THis Booke is called the Song of Songs; Canti­cum Canticorum, that is Canticum Excellentis­simum; the most excellent Song; so Vata­blus: and Estius Qu [...]a sermoci­nationem con­tinet Christi sponsi, & Eccle­siae sponsae, E­stius. gives the reason; because it contains a discourse betwixt Christ the Bride­groome, and his Church the Bride. The Song of Songs, as a note of Eminency (thinks hee) Mr Brightman will have it as well Nota distinctionis quam Eminentiae, a note of distinction, as of eminency; Canticum ex­cellentius om­nibus quae So­lomon compo­suit. A Song more excellent then all those which Solomon made; The Song that sounded sweetest to Solomons penitent heart: But truly well may that be called the Song of Songs, where every straine is brea­thed by the Spirit of the most High, whose pen man was Sonne and Heir to the sweet Singer of Israel, and had the most wise un­derstanding heart, that ever blest a creature: whose every note is a note of Free grace, and every close a close with Christ, an union with him who is the head of his Church: Finally, where [Page 2] every line breaths the perfume of the Rose of Sharon, and is beau­tified with the colour of the Lilly of the Valleys. It is a Song of Love, sung in parts, by the Sonne of his fathers Love, The Lord Christ, and the wife of his bosome, The Church in generall, and every beleeving soule in particular: It begin [...] with Love, Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love is better then wine; Osculum est Symbolum amoris: And it ends with love, Make hast my beloved, and come away. The fountain from whence it ariseth is a spring of love, and the sea into which it falls is an Ocean of love, where the soule that enters is swallowed up of love, and drowned in sweetnesse. The whole streame of the booke, is a streame of love, running betwixt two pretious banks, Iesus Christ, and the beleeving soule; Sometimes it runnes an higher, some­times a lower water; it is alwayes some, though the Flood-gates be not alwayes open. The two lovers spend their song in feasting themselves with each others beauties; One while the Bride­groome is courting his Bride with ravishing strains of grace; ano­ther while she is emptying her soule into her beloveds bosome. The whole song is but a sweet enterchange of delightfull expres­sions, while both seeme to be ravished with each others mutuall embraces.

I shall not study the coherence of the Text, it being a straine of the Song that stands in small dependency to the other. The spouse had now her bridegroome by the hand, it was her turne to poure her love into her beloveds bosome: from the 10. verse of the former chapter. My text seemeth to be a parenthesis, standing in small relation to the antecedent, or subsequent words; but seemes to be rhe voice of some third person, viewing this blessed pair sweetly embracing one another, and the beloved following her love through most rugged places and wildernesse wayes; in those wayes leaning upon Christ, either in admiration of Christs condiscention, that he would please through wildernesses to lead his beloved, or in admiration of the spouse so worthlesse a creature, that she should leane; or of her beauty by the refl [...]xion of her be­loveds countenance, or of her constancy, that the bria [...]s and thorns of the wildernesse could not separate her beloved and her, Quos Deus conjunxit, &c. cries out, Quae est illa quae ascendit ex deserto? What manner of creature is this, that she should leane? or what [Page 3] so glorious creature is this that leans? What manner of love is this, that makes her follow her Beloved through such uncoth, rugged, dangerous wayes as these?

Learned [...]remellius would have these words to bee no Paren­thesis at all, but the continued speech of the Church, and sayes it is an Expression of the great love that the Church bare to the Lord Christ, by comparison. Expositio summi amoris quo Ecclesi prosequitur S [...]orsum, ansuit ull [...] unquam Ecclesia quae tot ac tantos l bores per­se [...]ret, tantaque pericu [...]a susciperet, ad consequendum dilectum s [...]um? hec igitur sunt pignora Voluntat [...] me [...] qued fide diffi [...]ultates omnes superavi. Tre­mell [...]s ad locum.

What Church ever (saith she) would un­dertake so many and so great labours encoun­ter so many dangers to get her beloved? These are pledges of my good will, that by faith I have overcome all difficulties, leaning upon him, even in the wildernesse.

But with all due respect to Tremellius, I rather agree with our whole streame of Expositors, that it is a Parenthesis, and the voice of a third person speaking, Quae est illa? The onely question is, who this third person should be:

Beda and Mr Brightman understand it to bee the voice of the Iewish Church, that with the eye of prophecy fore seeing the con­version of the Church of the Gentiles, cry out, Who is this? This wildernesse creature? that she should have any thing to do with the Messias? and therefore they read it, Dilectum meum, my belo­ved; Who is this that comes up from the wildernesse leaning upon my beloved? whom I thought only to have loved me, Quem mesolum dil [...]gese, ceteris aut [...]m Nationi­bus rebar esse ig­notum. Bed [...] ad locum. and to have been unknown to other nations (saith Beda) C [...]us nominis sit haec Gens quae ascendit ex deserto? Insti [...]ni videtur haec quaestio de grandiori­bus natu sororibus, quae stupescent hoc novo & inaudito spectaculo, saith Mr Brightman ad locum.

But I see no reason why it should only be restrained to be the voice of the Iewish Church, nor why [illa] [this] should be meant only of the Church in generall, whiles that which is predicated of this subject is common to each beleeving Soule as well as the be­leeving Church: Luther ad loc. Non solum V [...]ci­nae gen [...]es, sed e­tiam ipsi quisunt in po [...]ulo hanc mirantur sic a­scendentem? deserto. And therefore I rather agree with Luther upon the text; Not only (saith he) the neighbour nations, but those in the same nation shall admire her comming out of the wil­dernesse.

And I see no reason why wee may not make the ordinary eye of the world, the eye of the text, that seeing the beleeving soules [Page 4] confidence in Christ, and affiance to him, that no wildernesse will make her let go her hold but through every wildernesse shee finds a way by the help of her Saviour, who is her way, and up out of e­very wildernesse (how rugged soever) she will come, and not lose her Saviour her beloved neither, but comes up leaning, cries out, Quae est illa quae ascendit e deserto? Who is this that comes out of the Wildernesse? [leaning] Associans, associatura, Marrying or a­bout to marry her self to her beloved; so Tremellius Delicijs af­fluens, feasting her self with delight, abounding with delights in her beloved: so Vatablu, Hierome and Lyra, Innixa leaning upon her beloved; so Mr Brightman, and reverend Beda: The matter is not much.

1. Leaning is a posture of familiarity and she that is so bold to lean upon her beloveds arme, is surely lodged in her beloveds heart, and is associans, marrying, or associatura, about to marry her self to her beloved; and 2. Leaning is a posture of love too: She that leans, loves; surely she takes pleasure in her posture, shee delights her self in her beloveds shoulder.

The Text contains an imperfect description of a Virgin, the daughter of Zion, the Spouse of our Saviour; In which con­sider,

• 1. The place whence she came,
  • The Wildernesse:
• 2. Her motion,
  • She comes up:
• 3. Her posture,
  • Innixa, Leaning:
• 4. The person upon whom she leans,
  • Dilectum, A beloved:
• 5. The proper interest she hath in him,
  • Dilectum suum, Her beloved:

The imperfection of the description appears in the first words, being interrogatory, Quae est illa? Who is this? we know not what rare, princely, glorious creature it is?

Who is this? It is formula interrogandi. An interrogatory form of speech; and doth (arguere ignorantiam) argue an igno­rance; We know not who she is; what is she? Secondly, it is a form of admiring, and doth argue amaze. Whatso glorious crea­ture is this, that hath such relation to the Kings Sonne, that she leanes up [...]n him? Hence we learne

1. That the Spouse of Christ is a glorious creature that the world knowes not; from the latter part of the Text.

2. That it is the property of the believing soule the spouse of the Lord Christ, to come out of the wildernesse leaning upon her Be­loved.

Of the first, First, That the Spouse of Christ is a glorious creature that the world knowes not:

Here first, we will enquire, Who is the Spouse.

Secondly, How she is so glorious.

Thirdly, How she is unknown, and what of her is unknown: The confirmation will be interwoven with the explication: By the Spouse of Christ every one knowes is meant either the Church in generall, Hosea 2.19.20. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, yea I will betroth thee unto me, in righteousnesse, and in judgment, and in loving kindenesse, and mercyes. And I will be­troth thee unto me in faithfullnesse; Or the believing soule in particular; the believing soule stands in the nearest relations to Iesus Christ, 12. Matthew. 50. She is his mother and si­ster, and Christs sister is his spouse. My sister, my spouse, he calls her Cantic. 5. ver. 1. But wherein is this Spouse of her Saviour so glorious that any neede say concerning her, Quae est illa? Who is this that cometh up?

There are six things which may breed an admiration in the eye of the beholders, in relation to any Bride, all which are emi­nenter in this spouse.

1. Her breeding, that's admirable; she is borne of God, 1 Ioh. 5.18. God is her father: she calls him Our Father and Abba Father every day. Iesus Christ himself Baptized her. He shall Baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire, Math. 3. she is a Kings daughter. 45. Psal. 13. and she lives in the Spirit of God Gal. 5.25. she and God are all one in a mystery; the Saint is a mysticall peece of Jesus Christ; it lives with him and in him, and he lives in and with it. It is writen the heavens shall containe him; contain him, but not circumscribe him; he lives under the Cottage-roof of the meanest Christian; Christ dwells with the be­liever, and lives too. I live, but yet not I, but Christ lives in me (saith the Apostle.) The soule must needs be well bred under such a Tutor, a glorious breeding! Its brother is Iesus Christ, Husband and brother too. The spouse is Iesus Christs sister and spouse, as A­braham said concerning Sarah: She is near a kin to the Trinity; to all [Page 6] the Apostles and Saints; of the blood Royall: admirable for her breeding, that in that regard they might say, Quae est illa? Who is this?

2. Her carriage, that is admirable, this depends much upon bree­ding you know; she shames not her breeding: her deportment is according to her birth, her companions noble Kings daughters 45. Psal. 9. Her carrriage chast, a Virgine through a spouse Christus non renascitur, nisi in cordibus eorum qui spirituales sunt virgines, & Deo uno spiritu adherent. Christ is not borne againe, nor mar­ried to those that are not spirituall Virgins, and adhere to him alone. She loveth righteousnesse, and hateth wickednesse, 45. Psal. 7. and keepeth her garment unspotted from the flesh; she carries not her self like the wanton women: those that see the Saints carriage for humility, for gravity, for her whole deportment, may in ad­miration say, Quae est illa? Who is this? What rare, what glorious creature?

3. Her Beauty is admirable, 45. ps. 2. She is fairer then the Chil­dren of men, for grace is poured into her lips. Some daughters are beautifull, but she is far more beautifull. Some in part, but she is all faire; thou art all faire my spouse. She is black (that is in her morning) but her black morning proves a fair day; black by nature, faire by grace, comely as the Tents of Kedar and Curtaines of Solo­mon. A lilly (though amongst thornes.)

1. Her beauty is a perfect beauty. The Church was once calld the perfection of Beauty, 2. Lament. 25. No beauteous face and deformed body, much lesse deformed soule; All faire. See her full description from the best limner in the 7. chap. to the 7. verse. She is without spot, or wrinkle.

2. It is a desireable beauty, Kings shall desire thy beauty: amongst Creatures somtimes the flesh may be beautifull, but the counte­nance casts a vaile over, and makes the beauty not lovely, or de­sirable; but this is a lovely Beauty even in the eyes of Kings.

3. It is a constant beauty, no sicknesse can make her unlovely; nothing can wrinkle the believing soule, or curle the gracious brow, the lilly of these valleyes looseth no beauty in the scorches of afflictions or haile of sorrow, or stormes of temptation; but in every condition those that look uppon her may say, Quae est illa? What so beauteous creature is this?

4. She is admirable for her Clothing. Her clothing is of wrought gold. 45. Psal. 13. She shall be brought unto the King in a garment of needlework; in her espousall dayes she is cloathed with grace, hereafter she shall be clothed with glory: she hath put off her wi­dowes garments, and put on a garment like the garment Mordecay was arayed with. Ester 8.15. Royall apparrell taken out of the wardrobe of glory. Blew, and white, pretious Rayment; even of the same cloth with the King of glories attyre. Dan. 7.9. Revel. 3.5. And with a crowne of glory upon her head, and a garment of fine linen, and purple; Indeed she was cloathed like Iehoshua with filthy garments. But God hath said take away the filthy garments from her, and I will clothe her with change of Rayment. Zech. chap. 3. ver. 4.5.

1. She is admirable. First for the Variety of her clothing.

Secondly, For the perfume of her garments.

We will open her wardrobe and shew you a few of the changes of Raiment this Bride hath:

First, She hath her Inner garment of Christs righteousnesse, her robe of righteousnesse; this the Saints are clothed with, and this is their long white garment: Their inner garment that goes next their soule. They are clothed in white, Revel. 7.13.14. Those that come out of Tribulation and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb are arrayed in white robes.

2. She hath another white garment of chastity, which the Apostle bids Timothy put on, and the young women must have gownes made of it; they were to be chaste and discreet, not com­mitting adultery with the pleasures and profits and vain delights as well as men of the world, but keepe her whole love and whole soule to God, and God alone.

3. Shee hath a long garment of Charity, her cloak of charity, this is both long and full; with the others shee clothed her selfe, with this she clotheth others; with this she clotheth the naked, and this is a true garment, and it covers a multitude of sinnes: 1 Pet. 5.8. A garment that neatly becomes a Christian, and which she should be sure to have what ever she wants to the back of her soule: A­bove all have fervent charity (saith the Apostle) It is a garment that the Bridegroome will looke that his Bride should bee clothed with, at the great marriage day, Matth. 25.34. &c. Come ye bles­sed [Page 8] of my Father, and inherit the kingdome prepared for you, before the foundation of the world, for I was an hungry and ye gave me meat &c.

A fourth change of Rayment, shee hath, is the hair cloath of humility; an homely, but precious garment, 1 Pet. 5.5. Bee yee clothed with humility; The Bridegroome himself woed his spouse with this robe, He humbled himselfe and became obedient unto God, even to death, the death upon the crosse; For these two last changes of rayment my heart akes to think how many Christians have left them off: Charity is growne cold, to a Proverb; and humilitie, the precious garment of humility, changed for the conceited coat of singularity; the party coloured coat of factions hath brought this garment out of fashion; It hath lost no beauty, though it bee pit­tifully out of fashion.

A fifth change of raiment; is her garment of Moderation, a sum­mer garment to be worn when the Sun of prosperity shines hott: then let your moderation be known unto all men, Philip. 4.5.

Sixthly, She hath likewise a winter garment of Patience, and this the Spouse puts on in a storm; Tribulation worketh Patience: This the good Church of Ephesus was clad with, and her God loved her in this habit, Rev. 2.3. And hast borne and had patience, and for my name hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Seventhly, Many are the changes of this Spouses Raiment, I will only mention one more, and that is Vestimentum fidei, her Buff-coat of faith, this is Pistoll, yea Canon proof, this shee puts on in a time of warre: The shield of faith, called Ephes. 6.16. This is her militia vestment: These are the Spouses severall changes of Vesture, and many more; she hath garments of needlework, and di­vers colours, and she shall have at last a garment of Glory; She is glorious for the change of her raiment, that the eye of the behol­der may be put to amaze, and he in admiration say, Quae est illa? Who is this that commeth up?

2. She is admirable, as for the change, so for the perfume of her garments, Psal. 45.8. All her garments smell of Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia. Cant. 4.11. The smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon; no perfume like the beleevers sweetnesse, sweetnesse that cannot be worn out, she gives a smell as she goes, like the smell of a garden, like the smell of a field which the Lord hath blest; like the perfume of Paradise.

3. As she is admirable for her clothing, so for her vertues also, Vertues shall I say? Vertue is too cheap a garment for this glorious Bride; Graces are inward ornaments, and indeed this is but her clothing of wrought gold; I have spoke something to this before, the best nature is but the thred of her garment, the Gold of grace is wrought upon it, the warp of nature and the woof of Grace; she is cloathed with grace as a garment: Vertue is the cheapest cloth she wears, though that bee more pretious then a cloth of silver or gold: The vertues of her Bridegroome are in her; Nature refined beyond nature; The Quintessence of inge­nuous nature seven times refined, clarified, spiritualized: Vertues (say they) are chained together: This spouse is not adorned with collars of pearle, the most precious pearle is too cheap for her Ornaments, but her cheeks are comely with rowes of jewels, and her neck with chains of gold, Cant. 1.16. What chains, but the chains of her vertues and graces? and this chain of grace ravisheth the heart of Iesus, Cant. 4.9. Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes, with one of the chains of thy neck, this pretious Chain the Apostle perswades the Saints to put on, 2 Pet. 1.5. Adde to your faith vertue, and to vertue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kind­nesse, and to brotherly kindnesse charity; Oh pretious chaine of intermixed pearle! Surely this will make the spouse admirable, that whosoever hears of her, or sees her, will, must say, Quae est illa? who is this commeth up?

4. Lastly, She is admirable for her Attendants, this makes all that see her, or know her, or hear of her, stand and admire her, and say, who is this? &c. Psal. 45.9. Kings daughters were among thine Ho­nourable women, upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in gold of Ophyr; None more glorious Attendants then Kings and Queenes, Isay. 49.23. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and Queens thy nursing mothers, they shall bow downe to thee, with their faces to­wards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; What more ho­nourable Attendants then the glorious Angels? Those houshold servants of the King of glory, even these are this Brides waiting servants, Are they not all ministring spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall bee heirs of salvation? Heb. 1.14. Shall I goe yet [Page 10] higher? The King of glory himself is the Attendant of the Kings daughter; he took upon him the forme of a servant, he came in per­son to attend her, he comes still and bears her company; yea Ie­sus Christ is the beleevers servant in heaven, for hee stands at the right hand of her father, to make intercession for her, to make her prayers, and her welcome into the chambers of his Fathers glory, (the Mansion house of the King of heaven) Shee is admirable for her Attendants; first for the multitude of them, The Creation is all her servant, the Creatures below are as the groomes of her kitchin, the Angels are the Gentlemen of her Bed-chamber, Queens are her maids of Honour, Iesus Christ her Bridegroome is her servant, though her Lord; all his imployment is to do her service. Secondly, for the gloriousnesse of her Attendants, the Queen that stands at her right hand, is clad with gold of Ophyr: the Angels that are her ministring spirits are clothed with eternity; None so glo­rious a retinue as this Spouses, they that look upon her Traine as she commeth, must needs say, Quae est illa? Who is this that commeth up? and thus I have shewed how this beloved soule is ad­mirable; but the words are as well formula inquirendi as admirandi, a form of inquiring as a form of admiring; It argues they did not know her; therefore they say Who is this that commeth up? The be­leever is a bride that is unknown to the world, an unknown crea­ture. To whom and what are they unknown, and how far known? what of her must be known, and what in her is hidden?

First, She is unknown to the wayes and carriage of the world.

Secondly, She is unknowne to the men of the world.

First, She is unknown to the wayes of the world, she hates the garment spotted with the flesh, Iude v. 23. shee is none of those that dare revell in mixed dances, she is not seene at every fair, she proclaimes not her beauty at every crosse, she dresseth not her selfe like a puppet of pride that forgets shee is dust and ashes, shee is in­deed all glorious, but it is within; there her clothing is of wrought gold; she paints not her borrowed face, she knowes not how to looke God in the face another day with a face that is not of his a­dorning; she hath beauty enough, she needs not borrow any, she knowes that paint will consume in hell fire: The painted puppets of earthly pride that fare deliciously every day, wonder at her na­tive beauty, though maintained with pulse, and when they see her [Page 11] face out-shine theirs, and her making conscience of what they make no scruple, they shall wonder, and say, Who is this?

Secondly, She is unknowne to the men of the world, an hid­den creature, 1 Ioh. 3.1. The world knowes us not. They are cal­led Gods hidden ones, 83. Psal. 3. Sometimes compared to Iewels, In that day when I make up my Iew [...]ls, I will spare them. Iewells are not seene to every one; the Spouses excellency is not known to all, The men of the world do not know them. What, are they spirits? doe not they live in the lower region? How so hidden then?

Answ. First, They doe not know them Scientiâ perfectâ, with a perfect and full knowledge, they look upon a gracious man as one only of a refined nature, a pure moralist, that doth no one wrong, for they have only the carnall eye of sence, and the spirituality of a Chri­stian is spiritually discerned: These diamonds are no better to them then pebles; a Iewell to them is but worth a barly corne.

Secondly, They doe not know them Scientiâ Scientificâ with a distinguishing knowledge; the Bristow stone is as precious to them as the Diamond, nor can they distinguish them; and indeed no one hath infallible marks of them but hee that searcheth the hearts, and trieth the reins: An hypocrite may paint her self with such seeming graces, that the world may say of her, Surely this is the Lords annointed, or as in the text, who is this that cometh up? But can the Saint be hidden? ‘It is hard (saies that pious man) to hide a great fire, or to cast a covering upon sweet odours that they smell not; Christs name by which she is called is as a sweet ointment poured out, as a mountain of spices, and he is the strong favour of heaven, and of the highest Paradise; you may cast a covering over the man, that hee shall not see the Sun: But not over the body of the sunne to hide day­light;’ To whom is she hidden therefore? and to whom not hid­den? What of her is uncovered, and what is covered?

First, She is not hidden to God; Elijah thought all the saints had beere both dead and buried, when hee complained that he was left alone, but God saw seven thousand in Israel, that had not bowed their knee to Baal: Ezechiel saw no mourners but God sent him to mark out such a precious tribe from the tribes of Israel: he saw their private drops; God need not say concerning the most re­tired saint, Who is this that commeth up?

Secondly, To her selfe she is not hidden, She hath her conscience bearing her witnesse, the manifestation of Gods love in her owne soule, the prints of his foot-steps: Gods Spirit bearing witnesse with their own Spirits; Christ is written in great letters in their hearts, she hath her [...] her marks to know her selfe by: By this we know 1 Iohn 2.3. and by this again we know vers. 5. 3. She is un­knowne and hidden to the world, to the saints of the world, (her brethren know her not) and to the men of the world; to the one lesse, to the other more; the saints know her not infallibly. It was a true saying of him, "When any of us come in heaven, we shall see some faces there that we never thought had beene there, and misse some others that we had verily thought to have found there.

But yet many wayes may the Saints discerne by the fruits, be­twixt light and darknesse; yet not any that I know so certaine to our duskish eyes, that by it I can positively and infallibly say of any, This or that is a Saint of God, though in charity I ought to judge so of many; yet Samuel may bee deceived in Eliab, Gods eyes see not as man sees: Therefore I have sometimes wondred with what face any man (that professeth himselfe a servant of Iesus Christ) dare for a fee at a funerall, lift a moralist to heaven, that possibly burnes in hell that houre; I should feare to speak it po­sitively of him that (in my deceivable eyes) seems a pious Chri­stian; They are Hidden ones: How many that shine in heaven at this day a glorious constellation that went out of the world clou­ded? and with what face shall a minister of Iesus Christ say more of me then I dare say of my self? How comes his assurance if I want mine? I know charity in this case is pleaded; But I conceive charity is enough shewen to say I hope, or we hope, if the tree may be judged by the fruits; declare the probabilities, and leave the soule to God: But I am not amongst an indocible kinde of creatures, that will tell me, they are too old to be taught, and I too young to teach them. To return therefore whence I digrest, and to tell you what of the Christian cannot be hidden, and what of them is hidden.

1. The acts of his graces cannot bee hidden, A Christian must shew his love to God, though God clouds himself to him; If they have any habit of love in them, it will act; For Love is strong as the grave, and jealousie burnes like fire, Cant. 8.6, 7. Many waters cannot quench love; Their zeale cannot bee hidde, no not from the [Page 13] world, he cannot heare a wretch sweare, see him drunk, profaning Gods sabbaths, nay, abusing his Christs blood, but he must speake, The zeale of Gods house hath eaten up the Christian, as well as his master: The hypocrite learns that politick paradox to see, and not to see, to see and winke: Eliah must be zealous for the Lord God of hosts; The hypocrite will tell you of discretion, "O that idoll of discretion (said hee) (and very well) that drives the power of Godlinesse out of the Kingdome! Discretion indeed is commenda­ble, The prudent man ordereth his affairs with discretion, but not with discretion as now impleaded; The Magistrate must be zeal­ous in his place; these tell him he must bee moderate, Summum jus est summa injuria, he must not anger his rich neighbour, to le­vy the penaltie for swearing or blaspheming, nor make the poore men his enemies by executing the Statutes for tipling and drun­kennesse, he must keepe his oath with discretion and punish sin with discret [...]on, and damne his owne soule with discretion too; The ministers they must act by the hypocriticall Newters luke­warme principles of discretion too, they must not reprove faction till they see how it will be favoured above; see what government will be settled and then speak against those that oppose it; See the truth of Christ rent in peeces, his precious robe of truth torne from top to bottome, his church rent limb from limb, cut in more peeces then the Levites concubine, yet must they say nothing; It were indiscretion, want of moderation, bitter Presbyterianisme, what not? to speak against these butchers; wait and see what will bee done above, and so indeed it may be salvation may bee brought to the church another way, but we must know then assuredly that wee, and our houses, and our fathers houses shall perish: The word of God was in Ieremiahs heart as a burning fire shut up in his bones, Ier. 20.9. Grace commands a Christian Magistrate, and a Christi­an Minister sometimes beyond what the world judgeth discretion, witnesse that though an extraordinary case of Phineas for Zimri and Cosbi. But alas where is this zeale? we have more Discreeter (as the world calls them) then Gracious zealous preachers by one half, meer Gallioes that can see a Church rent in peeces, soules perverted, truth torne, and they care for none of these things: And we have more moderate Magistrates then Godly, more that the world calls honest then God will thank for their honesty another [Page 14] day. It was never before our dayes the Commendation of a Magi­strate to be last in action, to do nothing against blasphemers, He­reticks, &c. Where [...]s these pretended Christians graces? O away with these Cyphers on Benches; act for God or the Devill: When God calls as in these dayes, Who is on my side, who? why do ye hide your heads in holes? were there a dramme of grace in your hearts, it could not be but we should see a little flame.

The acts of Christians graces cannot be hidden. No, one must say of them in that sence. Who is this?

Secondly, Their gracious and holy life cannot be hidden, They must walk as it becomes children of the light; they cannot be saints here, and Devils there; their company be it good or bad, shall be the better for them: It was a shrewd failing of Peter, to be a Iew amongst the Iewes▪ and a Gentile amongst the Gentiles, Paul re­proved him to his face for it. Thus they are not hidden; if they be Gods coine they will have his image and superscription upon them: How then are they hidden from the world, that they may say, who is this? admiring her, that her beloved so great, so glorious, should suffer her to leane on him? Many things in her are hidden, especially these five:

First, Her b [...]eeding, that is hidden; Not a beleever but is a Kings daughter, borne of God, brother of Christ; doe the scornfull gallants of the world think thus, that a Pesantly Christian is bet­ter bred then they that so boast of their Genus & proavos? do they think that the King of glory is father to that leatherne Christi­an? The Christians face indeed discovers his father, he is Chri­stened with the name of the [...]rince of peace; Gods eldest son gives them their name Christian, but this their breeding is hidden: the worlds sayes, Who is this? Is not this the Carpenters Son?

Secondly, Her Value that is hidden; Who knowes the Value of a childe of God? those are pretious creatures that are the pas­sive creatures of the earth; those Precisians, Puri ans, call them what you please, those that have trialls here of cruell mockings, scourgings, yea moreover of bonds and imprisonments, that are sto­ned, sawne in sunder, tempted, slain with the sword, that wander about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tor­mented, Of these the world is not worthy, Heb. 12.37.38. The world, the fine world that glifters in cloth of Gold, knowes not [Page 15] the value of a Christians leatherne dublet, Sub sordido pallio jacet pietas, the world wonders to see a poor creature a peece of momen­tany dust, leaning upon the Prince of Glory, confiding in Christ, living upon Christ, so welcome to his house, so precious in his eyes, so familiar with his heart, resting upon the Prince of glories bo­some; they wonder what they are, what invisible beauty this Prince should set his eyes on, they see no such worth in the Chri­stian, therefore they say, Quae e [...]t illa? Who is this that comes up? What hidden beauty is inner? Her Value is hidden.

Thirdly, Her joy and peace that is hidden. The Spouse of Iesus Christ is a carelesse creature, yet not secure, she is a calme in all tempest; let the winds blow and the waves beat this house is foun­ded upon a rock, the gates of hell cannot prevaile against it; Let heaven and earth rush together yet the Christian is safe. There are in especiall five stormy and tempestuous dayes, which trouble the worldling, and they are all sun-shiny to this Spouse, she hath joy, and peace joyfull peace, and peace [...]ull joy in all.

The first is the day of sicknesse t [...] his body; The worldling cries out my burthen is too heavy for me to bear, the Saint sayes, O my God! I will kisse thy rod; Thy rod as well as thy s [...]ffe shall comfort me; The rod of God to the Christian is made of severall boughs of joy and twigs of consolation: Though he kills me (saith Iob yet I will trust in him; Who is this that hath such peace? saith the world­ling; Her peace is hidden.

A second tempestuous day is the day of trouble to the Spirit; let the worldling be a little troubled in spirit, his foule conscience a little shaked up, the stink choaks him: Give me an halter, saith Iudas: Oh what shall he doe? Now he is damnd, that never would beleeve any such matter as damnation before, he that would beleeve no hell till hee felt it; and scarce any one wicked man but hath at some time or other, a storme in his conscience, for all the flattered peace of their soul: The merryest youth, if Demo­critus had the Anatomizing of him, would be sound to have some melancholy in him: Esay sayes they are like a foaming sea continu­ally casting forth mire and dirt; Now here hath the Christian peace, the winds and the waves obey her Master; If the winds blow, she casts but out her anchor of hope, and the ship of her soule is still; though she doth strike her sailes a little, yet she is sure her cable [Page 16] cannot breake in her saddest sorrowes: she rejoyceth in the salva­tion of God, she findes a bottome in the deepest seas, and as confi­dently looks, that though sh [...] goes out weeping, yet carrying precious seed, she shall returne rejoycing, and bring her sheaves with her; as after a storme, the weather-beaten mariner expects a calme; the worldling wonders at her hope that makes her not ashamed, at her joy and peace, that cannot be drowned in sorrow, and sayes, Who is this that cometh up?

3. A third tempestuous day, is a day o [...] trouble in the publicke State or Church; Here the worldling is distracted, and cries out, What shall we do to be saved? In this day she hath peace, she trusts in God, and her God is able to deliver her; she useth lawfull means to calme these tempests, and throwes her God-displeasing Ionas into the sea; if all will not doe, in a sweet acquiescency of spirit, she rests, saying, Deus est, It is God, let h [...]m doe what seemeth him good: No stroake can be unlovely that comes from the hand of a father: The Saints of God see God, though he ride [...] upon the wings of th wind, and makes the whirlewind his chariot, and she doth not much care whether she goes to heaven in a calme or in a storme, whether she be gently taken thither, or wrapt up in a fiery chariot, whether she goes fairly by land, or swims through a sea of bloud: The world wonders at this carelesse, secure calme and sayes, Who is this?

4. A fourth tempestuous day, is the day of death; Oh! here is the worldling troubled, now he sighs out (with the dying Empe­rour) Animula! quo vadis? I have drunk away my soule, sworne away mine heaven, blasphemed the God that should now save me; Now poore soule! whither goest thou? The spouse of Christ goes downe to the grave as willingly as the sleepy body goes to bed; Indeed this virgin hath cause to go willingly to it, she goes but to see where her Lord lay; It was her Bridegroomes bed, She loves the winding sheet ever since it enwrapt her Saviour; The grave is a bed of roses to her, ever since, and she cries out, I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is best of all; She is of the Spirit of that dying Saint, that profest, ‘If all the crownes and em­pires, riches, honours and glory of the earth were on one hand, and death on the other, he would scorne them and embrace this:’ The world wonders at the serene death of the Saint, that the King of [Page 17] terrours should be a messenger of joy, the most fearfull thing of things to be feared, the most joyfull thing to be emb aced: Ba­laam himsel [...] could [...]ay, O that I might dye the d [...]ath o [...] the Righte­ous let my latter end be like his; A as the Godly man his peace and joy is hidden, and when they see him li [...]ting up his undaunted [...]ead in this terrible day, they say concerning him, Who is this?

5. The last tempestuous day indeed it is the last d y, he day of Iudgement: this day but in a fancy the thoughts of this day, Oh how they troub [...]e a worldling when they but think they heare the trumpet sounding Alarum to this dreadfull day! Oh how ready are they to have their hearts like Nabals dye within them, and be­come as cold as a stone! how ready be [...]ore their time to cry, O Rocks, Rocks, fall upon us, cover us from the face of the lamb. When they hear but those words r [...]peated, Behold I come like a theife, that [...] (saies this wretch) is that Iesus whose blood I have trampled upon, whose free grace I have despised; that I (saies the Spouses) is the first letter of my Iesus, my sweet and precious saviour; Oh how glad shall I be to see my husband with his glorious retinue come to fetch me away to his bed of glory! O come my precious Iesu! my deare husband come quickly, Oh that the dayes of my wid­dowhood were accomplished, Oh that I could see but my hus­bands face in the clouds, that I might say, Lo this is my Christ, I have waited for him, Lo this is my Christ, I have waited for him, I will rejoyce and be glad in his salvation. The world wonders what manner of spirit the Christian hath that is scared with no­thing, what manner of peace it is that passeth all understanding, he cries out Quae est illa? Who is this? I must confesse the foun­tain though it be of a great depth, may not contain it self within its owne banks; but if full, it must runne over; The Saint must speak his joy, if his heart be full, It must breath out its comforts, I charge you tell my beloved, O ye daughters of Ierusalem, that I am sick of love; Ioy will speak it selfe, It is not, it cannot be dumb; If the Bridegroome be with the Children of the Bride-chamber, they cannot mourne.

1. But first, The ground of their joy is not knowne, that is hidden, they know not whence the spring cometh that maketh the foun­tain of their joy so brimfull as it is; they see them smile, but they know not wherefore.

2. The measure of their joy is hidden; I may know by the brook, that there is water in the fountain, but I cannot know by the shal­low brooke what depth the water is that is in the fountaine: they may say for this, Who is this joyfull creature? What is the Basis? How great is the depth of her hidden joy? what is she? Who is this that commeth?

4. But Fourthly, The Saints sincerity is hidden, From the world? yea from one another infallibly: The Barbarians think Paul a murtherer one day, a God another day, they know not what any day: The disciples are readier to accuse themselves then Iudas: An unmixed company of Saints is peculiar to the Church triumphant. I would demand of any who plead for unmixed Con­gregations, by what infallible mark I shall know a sincere Christi­an from a deceitfull hypocrite; and to my thoughts, that title of Visible Saints seemes to have contradictionem in terminis; for if they be saints they are not visible; at least the truth of their Saint­ship is not visible; And why it is necessarily required to the con­stitution of Gods Church, that they be such as my deceivable eye judgeth Saints, which may be the eldest children of perdition and the worst of devils, is such a riddle, as I must professe I cannot o­pen, nor can (I suppose any considerable reason be given for it.

It was a true saying of him, ‘To have none good, is the proper­ty of a Church malignant; to have all good, and none bad, is the pro­perty of the Church Triumphant; to have some good and some bad, is the property of the Church Militant:’ Only God and their own consciences know their sinceritie; O Lo d remember how I have walkt before thee (saith Hezekiah) God knew, and his own conscience knew: The Saints sincerity is hidd [...]n to the world; they are ready to say, Who is this? what wine-bibber? as concerning Iohn, What friend of Publicanes and sinners? as concerning Christ. What Babler? as concerning Paul. What Puritan? What Round-head? as now adayes, Who is this?

5. Lastly, The Saints Glory is hidden, their future estate; and this is one reason why the world despiseth them; the world useth to make much of great men, Kings and Queenes; but their great­nesse must be visible; the world would be kinder to them, if they knew they should be their Iudges, and sure enough they shall; it is written, The Saints shall judge the world, they shall have a King­dome, [Page 19] when these shall go to hell; and an hidden Kingdome it is, 1 Cor. 2.9. Eye hath not seene, nor eare heard▪ nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what things God hath prepared for th [...]m that love him. So much may serve for the Doctrinall part; now let us bring what you have heard to practise.

1. Let this be a cautionary reproof to the men of the world: no such despised handfull of dust and ashes as the little flock, the handfull of Christians; the mouth of every dogge is open against them: O let what thou hast heard of their glory, be a bridle in thy lips, and an hook in thy nostrills: The least and meanest of them, though c ad in raggs, is a better man, of better breeding, of more value then thou art, that abasest them, though in cloth of Gold and cloak of Scarlet; Saints are precious creatures. First, Con­sider [...]he is the Spouse of the King of glory; Mighty [...]esus is her husband; Art thou a gallan, t and hast thou a wife of thy bosome? tell me, what wouldst thou do to him that in thy absence should turn her out of doores▪ or kick her about the streets? Is not the Lord Christ (thinkst thou) as tender of his, as thou canst be of thy Spouse? She is the wife of an Omnipotent Christ, whose power makes him able, and whose [...]ove makes him willing to avenge his Spouse: Verily he will teare thee in pe [...]ces, and there shall be none to deliver thee: Her husband is one that non [...] can stand before, when he is angry: If he be angry but a little, Blessed are all they that trust in him: O take heed if he drawes his sword, wo unto thee! and he loves his spouse▪ for concerning her, he hath said, He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. Beware, O Beware of the Ap­ple of Gods eye: I had rather lie under the feet▪ then but tread upon the toe of Gods childe. I might draw some arguments from Love, as this from fear considering she is so lovely, so glorious a creature. But I will use but one more, from the latter part of my doctrine.

2. Remember she is an hidden unknowne creature; we have a Proverb, De absentibus & mortuis nihil malum, speak no evill of those that are absent or dead: we may put in a third, de ignotis; Ingenuity commands us, as well not to wrong those we know not, as those that are dead, or ab ent: O that rhese few words might bridle the tongues of wretches, from abusing that poore little flock which God is so tender of, that his eye will not endure to see any of it wronged in the least sort, before they repent them of the [Page 20] wrong they offer to them, before this Spouse cries out to her hus­band and his wrath be kindled in his b east but a little; his wrath is far sooner kindled then quenched.

In the second place, it may be applied by way of discovery:

First, To discover the reason why the children of God meet with such course handling from the men of the world; they are ac­counted as the off se [...]uring of the world, and refuse of the Nations; It is because they are hidden ones, the world knowes them not; a King may walk in a place where he is not knowne, and the mean­est Pea [...]ant not stir [...]e his hatte to him; an Emperour may walk in a forreigne Nation, and the most sordid clowne not give him the way; The Saint is here in a st ange countrey; he is in, but not of the world: I am a sojourner and a pilgr [...]m here (said the holy man) as all my fathers were; Their dwelling (their fixed dwelling, I mean) is not in the world, they have tents, but they will build no Tabernacles; They will scarce say It is good for us to be here; their voice is Cupio dissolvi, I desire to be dissolved, and be with Christ; Their inheritance is above the starres, their mansion house in the land of glory; if once they come in heaven, the Saints shall Court th m, the blessed Angels shall wait upon them, the King of glo­ry their Father shall bid them welcome, and their Bridegroome give them joy; there they are known, here they are not, The world saies of them, Who are these?

2. This may, Secondly, discover a difference betwixt the meanest Saint, and the greatest Worldling. Are they so glorious in [...]ods eyes, how mean soever in the eyes of men? learne then that a leathern doublet may be more precious then a scarlet coat: These are born of God: the Devill is their father, how great so­ever their parentage be: You are of your father the devill, Ioh. 8.44. There's their Breeding in Gods Heraldry. And the lus [...]s of their father they will doe: There's their Carriage. No [...]with­standing their gay clothes, they are clothed with the ragges of un­righteousnesse, and their garments are spotted with the flesh, Their best clothes w ll not cover this Nakednesse; The Saints are glo­rious, these inglorious creatures, in the sight of their God.

3. Thirdly, Are the Saints hidden creatures? This may then informe us, that all is not Gold that glisters; the sincerity and ha­bit of the Saints graces is hidden: every one in Israel is not of Is­rael: [Page 21] Saints are hidden creatures; hidden to others, and some­thing modestly retired to themselves: they are such as we must say of them, Who are these? I like not those that are too much their own trumpets; when I heare one boasting of his graces, (which, by the way, is the best beauty he hath to glory in, if hee might glory in any thing, when hee hath nothing but what hee hath received) inviting others into his chariot to see his zeale for the Lord God of Hosts (as Jehu once did Jo­nadab;) though I had rather call a mans title to his lands, then his title to the Kingdome of heaven in question, which is his best inheritance; yet I am ready to suspect such a crea­ture, that there is more without then within; more in his forehead then in his heart: I am ready to feare the Cities running out of the gates; the empty vessell sound [...]ng most. It is a pretty Simile of a quaint Divine of our owne, Those Merchants and other Whole-sale men in a City, whose shops are of greatest value, and have most solid Merchandise in them, set no great shew out at their shop windowes, perhaps they are shut up, whiles the poore Pedlar layes out every piece of Ribband, and bit of Lace hee hath: The solid and serious Saint is an hidden creature; of whom we must say, Who is this? Hee doth not care to set out so much at his windowes as hee hath in his shop; and yet not so hidden, but communicative upon occasion too.

To demonstrate that the smell of Christs spikenard is up­on his clothing, that his garments smell of Myrrhe, Aloes and Cassia; whiles the pedling hypocrite hangs out every seeming grace to the eye of the world; I am afraid at this time there is many a painted Theban Lady in the Church of God, that will not endure to wash her face: many a painted hypocrite, that dare not come at the fire. We say, Good Wine needs no Bush: The good Christian needs no Trumpet. The beauteous face looks most beautifull through a vaile; and odours will smell through a covering: It is the painted lewd strumpet that walks the streets brazing every one shee meets, that calls to every one to look on her beauty, and invites the wild-eyed passenger to her lodgings. The modest Gentlewoman weares a vaile, and is only seen under that. It is the strum [...]et in Chri­stianity [Page 22] that proclaimes her beauty to all, and sounds a trum­pet before her, and invites all to kisse her because she is Christs Spouse. O friend take heed▪ let there be more in thy heart, and lesse in thy tongue; Christs Spouse is all-glorious, but not vain-glorious: Glorious, but it is within: Shee hath a glorious inscription, but her superscription is not in so big cha­racters. You will say of the Saint of God whiles you have a glympse of her beau [...]y through her vaile, Who is this? As for the other, you shall not need ask who they are, they are the on [...]ly Church of Chri [...]t, The godly party, THE well-affected. These say▪ Stand by your selves; come not neare to us; we will have no communion with you; for we are holier then you. The holy God make them more holy; but the Lord grant that none of these boasters be a smoke in Gods nose, we find them a fire that burnes all the day, Isai. 65.5.

The next Life is of Exhortation: to teach all of us seve­rall lessons.

1. To those that are not yet married to this King of glory: O that this day might be a day of espousalls! And me thinks I have spoke enough to perswade with poore creatures, that are vile dust and ashes, to consider how glorious they are made after this wedding day. What is there desireable in an husband that is not to be found in this mighty Jesus? I know but foure things that can make a Bridegrome desireable; all which are to be found to the highest in the Lord Iesus Christ: 1. Breeding. 2. Beauty. 3. Riches. 4. A loving ingenu­ous nature. I am come this day to plead for my Master with you (friends) who are but dust and ashes: Doth any one here think that the marriage of Christ will disparage their house? and his crosse dishonour their coat? Know (friend) my Master (whose love I tender thee) is the Son of the Lord of lords; the Heire of heaven and earth; One that hath al­wayes been brought up in the Court of glory: One that in the day of thine espousalls to him shall put a degree of honour more upon thee, though thou wer't the Empresse of the world before. No honour like the honour to be call'd the sons and daughters of the most High. If thou hast an ambitious eye, here is an object of highest honour for thee; thou shalt be daughter to [Page 23] that King that can bind Kings in chaines, and Nobles in links of iron; and Bride to him that hath Emperors for his meanest ser­vants, and is Heire of eternity.

2. Hast thou a wanton eye? will beauty move thy affecti­on? My Master is the fairest of ten thousand, white and ruddy, Cant. 5.10. His head is of most fine gold, his locks bushy and black as a Raven, &c. See the full description of him in that Chapter. The creatures beauty is mouldring paint, but His na­tive beauty is permanent glory.

3. Hast thou a covetous eye? and doest thou look for a great joynture? My Master hath it for thee: Hee is rich in inheritance, heaven is his, and earth is his, and the sea is the work of his hands. He is rich in moveables: Every beast of the for­rest is his, and the cattell upon a thousand hills: The fowls of the mountaine, and the wild beasts of the field. Ay, and all is thine; for hee can with-hold no good thing from those that live up­rightly. The Father of glory gives all with his Son in marri­age. He hath given us his Son; shall hee not with him give us all things?

4. Hast thou a sober ingenuous eye? that thou thinkest love is the best riches, and a certainty in that the best joynture? Know that my Master is of a loving nature too. Read this de­licious Song; tell me what Gallant ever courted his Mistresse (though far above himself) with such Rethoricall expressions of love as this precious Jesus woes poor dust and ashes? O tell me (poore creature) how wouldst thou desire to try my Masters love towards thee? O man, did ever Bridegroome do so much for his Bride? why man? he hath come and left his pallace of Glory, for thee, and lived a scornfull tedious life upon the earth; he hath pleaded night and day with his angry father in heaven for thee: that thy soule might not be damned; but thou mightst be married to him; he hath made thee a path for thy prayers to his father, and thou hast not had a gracious answer to one pray­er, but hath come under Christs hand, and been sealed with my masters blood. Wilt thou try him by what he hath or will suffer for thee? Why poor creature, for thee hath he been buffeted, beaten, whipt, prickt with a crowne of thorns; for thee did he [Page 24] suffer his precious side to be ript with a speare; for thee did that precious bloody balsamy sweat trickle down his sacred cheeks, for thee was he nailed to crosse, for thee he did suffer such tor­ments as made his dying soule cry out, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? is this no suffering? doth not he deserve thee, that hath suffered so much for thee that art but a peece of momentary clay? The Gallant perhaps will venture his life for his Mistresse, but my Master hath more then ventured his life for thee; he embraced death for thee; He knew he should dye; yet to shew that he valued not his heart blood for thee, he shund not the crosse: I doubt whether a gallant would fight a duell for his Love, if he were certain he should be slain in that duel: But this my Master hath done for thee. Some have a trick to try the constancy of their lovers, by making them long suitors: If they be content to woe seven years, then perhaps they will love: This is but an unmannerly trick; but yet thus hast thou tryed my Lord, and Master (most unworthy creature) He hath proved himself con­stant in his patient woings and waitings upon thy scorne; this hath been his woing place; every minister came with a love-letter from my Master to thee; He hath come himselfe many a time and knockt at the door of thine heart, whilst thou hast been in bed with sin; yea he hath stood and knockt while his locks have been wet with the dew of the night; O hard heart! Why dost thou tire out my Masters patience (most worthlesse creature?) What, hath he not staid for thee long enough? is not yet the constancy of his love approved to thee? What, was it for a portion he should have with thee what portion but sin? he must give his blood to cleanse thee before he can embrace thee; yet rather then loose thee he will do it: O precious melting love! here love was stronger then the grave indeed; was ever love like his? Let me be familiar with thee this day; (I would gladly make joy in heaven this day, for the marriage of some poor soule to my Master) What makes thee so coy and scorn­full? Art thou a creature of such deserts dost thou think? What dost thou deserve? if any thing, it is hell: yet he, even he who is in heaven it self, and glory it self, he woes thee. What will move thee? Thou art vile and filthie, polluted in thy blood, more [Page 25] loathsome then a toad, worse then the stinking leper that goes up and down the stree [...]s: O come, come this day and be married to the Lord Christ; Take him, and him alone, not for the hea­ven thou shalt have with him, but for the heaven thou shalt have in him; he shall make thee admired, thou shalt be a Queen, thou that art the childe of the Devil shalt become the childe of God; thou that wert so filthy shalt learne the carriage of a Kings daughter; thou that wert all dirty, and besmeared with sin, shalt become all faire; Thou art all faire my s ouse; Thou that hadst nothing but raggs of iniquity, shalt now be clothed with the glorious robes of righteousnesse; Isai. 61. vers. 10. Thou shalt be cloathed with the garments of salvation, and cover­ed with the robes of righteousnesse: Thou shalt be deckt like a Bride­groome, and as a Bride decks her selfe with jewells. He shall make thee so glister with graces, and shine with holinesse in thy life and conversation, that the worlds eye shall be dazled upon thee, and they shall say of thee, Who is this?

O you that are children of pleasure, Come; O make haste and be married to this glorious Bridegroome; the King of glory waits upon you to honour you this day: O come to the wed­ding, become his friends, and Eat of his fatnesse, and drink of his sweetnesse, and be merry and rejoyce in the God of your salvation, and let us all cry out, Effice (O Christe) nos dignos ut ad Nuptias Agni aliquando introducamur, Lord make us all worthy of such a Bridegroome.

Secondly, Are the Saints of God hidden creatures, that the world must say of them, Who are th [...]se? Then judge not, that ye be not judged; Say not, This man is a Saint, and the other a Reprobate, lest you condemne the generation of the just, and ju­stifie the generation of the wicked, both which things are an abo­mination to the Lord.

A Third branch of this use, may reach to the children of God, those who are already marryed to this blessed Bridegroome, and made honourable and glorious by such a marriage; O carry your selves as the Brides of so glorious a Bridegreome, as it becom­meth those that should not shame their breeding, that the world may say concerning you, Who is this? you are made glorious, [Page 26] you were inglorious creatures: First, Remember what you were, and carry your selves humbly: Philip King of Macedon, would alwayes be awaked with a momento of his mortality; and Wigiliscus would delight to hear Memento quid fueris, O remem­ber what thou wert; Such were some of you, humbled the be­leeving Corinthians, though now they were washed and sanctifi­ed; Quanto Nobilior es tanto te geras submissius, Humility is the g [...]eatest Ornament of Honour: Thou art admired, but it is Christ and free grace that hath set the lustre upon thee, and made thee admirable; Admire him for his goodnesse, and let others admire thee for thy humble carriage: The Leper was to bring two birds at his cleansing, the one was to be killed, the o­ther let go, but first dipt in the blood of the dead bird; The Christians heavenly life must be dipt in the blood of the bird which it hath killed: Though our sins be pardoned, they may be remembred so far as to make us humble: Let the world for thy humble lowly carriage, say, Who is this?

Secondly, Walk thankfully; Thou wert not honourably clothed, he hath given thee the Robes of righteousness [...]; Thou wert without Ornaments, he hath given thee bracelets, and ear-rings; O be singing perpetuall Hosanna's, till thou shalt be translated, and sing perpetuall Hallelujah; Be alwayes saying Quid Retribuam, O Quid Retribuam? What shall I? what can I render unto the Lord for his mercie? O that I could praise the name of my God! whose mercie endures for ever, for his mer­cie endureth for ever.

Thirdly, Walk lovingly towards this Bridegroome that hath honoured thee; thou wert naked, He hath clothed thee with the garments of Righteousnesse and Salvation, O keep it on for his sake; Thou wert damned, remember who saved thee, for to marry thee; Thou wert rolled in thy blood; Remember who gave his blood to wash thee; Thou wert filthy, and defiled, Remember who annointed thee with oyle, and made thy face to shine, Thou wert clothed with raggs, O remember who puld off his own robes to clothe thee; Thou wert poore, Remem­ber who left heaven and glory to make thee rich; Thou wert starved, Remember who gave thee his flesh for meat, and his [Page 27] blood for drink; Thou didst play the Adulteresse with him; O remember who notwithstanding that, received thee again into favour, and let us all say with that Holy man, Tota vita nostra conformis illi reddatur qui ex amore nostri totum se nobis confor­mavit, Let us in all our life conforme our selves to him, who out of a meer principle of love in all things made himselfe conforma­ble unto us; Art thou made a glorious creature? Walk lovingly, that for that they may say, Who is this?

Fourthly, Keep the garbe of of a Kings daughter, walk accor­ding to thy place; a Kings daughter is no conpanion for every idle woman; you that are the Saints of God, keep company like your selves: How precious is the communion of Saints? How unpleasant is the company of sinners? Dishonour not your selves.

Fifthly, Walk Dependently: The Spouse leans upon her Bridegroome, she drawes her very breath from Christs lungs, She breaths through Christs lips. She is described here to come up leaning; O lean upon his arm, if you be his Bride, lean upon him for pardoning grace, upon him for strengthning grace, upon him for perfecting grace, Begg not your bread out of your hus­bands doores, it were a signe he kept too poor an house to main­tain you.

6. Lastly, Walk chastly, that the world may see that every thought of your heart is but as an arrow drawn from the Quiver of your soules, and shot heavenward, that your language is the dialect of Canaan, and your actions all aiming at the glory of God; that all the perishing profits, and vanishing pleasures of the world cannot flatter downe your heavenly soule to an houres lodging; But you love the Lord your Christ, with all your heart, and all your soule, and will serve him with all your minde, and all your strength: Thus walk beleevingly, above meanes, beyond meanes, with and without meanes; Leane when Christ may seem to draw away his shoulder; Though he kills you, yet trust in him, and make the world admire and say, Who is this?

Walk humbly, Remember what you were, whence you are, what hath saved you, despising no Saint, humbling your self to all, that the world may admire, and say, Who is this?

Walk holily and righteously, defrauding none, graciously and strictly before God, close with him, loose to the world, and make the earthly world to say, Who is this?

Walk lovingly to your husband, charitably to your brethren, judging none, condemning none, honouring all, becoming all things to all men, to gain some; courteously, inge­nuously, graciously, that the world may admire, and say, Who is this?

Walk finally as becomes the Brides of so glorious a Bride­groome, in all places, in all conditions, Remembring what you are, and whence you are, letting your graces shine out, even to your enemies, till your gracious soul [...]s be swallowed up in glory.

Lastly, Let it be a word of consolation to all the Saints of God, that can say with Hezekiah, Remember Lord how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart; or with Peter, Thou knowest Lord that I love thee; against all the scoffs, slanders and malice of the world: Alas! they know thee not; not thy sincerity, nor thy joy, nor thy value▪ nor thy glory; carry thy selfe so gloriously before them, that they may see the vertue that is in thee, and glorifie thy Father which is in heaven; then and not before, will the world have a better estimate of thee. And so I have done with the imperfection of the de­scription, from the interrogatory Who is this? I now come to the description it selfe, Cometh up from the wildernesse, leaning upon her Beloved.

We have already taken notice of two travellers in this text: Christ is a traveller; for had he not come up with his garments died, from Bozra, we had been in the wildernesse still. And his Spouse is a traveller, the text saith, she comes up from the wildernesse, leaning upon her beloved.

We have took notice of her glorious garbe, and her vaile: she is still upon her march, let us now take a more full survey of her, and enquire whence she comes? and who is her companion? and what her posture?

Whence comes she? E Deserto from the Wildernesse, that is Terminus a quo, the place from which she comes.

What's her motion? Ascendit, She commeth up.

Her posture is Leaning, Innixa,

The person upon whom she lea [...]s, is Dilectum, a Beloved; and she hath a propriety in him, it is Dilectum suum her Belo­ved: Who is this that commeth up from the wildernesse, leaning upon her Beloved?

Doct. It is the property or the duty of the Spouse of the Lord Iesus Christ, to come out of the Wildernesse, leaning upon her Be­loved. We must take it in pieces, and handle the parts severally: These four things lie couched in it.

1. That the Spouse of Christ hath had, and may sometimes have her dwelling in the Wildernesse. That is implied.

2. Though she hath had, and may sometimes have her dwel­ling in the Wildernesse, yet she rests not there, She comes up from it. Who is this that comes up?

3. She cannot come up alone; She must come up leaning.

4. She will lean upon her Beloved, and he will, and only can bear her.

First, She hath had, and sometimes may have her dwelling in the wildernesse: Here first I must open the terme Wildernesse. Secondly, I shall shew you what Wildernesse the Spouse hath had, or may have her dwelling in.

I shall open the first in five or six particulars.

1. The Wildernesse is an untilled place, where wild na­ture is yet seen, that Art hath not yet tamed, no pruning hook hath lopt the over-grown trees, no plow broke up the soyle to make it fruitfull: The husband-man hath not til­led the ground there; nor can the reaper fill his hand: It is a place just in its naturall state, not yet manured.

2. The Wildernesse is a losing place; no beaten road for the Traveller there to follow, no land-marks, nothing to guide him in his way, hee is lost if once in it; hee looks on this side, and on the other, forward, backward, every way, still hee sees himselfe lost, knowes not whither to goe: Hee is in a Wildernesse, and knowes not the way out.

3. The Wildernesse is a dangerous place: A man in the Wildernesse is a prey to the mouth of every Lion; the Li­on is the King of those waste places; and the Bears, Wolves, [Page 24] Cockatrices, and Adders his lesser subjects: There dwells the young Lion, the Cockatrice, and the Adder toge­ther, each one searching for his prey: It is a dangerous place.

4. The Wildernesse is a solitary place; where hee that walks, as hee hath no path, so hee hath no company: The paths in the Wildernesse are not trodden, no beaten high­wayes are there; no company but the Owls and the Ostri­ches, the beasts of the field, and creeping things of the earth: Nothing fit to be a companion for man: No, it is a Wilder­nesse.

5. The Wildernesse is a disconsolate place: no curiosities of nature to refresh his spirits with: Terror is round about him; no pleasure to delight him.

6. Lastly, the Wildernesse is a place voyd of all provisions: There is neither bread for the hungry, nor water for the thirsty soule; no necessities, much lesse superfluities.

The expression is very apt: Such a Wildernesse, yea many a such Wildernesse the Spouse of Christ hath had, and may have her dwelling in:

1. A Wildernesse of Sinne. 2. A Wildernesse of Sor­row. 3. A Wildernesse of Affliction. 4. A Wildernesse of Temptation. 5. A Wildernesse of Desertion. Nay, last­ly, This whole life is but a Wildernesse to her: Shee hath been in some of these, and may be in all of them; but out of all Shee cometh up leaning. Every one of these is the soules Wildernesse: and as they come up to Christ, they come up from some of them; and in their walking with the Lord Christ, they goe through some of them; and some goe through all of them.

The first is Eremus peccati, The Wildernesse of sinne; and every soule is born in this Wildernesse: Man at first created dwelt in Paradise; but alas! hee threw himselfe out into the Wildernesse, and God lockt the Garden gate against him. Sinfull man preferr'd the Wildernesse before Paradise, and God allots him his dwelling there: There was man throwne, and all mankind born in it. We are all Wildernesse brats by [Page 21] nature, Ephes. 2.3. You were children of wrath by nature, even as others. And sinne may well be call d a Wildernesse; it is status naturalis, our naturall condition: We are in a Wilder­nesse habit, when we are clothed with the raggs of iniquity. Ay and it is a state as dangerous as the Wildernesse: The Lion claimes him in the Wildernesse as his prey; and if hee scapes his teeth, it will be hard to escape the Cockatrice, and young Lion, and Adder, the lesser fry of destroyers: If in this sinfull naturall condition we doe escape the mouth of the roa­ring Lion the Devill, it is greatly to be seared that the Beare, and the Wolfe, and the Cockatrice, the lesser judgements of God, will swallow us up: we are children of wrath, as well passively as actively, in a dangerous condition. Lastly, as the Wildernesse is a place voyd of all necessary provisions for the body, so is sinne a state voyd of all necessary provisions for the soule: We are hungry, and naked, and bloudy, and fil­thy in our sinnes, it is a Wildernesse dresse Ezek. [...]6. As for thy nativity, in the day that thou wert born, [...]hy navell was not cut: neither wert thou washed in water to su ple thee, thou wert cut out in the open field. Vers. 8. Every spouse of the Lord Christ hath been in this Wildernesse. Who is this that cometh up?

The second Wildernesse is Eremus c [...]ntritionis, The Wil­dernesse of contrition, or sorrow for sinne: Every soule is naturally in the Wildernesse; but every one that is in it seeth not that it is there: Every soule is born blind, though most think they see. When God opens the soules eyes, and shewes it the hell that it treads over every houre, and makes the soule apprehensive of its danger, it conceives it selfe in a worse Wildernesse then before; the physick works: the Patient thinks it is nearer death then before it took it. Here it cryes out, Oh, I am a lost undone creature! Oh, whither should I goe? on one side behold terror! on the other side despaire! If it looks up to heaven, there is an angry God; if down­ward, there is a gaping hell: Oh, whither should it goe? Now it cryes out (with the Iaylor) O what shall I doe to be saved? I am lost in my sinnes! I am lost in mine own righteousnesse! [Page 22] I know not what to doe: If I stay in my sinnes I perish; if I goe out of the world I perish. Here stands the soule turn­ing it selfe every way, and seeing comfort no way, till the Lord Christ bowes the heavens, and thrusts out his arme of salvation, his shoulder of merits, and takes the soule by the hand, saying, Come (my Beloved) I will tell thee what thou shalt doe; I am the way out of this wildernesse, come out leaning; leane thy arme of faith upon the shoulder of my me­rits; Free grace is able to beare thee: I am thy Welbeloved, and thy Welbeloved is thine. And ordinarily the soule when it comes to the Lord Christ, comes through this wildernesse, this losing place of conviction and contrition, and weeps her selfe a path; where shee would drown in the waters of Marah, if Christ did not hold her up. Indeed God could have brought the Israelites a shorter Journey, then through the wildernesse to Canaan; and sometimes God miraculously drawes a soul to himselfe, onely by the cords of mercy: God is not tyed al­wayes to bring a soule the same road to heaven; Elijah was carried to heaven in a fiery chariot; but the more ordinary way is by Jacobs ladder. The common way to heaven is by the gates of hell; the way to life is through the chambers of death, through a wildernesse: Who is this that cometh up out of the wildernesse?

The third wildernesse in which the Spouse of the Lord Christ may sometimes have her dwelling in, is the Wildernesse of af­flictions; bodily afflictions I meane. A wildernesse is a place full of bryars and thornes; and through such a wildernesse (the holy Ghost tells us) lies the Saints way to heaven: By much tribulation [much pricking of thornes, thornes in the flesh sometimes] must wee enter into the kingdome of God. The Spouse hath a dirty way to goe to marrying in; and when shee is married, shee hath a dirty way home too: A wil­dernesse on either side. The Apostle speaks plain, Heb. 11.7, 38. They wandred about in Sheep-skins, and Goat-skins, being desti­tute, afflicted, tormented, they wandred in deserts, and in moun­tains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth; And who were these that wandred thus in the wildernesse? They were such [Page 27] of whom the world was not wo [...]thy; the Spouses of the Lord Christ. And truly afflictions may bee called a wildernesse, for the disconsolacy of them too; they are times of sor­row, no delights please; the Spouse in affliction is in a wil­dernesse.

4. A fourth wildernesse that the Spouse sometimes dwells in, is the wildernesse of temptations; The Bridegroome him­selfe was in this wildernesse; Hee was led into the Wil­dernesse, to bee tempted of the Devill; The Spirit took him thither, Matth. 4. vers. 1. and Paul was in this wilder­nesse, troubled on every side, this is Sathans wildernesse, that hee leads many a poore soule into, and it had beene a sadde wildernesse, had not our WAY beene there first: If the Devill could have lost our Saviour in it, wee should never have found the way out of it: A dan­gerous, a disconsolate place, well termed a wilder­nesse, as the Saint will tell you that hath beene in it.

5. A fifth Wildernesse that the Spouse is sometimes in, is the Wildernesse of desertion; Heres a sad wildernesse, a desert indeed, Quum Deus deseruit, When God hath forsaken or withdrawne himselfe from the Soule; this Desert Christ him­self was in, Eli, Eli, lamasabachthani? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? was the voice of the Lord Iesus hollow­ing in the wildernesse: such a wildernesse was the Spouse in, when she sought him, but found him not, Cant. 3. vers 2. In this de­sert the soule is solitary, her God is gone, and she knowes not what is become of him; the soule never calls any company her company, if her God be not there: David was in this wilder­nesse too, he is often crying out of the wildernesse he was in, when God hidde his face from him: The soule that belongs to the Lord Iesus goes through many a wildernesse in this world, but scarce any which Christ hath not walkt in before it, and hewen it a way through it; through every wildernesse we may follow the Lamb in his own path.

6. Nay lastly, The Saints whole life below, is but a wilder­nesse: [Page 28] Earth is a Christians desert; while she lives here, she lives in widowhood, it is a sinfull place and a dangerous place, a thorny place, and a place where she findes an abatement of the joyes she shall be swallowed up in glory. Mortality is but Me­shech, and her best habitations are but tents of Kedar, nothing to the temple of Glory she shall worship her God in hereafter; and the former deserts are but as severall corners of this wilder­nesse; but she cometh up out of every wildernesse: That is the next branch of the Doctrine I hasten to.

Doctr. 2. That though the Saint of God hath had, and may have her dwelling in the wildernesse, she rests not there, but cometh up out of it.

She cometh up: It seems to argue a propriety in the motion, as if she were not driven nor drawn up, and a voluntarinesse in the motion, as if she were not compelled nor made to come, but of her self came, and of her own strength, and yet not of her own strength neither; her own leggs would not bear her, for the text tells us she comes up leaning, she had fallen had she not leaned.

Here is the Question stated; what the soule doth towards its conversion, what power of doing any thing tending towards its conversion before it is sanctified, or after it is sanctified, whether it be meerely passive, what she may doe, what she cannot doe, how farre she may come, where she must leane?

Whether hath the soule any power to come up out of the wildernesse of sin to the Lord Christ, to move one step heaven­ward of it self? And here I have a narrow path to tread betwixt the Pelagians and Arminians on the one side, that would make the soule have more power then it hath: and the Antinomians and Sectaries on the other side, that are so farre from holding that the soule hath no power to come to Christ, that they would make us beleeve she hath no power to come to Church neither.

I shall not know how to determine this Question better then in the words of pious and learned Bishop Davenant, Determ. Q. 9. p. 46. Non potest quodvis opus ex divina pro­missione, ad impetrandam peccatorum remissionem, aut ad eun­dam possessionem regni coelorum ordinatum, The soule cannot [Page 25] doe any thing that is ordained by God, or hath the promise of God, to obtain pardon of sins, or possession of the Kingdome of heaven; shee cannot savingly beleeve, repent, love, &c. for these are the acts of grace, and God is the fountain and donour of all grace.

1. But first, She may, by Gods generall restraining grace, without speciall and saving grace, abstaine from grosse sinnes; the heathens did so; the light of nature which God keeps from none, will shew her that this is darknesse.

2. Secondly, Shee may by Gods exciting grace, without any saving grace performe many previous actions that are re­quired of men to faith and repentance; she may by vertue of Gods generall grace, his exciting grace, goe to Church, hear the word of God, meditate of God, peccata propria considerare & sensu eorum expavescere, saith Dr. Davenant; Ay, and shee may begge deliverance from that wofull condi­tion, which she apprehends her selfe in; but she stirrs not one of these stepps after a spirituall, but after a naturall man­ner, till the quickning grace of God come: A man may in a wildernesse conceive himselfe lost, look about for the way out, call for help, be willing to be out, yet not be one step in the way that will lead him out; and this the soule must doe so far as it can: Negamus etenim hanc gratiam regenerantem, in­fundi homnibus, mertibus sed animis per verbum Dei erectis, & subactis, & per praedictas actiones quodammodo disposi­tis, viz. We deny that regenerating grace is infused into sloathfull men, but into soules subdued by Gods word and law, and after a manner disposed by the foregoing actions; yet wee say, that even these forgoing actions have their first motions from God; and the question is whither God doth not first work a sight and sense of sinne, and an humi­liation for it by his exciting grace, before he comes with his regenerating, quickning and saving grace into the soule; we say he doth in his ordinary course of his dispensations. (Only I must here be safely understood that I speak according to mans apprehension; for in respect of God, nothing is first or last, hee works all in an instant, all graces together in the soule; but the question lies not whether God works the ha­bit [Page 26] of Repentance before the habit of Faith, or no; for with­out question he works together all his works; but whether God makes humiliation act before faith, which wee say hee doth. Esau and Iacob may be in their mothers wombe to­gether, but Esau may come out and be seene in the world before Iacob: yet not tying up the Almighty to this method, who can and will work any way, even which way it pleaseth him: Nor doe we say that any such previous action can be per­formed by the Creature, ut de merito congrui teneatur Gratiam dare, That God is bound for the desert of any such previous action to give his inward and regenerating quickning grace: But yet this we say, Davenant, ibid. that in the church of God, where men are dayly stirr'd up by the word and spirit to repent and beleeve savingly, God will give (though not for any of these previous or dispository actions, yet) freely, regenerating grace to all such as are capable of it, unlesse they have resisted the Spirit of God in the preceding operations, and rejected his quickning grace; but yet we deny, that any man can performe these actions so but he will offend and resist the Spirit of God in them: Now why when as all resist, God should reject some, as they have rejected him, and leave them to the hardnesse of their own hearts, and work irresistibly on others who have resisted their God as much, and break open their hearts, though lock'd and barr'd against him, and fill them with quickning grace, and pull a Lot out of Sodom by force, and draw a soule out of the wildernesse by head and shoulders, I say, why he should doe it, when two are grinding at the same mill, take one and leave the other; when two are in the same field, why the one should bee taken the other left; when two soules are equall in duties, fasting, mourning, in the way that God hath appointed, why hee should baulk this and take the other, when perhaps that which is taken hath beene the least penitent too, I will con­clude with Dr. Davenant, is Sacrum Misterium divinae vo­luntati reliquendum, A sacred and secret mystery to be left to the divine pleasure, and the reason lies in the agents own breast; It is because he will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy, and whom he wills he hardeneth; God is his own reason, and his free grace its owne cause.

So then wee conclude, that the soule cannot move one foot to a spirituall action spiritually, not by any common grace, it must be onely by Gods regenerating and saving grace. So that to answer yet more distinctly to the Question.

1 In respect of Gods exciting and preventing grace, if wee looke so farre wee cannot come, but that preventeth us: Wee are as clay in the hands of the Potter, wee are all dead in sinnes.

2 But when the Lord hath changed the soule, then it com­meth. The first motion upon the will is from God, before there is any motion of the will unto God; but when the will is hea­led of God, then the soule commeth, then the soule which was meerly passive before, is active, & wil endeavor to do something for that God, that hath done so much for her. It followes, the drawing of God, most holy Spirit: Draw me (saith the Spouse) and I will runne after thee. First, I must be drawne; but then I will runne: In the same moment God makes us to will, and wee will; and yet all the efficacy of the Action comes from Gods most holy Spirit.

It is certaine (saith Augustine) That wee are willing when wee are willing; but he makes us willing, certum est no velle quum vo­lumus, sed ille facit ut veli­mus qui opera­tur in nobis velle. that workes in us to will and to performe, Phil. 2.13. And so he, [...]; God drawes, but he drawes the soule that is willing: Ay, but first, [...], he makes it willing. So, I have shew­ed what proprietie the soule hath in the Action, how she com­meth, and how willing she is to the motion. She is drawne, but she is willing to be drawne to Jesus Christ. But first, she is made willing before she is willing, ay, and in her life, after she is come to Christ, in her walking with Christ; Non suis confidit viribus, she trusts not her owne strength, she even then commeth leaning, which is the next Branch of the Doctrine I have to handle.

3 Though she comes up from the wildernesse, yet she comes up, not of her owne strength, but leaning.

First, Let us enquire what the expression holds out to us.

Secondly, What is the soules hand.

Thirdly, Who it is she leanes upon.

Fourthly, What in him she hath to trust to, and how in eve­ry [Page 38] wildernesse she leanes, and out of every wildernesse comes up leaning.

I conceive, here are foure things hinted in this expression leaning, which I may terme the foure fingers of the Spouses hand, which she layes upon her Saviours shoulders.

1 First, It doth argue that the soule is weary, otherwise she would not leane.

2 Secondly, It is a willing posture; I am not forced to leane, I doe it willingly: The soule that comes up with Christ is wil­ling.

3 Thirdly, It is a posture of love; Otherwise she would not leane.

4 Fourthly, It doth argue a confidence that the soule hath in the Lord, that he is able to boare her; Otherwise she would not trust the weight of her soule upon him.

1 First, It doth argue wearinesse; If she were not weary she would not leane. Humiliation is a preface to faith, and the way to be found is to be lost. It is not a leaning of wanton­nesse, but a leaning of wearinesse: O Lord, I am sinking into Hell, let me save my selfe from sinking by thy shoulders; I am falling, Lord let me leane: whiles the soule hath any strength to goe, it is too proud to be beholden to leane; Come unto me ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you, Mat. 11.29. First, weary; then come: First, heavie laden; then I will ease you: What shall I doe to be saved (saith the Gaoler?) O I am lost! undone! I am at a Non-plus! O what shall I doe? I am weary! for I am farre readier to beleeve, That that Voice, What shall I doe? is rather the Voice of the soule (at it's nil [...]tra) Sadly sensible of it's lost and miserable condition, suf­ficiently humbled in the sense of it, then the voice of a soule, thinking it might doe any thing that might be but in the least contributary to the desert of salvation. I cannot be perswaded, to thinke, that when the Gaoler spake those words, prostrated by humiliation at the Apostles feet, that he had the least thought that he could throw in so much as two mites into the Treasury of free grace. But as it is the ordinary speech of one drown'd in the depth of sorrow, amazing sorrow; O what shall I doe? What shall I doe? though at that instant they know they can [Page 39] doe nothing to helpe themselves. So the Gaoler, in a true sense of his own lost condition, cryes out, O what shall I doe? he was weary, it was time for the Apostle to bid him leane, then beleeve (saith the Apostle) and thou shalt be saved. It is but a wresting of the place, or mocking it rather, to bring it to per­swade that duties preparatory were here excluded. Surely, had not the Apostles seene him humbled in some degrees, they would as well have prefixed Repent here, as Peter did to them, Act. 2. Repent, and be baptized. The Fig-leafe is too thin to cover these Opinionists nakednesse; Christ came not to call the Righteous, but sinners to repentance. He is a Saviour, but it is for them that are lost in their owne feeling too. And the truth of it is, the soule scorns to leane upon Christ so long as it is a­ble to goe alone, when it hath never a crutch of merits or du­ties to rest upon, then it lookes out for some rest for it's foot, for some shoulder to beare up, for some staffe to stay it selfe up­on: Leaning doth argue wearinesse, that's the first.

2 Secondly, It doth argue a willingnesse in the soule to come to Jesus Christ: Leaning is not a forced action. Indeed (as I said before) Christ first workes this willingnesse; he it is that gives us power to will, and it is by his power that wee are willing as it is written; They shall be willing in the day of my power. But he doth not let us leane before wee are willing; Psal. 110.3. leaning is an action proceeds from the will, Who is this com­meth up leaning?

3 Thirdly, Leaning doth argue love, who leanes upon his ene­mies, I will not leane upon one whom I cannot trust, I must have some good thoughts of his love. The soule that leanes upon the Lord Jesus Christ loves Christ; that Faith, that pre­tended dependancy of any upon Christ, that proceedeth not out of a principle of love, groweth out of a false root; the lo­ving soule is onely the truely beleeving soule, Leaning is a lo­ving posture: That's the third.

4 Fourthly, It doth argue fiduciam, a resting, a trusting the soule upon Christ; he that leanes upon another reposeth his whole weight, trusteth his whole strength upon him: He doth as much as say, well; I know I cannot go alone, I cannot stand; but I will trust my selfe, upon thy strength will I leane, if I fall, I [Page 40] fall: So the soule that comes up out of the wildernesse of sinne to the Lord Jesus Christ, doth repose it's whole weight upon the Lord Christ, it sayes, O Lord, I am a great and grievous sinner, I am not able to stand upon mine owne legges, but I trust my soule upon thy armes; thou hast mercies, and great mercies, and free mercies, if I fall, I fall, if I be damned, I am damned; here I will leane. And here you have the second thing plain, viz,

2 Secondly, The soules hand with which she leanes upon Jesus Christ for salvation & these 4. things which I have hinted from this expression, leaning, are as the foure fingers of the hand of Faith. And wee may thus give a description of it.

Faith is the hand of a soule which God hath humbled, whereby the soule, being not able to stand alone, nor daring to trust to any thing else, and being made willing by God, out of a principle of love, layes hold upon Jesus Christ, and trusts and rests it selfe upon him for her salvation. And that leads me to the third thing I propounded, the Person upon whom she leanes, the Text renders it, Her beloved; or as I conceive, the old Transla­tion better, Her welbeloved: The Latin dilectum suum, him that is her, conjugally beloved.

This is the last Branch of the Doctrine, That though the beleeving soule comes up from the wildernesse leaning, yet shee will onely leane upon her beloved, and he onely can and will beare her.

Wee know, that whosoever leanes, must have a Person to leane upon. Secondly, There must be a capacitie in this arme to beare her, some strength, yea, there had need be a great deale to hold up the weight of a soule: First, let us enquire who the Person is, rendred in the Text dilectum, Her welbelo­ved; in plaine termes, her Husband, one that hath more then an ordinary portion of her love.

Here are five things hinted in this Expression.

1 It is one whom she loves: The word signifies a speciall sort of love; and every greater includes a lesse.

2 One that she is married to, he is welbeloved, her dearest love; not charum, but dilectum; one that hath a title to her.

3 Her Beloved, not anothers Beloved.

4 Her Beloved: He that is her Beloved, not who was her Beloved.

5 Her Beloved, not her Beloveds.

1 First, It is one whom shee loves. This I hinted at before; it is a principle of love, that drawes the Soule to leane upon the Lord Jesus Christ. The hatred of her selfe, hath bred the love of her Saviour in it. And no Soule loves Christ more then that which loaths it selfe most: When the Soule shall consider what a Brand for Hell it was in its originall, how worthlesse a worme it is, how basely it hath dealt by God, trampling upon his rich offers of Grace, scorning his Invitations. And againe, consider that God hath no need at all of it: But if it were burn­ing in hell, could be as glorious as in its Salvation, and yet would be pleased to powre out his pretious bloud for it, yet so unwor­thy: To woe the Soule that hath need of him, and yet never praies to him nor ever was a suitor for mercy. This breeds love in the Soule: And the more the Soule fadomes her owne misery, the more yet she loves and admires the Lords mercy, and loving thus, she leanes upon him.

2 Secondly, It is one that she pleades some title to, and interest in, she cals him hers. Christ is the Bridegroome of the Soule, and the Soule is Christs Bride: Beloved, in all this Song is taken for the highest degree of love, and nearest relation, conjugall love, therefore Christ elsewhere calls her his Sister, his Spouse; she hath a title to, and interest in him, possession of him; and in ano­ther place, I am my welbeloveds, and my welbeloved is mine. She is his, and he is hers: they have a propriety each in other. But suppose we should put the Spouse to prove her title to him, What is thy Beloved more then anothers Beloved? Or, why is he thy Beloved (O beleeving soule) more than the Beloved of an­other? shew thy title to him: And againe, why is she Christs more than another? Why should the Beleever monopolize Christ? and how came Christ to be hers? she is his, and he is hers 1 by right of gift, her heavenly Father hath given her unto him; hence is that Phrase of her Saviours Prayer, John 17.9. All that the Father hath given me, and I pray for all them that thou hast given me. She hath given her selfe to him. Cant. 1.2. Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth, for his love is bet­ter [Page 42] then wine. She hath said, Draw me, and I will run after thee; ay and he hath given himselfe to her; he hath given his grace unto her, Gal. 1.6. And his glory unto her. The glory which thou hast given me I have given them. Her Beloved by right of gift.

2 She is his, and he is hers, by right of bargaine and sale. The Ancients had three waies to get themselves wives; by gift, purchase, or desert. The Fathers sold their Daughters, and the Bridegroome bought his Bride, he gave a Dowry for her. Hence when Sechem had a minde to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, he saies, Aske me what Dowry thou wilt, and I will give it thee. Christ hath bought his Beloved; hence (saith the Apo­stle) He hath paid a price for us. A bloudy price: more than all the world was worth. But he would have her because he de­lighted in her, and so she is his, and he is hers by right of pur­chase.

3 She is his Beloved, and he is hers (by correlation) By right ef desert, she deserved not him, but he deserved her. This was a third way by which the Ancients got them wives, by some gallant exploit, or great service. Their wives were sometimes given them for wages; Jacob served fourteene yeares for Ra­chell, Gen. 29.17. David for his Soveraignes daughter, encoun­tred great Goliah; and afterwards robbed the Philistines of their foreskins: he paid more for her, then she proved to be worth: By this right, the beleeving soule is the beloved of Christ, he hath served a long service for her; not fourteene, but above thirty yeares, he hath vanquished the Goliahs of our soules, and hath conquered our Spirituall Enemies.

4 He is hers, and she is his, by right of possession, he dwels in her, and she dwels in him. The second person in the Trinity, is an in­mate with the beleeving soule: He dwels under the roofe of her heart: He hath a chamber in the soule, and hath pitched his tent within her, and she is in him too; united each unto other, this is very plainly exprest, Ga. 2.20. I live, but yet not I, but Christ lives in me. I am the Carcasse, Christ the Soule; the Soule moveth the body, so Christ moves my soule: I move not from any principle in my selfe, but from a principle of Grace. The life I live in the flesh, I live by the life of the Sonne of God who dwelleth in me, who [Page 43] loved me, and gave himselfe for me. Thus you see she may well call Christ her Beloved, and Christ may well call her his Be­loved, He hath a propriety in her, and she hath a propriety in him also; he hath married her, and dwels with her, yea, and in her, dilectum suum her welbeloved indeed.

3 Thirdly, It is her beloved, not anothers beloved. Every soule hath a Beloved; the Drunkard hath his beloved cups; the wan­ton hath his beloved Queanes; the Covetous person his belo­ved Gold; The soule that leanes upon Christ, goes not a who­ring after other Gods. The Spouse of Christ, leanes not upon the Papists beloved merits, nor upon the Turkes beloved Ma­homet, nor upon the Pharisees beloved duties, nor upon the Idolaters beloved Saints; she saies, Abrah [...]m knowes her not, Isa. 63.16. and Israell is ignorant of her, but the Lord is her father, Christ is her Redeemer, and her maker, her Redeemer is her husband, Creator tuus est sponsus tuus. Her Beloved, not anothers Belo­ved.

4 4. He that is her Beloved, not that which was her Beloved. She once loved her sins, and her lust were the beloveds of her soule. The name of Baali was in her mouth; her lusts were her Lords, and they ruled over her. But now the name of Baalim is taken out of her mouth: she calls the Lord Ishi, God alone is her beloved, sin was the dearly beloved of her soule, but now she calls sin no more Naomi, she cals it Marah; that which was once the sweetnesse, is now the bitternesse of her soule, she takes no pleasure in it; no, nor doth she account her duties her beloved; she useth them, but she dares not trust her soule upon them; she dares not plead any desert in them, though once perhaps she had a Pharisaicall conceit, that her duties would be her healing, yet when she comes to the Lord Christ to leane upon his Arme, though she useth duties, and is as full of full of Prayer and humiliation as ever: she knocks her hand upon her brest, and cries she is a sinner, Oh! but what remedy? the knocking her hand upon her brest she knowes cannot save her; no, for that, God be mercifull to her, she leanes upon Christ, that is her now Beloved, not upon any duties, or any other me­rits that was before her Beloved.

5 Fifthly, Her beloved, not her beloveds. The soule that comes to the Lord Jesus Christ loves him intensly, and as she loves him best, so she loves him only. As nothing shall have her whole heart, so neither will she divide her heart betwixt him and another: he shall have her heart, and he only shall have her heart, and he shall have her whole heart too; she dare trust her strength upon Christ, and upon him alone: she desireth only to be found in the Lord Jesus, who is her Bridegroome; she is a Virgin, not a Whore; she leanes not upon Christ with one hand, and her owne merits with another: no, nor dares she leane upon the merits of another; she durst not trust the weight of her soule upon the wings of an Angell, nor to the Prayers of a Saint; she relies upon God, and upon God only. The Papists leane upon Christ, but not upon him alone: she knowes it will be a dishonour both to her and her husband, to take any thing in partem amoris, to share with her husband in his love; she will keepe her honour in being the wife of one husband.

And so I have shewed you how she leanes, what is her hand, who it is she leanes upon, what title she hath to him, what rules she observeth in her leaning. I have but one thing more, and that is, to shew you what strength there is in the Lord Christs shoulders to beare her; how she leanes even in every wilder­nesse, and what fulnesse of strength there is in her husbands arme to keepe her up from falling.

The first wildernesse you may remember, was the wilder­nesse of sin: Here the Spouse cannot be said properly to leane upon her beloved, for she wants the hand of faith to lay hold upon Christ, and indeed she is not weary: yet I do not know why in some sense, even in this estate, the elect soule is not be­holding to free grace; he is her Christ here, though he hath not yet manifested himselfe to be her Iesus, her saviour. The elect soule in sin is elect, & decreed to be saved, though she be not de­clared to be elect; she is beloved in decree, though God hath not actullay manifested his love unto her: he is not her beloved, but the soule is his beloved, not actually but decretally, he hath thoughts of good to her, but his thoughts are kept within himselfe, till he is pleased to reveale them to her at his best time: she is his [Page 45] Beloved though there be no correlation, she is in his thoughts, his Spouse, aye, and positively, not conditionally. The Armi­nians falsely dreame of Gods conditionall decrees, because they comprehend not the wayes of God: Beleeving is ne­cessarily required, yet it was not a condition in Gods decree: The soule is his beloved, though yet there be no correlation, though she be not his wife yet, yet she is intended for his wife. To speake according to the wayes of men, I may intend to make a woman my wife, before I actually declare my intenti­ons to her; she is my wife in my determinations and thoughts before I wooe her, though not actually my wife before I have wooed her, and she hath yeelded too, there lyes onely this difference, my determination must be but conditionally, if she will accept of my proffer'd love: There lyes a power in her to refuse. Wee may therefore make the simile a little higher; A great Emperour buyeth a woman that is a slave, which he intends to marry, and will, whither she will or no; yet he will wooe her, and if it be possible marry her will, as well as her person; yet whither she will or no, he will and may marry her, for she is his purchase, she is his wife in his determinati­on before he hath married her. But yet even this simile is lame. (Every simile, comparing the wayes of God, with the wayes of man, must at least halt of one foot) for though this Emperour hath power to force the womans body to the action, yet he hath no power to force her will, to be willing to the action: The will is alwayes independent. sui juris; but God hath power, not onely to marry the soule, which he hath bought from being a slave to the Divell, but to make her wil­ling to marry him; yet she is in Christs decree his Spouse, be­fore he hath actually revealed his decree unto her: So though strictly and properly the soule cannot be said to lean upon Christ in the wildernesse of sinne, yet she may be said to be beholden unto the Lord Christ, and that thus.

1 Every soule hath the like principles of corruption, and would act to the full of it's depraved operations, were it not for Gods preventing and restraining grace, Shee is beholding unto God for his preventing and restraining grace, though here she is meerly passive.

2 Secondly, She is beholden unto God for his exciting grace: The foule heares, and fasts and prayes, meditates of her owne sad condition, though for the substance of the action it is her owne, yet it is Gods exciting grace makes her willing to hear, fast, pray, though not his speciall saving-grace, yet his com­mon grace: But this is not a leaning meant in the Text, shee leanes here upon Christ, but not upon Jesus [a Saviour] upon God, but not as her Beloved. And here the soule is brought in­to a second wildernesse.

2 The wildernesse of Sorrow, Contrition, Repentance, call it what you please; though I know the latter terme Repentance, be controverted by some new Opinionists.

Yet I know not why wee may not say, That a man may re­pent without saving-grace. And for that Repentance which they say must be the effect of faith; if I were a Schoole-man, I should rather call it Godly Sorrow, but I desire not to play upon termes: And for their defining Repentance, To be a sor­row for sinne out of the sense of the love of God revealed in Je­sus Christ, it is a definition they have devised for their owne purpose; And give them their premises according as they please, they would be poore Logicians if they made the con­clusion to displease them: For from hence they argue, If the love of God be the ground and cause of Repentance [ viz. the love of God manifested and sensible to us, wee having ap­prehended it by faith] the speciall love of God then faith must goe before repentance, viz. an apprehension of Gods saving love, and reliance upon it. But I answer, the definition which they give us of Repentance is deceitfull; it is a definition of a Species in steed of a Genus (as wee say in Logick) As some unwary Divines define Faith, to be an assurane of Gods love in Iesus Christ: This is true, but this is a faith of the highest stamp, and many a precious soule is without this faith to his dying day.

Faith of adherence is another thing; as if I should goe to define a man to be a reasonable creature, skil'd in all sorts of Learning. Any man would understand me, that I did not goe about to describe a man in generall, but this or that particular [Page 47] man. And I say once againe, If I were a Schoole-man, I should rather call this A godly sorrow, and define Repentance in generall to be A sorrow for sinne, there is the genus and dif­ferentia: Or if there be required a fuller definition with the ground, though I conceive such a definition would be more proper to give of Repentance in it's severall kinds, then of Repentance in generall; yet wee may give it thus, It is a sor­row for sinne, arising out of the feare of Gods wrath, or appre­hensions of Gods love. And I know not, why we may not say, That a man may repent without saving grace. Bishop Davenant sayes, A man by exciting the grace of God, may Peccata propria considerare, ad sensum corundem expavescere & liberationem ab hoc metu exoptare, tremble for his sinnes, Mark. 1.15. Luk. 17.3, 4. Ezek 14 6. and mourne for them, and desire deliverance out of them, and if this be not Repentance, I know not what is, (not taking Repentance for the whole worke of conversion, as sometimes it is taken in Scripture) but taking Repentance for a wearinesse of sinne and sorrow for it.

But those of our Brethren here (that are so afraid of Baby­lon, that they will runne quite beyond Ierusalem, so afraid of being Arminians, or Papists, to ascribe any desert to duties, or tye that God hath to concurre with our duties, that they are resolved they will not be sober Protestants: So afraid of being Heterodox, that to avoyd it, they will not be Orthodox. Tell us, that this is a legall, not a saving Repentance, it soundsill to di­stinguish betweene a legall and saving Repentance. I will di­gresse a little to rend this Fig-leafe, being all they have to co­ver the nakednesse of their Opinion: I would faine understand that terme saving Repentance, in what sense they take it; the Scripture warrants no such distinction.

1 If they meane by saving Repentance, such a repentance as merits Salvation; or such a Repentance as God is tyed ne­cessarily to concurre with, with his saving grace I say, no Re­pentance can be saving Repentance. No Repentance (saith Learned Davenant) can so dispose the heart; Ut ex meri­to congrui teneatur Deus gratiam cuiquam infundere.

2 If they meane by saving Repentance, such a repentance, as of [Page 48] it selfe without any more adoe, shall be sufficient to Salvation: I say againe, no Repentance can be called a saving Repentance. For, Without Faith, it is impossible to please God.

3 If they meane by saving Repentance, a repentance that con­duceth to Salvation; I say, this kind of Repentance (let them call it legall or what they please) is a saving Repen­tance.

4 If they meane by saving Repentance, such a repentance as is wrought ordinarily in such as shall be saved; I say, in that sense this Repentance is a saving Repentance.

Now, Whether it ought not to be preacht, as well from law as Gospel-motives, is a question lyes not in my way to determine; only I hear my Saviour (though he were Gospel it sell, preach­ing it from a Law-motive, Luk. 13.2. Except yee repent, yee shall all likewise perish. Let the unprejudiced Reader judge, if damnation be not there preached as a terrible motive to Re­pentance: Surely I then may learne to preach from the Best of Preachers, and preach, Repent, or you will goe to Hell; Repent, or you will be damn'd, as well as Repent, because God hath loved you: Yea, and John too preacht Repentance as well, because The axe was laid to the root of the tree, and whatsoever tree brought not forth good fruit, should be hewen downe and cast in­to the fire, as because The Kingdome of Heaven was at hand. I dare not learne contrary to Christ, and Baptists Copy; I will preach Mercy and Judgement: The Law and the Gospel goe well together, I will not be accursed for seperating what God hath joyned. But

5 Lastly, I conceive, Wee cannot call any Repentance saving Re­pentance, till the worke of conversion be fully wrought in our soules. Nay, I make a question, whither any man (without the grace of Assurance) can properly call his Repentance saving Repentance, till he comes in Heaven. And for my owne part, I am full in the Negative. But I have digressed too farre, to convince some (who I feare are not so willing to suffer the word of conviction, as I to speak it.)

We left the Spouse in the second wildernesse, The wildernesse of sorrow; 'tis time wee now returne to her, and comfort [Page 49] her, and shew you how she comes out of that, leaning upon her Beloved.

Here now the beloved Soule is mourning like a Turtle, and crying, O what shall I doe to be saved? I am lost! oh, how shall I find the way out of this wildernesse? O my sins pull me back! I cannot set a step forward! Sin trips up my heeles. The Devill tels me I am his; and my sins beare witnesse to his words? Now she that is not the Spouse of Christ, sinkes in these mighty waters, she sinkes to hell in despaire, is quite lost, if once she comes into them: But he that said not one of those whom his father had given him should perish, seeing the poore soule like Peter, (Math. 14.30.) that thought to have trode upon those waters, sinking in them, and crying, Lord save me or else I perish! when he sees such a poore soules ship in which he is, though he seemes to sleepe, tost in these bitter waves, when the tem­pest ariseth, and hearing the soule in this Agony, crying out, Master save me or else I perish, now he begins to arise, and stretch out his shoulder for the soule to leane upon, speakes, and rebukes the winds, and calmes the busie tempests; when the Whale of sorrow hath swallowed up these Jonahs, and they are in the bottome of the Sea in the Whales belly, they cry, their God heares: and causeth the Whale to vomit them out on the dry land. Me thinkes that voyce of Ionah, is the voice of every penitent soule, Ionah 2. The soule cries by reason of her affliction unto the Lord, and the Lord heares her; out of the belly of hell she cries, and he heares her voyce for he hath cast her into this deepe, into the midst of the Seas, and the flouds compasse her about, and all the billowes, and the waves past over her. Then the soule saith, I am cast out of the Lords sight! yet I will looke again towards his holy Temple: The waters compasse her about, even to the soule, the depths closed round about her, the weeds were wrapt about her head; she went downe to the bottome of the mountains, the earth with her barres was about her, yet her Lord, her God brings up her life from corruption: when her soule faints within her, she remembers the Lord, and her prayers come unto him, even into his holy place. And when the soule is in this wil­dernesse, in the deepes of sorrow, then her Beloved doth throw [Page 50] her his shoulder of supporting grace to leane upon: that she saith as David, Psal. 94.17, 18. Unlesse the Lord had been my helpe, my soule had almost dwelt in silence, when I said my foot slippeth, thy mercy O Lord held me up. When the soule cries, O I am drowned! Then the Lords mercy holds her up: No (saith God) thou art not drowned, here is a cord of mercy for thee to lay hold upon, and I will draw thee out by it. Here is my hand, be still O ye waves, this soule is mine. When the soule is burthened with sins, laden with the sense of them; and in the sad apprehension of them, cries out, my burthen is too great for mee to beare: O I sinke! I sinke under it! then Christ lookes out of the heavens, and saies, Cast thy burthen upon the Lord (man) and he shall sustaine thee: Psal. 55.22. or Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: Mat. 11.29. The supporting grace of God, is the Anchor of the soule, which staies the Ship of the soule when a tempest of sorrow arises, and the waves beate upon it.

Now this Anchor hath two flukes.

1 The first, is her Beloveds mercies and merits.

2 The second, is her Beloveds promises, when she is in this sad wildernesse of sorrow, her Beloved gives her a staffe of merits, and mercy, and free grace to leane upon, and a clue of promises to lead her out of this Labyrinth: and the mercies and merits of her Beloved, have two hookes, both which take fast hold to stay her soule.

• 1. The fulnesse of them.
• 2. The freenesse of them.

1 The fulnesse of them: The soule cries out, O I am damned! Christ suggests to her: But didst thou never heare of one that came to save those which were in their owne apprehension damned? I deserve to dye everlastingly, saith the soule, oh! but did not he dye for thee, that deserved to live everlastingly. (saith Christ?) I deserve infinite torments, (saith the soule) Oh! but are not thy Christs mercies infinite mercies, (saith God) Thy mercy held me up. My sins have cryed up to heaven, (saith the soul) O but my mercies are above the heavens, (saith Christ) Psal. 108.5. My sins are more in number then the haires of my [Page 51] head, (saith the soule) O, but my mercies) saith Christ) are more in number then the sand which lies on the Sea shore. Psal. 139.17, 18. My sins have abounded, (saith the soule) O, but my grace hath much more abounded, (saith Christ) [...] Rom. 5.20. O, but my heart is as hard as Iron, and the face of my sins like Brasle, (saith the soule) O, but that God that made the Leviathan, is as strong as the Leviathan. He esteemes Iron as straw, and Brasse as rotten wood. My sins are many, (saith the soule) But were their name Legion, (saith Christ) I could cast them out. O, but I am an old sinner, I have a mountaine of sins. But my mercies are from euerlasting, (saith Christ) so are not thy sins, and I came to levell Mountaines, Luke 3.4. The more old thou art, the more glory shall my free grace have, all the world shall see, I do not pardon thee for any service thou canst, or wilt do me, thou must ere long lye downe in the grave. Thus the soule in this wildernesse of sorrow, leanes upon the fulnesse of Gods mercies.

2 But secondly, there must be freenesse, as well as fulnesse, or else what hath the soule to do with Christ? O, (saith the soule) I know that the least drop of Christ bloud is fully able to wash away all my guilt: But oh! what have I to do with Christ? I am a poore creature [...] the fitter object for divine cha­rity: what dowry have I for Christ to marry me? Because thou hast nothing, therefore I will doe it, (saith Christ) If thou hadst any thing that thou thoughtest riches, I would not have mar­ried thee (saith Christ) Thou art mistaken in my thoughts, I do not marry thee because thou art rich, but because I have a delight in thee, and have an intention to make thee rich: Hosea. 14.4. I will heale their back-slidings, I will love them freely, Ezek. 16.7, 8, 9. Now the soule being fully perswaded of this, that Christ is full of mercy, and able to pardon her, and free in his mercy, therefore willing to forgive her, and desiring nothing for her pardon, but to live like a Spouse in his sight, begins to leane, beleeving he will pardon her: But yet saith the soule, I could desire to see it under Christs hand; I thinke I could take his word now.

2 So she leanes upon Christs promises, which are as the other [Page 52] Fluke of this Anchor: Now saies the soule, Oh, that I had it but under Christs hand, that my sins (which I am scarce able to thinke can be pardoned) may be pardoned, though I staid my Jesus his leisure for the sealing of it. Here she enquires for first, Promises: and secondly, Presidents: Did ever Christ pro­mise (saith the Soule) to pardon such a scarlet, crimson sinner as I am? Yes, I have (saith Christ) looke Isai. 1.18. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as snow, though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as wooll: and so Isai. 55.6, 7. I will have mercy upon you, I will abundantly pardon you. Matth. 11.29. O, but where hath Christ promised freely to dispense these mer­cies (saith the soule?) Christ turnes her againe to Isai. 55.1, 2, 3. He every one that thirsteth, come buy of me without money, or money worth: O, but secondly, where did he ever pardon such a sinner as I am (saith the soule?) Christ puts her in mind of Mary Magdalen, Manasses. O, but where one that was so neare hell as I am (saith the Soule) an old sinner? the theefe upon the Crosse (saith Christ.)

Now it must not be understood, that Christ Jesus should reveale these Promises Audibly to the Soule, but

1. Either sets his Ministers a worke to declare his Charters of Grace, and read the Soules pardon.

2. Or else he suggests into the soule such promises in such a seasonable time, which must be taken as the voyce of God to that soule. Thus the soule furnished with presidents, trusting upon promises, wipes her eyes, comes out of the wildernesse lea­ning upon her blessed Saviour, and saying, O my sweet Saviour! thou that hast drawne me from the pit of hell, and hast reached out thy arme for a worthlesse lost worme, to leane upon thee. I dare beleeve thee. I now roule my soule upon thee, I am ship­wract, but thou are my harbour; and now, ô what shall I do for thee? O my God! I am sicke of love! Thou hast rauished my heart! I am thine, I am thine. Thus have I shewen how the Soule comes out of the wildernesse of sin, and sorrow, leaning upon her Beloved. And here the ship is in harbour, but yet ever and anon she is tossed still, persecuted, though not forsaken: This is the most dangerous wildernesse; afterwards she is often in [Page 53] the Corner of a Desart. I must shew you how even then she leanes, and how out of them she comes leaning upon her Be­loved. She is alwayes a dependent creature; she leanes when ever she is wearied.

3 The third Wildernesse therefore is the wildernesse of afflicti­ctions; in this she leanes; out of this she comes leaning upon her Welbeloved, id est, In afflictions she leanes. Christ is her Comfort in her saddest troubles. Shee leanes upon him, viz. Upon his supporting grace: Thy rod and thy staffe comforted me, Psal. 23. The staffe held him up, while the rod was upon his back. The rod was a comfort because of the staffe; the more he had of the rod, the more he had of the staffe also. In afflictions, the beleeving soule leans upon [...]od, and sayes, 2 Lam. 20. Behold O Lord, for I am in distresse: Out of the belly of Hell she cries, as Jonas, chap. 2.

First, She beleeves, that she shall suffer no more then she is able to beare, 2 Cor. 12.9. My grace shall be sufficient for thee For Gods strength is made perfect in the Christians weak nesse.

Secondly, She believes, that she shall beare no more then shall be for her good, Rom. 8.28. All things shall worke together for the good of those that love God. Shee hath a Promise or two here to leane upon also, Job 5. v. 19. He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee: And Isa. 43.2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the Rivers, they shall not over-flow thee: when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. She comes out also leaning, trusting upon God as before, that he would helpe her out, if hee saw best, or support her in: So when she is come out, she believes that God loves her never the worse; neither doth shee love him any whit the worse, she cries, It is good for me that I was afflicted. When she is in, she believes she shall come out; and she commeth out with as much love to her God, and confi­dence in him as ever shee had before, not being wearie of Gods service, because he hath smitten her: Shee sees a smile in a smiting, favour in a frowne, love in a lower, and she [Page 54] is resolved, though he kills her, yet to trust in him: shee comes out of this Wildernesse leaning.

A fourth wildernesse that the Spouse is in sometimes, is the Wildernesse of Temptations. Even in this shee leanes upon the Lord Jesus Christ. They were not the Spouses of Christ, The good ground, Luke 8.13. Which when they heard, recei­ved the Word with joy, but having no root, for a time believed, and in time of temptation tell away. The true Disciples are those that continue with Christ in tentations, Luke 22.18. First, they beleeve, that God who is faithfull, will not suf­fer them to be tempted above that which they are able: But will with the temptation also make way to escape, that they may be able to beare it, 1 Cor. 10.13. They believe, in that himselfe suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour those that are tempted, 2 Heb. 18. The Saints that suffered many things were in many wildernesses, Heb. 11.37. Amongst the rest were in this also; and they all leaned, v. 39. They received a good report through faith. Yea, temptation is so farre from making a childe of God let goe his hold, that it makes him lay the faster hold, 1 Pet. 1.6. Though now for a season you are in heavinesse, through manifold temptations; yet it is that the triall of your faith (being much more preci­ous then of gold which perishes) though it be tried with the fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glorie In temp­tations they leane upon God; and they come out of these temp­tations leaning, believing upon God too, having found, that he is able, and knoweth how to deliver the godly out of all temp­tations, 2 Pet. 2.9.

5 A fifth wildernesse, in which the Spouse of Christ leaneth upon her beloved, and out of which she commeth leaning, is the wildernesse of desertion. And this is one of the saddest Wil­dernesses that the Spouse of Christ comes in, and she hath an hard worke to leane here, when Christ seemeth to pull away his shoulder: yet even here she leanes: Christ himselfe did so: My God! my God why hast thou forsa [...]en me? Mark the phrase, Forsaken, yet not forsaken: the Bride-groom cries out he was forsaken, yet my God! Gods forsaking us is no ground for us [Page 55] to forsake him: If hee seems not to owne us, it is no warrant, nor policy in us not to owne him: It is the duty of a pious soule, when God clouds himselfe, yet to crie, My God. The Bowels of the father must yerne upon the childe againe, if the childe cries, and will not shake him off, It is a remark­able expression of Job, chap. 13. v. 15. Though he kills mee, yet will I trust in him. How now? if thou beest kill'd (blest Job) how canst thou trust? O immortall faith I that puttest Spirits of confidence in the dust and ashes of Job. Let God hide himselfe from the soule, and so kill it. (For Gods separ­ration of himselfe from the Christians soule, is a worse death then the separation of his soule from his body.) Yet the soule must trust in him, it must, it will leane upon him. The Spouse looseth not, but quickens her faith in a fit of desertion. That place of the Prophet is remarkable, Isa. 50. v. 10. Who is a­mongst you that feareth the Lord? that obeyeth the voice of his servant? that walketh in darknesse and hath no light; let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. They that feare the Lord, though they may walke in a darke Wil­dernesse, and see no such light as they were wont to see, have no such comfortable enjoyments of their God as they were wont to have, yet they will trust and rest themselves upon the Lord, and come out of this wildernesse leaning.

6 In all the wildernesses of this life, the Spouse will leane upon her Beloved, yea, and upon him alone, in all states, in all conditions, upon him for directing grace, upon him for quick­ning grace, upon him for whatsoever shee hath need of, either pardon, or guidance, or direction, or assistance, or comfort or heaven; at all times she must trust in the Covert of his wings, Psal. 62.8. for all blessings: The Spouse of Christ is a most dependent creature. The Babe of grace is never old enough to goe alone, it hangs like a childe upon the mothers hands, and leanes like a Bride upon the Bride-grooms bosome.

Thus have I done with the Doctrinall part, having shewed you, how she hath had, and sometimes hath her dwelling in the wildernesse; and how out of every wildernesse shee com­meth up but leaning, and what strength there is in her Saviour [Page 56] to beare her up leaning upon him; even in every wilder­nesse. Who is this commeth up from the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved? Now let us see what use we may make of it.

And first here may a word of reproofe, and a brand of folly be fastned upon divers erroneous opinions and practises.

1 First is it so that the Spouse of the Lord Christ, that comes, and is married to the Lord Christ, comes out of the wilder­nesse of sinne? Then this may reprove the errour and folly of those that dream of heaven, and flatter themselves with the hopes of glorie: but yet never regard comming out of this Wil­dernesse. Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinner to re­pentance. These men dreame of heaven, and yet never think of Repentance. Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost (friend) how lost? what, insensibly lost, as all of us were by Nature? This is an idle construction that giddy hea­ded Sectaries have of late devised to help themselves to hea­ven with. The Devills are so lost: yet Christ never came to save them: No no friend! it is those that are lost in their own apprehensions, those that know not what to doe to be saved, those that feele themselves even in the jawes of hell: hee makes apprehensions of his wrath precede the apprehensions of his love: But woe, and alas! how many thinke they have a part in Christ, That the Devill hath as great a part in Christ actually as they have? heaven is growne the common jour­neyes end, and let men ride which way they list. Not the most debauched wretch in a Congregation, but aske him what hee thinks shall become of him, if he dyes in that condition: why he hopes he shall goe to heaven; nay I wish he doth not say, he is sure of it too. All men are sinners: He is lost, but Christ came to seek and save that which was lost. Tell him of mour­ning for his sinnes, if he meanes to be comforted, of humbling himself, if he means to be exalted, of feeling hel, if ever he means to feele heaven: O then, you are a legall Preacher. Heare what the other side saith, what those you call [...] Antinomian Preachers; O these are the onely Gospel-preachers to them. This makes them passe for such honest men: O they shew a [Page 57] fine Cushion-way to Heaven! that you shall not need wet a a foot or eye in: But let them preach what they will (friend) beleeve him, who (although he knowes but little) yet knowes you must goe out of the wildernesse if ever you come there. The way is, neither the Drunkards Ale-way, nor the Adulte­rers uncleane way, nor the Covetous man his dirtie way, nor the Ambitious mans high-way, nor the Hypocrites hidden way, nor the Carnall-Gospellers formall way, nor the Antino­mians easie way. It is a way through a wildernesse, not a way in a wildernesse: The Spouse is not described by her staying in the wildernesse, but by comming out of the wildernesse; Who is this commeth out of the wildernesse?

2 Secondly, Doth the Spouse of the Lord come out of a wilder­nesse of sorrow, leaning upon her Beloved? First, she is in, then she commeth out; then this reproves the folly of those that preach men found before they were lost, and of those that dreame of leaning before they are in the wildernesse: The Spouse leans, but it is when she is comming out of the wil­dernesse: Is there none that preacheth downe a needlesnesse of duties, that mocks at mourners? that learne people a way to be found before they are lost? Examine the Scriptures be­fore you trust them; under a pretence of exalting Faith, doe they not cry downe sorrow for sin? and all preparatory duties? Nay, they doe cry downe the preaching of the Law, to bring men to see they are in the wildernesse, that they might leane: Doe they make you beleeve, that preaching the Law is a piece of Anti-christianisme, and no one ought to preach it? And for their parts, they will take heed of it, for feare of preaching a­way their hearers. O beware of this leaven! For my part, I had rather heare them, then beleeve them; (and yet I would not much care for that neither) were it nothing but to consi­der.

First, That this way of preaching, hath beene that which God hath most blest by his Servants labours: Witnesse our Rogers, our Hooker, our Pious Shepard; those three, to which many threes may be added, thougn they will scarce come up to the first three. Those three Constellations of Heaven, that gave [Page 58] more light to darke Travellers, that wandred in the night of sinne while they shined in our Firmament, then all these Ignes fatui; Oh! I would I could not construe it false-fires, mis-lea­ding poore Travellers. Was ever any of these Leaders so honoured (though they have beat up their Drums almost in e­very street of the Kingdome for followers) as to gather such Troopes of Saints to the Christian warfare, as these before mentioned? Did ever God honour their labours so much as these? who (poore soules!) shone in their dayes like lights under Bushels too, had onely the corner of a Pulpit, or a Pulpit in some blind corner tolerated them. Nay, looke upon these that have lately fallen into this Veine, and were Preachers of Gods whole truth before; was not their first fruits better, and more accepted of God then their harvest is now? Hath not God distinguished which way of preaching he will most honour, by making the first ripe grapes sweeter then the whole Vintage? were it onely for this, And

2 Secondly, For the constant experience of the Saints of God, let them speake their minds freely; hath not this beene the way of their conversion? Have not the best Saints in Heaven cryed out of the belly of Hell before God heard their voice? Was not Paul strucken downe to the earth before he went in the Triumph of Glory? Did not the Gaoler come in tremb­ling, and fall at the Apostles feet, and cry, what shall I doe to be saved? before they bid him beleeve, and thou shalt be saved. Neither can they evade it with saying, That trembling was not an humiliation for sinne, but occasioned for feare his prisoners were gone. Least people should wrest it in that manner, The Holy Ghost hath cleared it to their hand; for before wee read of his trembling, Paul had cryed with a loud voice, vers 28. Do thy self no harme for wee are all here. Neither do wee read, that he trembled for th [...]t at all; but like one strucke senselesse, and his spirits dead as it were, in a fit of desperate madnesse, was about with his Sword to let out his owne blood. Now I say, were it no more then to heare such doctrine, contrary to the Doctrine which God hath chiefly honoured in his Servants lips, by making it efficacious for the salvation of their soules, [Page 59] and contrary to the experience of the generalitie of Gods Ser­vants, if not contrary to the Preachers owne former and bet­ter thoughts and practice, it would be sufficient to make me suspend my faith, from being too hastie to beleeve this new way to Heaven: But it is enough to confirme me, to heare my Christ calling, Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you. Before you are sensible of an heavy load you will need no ease, and to heare my Text speaking of leaning, but in a wildernesse; Nay, it may be noted too, The Text saith, Who is this that commeth? Not who is this that jumpeth up from the wildernesse; I cannot fancy this going to Heaven at a running jump, nor can I like this pressing faith without preaching repentance also: Faith is an act of an humble soule. Nor can the soule apprehend the beautie of Christ, and love Christ, before it apprehends it's owne misera­ble condition. The onely harme this Doctrine doth, is to make poore soules presume, insteed of beleeving, for alas! Tell an impenitent soule of beleeving, it apprehends it easie, be­cause it doth not understand it, and runnes on upon a suppositi­on, that it hath faith, when, alas, it beleeveth no more then the Divell beleeveth: sorrow for sinne is better understood by a carnall heart then faith is; for the truth of it is, the humbled soule onely can tell what faith is: The other sees, neither the want they have of faith, nor yet the nature of that precious grace. Shall I tell you what pious Master Rutherford sayes concerning this.

‘Faith (saith he) is bottomed upon the sense and paine of a lost condition; Povertie is the nearest capacitie of belee­ving. This is Faiths method, be condemned, and be saved; be hang'd, and be pardoned; be sick, and be healed. Faith is a flower of Christs onely planting, yet it growes out of no soile, but out of the margin and banck of the lake, which burnes with fire and brimstone— Antinomians (saith he againe) make faith an act of a loftie Pharisee, applying, (immediato contactu) presently, his hot boyling and smo­king lusts to Christs wounds, blood, and merit, without any conscience of a precedent command, that the person thus be­leeving [Page 60] should be humbled, wearied, loaden, grieved for his sinnes: I confesse (saith he) This is hastie, hot worke, but it is a wanton, fleshly, presumptuous opinion, that it is an immedi­ate worke to lay hold on the promises and be saved.’ In his Book of the Tryall and Triumph of Faith, you hear the opinion of Gods Servants, and the Text mentions a comming too; pedetentim, gradatim, little by little, step by step: Those that come, cannot goe so fast as these illegall Sectaries, because they are weary and heavie loaden. Those that learne people to jumppe, must take away Math. 11.29. the heavie load of sinnes which the Spouse hath upon her shoulders, keepes her from that hastie motion that Antinomians make. I doe not speake to limit the Almighties power, but to shew you his or­dinarie dispensations; not what he can doe, but what he will doe, what he hath used to doe, and God ordinarily walkes in his owne paths, not in the paths our fancies make for him: we may looke for God in his ordinary wayes of Providence and dispensations to the soule, if he comes in a new way, it must be beyond our expectations, though not beyond our faith that he can doe it, yet beyond our faith that he will doe it. When wee have no word to assure us, what shall faith be builded upon? God can turne mid-night into mid-day, ipso facto: But wee know in Gods ordinary course of Providence, first comes the dawning of the day, then the morning, then the noone-day: God can take a soule and marry it, and never humble it, but where hath he promised it? where hath he done it? or if he hath done it, wee say, one Swallow makes not a Summer, one example make [...] not a Rule, one president makes not a Law. It is no rule for thee or me to trust in that, no more then the sa­ving of the thiefe upon the Crosse, might be a safe president for us to deferre repentance tell our dying day. Let thee and I learne to be humbled, to get broken hearts, to loath our selves, see our owne misery. Sorrow is the ordinary doore to joy, Humiliation the ordinary step to exaltation, Mourning for sinne the onely preface to Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in Gods ordinary way of dealing out grace. The Latine is full, Quae est illa quae ascendit, that ascends from the wildernesse: Our [Page 61] Translation commeth up, implying an ascensive motion, tis hard running up an hill. They that runne up a mountaine, if they runne too fast, they may quickly runne themselves out of breath: It is bad jumping over a broad ditch (especially if it be drowning depth) for feare if wee jumpe short wee jump our last. It is a great jump from the bottome of Hel to Heaven, to take it at one leape. I wish, those that dare take it, do not fall short and drown themselves eternally. I had rather go up Gods steps, then make such a hasty motion, God give me grace to ascend up the Saints staires to the chambers of glory. Elijah was such a favourite to heaven, that God sent a coach for him; but those that will expect till that fiery Chariot be sent downe for them too: I suppose may waite something a longer time then they desire. O beg of God to humble you, to powre out his spirit of mourning, and supplications upon you, this will learne you to beleeve (friends) It is the humbled soule only that can construe that word Faith: it is Hebrew to others, it poseth the impenitent heart, Faith is a riddle to them: Christ findes his Spouse in the wildernesse, and there he gives her his shoulder to leane upon: But,

Thirdly, She commeth up leaning out of the wildernesse.

Is it the duty of a soule that is in a wildernesse of sorrow or affliction, or temptation, or desertion, to leane upon the Lord Christ? Then this may reprove those that are in these wilder­nesses, and yet cannot be perswaded to leane upon the Lord Christ: hence they cry out, O, faith is impossible! is it possible to beleeve that Christ Jesus will save me? me, that have scorned his salvation, and slighted his mercies? And because thou hast slighted mercy, wilt thou therefore still slight mercy? still refuse his offer of grace? Thou sinnest as much now in not beleeving there is mercy for thee, that hast despised mercy, as thou didst sin in despising that mercy. O why is it harder to raise up, then to cast downe a soule? Why wilt thou not beleeve, O thou of little faith? Is the mole-hill of thy sins, like the mountaine of his mercies? doth the voice of thy sins roare like the voice of his loving kindnesse? Is there any humbled soule before the Lord? O do not provoke God by thy infideli­ty [Page 62] now he hath made thee capable of faith: You that are Chri­stians, for shame, in your severall wildernesses of afflictions, temptations, and desertions, doe not, O do not cast downe your heads, and say, who shall shew us any good? or if you do, say againe with the Saint in the ensuing words, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us: Beleeve in your depths of sorrow, beleeve in your most trying afflictions, most sadding temptations, most killing desertions, beleeve me, it is the grea­test honour you can put upon the Lord Christ: And it is the greatest dishonour you can put upon your God, to have any diffidence in the Lords armes, any distrust in the Lords free-grace. It is the property, nay, it is the duty of the Spouse to come out of wildernesses leaning.

Fourthly, Doth she leane upon God before she can come? must he worke the first motion to make her willing, before she can beleeve in him?

Then how are those to be here reproved that would make mans will to be the Author of its first motions unto God. Pe­lagius was a great defender of it. First he would hold, That the grace of God was not necessary, but by the law of nature we might be saved. 2. That the grace of God (which the Apostle speakes of) was only in giving the law of nature. 3. Driven from this, he would maintaine, that the faculties of the soule, and their naturall Actions was the grace of God, understood by the Apostle. Yet here is no leaning upon our Beloved. Afterwards he would maintaine. Si quaeratur an ex suis Na­turalibus viri­bus anima ali­quid afferat ad suam conversi­onem, vel reno­vationem, vel aliquam facul­tatem, vel acti­onem, quae vel partialis cau­sa, vel quocun­que alio modo appelletur, vere respondetur quod habet se mere passive. Chemnit. in loc. de l. b. A bit. 4. That the grace of God was necessary for sins past, but it was in the power of mans free-will, to avoid or commit sins for the time to come, and to resist rebellious corruptions. 5. After this, he would maintaine, That some men indeed were weake, and must do all by the grace of God, others that were stronger might act good by their owne will. But still only some Spouses leane. Lastly, he would maintaine, (and the Arminiams still from him: Quae de gra­tia dei praveni nte, & praeparante, & operante traduntur, hunc habent sensum, quod non nostrae partes priores sunt in conversione, sed quod deus per afflatum divinum praeveniat, post hunc autem motum, voluntatis divinae factum, voluntas humona, non habet se merè passivè sed mota & adjuta, espiritu sancto non repugnat sed assentitur. Ib.) That grace did indeed helpe a good worke, but it had its [Page 63] first motion from our wils, or at least might have: and the will had a negative voice, and might resist and crosse grace which did not worke irresistably in the soule, to force the soule to him.

Cassianus Monachus Pelagis Doctri­nam amplexus est. Faustus Hor­misda & Ben.I would not rake up these graves, did not these ghosts walke in these our dayes, when every grave of Heresie is un­bowelled, and no one takes care to throw the dirt upon them againe. Nay, and the Papists having beene tainted with this Leven, the Sententiaries now tell us, Hominis est preparare cor. Aquin. in Sum. Theol. Aquiescere & assentiri est nostrúm. That a man without grace, meerly by the strength of his free will, may avoid any mor­tall sinne, and prepare himselfe for Gods free grace, and fulfill the Commandements of God; Quoad substantiam actus, for the substance of the Act. Quibus de cō ­gruo mereatur gratiam gra­tum facientem. Scotus. And another more impudently main­tains, That a man without any grace of God (by the meere strength of nature) may doe workes morally good, yea, even such as God shall be bound to concur with, and give his speciall grace for. Even thus going back from their owne great Rabbies, one of which was pleased to confesse, Homo sinegra­tiâ Dei non po­test non peccare & mortaliter & venialiter. Lomb. That a man without the grace of God, could not but sinne both mortally and venially. What is become here of the Beloveds Leaning? But no more of these; onely if you heare such Doctrines (as you may heare any thing in these dayes) beleeve them not.

Doth God move the will attending him in duties, first? se­condly, when the will is thus moved, doth it then come? 5. Spiritus San­ctus pravenit. movet & im­pellit volunta­tem in conver­sione, non [...]tio­sam, sed atten­dentem verbo Chemnit. Vel per specu­lationem som­niorum, vel per simulationem orationis illabi efficaciam. Spi­ritus Sa [...]cti. Vide D. Featly, Dippers Dip [...]. when it is drawne, doth it runne? Then this reproves the Enthusiasts of old, the Anabaptists, Antin [...]mians, Seekers of our dayes, that hold, first, there is no need of duties. The Enthusiasts of old affirmed, That for the receiving of the Spi­rit of Promise and saving grace, the Spirit of God was either infused to them in a dreame, Vel per simulationem orationis: Ay, and the motions of the Spirit, were as sensible in their flesh as the beating of the pulse, so blasphemous were they growne; and thence they would lye, and gape for Revelations, and so indeed they may have a suggestion from the Devill but scarce a Revelation from God. Oh! How in these dayes are mentainted with these lazie Opinions! slighting duties, vilifying Sabbaths, neglecting ordinances; that if poore people would truely now give account of their growth in grace, and of their [Page 64] learning godlinesse: many of them might truly. As the child that ye have heard a story, in the learning of its primer, boasted to the fathe [...] that it had learned past Grace. Is not this the mi­serable learning of our dayes? that men are growne past grace, past Prayer, past Ordinances, past all duties?

6. Again what you have heard, that after the soule is drawn, then it comes, may shew us the falsenesse of another Doctrine of Enthusiasme, too briefe even in these dayes also: that the soule is meerly passive, even after the worke of conversion also; and is even then a meere stone. Draw me (saith the Spouse) and then, See the Booke set out from the Ministers of New-Eng­land of the he­reticks, &c. Post conversio­nem concurrit voluntas, non tamen quasi suis viri [...]us ad­juvet spiritua­les actiones. Semper adden­dum est non esse plenam libertatem, in sancto renato, sed virtutem in infirmitate perfici, Chemnit. Intelligant si filij Dei sint spiritu Dei se agi, ut quod agendum est agant, & cum egerint, illi, a quo agun­tur gratias agan [...]. Aguntur enim, ut agant, non ut ipsi nihil agant. Aug. I will run after thee. Indeed, after our conversion, the will is but in part sanctified, and the Image of God in us will want of his first integrity, after it is renewed: but Christs strength is perfected in our weakenesse; we must understand if we be the children of God, that God hath therefore wrought in us that we might also worke something, and when we have wrought it, give thankes to God, who hath made us to worke; for God hath wrought in us, that we might worke, not that we should be idle. Thus I have laboured to you to divide the Truth from Errour; Now you have heard of the leaven of these Pharisees; take heed of it.

In the next place, what you have heard, that the soule that comes to the Lord Jesus Christ, leanes upon a new Beloved, not upon her old beloveds: may serve to reprove those that would faine plead a title to Christ, and have a portion in Christ, but they will not take Christ alone: two sorts there are of these. The one cannot leave their old beloveds, and the other cannot trust this Beloved O the wicked man would have his portion in Christ, if he might but have his lusts too, his pleasures, his profi [...]; but to take Christ, & Christ alone, ô this is such a hard saying that they cannot beare by any meanes; If Christ and his lusts would lye both in one bed, Christ at the feet, and his lusts at the head; then Christ should be as welcome as any thing to him, but he [Page 65] is loath to sue a divorce for this Beloved, he is loath to part with his old love for a new; till he seeth how he can love him. But at a venture he will take him in p [...]rtem amoris. O wretch! flatter not thy selfe, if Christ be thy Beloved, he will endure no Polygamy; you must leave your sins or be without your Christ. The true Spouse leanes upon her Beloved, not upon her Beloveds, upon her now Beloved, she forsakes her old.

Lastly this may serve to reproove.

1. Those that would leane upon Christ, but they dare not trust their soules upon Christ alone. Forsooth he will be the Spouse of Christ, but he must leane upon Christ with one hand, and his good workes with the other. The whore of Babylon commits adultery with her selfe.

2. Under this lash comes a better ranke of people, that when God hath shewed them their owne sinfull, sad conditi­on, they do not only performe duties, pray, and mourne, and repent, and be humbled, all which they ought to do; but they are ready to rest in them, and make them their Beloved: It is naturall to the soule, that God hath made to loath its sins, to love its duties, it finds duties almost as consentaneous to its nature, as sins were before; and it is too ready to thinke that its saving, or damning, depends upon such a quantity of teares, and humiliation: Hence, you heare soules in this condition, often complaining; oh! I could beleeve, if I were humbled enough, if I could but mourne enough. This soule doth well to be sensible of the hardnesse of its own heart; and it is too true, it can never mourne, it can never be humbled enough. But it doth ill to thinke that free-grace stints its operation, and bles­sed influence, to such a quantity of teares, if it be humbled enough, to see its want of Christ. The water runs through the river, that is the way to the Sea, but it doth not rest in the ri­ver, but with a swift and continued motion, runs betwixt the banks, till it comes, and is swallowed up in the Sea: Even so the soule ought to run through duties, but not to rest betwixt the bankes of duties, but to run through, till it come to the Sea of free-grace, where it will be swallowed up of infinite mercy; and our imperfections will be drowned in his infinite perfecti­on; [Page 66] we ought to take duties in our way to Christ, but not to make duties our Jesus. God hath ordained that they should fit us for him; but it is written, My glory will I not give to another. The glory of the Lords free-grace, is his greatest glory; he will not give that to any other: None shall share with him in his Spouses love, he is a jealous Saviour. The Spouse leanes upon her Beloved, not Beloveds: Thus I have done with my use of reproofe.

The next use is for examination, here may every one try himselfe whether he be the Spouse of the Lord Jesus Christ, or no: Even by what hath been already said; I will reduce it all [...] three heads.

First Examine thy selfe, whether thou beest out of the wilder­nesse of sin, yea, or no.

Secondly, Whether thou wert, or art in any other wildernesse, yea, or no.

Thirdly, What was, or is thy demeanour in these wildernesses thou hast been, or art in, and how hast thou come, or dost thou come out.

Examine whether thou beest not in the wildernesse of sin, yea, or no: It was given as the Character of the Spouse, to come out of this wildernesse: O, but how shall I know that? (will the soule say.) I will name two or three notes, by which thou mayest suspect thy selfe as from probabilities.

1. The wildernesse it is an incult place; a place where the soyle was never tilled, it is as hard almost as a milstone; the over-growne Trees were never pruned, the unruly boughs never lopt, the bushes never cut or stubbed: dost thou finde thy heart in such a condition, that it is as hard as ever; neither judgement breakes it, nor mercy melts it, the fallow-ground of it is not plowed, nor the seed of righteousnesse sowne in it? Thy unruly lusts are not tamed, thy life is as much overgrowne with sin as ever it was: thy sins were never yet cut off from the body of thy life. O friend! suspect thy selfe; Thou mayest justly feare, yea, and know too, that thou art not the Spouse of Christ, thou art in the wildernesse, in thy naturall estate.

Secondly, The wildernesse is a barren place, it brings forth [Page 67] no corne for the sickle, no wholesome fruit, no figgs, no grapes for mans pallat, for can a man gather grapes of thistles, or figgs of thornes? No pastures wholsome for the beasts. The fire hath devoured the pastures of the wildernesse. Joel 1.19. And God complained that Nineveh was dry like a wildernesse. Zeph. 2.13. Art thou a barren, and unfruitfull creature, that dost no­thing for God? thy heart is a barren heart, no seeds of good are sowne there, thy tongue is a barren tongue, no good words come out thence; thy whole soule a barren soule; not a good action upon the record of thy life. Indeed, no soule can be bar­ren, the soule is of a working nature; but sinfull workes are unfruitfull workes (in the Apostles language.) The unfruitfull workes of darknesse, and what fruits had ye of those things, where­of you are now ashamed? 2 Gods Spouse is a fruitfull creature, Gal, 5.22. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffer­ing, &c. A barren soule is alwaies a wildernesse soule. Those that are borne of God, bring forth fruits unto God.

Thirdly, Thou mayest know whether thou beest in the wil­dernesse or no, by the company thou delightest in: It is a known rule, Noscitur ex socio qui non dignoscitur ex se.

He that is a wildernesse creature, loves wildernesse company, the wolves, and beares, and foxes: but he that is out, keeps the company of men; dost thou love the wildernesse compa­ny? the swinish drunkard, the politike Foxe, the malitious Ly­on, the venemous lyar and slanderer, the lascivious wanton, more then the Children of God? oh suspect thy selfe! By this we know (saith John) that we are translated from death to life, if we love the Brethren: Lazarus when he was raised from the grave, we do not read he went to keep the dead men company again: those that God hath raised from the death of their sins, live amongst living men, and delight in living mens company; Thus examine whether thou beest come out of the wildernesse of sin, or no.

Secondly, As comming out of the wildernesse is a sign of the child of God: so being in the wildernesse, is likewise a note whereby thou mayest know thy selfe. Gods Spouse comes out of one wildernesse into another, out of the wildernesse of sin [Page 68] into the wildernesse of sorrow, and out of that to their Saviour. Wouldest thou know whether thou art found, or no? Examine whether thou wert ever lost or no: wouldst thou know whether ever thou wert a beleever, examine whether ever thou wert a penitent, or not. This is Gods ordinary way; thence he com­plaines of his people, that they would not repent, that they might beleeve in him. Dost thou find God in another manner of work­ing in thy soule? blesse God for it; and if thy title be good to heaven, which will be knowne by thy walking with God; be­leeve me, God hath used thee kindly, heaven hath cost thee cheaper then it costs many a poore soule, and walke humbly be­fore God, because he hath not humbled thee under his mighty hand, as he hath done many another poor creature: and though I would not condemne those that plead their title to heaven this way, for feare I should condemne the generation of the righteous, yet beleeve me, I should suspect it in my owne cause. They that go out weeping, and carry precious seed, shall returne re­joycing, and bring their sheaves with them.

2. Examine thy selfe, What other wildernesses thou meetest with? Afflictions, temptations, &c. I would not give this as an infallible marke, and yet God saies, whom he loves he chasteneth, and scourgeth every child whom he receiveth; and thence the Father drew out his Conclusion, Unicum Deus habuit filium sine peccato, nullum sine flagello. God had one Sor without sin, but none without a rod. But I know, even the wic­ked sometimes begin their hell upon the earth: and though would suspect my selfe, if I met with no afflictions, ye I would not be glad to have a life full of crosses, and afflictions my best evidence for heaven: I rather named this for a prefac [...] to the next note,

3. Examine how thou carriest thy selfe in the wildernesse▪ there is a different carriage betwixt the child of God, and th [...] child of the Devill in afflictions: the one sinkes into his grav [...] with despaire, the other lifts up his head to Sion with hope the one is prest to death under crosses, the other lives above al crosses. Caine cries, my punishment is too heavy for me to beare Job cries, though he should kill me, yet I will trust in him: Th [...] [Page 69] Reprobate cryes, Who is the Lord that I should wait for him? The Saint sayes, I will patiently wait for the Lords Salvation: the wicked man dyes, the Saint leanes; the eyes of the sin­ners faile that day; but the Saints looke up to Sion, from whence comes their helpe that day.

4 Examine How thou hast come out of thy wildernesse? of thine owne strength? or leaning? Canst thou say, That God knew thee in the wildernesse, in the land of great drought. Hos. 13.5. If thou thinkest thou camest out alone, thou art there still, What gave thee comfort in the depths of sorrow? what? thy merry company? did thy duties doe it? If any thing did it but thy Christ, I feare thou art still in the wildernesse: when thou didst mourne, as one that mourneth for his onely begotten sonne, didst thou looke upon him whom thou hadst pierced? there is nothing but the blood of Christ can give a cordiall to a fainting soule; nothing but the hand-kerchiefe of free grace that can wipe thine eyes; nothing but the blotting out of the hand-writing, which was written in Gods Booke, and thine owne conscience against thee, that can make thy heart leave trembling, and thy knees leave beating together for terror. Thou canst not come out alone, if ever thou camest out, it was leaning.

5 Examine thy selfe, How thou hast carried thy selfe since thou camest out? How hast thou beene since thou wert humbled, and lost in the wildernesse of sorrow? What effects hath the wildernesse of sorrow wrought upon thee? Hath thy sorrow beene like the sorrow of Achan, that thou hast beene onely sorry because thou hast beene under an Attachment of wrath? Or like Ahab, rending his clothes, putting on his sack-cloth, and going softly? 2 Chron. 22. Or like Pharoah, saying, I have sinned? Exod. Or like Balaam, saying, I have sinned, I will re­turne backe againe? when he might have had more thankes for his labour and never have come there, he had checks enough. Art thou worse when thou commest out of the wildernesse of Affliction, that wee may brand thee with Ahaz his Brand, This was that King Ahaz? Or doest thou come out of thy Afflictions leaning, with thy weake faith strengthened, and [Page 70] thy strong faith confirmed? Hast thou lost no grains, but got in the fire? Is thy gold as good weight now as before? it is a good signe it is good then. But I hasten to the next Use, which may be to informe us:

1 First, The sad condition that all unbeleevers are in.

2 Secondly, The joyfull condition that all the Children of God are in.

3 Thirdly, The great love of God, that he would send Christ to seeke us up in the wildernesse, and give his hand to poore creatures to lead them out.

4 And lastly, If in every wildernesse wee must leane upon the Lord Jesus Christ, It may informe us, what need wee have at all times to walke close with the Lord Christ. First, here see the sad condition that all men and women by nature are in, that have not the Lord Jesus Christ. It consists in two things:

1 First, They are in a wildernesse: Sinne is a wildernesse. Now which of you (friends) but would thinke himselfe as good as a dead man if he were in the midst of an Arabian de­sert, that he could not see any possibilitie of getting out, nor any comfort he could enjoy there: terror on every side, com­fort on no side; the Lyons and beasts of prey of every hand ready to devour him, and it is well if he can keepe his flesh for food for himselfe, for he can get no provision for his body, no­thing, except he would eate the barke of trees; o [...] the parched grasse. What man would not tremble, to thinke of on that should be condemned to such an exile? Doe not your hearts pittie as oft as you thinke of those poore men that were left but halfe a yeare in Green-land? And yet O Lord! How few pittie themselves! O poore creature! Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur, the Story is thy owne, apply it therefore: You that are in your sinnes are all in a sad wildernesse; the judgements of God, like the beasts of prey, are ready to swal­low you up on every hand; 'tis a miracle of mercy you are not in hell; there is but a thred betwixt you and death; the Sword of Gods wrath hangs over your head, while you are at your Drunken Banquets of sinne: Oh! what comfort? [Page 71] what joy can you have in the wildernesse (friends?) that when you lye downe at night, you know not but you may wake in the morning past Repentance, even with Hell flames about you; as the Lord lives, there is but a haires breadth be­twixt you and Hell.

2 Consider, That you have no one to helpe you out of any wil­dernesse; if Christ be not yours, nothing is yours: what will you doe in a stormy day of Afflictions, when you shall cry unto God, and he shall say unto you, as he once said to the roaring Israelites, Judg. 10.14. Goe, and cry unto the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulati­on. Cry unto your Gold now, unto your Lusts now, trust your Riches now, make you a golden Calfe! See if it will now save you. O thinke! You that live in sinne, and love and de­light in sinne, what shall I doe in a sad day of sicknesse, when the feare of the grave shall surround me, and the terrors of Hell shall make me afraid? What shall I leane upon when these comforts shall be no comforts? when I shall say to all creature enjoyments, miserable comforters are you all. Where shall I warme me when these flashes will be out? when these sparkes of pleasure and profit shall be choakt, and kill'd with the dust and ashes of my grave? Heare yee this all yee, That kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparkes; walke in the light of your fire, and in the sparkes that you have kind­led; This shall yee have at the Lords hand, Isa. 50. v. 11. you shall lye downe in sorrow: Your pleasurable sinnes are but as sparkes (Sirs) What will you doe when your sparkes are out? They are (as wee say of a short flame) but a Widowes joy for a moment: Take heed, that when your sparkes are out you blow not your nailes in hell: Take heed, that your sparkes doe not kin­dle everlasting burnings for you. What will you doe in a wil­dernesse of Affliction? how will you come out? What will yee leane upon?

2 Secondly, This may serve to informe us of the happy con­dition of Gods Children, and that è contrario, in a just opposi­on to the others misery: O lift up your heads yee righteous, and be glad yee upright in heart: Your happinesse consists in these two things:

First, You are out of the wildernesse, out of the danger of Hell, and those that can spell in their thoughts but that word Hell, will know it to be a mercy to be out of the feare of it. You are out of the wildernesse, O blesse that God that hath helpt you out: 'tis a great happinesse to be delivered of feares; beleeve me! Did the wicked men seriously thinke what a weight of wrath they lye under, what a cloud of bloud hangs over their heads, they would pray till all their knees were mel­ted (though they were all steele) to be delivered from it. Hold up your hands that you have escaped a drowning; that you feare not the wild beasts that belong to the wildernesse; Gods dreadfull judgements you dare meet, the Lyon and the Beare, and they dare not set the print of their teeth upon you. A godly man is like a man under protection, he owes much, but the Bayliffe dares not meddle with him; Christ hath underta­ken the debt for him, he is under the protection of the Sonne of God; he can looke a Judgement in the face, and never runne for it. The wicked man, on the contrary, is like one. that hangs upon every bush (as wee say) owes more then he is worth; he dares scarce looke out of the doores whiles the Bayliffes are about; when the judgements of God are about, the wicked wretch dares not looke out, he sinks into his grave in the thoughts of it. This Plague, this Feaver, this Ague, may be a Bayliffe to Arrest me, that God hath sent to carry me bound hand and foot and throwne into Hell, where is weep­ing and wayling, and gnashing of teeth. And then thinks with himselfe (O that they did so!) Where is my suretie (if it should be so?) who would be bound for the payment of the Debt due for my sinnes, and to be payd at Gods judgement seat? The godly man, he likewise saith; This Plague, this Feaver, this Sicknesse, may Arrest me: But suppose they should, the Sonne of God is bound for my Debt; My Judge surely will not demand better Suretie then his owne Sonne. I blesse God I am out of the wildernesse: O happy man! Here's a portion of thy happinesse; but here is not all.

2. Consider, That if thou shouldest fall into the corner of another wildernesse: Thou hast one to leane upon, even in every [Page 73] wildernesse: If thou shouldst have a rod upon thy back, thou hast a staffe to comfort thee. Thou hast one to lead thee out, when soever thou art in: an arme that thou mayest trust to. Happy is he that hath a friend in the Court, such is thy friend. A friend in adversity, is better then a Brother, (saith Solomon) thou hast a friend in adversity, and he is thy brother. Thy brother Christ is thy friend, that will lead thee through, & out of every wilder­nesse; Is the child happy that in want hath a father to run unto? the wife happy that hath a husband in time of sicknesse to comfort her? The servant happy that hath a Master in adver­sity to pitty him? then I dare pronounce thee in all times hap­py. Thy husband loves thee, thy father sends his Son to lead thee: thy husband is alwaies by, to comfort thee, and lead thee by his hand. God hath said, Esay 58.11. That he will guide thee continually, and satisfie thy soule in drought, and make fat thy bones. Thou hast alwaies a friend at need, a brother in adver­sity.

Thirdly, Is it so that the Spouse comes out of the wilder­nesse▪ leaning upon her Beloved? This may then shew us the in­finite love of God to the Creature; that he would be pleased to looke us up in the wildernesse, and let us leane upon him: Christ was lead into the wildernesse because thou wert there, he had a bad journey to fetch thee home: Oh! what should? what could (besides his infinite free-grace) make his bowels of mer­cy so yerne towards the Creature, as to looke it up in the wil­dernesse, to cloath it naked, to wash it polluted, to save it dam­ned? Christ the shepheard had lost his stray sheepe, and goes after that which was lost in the wildernesse untill he findeth it, then he layeth it on his shoulders, and bringeth it home. O, blessed be the name of the Lord for his free grace and mercy! The sheepheard followed the sheepe, whiles the sheep re­garded not the sheepheard; we were in a wildernesse, he came to find us out. O! was not this infinite love, astonishing mercy?

Lastly, Is it so? that we must come out of every wildernesse leaning upon our Beloved? O then let this informe us what need we have to walke close with the Lord Jesus Christ; what need we have to be fearefull of offending, and carefull to please [Page 74] him: It is he that must helpe us in every need; he that must lead us in every wildernesse: If he forsakes us we are undone. Have we but one friend? let us keepe him then: if we anger him, we loose our best friend: hath the shiftlesse child need to keepe the love of the father? the Babe need to keepe in the armes of the Nurse? the wife need to keepe the love of the husband? the blind man need to keep the love of his guide? O Christian, thou hast much more need to keep the love of thy Christ. It is he that must succour thee at every need; he that must make the rugged waies plaine for thee; It is he that must carry the Babe of grace in his armes, least it should dash its feet against the stones of affliction. It is he that must lead the child of God upon his hand, least in this world of afflictions it fall, and hurt it selfe. O keep close in his armes, keep thy selfe warme in his bosome; feare that which may make thy God go from thee. Gods departing from the Creature is a peice of hell: thou knowest not how soone thou mayest need him; yea, thou alwaies needest him, therefore take heed of sin­ning against him; thou wilt anger the best friend, I will assure thee.

I hasten to the last use, which shall be a word of Exhortati­on: Doth the Spouse of Christ come out of the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved.

First, O then, you that are yet in the wildernesse of sinnes, come out, come out, get this Spouses Beloved, and then leane upon him.

2. You that are in the wildernesse of sorrow for sin, afflicti­ons, temptations desertions, leane upon your beloved, live lean­ing and dye leaning: you that say you are sinking, and you can­not beleeve. Oh leane! and come out of this wildernesse lean­ing upon your Beloved.

A word to the first: Is there any before the Lord this day that is yet in the gall of bitternesse, and in the bond of iniquity, with what arguments shall I plead with such a soule? Those are not wanting, but with what arguments shall I prevaile with such a soule, to come unto the Lord Christ? were any here drowning in the water? a little Rhetoricke would perswade [Page 75] them to let me helpe them out? were any cast in a wood, I should not need much entreat them to give me their hand, and I would shew them a way out of that loosing place, why should I not as much prevaile for heaven this day?

1 Consider what estate it is that thou takest such pleasure to continue in? first, It it a dangerous place, more dangerous then the sands to the ship: thou art ready to be swallowed up of hell every houre in it. A troope of judgements waites upon thee to destroy it; how canst thou abide consuming fire? or dwell in everlasting burnings?

Secondly, Consider, it is a joylesse condition: There is no true joy to the sinner, though he sings sometimes amongst his drun­ken cups, yet he cannot feed heartily upon a feast of joy, be­cause the Sword hangs over his head; it is but a feigned joy that the sinner hath, a sudden short lived flame, without any coales underneath to preserve it. There is no peace to the wicked (saith God) and if no peace, there can be no joy; when the sin­ner is serious he cannot rejoyce, his rejoycing is like the skip­ping of mad men that know not what they do.

Thirdly, Consider, it is a starving c [...]ndition. The sinners soule starves whiles he feasts bis body like a glutton, his soule dyes for thirst, when his body is overflowen with drunkenesse. It is impossible the puffe-past of iniquity should nourish a soule: Doth an Angell feed upon the earth? doth a Saint feed upon hell? The soule is of an Angelicke substance, it cannot feed upon sin: sin starves it. Dost thou love to be in the middest of thornes? dost thou delight to lye downe in sorrow? canst thou endure to see thy better part starved, whilest thou pam­perest thy filthy Carcasse? O let this deterre thee from the wil­dernesse of sin, and perswade thee to come out of it unto Pa­radise. There,

First, Thou shalt be in a safe condition: Out of the feare of judgements, out of hells gunshot. There life or death will be either peace temporall, or else eternall, either grace, or glory unto thee; here thy soule shall be in a harbour, if thousands fall at thy left hand, and ten thousands at thy right: none shall make thee afraid, thou shalt laugh at trouble when it comes. Thou [Page 76] shalt be sure to go to heaven either by land, or water: If thou goest through the fire, thou shalt be sure to have Christ with thee. Heaven is a security in all estates, a protection from all Arrests, if the King of Glory hath a mind to sue thee, thou shalt not be arrested (like other men) with a writ of wrath, but invi­ted to sup with him in glory, only by a letter of love, and he will send his Ushers of glory to waite upon thy soule to the cham­bers of glory, Luke 16.22. The soule of good Lazarus was carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome: you shall not live like other men, haunted with the bloud-hounds of wrath, nor dye like other wretches, that go out of the world, haled by the Serjeants of hell to everlasting prison: but quietly sleepe, and awake againe one day in glory. O who would not desire such a protection for himselfe? such a security for his soule? who would not throw off his raggs of sinne, to put on Christs li­very of grace, when Christs badge upon his shoulder shall free him from all Arrests? That he shall walke up and downe, and nothing shall make him affraid?

Secondly, Consider that Heaven is a place as full of joy, as ever the wildernesse was full of sorrow and trouble; of this I spake before. O thinke of the joy of the Saints, you children of vaine pleasure, you mad-men of the earth, that can dance over the hole of the Aspe, and put your hands on the Cocatrices den. Your false and flattering joy is nothing to the reall joyes of heaven, There is joy like the joy in the harvest, like the joy when men divide the spoyle. The yoke of their burthen is broken, and the rod of the oppressour: O you that love your drinking meetings, and dancing dayes, that you would but love heaven, where you might drinke new wine with your Lord Christ: where you might dance in glory, and make all your daies, dayes of joy, and every houre, an houre of pleasure.

Thirdly, consider, that there, and there only, is provision for your soule. Christs robes is the only cloathing that will cover the na­kednesse of it; his flesh is meat indeed, and his bloud is drinke indeed, there my friends, Eate, and drinke, and be merry, there you may have wine and milke without money, or without price. O, spend not your money for that which is not bread, and your la­bour for that which profiteth not?

Here you may eate that which is good, Esa. 35.1, 2, 3. and let your soule delight it selfe in fatnesse. Here is a Feast of fat things; The fatlings are killed: O come unto the wed­ding! Why should your roomes bee emptie in the day of the Lords Espousalls? You shall bee welcome to my Masters Table: Now, O now, Behold hee stands at the doore and knocks: (Lord, breake where thou knockest) If any man will heare his voice, and open the doore, he will come into him, and sup with him, Revel. 20. and he shall sup with him. O let mee intreat you, to pittie the yern­ing of your Saviours bowels toward you; pittie the groan­ings of his tender heart for you; pittie your selves, if not your Christ; and, O come, come out of the wildernesse of sinne into this wildernesse of sorrow; that of a drunken profane creature, thou mayest be a mourning pious soule; of a proud carelesse sinner, become a poore humbled poe­nitent; that the world may admire, Saul amongst the Prophets, and Paul amongst the Apostles, and thee a­mongst the Saints of Christ; and say of thee, who art now a profane Swearer and Blasphemer, Behold hee Pray­eth! Of thee that wert a filthy Wanton, Behold hee Mournes! Of thee that wert a filthy Drunkard and Glut­ton, Behold hee Fasts! And may in time say of thee, Who is this that commeth up from the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved? But,

Secondly, Is there any before the Lord this day, that is in any other wildernesse of Sorrow, Affliction, Temptati­on, Desertion, &c. O leane! Come out of your wildernesse leaning upon your Beloved.

First, Is there any one here, to whom the Lord hath shewen their owne sad condition too, and yet hath not revealed the fulnesse of his free grace to them? O leane upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and leaning come out of thy wildernesse; Beleeve, and thou shalt be saved? But here's the hard taske, to perswade such a soule to beleeve.

Consider but these few things.

1. That now thou art in a capacitie of beleeving. Po­vertie [Page 78] of spirit is the nearest capacitie of faith; Blessed are th [...]y that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse. Now thou art weary. Christ hath promised to ease thee; now thou art heavie laden, he hath promised to helpe thee.

Secondly, Consider that thou hast ground enough to build thy faith upon; Christs power and love are two Pil­lars, able to hold up the weakest faith.

First, Beleeve; leane upon Christ, for he is able to par­don thy sinnes; thou shouldest blaspheme in thy thoughts if thou shouldest not thinke this. Can infinite mercy be fadomed thinkest thou? Can any one plead his undeservings against free grace? Were thy burthen farre heavier then it is, cast it upon Christ, for he is able to beare it; Art thou thick darkenesse? he is infinite light: Art thou all sinne? he is all pardon: Art thou altogether lovely? why Christ is altogether lovely.

Secondly, Beleeve; because Christ is as much love as he is power: he is not onely able, but he is willing to pardon thee; free grace thirsts after thee. Nay, beleeve me, thou canst give Christ no greater satisfaction then to receive his mercies. Christ is withchild of free grace (to speake it with reverence) and he desires nothing more then to be delivered in thine heart. He is a Sea of mercy, and he would rejoyce to emptie himselfe by drops into his peoples hearts. But why did I say emptie? Can the Sunne loose any light by communicating his light to o­thers? When the creature speakes of God, he must speake [...], he would fill thee, and yet continue full himselfe. He is satisfied when thou art full. He shall see of the travell of his soule, and shall be satisfied. Thou art not so willing to receive, as he is to bestow free grace. O then leane upon him.

Thirdly, Consider, thou canst not dishonour thy God; more then when thou art humbled by him for thy sinnes, and cast downe in thine owne thoughts, and cal'd to beleeve in his mercies, and secured upon his word, if thou wilt but trust him. If thou wilt not, then beleeve in him, Surely then [Page 79] thou art of a little faith, if not an Infidell. Thou couldst not beleeve when thou wert an impaenitent hard-hearted crea­ture. Why? because thou knewest no need thou hadst of faith: Neither couldst thou heare Christs invitation, be­cause thou wert not weary and heavie loaden; but now that the Lord hath humbled thee, now the promises belong unto thee, what? darest thou not take Christs word? Suppose a Traytour were condemned to dye, and the King should send a Pardon by the hand of his owne Sonne to this forlorne wretch, and hee should refuse it, saying; The King cannot pardon me; what hath hee to doe to send me a Pardon? I know hee doth but mocke mee, he meanes nothing lesse, &c. Were not this a piece of un­worthinesse, by which he should dishonour his Prince as much as with his Treason before? O take heed of provo­king the Lord still; it is enough that thou hast provoked him once, yet he will pardon thee. And on the contrary, thou canst not honour Christ more then in beleeving; for thou acknowledgest the unfadomable depth of his free love and mercy; Thou proclaimest God, to be a God, gracious, long-suffering, a God that may bee trusted by the creature which hath deserved nothing at his hand; that he is so pure an Essence of love, that he will create himselfe a cause of love where is none. And though he could find nothing in thee to pardon thee, for thy sake, yet he would pardon thee for his owne Name sake.

So likewise, you that are in any wildernesse, or shall be, of Affliction, Desertion, Temptation, &c. O leane! leane! 'Tis that which God requires at your hand; 'tis that which will ease you when you are weary; helpe you when you are heavie laden; Beleeving will ease you when complai­ning will not; 'tis that which honours God, and honours Christ; It gives him the glory of his Power, and Provi­dence, and Dominion, and free Grace, and mercy. Christ, beleeve me, will take it kindly at your hands, that you will try him in need, and trust him even in despaire; though he kills you, yet you will trust in him. Those that [Page 80] venture upon Death with such a faith cannot dye. Those that have such a Spirit must live eternally. The way to live, is to dye beleeving, and the way to stand, is to leane falling. O come all yee that love the Lord [...] and trust in his mercies: I have done, only I conclude with my Text.

O you that are falling, as you thinke into the pit of de­spaire that are lost in the wildernesse of sorrow: Beleeve, beleeve, and you shall be saved. Come out trusting upon God; resting upon the fulnesse of his mercy, and the freenesse of his grace, come out, come out leaning upon your Belo­ved.

O you that are in a wildernesse of afflictions, leane upon Gods staffe, let his rod comfort you; beleeve that he smileth while he smiteth thee, beleeve in affliction you shall have no more then you are able to beare; he will let his grace bee sufficient for you, all shall worke for your good▪ And come you out of your wildernesse leaning upon your Beloved.

O you that are in the wildernesse of temptations, in the snare of the Divell, beleeve, and leane, your Christ was tempted, and he knowes how to succour those that are tempted: leane upon him to beare you up in, and to give you an happy issue out of your temptations in which you are in, for the triall of your faith, and come you out likewise lean­ing upon your Beloved.

You that are in the sad wildernesse of Desertion, cry, My God! though you be forsaken, keepe your faith, re­taine your Interest; O leane, loose not your hold you have upon the Almighty, leane in: and come out of this your wil­dernesse leaning upon your Beloved.

Finally. All you that are in the wildernesse of sin; the worst wildernesse of all: Let me conclude with you, And once more as the Emba [...]adour of Jesus Christ, in my Ma­sters name, as if he himselfe were here. I beseech you, by the many, and tender mercies of him, whose bowels yerne towards you, by his precious bloud, which was powred [Page 81] out upon the Crosse for sinners, (and who knowes, whe­ther not for you, as well as others) as you tender the life and happinesse of your owne soules, the joy of your faith­full pastours: nay, (which is most of all) as you tender the honour of God, come out, ô come out of your sad wilder­nesse! be humbled, and mourne, sit down in dust and ashes, that you may rise up, adorned with grace, and be crow­ned with glory, that you may leane upon your Belo­ved, and (O that my first or last words might prevaile with some great sinner this day for whom we might all rejoyce, con­cerning whom we might all say, who is this that comes out of the wildernesse leaning upon her welbe­loved.