces in us flowing from him, do give out their sweet odours in their ready giving way to him; so the noisome appearances, and the ugly shapes of the old man do appear the more; as Paul tells you, Rom. the 7th and the 9th, That when the Law of the Spirit, or the Law of grace came, sin revived, and he died: Nay it so Revived, that's to say, it was not only discovered, but also Risen up in opposition against the come in of grace, that Paul at last had little else to glory in, but his Infirmities, Cor. the 1. and the 12, the 9 and the 10th. Sin is like a stream, the more it is bunged up, the more it will roar. Therefore, dear friends, think it not strange, but rather with satisfaction sit silent in the will of God, knowing it to be God's way as with one hand to Lift up thy heart through a discovery of kindness, so to lay thee low by the discovery of thy unsuitableness: and he will never leave thee till he hath discovered all the rotten Rooms in thy own Spirit, and the longer you live you will not see less but more, for there is still more to be seen. Secondly, Knowing it is the Devil and sin's way to work, not only to Endeavour to go on in its old Course in a gracious heart, but being opposed by the Spirit of God, it makes still new oppositions; and doth manifest itself with more varieties of motion in opposing Light, than it doth in that heart where nothing but darkness dwells, for there is nothing to oppose it. Now when the people of God see such fresh motions of Darkness to oppose Light, they presently judge their Condition worse than it was before: But they have great cause to Rejoice, who are sensible of these things; and for your Comfort take notice, That all Saints find not only by come in of Light, a greater discovery of sin, but there is really new motions of the old Man, in opposition to the new, which never was before; and in that sense Paul saith, Sin revived, as well as in his seeing sin more. Thirdly, In the last place Consider a Cunning practice that the Devil hath, not only in making Christians question grace, because they see themselves want grace, but in persuading them that all motions to sin, is sin, and for that End sometimes in half a quarter of an hour, he will cast in a thousand several motions of sin, and though the heart doth not Entertain them, but lies groaning, as being afraid of them, yet the Devil immediately will come with applications to that heart; telling him that it is impossible he should have any thing of Heaven in his heart, having such unheard of sins there, and sins not to be reported; The poor soul through Ignorance groans under this burden, concluding all is truth: And so is apt to exclude all Interest in Heaven upon that account. But dear hearts, take heed of such delusions; and do but mind it, and you will see many such appearances every day. But I shall say no more as to the answer of that objection. Object. But my Condition must needs be sad, and much unlike a Saint, for I have not power to exercise Faith in drawing any Refreshment from Christ, or Comfort in applying any promise. Answ. Thy Condition is not alone, it is and hath been the Condition of many Saints; but yet in answer to this, Beloved friends, I would have you Consider these things. First, Though it is our duty, and with it our Refreshments to lay hold upon, and to make applications of Jesus Christ: yet our happiness lies more in Christ's laying hold of us: * Joh. 15.16 Jud. 24. 1 John 4.10. Secondly, It is God's way many times to leave his people without the sensitive part of their Comfort: and though they do believe, and do know, and do see, yet they are many times left without power to be sensible they * Hos. 11.3 1 Joh. 5.13 see, that so in the Close they may be brought off from Living upon their own knowing, and seeing God: and made to Live upon Gods knowing and seeing them. Thirdly, Many times the people of God are hindered in applying Christ and promises, because they look upon them through a wrong glass (viz.) through their own Righteousness and goodness, and when that seems dead, their eyes grow dim, for there is so much penurious proceed in the best of Saints, that they will not, nor dare not touch a promise without holy hands and holy hearts. Whereas we are not to believe, because we are holy, but we are to believe being unholy, that we may be holy. I now remember what Mr Hocker said in the same case concerning the hindrance that Christians meet with in applying promises. It is with them, said he, as with a man that goes to take a staff in his hand, if he puts the back of his hand to the staff, he cannot hold it till he puts it in the palm of his hand: so it is with the people of God; when they go to a promise, they go to lay hold on it with the back side of the hand of faith, and that they do these ways. First, When they look upon themselves, as they are in themselves, and not look upon themselves as they are in Christ. In themselves they are altogether unworthy: In Christ they are worthy; In themselves they are black, in Christ they * Can. 1.8. Eph. 5.27. are comely. Secondly, So they also do when they endeavour to go to Christ through a promise, and not to a promise through Christ, wherein they move by their own strength, and that's their backside, and not by the power of Christ, which is properly the hand to Led them to the heart of all promises: He is the sum of every promise, and all promises are summed up in him: In him we enjoy every one, and without him we enjoy never a one. If you would know what a promise is, I shall discover my thoughts in this general Term that includes all. A promise is the declaration of God's good will: Christ is the principal declarer, and he is also the thing declared: and so he is the sum of promises, and in that sense promises are summed up in him. Thirdly, We are said to go with the backside of the hand to a promise, when we so look upon corruption in us, that we dare not apply promises of Life, but as we see sin die, and do not Endeavour to apply promises, that sin which is alive may die. And therefore dear Friends, in the Close of this Remember two or three things, that Experience hath, and Experience will Confirm to all believers. First, None applies Christ, till Christ lays hold on him, 1 Joh. 4.19. Secondly, That no heart brings any holiness to Christ, but what they first had from a promise in Christ. Thirdly, It is not God's way for us to conquer sin, and then believe, but to Conquer sin through believing, 1 John 5.4. Fourthly, If the apprehensions of sin getting some strength, doth occasion a Saint by fear to weaken faith: that gives not less but more strength to sin: but it is Christ's way to kill sin through believing. Therefore beloved Friends, Let me beg of you to be very serious in weighing the worth of God's tenders, and also the way of God's tenders. And know this, As it is dangerous for men, under the notion of believing free grace, to give way to sin, so it is dangerous to stay from believing grace, till we Conquer sin. Pray take notice that God brings fullness to emptiness, and Light to Darkness, and Life to Death, and goodness to * Matth. 11 28. Rom. 5.6. Isa. 40.29. unworthiness. Therefore there is no Soul so empty, and so poor, and so unworthy, and so sinful, but there is enough in Christ to answer all. And dear Friends, take heed that you do not penuriously stand out, and say, you will make yourselves fit before you come to Christ. That kind of humility is great pride: And you endeavour to do that which is endless and easeless. Therefore Consider, as the promise, and your need of a promise, so consider the way how to apply a promise, and do not endeavour to take hold of the staff with the back of your hand, but the palm: And for that End seriously mind what hath been said. And the Lord give us to understand the truth as it is in Jesus; but I shall say no more in answer to this objection, nor to the Text at this time. Though there are many other uses might be made of it; but I shall only at this time Conclude with the words in the Conclusion; Which is: That sin to a Saintlike sensible heart is an unsupportable Burden. The restless Resolution of a Soul to return to God who is Sonlike sensible of his withdrawing. Withdrawing from God are dangerous. Dear friends, I told you before that my desire was to discover to you three things. First, How unsupportable sin is to a heart that is made sensible. Secondly, How restless a heart is, that is sensible of his withdrawings from God, till he doth return to God. Of the first I have already spoke, I am now to enter upon the second, and of that I shall desire to speak suitable, to what God hath made known in me; and that Scripture which I desire to speak it from is: Psalm the 116. and the 7. verse. Return unto thy rest O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. IN which words you may consider in general two things. 1. An Exhortation. 2. The Reason and foundation. The Exhortation in these words. Return unto thy rest (O my soul.) The Reason and foundation in these words. For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. In the Exhortation we may consider several things. First, The party exhorting, that's David. Secondly, the party exhorted, that's his soul, O my soul. Thirdly, The Exhortation itself, Return, In which Exhortation there is something employed, besides what is expressed. The thing implied is, that his heart had withdrawn from its rest. Fourthly, there is the manner of the Exhortation, it is an earnest Exhortation. Return oh my soul. Besides, it is a spiritual Exhortation; therefore he calls upon his soul. We might now divide the Reason and foundation, as we have done the Exhortation, and from each particular draw a Conclusion: but that kind of speaking is neither profitable to you, nor satisfactory to myself. Therefore we shall pass over the particulars, and reduce all to these three Conclusions, and they are these. First, That the best of Saints are apt to draw from their Rest. Secondly, that heart which is made sensible by the Lord, that he is withdrawn from his Rest, he is restless till he doth return. Thirdly, That the knowledge of the fullness, and bounty of God is the grand ground of moving a soul to turn to God, that hath withdrawn from God. Of the first Conclusion we shall speak briefly but a word or two, because what is considerable to speak to, we shall speak in the second Conclusion. Doct. The best of Saints are sometimes apt to withdraw from their Rest. In the opening of the Conclusion, we shall consider these things. First, we shall declare the truth of this by Scripture. Secondly, To show you what I mean by the people of God's Rest. Thirdly, We shall declare what it is to withdraw from that Rest. Fourthly, Give you the Reasons and grounds, why the best of Saints are sometimes apt to withdraw from their Rest. First, Scripture, its clear from the text itself; for it is clearly employed in the words, for had not his soul withdrawn from its Rest, he need not exhorted it to return: but yet for further proof, view at your leisure these Scriptures following. * jer. 2.13. Judges 10.10. 1 Sam. 12.10. N●hem. 9.28. H●s. 11.1, 2. Psal. 51.4. So Paul: Rom. 7. Secondly, To declare to you what a Saints Rest is: is that which we are to speak to now in the second place, and in it we might discover to you the varieties of Rest, which men have, which some call a Saints Rest, but it is not so, but far from it. First, There is a worldly rest, like to the Glutton, Luke the 12th Chapter, and the 19th verse, Eat and drink O my soul, and be at rest, for thou hast enough laid up for many years. It is so with many men in these days, they are restless till they have gained accommodation, either for wealth, or honour, and when that is accomplished they sit down, and are at rest. But alas, this is not the rest: see what God saith in the 20th verse of that Chapter. Secondly, There is a Natural rest; I do not mean for the body, but for the mind: for many natural men, walking civilly in the form of their fore fathers, and are never within disquieted, being no way from Heaven convicted, and poor hearts, they think all is well, because they see no ill, and they conclude themselves alive, because they were never sensible they were dead. These men go out of the world as unsensible as they came in, and so die like Nabal, who ended his days like a stone, 1 Sam. 25.37. Dear friends, take notice that this rest is a miserable rest, and not that rest which we are to speak to. Thirdly, There is a Diabolical rest; some men are so swallowed up in sins that they are never satisfied, nor at rest till they are a sinning. Like unto those people in Jeremiah the 44.17. who said it was well with them when they offered up Incense to the Queen of Heaven: and there are two sorts of these people. The one is those who have lived so long in sin, that their only life and delight is in sinning. * john 10.3, 4. Deut. 29.19. The other sort are those who have some inner checks of conscience, by which they are disquieted, and they to stop the mouth of that disquieted mind, will make themselves drunk with sinning, and care not what time or money they spend to purchase a little peace, to expel that trouble, and that hour they can purchase that mirth, * Isa. 22.13. Isa. 56.12. or rather madness, they are then at rest. But alas, the rest of these men is not only sinful, but diabolical, their condition is much to be lamented. Fourthly, There is a Legal rest; I call it so, because it is a rest which men attain to by their exact conformity to a Law, and not by their acquaintance with the Lord. I fear that many go on in this rest, thinking all is well, when alas there is no such matter. They only rest upon the rotten reed of their own Righteousness, and warm themselves by the fire of their own performance, but the conclusion will be restless, for they will lie down in sorrow, Isaiah the 50. and the last verse. If these sort of people are but exact in the form of their performance, in answer of a Law or Letter, and that done all is well. They have no rest till they do perform, and when they have performed, they are at rest. I would have God's people restless to perform duty, job. 22.3. Isa. 64.6. but not rest in performing duty. I would have their rest, as I know it will, carry them out to perform duty, but not to rest upon their performance. Fifthly, There is a Pharisaical Rest: that is, when men take Rest in a bare profession, without any enjoyment of the thing they do profess, this is pharisaical: so it is also when men in their profession walk up to gain the applause of men: * john 5.42. john 12.43. these people have peace when they judge themselves approved on, especially by a professing people, than all is well, but the least censure there, doth exceedingly sadden them; whereas those souls which have rest in that Rest which is the Rest of Saints, all the commendation of men doth not heighten it, * Rom. 2.29. 1 Cor. 4.3. nor the Censures of men groundless doth not straiten it. Therefore, Dear friends, consider if Creature-smiles will increase your Rest, and the frowns decrease it: your Rest is but that which will end restless. Sixthly, There is another Rest which comes more near to the Rest of the people of God, and yet it is deceiving. I tear too many of the people of God, rest in that Rest. It is a Rest which is seemingly, evangelically, and a Gospel rest, but it is not so, and it doth consist in these things. First, When men, who through a sight of the great mistakes of all other rests, and do by it condemn Pharisaical Rest to be but beggarly, and legal Rest to be very empty, and the other sorts of Rests to be very foolish, and this they are brought to from apprehending a higher and more glorious discovery of God, in a way of free grace, and Gospel-unfoldings; but in this they rest, and therein their rest is false, in that they rest in the bare knowledge, and not in the thing known. And they are satisfied by apprehending truth so far as to condemn falsehood, and so rest upon the act of condemning evil, but go no further. But in the close of this, take notice thus much, that there is many times much pride in condemning pride there, and much ignorance in condemning ignorance there; and thus to rest in condemning the fallacy of rest, though men may think their spirits high, they are but low, and in the end it will appear restless, and though they may be saved, yet this work with many others will be burnt, Corinthians the 1. and the 3. and the 12, 13, and 14 verses. Secondly, There are many people who are exceeding restless till they have embraced the external administrations of the Gospel, and when they have done so they think all is done, and then are at quiet. Alas! if Christ be not as well form in * Gal. 4.19. you, as acknowledged by you, your condition is not less, but more sad; and though you think you are at rest, your state is restless. * Am. 6.7. But no more of false Rests, though much more may be said; but a word or two of that Rest, which is the rest of Saints. Under the Law there were varieties of rests, but all rests were swallowed up in one, as being the Anti-type of all those types: now this rest is the Lord Jesus Christ, as you may see at large in the 4th of the Hebrews: Now when we say Christ is the rest of Saints, or a Saints sabbaoth, we are to look upon Christ as one with God, nay very God, and is that Eternal Love and Life, which was and is for ever. It lives in God, and is communicated to the Creature by the Spirit of God, that Love is very God, as you may see in the first Epistle of John, the 4th and the 8th. For it's true, we may look upon Christ as the grand Ordinance of God, and so he is the stream, and not the fountain, and so he is inseriour to the Father, as you may see, John the 14. and the 28 verse. Now so to rest in, or on Christ, is to rest in the stream, and not in the fountain, and in a word, it is to rest upon an Ordinance, though it be the public and grand Ordinance, yet in that sense he is an Ordinance. But a Saint's rest is to rest in the sweet enjoyments of God in Christ: that foundation will stand, not only now, but when Christ gives up the Kingdom to the Father, * 1 Cor. 15.24.27. than all streams will be gathered up into the fountain, and all beams will be gathered up into the body: then a Saint will not be unseated in his Centre, but will be more glorious, for God will be all in all, and all in him will be one with him in that glory. We might speak very large in reference to a Saints rest, both as to the Author, and the matter, and the sweet content a soul enjoys in that rest, but what I have spoken is sufficient to discover a Saints rest to be unmoveable, to be matchless and unalterable. O happy is that heart who is lulled asleep in nothing but in those Loves, nor doth not rest in any appearance, though in near relations, but upon the marrow of that mercy. Dear friends, thus to say is good, but they and they only are happy, that do enjoy it, and they which do enjoy it are not able to express the tithe of what they enjoy. As it is a peace, so it is a rest past all understanding. * Phillip 4.7. But no more of this second thing. Thirdly, We shall speak a word or two what it is for a soul to withdraw from its rest; and therein we might be very large, in reckoning up many particulars, but we shall briefly declare our thoughts to it. (Dear friends) know, that all stardings from * Isa. 59.7, 8. jer. 12.13. Hos. 11.1, 2. God, either in spiritual communion, or external withdrawings from any thing that is exactly God's way (unless God hedged up your way from it) is a withdrawing from rest; nay, all our run out to, (or embracing of) and living upon any thing besides God, though seemingly it may have a Law to own it, yet for us (so) to embrace it, is to withdraw from rest, nay all low and lose actions or thoughts, * Pro. 24.2. Gen. 6.5. which are contrary to the mind of God, is a startling from God, and a withdrawing from God, and so a going from rest, for God is our rest; all which I leave to you, to beg of God to inform you, and so far to overcome you, that you may for ever abide with God, from Gods abiding with you. I am now to speak a word or two to discover the Reasons and Grounds, why the best of Saints sometimes are apt to withdraw from their rest. I shall reduce the Reasons to these two. The one is taken from themselves, and the other is taken from God. As to the Reason relating to themselves, we may reduce that to these two heads. The first is the grand cause. The second is the accidental or occasionary cause. As for the grand, it is because there is darkness, sin, and corruption in the best of Saints. That which is the reason why some men for ever stand in opposition to God, is, that which doth cause the people of God sometimes to withdraw from God; it is the relics of the old man that are not yet fully crucified, but still move helward and deathward, to accomplish its own ends: and that this remains in the best, you may see Galathians the 5th, and so also in the Romans, the 7th and the 21. which made him cry out thus, the 24. O wretched man: And therefore all the people of God had need not only to watch, * Mar. 24.42. Mat. 25.41. and walk humbly before God, but to live much upon God, for there is that in self which will carry the soul with a strong stream from its proper Centre. Now from this grand cause, there are many accidental occasional causes flowing from it to cause a soul to withdraw from Christ, and they are these. First, The harkening to, or disputing with inclinations or temptations to sin, this was the occasion of Eves and Adam's * Gen. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Psa. 137.9. fall. To admit of a dispute with sin & temptation, doth very much strengthen temptation, and weaken us: and when the heart through the power of Christ doth make sudden resistance, it doth commonly conquer with little spoil, or breach, upon its own quiet and peace. A dispute of sin admits of a familiarity with sin, and it gives sin opportunity to present new objects of delight, which never leaves till it hath drawn the fleshly part of the creature into alabyrinth where the heart is much lost: and then it hearkens unto any dictates that propound reft, and content; but this state is very dangerous, and the heart now gins to be sick, happy is that soul who is seasonably recovered, for there is no end of sins promises, nor no beginning of its performance, till in the end it brings forth death. Romans the 9 and the 24. Dear friend, mind this, and the Lord in mercy give you understanding to keep at home, and not straggle abroad: I mean to live much with God, and in necre communion with his loves. No more of that. Secondly, Neglecting society with them that live with God, and to live in fellowship with them that are not acquainted with God, is a dangerous occasion to cause the people of God to withdraw from their rest. * Gen. 42.16. Joseph had never learned to swear by the life of Pharaoh, had he not come into Pharoahs' family, Pro. 1.15. Pro. 6.27, 28. and show me any place of Scripture where any of the people of God did ever withdraw from them that lived with God, and embraced familiarity and society with others, but they commonly fell before they returned. It is impossible to touch pitch, but to be defiled, 'tis not possible for a man to walk in a corrupt Air, but he must suck in some of the corrupt fumes. Dear friends, in the close I desire you to mind this, not only as a duty, but as a mercy, to be often with them that are often * Mal. 3.16. Can. 1.8. Heb. 10.25. Col. 3.16. with God. They are not only God's factors, offering and tendering varieties of discoveries of Light and Love, but they are Gods Merchants, nay their hearts are Gods Magazines, wherein he doth treasure up varieties of the discoveries of his Light, Life, and Love. Truly did people know the worth of the enjoying Saints, they would not scorn them, but rather endeavour to purchase their society. Dear friends, all I shall say to this, is, prise them that are precious to God, for their society will be profitable to you. Thirdly, Misapplying the truths of God in Scripture, is an occasionary cause many times of a Saints withdrawing from his rest, as thus: The Scripture clearly discovers, that all praying in an outward form is but prating, unless it flow from the spirit of God, and that is a * Rom. 8.26. 1 Cor. 14.15. John 6.44, 45. truth worth our owning, for if there be a thousand words in our form of prayer, if there be but ten words in that prayer which flow from the spirit, that's prayer, and all the rest is nothing. Now this truth is falsely applied by two sorts of people, and doth cause them to run into evil, and withdraw from God. First, Of those who think all extemporary prayer is to pray by the spirit; when alas a man by mere natural parts, and by mere acquired habits may be able to preach and pray in a form extemporary, and yet not be acquainted with the Spirit of God, and their run from those set forms of worship, to those Extemporary performances, is a great occasion to bolster many up in blindness, and to cause them to Run to a Restless Rest. Secondly, There are a second sort, and they are yet further Convinced, that all praying is so empty without the Spirit of God, that they will not attempt the form till the power move them, and upon that score neglect the form of prayer, may be weeks, months, years. Now, dear Friends, I must speak a word to you, relating to these people, and then a word or two to them; as to you. First, Be very tender of their persons. Secondly, Believe the truth of this opinion, that nothing is prayer, but what the Spirit performs: for prayer truly and properly Considered, is nothing else but the Exchanges of Gods own Language, and it flows from God as well as it goes to God; It's not to alter God, but to change us. Now the mistakes of these people lies in the application of this truth: Therefore a word or two to them in these particulars following. First, Dear Friends, so many of you as are of that opinion, I desire you carefully and candidly to mind what I shall say as to that; for I shall desire to say nothing, but what my Experience hath discovered to my own heart: And therefore in this first particular, take notice that I so own this truth of God (viz.) that there is no prayer without the Spirit, that I cannot but acknowledge all other say or speakings to be but empty and vain: and yet in the second place Consider. Secondly, Though God doth own no prayer but what flows from his own Spirit, and we do well to own it so, yet it is better for us to wait for the power in the form, then to wait for the power without the form: and as it is our duty to Conclude the form when we want the power, to be but a dead Carcase; so it is something dangerous to neglect waiting upon God for the power in the form: And truly if we well Considered it, there is reason for it. For first, we know we oftener find God, or rather God finds us in the form, then out of it, Cant. 1.8. Cant. 3.1, 2, 3, 4. Cant 7.12. Secondly, It is as good to be employed in the form, as to imply ourselves in that which is as bad or worse, which I fear we often do when we omit opportunities in lying at the Pools mouth, waiting for Gods coming in. Thirdly, Know this, that as it is duty when the Spirit performs it, so it is no sin to embrace the form, waiting for power; so that in the Close we Conclude that it is no duty, because the Spirit did not perform it: I know the sense of that will make Saints lie not less but more low before God. Fourthly, Dear Friends, I must needs tell you in the fourth place, that though that opinion be true, that is no prayer without the Spirit, yet know that that truth, with many others, are true in themselves, yet if they are not as well truly apprehended, as truth apprehended, it is not a truth in power in us: and I would have you to take notice, that it is a very bad sign when the apprehension of this truth is accompanied with so long a neglect of the form and power, as weeks, months, and years, For though the truth teaches that the for me without the power is nothing, yet that Truth doth not leave the Soul without power long; for though it seems to hid itself sometimes for a season, it always comes with a double Enlargement: and therefore deceive not yourselves: but the Lord give you power, as to apprehend Truth; so to apprehend Truth truly: and if so, the application will never admit of Liberty to Looseness, but strong Engagements to walk Close with God. I might in this third particular about misapplying of Truth, which is an occasion of Causing many to withdraw from God. We might mention many more, besides what we have named, as a Christians freedom from the Law of a Christians perfection: In him in whom perfection Lives: and also that no unfaithfulness in the Creature, can destroy his union with the Creator. These and many more glorious truths, which are to be believed by us, yet if they be not truly apprehended, and suitably applied, will be as well in particulars, as Christ is in the General, a stumbling block, and a Rock of offence to some, as well as a foundation of Salvation to others. But no more of the first Reason, why the best of Saints are apt sometimes to withdraw from their Rest. The second Reason is taken from God, God is pleased sometimes not to throw down, but to suffer Saints to fall, that they may stand more firmly in God's power, and live less upon themselves. God in this deals like a wise Father, who is pleased sometimes not to hold the Child, but to let it slip, that it may see itself to be weak, and to know that his power of standing is from the father. I fear many people look upon this Truth with a wrong Eye, and do conceive that sin is not only permitted, but caused by God. And they form their Reason thus; All power is of God, in him we act, move, and have our * Act. 17.28. Rom. 11.26. being; if so then the very acting of sin must needs be of God. But as to these people I shall only say thus much, They err not knowing the truth, for the action is one thing, and the pollution of the act is another thing. Sin is the variation from a Rule in an Act: and though actions be caused by God, yet the pollution of the Act flows from the sickness and soar which is in the Creature. But I shall say no more of that, but beg of you to be tender, and careful to avoid the Embracing of any such thing, as to lay fin upon * James 1.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. God; for he is Light, in whom there is no darkness, and purity, in whom is no pollution: and you may as well say, that the noisome stinks of a dunghill do flow from the Sun, because it smells when the Sun shines upon it; as to say the sinfulness of an Act flows from God, because the Act flows from the power of God: but I am confident, those hearts who are Saintlike sensible of sin, will not lay sin upon the Father, though he doth sometimes suffer them to fall, that they may stand the faster when he is pleased to raise them. But no more in answer to this Objection, nor yet to the Reasons of the Conclusion, but a word or two of Use, and to Conclude. The first Use. If it be so that the people of God are apt to withdraw from their Rest in this sense which we have before discovered: O then what cause have all the people of God, not only to walk humbly before God, but with care and watchfulness endeavour to avoid all occasions that may occasion their stumbling and withdrawing from * 2 Tim. 2.22, 23. 1 Thes. 5.22. Mark. 13.33.35. 1 Pet. 4.7. God. We might use many Arguments, but the thing itself is sufficient; Know that the Estate of withdrawing is a restless Estate, and the further we go in that Tract, the way to return will be the Larger, and without Return there is no Rest. The second Use, is to Exhort the people of God, as to watch over themselves; so to watch over each other; in answer to the Apostles words in Heb. 10.25. 1 Pet. 4.7. If thy Brother be fallen, Restore him with the Spirit of meekness, knowing thou thyself mayst also be tempted, Gal. 6.1. Dear Friends, the practice of many in these times are quite contrary; for if they see one fallen, they will rather lay him lower, and unchristian him, and ungrace him rather, then with tenderness and tears endeavour to restore him. But, dear Friends, I beg of you to avoid such Employments, and rather mind what a Gospel-Spirit is, and with kindness and care watch over each other: and if you see weakness, wants, or failings, endeavour to heal, restore, and return such hearts. This Use in the second place is to Exhort you, in relation to them which are not yet brought home to God, if you see any run on in sin, and commit iniquity, Remember that the seed of that Serpent dwells in * 1 Cor. 6.11. Rom. 11.18. Gal. 2.20. you: and know, that nothing but free grace hath made a difference betwixt them and you, and if they fall, and you stand, it is not you, but the power of Christ in you. And therefore this should Exhort you to humbleness and meekness towards them, and with humbleness and meekness endeavour to disslave them, by mourning over them, seeing yourselves in them, and saying when you see them commit Iniquity, that sin should I commit, were it not from love and grace, which is not mine but another's. The Consideration of this would not only cause us to walk meekly and humbly towards others, but thankfully before God: who hath been pleased only through grace to make a difference. The third Use, Is to Comfort those poor hearts, who lie under the sorrows of their withdrawings from Rest, and are apt to Conclude they belong not to it, because they run so often from it. Dear hearts, Consider, that the best of Saints sometimes are apt to withdraw from their Rest. Therefore if * Psal. 51.4, 5. Rom. 7.23, 24. David, and Paul, Complain of being carried Captive by this body of sin, well may you: Therefore be not discouraged, but know thy Condition is not alone. Besides, further Consider, that thy Rest longs for thee, as well as thou art Restless for it. Further know, that though thou art weak, and cannot go to that, that will come to thee, and when it comes it will Conquer thee with kindness, and not upbraid * Jam. 1.5. Joh 6.37. Isa. 55.1, 2. Rev. 22.17. thee for thy unkindness, and thy weakness will not nor cannot cause want in that to supply thine. Dear Friends, the Lord make your hearts consider this that hath been said, and if any be fallen, the Lord cause them Return, and they that do stand, so stand as knowing they may fall, that so they may sit fast in that seat, which is a Saints Centre and Rest; but no more of this first Conclusion. The second Conclusion in order is this; Doct. That heart which is made sensible by the Lord, that he is withdrawn from his rest, he is Restless till he doth Return. In the prosecution of this Conclusion we shall briefly speak to these three things. First, Prove it to you by Scripture. Secondly, Show you the Reasons and grounds why a soul that is made sensible of his withdrawing from Rest, is restless till he doth return. Thirdly, A word or two of Use. For the first, the Scripture is very clear; The very Text itself shows how Restless David's spirit was; for he cries out, saying; Return unto thy rest, O my soul. You may see him in the same posture in the 63 Psalm, and the first verse; where he cries out in the sense of the want of God, saying; His soul thirsted for God, and his flesh longed in a dry and thirsty Land, where no water war. The words import much more; for they Imply as much as this; That his heart broke in longing, and that he looked upon his condition without a sensible view of God, to be without any satisfaction: Like a fish out of the water, that doth nothing but gasp, and pant, longing for his own Element, without which he cannot live: It is just so with that heart which hath ever tasted of God's Love, cannot long Live without those Enjoyments: though sometimes the best of Saints are apt to withdraw, yet when Light and Life appears, Raising up a Remembrance of the former solace it had in Divine Loves, O it pants, groans, and is Restless, till again it is refreshed with those Enjoyments; and it will say as Samson in another Case said; Give me her or else I die. At your leisure read the fifth of the Canticles, you shall see where Christ came to the Spouse in the beginning of the Chapter, and put in his finger at the hole of the door, that is to say, he gave in so much Light, & so much remembrance of former Loves, which did not only show her where, and what she was, but caused in her a Restlessness, till she found him whom her soul loved, and she was so earnest in the pursuit of his society, that all the oppositions, reproaches, and smitings of the watchmen of the City could not take her off, but she still cries out, and tells the Daughters of Jerusalem, that she was sick of love, and she was never at rest till she had found him whom her soul loved. Dear Friends, Look upon any place of Scripture, where any soul did withdraw from God, and is now by him made sensible of that withdrawing, you will then there find them very restless till they did return. If you ask me the Reasons for it, they are these: The first Reason is employed in the latter End of this verse, which is the reason and ground David gives his soul to Return to God: It is because God hath dealt bountifully with him. That power of Life and Light that doth convince a soul of his withdrawing from God, doth raise up a remembrance and sense of the former sweetness, plenty and bounty he enjoyed in God, Psal. 77. and the 6. It is that which is clearly seen in the Prodigals Expressions, Luk. 15. where he saith, There is enough in my father's house. Dear Friends, the sense of this is a conquering and overcoming power, and the rather because that Light which presents this remembrance, doth exceedingly plead and expostulate with the heart, telling it that it was not as now, when he lay in his Father's bosom, there he had bread enough; he had there smiles without frowns, and was always danied upon the knees of his father's kindness, and was fed with marrow and fatness: and then it will ask and demand of the soul, saying, What dost thou here? Dear Friends, I am not able to tell you how these lively appearances of Gods precious plenty, doth break and wound the soul; That heart who ever lived under it, can and will say, that it is unexpressible how the heart breaks in longing after God: and how the sense of his fullness makes it Restless till it doth Return. The second Reason, Why a soul is and must be Restless that is convinced of his withdrawings; Is because that Light and Life, which is raised up in the heart, makes that part which is made sensible of his withdrawings, not only sensible of the fullness of God, but brings him into an union with God; Therefore I form my Reason thus: Every thing doth and must be eager in its running to its Centre: God is the Centre of the heart, and by the soul that is made sensible, he is known to be so: Therefore it cannot but be earnest in his running to God. Streams must return to the fountain, and beams to the body, & O how restless are these streams which are hindered in their pursuit! It must needs be much more with that heart who is brought to know himself one with * Jer. 3.23. Cant. 5. Mat. 11.22 God; and also sensible that he is withdrawn from God. The sense of this oneness and propriety in God, was the cause of David's heart-breakings after God, Psal: the 63. and the 1. The third Reason, That Light and power which makes the soul sensible of its withdrawing from God, doth not only show its oneness with God, and a fullness in God, but also by it shows the emptiness of all things besides God: Take notice it was the Argument the Prodigal used: that was that he was in an empty starving Condition: truly there is very much of the sweet deal of God seen in that discovery; for God never shows this emptiness, but by his own fullness; and when he doth it, he doth not only show the emptiness in something, but in every thing besides * Jer. 3.23, 24. himself; For he presents all things to be as they are, and even those things which sin and the Devil presents pleasant, and lovely, I mean all the wanton practices and withdrawings from God, and all glory, pleasures and contents on this side God; and God doth do it in away of sweet pleading with the heart, telling it, when it was at home in his bosom, it had all contents, which was not for a moment, but for ever, and the last would be best: and saying to the soul, What are all these delights & * Isa. 41.21, 22, 23. Ezek. 23.5.22. Loves thou hast spoused with? They speak fair, but they end foul: and if they smile in the day, commonly in the night they frown: or if smile in the night, in the day they frown: All content ends with the action, & all profit, pleasure, and honour, ends with the person, and place, and what was, is no more, but all things are vanity, and a mere bubble. Can all the contents and pleasures procure peace in the day of a storm, or make thee well when sick, or give thee life one hour when dead? No, all things are so empty, not only in themselves, but in their remembrance of thee, that when thou ceasest, it takes its leave, as never manifesting more * Psal. 37.10.17.20. Psal. 34.16 Love: Oh! it is not so, saith the Lord with me to thy heart: What I was I am, and shall be for ever: and the last will not be the least, but the greatest (O) the sense of this emptiness through the discovery of God's fullness, makes the heart exceeding restless, till it is seated in that Centre. Friends, I could wish my soul were able to discover, how taking and overcoming this kind of dealing is with a poor broken heart, but it is God alone that can make out the fullness of this to you. I shall say no more to the Reasons, but speak a word or two to the Uses of this Conclusion. The first use is an use of Information to inform us of two things, from what we have already spoke from this Conclusion. First, 'Tis to show you how Restless that heart is to return to God, who is really made sensible of his withdrawings from God. It is easier to keep a stream from the fountain, or a beam from the body, then to restrain such a heart from his returning to God: Alas, God is not only his Life, and so his Centre, but he so lives by him that he cannot live without him. Those days and nights wherein a heart is thus sensible of his withdrawings, and hath no Refresh in his returning, they are days and nights of Death, and not of Life to such a heart; and how sad a Condition that is, and how Restless that Condition is, I leave to you to judge? Secondly, You may see from what we have already said, that this restless running out to God, doth arise from Gods making the heart sensible of his withdrawing. Therefore this is to Inform us, that the power of a hearts returning to God, is of God, * Can. 1.4. Joh. 6.44. Phil. 2.13. Oh what cause then have souls in that condition, to acknowledge the power to be of God? they cannot but cry out as David, Psalm the 66. and the 16. O come see what the Lord hath done for my poor soul. The mercy and kindness of God in this act, is beyond what any can express, but he that doth enjoy it. Oh you that do enjoy it, have cause for ever to speak out God's love. To convert a sinner, and make him a Saint, is an eminent favour, but to return and call home a Prodigal Son, is that which speaks out much more of the power, kindness, and unchangeable love of God: Oh you that have tasted of it, let your life speak out God's love, and I shall say no more to you but this that Christ says, John the 5. and the 14. Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto you. In the next place, this may Inform us of the great mistakes of some men, who in their writings and expressions declare that they are again brought home to God, but yet they are so far from being restless in their return to God, that they rather rest in their satisfying of others, then in their assurance of their entertainment with God. Alas, God's mercy is double and triple, in returning such a heart to himself, but the returns of such are hardly single towards him, but to such I shall say no more, but rather with tears beg that they may be sensible of the want of sense, I mean of their withdrawings from God: I am sure than they will be restless till they do return. Again, This is to inform us, If it be so that those hearts who are withdrawn from God, when made sensible, are so restless till they do return, then 'tis no strange thing why they get so much ground of them who have all this time stood, and not withdrawn. Christ says, Matthew the 19, and the 30 verse, The first shall be last, and the last shall be first. Alas, these souls that are thus recovered, are exceeding swift in their returns; though know by experience what it is to capitulate with, or to give entertainment to, or to shake hands with sin; the bitterness they have found out of their father's heart, makes them cleave close. A Child dreads the fire. Dear friends, observe it, that a child so soon as he hath gotten a knock, commonly doth not only lean to, but lay hold of with both hands, the Mother's knee. Dear friends, I speak this the rather, that any of you that stand, may not too much rejoice and glory in your own condition, over them that are fallen, as many in this poor Nation are, who through a gathered light liberty, have put themselves in it before God brought them to it, and so have turned their liberty into Looseness. These sort of people do either belong to God, or they do not, but I am confident many do, and if so, God will bring them home, and they will be restless in their returns. And take notice, you that God hath made yet to stand, that for aught I know these poor lost hearts may get ground on you; and therefore do not neglect your pursuit in spending time to censure them, but rather double your own diligence in your own pursuit, and endeavour with humility, care, and tears to recover them. The second Use is an Use of Comfort, to Comfort those poor hearts who are sadly fallen from God, and being made sensible, are restless in their returns, though their condition seems in their own eyes sad, yet they have much cause of Comfort and Rejoicing, and that in these things. First, Their condition is not alone; there is not only a David, and a Prodigal, but many more who have sadly fallen as well as they. Secondly, Consider that you are changed, God is not changed, for though we be unfaithful, God is faithful, and cannot deny himself, as you may see, the 2 Epistle of Timothy, the 2, and the 13. Malachy the 3, and the 6 verse. Thirdly, Consider that there is as much readiness in God to receive you, as restlessness in you to be received by him. Do but view what Christ says about the lost sheep, Luke the 15. the 5, 6, and 7. verses; there was greater rejoicing for the return of that one, than was for the ninety nine, it was so with the lost groat, and with the Prodigal more than his elder Brother, Luke the 15. and 30. verse. All these Scriptures hold forth the great rejoicing God takes in, and the great readiness of Gods giving entertainment to a poor soul thus returned. I know the Devil doth set upon such a heart drawing Arguments, not only from the breach of a Law, but their sinning against Light and Love, which Arguments are of such a power and force, sufficient to sink any soul in the world, were it not for the abundance of love and kindness given in from the Father, suitably at such a season. But, Oh dear souls, I speak to them which are in such a condition, do not be discouraged, but consider, not what you are in yourself, but what you are in God, and at your leisure view these Scriptures, Jeremiah the 3, and the 1 vers. Zech. the 13, and the 1, Isay the 1, and the 18, Isa. the 43. the 22, 23, 24, and the 25, and 26. verses, Isa. the 44. the 21, 22. Isa. 49. the 15, and 16. Jer. 31. and the 20. Read the 16. of Ezekiel, from the first to the last. 1 Ep. of John, 2, and the 1. Mat. the 11. and the 28. Psalm 147. 3. The Third and Last Use is an Use of Exhortation, to Exhort all that are thus fallen, and thus made sensible, that they give glory to God for giving of them a heart again to return; it's a double mercy, Oh what hath God done for you? he hath not dealt by you as you have dealt by him, Ezek. the 16. the 59, and the 60. verses, but he hath returned love for hatred, and shown himself to be a God, though thou wast but a creature; O praise him and prise him, lose no time in speaking out his Love, thou hast lost too much time already, all thy days are too little to declare what God hath done for thee. But I shall say no more of this use, nor of this conclusion, but I shall speak a word or two of the last Conclusion, and so conclude. Psalm the 116. and the 7. verse. Return unto thy rest O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. THe third and last Conclusion is from the ground of David's resolution, in these words, For he hath dealt bountifully with me. The Conclusion from thence is this: That the knowledge of the fullness and bounty of God, is the chief ground to turn a soul to God, which hath withdrawn from God. I shall speak very briefly of this, because I shall have an occasion in my speaking to the third thing, viz. The Entertainment a soul finds with God, to speak much of the bounty and plenty he enjoys in God. The word plenty implies fullness without any emptiness, readiness without any backwardness, freeness without reluctancy, to do that which he is a doing: and upon all those accounts God's bounty is fully and clearly demonstrated, * Psa. 26.5. Psal. 12.7. Psal. 13.6. Eph. 1.23. in the discoveries of himself to us, for he doth not only tender grace freely, but in that holds forth a supply fully, and in dispensing he doth it readily and delightfully. It is the joy and delight of God to give out Love to lost hairs; never did any soul withdraw from God, apprehending a want in him, nor never doth a soul turn home again to God, but through the knowledge of the bounty and plenty that is to be enjoyed in him. That which moved and carried on the Prodigal, was the remembrance that there was enough in his Father's house, Luke the 15. and the 17. 'Tis that which here in this Text is fully discovered, for he calls upon his soul to turn saying, He hath dealt bountifully with him. If you look in the 5th of the Canticles, you shall see that that was the ground which drew the Spouse after Christ, with so much eagerness, it was the fullness, and matchless excellency she saw in Christ, as you may see at large, from the 10 verse to the last, and she tells you that he is the chiefest of 100, verse the 10, and so she goes on, and in the last verse, she saith, His mouth is most sweet, nay, he was altogether lovely; this discovery of bounty and love, did not only draw the Spouse but did also cause the daughters of Jerusalem to inquire after Christ, chapter the 6. and the 1 verse, Where is thy beloved gone, that we may seek him with thee? this was the ground that caused Israel to return to God, Jeremiah the 3d, in the last part of the 22 verse, Israel saith, We come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God; in the 3. verse he tells you it was in vain to hope for salvation from the hills, or from the multitude of the mountains, for in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel, which words imply, as a safety in God, so a sufficient supply from God: So that from all these Scriptures you may clearly see, That the discoveries or knowledge of the bounty of God, doth draw and turn a soul to God, that is withdrawn from God. If you ask me the Reasons, they are these. First, It is God's way to conquer a soul, and crucify a soul to things below himself, by appearing more full and glorious than all things besides him. * Isa. 40.15, 16, 17, 18, 21. The Sun draws up all men's eyes to admire it from other Lights that are below it, by outshining and out-glorying every light besides itself. The Father never comes, but he brings so much in his hand and heart, that the soul cannot see or enjoy elsewhere. Second Reason, It must needs be so, for that light and life which turns a soul to God, through the discoveries of God, doth present and discover God to be as he is: if so, than it must needs be a knowledge of the bounty of God, for God is bounty * Psa. 113.4, 5. itself. Whosoever hath a view of God, * Psal. 86.8. Isa. 46.9. must needs see all variety and plenty in him, for it is not only of him, but so one with him, that we cannot view one, but we must view both, for there is all variety in unity, Psal. 16.11. Revel. 7. ult. Third Reason, As it is God's way to present himself so, and as it must needs be so, because he is so, so there is a great necessity for it; for a soul is no sooner in his way towards God, but sin, and the Devil, with varieties of Arguments, do endeavour to encounter the soul, and presents it with varieties of objects, to persuade the heart to bow down, and worship it: it was the very same way the Devil took with Christ, as you may see in the 4th of Matthew, verse the 8. and the 9 Luke the 4, the 5, and 6 verses. But take notice of all the Devil and sin presents, it is not only a lie, but in the best it is but things relating to this transitory and empty being, but truly did not God speak out that which the Devil and sin cannot speak out, the hearts of poor creatures would very much stumble, but the Father is pleased, not only to unspeak what the Devil saith, but to out-speak and out-say whatsoever the Devil and sin can say, and by it the Father is pleased not only to put words into a Saint's mouth, but also ability in his heart, by which the soul is made able to resist sin and Satan. I am sure that heart which is acquainted with this condition, knows what great need and necessity there is of those discoveries, to supply him with strength, when he is with temptation surrounded. But I shall say no more as to the Reasons. Obj. Some may Object, and say, What hath been said to these Reasons, holds forth so much, as if the drawings and discoveries of God, were the good we enjoy by him, and not the Essential good that is considered in him, and if so, that kind of Love and Life must needs be selfish. An. In Answer to this Objection I shall present you with these particulars. First, Those hearts that thus Reason, I fear are not acquainted with the discoveries of God, for if they are, they know it is impossible for a soul to enjoy the streams, but they must be swallowed up in the fountain; and it is impossible for a heart to love God for loaves, and not for himself, that is acquainted with his Loves. It is not here as it is in Creature-contents, for the soul is no sooner in this sense in God's hand, but at the same time he is seated and centred in God's heart (I speak after the manner of men) but those hearts which Live in the Loves of God, know what I mean. Secondly, The bounty we receive by God, in a metaphorical discourse, seems to be distinct from God, but in God's sense, and that Saints see the bounty of God, and God, is both one, unless you speak of God's bounty in a providential sense, but according to our intent in this discourse, God is love, and love is God, according to John's words, the first Epistle of John, the 4 Chapter, and the 8 verse; and so the bounty of God, is one with God, and God one with that, and he that loves one, must love both, but not as two, but one (for they are one) But no more to the Objection. A word or two briefly of Use, and so conclude. The first Use is an Use of Reproof, and of sad Complaints against those that are wantonly gone from God. If there be any such here, give me leave to desire you seriously to consider your condition, and to weigh well from what you are fallen. Was there not enough in God, why went you from him? The truth is, that saying lies sad upon my own spirit, yet give me leave to tell you, and my own heart, there is not that abroad which we find at home, and whatever you may * Pro. 20.1. Rom. 7.11.1 Cor. 6.9.2 Tim. 3.13. Heb. 3.13. Isa. 57.21. Rom. 6.23. be possessed of, through the delusions of a seeming delight in sin, which prompts flesh to plead for that sinful liberty. Yet know, though it may seem sweet in the palate, when it comes to concoction it will be so far from communicating strength to life, that it will bring forth nothing but sorrow, weakness, and death. Beloved friends, amongst all the people in the world, that undervalue the bounty of God, and go from him, none so desperately dangerous as those who have often refreshed themselves with Gospel-discoveries, from whence they have enjoyed much strength, and by it seem to trample upon all transitory contents, for these to go again down to Egypt, * Isa. 33.14. Heb. 6.6. Heb. 10.26. and to shake hands with their old enemy, endeavouring to make friendship there, I mean with sin and corruption, their condition is very sad, and they are not able to give a reason for what they do, if they would exactly and candidly examine their own hearts, they would be ashamed: There is no soul that thus acts, but he is worse than Esay, who sold his Birthright for a mess of pottage, * Heb. 12.16. Mat. 26.15. and worse the Judas, that sold Christ for thirty pieces of silver. Let the sins that they practice, bring all the honour, pleasure, and profit, it will not be able to weigh down Judass, and Esay's portions; and do but view what was the result of them, and you may see yourself in them, and a great deal worse. Alas, Judas sold a Christ without, but you endeavour to sell a Christ within; Esay sold a portion that was in some sense but earthly, but yours is a heavenly. Oh it is a mercy that our title in heaven stands upon such a foundation, that we do not retain that, but that retains itself for us; and though we like the Prodigal change abroad, yet our portion with our Father is unchangeable at home. Dear hearts, the knowledge of this is no ground at all for looseness, * Rom. 6.1, 2. but the sense of this will exceedingly wound our spirits, when we are made sensible how ill we have dealt with him that deals well with us. O do but consider yourselves under a dispute with God, say he should say unto you as he did unto the Church, Isaiah the 5th, and the 4th, What could I done more to you then I have done? or Hosea the 6th, and the 4th, O Ephraim, What shall I do unto thee, O judah, what shall I do unto thee? Adding this, which in your own hearts you must needs equcast with, if you have experience of God's bounty, Did not I, saith the Lord, lay thee in my bosom, and carry thee in my arms, and * Can. 2.4. Isa. 40.11. had thee often into my Wine-Celler, and refreshed thee with flagons of wine, and my banner over thee was love, didst thou ever come to my bosom, and went away crying for want? Nay, whatsoever thou hadst, thou mightest have had more, then why wouldst thou go from me? Alas, what will you answer the Lord? O that the same effect upon such a discourse may be seen in you, that was seen in the people of Israel, the 2 of Judges, the latter part of the 4 verse, When the Angel had reckoned up the kindness and goodness of God in the former verses, The Text saith; The people of Israel lift up their voices & wept. I know no Arguments can divert a heart who is gone from God, till God comes. My own experience proves that, or else I should use many Arguments; but I shall at present cease, only mourning over them, desiring the Lord through the discoveries of his Bounty to return them, than they will see the truth of what I have here said. But I shall forbear, and say no more to this Use. The second Use, Is an use to Exhort all those hearts that have withdrawn from God, and through the discoveries of his bounty are brought home again to God, to bless and praise God. O what hath God done for your poor souls; nay, Consider not what he hath done, but how he did it? It was through a discovery of his own bounty: he might have done by you, as you have done by him, but alas, he cannot, he remembers the contract he made with thee in thy youth, Ezekiel the 16. and the 59 and 60 verses. You have great Cause for ever to speak out in your Life the kindness and love of God, who is pleased not only to lay up a portion in his bounty for you, but through the discoveries of his bounty to bring you home to him, when after you have done all the ill you can against him, God doth most Eminently appear in this to be a father not only free and full, but unchangeable: O declare wherever you come the unsearchable mercy, and kindness of God, how often have you frowned upon him, but he still smiles upon you? you have run from him, but he runs after you. And though you have caused him to stand knocking at the door, begging entertainment, till his head was filled with dew, and his locks with the drops of the night, Canticles the 5. and the latter part of the 2 verse. O Consider this, and as he hath prized you, prize and praise him, and remember that when he returns you, he doth not only bring you to bounty, but through the discoveries of bounty he returns you. The work is his, do not only praise him, but lie low before him, Considering how much you are bound to him, and go no more from God; But I shall say no more to this use, nor to this Conclusion, but the Lord make you sensible of what hath been said. Beloved Friends, I did engage myself to make known to you what the Lord hath made known to me, as in relation to the unsupportable burden of sin to a sensible heart, and the restless long of a Soul to return to God, who is sensible of his withdrawing from God; So also to discover in the third place, the sweet Entertainment that the soul finds with God when he is brought home. As I desire to declare suitable to what God hath declared to me, so I desire to speak it from that Scripture, in and by which the Lord was pleased to speak it forth to me, by which he did very much refresh and encourage my poor and unworthy Spirit: The Text is in these words following. A Discovery of the sweet and unexpected Entertainment that wand'ring hearts meet with in their Returns to God. The Prodigals Entertainment with his Father discovered. Luke the 15. and the 20 verse. And he arose and came to his Father, but when he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. BEloved Friends, These words do clearly and sweetly Anatomise the tenderness of God's affection, as he is a Father; and the truth is, those hearts that do by the Spirit of the Lord, Really view God in these words as he is presented, cannot but as a Son be melted and overcome in the sense of the Father's kindness. As for the first part of the words, Concerning the Prodigals rising and coming towards his Father, I shall not say any thing, having spoken at large what is there included in our former discourses. I shall only speak to the unexpected Entertainment the poor Prodigal found with the Father, and that is employed in these words; But when he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell upon his neck, and kissed him. All which doth wonderfully manifest the full, free, and tender kindness of God, to unkind Greatures. Before we come to speak of the Entertainment itself, we might speak something of the party Entertained: And as to him we might say something of his resolution to come, his preamble in coming, his apprehensions about his coming, and how much his Entertainment did Extend all: All which you may see in the dependence of these words on the foregoing verses: but I shall pass over that, and only sum up all in this general Conclusion, which we shall observe from the words as they have dependence upon the former verses. Doct. That soul which is brought home to the Father, through a sense of his own wander, meets with unexpected Entertainment with the Father when he comes. If you read the former verses, you will not find the Prodigal expecting to meet the Father before he came to the Father: And for the Father to run when he only went. And for the Father to fall upon his neck before he fell down before his Father; Nay his Father kissed him before he could confess how unworthy he was of a kiss: truly the very thoughts of this is a Cordial sufficient to put Life to a dying Spirit, and doth exceedingly advance the glory of God's grace and Love: Especially if you see how God by this Love doth not only give unexpected Entertainment, and so in that went beyond the apprehensions of the Prodigal, but he did also prevent the Prodigal in his practice; for the poor wand'ring heart being sensible of his wander, and what a breach by it he apprehended he had made in his Interest in his Father: he now resolved to do that which all poor Souls in the like Condition, doth endeavour to do, in their returning to God, to prompt their expectation of their Entertainment with God: they resolve to do and say something to make way for their Entertainment. As the Prodigal here in these words; I will arise and go to my Father, and will say, I have sinned against heaven, and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, make me as one of thy hired servants. Poor souls, when they have these preparations and resolutions, they have some hopes that God by it may be wrought upon to manifest Love again. Dear Beloved, that God may show you the emptiness of this foundation: see how God goes beyond the poor Prodigal: Before ever he said any thing, the Father saved him; and when he did but come the Father did run, and before he ever performed his resolutions, his Father transcendently answered his expectation and desires, falling on him and kissed him before he fell down in the presence of his Father: Beloved, the Father is God and not man, he moves all, but is moved by none; preparations are wrought by him, but they are no Causes moving and procuring Entertainment with him * Job 32.6, 7. Psal, 16.2. Effects of his Love cannot be the Cause, & this would all Prodigals say in their Returns, if they were sensible what God is: and they will be drawn to acknowledge it from their Enjoyment of the unexpected Entertainment with the Father. Poor David, when he had sinned against God, said, He would confess his sin, but, saith he, when I said I would confess, God forgave, Psal. 32. and the 5. So that when he did only Resolve to confess, before it was done, God did actually forgive. The very same you may see in Ephraim, jerem. 31.18, 19 verses, he there bemoans himself, being ashamed and confounded, through a sense of his own unsutablenes, crying out to be turned to God, as knowing himself undone without him: but see in the 20 verse what a transcendent and unexpected Entertainment he found with God, Expressed in these words; Ephraim my dear Son, is he a pleasant Child, for since I spoke against him, I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my Bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. O what sweet soul melting Expressions are these! It was an Entertainment far beyond Ephraim's Expectation; and as Ephraim, so all poor souls who have strangely wandered from the Father, and are ashamed in their Returns to beg Entertainment, even in the lowest degree. They undoubtedly shall be sweetly Entertained, beyond what they do or can expect. If you ask me the reasons why wand'ring hearts in their Returns find Entertainment beyond their Expectation; The reasons are these. First, Because God's thoughts are not our thoughts: Esay 55. the 8 and 9 but as the heavens are above the Earth, so are his thoughts above ours, in relation to the dispensation of mercy to undone souls. The confirmation of which truth is God's intent in that Chapter, and those Verses. Alas, the poor heart, that is wounded in the sense of his own sins, and desires nothing more than Entertainment, if it were but to look upon God at the door, and to be owned by him, though he did not sit at the Table with him, and had but asmile, though not kisses, and looks of Love, though no Embraces; Though as a Servant, yet he would think himself happy. Dear Beloved, You shall not only stand at the door, but * Can. 2.4. Cant. 3.10. Isa. 62.5. sit down at the Table, and not only have smiles and looks of Love, but varieties of Kisses and Embraces; and Entertainment far beyond thy Expectation; believe it to be so, for God's thoughts are not thine. Second Reason; Every poor wand'ring soul in his Return is apt to look upon God through himself, if not through his Corruptions, yet through the narrow measure of his own Resolutions and Reformations: and doth measure his mercy and Entertainment in the Compass of those narrow Limits: But alas, that is not a glass to behold God in, or a measure to measure his mercy by. Suitable to God is his kindness, and Love, and suitable to that measure is our entertainment. The Creatures Entertainment is suitable to its apprehension, & apprehension is suitable to the glass it apprehends the object in. Now seeing the poor creature eyes God, & his entertainment with God, through the narrow Compass of himself, his Expectation must needs be low, and fall much short of that which a wand'ring soul returned, finds when he is sensibly possessed with it: but no more of the Reasons, but a word or two of Use. First Use is an use to Reprove the people of God, who after they have wandered from God, and are through real Convictions returning home to God, yet are fearful and question their entertainment with God, thinking he must needs deal hardly with them, who have dealt so unkindly with him * Psal. 77.9 Psal. 42.9. Psal. 31.12 Isa. 49.14. Deer Friendt, I must confess the state and condition of such poor souls is much to be pitied, for they are surrounded with temptations in a double and triple sense; yet give me leave to Reprove them, as Christ said in another Case, Matth. 22.29. You err not knowing the Scriptures: So you fear your entertainment, not knowing the endeared affections that live in God, when once you come to be possessed with it, you will Reprove your own Spirits, and say what I now say to you: Was it not enough to sin against Love, but must you now sin in questioning Love? Was it not enough to sin in running from God, but must you now sin in thinking God will run from you? Was it not enough for you to sin in clouding the nature of a Son, but must you now sin in questioning the nature of the Father? O leave off those disputes, and go with boldness, believing that God is what he was, though you are not so; and know, your entertainment will be fare beyond what you do or can expect. A second Use is an use of Comfort and Consolation to all poor broken Spirits who have wandered from God, and through a sense of their own unkind deal with the Father, they are ashamed to look upon him, and afraid to go up to * Luk. 18.13. him, and yet cannot live without him. There is great Comfort to these poor broken Spirits, in the Consideration of the sweet entertainment that poor wand'ring hearts find in their Return to God: Know that the Father is God, and not Man. It will go better with you then with Hester in her desperate attempts to the King Ahasuerus, in the 5 of Hester, she according to a Common Expectation looked for nothing but Death: but see in the 2 and 3 verses, how the King holds forth his Sceptre, and tells her that her Request should be granted, if it were to the half of his Kingdom: and Entertainment beyond her expectation. Dear hearts, know that in your approachments to the Father, he will not only hold out a Sceptre to you, but fall upon the neck of you, and will not answer your desires to the half, but to the whole of his Kingdom, for all shall be yours; and he will not only speak words of kindness to you, but will give you power to speak out your unkindness before him; he will not only pass by, and pardon your adulterous withdrawing from him, as you may see Jeremiah the 3d, at the beginning of the Chapter, but he will also heal your back-slidings, v. 22. And though you with the Prodigal, desire to be but a Servant, he will entertain you as a Son, and before you confess, he will pardon, and before you acknowledge how unworthy you are of Love, he will manifest Love; he will not only entertain you, expecting exactness in the future, but he will also meet you, and kiss you with the kisses of his mouth, saying, Thou art mine, * Isa. 43.1. Isa. 44.1, 2 Isa. 45.4. and he will pay off all the old scores, and arrears, that are produced by your former Rambling from a close Communion with his Love. At your leisure read those words, Luke the 10.34. where you see Christ did not only find them in their blood wounded, but he also with great pity and love, powers in oil, binds up their wounds, takes them up, and carries them to his own Inn, which Inn was Gospel Embracements in the heart of God: and what Entertainment was at that Inn, you may see, it was far beyond the Expectation of the poor wounded Soul. The Case is thine, I am certain thy condition cannot be worse, and know your Entertainment will be as good. It was a wounded soul who was stripped and left naked, though he was alive, yet he lay in his blood, and though he was beloved, yet he was very unlovely: he was rob and stripped of all, and had no accommodation but his own blood and sores. Dear hearts, can your condition be more sad? (that is impossible) And what encouragements or comforts can you propound to yourselves, but they will be doubled and trebled with God? He will not only meet you when you meet him, but he will meet you before, that so you may meet him; he will not love you because you are lovely, but he will love you, being loathsome, to make you lovely, * Ezek. 16.8.14. Deut. 7.7, 8. and he will not entertain you when you come, but he will meet you before you come, and answer you before you ask. O what a comfort is there to poor souls that desire nothing more, then to be re-entertained with God? I beseech you consider seriously what hath been said, and let not the dispute with your own unworthy heart, nor the dictates of the Devil, draw a cloud over God's kindness, or hinder your confidence in your Entertainment: God takes nothing so ungrateful, as to question his kindness. Truly it is impossible for any one, though with the tongue of men and Angels, to speak out the tenth part of God's tender kindness, and sweet embracements, to a poor unworthy heart that is gone from him, and now returned again; did broken hearts know what great delight God takes in healing broken spirits, * Ps. 147.3. Mat. 5.3, 4. Mat. 11.28. in making the poor rich, and setting at liberty them that are in prison, and to exalt them that are low, and to recover them that are lost, they would not dispute so much against the embracements of grace, and mercy. At your leisure read the 66. of Esay, and the two first verses, the 16. of Ezekiel, the 11 of Matthew, and the 28. verse. It is endless to reckon up the great heart-earnings, and the tender and sweet entertainments that God gives to poor unworthy spirits, beyond what they can expect. The Lord give you power to believe it, and cause you to rejoice in it with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. The third and last Use is an Use of Exhortation, to exhort all those that are withdrawn from God, and are again returned, O take heed of wand'ring any more; Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto you, * Joh. 5.14. know that the second withdrawing will be a great deal worse than the first, and further consider, if you are really brought home, what pangs and throws you had, before delivered, and know it was enough, nay too much, that you have trampled upon God's kindness so long; and besides, take notice, it is very dangerous and desperate to make second attempts of withdrawing from God. * Heb. 6.6. Heb. 0.26, 27. Alas, you cannot have better provision abroad, than you have at home, (Why will you go?) Jacob reproved his Sons, and said, Why look you upon one another, is there not bread enough in Egypt? Gen. 42.1, 2. But I say unto you, why will you return back again to Egypt? Is there not delight enough in Canaan? It is better to abide with your Father and friends, then to shake hands with Enemies that harbour nothing in their hearts, but darts of death (as sin doth) Romans the 6th, and the last. O, I beg of you to consider what hath been said, and the Lord so discover it to you, that you may be overcome by it, and so endeared to it, that you may never again go from God, but for ever dwell with him, O it is good to be there. I shall say no more to this Use, nor to this first Conclusion, but come to speak briefly a word or two from the words in order as they lie. The words are these. But when he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The first Doctrine from these words, He saw him a great way off, and had compassion on him, is, Doct. Large distances will not cause so great a disdain, but that the least real movings towards God, is eyed and embraced by him, with great compassion. The word a far off, is a metaphorical expression, it doth not imply any thing that doth deny God's omni-presence, but implies & holds forth thus much, that the poor Prodigal was very low, and very far from that state or frame of heart, wherein the did apprehend to meet God, and the truth was, there was so little and small a beginning, of what in comparison ought to have been, and also was, when he was further enriched with come in of God, and in that sense also he was a great way off. How far off think you those people were, in that sense which the Lord speaks of, in the 42. of of Isaiah, and the 3. Concerning the go out of his grace and love in Christ, he tells you he will not break the bruised Reed, nor quench the smoking Flax: The words imply a great deal more than is there expressed, for they do imply thus much, That if there be but so much fire (that is to say, so much grace) as cause's smoke, though the flame be not discerned, God will run through the smoke, and embrace the fire, he will by no means quench it, but nourish, and cherish it: and if there be but so much beginnings of life, as to give a soul the denomination of a Reed, though it be a bruised Reed, which commonly men cast away, as being not worthy of the ownning, yet God will own it, and by no means reject, but embrace it. Beloved, all this holds forth thus much, that the least and lowest motions towards God, if real, are embraced by him. How far off do you think Ephraim was, Hosea the 11 and the 3, when God taught him how to go, leading him by the arm, and laid meat unto him, but he knew not that the Lord led him. David in the first of the Kings, and the 18th, had a thought in his heart, to build a House to God, but it was only a thought in his heart, not brought up so far as to expression, or action, yet the Lord pierces through all, and comes into the secret Cabinet of David's heart, and finds those thoughts, and tells him it was well that it was in his heart. How sweetly did God embrace those thoughts, though they were a far off from the act of doing, for it was God's intent he should not do it. Beloved, how far off do you think those hearts are, whom the Lord speaks of in the 50. of Isaich, and the 10. God there sends comfort and consolation to a people that fear him, and obey his voice, but alas, it what a far off, for the Text saith, they were a people that walked in darkness, and see no light, that is to say, they were surrounded with sorrows and trouble, and had no comfort, but though they had not so much light as to rejoice in God's Love, yet God in his Love, runs out to meet them, rejoicing over them, and embracing them in that condition with great compassion. If you ask me the Reasons why the Lord doth eye and take notice of such small move towards him, and doth embrace them with great compassion, though a far off, the Reasons are these. The first Reason is, because the beginnings, as well as the * Phil. 1.6 Heb. 12.2. perfecting of any good in the creature, is of God, it being therefore one with him, it must needs be owned by him. The least desires, or smallest groan, or heart-breaking after God, though it be but a desire to desire, or longing to long really after God, it is that which God owns, and he cannot but do it, for it is a stream that flows from no fountain but his own fullness, he is a Father that must and will own his own child, though covered with a ragged coat; my meaning is, if there be the least spark of life in a poor groaning heart, groaning after Love, and though it doth but groan and sigh, and cannot express itself, but with poor, ragged, and tattered expressions, yet God will embrace it, and why? because it flows from himself, Romans the 8. the 26. & 27. O what comfort and sweet encouragement is this to poor broken spirits, were they but sensible. The second Reason is taken from the nature of God, which is so free and so ready, and prone to show mercy, that he longs and waits to show mercy, Isa. the 30.18. It is the delight of his soul to meet with objects to manifest Love. The same pity that is in Parents, is transcendently in God, if the Child cannot speak but cry for the dug, the mother will take it up, and lay it in her bosom, and if it cannot stand, she will carry it, and hold it, dandling it upon her knee, delighting to serve that then, more than in the service she expects from her Child afterwards. This is eminently in God, * Isa. 49.15. Mat. 9.11. Mat. 12.7. for he delights more in dispensing mercy, then in receiving sacrifices from us; and the Reason is, because he is made up of it, his nature prompts him to it, he delights in it. The third Reason we may draw from the promise of God. Beloved, if you look upon all the tenure of God's promises, they run out to poor, low, undone, and broken spirits. At your leisure view these Scriptures, Isaiah the 55. the 12. Isaiah the 66. the 2. Matthew the 5. the 3, 4, 5, 6. verses. Matthew the 11. the 18. Truly it is in this, as in the mountains, who give down their water to their valleys, that are very much below, and far from them; so the high and glorious love of God, in the promises which are the Gospel-mountaines which the Prophets often speak of, they give out their sweetness and marrow to low, poor, undone, and broken spirits, though a far off, and much beneath them, that is to say, they are not yet come up to that height of knowing, believing, and conforming, which the Gospel requires. They have eyes, but they are dim, only see men like trees; they have mouths, but they are very narrow, that they cannot be otherwise fed, then with milk, like Children, Heb. 5.12. Yet God will in Gospel-discoveries nourish them there, and communicate discoveries answerable to that strength he gives them to receive it, Mark 4. 33. The fourth Reason why God will embrace poor low spirits, and that with compassion, though a great way off, it is that he may by it bring glory to his own grace and love, it is that which the Apostle drives at in Romans the 3, 4, 5, Chapters, where he discovers the ground why God justifies the ungodly, and dispenseth grace freely to unworthy creatures, it is that no flesh may glory in his presence, and that his grace alone may be exalted, * Deut. 7. 6, 7. Psa. 50.15. Isa 25. 1, 2, 3, 4. were there any good in the creature, before God loved it, we should be apt to conceive that there were reason why God should love us, and so sacrifice to our own goodness; but when the soul is sensible that there is no goodness in it to move God, but sees that all good must flow from God's love, as well as to be a cause to carry on God's love, it is then brought to lie low before God, and to give all glory to him. Had the Prodigal performed his Resolutions, and brought them forth to practice, before God met and embraced him, God's grace and love had not been so naked, and appeared so glorious as now it doth. But I shall say no more as to the Reasons, but a word or two briefly to this Conclusion. The first is an Use of Comfort to all poor souls, who through a sense of their own unworthiness, and unkindness towards God, are exceedingly broken and cast down in their own spirits, apprehending that they are at so great a distance from God, that they shall never meet with him. Let all such know, that God doth see them, and will embrace them with great compassion, though a far off. The heart cannot be so low, but the high God can reach it, and they cannot be so unworthy in their own eyes and so great a distance from God, but he that is infinite in mercy and kindness, can and will meet them. Therefore, Beloved friends, if there be any of you in this condition, consider what hath been said of God's deal towards David, and his kindness in dispensing mercy, according to that which we have already spoke of in Esay the 42. and the 3. the 5. of Esay, and the 10. and also the dear and sweet carriage of the Father to wards the Prodigal, which Scripture is written for thy learning, that through faith and patience thou mightest have hope. Beloved, know, that God is the same God still, retaining the same endeared love and pity, to poor and undone spirits, as I know it is the Devil's way to prompt poor hearts, presenting varieties of fancies to draw them from God, and when withdrawn, he uses all means to keep them from returning, either by presenting new objects of delight in sin, or by blinding and stifling their consciences through often sinning; if that and many other ways will not do, rather than fail, if he sees any conviction lies upon them from God, or his word, he will cause them to question the truth of both, but if that way will not take, he will go in a more fine spun way, and endeavour to draw wrong notions from a Saints liberty, to prompt them to looseness; but for all this, if he sees God will bring them home through a sense of their wander from God, than he will lay load upon load, bringing all their sins to their sense, to multiply their sorrows, and to cause them to see their distance between God and them, so great, as if it were impossible ever to meet. Beloved, if this was or is your condition, know you are such a soul that God did, and still doth, see and embrace with great compassion, though a far off. And therefore be not discouraged, but hold up your head, for your redemption draweth * Lu. 21.28 Isa. 42.16 Isa. 29.18,19 Isa 35.5,6. nigh: And take notice, that God sees you, when you do not see him, and though you cannot rejoice before him, yet he in his love rejoices over you; and he hath long Lines of Love to Embrace a poor heart, though they be a far off. The Lord make you to believe it, that you may rejoice in it, and live up to his Love in the benefit of it. The second and last Use is an Use of Reproof to many of the people of God, who in their practice walk very unlike God in this thing; for they are so fare from meeting or minding a poor Soul that is a fare off, that they will not so much as cast an Eye of Encouragement upon them, nor give out any discoveries of Compassion to them. And of these sort of people, there are these two, which principally I will speak to. The first are those who in their apprehensions have attained to a high discovery of Light, and Enjoyments of Love; yet cannot nor do not manifest any endeared affection to poor groaning Spirits * Phil. 2.5. Jam. 3.17. who are not come up to that Light and Love. Truly, I dare not Censure these men, but give me leave to Censure their sin, and tell them their walking looks very much unlike Gods Love. I fear they have forgotten their Rock from whence they were hewn, or the varieties of God's deal with them in the Wilderness, before they came into the good Land. O remember beloved, if any of you be * Rom. 11.20.1. Cor. 10.12. such, that though you now stand, you may fall, and though you are high, you were low, and though now strong, you were weak: and further, Consider that your strength is not your own, and seriously weigh what the Apostle saith to the Gentiles, Rom. 11.18, 19, and 20 verses. And further, mind what Paul saith of himself, concerning the Joy and Comfort he had more than others, it was not for himself alone, but to Comfort others with the same Comforts, the 2 Ep: of the Cor. the 1 and the 4. O therefore suitable to the practice of thy Father, lend thy helping hand, and go meet, encourage & embrace poor groaning Spirits, meeting them with compassion, though a fare off, from the measure of thy Light and Enjoyments; and remember when thou art in the banqueting house with thy Beloved and his banners over thee are Love, Cant. the 2, the 4. Mind them which stand begging at the door, knowing that thou wast once there, though now thou art exalted. Therefore to them that are now poor and naked, O act, Godlike, binding up their wounds, and manifest some breathing Room for their oppressed Spirits: and if their oppression be so great that they cannot speak it out, speak it for them, by declaring what God hath done for thee in the like kind, and endeavour to Remove their mourning, by mourning over them, and give out the soul melting mercy, which is the Cause, and if they cannot bear the Ravishing discoveries of Love which thou dost enjoy by living in God's heart, then tell them what God did for thee when he first took thee by the hand. O beloved Friends, this is and aught to be the work of Saints, and this is that Labour of Love which the Gospel calls * Gal. 6.2. Joh. 21.15, 16.1 Pet. 4.10. for, happy is that heart which is employed in it. The second sort of the people of God, who come under this Reproof, are such who do not, nor will not manifest ownning affections to any, unless it be such as are brought up to, or brought over to live in the same form of worship, or practise of Ordinance with themselves: What ever they think, they are far from a Gospel frame of Spirit, and they have forgotten where they first met God, or rather where God first met them, they have forgotten, and are now apt to despise the day of small things, Zech. the 4 and the 10th. Beloved, if there be any such here, do you not know the day when you were not brought up to this, nay saw nothing in it, peradventure opposers of it, and yet you dare not but then say that God was with you, and you were with God. O remember that, and remember Gods practise, and in Imitation of that manifest love and tenderness to any that you see any work of grace upon them, though it be never so little. Fellow the practice of the Spouse in Cant. 8. the 1, 2, and 3 verses; and do not as Jehue did in a wicked way in another sense, saying, If you are as I am, give me your hand; the 2 of the Kings the 10th and the 15th. If any object and say, they know no such people, as I here reprove. Beloved, what makes all this opposition & strange censorious deal that are between the people of God, who live in particular forms, one saying he is of Paul, and another of Apollo, the 1 of the Cor. the 3, and the 3 and 4 verses. Beloved, without all question there are very precious hearts dear to God amongst the Presbyterians and Independents, and them also which are falsely called Anabaptists; and many others which are in neither of these forms, and yet if a Christian goes to look upon any of these, or either of these, and see how their affections runs out to them which are brought up to them in that form where they are, and what little pity, kindness or compassion is given to them which are not yet brought up. It would make a poor heart in the very thoughts of it blessed. Beloved, if any such be here, O Consider what I have said, and know though it be lawful to stand up and contend for truth, yet you must do it with a Gospel frame of Spirit, that is, Instructing those with meekness that do oppose you, 2 Tim. 2.25. And be employed in the practice of bearing and forbearing, and if you see a poor Soul who is broken under the sense of his own unkindness, and though he be not come up to you, go you as fare as may be to him, taking him by the hand, endeavouring to lead him to the knowledge of your Father's heart. Let it appear to all the world, that you own Ordinances but as a way to express love by, and not as a foundation to love upon, & let all see that your love is not only to some, but to all the Saints, Ephes. the 1. and the 15. and let the same Spirit dwell in you that lived in Paul, Phil. 3.15. If any be otherwise minded, wait with patience and love, conquering them with kindness, knowing God in time will reveal it, and if you meet with a poor member, that is uncomely, put more comeliness upon him, 1 Cor. 12.23. Dear friends, Paul tells you 1 Cor. 9.21. That he became to them that were under the Law, as under the Law, and them that are without Law, as being without Law: Nay, his Condescension was more to all, that he might win some; this Scripture was written for our Example, O therefore mind it, and among all, that you mind, think of, & remember to give out much love & compassion to poor broken Spirits that long for nothing more, than a look of God's love. And know, nothing presents you more Godlike than humility & love*, and by your practice shame & confound the World in their Censures of you, who say, there is more Censorious walking, amongst the Tribes of Israel, then amongst them that are not one with them. O be not wanting to love one another, & from a sense of your oneness with Jesus, suffer not your differences of things without, but own Christ wheresoever you find him, though it be in a poor Prodigal, who is gone no further than under the resolutions to Confess his unworthiness before God; and know, it is a higher and more glorious employment to be abringing home a lost Sheep, then to stay at home and Rejoice with the ninety and nine, Luke 15.5, 6, 7. Herein you present God, and follow the practice of God: the Lord make you all sensible of it: But I shall say no more to this use of Reproof, nor to this Conclusion, but I shall speak briefly a word or two to the next in these words: And he ran & fell upon his neck, & kissed him. First, To the word ran, which Implies God's readiness, sweetness, and swiftness to manifest grace & kindness to poor broken spirits, who are sensible of their wander. The Doctrine from thence is this: Doct. There is a sweet readiness in God, in mercy to mind and meet poor wand'ring hearts in their Returns to God. The truth of which the Scripture doth very plĕtifully prove; at your leisure read these following, Isa. 61.1, 2. Psal. 86.5. Jer. 31.2. God's readiness in mercy to mind and meet poor broken spirits, will clearly appear, if you mind & consider these things. First, God doth not only answer their desires when they come, but he gives them a heart to desire, & power to come * 1 Joh. 2.6.24.1 Joh. 3.7.18. Phil. 2.4. : Joh. 6.44. And were not the Father exceeding ready & willing to bestow grace and mercy to poor undone Souls, he would never give them a heart to seek for it; he it is that provides an eye and an object, and both the mouth and the meat. Secondly, Power to seek, and the matter sought: God doth not only give the poor Creature power to come, and a heart to desire, but before ever they crave, and can speak out their Request, their Request is answered. The power moving the Prodigal to Return was of God, and when he came to desire, his Father ran and fell upon his neck, and gave him an answer before he could speak. Thirdly, And when God doth answer, he doth not only grant a Soul what he doth demand, but doth grant much more. The Prodigals Request was to be a Servant, he made him a Son, and if poor broken Spirits do desire a look of Love, and an Enjoyment of Life, they shall have the Enrichments of the Everlasting Love, and Eternal Life. If they beg peace suitable to what they understand, they shall Enjoy a peace that passeth all understanding, Phil. the 4. and the 7. Nay, Beloved, Reckon up what you will, or what you can, that is suitable to the mind of God, the poor wand'ring Soul in his Return shall be sure to Enjoy a double and a triple portion, beyond what he can ask or think, Joh. 14.2.1 Cor. 2.9. Isa. 64.4. Fourthly, Consider in the last place, that which sures with the knowledge and experience of all Saints, and the Scripture fully holds forth, viz. When poor wand'ring hearts come to beg mercy and grace, God never puts them off, as having it not ready, but he hath it always ready by him, Mat. 7.7, 8, 9, 10. For supplies in that kind lie always ready by the * Psal. 87.7 Psal. 84.11 Psal. 46.1. Joh. 1.16. Col. 2.3. Father, as being made up in him, and he made up of them. Beloved, Consider what hath been here said in these four things, and see if it doth not fully declare the ready Run forth of God in mercy to mind and meet poor wand'ring hearts in their Returns. What can be said more to manifest his Love and sweetness; for he doth not only answer them that ask, but gives them a heart to ask, and answers them before they ask, and gives them more than they ask; and whatsoever they desire, it is ready by him to supply them. If you ask me the Reasons of the Conclusion, they are briefly these. First, God must needs be swift and ready to run forth in mercy, because mercy is not only of him, but it is himself, and * 1 John 4.16. therefore I form my Reason thus; Every thing doth and must needs run to accomplish that which is most suitable to its own nature: But to be ready to mind and meet poor wand'ring hearts, is suitable to God's nature (Ergo) Second Reason; Mercy and grace is not only one with God, but it is the great delight of God * Mich. 7.18. Isa 42.1. he takes much joy and content in showing favour, and in manifesting Love to poor broken and undone Spirits, who in their own eyes appear as objects no way suitable to Love. Third Reason, He is not only one with it, & secondly, delights in it, but thirdly, he brings much glory to himself by it * Psa. 50.15 Psal. 52.9. Isa. 43.7. Rom. 4.2. 1 Cor. 1.20, 30, 31. Psal. 51.4. : grace appears Eminently glorious, in manifesting itself in poor worthless and graceless hearts: therefore it is God's way to manifest power in weakness, to discover light in darkness, to answer unkindness with great kindness, and to declare his faithfulness to them who have dealt unfaithfully with him: herein God appears a God, and not Man, and by it all flesh are, and will be forced with great acknowledgement to give glory to him. Beloved friends, I should now make use of this Conclusion, there being many sweet refreshments held out in it to poor weak and worthless Spirits, who are a returning to the Father through a sense of their own wander. But I shall speak briefly a word or two of the next words; so make use altogether, having spoken so largely already to the former words. He fell on his neck and kissed him. These words are a Metaphorical Expression, but it holds forth abundance of sweetness, as to the deal of God with us. The word falling, implies the great Condescension of God to us; the words, upon his neck and kissing him, holds forth the sweet Love, familiarity, and communion with God. But to both these we shall speak very briefly; And as to the word falling, which as I told you holds forth God's great Condescension to poor Creatures, in his dispencing mercy and grace, you may clearly understand it, that if you do but Consider, First, what God is; and secondly, what God does; and thirdly, to whom he doth it: As to God, * Psal. 95.3, 4, 5, 6. Deut. 33.26.29. Psal. 97.9. Dan. 2.47. Job 35.7, 8 he is one single Simple and infinite being, in whom all varieties of glory and good lives, from which fountain all good comes, unto which glory no addition can be made, all stands in need of him, but none can give a supply to him, he hath all in himself, and there is nothing out of him any thing, but as it is made something by what flows from him. All power, Love, Life, glory, and Light, lives in him; he is over all, in all, and above all; this and much more might be said of the Father. But the tongue of Men and Angels are not able to declare it. Secondly, Consider what he doth in his Dispensing grace and mercy to poor undone hearts; in which description many things might be said, but briefly thus; He is pleased to make * Rom. 5.6.8.10. Gal 4.5. Ezek. 16.5, 6. Ephes. 2.3. Revel. 5.9, 10. Joh. 15.15. 2 Cor. 5 21 Phil, 2.7, 8. Slaves Sons, and to Grown them who in all their Lives endeavour to cross him: And as to Men he appears to Cloud himself, to them, and makes them who are Tyrants and Traitors, to become Kings & Princes, and to make them his bosom Companions, for whom he is willing to do all, and from whom he will hid nothing: and Beloved, mind in what way God is pleased to do it; he stoops to the weakness and low capacity of the Creature, and doth communicate things suitable to their capacity and spirit, bearing as you may see, Mark. 4.33. And he never comes, but he brings a power to bear aswell as matter to be borne, a Capacity receiving as well as matter to be received. And further, take notice that all this he doth by bringing strength into weakness, and manifesting Light in darkness, & causing the glory of his Love to shine & break forth in our poor base loathsome form, through which he doth break down all the corrupt fabric that lives in men's fancies, & there places the Authority of his own beams of Love & sweetness, wisdom and meekness, by which the Creature becomes a partaker of the Divine matter, 2 Pet. 1. Thirdly, Consider for whom he doth it, it is to a people that are altogether worthless * Isa. 61.1, 2 Isa. 65.1, 2, 3. Ephes. 2.3. , they have not only been ignorant of him, but all along have endeavoured to bring dishonour to him; they are not only one with, and carry on designs for the Power & Prince of darkness, but they shut their eyes against the tenders of Light and Love; As you may see, Joh. 1.11. & Joh. 3.19, 20. They are so fare from being objects to attract and draw on Love, that they are altogether loathsome lying in their blood, Ezek. the 16. the 5 and 6 verses. Truly it is Endless to reckon up the Creatures nothingness. Whatsoever may be said of an Enemy, of a Traitor, of a Runagate that spends all, and despiseth every thing, and mindeth nothing but what may dishonour God: These are they whom God doth all this for, and that he waiteth all the day long for, and whom he in mercy finds, meet, and seeks, before they seek him, Isa. the 65. the 1 and 2. Nay he is pleased not only to do so, but to woo us and beseech us to be reconciled to him, the 2 of the Cor. the 5. and the 20. Beloved, if you do seriously weigh what hath been said in these 3 things, you will see how much God Condescends to us in dispensing mercy and grace to poor wand'ring Spirits, and it may fitly be Expressed in this word falling, which holds forth the great Condescension of God, as well as the familiarity of God: And he fell upon his neck and kissed him. Beloved, you may observe from thence this Conclusion: Doct. That it is God's way to bring all poor hearts, upon whom he casts his favour, into a friendly and a near familiarity and communion with himself, Joh. 15.15. Jonathan and David's love and affection and near communion, was never more Expressed than when they fell upon each others neck, 1 Sam. 20. Wherein did joseph's love appear more to his Brethren, then when he fell upon their necks, to manifest his love by weeping over them, and kissing of them, Gen. 45.14, 15. But fare beyond all this, doth God manifest his Love and sweetness to poor broken hearts, falling upon the neck of the soul, kissing and embracing it, and bringing it into a dear and near friendly communion with himself: at your leisure read these Scriptures following, Cant. 2.4, 5. Cant. 5.1. Isa. 61.10. Isa. 62.5. Now Beloved, I should further illustrate this Conclusion, and speak more largely to it, being that which is worthy of our minding, and worth our believing and embracing. I know all hearts that have tasted of this Love and Life, after the bitter pangs and throws of sorrow & death, through a sense of their wander from God, will freely acknowledge this, and declare a hundred times more than I can here express: But I having spoken largely of that which relates to this, in the former Conclusion, I shall briefly speak a word or two of the Use of this and the other Conclusion, and so conclude. The first is an Use of Information, to Inform us from what hath been said in relation to these three last things, Viz. God's ready running forth in mercy to mind and meet poor wand'ring spirits in their returns to him; which is from the word Ran. 2. The great condescension of God in dispensing grace and merey, and in entertaining poor wand'ring souls, and that is implied in the word Fell. 3. The sweet communion, and near and dear discoveries of love that are given out from the Father in their returns, implied in these words, He fell upon his neck and kissed him: from whence we might observe many Consectaries, and Conclusions, that might eminently present God in his deal with us, and the high exaltation of the creature, who is enriched with these enjoyments. But I shall pass over all these, and make brief and plain use of them, according to the dictates of God to my own spirit, and that is to inform us of these things. 1. Of the great mistakes of poor broken spirits, they apprehending by the Reason of their own sin, and unsuitableness, that they have so provoked the Lord, that mercy will not be easily gained. O remember from what hath been said, that God is not only sweet, but swift in dispensing mercy, he runs, mercy being not only one with him, but the delight of him. Beloved, take notice, that he is more ready to embrace you, than you are to beg embracements; and though you can hardly go, yet he runs; experience proves, that he that acts in a delight is more ready than he that acts to gain a delight. O it is the joy and content of the father, thus to befriend poor broken spirits in their returns, who have dealt unkindly and unfriendly with him. 2. It is to Inform such hearts, who through an apprehension of God's highness, glory, and greatness, apprehended with a sense of their weakness and nothingness, apprehended so great a distance, that they think it is impossible that ever God and they should close: they see themselves unable to come up to God, and they being so unkind and unsuitable, that they dare not conclude he will come down to them, and upon that account rather sit down fearing and trembling before him, then expressing faith in him. O know that it is God's way, as in mercy to run forth in dispensing grace, in great readiness to meet us, so it is his way and delight to condescend to us: he it is that doth manifest strength in weakness, fullness in emptiness, light in darkness. O therefore let the apprehension of what hath been said, take us off from all discouragements, as to our entertainment with God; and let us know and believe, though we cannot come up to God, God will come down to us, and it is not our weakness nor wants, that can or will hinder a poor nothing spirit from being something in him, who is all in himself, & all to us. 3. It is to Inform us of the sweet enrichments that poor wand'ring souls enjoy in their returns, God falls upon the neck, and kisses them; that is to say, they are entertained, and brought into a near, and dear fellowship and communion with himself. O what can a soul desine more, then to be made God's bosom friend, his daily acquaintance, nay, his near and dear darling, unto whom he will give out kisses and embraces, and they shall be daily his delight. The second use is an use of Comfort, and Consolation to all poor wand'ring spirits who are earnest in their Returns to meet the Lord, yet their apprehension of the great distance from him, and the consideration how much they are beneath and below him, doth exceedingly discourage them. O beloved, if this be any of your conditions, take notice for your comfort, what Scripture and Experience here declares. It is not our distance to him, or lowness before him, or unsuitableness to him, that can hinder his dispensing of Kindness, Love, and Grace to us, * Isa 1.18. Isa. 38.7. Isa. 44.21, 22, Isa. 43.25. Mat. 1.28. and he will not go, but run, and stand when we fall, but he will fall on us that we may stand by him, and not only entertain our Request when we come begging to enjoy relation to him, but he will enrich us with a near and dear communion with himself, falling upon our necks, and kissing us. O Beloved, I beg of God to give you power to believe it, and as cheerfully to entertain that, as that entertains you. But no more of this Use, but a word or two of Exhortation, and so conclude. 3. And lastly, These are to exhort all souls that are again returned, to consider what hath been said, and seeing God is so transcendently carried out in mercy to mind us, let us be tender and careful to own him; and know, as grace transcends sin, so sin becomes transcendently sinful, in transgressing and neglecting the tenders of grace. At your leisure carefully and candidly read these Scriptures, Heb. 2.3. Heb. 6.6. Heb. 10.26, 27. O they are sad saying, I beg of the Lord that you and I may never be brought to justify the truth by woeful experience. O walk close with God, and live up to his Loves, death is near them that live below that, doth God run with great readiness in mercy to meet and mind us? (O) what cause have we to run out to him, & keep near him when he come? Is he pleased to fall upon our necks? let us fall at his foot, is he pleased to kiss us? let us cheerfully embrace him, and what is commanded by him. Beloved friends, I beg of the Lord to make you sensible of what hath been said, and not to mind the scorns of the world, nor the undervaluing expressions of some who seemingly profess God, as to a careful endeavour to walk close with God; know it is not men, but God that you must mind, and consider from the consideration of the sweet entertainment that poor souls in their returns to God, find with God; consider, I say, what duty * Heb. 2.3. Ps. 116.12. Rom. 12.1, 2 Tit. 2.11, 12.1 Jo. 3.2, 3.2 Pet. 3.11. that calls for, and know our time is short, and our life too little to speak out his love. There is much more to be said to these Conclusions, and to this Use, but I shall say no more, but the Lord hand over the knowledge of this truth to you, from his own heart, that by the knowledge of it you may abide with him, from his abiding with you, which is the earnest prayer of him that hath declared this, from what experience God hath made him find in his mistakes in wand'ring, and from his unexpected entertainment in his return. FINIS.