Stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offence 1 Pet. 2. â— even to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient Unbelievers undervalue Christ and reject his Gospel and refuse the Salvation tendered therein These are they that strike at the Root of Religion For they endeavour to make the Gospel no better then a Fable nor Christ any whit better than an Impostor Unbelievers are such high presumptuous Sinners as they presumptuously put the Lie upon God himself 1 John 5. 10. He that Believeth not God hath made him a Lyar because he believes not the Record that God gave of his Son It 's a high affront to put the Lie upon a Man and the giving of the Lie hath oftimes caused sad Quarrals but how much higher an Affront and Indignation is it to give God the Lie and so doth every one who believes not the Gospel of Jesus Christ Farther to aggravate Aggravations of the Sin of Unbelief Aggrav 1. Unbelief binds the hands of God the Sin of Unbelief I shall lay down these Aggravations 1. Unbelief that I may speak with reverence binds the Hands of God and after a sort obstructs his Proceedings for Proof whereof read Matth. 13. 58. And he did not many works there because of their Vnbelief God will not cast away his Mercy upon Unbelievers who undervalue them Christ immediately left the Gadarens assoon as they prefer'd an unanimous Petition for his departure Their Unbelief caused them to put a higher value upon their Swine than upon a Aggrav 2. Unbelief hinders the Efficacy of every Duty Jesus 2. Unbelief obstructs and hinders the efficacy and benefit of every duty we per form For Instance In praying we have no hopes to speed unless we pray in Faith though Prayer is an Ordinance of Gods own appointing yet Prayer obtains no acceptance unless it be put up in Faith The Promise is made only to Believers Matth. 21. 22. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive And so for hearing Unbelief is the cause of unprofitable hearing Heb. 4. 2. The Word Preached did not profit them not being mixt with Faith in them that heard it In a word nothing is accepted as comeing from an Unbeliever For what ever he doth he spoils in the doing for want of Faith For whatsoever is not of Faith is Rom. 14. 23. Aggrav 2. Infidelity is accompanied with a Fraternity of Sins 1. A theisme is a Companion of Unbelief Sin 3. Infidelity is compared with a fraternity of Sins and Abominations Amongst many I shall only instance in three viz. Atheisme Hardness of Heart and Apostacy 1. For Atheism Unbelief is the cause of it Did Men believe the Word of God they durst not live without God in the World There are two sorts of Atheists There are speculative Atheists such who deny God and his Works of Creation and Providence and the Immortality of the Soul They will believe no farther than sense and yet if they had their senses exercised they would believe that their is a God by a visible demonstration of his Works of Creation and Providence The Book of Nature proves that there is a God but how God is to be Worshipped in Christ this is taught only in the Book of Holy Scriptures When a Man denied a Deity a Philosopher would bid him walk out of doors and look about him For the goodly Expansum of the Heavens and the Earth hanging upon nothing plainly prove that there is a God Psal 19. 1. Job 26. 7. A second sort of Aiheists are Practical who live in all manner of wickedness they neither fear Heaven nor Hell Death nor Judgment they run into all excess of Riot adding Iniquity unto Iniquity and so treasuring up unto themselves wrath against the day of Wrath. Now unbelief is that Root that brings forth the Gall and Wormewood of speculative and practical Atheism For did Men in serious composed thoughts consider that there is a Holy God before whose Judgment Seat we must all appear and from which there is no appeal they would than abhor all Atheism both in Opinion and Practice What caused Pharoah to answer so Atheistically to Moses but his Unbelief Exod. 5. 2. And Pharoah said who is the Lord that I should obey his Voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord thus Atheistically he spoke Neither will I let them go This is the Language of desperate Unbelievers 2. Infidelity is accompanied with hardness 2. Hardness oâ— Heart is a Companion of Unbelief of Heart That eminent place mentioned Is 6. 9 10. and cited in all the four Evangelists in the Acts of the Apostles and Epistle to the Romans shews the heavy Judgment of a hard Heart And he said go and tell his People hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive Intellectui fides aditum aperit infidelit as claudit Aug. â—p 3. not make the heart of this People fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted and healed These words the Apostle cites Act. 28. 26. and applyeth them to the Unbelieving Jews 3dly Infidelity is accompanied with 3. Apostacy is the Companion of Unbelief Apostacy Unbelief is the Mother and Apostacy the Daughter And if we would prevent Apostacy we must beware of Unbelief Heb. 3. 12. Take heed Brethren least there be in you a Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the Living God Unbelief causeth Multitudes of Carnal Men to leave Christ's colours and hide themselves under Antichrist that Man of Sin 2 Thess â— 3. What 's the reason that Men make hast to be Rich and with all violence pursue the Riches of this World and stick at no course be it never so unjust and base forgetting worldly wealth it 's because they will not trust God What 's the reason then when Men are in great straights and difficulties they will not wait Gods leisure but wind themselves out by making Breaches upon their Consciences It 's for want of Faith and dependance on God Lastly Unbelief meets with dreadful Aggrav 4. From the Judgments 1. Unbelievers are given over to a Judicial Blindness Judgments 1. Unbelievers are given over to a Judicial blindness what was their Sin is their Judgment 2 Cor. 4. 4. In whom the God of the World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God should shine unto them Because when the light of the Gospel breaks in by the Ministry of the Word People shut their eyes and will not see therefore God leaves them to blindness as a dreadful Judgment 2. Unbelievers are given over to Delusions 2. Unbelievers are given over to Delusions 2 Thess 9. 10 11. and to believe Lies For this cause Antichrist shall come with all deceivableness of
redditas benedictione sc Domini quae abunde ditat Merc. The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before Christ makes a large Promise consisting of many particulars which according to the Rule of an Induction concludes Universally Mat. 19. 29. And every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my Names Sake shall receive an Hundred Fold and shall Inherit Everlasting Life The meaning is not that a Man should receive an Hundred Fathers or Mothers c. but that he should receive Christ who is infinitely | Ipse unus Christus erit tibi omnia quia in ipso uno bono bona sâ—nt omâ—â—a August Exoâ— 12. 36. more worth then all Sometimes God makes up the Losses of his Suffering Servants in kind God gave the Israelites Favour in the Eyes of the Egyptians so that at parting from them They Spoiled them And God took away the Substance of Laban and gave it unto Jacob in Recompence of his rigorous Servitude however if God doth not make up worldly Losses with the Riches of the World yet he makes them up to his Children with Spiritual Riches which are as much better as Heaven is better than Earth David lost his Wives his House even all that he had of the World at the sacking of Ziglag but he had that which was infinitely better than all that he had Lost for he had Consolations from Heaven and Supportation from God 1 Sam. 30. 6. But David incouraged himself in the Lord his God It 's a saying commonly observ'd Virtus repulsae nescia Sordidae I have Read that when Alexander was in a great Strait and was put upon an hard Service he said En periculum par animo Alexandri here 's a Danger fit for the Mind of an Alexander to Encounter withal So David in his great Straits at Ziglag discovered heroical Magnanimity he sunk not under those heavy Pressures but made use of the Right and only Support and Strength in Trouble as the Text Specifies But i. e. notwithstanding the Burning of Ziglag the carrying away his Wives and many People Captive and the Mutiny of the discontented Souldiers who threatned to Stone him David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Manasseh gain'd more good by a Prison than by a Palace and was a greater gainer for his Soul by an Iron Chain than by a Chain of Gold when the Prodigal fed on Husks he understood himself better than when he fed delicately at his Fathers Table Zeno could say after he Jam didici Philosophari Zeno. had suffered Shipwrack Now I have learned to be a Philosopher And should not a Christian say Experimentally By Sufferings Losses and Crosses I have Learned to value all things under the Sun at a lower rate than ever and Christ and his Graces and Heaven at an higher rate It was a frequent saying of Aquinas that great School-Doctor Mallem bonam conscientiam quam plenum marsupium Aquinas I had rather have a good Conscience than a full Purse But instar omnium the Apostles Determination takes place Phil. 3. 8. who counted all things but Loss and Dung in comparison of Christ The Original words are Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loss and Garbidge Put Christ and his Riches in one Scale and the World with all its Pomp and Bravery in another Scale and these are less than the Dust of the Ballance in comparison of Christ and his Riches for these will infinitely preponderate Wherefore let us make sure of Eternal and never fading Riches It was a choice saying of Lewis of Bavoyer Emperour of Germany Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent i. e. Such Riches are to be got as when a Shipwrack comes they will Swim out with us And these are only the Riches of Christ CHAP. VIII Containing a Second Reason drawn from the excellency of a quiet and submissive Frame of Spirit I now Proceed to a Second Reason 2. Reason drawn from the excellency of this submissive Spirit drawn from the excellency of this submissive Frame of Spirit which yields to God and Resignes all to his Disposal Solomon tells us Prov. 12. 26. The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour and Prov. 17. 27. A Man of Understanding is of an excellent Spirit Now wherein doth the excellency of this Wise Man Shine but by the lustre of his Graces Grace is the Beauty of the Soul and no Ornament like those of Divine Graces to Adorn a Christian Now a Man of a Wise composed Spirit who depends on God for his Portion and stays upon his All-Sufficiency and makes it his Study to resign himself and to submit to God's Will in all Estates and Conditions whatsoever such a Man doth in a Conspicuous and Eminent manner exert and exercise six choice Graces viz Wisdom Faith Hope Patience Self-Denial and Holy Courage Every one of these is an expedient and help for the right Management of a Christian excellent Spirit amidst varieties of Hardships and Sufferings incumbent on us First For Wisdom As it is a sign of 1. Wisdom Prov. 22. 3. Mich. 6. 9. Prudence to Foresee Evil so it is a Character of a Man of Wisdom To hear the Rod and who hath appointed it He is a Wise Man that deliberately observes the handy Works of God and acknowledgeth his Wisdom Power and Soveraignty in ordering all Affairs It 's a doggish Quality to snarl at the Stone and not to take notice of the Hand that Threw it To make a strict enquiry into Second Causes to find out such and such an Evil Instrument and to quarrel wlth them by reviling words and revengeful deeds Oh! How unsutable is this to a Christian Spirit That eminent Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Dod was a signal example of Meekness and Compassion towards his Enemies In the beginning of the late sad and lamentable Wars a Souldier who had Plundred his House and gave him reproachful and threatning Language a few days after that Souldier being Sript in the Battle at Edge-Hill Fled for his Life and came again to Mr. Dods House in a forlorn Condition ready to be Starved for want of Cloathing which when that good Man Mr. Dod heard of hâ— sent Cloaths unto him to cover his Nakedness Here 's the Wisdom of a Christian Spirit to understand the great Duty mentioned by the Apostle Not to Rom. 12. 21. be overcome of Evil but to overcome Evil with Good When the Psalmist tells of the Afflictions of God's Children Psal 107. 39. and of their Deliverance ver 40 41 42. he Concludes ver 43. Who so is Wise and will observe those things even they shall understand the Kindness of the Lord. Quid de paenarum acerbita te qnecimur unus quisque nostrum se punit Slav. lib. 3. A Wise Man under Afflictions will inquire into the Cause and reflect upon himself as the Church did
every one something or other that they most rejoyce and delight themselves in the serious Meditation thereof Some fancy one kind of Joy some another and there are many varieties of Fancies as Philosophers reckon upon several Apprehensions of Felicity We Read in Scripture of Joy in Harvest Joy in Espousals and Joy in taking of Spoils but none Quam suave mihi subito factum est carere suavitabus nugarum quas committere metus fuerat jam dimittere gaudium erat Aug. Confes l. 9. c. 1. of these are lasting Joys But a Believers Joy is in God He never fails Upon a serious deliberate Consideration there 's no Joy elsewhere What 's the joy of debaucht Jovialists but like the Crackling of Thorns a blaze and suddenly gone What 's the joy of Ambitious Men such as Haman's were but dasht upon a sudden When the King was Angry at him His Face was covered and he immediately was carried from a Banquet to a Gallows What became of the Joy of Belshazzar amidst his Dan. 5. 5. Quaffing and Carrowsing He was suddenly doomed to Judgment Laughter and Mirth are vanity and Joy and Rejoycing in the World are but that Laughter which is called Risus Sardonicus Tumultuosis varietatibus dilaniantur cogitationes meae intima viscera animae meae donec in te confluam purgatus liquidus igne amoris tui August Confes l. 11. c. 29. which endeth in Bitterness and Mourning Here then lieth our Duty To make God our Joy So did Nehemiah comfort the Jews in a time of Heaviness Nehem. 8. 10. The Joy of the Lord is your Strength Amidst variety of perplexing Thoughts Comforts from God refreshed David's Soul Psal 94. 19. Amidst the great decay and failing of Creature-Comforts there was still matter of joy and rejoycing in God Hab. 3. 17 18. If then we can amidst Sorrows and Troubles make God our Joy and Rejoycing if we can delight and comfort our selves in God's Consolations when all Worldly Consolations fail this evidently proves our Trust in and Dependance upon God Joy in God as Aaron's Rod swallowed up the Rods of the Egyptians swallâ—weth up Worldly Joys and Worldly Sorrows To rejoyce in Wife and Children Corn and Wine and Gold and Silver are uncertain Joys But Joy in God is an abiding Joy The greatest Worldly Joys may have their Changes Worldly Joys are fading and deceitful like the River Jordan that emptieth all its Sweetness into a stinking and sulphureous Lake But Heavenly Joys are lasting and bend not to a Declination Therefore it 's an excellent Expression of | Aug. Sol. c. 35. an Ancient Father speaking of this Joy O Gaudium supra Gaudium Gaudium vincens omne gaudium extra Verum gaudium non desinit nec in contrarium vertitur Sen. Epist 59. quod non est gaudium CHAP. XVII Containing the Fourth and last Use for Consolation THe Fourth and Last Use for a Conclusion Vse 4 fâ—r Consolation of this Treatise is for singular Consolation unto all true Believers who depend on God's All-Sufficiency and Faithfulness Their Benonies will prove their Benjamins Though they Sow in Tears they shall Reap in Joy Amidst their greatest Losses it 's a Ground of Singular Consolation unto them That God is able to give them much more c. And if God see it good for them he will give them much more and abundantly Recompence their Losses What Though they be tost up and down with Boisterous Waves yet they have a Rock to climb upon which David Prayed to be led into Psal 61. 2. When my Heart is overwhelmed lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. | Deduxisti me i. e. in temetipso quia es Dux meus tu es viator meus Quia factus es spes mea vox Ecclesia ad Christum q. d. Quo modo tu resurrexisti immortalis nos sic eredimus resurgâ—re Hieron The Psalmist disclaimes all other Rocks God is the only Rock and if we climb upon any other Rock that is not higher than our selves we shall non be safe What Though Enemies have great Wrath and Flourish yet the greatest of them have but a short time Rev. 12. 12. And notwithstanding Prosperity at present yet inevitable Destruction is the Portion of Prosperous wicked Men Psal 92. 7. What Though God respite the Deliverance of his People and Answer not speedily It is but to prepare them for the better Reception of Mercies to humble them prove and refine them And though Offences must of necessity come yet wo be to them by whom they come Let all that fear God make it their Study to give no just Offence neither by imprudent Words nor imprudent Actions The Wisdom of the Serpent is as needful as the Innocency of the Dove Neither let any Man limit the Holy One of Israel nor prescribe Times and Seasons to him Let 's rest contented and satisfied with all God's Dispensations If Poverty Prisons Disgrace Exile be allotted for us let 's justify God's Dealings in all and leave of Murmuring at and Censuring of Second Causes What said Job in Answer to his Wise Job 2. 10. Shall we receive Good at the Hand of God and shall not we receive Evil Hath not Christ foretold that in The World ye shall have Tribulation but he addeth a singular Word of Comfort in the same place 1 Thes 3. 3. viz. John 16. 33. Be of good Comfort I have overcome the World This is That we are appointed unto Let not any of God's Children be discouraged by their Sufferings provided that they Suffer for Righteousness Sake neither let them faint in the Day of Adversity For if thou faint in the Day of Adversity thy Strength is small Prov. 24. 10. There 's a Learned Author who hath Ascendisti in navem cum Christo quid expectabis sâ—renum Imo ventum procellas fluctus navem operientes ut mergi incipias sed hoc Baptismo Baptizandus prius es tum sequetur serenum Excitato implerato Christo qui saltem dormieâ— aliquando Melch. Adam in vita Hessi a Saying Thou hast Ascended with Christ into the Ship What wilt thou expect a Calm Nay rather Winds Storms and Waves over-whelming the Ship that it may begin to be Drowned But thou art First to be Baptized with this Baptism Christ being Awakened and Prayed unto who will sometimes Sleep Let not any ante-date Deliverances nor precipitantly Carve out Wayes of their own devising and Means according to their own Imaginations as if at such a Time and in such a Way they should be delivered from their Troubles Let 's Patiently and Believingly wait on that Promise 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the Unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be Punished But still let Christians remember Silently and Patiently to wait on God Both Primitive Martyrs and those of | See the large declaration of
Neither is Faith the Hand of a Work-Man that earns his Wages but the Hand of a Beggar that receives all of Favour and Mercy 2. Justification by Faith consists in the 2. Justification consists in the Remission of Sins Remission of Sins and non-imputation of Transgressions Ps 31. 1 2. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven and whose Sin is covered Blessed is the Man to whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity Likewise the Apostle declares how the great work of Reconciliation was transacted 2 Cor. 5. 19. Not imputing their Trespasses unto them It 's true that the best of Gods Children have their Failings For in many things we offend all and he that is without Sin let him cast the first Stone and it will recoil upon himself that casts it But Gods Children are humbled for Sin they water Psal 6. 6. their Couches as David did with their Tears They sigh with Ezekiel to the Ezek. 2â— 6. Jer. 31. 19. breaking of their Loins with Ephraim they smite upon their Thighs Sin is their Sorrow Grief and Burthen wherefore they are by Christ call'd unto Repentance and Christ imputes their Sins not unto themselves but unto himself They indeed are the Principal Debtors but Christ hath made himself liable to pay their Debts and make full satisfaction because he hath become surety for them unto the Father 3. Justification consists in the Imputation 3. Justification consists in the imputation of Christs Righteousness of Christs Righteousness 2 Cor. 5. 21. We are made the Righteousness of God in him Of Unrighteous we are made Righteous of Ungodly we are made Godly And though we are Ungodly Christ justifieth us for he doth not find us good but he makes us so Now this Righteousness of Christ is altogether a Righteousness without us not depending on any inherent Righteousness nor any work in us But it 's free and Gratuitous without any Praevision or Intuition of Grace in the Person to be justified St. Bernard Assignata est homiâ— justitia â—lienâ— quiâ— carâ—it suâ— Justitia Bern. Ep. 190. fully expresseth it saying that anothers Righteousness is assign'd to Man because he wants a Righteousness of his own Hence our Works and Services though Failings in themselves are accepted Righteous by imputation of Christs Righteousness How miserable would our condition be if our Services were no better offer'd to God than they come from us But Christ mends our Services in the carriage by offering them to the Father in his own Name and Mediation so that though our Duties be raw weak and imperfect yet Christ makes them perfect by the imputation of his own Righteousness and so they obtain acceptance with the Father 4. Justification brings forth choice and 4. Justification brings forth choice and excellent Fruits excellent Fruits as we may read Rom. 5. 1 2 3. All those choice Fruits grow on that Tree of Justification Faith is the Mother-Grace there mentioned Peace and Access unto the Throne of Grace Joy Hope Glorying in Tribulation are the Daughters or the Fruit which grow on this Tree Wherefore though Faith only Justifies yet Faith is not alone when it Justifieth For it is accompanied with a Goodly Train of Graces Though Faith Justifieth the Person yet Works Justifie the Faith or declare the Faith to be true Faith works by Love and purifies the Heart Gal. 5. 6. Act. 15. 9. and it 's the Apostles charge Tit. 3. 8. This * Hujus fidâ—i charitâ—â— non est forma sed frâ—ctus pâ—nitâ—â—tiâ— est justificati conditiâ— non causa justificationis fidâ—s 〈◊〉 quâ— justificat non quae justificat est sine operibus sola dicitur in isto munere non solitaria respectu comitatus aliarum virtutum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per non propter fidem Justi declaâ—â—â—r per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—icâ—t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prideaux Manuductio ad Theologiaâ— is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have Believed in God might be careful to maintain good Works A Learned Professor very dextrous in stating of Controversies concludes thus Love is not the form but the Fruit and Repentance is the Condition of him that is Justified not the cause of Justification c. This then is the Purchase of Christ who imputes his perfect Righteousness to his Members and their Sins to himself and this Justification is active whereby Christ fulfilled the whole Law and passive whereby Christ became obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross SECT II. Of Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ A Second Purchase of Christ is Sanctification 2. Purchase of Christ Sanctification â—â— the Spirit For whom Christ justifies by his Grace those he Sanctifies by his Spirit In order of Nature Justification may be conceived to preceed Sanctification because Justification is the Root or Mother Grace The Works of Sanctification are the Fruit proceeding from it yet in order of time they are simultaneous Those who are purged from the guilt of Sin labour to be purged from the filth of Sin It 's a good Character to be as solicitous and desirous for Mercy to sanctify renew and purify as for Mercy to pardon us Wherefore Sincerity is an undoubted evidence of a justified Condition Psal 32. 2. It 's an infallible sign of Justification In whose Spirit there is no Guile In handling of the Doctrine of Sanctification we are to consider these ensuing Particulars which may serve as so many strong Arguments to perswade or as so many Motives to stir us up to the practice of Holiness The first Motive is drawn from Election Motive 1. We are elected unto Holiness we are elected unto Holiness Eph. 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Election doth not give the least licentious Liberty but engageth us unto Holiness Observe the Words now cited It is not said that we should live as we list Non eliguntur Paulus qui ei similes sunt quia â—rant sancti immaculati sed eliguntur praedestinaâ—tur ut in sequenti vita per â—pera atque virtutes sancti immâ—culaâ—i fiaâ—t Hieron in â—ph 1. 4. but that we should be holy Neither is it said that we are elected for any Holiness foreseen Election and effectual Calling go together and to be assured of our Election we must make sure of our effectual Calling 2 Pet. 1. 10. Calling is put before Election in the situation of the Words and in respect of our Duty incumbent on us Wherefore saith the Apostle the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Now if we ask why doth Christ purchase Sanctification for us The Answer is because he loved us His Love moved him to wash and put such Royal Dignities upon his Children Rev. 1. 5 6. Vnto him that loved us and