THe Book of Psalmes in the general, is a descrip­tion of the estate and condition of a [Page 2] godly man. In the begin­ning, we have him call'd a blessed man; in the blessednesse of holinesse: and so going on in the wayes of righteousnesse, his estate in the end, is shut up in the happinesse of blessing and praise: For so the Book ends, as his life ends, in nothing but praise. Wherein Da­vid as it were, begins to tune his heart to that Song of praise, which he now sings for ever in Heaven. In many parts of the Book, walking in holiness, (and so carrying happinesse with him) we see him notwithstanding [Page 3] meet with many storms, and tempests of evil: But as it were, escaped from all in the end, he bursts forth in thanks. To put into every like godly mans mouth his Lesson to conne, before the day of consort in Heaven, when nothing else shall be sung, but praise, and honour, and thanks. The first part of this holy song begins in the 145. Psal. 1. where first stirring up his own heart to sing, and so giving the pattern, as Gideon said to his Soul­diers; Look on me and do likewise, so in the end saith he, My mouth shall [Page 3] speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. And from thence, every Psalm begins and ends with praise. Yea the last is praise throughout; nothing but praise, praise.

Among these hortato­ry Psalms to praise, is this our 148. And it is a general exhortation to all sorts of creatures in their kinds, to praise the Lord, whether they be things above, as Angels, the Vers. 2. inhabitants of the first Heavens: or Stars and Vers. 3. Lights of the next Hea­ven: or Clouds and [Page 4] Vapours, and Meteors, Vers. 7, 8. which are in the lowest Heaven: or else lower Vers. 9. things, as Mountains and Hills; living things, as Trees, and Beasts, and Foul: Together lastly Vers. 11, 12. with Men, of every con­dition and estate, for whom all the former were made. And this ex­hortation is backt with a trebble Reason: 1. Ta­ken from the relation, between God and the se­veral sorts of creatures. And, 2. That special ex­cellency that is in God himself. And, 3. From his goodnesse to his peo­ple. The first Reason is [Page 6] laid down in the 5. and 6. Vers. 5. Verses, and it stands upon these two parts; First, The creatures must praise God, because he is their Maker; He comman­ded and they were created. Secondly, Because he Vers. 6. upholds them all being made, which is from his decree, that they shall not pass, v. 6.

But in speciall men must give him praise. First, For his own excel­lency and glory in the 13. verse. which glory Vers. 13. and excellency is most transcendent, even above all the excellency of the creature, above the earth [Page 7] and Heaven. Secondly, For his goodnesse to his people, which is in the 14. verse, which is in ex­alting his people; He ex­alts the horn of his people, the praise of all his Saints. And this people is set out by their name who they were, The children of Is­rael; and by their inter­est in him, They are a people near him.

He also exalts the horn of his people, the praise of all his Saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near him. And so we are come to the words.

The point of Obser­vation we intend to han­dle [Page 8] out of these words is only this:

That Gods Saints, are a Doct. people very near him.

In the handling of this point, we will shew

First, What nearnesse is, or wherein it consists. And

Secondly, In what re­spects Gods Saints are said to be near unto him.

Nearnesse first is Geo­metrical, and it is that lit­tle space or distance be­tween thing and thing, from thence by a trope or turning of the word, [Page 9] it is used for any special relation between one thing and another.

1. There is a Political nearnesse; as first, the nearnesse of League or Confederacy between Nation and Nation. So Solomon was near to Pha­raoh by Confederacy.

2. There is the near­nesse of Government, when Prince and People consent to govern and be governed together, which is a farther nearnesse.

Secondly, There is an Oeconomical nearnesse, the nearnesse of a Servant and a Master, which is still a further nearnesse.

Thirdly, There is an Ethical nearnesse, the nearnesse of friend to friend, which is yet nearer.

Fourthly, There is a Logical nearnesse: 1. The nearnesse of house and inhabitant. 2. The near­nesse of Relation or Kin­dred, of Sonne and Fa­ther, Wife and Husband.

3. And of similitude or likenesse, as of the pi­cture to the person.

Fifthly, We have a Physical or Natural near­nesse, which is the high­est degree of all others As, 1. Of the branches to the tree. And, 2. [Page 11] Members to the head.

Having drawn forth these particulars out of their several places, we now will shew how Gods people are said to be near him.

1. Yet this is first to be premised, that there is a common nearnesse to A com­mon near­nesse of creatures and men. God which is the near­nesse of the whole crea­ture, namely, to him as he is omnipresent, whereby all the frame of the world wes near him, and in some sort touches him, he being in, and through, and above, and about all things.

2. Again, there is a [Page 12] nearness to him in his Providence, which is that secret touch of his hand, whereby he sustains and preserves all things. In these two senses, not only his people, but all other men, and all things else, stones and trees, and the like, are said to be near him. And in the latter sense, we have it spoken of men out of the Church, Act. 17. 27, 28. where Paul tells the Athenians, God was not far off them, because in him they live, more, &c. that is, he is their preser­ver; yea in this sense the very Devils are near him.

[Page 13] 3. There is another A near­ness of men in the Church. farther degree of near­ness which belongs to men, and that to those which are within the Park of the Church, a common nearness to Be­lievers and Unbelievers.

The nearness of a com­mon Nearness of com­mon Co­venant. Covenant, and the signs of that Covenant; that nearness to him in his Ordinances, whereby God is more near to them, than other men out of the Church.

But this I take not to be the nearness here chiefly intended, though this be a prerogarive of the Church worthy [Page 14] much thanks and praise. The nearness here chief­ly The near­ness here meant. meant is a nearness be­longing to Saints, as the words foregoing seem to import, and so some of our best Expo­sitors give it, to be a pe­culiar proximity, which belongs to the people of God and no other, which strangers meddle not with, nor know.

But to shew wherein this nearness consists, which is in two things.

• 1. They are near him in faith.
• 2. In the work of faith.

First, They are near him in faith.

The name and nature of faith shews as much.

For faith is the rely­ing upon God as mine in Christ.

First, It is a relying.

And to this purpose is it set out by trusting, and staying, and rolling the soul on God. Hence a 1 Pet. 2. 7. godly man is said to be built on Christ, and root­ed in him, which phrases intimate thus much unto us, that the Believer is as near unto God having faith in him, as a man is to the thing on which he leans, as the stone to the ground on which it is roll'd, as the building to [Page 16] the foundation, and the tree to the soil in which it stands and grows.

Again, It is the rely­ing on God as mine] that is, the Believer is as near God by faith, as the possessor and the thing possessed, as the Land and the Lord, the house and the owner. Faith is of an appropriating nature, bringing God and what­soever is in him unto the Believer.

As mine in Christ, for 'tis by him all our near­nesse is.

So that this nearnesse is in faith. Faith is as the Jacobs Ladder, whereby [Page 17] his people ascend up, and come near unto him.

And it hath in it these eight rounds or degrees of nearnesse.

• 1. A nearnesse of Co­venant.
• 2. Of People to their Prince.
• 3. Of Servant to his Master.
• 4. Friend to Friend.
• 5. Of Child to Fa­ther.
• 6. Of Spouse to Hus­band.
• 7. Of Branch to the Tree.
• 8. Of the Member to the Head.

1. The nearnesse of [Page 18] faith, is a nearnesse of Covenant or League.

Before men believe they are afar off, as ene­mies and haters of God; Rom. 1. 30 Col. 1. 21. so enemies in their minds by wicked works. To give a touch, They were enemies, and enemies in their minds, that is to say, enemies in their minds, by wicked works. All enmity is compleat in Enmity is in two things. these two, in the mind and in the work; they were both enemies in mind and work, for the word may be so render­ed. And again enemies in mind, by wicked works, wicked works being the [Page 19] cause of this enmity of the mind. And therefore Joh. 3. 20. men are said to hate the light, because their works are evil; this by the way: so that men in sins are far off as ene­mies, not in League or Covenant. God in Jesus Christ offers conditions of peace: men when once they have faith, they then enter League, and there­fore Isa. 56. 4, 6. 'tis a Isa. 56. 4, 6 laying hold on the Co­venant, that is, that which strikes the stroke, and re­conciles God and man of­fended. Faith layes down the weapons, sins▪ that fought against God, and [Page 20] layes hold on mercy, the Covenant and League God offers to men, if they will be friends.

The whole Scripture shews this evidently, be­ing indeed nothing else, but the Writings of the Covenant of faith be­tween God and man. The old and new Testa­ment are but the pair of Indentures or Cove­nants, the old being the first Bill or Covenant, which being once expi­red, is renewed in the new Testament, as a sign of this nearnesse.

2. The second step in this Ladder of faiths [Page 21] nearnesse, is the nearnesse of people and Prince, Near nesse of people to King. Isa. 33. 22. The Lord is our King, and he will save us; so, we are his people, and throughout the Prophets, my people. Some choose pleasure, others profit, others credit, but the Lord is their King. Others they acknowledg him not, nor do any ho­mage to him, and there­fore they are called Re­bels, Psal. 68. 18. because Psal. 68. 18. they have no faith: but faith in Gods people comes and takes the Oath of Allegiance, and swears them Gods peo­ple, to say as David did, [Page 22] I have sworn, and I will perform to keep thy righ­teous statutes.

3. Gods people are near unto him as a Ser­vant Nearnesse. of Servant to a Master.

This is a step yet higher and nearer: that they are such whose of­fice it is continually to wait and attend upon God. Faith puts upon them Gods Livery, that they are men of his own Cloth. And this service is not an Apprentiship, to serve their Master for a time, and then to go out Journeymen for them­selves, but like the Ser­vant in Exod. 21. 5. that [Page 23] liking his Master well, was to have his eare boared through with an Aule, and serve him for ever: so because they like their Master well, because his service is per­fect freedom; they take him as it is Luke 1. 75. To serve him for e­ver.

Whereas contrary, o­ther men are of another living, servants of Satan the Prince of this world. Or at the best, their ser­vice is but slavery, which is a service of compulsi­on.

They are no more his servants than all other [Page 24] things, stones, and trees, and the like. Or as the Assyrian, Isai. 10. 7. They acknowledg him not. The Assyrian there was Gods servant, for saith the Text, I will send him a­gainst an hypocritical Na­tion, &c. Howbeit, he thinks not so, but to cut off Nations. God there sent him of his errand, to destroy, though he thought himself his own Master, and that he wrought for himself. So men, though they seem to be servants to God in do­ing his work, yet they in deed work for themselves as their own Masters. But [Page 25] Gods people are near as the Servant to the Ma­ster.

And not only so;

4. But fourthly, This Nearnesse of friends. ladder of nearnesse of faith, hath another high­er step; The nearnesse of friend to friend. They are Gods friends, as A-Abraham, 2. Jam. 23. so Gods acquaintance, his companions, and famili­ars, Acquaint thy self with Job 22. 21. him, &c. Nay they are all the acquaintance, all the familiars he hath in the world.

Therefore men with­out faith are called stran­gers, that is, such as know Eph. 4. 18. [Page 26] him not, such as are not acquainted with him. They may indeed know his kindnesse, be acquain­ted with his mercy, as peace, and health, and riches; but him they know not, so as to be in­tire and intimate with him, so as to call him friend, and to be called so by him, when Gods people are his friends.

5. Faith hath another step or farther degree of nearnesse, which is the nearnesse of kindred, they are his children.

Unbelievers may be retainers to him, such as hold their Lands and Pri­viledges [Page 27] by him, such as now and then attend on him, once or twice a year, at Christmass and Easter, or such like Festi­vities; but at the best they are but hired servants, Luke 15. 17. that is, such as serve for hire, for life, and safety. But they are nothing of a kindred to him, none of the chil­dren. Whereas Gods people are near unto him, and so near as of kindred, and so near of kindred as children.

As many as received Joh. 1. 12. him, to them he gave power to be the Sonnes of God, even those that be­lieve [Page 28] in his name. So in Esay 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, &c. Faith there steps forth, and breaking through the clouds of Gods displeasure, chal­lenges kindred of him calls him Father, and 'tis out of question, Doubt­lesse thou art our Fa­ther.

Other men cannot say so, if they do, 'tis a tel­ling God a lye to his face.

They are at the best but Bastards and no true Sonnes. Only such as in outward profession call [Page 29] God Father: but they are illegitimate, born of the Joh. 1. 13. will of the flesh, and the will of man, and not of the will of God. Such whose new-birth is from the will of the flesh, or the will of man. Their shew of godlinesse and seeming holinesse, is at the best but of the will of the flesh, of themselves and for themselves, for their own good and safe­ty, being stird up, and act­ed, and ended by the flesh, and in the flesh: or of the will of man, that is, 'tis a profession and seeming holinesse, be­cause men would have [Page 30] them to be holy, for the will of such a friend, Fa­ther, or the like, to sa­tisfie men. As if the E­vangelist should have said, All that go under the name of Sonnes and call God Father, they are of three sorts, two are Bastards and no Sonnes, such as are born of the will of the flesh, such as professe for the satisfying of the flesh, the self-de­ceiving and closest Hy­pocrite, which is no son though he think so: be­cause he looks onely to himself. The other is he that is born of the will of man, that lives only to [Page 31] the will of man, the grosse and notorious Hy­pocrite. But the third is the true Sonne indeed, which is born of the will of God, of his own will, and that obeys him for his will. But enough of this, which I note more by the way than other­wise: this then is the fift ascent or gradation in the Ladder of Faiths near­nesse, That Gods people are his children.

6. The sixt degree of higher nearnesse, is the nearnesse of Spouse to the Husband: so in Cant. we have it My Spouse. All besides them, are [Page 32] such as goe a whoring from him, and are mar­ried to others, to plea­sure and credit, and the things of this world: and therefore, they having tyed themselves former­ly to God, and broke the marriage knot, are called James 4. 4. Adulterers James 4. and Adulteresses, be­cause they defile the mar­riage Bed by the love of the Creature: But Gods people are married to him Hos. 2. 19. by faith.

7. Gods people are near him, as the branch to the tree, and 'tis also another nearnesse of faith. Rom. 6. 20. Thou standest by faith, [Page 33] that is, that thou standest in the tree Jesus Christ: ▪tis thy faith that makes thee a branch; that's the sap and juyce which runs from the tree, to make thee live near him as a branch: otherwise, thou wert but a wilde Olive, or a dead branch of the tree. 'Tis your faith lets you into the tree, and makes you a Scyon.

8. Lastly, The high­est step of this Ladder of faiths nearnesse, is of the Members to the head, so Eph. 4. 15. Christ is called the head. That as all the members are united and joyned to the head, in sense and [Page 34] motion from it; so Christ is the head, we the mem­bers, nearly united to him, in all power of knowing and doing.

This is the nearnesse of faith, which as a Lad­der, consists of these eight steps of nearnesse, and every one of them still higher, and so nearer God. The nearnesse of Subject, is greater than that of League; Servant than Subject; Friend than Servant; Childe than Friend; Wife than Childe; Branch out of the same Tree, and in the same Tree, than the Wife. And lastly, The [Page 35] Member is more essen­tial, and so nearer than the Branch. So much for the first part of this near­nesse, The nearnesse of Faith.

2. But secondly, As Part of nearnesse in the work of faith, which is holinesse. Gods people are near him by having faith in their hearts, by these many proximities; so they are near him in the work of faith, which is, The near­nesse of Holinesse, which is the bringing of the whole man to God: So that if Gods people touch him, not onely in Rela­tions, (as I formerly shewed) but in the whole man, and that which pro­ceeds [Page 36] from it, if they touch him on all parts, then are they a people near him. Other men as they come not near him in any relations more than stones and trees, or little more, having no faith to spread these rela­tions over them: so having no faith, they have nothing of holi­nesse, nothing but sinne, which turns them away from God, that they come not near him, so much as to give him a look, so as to give him a word, if un­awares they meet him in his Ordinances. But Holinesse, what it is. Gods people are near [Page 37] him in holinesse, which is the new casting of the whole man in the mould of faith, to the mind of God. And this is the greatest nearnesse of all other, for this more pro­perly concerns God. Faiths nearnesse is a near­nesse to God for our selves, to make us safe: but holinesse is a near­nesse to God for himself, first, and then for our selves. Faith sets us un­der the covert of Gods love, to shelter of wrath: But holinesse makes us like unto God, to restore our first perfection we lost in Adam: and this is [Page 14] the thing God intends in the working of faith, to restore us by holinesse.

Now Gods people are near (in a double respect) in holinesse.

• 1. In the holinesse of Heart.
• 2. In the holinesse of Life.

First, They are near him in the holinesse of heart, which is a breaking down the partition wall of sinne, or taking away the distance made by sin, and a partaking of the like nature with God himself.

1. Hence first they Nearnesse of simili­tude. are said to be like God, [Page 39] near him by the near­nesse of similitude. The holinesse of the heart be­ing the new Coyning or Stamping of the Image of God upon the heart; or the new drawing of the Image of God, in the colours of holinesse, upon the heart. That as we say, such a picture is ve­ry near, meaning the man it represents: look on him and the picture together, and they are very like; so look on that tablet of the heart, wherein the Pencil of faith, in the Hand of God, hath Drawn in the colours of holinesse the [Page 40] Image of God, and they are very near, very like.

On the contrary, a man on whose heart faith hath not stampt this ho­linesse, is no liker God than darknesse the Sun; there is not so much as the first draught of his Image. And therefore you see no more of the Image of God in his heart, than of the image of a man in a beast. But faith bringing holinesse into the heart, makes Gods people of his I­mage, face answering to face, by wiping out the draught of Satan.

Therefore 1 Joh. 3. 3. [Page 41] Whosoever hath this hope in him, purifies himself as he is pure: that is, faith draws a Coppy of holi­nesse in the heart, like to that which is in God; faith boiles up to such a holinesse as he hath. When faith comes, it sweeps the heart of the dirty corners of sinne, which made God before to be a farre off; but when sin is swept, then comes in another near­nesse.

2. The nearnesse se­condly of a Temple, and house: then the heart is consecrated Gods Chap­pel, when the rubbish and [Page 42] dirt of sin is first purged away.

And therefore 'tis said, The Temple of God is ho­ly, 1 Cor. 3. 17. whose Temple ye are, that is, when once ye come to be holy, then ye are made Temples of God.

So also Gods house, Eph. 3. 17. the place of his continual nearnesse to them; that look as a man is near his house, and nearer that than any thing else, so God and a holy heart are near, and nearer than any other. Nay the holy heart is all the dwelling God hath below. He hath Esay. Rom. 8. 9. no other house than his [Page 43] people; no other rooms in his house, than their several hearts; no other parlour or room of de­light, than that heart which is best adorned and hanged with grace, that is most holy. And this is not a house which stands empty of the inhabitant; but 'tis a house whereof he saith, as he said of the Temple, Here will I dwel for ever, for I have a de­light in it. But farther, as they are near to God in the holinesse of heart, so also

Secondly, In the holi­nesse Near in holiness of life. of life, whereby they live to him, Gal. 2. [Page 44] 19. and so they are said to live with him, and to walk with him, that is, they are such, whose lives reach to him, and end in him. And so they live with him, that is, they make him their acquain­tance indeed; as before we shewed they had the title of friends. They be not only called friends, but they live as friends, once friends and ever so, such as are never parted or severed. Therefore this nearnesse of life is exprest by walking with God; Enock walked with Gen. 5. 24. God, that is, he was as near God in his life, as a [Page 45] man is to him with whom he walks, he went even with him, walkt not a farre off from God, but close to him, side by side, as we may so say.

Other men that have no faith, live a farre off from God, as men of a­nother Country, as ac­quainted only with sinne and the world, to whom and with whom they life. But Gods people are a people near him, in their lives.

They are near him first in their thoughts, so near him therein, that their thoughts are said to be [Page 46] upon him, Mal. 3. 16. Those that thought upon his name. So David, no­thing more ordinary than thoughts on God, so that he was his Meditation, Psal. 63. which is the staying and continuance of the thought on the thing.

So again in their will and affections, their Love, Hope, Joy, Fear, is said to be of him and in him. In desire they fol­low hard after him, Psal. 63. 8. yea getting once near him, they cleave to him, Deut. 4. 4. which cleaving is chief­ly by love and joy, so all their words and [Page 47] deeds are to him.

Lastly, They are near Nearnesse in their lives by serving him. him in their services, for faith makes them not on­ly Officers in his Court, but to wait and attend upon him, to follow the Court, and attend in their courses of service, in all the times of worship; yea, to be such as stand continually before him, to be of his Presence-Chamber, and at his el­bow.

Whereas others either live from his Court, or are banisht the Court, serving Sin, the World, and Satan; or if they come to Court to [Page 48] tender their service; they set their hearts another way, as false servants which do homage in heart to other Lords than their own, when they are in the Court.

So these when they stand in Gods Courts, seeming to serve him, their hearts attend in the Court of Satan, the Prince of this world. Therefore they are said to honour him with their bodies, their hearts be­ing farre from him, Isai. 29. 13. farre from him, in the word, farre from him in prayer, or any o­ther service of his.

But Gods people are near unto him in all their service; they are near unto him in the Word, as the Apostle; they 1 Thes. 2. 13. receive it as the Word of God, not of men: as if he should say, there are two sorts of hear­ers of the Word, some hear it only as the Word of man, man teaching, man instructing, man exhorting or reproving, &c. but you receive it as the Word of God. Faith makes them to hear God in his Word, other men neither see, nor hear any thing of God in it.

But as it was with Saul and his company Act. 9. 7. travelling to Damascus, so are godly men, and other men. As Saul and his company were going to Damascus, 'tis said, a voice was heard from Heaven, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? and the men with him, they heard the voice, but they saw no man, only Paul saw Jesus Christ, the others did not, So wicked men hear the sound of the Word, but they see no man; they see not Je­sus Christ and God in his Word; for 'tis only the eye of faith that sees God [Page 51] in the Prospective of his Word and Ordinances.

And therefore though men have these Prospe­ctives of his Ordinances, yet they see not God in them, because they want the eye of faith to unite them and God together.

So again Gods people are near unto him in the Sacrament, which so oft as it is worthily received, is a new Bond out of the great Court of Heaven, to tye them and God to­gether more nearly; and 'tis faith that writes this Bond, and seals it in the blood of Jesus Christ.

Whereas other men [Page 52] are no nearer God in the Sacrament, than they are at their own table; nay 'tis a Sacrament of sepe­ration, that even unglues them from their com­mon nearnesse in com­mon mercy▪ for as it is an ascent which by worthy receiving makes men a step nearer to God, so by unworthy partaking they go lower to evil, and farther from him.

Thirdly, They are near to God in prayer; for so prayer in Scripture is commonly called a drawing nigh to God: and therefore they are said to be Priests to God; [Page 53] that as Kings and great Rev. 2. 6. ones have their Chaplains for them, so the people of God are his Chaplains, yea Chaplains in Ordina­ry, such as wait continu­ally on God; and that not only for themselves, but for others also.

That look as Kings have their Masters of Requests, whereby the Petitions of suiters are preferred unto them; so Gods people are his great Masters of Requests, whereby Petitions of each other, yea and wick­ed men also are preferred to him. So Abraham was Gen. 20. 7, 17. the great Master of Re­quests [Page 54] for King Abime­lech, Let Abraham pray for thee, and thou shalt live, &c.

So Job was the Ma­ster Job 42. 7, 8. of Requests for his three friends. So Moses for the Israelites.

And this is faith still that makes this near­nesse.

Faith is that which perfumes their prayers with the blood of Christ, and so they ascend up to God, and are accepted by him.

That as great persons choose still perfumed things, as apparell and Gloves, &c. let the other [Page 55] alone, because the per­fume makes them ac­ceptable; so faith makes their prayers acceptable to God, which else they would not be.

Lastly, And so we The last nearnesse to God, which is in his spe­ciall At­tributes. have done with these se­verall branches of near­nesse.

Gods people are near him in his speciall Attri­butes.

They are near his pre­sence, and in his favour. Others are like Absalom, which might not see the Kings face.

Or at the best God frowns upon them.

They are near his eye.

Near his ear. Psal. 34. 15

And so near his hand, that when danger is at hand, he is at hand, and puts forth his hand to help, and faith takes him by the hand, and gets out.

So I might shew how they are near the Trini­ty. Near the Trinity.

The Father, Son, and holy Spirit, which are (with all in them) most properly theirs.

If then by faith in it self they are near unto God in that eight-fold nearnesse.

• [Page 57]Covenant,
• Subject,
• Servant,
• Friend,
• Child,
• Spouse,
• Branch,
• Member.

And again in the work of faith, which is holinesse

• Heart, as
  • Like God. his
    • Tem­ple.
    • House.
• Life in
  • Thoughts,
  • Affections,
  • Speeches,
  • Actions.
  • Service,
    • Word,
    • Sacraments
    • Prayer, &c.

If near him in his spe­ciall Attributes;

And to all the Trini­ty;

Then they are a peo­ple very near him.

But to all this it may Object. be objected: How then may some say doth it come to passe, that God is said to

Stand afar off? Psal. 10. 1.

To hide himself, as David and many of Gods people complain▪

It thus falls out some­times, Answ. with these near ones; but this is, when they themselves go a­way from God by sinne, where God is not. And [Page 59] therefore God may there be said, to be a far off: Because sinne is a place where God is not, or ever was near to them in it, as continuing in it, but only he is near them, as coming out of sinne, so farre as they are sinne­full, so farre is God re­mote from them; he comes no farther into the heart than faith purifies it, into no rooms of the soul, but those that by faith are swept from sinne.

2. Again, though God seems to stand a farre off, and to hide himself, that we think him not near: [Page 60] yet as Jacob said, He Gen. 28. 27. was nigh and he not a­ware of it; so God is near his people, when they think not of it: even as the father is taken by the child for gone, when he is but behind the hang­ings.

3. Thirdly, God is many times near, and actually helps when we think he is not, and doth not, because we look for him, in a way of our own prescribing, wherein he will not come.

There is a double way wherein God comes to Double way of help. his people.

First, An ordinary [Page 61] way, or the Kings high­way, the great roade of Providence and Mercy, wherein he ordinarily is nigh them, as helping them in ordinary means.

There is secondly a se­cret privy way or path, wherein he comes some­times, and is at us, before we are aware of it; and so we think him not come, because not in the common roade, wherein we expected him. Thus many times God is near in giving some other mercy than we ask, as more fit for us. Thus sometimes he gives not it may be wealth, but [Page 62] friends, or we it may be look to have a lust healed by fasting and prayer, when they, nor any so common means do it not, but he heals it by confes­sion of it to a godly friend. Jam. 5. 16.

4. Though God stand a far off, yet he then is near, though not sensi­bly, yet really and truly; the essence of the near­nesse remains still, though the sense and influence be somewhat cut off: even as it is with the body of the Sun, when 'tis co­vered with a Cloud, the body of the Sun is then as near, as when the [Page 63] Cloud was not before it, though the heat and light, the influence were some­what cut off. A man is still as near the Sun in a cloudy day, as a clear day; so a man is as near God, that once is truly near him, even when he hides himself under a cloud of trial, as before. The re­lation for the substance holds as firm, as a son is as much a son, when he is a thousand miles off from his father, as when he is in the same room, in his fathers presence; so a son of God, is as much a son, for the essence and truth of the relation, and [Page 64] as much a spouse, when God is hidden from him under the distance of af­fliction, as when he was joyous and at peace. The covenant is the same, the kindred the same, the nearnesse the same. Even as the branches are as near the tree at one time as another, though they perceive it not. The members are as near the head, in a Palsey or Apo­plexy, as at other times, though they feel it not, so fully or plainly as at other times they may. And 'tis to be observed, that in such cases as this of David; God is not [Page 65] quite departed; for sayes he, Why standest thou a farre off, which argues, God then was not out of sight, or out of call, though not so near as be­fore.

Now we come to Ap­plication.

First then, If Gods Use 1 people are so exceeding near him, the Use shall be that in the Text, the words foregoing, That God greatly exalts the horn of his people. Is not this an exultation, when others are left out of all these forenamed rela­tions, that they should be taken in; to be in [Page 66] Covenant with him, yea servants, yea friends, yea sonnes, yea his spouse? Come and see if there be any honour like unto this honour wherewith he cloathes his people, and which strangers meddle not with.

If it be so, Then Use 2 touch not Gods anoint­ed and doe his people no harme: wrong them not (as Ecclesiastes saies of the King) so much as in thy thought: much lesse proceed to open wrong, or persecution against them.

For first consider, he to whom they are so Mot. 1 [Page 67] near, shall be sure to hear of it. Did any man but think, the wrong he doth to his fellow sub­ject, the King should be sure to hear it, would not he hold his hands and consider?

There is not the least wrong thou canst doe to any of these near ones; but God shall be sure to hear of it.

They have friends e­nough in the Court of Heaven to tell him, yea those of his Presence-Chamber, the An­gels, such as stand con­tinually before him, such as are sent Embas­sadours, [Page 68] on purpose to see what wrong is done to them. Such as lie Lie­ger, to hear and carry the least word spoken a­gainst his people; and they will tell tales of you.

Besides they them­selves are at the Kings eare, and in prayer will go and tell him of you. That if Angels and Saints which are all the Court of Heaven, if they or any of them know of it, God shall be sure to hear it.

But secondly, You Mot. 2 shall be sure to hear of it again, for if they be the near ones, then whatso­ever this nearnesse can [Page 69] do, shall come to their aid and their confusion. It is the only way, to pull the world about a mans ears; to provoke the Lord-General of the world, to Muster up his Batallions, and Hoasts of creatures against thee; to cause Heaven and Earth, and the Comman­der of both, to turn ene­mies to thee, and in their courses to fight against thee, as the Stars in their courses did against Sisera. If then any man dare bid God, and his Armies of creatures battail, let him give but the defiance to his people, and the word [Page 70] is no sooner spoken, but they are all up in Armes, and come marching, like Jehu, furiously against thee. Ten several Ar­mies of creatures, we see leavied, and sent against the Aegyptians and Pha­raoh, for the wrong done to the Israelites. And Army being sent after Army, in the end, (fully to revenge the wrong,) God Mustred up the Waters, causing them to lye in ambush against him; and when they were once come into the Exod. 14. 26. ambush, the Watch-word was but given, and the lyers in waite set upon [Page 71] them, and overthrew them. So the Sun and Jos. 10. the Moon by standing still, were made as spies to betray, and a showre of stones like a Volley of shot to destroy the Cana­anites. Wild-fire out of 2 King. 1. the Camp of Heaven, destroyed the Captains and their fifties that came to take Elijah. The Numb. 16. 31, 32. earth undermin'd Korah and his company, for their words against Mo­ses.

Besides these, God hath an Army of diseases, which sometimes is sent to revenge his people. When God shall muster [Page 72] up the humours, of a mans own body against him, making his enemies to be those of his own house­hold, such enemies as will not turn back; a­gainst whom, all the mu­nition of Physick cannot defend; such enemies as will not raise their seige, nor make any compositi­on, but assault, and in their assault, beat down the Ramparts and Forti­fications of nature, ta­king the strong Castle of the heart, and lay the Fort of the whole man in the dust, even with the ground; so that if you can abide the brunt [Page 73] against Heaven and Earth, and the several ranks of Souldiers, of creatures of the Lord of Hoasts. If you have pro­vision enough against a seige of judgements; if Armour of Proof to bear off the Bullet of Destru­ction shot from the En­gine of Vengeance. If you dare stand against Gods great Ordance, his sore judgements of Plague, Famine, or the like, (which mowes whole Cities and Nati­ons down as the Sithe doth Corn;) Then speak and wrong, and spare not. But alas you know, all [Page 74] the Armour wherein ye can trust, is but Paper-Armour to defend you; that all the things you can flye to, are but the crea­cures, which are Souldi­ers of the Lords of Hosts, which therefore will not prove disloyal to their Lord, to flye from their Colours, for your service and Pay, but be the very first, even in the Fore-front of the Battel against you.

But thirdly, Do them Use 3 all the good you can. For

First, You hold all you Mot. 1 have upon them. Heaven and Earth would be dis­solved, [Page 75] did not the Church uphold them; and were that once fi­nisht, all things would fall again to their first confu­sion.

As 'tis in the erecting of a building, stones and timber, and other mate­rials are prepar'd, Work­men are hir'd, and the tooles are moving, till the Edifice is reard, and when once the building is finisht, the stones and rubbish are cast aside, the tooles laid down, the Workmen paid and sent away, but they had their hire from the building: So in the building of the [Page 76] Church, workmen are hir'd, tooles used, and the building being up, creatures and wicked men (used for the Church) are paid with peace and wealth, and so cashired; but they had their pay (the good things of this life) from the Church. You hold all you have on the Church; these near ones are they, on whom you hold all; they are the great Lords, on whom you hold your lives and goods. As Lot was the Lord, on whom the So­domites held both their City and safety. And therefore when he was [Page 77] gone, he took safety with him, and destruction sud­denly followed on them. They are your great Charter, by which you hold all your priviledges, and therefore make much of them.

Do them all the good Mot. 2 you can, for you are sure to be sure to be requited. God will never send any away empty, that shews kindnesse to his people. Not a Cup of cold water to a Disciple; not a Far­thing given to a Saint, that shall not be requited in a Pound; not a Meale to Gods needy, that shall not be rewarded with a [Page 78] plentifull Crop, a liberal Table. Not a Seed, a Corn of kindnesse, sown on these near ones, that shall not come up, in a plentifull ear, of a hun­dred fold blessing. The people of God is the fat­est soyle to sow kindnesse in, they yield the great­est increase, the fullest re­ward.

If they are so near un­to Use 4 God, then get into their acquaintance, and forsake not their fellow­ship.

There are but two Double Motive. causes that make men seek the acquaintance of those which are near [Page 79] great persons. First, Be­cause they are men of better rank and quality than others. Secondly, Because they are able by their nearnesse to do for them.

These are first men of Mot. 1 the best rank and quality, and they are able to do more for you, than all the world beside. These are men of the best rank, if ye consider their descent. Others are but earth-born and sin-born, these are of the family of Hea­ven.

Again, They are of the best quality, because such as bear all the great [Page 80] Offices in the Court of Heaven.

Others may have the name of common Sub­jects, but they bear none of the Offices.

God dares not trust them; they would only bear Offices, to bear the credit and gain.

But Gods people bear the Offices in his Court.

First, They are of his Privy Councill, to know Psal. 25. 14. his mind.

Other men know his works, as his works of mercy, and his works of justice, but his mind, his secret, they know not. Even as the works of a [Page 81] King, his Laws and Pro­clamations, or the like, any Subject knows, but his mind, his secret, that only his Councill knows. So the works of God every man can take no­tice of, but his mind, they only know which are near of his Councill. They know his mind in sin, to be out of measure sinfull, his mind in grace, to be so free and trans­cendent. They only know his mind.

They are again the Stewards of his Hous­hold; Stewards of the ma­nifold 1 Pet. 4. 10. grace of God, 1 Pet. 4. 10.

There are many wants, as there are many of his house, therefore many graces. And be­cause every one hath not all grace, therefore are they Stewards mutually each to other, that every one might have that which is lacking in his faith, and humility, &c. And this they do as Stewards, dispencing out of the Kings store, out of the store of grace, receiv­ed from him; dispencing in instruction, dispencing in reproof, and comfort, and the like, which is Christian communion, which is the communica­ting [Page 83] of grace each to other.

And as they are Gods Stewards, so they are his Treasurers.

They keep all his rich­es. They are the treasu­rers of his Word and Or­dinances, wherein all his estate is layed up. They are the keepers of his Jewels, precious faith, and the rest. They are the treasurers of mercy and judgement, who can by the Key of prayer in the hand of faith, shut or open the door of mercy, and take out what they will. Take out rain, or drought (as Elijah) take out peace [Page 84] or war, life or death: all is in the keeping of his people who are his Trea­surers.

Secondly, As they are men of the best rank and quality, so they are able to do for you. Have you any suit to be preferred to the King, what readi­er way than to use such who are so near him? A friend in the Court may do more you know, than all the friends you have beside. A friend in the Court of Heaven may get you more, than all the world besides. We see it in Moses, who saved Numb. 14. 12, 13, &c. the life of a whole Nati­on [Page 85] by his suit to God, when at once he would have destroyed them. He may get you life, or health, or any thing.

The next Use shall be for Triall. That if Gods people be so exceeding near him;

Then let every one Use 5 try whether they are so near to God or no.

First, Whether are you near him in a right Covenant or no? If so, then you have joyned your self to the Lord, in Jer. 50. 5. a perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgotten.

There are three things Three things. here to be observed:

• [Page 86]1. It is such a Co­venant, wherein they joyn themselves to the Lord.
• 2. 'Tis perpetuall.
• 3. 'Tis not forgotten.

First, It is such a Co­venant, wherein they joyn themselves to the Lord: that is, such a one wherein they are halfes with God, where they strike with God, as well as God with them. Many there are with whom God hath passed his Co­venant, which are in the bounds and territories of the Covenant, which ne­ver yet joyned with God in the Covenant. Many [Page 87] are in the heat and benefit of the Covenant, which have not layed hold on the Covenant, and truly tyed themselves to God in it. But they which are in the right Covenant, are such as have joyned themselves to God, as he is joyned to them.

Secondly, It is a per­petuall Covenant. It is not a truce which lasts for a time, and then ends in open hostility; for such are the Covenants of many, which like enemies brought to an exigent, make truce for a time, which ends in war. So they being brought to an [Page 88] exigent in credit, come to the Sacrament, that men might not speak ill of them, or on the bed of sicknesse, or such like, make truce with God, but it ends in war, in sin again.

But the right Cove­nant is a perpetual Cove­nant, that is, not only such a one as is of perpe­tual force and tye only, but also such a one as is intended to perpetuity, and 'tis their earnest de­sire to keep it for ever. And 'tis such a Cove­nant as being once made, they will repent it, though they loose by it. [Page 89] Loose their lusts, and in them the world, which is wrapt up in lusts, as meat in the stomack. Loose themselves also, that is, deny themselves; some go so far as to make Co­venants, and intend them to perpetuity; but when they are urged to per­form the conditions, and let all goe for naked Christ, and a Kingdom only in reversion; they flye off from their bar­gain as too hard. But the right Covenant is a per­petual Covenant, such as they stand to through the attendance of unavoida­ble crosses and enemies.

Thirdly, It is a Cove­nant which is not forgot­ten. Men oft go so far, as to make Covenants for ever, but they forget them.

As mens evidences co­vered over with dust, or thrown into a corner, are out of sight, and so for­gotten; so Covenants with God are covered over with sin, or thrown into a corner, a corner of the world, pleasure, or profit, or credit, and so are forgotten.

Hast thou not made a Covenant with God, which is forgotten? that some lust or other hath [Page 91] made thee quite forget it, as if no such thing had been? if thy Covenant be right, 'tis such a Covenant as is not forgotten.

The next signe of a Sign. 2 Covenant-right, is, that where that is, there are mutual passages of love and kindnesse, as com­merce and traffique; so 'tis between the soul and God in Covenant. Then as God presents thee with mercy, life, peace, friends; presents with grace, and the pearl Christ Jesus, lockt up in the Cabinet of the Pro­mises, thou canst not but say as Peter said to the [Page 92] lame man asking an alms, Such as I have I give thee, though Silver and Gold have I none; grace nor glory, my goodnesse extends not to thee, yet I give thee my self, my thoughts, affections, and all I have: I present thee my prayers, and thanks and service. Dost thou trade with him in duty, as he traffiques with thee in mercy? Hath he made thy heart, his great staple of merchandize, to ex­change continually duty for mercy? it is a sign thou art in Covenant with him. On the con­trary, dost thou get what [Page 93] thou canst from him, without leave, without praying for them? take things by force, health, wealth, and the like; not paying any thing, any service, not custome, so much as the least deser­ved service, it is a sign of one out of Covenant; for only an enemy out of league, will rob a Com­mon-wealth, or take things by force.

Lastly, If thou art in league with God, then thou hast common friends and foes with him. Gods friends are thy friends, and his foes thy foes, Do not I hate Psal. 139. 21, 22. [Page 94] them that hate thee, &c. yea thou hatest sin, and Psal. 97. 10. the fuel and bellowes of sin, the world, and Satan which feeds and blows up sinne. A man in Co­venant hates sinne. Men hate the sting, and love the Serpent, hate sin as 'tis attended with Hell and death, but love the sin it self. Doest thou therefore hate sin? thy worldly mindednesse, or pride, or uncleannesse, or whatsoever it be? so dost thou hate sinners, as steept in sin, as enemies too to thy inner man? So again, hast thou com­mon friends with God, to [Page 95] love where God loves, and as far as he loves? to love the very sight and shew of holinesse, the name of a godiy man? And doest thou love eve­ry thing that may con­firm and continue the League, the Ordinances betwixt God and thee, though never so contrary and crosse to thy corrupt nature? it is then a sign, thou art in Covenant with God.

The second signe is from the second degree of nearnesse, the near­nesse of Subject. Whe­ther art thou as a Subject of Gods or no? if thou [Page 96] art a true Subject, then thou obeyest his Laws and Proclamations; then art thou confined in thy wayes, within the pre­cincts of his Laws, so as to do thy indeavour to keep them, even all of Psal. 119. 33, 34. them, with thy whole man, and that for ever. Then all his Laws stand in force upon thy whole man, till they are cal'd in, by a new Act of the Court of Parliament of Heaven. Thou endea­vourest also to keep the least Commandment, and doest not remain a wilfull breaker of it, though it might get thee [Page 97] never so much.

Again, Thou obeyest his Proclamations, every promulgation of his will, or any Law, that by ill custome, is ready to be antiquated and abolisht. Every new duty com­manded by his high Commission, his Mini­sters, whose office it is, to beat down new up-ri­sing enormities, by dis­peircing his Proclamati­ons, and fastening them upon the posts of mens hearts, upon their con­sciences being faulty herein.

Whether again art Sign. 3 thou near unto God, as a [Page 98] servant is to his Master? If thou art a servant of his, then thou art faith­full unto him in all his house, Heb. 3. 2. 'Tis re­quired Heb. 3. 2. in a servant that he be found faithfull as Moses was in all his house.

First, Whether art thou faithfull? and faith­full all his house?

First, Art thou faith­full? doest thou attend upon him, and upon no other? There are many in service with God, that go for Christians, and wear his Livery, when their hearts attend upon Satan and the world. [Page 99] Many are bodily conver­sant about him in Prayer and the Word, whose hearts are left behind in the world and lusts.

Again, They work not for him but themselves, and so steale from him that which is his. He is an unfaithfull servant, that steals from his Ma­ster that which is his. Men steal thus from God, they steal from him his time; his time of pray­ing, his time of hearing, and reading, and medita­ting, and examining their hearts, and lives, and his time of receiving the Sa­crament, &c. and give [Page 100] it to others, to profane­nesse, give it to pride, and worldly-minded­nesse. They steal from him also his Talents, wit, strength, beauty, health, riches, and give them to lusts and sinnes.

Art thou

Secondly, Faithfull in all his house, to do all that his service requires. Faithfull in regard of the Master, to do all that concerns his person, not one duty alone but all, not only to tell him of things amisse in praying to him; but also to hear him telling thee thy du­ty, and obeying, hear­ing [Page 101] his word, and obser­ving it. Not only atten­ding at his Table, in com­ing to the Sacrament; but also in loosing a meal, in fasting, when his ser­vice requires it, and so every other day.

So faithfull in regard of thy fellow servants, in helping and assisting them in their work, in exhorting, and encoura­ging them in well-doing; in instructing them also, and admonishing them when they erre and do a­misse.

Faithfull in regard of all other things in the house; Art thou then [Page 102] faithfull to thy Master, and faithfull in all his house, so as all his work is performed? then art thou near him as a ser­vant. Contrary, art thou sloathfull, idle, wronging thy Master, in his goods and time, and wronging thy fellow servants? then art thou no servant of his, but a servant of thy self.

4. Whether art thou one of the friends of God or no?

If thou art a friend of his, Then first thou lov­est 1. Pro­perty of a friend. him for himself; thou lovest him for his purity and holinesse, and excel­lency; [Page 103] because he is so, and not for that he hath. Thou lovest not his, but him, for that is friendship to love a man for him­self.

Many there are that pretend friendship to him, and seem as if they loved him: But it is, because he hath much to give and they expect much. They love him, as he is mercifull and bountifull, as he is full and open-handed. As he opens out of his Treasu­ry of goodnesse, deals out peace and safety, gives forth wealth and friends, compasses them [Page 104] about with kindnesse, fils up their Cup till it run over. But they go no farther in kindnesse, than he doth in bounty. They both measure and limit their love, by his good­nesse; and therefore if he turn the stream of mercy a little from them, their goodnesse and love dries up also. It may be they can be content to Pray and hear the Word, and perform the other offices of love, if they may get by it. Assemble Hos. 7. 14. themselves for Corn and Wine, as the Prophet speaks. But this is to do duty to mercy, to pray [Page 105] to peace and safety, to love, not him but his.

And so the most do with God, as men do with those that are grea­ter than themselves.

A great man because he is rich and powerfull, and can do much for them, to him they pre­tend a great deale of friendship, and shew of love; but if he once dry up in bounty, or stop in kindnesse, they are gone for new friends to reap new kindnesse; whereas if they loved the man for himself, their love would last so long as the person, not the purse or power [Page 106] only remaind. And who would take such ones to be friends, that loved but so only?

And so do you think to go for friends, when you come for nothing else? Will God take you to be friends to him, when your love is only spun forth by mercy? when it is only linked to peace and riches, or the like? when your friendship is only planted and rooted, and grows in the soyle of his boun­ty, by the dew of his fa­vour, and is not built up­on him?

You would not take [Page 107] such a man to be your friend, that is a friend to your Chest or Table on­ly. Yet God hath a great many such Chest, such Table friends, that are as great friends there as any; but if once the Purse is shut, the Cloth drawn, their friendship is taken away also. Whe­ther then, can you love God stript of all conside­rations of kindnesse, so that you will not break with him, though he draw in his kindnesse, but keep him still though he had nothing to give; no Heaven hereafter to make you happy, nor [Page 108] peace and wealth, and the like, to stay you here? 'tis then a sign you are his friend. But if you love him as he appears in mercy only, as he is co­vered over with kind­nesse; it is a sign you are no friend of his; he that is a friend, loves not so much his as him.

Secondly, Another 2. Sign of friends. sign of friendship is mu­tual trust, to each o­ther.

Whether then will you trust him, and may he again trust you?

First, Whether will you trust him? that is, will you take him on his [Page 109] bare word without any more? that is, to trust a man when thou relyest on him, for his bare pro­mise. And so that is to trust God for a mercy, not when you have hold on him and the mercy too; one hand on him, another on the thing: But when you lay hold on him, with both hands, that his promise is all the hold you have.

Many will trust him when they have security; trust him for a mercy, deliverance, health or life: when they have a pledg, when they are in the way of deliverance, or life; [Page 110] trust to the staffe, when they have hold of one end of it; whereas he that is a friend, will take his word as soon as his bond. Trust him against trust, against hope, As Abra­ham, because he was a friend of God, believed him (against hope) for a son, even then when in nature, and reason he could see no issue.

To trust him with a pledg, is no more than an enemy will do; any man will trust so, only a friend will trust for the bare re­lation of friendship.

Again, Whether may God trust thee? he that [Page 111] is a friend, God dares betrust with any thing; betrust him with riches; betrust him with health or friends; betrust him with greater things, even with Jesus Christ, which is all his stock of mercy; and betrust with grace also, because he will give all, or the Revenues of them to God again.

Other men, though he gives them health, or wealth, or the like; yet he trusts them not with them, as looking for them again.

And therefore what he bestowes on them, it is given as an exercise of [Page 112] his bounty; and not any exercise of their trust and fidelity, which is there­fore some smaller mat­ter that he gives, as these outward things which he looks not for again. Even as we deal with men that have oft deceived us, or are poor and needy; if they come to borrow, we lend them not any thing we look to have again, because we dare not trust them; but it may be, we give them something out of our bounty, for their need.

So much for this third Sign. The next is,

Whether art thou Sign. 4 espoused to Christ or not?

If thou art espoused to him, then

First, Thou likest him, and lovest him better than any other. As a loving Wife, if you ask her how she likes her Husband; she will answer, I care not what others do, how they like him; for my part, I like him better than any other.

So the Spouse of Christ in the Canticles, Cant. 5. 9. when she is askt how she likes Christ; what her beloved is better than other beloveds: saith she, [Page 114] He is the chiefest of ten Vers. 10. thousand: that is, Let others say what they will, like or dislike, she likes him better than any in the world besides: For He is white and ruddy, Vers. 10. that is, he is perfectly beautifull for colour. And so she describes him throughout, summing up all in the 16. Verse, that He is altogether lovely, Vers. 16. that is, there is nothing to be seen in him, that is, any deformity, to hin­der liking or love: but he is most comely. Other men, as the Prophet E­say sayes, though in ano­ther case, See no form or [Page 115] comelinesse in him; but he is unto them, as a Blackmoore, that hath nothing sightly. All his grace and holinesse is un­to them but as so much blacknesse, though it be his perfect beauty. And therefore let him come never so often a wooing to them, in his Word and Ordinances, he can­not get a promise, for they like him not.

Whether then doest thou like Jesus Christ, and like him above all others? if thou art es­poused to him thou doest so. There are many that seem to like him, and [Page 116] make love to him in praying, &c. can be con­tent to do something to have him; if they might have him with some ease; but they like him not better than any other, than a lust of pleasure, or gain, or credit. We see this in the Parable of those that were bid­den to the Marriage Sup­per. Luk. 14. 18. God there offered his Sonne if they would have him. But they li­ked him not so well as the world, else would they have taken him, when God made them the motion of Marri­age.

If thou then art Mar­ried to Jesus Christ, thou likest him and his love better than all the world. Therefore Cant. Cant. 1. 2. 1. 2. 'Tis said, His love is better than Wine, that is, than all the excellen­cy of the creature; that there is not any other Grape that yields such sweetnesse and comfort, as his love; no Grape of pleasure, or credit, or profit, in all the Vyneard of the world that is like it, to her Spouse-like-taste; but Jesus Christ is better than all, even as Wine exceeds all other liquors whatsoever.

What then is it that fills up thy heart, that takes up the chiefest place and room there? What is it sits highest and pos­sesses the first room of thy liking, the top of thy love? Is it the world or is it Jesus Christ? Is every pleasure or profit a thing that takes thee up from Jesus Christ? that shuts him out of doores, or makes him stand at the doore, when they have easie entrance? Does the world stay, and lodge, and walk in thy heart, when Christ can have no room there? or if he get in, is he not ad­mitted [Page 119] onely into some common outward room, when the world hath the Parlour or chief room? Does he not stay a while only, when the world is intreated and forced to stay? Is not the world as the chief of the house, when Christ comes only as a servant, for thy own good and safety? If the world gets thus all away from Jesus Christ, art not thou Married to it and not to him? And therefore if thou pre­tendest never so much love to him, and yet pre­ferrest any thing before him, thou art much mista­ken, [Page 120] if thou thinkest Christ thy Husband. But

Secondly, If thou art 2. Sign of a Spouse. near unto Christ, as the Wife to the Husband, then thou takest him for better for worse, and thou keepest him for better for worse: every Spouse does so if a right Spouse.

1. Thou takest Christ for better for worse, that is, not only for his Crown, but also for his Crosse; not only for health and wealth, and good report, but for sicknesse, and poverty, and evil report; not onely for what he [Page 121] hath, but for what he wants, to share with him alike in all conditions.

That which our Savi­our Christ required of his Disciples, to Take Matth. 10. 38. up his Crosse; he requires also of every soul that espouses it self to him, to take his Crosse, is to take him with afflictions; and not only so, but with persecutions and death too.

And herein he deals as a man coming a Suiter to a woman, tells her, this I am worth, and such and such like bene­fits you shall enjoy by me; but withall, you [Page 122] must take me with such an imperfection, want of a legge or limbe, with such a weaknesse and the like. So God deals with men, tells them of a Mark 10. 29, 30. Kingdom, and the Pre­rogatives of his Crown, (if they espouse them­selves to him:) but with­all, they must take him with afflictions, sicknesse, poverty, losses and cros­ses; yea, with persecu­tion and death, to take all into the bargain, and so the match is made up, not otherwise.

Every one is willing to take Christ as a Savi­our, to take him with [Page 123] peace and riches, and a Kingdome. But art thou willing to take him, if he should not prove worth a Groate of worldly con­tent? If thou shouldest never see any thing but a rough Sea of troubles, storm after storm, po­verty after sicknesse, dis­grace after poverty, im­prisonment and banish­ment after them; and so as to faile all thy life time in this Sea, that all Gods waves should passe over thee?

Art thou willing to take him, (though as many tempests of wrath should fall upon thee as [Page 124] did upon patient Job) and keep thee to him? It may be thou couldst take him with some one affliction, but canst not endure to hear of ano­ther? But canst thou take him, or hast thou taken him with a willing­nesse to loose that which is most dear to thee? In thy wealth it may be thou likest such a match as Jesus Christ, to have him with house and land, with a full stock, a gain­full trade: But what doest thou, or wouldst thou do, to think on Cat­tle stolne, or dying, thy House spoiled, thy Seed [Page 125] buried and rotten in the ground, all cast away; thy Trade decayed, and worth nothing? Couldst thou now keep thee to thy Husband, when these things come by him, and not seek to raise thy self by unlawfull courses of deceiving and stealing?

Or if these were not so much, canst thou take him with losse of friends, most endeared to thee? losse of Parents, Chil­dren, yea, the Wife of thy bosome? Couldst thou be willing to have Job's boyles, and to scrape thee with a Pot­sheard? to loose all thy [Page 126] credit and good opinion, of near friends and o­thers, and so to be left without any staffe of worldly comfort to rest on?

But this is not all, canst thou take Christ with persecutions, to be mockt and scorn'd for righteousnesse sake? wil­lingly bearing the worst of reproaches, (which the men of the world so warily avoid) and to bear the utmost, the ma­lice and wit of men can impose?

If thou art rightly es­poused to Jesus Christ, thou takest him for this [Page 127] and more, to endure the utmost rigour of tor­ture, that makes men by the only thought of it to tremble. Thou wilt take Christ with this willing­nesse to endure any thing, and not make any excep­tion. Even as a Wife which takes a man for love, takes him to en­dure any thing with him.

And as thou takest 2. Hold Christ. him for better for worse, so thou holdest him for better for worse.

A Wife that takes a man out of love to him, she is not only willing to endure with him, but she [Page 128] does it indeed. She for­sakes him not, because he proves poor or sickly, (which are no causes of forsaking) or that men speak against him, but she holds against all such storms.

Many go so far, as to take Christ for better for worse, till the evill comes; but in the time of affliction, or perse­cution; because their match proves full of crosses, and because men speak against the match; because they re­vile and slander the wayes of God; they break away, and di­vorce [Page 129] themselves from their Husband Christ. Which is for a Wife, (because her Husband and she find crosses in their match,) to forsake her Husband; whereas if the knot were tyed in a right choice and affection, it would work of (on such grounds) all thought of forsaking: So if the knot be right­ly tyed between the soul and Jesus Christ, it would hold against all the crosses and evils per­secutions and deaths in the world.

And therefore in the Cant. 8. 7. 8 ^th of the Canticles and [Page 130] the 7 ^th, it is said, Much water cannot quench love, neither can the flouds drown it, that is, All the evils in the world of afflictions (for so com­monly they are shad­dowed out in the Scri­pture So Matth. 7. 27. af­fliction by rain, per­secution by flouds, as temp­tations by winds. by waters) and persecutions (which or­dinarily are tearmed flouds) cannot drown or overwhelm this love, not wash it away, or bear it down. Afflictions cannot do it (though they if any thing) be as waters to quench it, and which quench the love of many false Spouses. But as the [Page 131] stone Asbestus being once fired, can never be put out by any force, though it con­sume it self: so is it with this Marriage-knot, this heating of the soul by the love of Christ, when once it is hot by love, throw whole Buckets of affli­ctions, poverty, sick­nesse, shame; let fall whole showres of evils, continued afflictions; plunge it into a Sea of sorrows, the long­est and greatest pres­sures and trials: and this love will not out, but burn in the midst [Page 132] of the waters. This fire of Heaven is like the other fire of de­struction that never goes out.

Nor yet can the flouds drown it; flouds are, both deep waters and violent waters, for those two things are included in a floud (be­side water,) namely, depth, and violence of water. Some things can­not be drown'd, be­cause the water is not deep enough. Other things, because the wa­ter is not strong enough, by its force of running, to bear them down. [Page 133] But when these two, depth and force meet in one water, that water of all others, is most likely to drown. So is it with evils, some evils are not deep enough to swallow up those that lye under them, and therefore they hazard not their love much: or if they be deep, yet not vi­olent enough, but creep on men insensi­bly, and soe they keep some strength a­gainst them, that they are not overcome by them, as sicknesse coming more insensi­bly [Page 134] and slowly, be­cause not deeply rooted, is oftentimes wrought out by the naturall strength, or at least, not so troublesome to nature. Where­as those that are deep and strong to, over­throw the body, and lay it in the Dust: so is it with some men, they can en­dure afflictions, and ma­ny, but if deep and violent evils, as per­secutions, (if not by the length; yet by the soarnesse and vi­olence) they make the love of men to moul­der [Page 135] away to nothing. Continuall shame it may be, by ordina­ry men, fellowes, does but shake it: but the deep reproach and vi­olent injuries of great one drownes all, by taking away their foo­ting, that hold they had of Christ, because it was not deeply rooted; so that they which are not able to stand against the flouds, but their love is drown­ed quite and over­whelmed in them, that it rises no more, are no true, but false Spouses of Christ: [Page 136] And therefore to shut these two up toge­ther, we may see it in that of our Sa­viour, of the stony ground, which when Matth. 13. 21. tribulations or perse­cutions come are of­fended. The meaning of the words is this, That there are two sorts of men, which seem Spouses to Christ, and are not.

Some that take him for better only, and not for worse, for when the worser, tri­bulations or persecu­tions come, they fall away.

Others that have a little faster hold on him, but not in the right Spouse-like af­fection; for when per­secutions come, (though tribulations did not shake their love) they fall away: for so the words are to be un­derstood, that one of the two, either tri­bulations or afflicti­ons divide them from their supposed Hus­bands, that they can­not stand against the flouds. Whether then if thou canst stand against the Waters; yet canst thou stand [Page 138] against the flouds? Art thou so deep and strong in love, as not to be covered and borne down by the depth and violence of persecution, for they that are rightly es­poused to Christ, will hold him for better for worse, yea, in the worst that can come.

Lastly, The last signe of a right con­jugall love is, to de­ny all affection to a­ny other that would unjustly have it. She that is a Wife, ty­ed to her Husband in [Page 139] a right choice and af­fection, so as to take him, not by con­straint, but purely from love, will let her love stirre to no other, than to him which is her Husband. So that soule which is right­ly espoused to Jesus Luke 9. 23. Christ, denyes her selfe, of every Who­rish affection to the world. For that is to deny our selves, when natural corruption would faine move too, and askes leave to go out, to the world, for the satisfying of that old selfe. But Spouse-like [Page 140] affection sayes no; you shall not move to plea­sure; you shall not goe to credit; you shall not run to profit again: no, I am es­poused to Jesus Christ, he it is that hath my love, I dare not give it to any other besides. Him have I given my heart, and I will keep it for him.

As a Spouse may have such motions, ri­sing up to the beauty, and excellencies of others, (which otherwise she could like well enough,) but because she hath gi­ven him her love, she [Page 141] rejects such motions, as not fit for her condition; so the soul that is espou­sed to Christ, may have such unchast motions ri­sing up, to the excellen­cy of the creature (which she otherwise could like) but because she hath gi­ven Christ her heart, she cast out such motions as the Sea doth dirt.

Doest thou then give way to false affections ri­sing in thy heart, to pre­vent the love of Christ? thou hast no Spouselike affection, and so art no true Spouse. On the con­trary, doest thou beat down all false loves; such [Page 142] affections as naturally boyle up in thy heart, to the satisfying of the flesh, that old self? Doest thou give sin a peremtory de­nial, when it would car­ry thee away from Christ to the creature? it is then a sign the knot is tyed between thee and Christ, and thou maist take com­fort in it.

Other signs from the other degrees of near­nesse might here be ad­ded, but these are the main.

If this unworthy Tra­ctate may beget profit or acceptance, it is that I wish.

The Lord Jesus Christ, who is our nearnesse, joyn our spirits nearer daily to his Father, by his holy Spirit, in faith and holi­nesse, and preserve us all to his eternal Kingdome and glory. Fare. well.